Dhule district

The district of Dhule was previously known as West Khandesh district.[3] It is bordered by Berar in the east, the Nemad district in the north, and the Aurangabad and Bhir districts in the south. The region was later named Seunadesa after the king, Seunchandra of the early Yadava dynasty, who ruled over it. Subsequently, its name was changed to Khandesh to suit the title of khan given to the Farooqi kings by King Ahmad I of Guzerat.

Agastya Sage was the first to cross Vindhya and reside on the bank of Godavari. This territory was included in the empire of Ashoka. Pushyamitra, the founder of the Shunga dynasty, overthrew the Maurya dynasty. Later, Satavahan ruled over the region.

About 250 AD, the Satavahans were supplanted by the Abhiras or Ahirs in Western Maharashtra. The names of feudatories of Abhiras that ruled in Khandesh were found from copper plates discovered at Kalachala and Cave X5II at Ajanta. After the downfall of the Satavahans, the Vakatakas rose to power in Vidarbha before being overthrown by the Rastrakuta family. This region was ruled by Chalukyas of Badami and subsequently Yadavas.

In 1296 AD, Ala-ud-din Khilji invaded Ramachandra Yadava who agreed to pay a heavy ransom. His son Sankaragana stopped sending the stipulated tribute to Delhi before defecting and being slain by Malik Kafur in A.D. 1318.

In 1345, Devagiri was passed into the hands of Hasan Gangu, the founder of the Bahamani dynasty. However, Khandesh formed the southern boundaries of the Tashlug empire.

In 1370, Firoz Taghluq assigned the district of Thalner and Karavanda to Malik Raja Farooqui, the founder of the Farooqui dynasty. His family claimed the descent from Khaliph Umer Farooq, and he established himself at Thaler. From the little Khan, the region came to be known as Khandesh. During the period, a rich Ahir, Asa of Asirgad, had many storehouses in Gondwana and Khandesh which were opened in order to sell corn. However, his wife persuaded Asa to distribute the grains to the poor and suffering without payment, to which Asa agreed. He also distributed food to the aged and decrepit who were unable to perform manual labor. The ahir chief, in spite of his wealth and strength of this fort, acknowledged the supremacy of Malik Raja without struggle, and bequeathed Laling to his elder son Malik Nasir and Thalner to Malik Iftikar.

Nasir decided that he would make Asirgad his own capital upon seizing it. He wrote to Asa complaining that he was in great problems as the chiefs of Baglana, Antur, and Kherla were rising against him; of those, two had gathered large forces. Laling, too close to enemy territories was not a safe retreat, and he requested Asa to give his family a safe retreat. Asa ordered suitable apartments to be filled up for Nasir's women. Shortly after that women were brought into Asirgad and were visited by Asa's wife and daughters. The next day another of 200 groups arrived reportedly occupied by Nasir's family. Asa along with his son went to receive them, but the groups were full of armed soldiers who leaped up and murdered Asa and his sons. Nasir returned from his camp at Laling to the Asirgad fort. Shortly after this a disciple of Shaikh Zain Uddin, the tutelary saint of the family came to congratulate Nasir on his success. On his advice, Nasir built two cities on the bank of Tapi: Zainabad on the east bank and Burhanpur on the west bank. The latter became the capital of the Farooqi dynasty. In 1917 Nasir defected to his younger brother Iftikar.

Dhule :- Capital of West Khandesh Suba in 1400s to 1700s under Maharao Jadhavrao & Rao Shinde's of Dhanur.

1400s to 1700s Shinde's became Khandesh.[4][5][6] Who came from Amirgarh (Present in Rajasthan) as Rao of West Khandesh in and 14th century. In past they are Rai Amirgarh and ancestors of Sindh's Royal Family. They control Khandesh from Laling fort, Songir Fort and Dhanur & Dhule Towns. In 1600s Jadhavrao lost ruling power against Mughal but after some time later Rao Shinde recaptured Khandesh with the help of Maratha Empire. In end of 1600s they came under Maratha Empire led by Chhatrapati Sambhaji and after some year later they lost the Administrative and Ruler power against Mughal Empire led by Aurangzeb in war.

On 6 January 1601 Khandesh came under the Akbar regime. Khandesh was named by Akbar a Dandes after his son Daniyal. In 1634 Khandesh was made into a suba.

On 3 June 1818, the Peshwa surrendered himself before the British and Khandesh came under British rule. It was part of the Khandesh district until the district was divided in 1906.[3]

The district is divided into two sub-divisions and four talukas for administrative purposes. The Dhule and Sakri talukas are part of the Dhule sub-division while Sindkheda and Shirpur talukas are part of the Shirpur sub-division. There were five Vidhan Sabha constituencies in this district: Sakri, Shirpur, Sindkheda, Kusumba, and Dhule. Dhule was the only Lok Sabha constituency in this district. Shirpur Vidhan Sabha constituency was part of the Nandurbar Lok Sabha constituency.

After its delimitation in 2002, there is only one Lok Sabha constituency in the district, Dhule Lok Sabha constituency, comprising the six Maharashtra Assembly constituencies of Dhule Rural, Dhule City, and Sindkheda. From Nashik district, Malegaon Outer, Malegaon City, and Baglan are included in this Lok Sabha constituency.

There are five Maharashtra State Assembly seats: Dhule Rural, Dhule City, Sindkheda, Sakri, and Shirpur.

subdivisions

1. Dhule City
2. Songir
3. Kusumba
4. Sakri
5. Pimpalner
6. Nizampur
7. Dondaicha City
8. Shindkheda
9. Nardana
10. Malpur
11. Shirpur city
12. Arthe
13. Thalner
14. Boradi

In 2006 the Ministry of Panchayati Raj named Dhule one of the country's 250 most backward districts (out of a total of 640).[7] It is one of the twelve districts in Maharashtra currently receiving funds from the Backward Regions Grant Fund Programme (BRGF).[7]

According to the 2011 census, the Dhule district has a population of 2,050,862,[8] giving it a ranking of 223rd in India (out of a total of 640).[8] The district has a population density of 285 inhabitants per square kilometre (740/sq mi) .[8] Its population growth rate over the decade 2001–2011 was 19.96%.[8] Dhule has a sex ratio of 946 females for every 1000 males,[8] and a literacy rate of 72.80%. 27.84% of the population lived in urban areas. Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes made up 6.22% and 31.56% of the population respectively.[8]

• Nashik division
• List of villages in Dhule district

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Dhule district.

• Official website of Dhule district
• Shirpur.in information about Shirpur Taluka

20°54′12″N 74°46′29″E