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PLACES
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AMNER
Amner is a village in Morsi tahsil with 297 houses and 1,731
inhabitants as per the 1961 Census. It is situated on the Wardha
river opposite the village of Jalalkheda in Nagpur district. Formerly a place of much importance, to-day it has lost its former glory and can only be reached by country roads from Nagpur or Varud. However, the ruins of the town walls as well as of many temples, mosques and tombs bear witness to its former glory. It is said to have had manufactures of laces and silk and a fair to which elephants, horses, jewellery, and other outward signs of wealth were brought. There was a great fight here between the Bhosle and the Nizam when the latter was marching to the reduction of Navab Ismail Khan, and the tombs of the slain are still shown.
Mahadev Mandir.
There is an old temple of Mahadev in the old mud fort, now in a ruined state, on the left bank of the river. Wardha, about 0.604 km. (three furlongs) from Amner village. It stands overlooking the confluence of the Wardha and the Jam rivers. Nothing except huge mounds of earth remain to testify the existence of a land fort in the olden days. The temple is just within the borders of the Amravati district with the district of Nagpur stretching beyond. From the mandap of the temple the inhabitations of the Jalalkheda village are clearly visible. The temple is held in high veneration and, is daily visited by a large number of people. On Mahasivratra day a fair attended by over 15,000 people coming from both Amravati and Nagpur districts is held. The temple is built of stone, brick and mortar. While the actual face of the temple is towards the east its entrance is on the southern side. As usual the linga occupies the central position in the gabhara measuring about 1.394 sq. metres (15 sq. ft.) crowned with a sikhar of no great beauty. The outer ball is 9x6 metres (30'x 20') and is well-lighted and ventilated. In the mandap there is an image of nandi, the vahan of Mahadev. From the temple terrace a view of the confluence of the rivers can be bad. The structure from its appearance looks very antique, the plaster and some bigcks having given way in some places and unless prompt measures are taken to repair it, it might crumble before long. About 30 paces off there is a pool of great depth at the bottom of which there is supposed to be a temple which can be seen when the river is clear. Tradition says that the place is presided over by the Gods, and that at one time any Brahman by asking for cooking vessels overnight would find them near this pool in the morning; he was, however, bound to return them, when used, into the water. One
day a Brahman prayed for a large number and instead of
returning them, sold the vessels, since when they have neverbeen supplied. Perhaps the most striking of the ruins, though
it is little over two hundred and fifty years old, is the makbara of Lal Khan Pathan a large domed building in white stucco,
with small spires in the four corners. Over the gateway is an
inscription in Persian as follows: -
" For the service of the throne of the Emperor Alamglr, his servant Raja Kisan Sing, with great exertions and in purity of heart and soul laid the foundation of a beautiful tomb, a mosque, a cistern and a garden as well constructed as Paradise itself. It was on the felicitous day, the fourth of Ramzan that Lal Khan Bazlaman passed from this world. Though his body be placed in the earth of Amner, yet his pure soul is entrusted to Hari. O God! Ever preserve this matchless resting place that his holy tomb and the dome of light may always shine. When I sought of the unseen one the year of his death, I was told ' Lal Khan achieved martyrdom at Badnur '. "
The building of the mausoleum was accomplished between the 34th and 36th years of the Emperor's reign at Delhi, ' Hijri 1100.' The chronogram ' Lal Khan yaft Sahadat bamakan Badnur', gives not only the place but the date of his death. Perhaps the most notable feature of the tomb is that it should have been built by a Hindu Raja.
AMNER FORT.
The fort of-Amner, often called Jilpi Amner is in Melghat
tahsil and occupies an elevated position immediately overlooking the waters of the Garga and the Tapi at their confluence. It is a compact-looking quadrangular building of brick and mud pointed with mortar. The walls are flanked by four bastions of the same material, and enclose about half a hectare (an acre) of ground. To-day the fort is amidst ruins and the walls are crumbling down. Around, there is a dense and wild forest growth which completely hides the view of the fort. The west angle is occupied by a mosque, which, with its minarets towering above the rest of the fort, presents a rather picturesque object. There is only one approach, that from the north-west, on a level with the left bank of the Tapi, which, though entirely of earth, is very steep. The gateway and a portion of the ramparts were destroyed in 1858. At the same time the guns, four or five in number, were removed. It lay in the line of Tatya Tope's retreat at the close of the War of Independence of 1857 and subsequently when Tantya Bhil was harassing the surrounding country with his raids, a police watch was established here under the command of the late Raja Khuman Singh, without, however, very much effect.
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