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PLACES
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KHOLAPUR
Kholapur with 1.249 houses and a population of 6,397 lies 29 km. (eighteen miles) to the west of Amravati on the borders of the tahsil of that name, part of its land lying across the Purna in Daryapur. There are two Middle Schools, two Primary Schools, a High School and two libraries. Of the middle and primary schools one each has Urdu and Marathi as the media of instruction. A Leather Tanning Institute has also been established. The village besides the educational institutions mentioned above has a police station, a sub-post office and a civil as well as a veterinary dispensary. Its silk weavers have almost disappeared, but a large-number of Sails still produce cotton saris and colis, and some Mahars weave woollen blankets. This trade however is also languishing. The bazar is held on Wednesdays and Saturdays. Two fairs are held annually. The first one, which is called Kothici yatra, is held on the previous day of the Pola festival and the other is held on Mahasivratra dav in honour of Kotesvar Mahadeva and is attended by over 3,000 persons. There are temples dedicated to Kotesvara. Kholesvara, Kalesvara and Asara Goddess. The temple of Kotesvara Mahadeva is built in the Hemadpanti style, a mention of which is to he found in Payosni Mahatmya of Vyasa. The first two of these temples are said to date back to the period of the Yadavas. The temple of the Goddess is built in the heel of the river Purna while the other three are on its bank or nearabout. The place was visited by Cakradhara Svami the founder of the Mahanubhava sect. The same has heen commemorated. There are the samadhis of Raja Dundubhi, and a certain ascetic called Panci Maharaj. A math in honour of Brahmananda Svami has been built here. Formerly Kholapur was a place of much importance. In 1809 Vitthal Bhagdev, Subhedar of Ellicpur. levied a contribution of one lakh on the inhabitants who refused to pay. The Subhedar accordingly besieged the town which was then protected by walls for two months, upon which the inhabitants gave in. The village
was looted by the troops, and has never recovered its former
prosperity. Its rapid decadence may also be attributed to the
annual rights between the Musalmans and the Rajputs, when the
victorious party always took occasion to loot at least a part or the village. Kholapur is one of the famous three paraganas of the Moghal times, the other two being Balapur and Acalpur. The village formerly consisted of 52 puras or parts, each provided with a tank or a well. If excavations are carried out old bricks are found. During excavations which were undertaken here a tank and well-built wells were discovered. Today the village is no longer of any consequence.
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