PLACES

TELHARA

Situation: Telhara, is an electrified town in the Akot tahsil situated in 21⁰ 00' north latitude and 76⁰ 50' east longitude, 17 miles to the west of Akot. the tahsil headquarters. The jurisdiction of the police station at Telhara extends over 64 villages. It has a post and telegraph office and a Government rest house. Wells form the main source of water supply to the town populace. Medical facilities to the town are provided by the hospital and a dispensary conducted by the municipality. Primary schools conducted by the municipality and the Seth Bansidhar High School along with Shri Shivaji High School cater to the educational needs of the people A weekly market is held in the town on every Sunday. A cotton and agricultural produce market committee was established at Telhara in 1919 and the commodities regulated are cotton groundnut and all other food grams. The population of Telhara as per the Census of the 1971 is placed at 9,455.

History: It was the third largest place in the tahsil according to the Census of 1901 with population of 5,160. When Jalgaon tahsil belonged to Akola district, an Extra-Assistant Commissioner was stationed at Telhara and had civil jurisdiction over Akot and Jalgaon tahsils. This was discontinued but during 1908 a Bench of Honorary Magistrates was established at Telhara with jurisdiction over one-fourth of Akot tahsil. For revenue purposes' as stated by the old Gazetteer 'there are five separate villages adjoining one another, two of them having the name Telhara and the other three having Muhammedan names. A vague rumour suggests that these three were founded by a Muhammedan Emperor, but there is no account of any considerable Muhammedan settlement in the town'. The following observations made in the old Akola District Gazetteer published in 1910 give the reasons as to the general backwardness of the town. 'The size of the town causes difficulties about its situation, and its commercial activity is somewhat hampered in the rains by the lack of good metalled roads, as the road from Telhara to Adzul is not kept in good condition.'

Objects of Interest: The old Akola District Gazetteer states that the place had no ancient temples of much interest, but several temples of some size were built during the period of 50 years prior to the publication of the old Gazetteer.

The old Gazetteer further states 'Harakehand Gulabehand, Honorary Magistrate, a Shvetambari Jain, to carry out a vow of his father's has, at a cost of Rs. 40,000 or more, built a temple to Padmaprabha, one of the 24 Tirthankars of the Jains, it has a golden image, and the building is strikingly coloured and furnished.'

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