Bidar district General information
Bidar District is a district of Karnataka state in southern India. The historic city of Bidar is the administrative headquarters of the district. The district is located in the northeastern corner of the state, near the borders of Andhra Pradesh to the east and Maharashtra to the north and west. Gulbarga District lies to the south. Bidar is 120 km from Andhra Pradesh's capital Hyderabad. The district has five talukas, Bidar, Humnabad, Bhalki, Aurad, and Basavakalyana.
The district has two river basins, the Godavari and the Krishna. The Godavari basin extends to over 4,411 km² of which Manjra covers up to 1,989 km² and Karanja up to 2,422 km². Manjra is the main river of the district and it is a tributary of Godavari. Karanja is also a tributary of Manjra.
History
Bidar was one of the most prosperous cities of south India during the period of 11th century to 16th century.
The first Rashtrakuta capital, Mayurkhandi, was in Bidar district. The regal capital was later moved by Amoghavarsha I to Manyakheta in the present Gulbarga district.
Kalyani (today called Basavakalyan, after Basaveshwara) in Bidar district was the capital of Western Chalukyas, who were also called Kalyani Chalukyas after their capital. The Kalachuris continued with Kalyani as their capital.
Later, Bidar was ruled in succession by the Sevuna Yadavas of Devagiri and the Kakatiyas of Warangal, before being invaded by the armies of Allauddin Khilji, Malik Kafur and Muhammad bin Tughluq.
The generals of Muhammad Bin Tughlaq who were nominated as viceroys of the newly conquered Deccan region broke up and formed the Bahmani Sultanate under Allauddin Hasan Gangu Bahman Shah.
The Bahmani capital was shifted from Ahsanabad Gulbarga pronounced as kalburgi), to Muhammadabad (Bidar, as it was called then), in 1425 and remained capital until the Sultanate's breakup after 1518. It then became the center of the Barid Shahis, one of the five independent sultanates known as the Deccan sultanates, that were the successor states to the Bahmani kingdom.
The Bidar Sultanate was absorbed by the Bijapur Sultanate to the west in 1619, which was in turn conquered by the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb in 1686.
Bidar became part of the dominions of the Nizam of Hyderabad from 1724 to 1948, when Hyderabad was annexed to India to become Hyderabad state.
In 1956, it became a part of Mysore state, later renamed Karnataka.
Bidar, along with Gulbarga, Raichur and Koppal are collectively referred to as Hyderabad Karnataka. Bellary, though ceded by the Nizam to the British in 1796 AD, is also grouped together with these areas.
Origin of Name
The name of Bidar appears to be derived from 'bidiru' which means bamboo. The place seems to have been known for bamboo clusters in the past, came to be known as 'Bidaroor' and then 'Bidare', 'Bidar'. Though there are other versions of origin, the name 'Bidarooru' seems to be more near one and authenticated by contemporary literary works
Climate
The climate of this district is characterized by general dryness throughout the year, except during the southwest monsoon. The summer season is from the middle of February to the first week of June. This is followed by southwest monsoon season, which continues till the end of September. The months of October and November constitute the post-monsoon or retreating monsoon season.
The winter season is from December to middle of February and the temperature begins to decrease from the end of November, December is the coldest month with mean daily maximum temperature of 27.3 C and mean daily minimum of 16.4 C. From the middle of the February, both day and night temperatures begin to rise rapidly. May is the hottest month with mean daily maximum temperature of 38.8 C and mean daily minimum of 25.9 C. With the withdrawal of southwest monsoon in the first week of October, there is slight increase in day temperature but night temperature decreases steadily. After October, both day and night temperatures decreases progressively. The highest maximum temperature recorded at Bidar was on 8-5-1931(43.3 degree C) and the lowest minimum was on 5-1-1901(3.9 degree C).
The average annual rainfall at Bidar is 847.2mm. About 81% of annual rainfall is received during the period from June to September. Maximum rainfall is recorded in the month of September. The variation in rainfall from year to year is large and the district is drought-prone. The average numbers of rainy days in the district are 52.
The relative humidity is high during the southwest monsoon, being between 65% to 75%. Summer is the driest part of the year, when the relative humidity in the afternoon is between 30% and 40%.
Winds are generally moderate in strength with some increase in force during the latter half of the summer season and during the monsoon. During the southwest monsoon season, winds mainly blow between the southwest and northeast directions. In the post monsoon season, winds blow predominantly between north and east directions. During the winter season winds are variable in directions
River Systems and Drainage
The district falls under two distinct river basins, the Godavari basin and the Krishna basin. The Godavari basin extends over 4,411 square kilometers of which Manjra river basin cover 1989 square kilometers and Karanja river basin covers 2422 square kilometers. The Krishna basin covers 585 square kilometers of which Mullamari river basin covers 249 square kilometers and Gandarinala river basin covers 336 square kilometers. The main river of the district is Manjra River, which is a tributary of the Godavari River. The Karanja River itself is tributary of Manjra River. These rivers and their rivulets are not navigable.
The important rivers in the district are:
* Manjra
* Karanja
* Chulki Nala
* Mullamari
* Gandrinala
Bidar Forests
Bidar Forest division is the northern most division of Karnataka encompassing the whole of Bidar district and 31 villages of the adjoining Gulbarga district.
Forest areas of Bidar division are classified as Reserve forests, Protected forests and Unclassed forests.
Bidar Forest division is having 43,592 ha. of Forest area including Reserve Forests, Protected forests and Unclassified forests. This area is about 8.5% of total geographical extent of the district.
The people
Bidar district, which occupies a central position in Deccan plateau, is mixed with several racial strains, ethinic groups and socio-cultural clusters. Long after the fusion of Dravidian and Aryan elements, there was, in the medivial times, a continuous influx of batches of various types like the Turks, Mughals, Iranians, Afghans and Arabs who were welcomed and encouraged to settle down in the area. As a result of these admixtures there has been a cultural mosaic.
The population of the district, according to 1991 census was 12,55,799 out of which 10,10,096 lived in the rural areas and 2,45,703 in the urban areas. Average population density is 231 per sq. km.
Bidar is predominantly an agricultural district and a major portion of the area is covered under agricultural practices. Mainly dry crops are grown, Jowar being the major constituent. greengram, Bengalgram, Blackgram, Paddy, Groundnut, Wheat, Redgram, Sugarcane and chillies are other agricultural crops. The average size of the land holdings in the district is 6.2 hectares as against the state average of 4.4 hectares.
Economy
Agriculture is the main occupation in rural parts of the district. Greengram, bengalgram, blackgram, paddy, groundnut, wheat, redgram, sugarcane and chillies are other agricultural crops and jowar remains the major crop.
Educational Institutions
* Karnataka Veterinary and Fisheries Sciences University(KVAFSU),Bidar.[1]
* Karnataka Art, Science and commerce college
* Veterinary college,Bidar.
* Bidar government medical college.
* N.K.Jabshetty Ayurvedic Medical College
* Engineering Colleges - Guru Nanak Dev Engineering College, Bidar; Rural Engineering College, Bhalki
* Dental Colleges - S. B. Patil Dental College, Bidar.
* Smt.MC Vasantha college of nursing naubad Bidar. Colleges - B.V. Bhoomreddy College, Karnatak College, Dr.Ishwar.Koujalgi. Memorial National Pre-University College, Guru Nanak Dev College, Vidya Science Pre-University College
* Schools - Seventh Day Adventist High School, Guru Nanak Public School (CBSE), Bidar, Air Force School Bidar;B.V.V. Sangh's National School,Bidar; Saint Joseph's School, Bidar; Saraswathi Vidya Mandir; Government Boys and Girls School; Siddharoodha Matha School; Kendriya Vidyalaya, Bidar; National High School, Bidar
* R.R.K.Samithi's college of Pharmacy
* M.H.Goel college of Pharmacy
* Mehraj Ali institute of Pharmacy education, Pratap Nagar, Bidar
* Basaveshwar college of education gumpa road Bidar,[Principal: Mallappa Menthe]
Places of Interest
Guru Nank Jhira, Bidar: Gurudwara Bidar is one of Holiest Place for Sikhs. Every Year this place attracts lots of tourists from all parts of the country particularly during the months of November and March. Legend has it that Saint Guru Nanak visited the palce while the land was in the grip of a famine The Guru performed a miracle at the request of the locals and a spring of water from the laterite rock mountain burst out. Till this day crystal clear water flows from the laterite trap.The belief is that drinking of this water cures many ailments.
Papnash Shiva Temple at Bidar: As per the local traditional saying, the Shiva Linga idol in this temple is one of those installed by Shri RAM during the time of his journey back from Lanka. The location of the temple in a valley is mesmerising to the eyes. Every year at the time of Shivrathri festival lot of tourists visit this place. A natural spring flows into a pond in front of the temple which is called 'Papnasha'
Narshimha Jhira Water Cave Temple: At this place the Powerful diety as per the belief here is situated in cave of nealy 300 meters. One has to wade through water upto chest height to have darshan of the diety. It will be thrilling experience with bats and owls sitting on the roof toop of cave but they will not do any harm to the devotees. In the year 1999 with efforts of an young IAS Officer Mr. M Maheswar Rao who was working as Assistant Commissioner and was incharge of this temple comittee got the cave Air conditioned and Electrified.
Dev DeV Vana (Botanical Garden): An Eco Tourism center 6 KM away from Bidar town on Bidar - Hyderbad Highway. With more than 200 medicinal plants, this vana is believed to be something of a unconventional temple of plants.
Veerbhadreshewar Jatra's at Humnabad & Changlare: Two very ancient temples of Lord Veerbhadreshwara in Humnabad Taluk one at Humnabad and one at Changlara village attract lakhs of tourists in the Month of January and November respectively for the yearly Jatra and cart pulling Mohotsav's. The temple at Humnabad constructed in 1725 is famous for its moving pillar.
Manik Prabhu Temple at Humnabad: It attracts lots of tourists in the Month of December at the time of Annual Celebrations. On the same ocassion every year a Night long Classical Musical function will be held and till now the likes of Bhimsen Joshi, Zakir hussain and many others have come here for this annual jatra mahotsav.