PLACES

DEULGAON RAJA

Deulgaon Raja (Chikhli T.; 20° 1' N.; 70° 5' E.; p. 11,467): The original name of the town situated on the Nagpur-Aurangabad road, 49 miles to the south of Buldhana was Dewalwadi, from a wadi or a hamlet close by. This hamlet is said to have been increased in extent and population by Rasoji, a natural son of a descendant of the Jadhav Rajas of Sindkhed some time in the seventeenth century. Rasoji invited people of all trades and professions to come and settle at the village the name of which was changed to Deulgaon as the place increased. The shape of the town is that of a gnomon. It was once fortified by a wall which had seven approaches, five large gates and two small ones. Of these gates, only three large ones are still in existence. Besides there is a gadhi, now in ruinous condition, about 60 feet high and spread over an area of four acres. There is a small range of hills close by on the northern side of the town, down which flow two tiny streams. A small rivulet called Amni forms the southern boundary of the town. There is on the east of the town a very pretty little domed tomb called the Mothi samadhi of Chimakabai Saheb, the daughter of Anandrav Maharaj of Deulgaon Raja. It is still in good condition. It is of cut stone in the Muhammedan style; and is as chaste and well-proportioned a little building as it is possible to find. It is a square building with a minaret rising from each of the four corners of its roof with clusters of miniature minars around the base of each. Over the centre rises the well proportioned dome with other little minars around it and surmounted by a remarkably well designed finial. An ornamental open work parapet and deep cornice surround the top of the room, and the whole building is set up on a very ornamental high basement of the same design as the beautiful green stone sarcophagus at Bijapur.

The town, formerly, was a centre of the cotton and silk trade which no more remains even though there are about 3,000 families belonging to the Koshti community of Salis. There are about 40 powerlooms and 150 handlooms products of which are mostly marketed in the district of Akola besides those of Buldhana and Bombay. There is a post and telegraph office, and a telephone exchange. There are two high schools, one conducted by the municipality and the other by a private institution. There is also a College of Arts and Commerce conducted by the Balaji Sansthan. The town has a cotton and grain market, two gins and presses and two oil mills. Besides, there is a police station, an office of the panchayat samiti and a rest-house.

The Census of India 1961, Volume X, Part VII-B, Fairs and Festivals in Maharashtra has given an interesting account of Shri Balaji Fair and description of Balaji temple at Deulgaon Raja which is reproduced below: —

" The old temple (which had an appearance of a grocery shop) was, it is said, built by Raje Jagdevrav, great grand-son of Lakhuji Jadhav, the grand-father of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj about 300 years back. The temple costing about Rs. 1,42,000 was constructed in the year 1951. The present structure of the temple is a double-storeyed construction of cement concrete. It is 150' in length and 80' in width. In the shrine the image of Shri Balaji is installed on a throne made of gold and silver. To the left and right side of Shri Balaji are installed the images of Goddess Lakshmi. The doors of the shrine made of wood face the north and are silver plated. In front of the shrine a fencing of wooden bars is provided for facility of darshan without entering the shrine. The space provided in front of the shrine is used as an auditorium and programmes of ' kirpan ', ' bhajan ' ' pravachan', etc., are held in it. The ' mahadwar ', main gate of the temple, is ¾ furlong away, at the north of the temple. The doors of the ' mahadwar' are plated with iron plates and have iron spikes. From the ' mahadwar' a road constructed in stones leads to the temple. At the top of the ' mahadwar' there is a room used as ' nagarkhana'. To enter the temple, one has to cross a door in the western wall. Outside the main temple, small temples of Shankar and Hanuman are seen. Images of Hanuman and ' Garud' (the conventional conveyance of Lord Vishnu) are also installed outside the main temple. The office of Shri Balaji Sansthan is situated at the west of the temple.

The following legends are told about the deity. Tirupati in Andhra Pradesh is believed to he the original seat of Balaji. Raje Jagdevrav, great grand-son of Lakhuji Jadhav used to go to Tirupati annually for the darshan of Balaji. Later on because of old age he could not go to Tirupati which he felt very much. Balaji then appeared in his dream saying he could understand his difficulty and asked him to search for his image in the rice bag in his store-room, and worship it. Accordingly Jagdevrav found the image and installed it. To-day also those who cannot afford to go to Tirupati visit this temple and make the offerings promised to the deity in return of the fulfilment of their desires.

Shri Vakratund Kavishwar Maharaj, the devotee of Datta of Nrisinhavadi, has noted in his book, ' Devalaya Grammahatmya ' that the image of Shri Balaji was installed by a person named Dev Sharma, a Brahmin by caste in the period when Purans were written.

It is believed that Shri Balaji resides at Tirupati in Andhra Pradesh, takes his meals at Washim in Akola District and has his shop at Deulgaon Raja. The temple of Shri Balaji at Tirupati is closed from Ashvina Sud. 10 to Ashvina Vad. 4 (the important days of the fair at Deulgaon Raja) which is significant. During this period Shri Balaji it is believed comes to Deulgaon Raja from Tirupati.

The image of Shri Balaji made of five metals (panchdhatu) was installed, it is said, by Raje Jagdevrav, great-grand-son of Lakhuji Jadhav who had built the original temple. The image is very small about 2' in height. A shaligram is installed besides the Balaji image.

Behind the throne of Shri Balaji there is a prabhaval or an arch made of gold. The dress of the deity is generally of silk. It is changed on every Friday. Wristlets, car-rings, a crown all made of gold, arc the important ornaments of the deity. It has also a necklace made of ' mohors' (coins) and pearls and other ornaments presented by Bajirav Peshwa and other persons. These are put on the deity on special occasions.

The hereditary priests of the deity worship the deity daily. There are two sections of hereditary priests who worship the deity by turns and share the income according to their respective rights.

The programme of daily worship in the temple comprises: (i) Kakadarati before sunrise, (ii) Mahapuja upto noon. This includes ' naivedya'. On Friday the ' mahapuja' lasts upto 1-00 p.m. The 'mahapuja' is followed by an ' arati', (iii) Pushpa puja at 8-00 p.m. and (iv) ' arati' 10-00 p.m. followed by shejarati. On Ekadashi days the arati is performed at 11-00 p.m. and in chaturmas at 12 midnight followed by shejarati. After this programme the doors are closed.

The daily worship is not performed from Ashvina Sud. 11 to Kartika Vad. 30 and the ' shejarati' from Ashvina Sud. 1 to Kartika Vad. 30.

Besides the worship as above an ' abhishek' is performed over the deity on the days of Lunar and Solar eclipses and on Chaitra Sud. 1, Chaitra Sud. 9, first Friday in the dark half of the month of Shravana, Ashvina Sud. 1, Ashvina Sud. 10, Ashvina Vad. 5, Ashvina Vad. 14, Kartika Sud. I, ' dakshinayan parva kal' and ' uttarayan parva kal'. On Fridays, Ekadashis, full moon days and new moon days abhishek is performed on the ' shaligram'. It is customary to offer a naivedya of cooked food to the deity daily. The cooked food is prepared in the kitchen (bhandara) of the Sansthan and offered in the noon.

It is helieved that the deity is capable of fulfilling one's desires. Vows are therefore made to the deity and on their fulfilment an ' abhishek ' is performed. Some devotees offer to the deity coconuts, clothes, gold and silver ornaments whereas some release cows and bullocks in the name of the deity. Those who cannot afford to spend big amounts distribute sugar or gur as ' prasad' and place coins before the deity.

The fair starts on Ashvina Sud. 1 and lasts for 19 days, i.e., upto Ashvina Vad. 4.

On Ashvina Sud. 1, the ' puja' is performed upto 4 p.m. followed by ' ghata sthapana' which comprises installing of a metal pot full of water with a coconut kept at its mouth over betel - leaves on a heap of rice on a ' chaurang'. This is followed by an arati at 5 p.m. A new flag is hoisted on the temple building earlier, at 12 noon. On this day Saptashati, Vishnu Sahasranam, Ganapati Atharvashirsha, Rudra, Devipath, Mahamrityunjaya, Upsarga and Sarvabadha, etc., are recited by 19 to 21 Brahmins for the general well-being of the pilgrims.

There are no special programmes excepting the daily worship of the deity and Japanusthan, Samhita Veda parayan, Bhagvat parayan upto Ashvina Sud. 9 by Brahmins. On Ashvina Sud. 9 a pandal ' lata mandap' (40' x 30') is erected in the open ground in front of the temple at about 2 p.m. The pandal is erected with the help of 21 wooden poles tied together by ropes.

Ashvina Sud. 10 (Dasara day) is the important day of the fair. The ' ghata' installed in the temple is removed early in the morning and ' abhishek' is performed at about 7 a.m. In the noon the ' chaughada' and the temple flag are worshipped. Arati is then performed at about 5 p.m. The deity is kept in the palanquin on a specially erected altar called 'makhar' at 12 mid-night and carried in procession from the temple to the border of the town for 'simollanghan' to the accompaniment of music. Persons from all castes and creeds among Hindus attend the procession and everyone tries to touch the palanquin and utters the words " Lakshmi Raman Govinda ". When the procession reaches the river Amna, fireworks are displayed. The palanquin procession then returns back to the temple early in the morning. Many suvasinis, married women with their husbands living worship the deity and the palanquin and wave arati at 12 mid-night. On Ashvina Sud. 11 abhishek is performed to the deity by the pujaris and programmes of ' kirtan' and ' bhajan ' are arranged in the temple from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.

On Ashvina Vad. 4 the programmes of lalit, ' Kirtan', etc., are arranged. Curds and parched rice are sprinkled on the pilgrims in the morning. This is called ' dahi handi futane'. Then the deity is placed in the shrine on its throne and the ' lata mandap' is dismantled.

Mahaprasad (meals) is served to the pilgrims by the Devasthan for 8 days from Ashvina Sud. 10. This is called ' mahapangat'. There is also a ' mahapangat' on Ashvina Vad. 4 to all the pilgrims by the Devasthan and everybody tries to share in the meal as it is deemed to be the deity's 'prasad'.

The pilgrims are accommodated in the ' dharmashalas' built in front of the temple. Some, however, stay in private houses on payment of nominal rent. Some pass their nights in the open ground or in the sheds temporarily erected at the site of the fair.

Water from the wells in and around the town is used for drinking purposes. Water from river Amna is also made available to the pilgrims for drinking.

The main items of entertainment at the fair are touring talkies, ' tamasha', cradles, swings, death-well, magic feats and exhibitions.

The fair is famous for the trade in wooden carts ' damani'. Approximately 400 to 500 ' damanis' are brought and sold in the fair. The selling price of a ' damani' ranges from Rs. 350 to Rs. 400 and the total sale of ' damanis' amounts to two lakh rupees approximately. Some stalls of brass and copper utensils are also opened at the site of the fair. In addition shops of materials required for worship, viz., flowers, kumkum, coconut, etc., sweetmeats, stationery, photographs, betel leaves, and ' kirana' are also opened in the fair. It is said that the fair was famous in olden days for trade in ' Kathiavadi' horses.

A fair committee for looking after the internal management of the fair is appointed under the supervision of Tahsildar by the orders of the Collector of the District. Police staff is also deputed during the fair for the maintenance of Law and Order."

Municipality.— The municipality was established at Deulgaon Raja in 1949 and it covers an area of 3.86 square kilometres. The municipal council is composed of 11 members.

During 1961-62 the total income and expenditure of the municipality amounted to Rs. 1,97,886 and Rs. 2,05,808, respectively.

During 1965-66, the total income [During 1973-74 total income and expenditure amounted to Rs. 6,98,000 and Rs. 6,63,000.] of the municipality was Rs. 2,62,966. It was composed of municipal rates and taxes, Rs. 1,25,861; revenue derived from municipal properties, Rs. 193; grants and contributions from the Government, Rs. 1,20,215 and income from miscellaneous sources Rs. 16,697.

During the same year the total expenditure of the municipality came to Rs. 2,20,715 comprising general administration, Rs. 16,520; collection charges, Rs. 47,532; public safety Rs. 8,453; public health and convenience, Rs. 52,261; public works, Rs. 2,921; public instruction, Rs. 92,535 and miscellaneous expenditure, Rs. 493

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