PLACES

BRAMHAPURI.

Brahmapuri, the headquarters of the tahsil of the same name, is situated in the extreme north-west of the tahsil and lies about 123.91' km. (77 miles) from Candrapur to the north-east. In 1961 it had a population of 8,532. As a centre of administration for the tahsil, it is geographically almost as badly placed as Canda is as the headquarters of the whole district, and the desirability of shifting the tahsil headquarters had frequently been mooted in the past when the means of transport and communications were bad. However, in recent years the rapid strides made in the improvement of communications have removed its natural disadvantages, and the railway on the narrow gauge connecting it with Canda, has placed it within easy reach of the most remote villages of the tahsil. By road Brahmapuri is linked up to the west with Nagpur via Nagbhid, as also with the Mul-Candrapur road via Talodhi. It is also connected with Armori and Gadhciroli southwards, the latter place being situated on the Candrapur-Mul-Gadhciroli-Dhanora road which terminates at Murumganv. The village itself is pleasantly situated on red gravelly soil, through which the rock frequently appears and is a favourite residence for the well-to-do people of the neighbourhood. The closeness of the rock to the surface ensures rapid drainage, and sanitation is good, the streets presenting an unusually clean appearance. The tahsil buildings together with the police station house, civil court, pancayat samiti office, maternity home, state bank's branch, electricity office, branch of district central co-operative bank and the high school stand in a very congested group on the site of what one used to be the town fort but no longer, ' a spacious square ' as described by Major Lucie Smith from which the whole of the surrounding country is seen ' stretched out'. There is an agriculture produce market committee which helps the agriculturists to get a fair price for their produce. There are three tanks- viz., the Kot talav, the Lendha and the Barai tanks which together irrigate nearly 60.73 hectares (150 acres) of land. The embankment of the Kot talav consists of sold rock. Several of the manufactures of the village have acquired a considerable celebrity. Its shoes and carts are widely known outside the district. Once good cotton fabrics and copper and brass ware also used to be manufactured but the art seems to have been lost due to lack of demand. There are also two bidi factories. On Fridays a large weekly bazar attended by well over one thousand persons is held. Of educational institutions there are five primary and middle schools, three high schools and a college. There is a combined post and telegraph office, a telephone exchange and a rest house. A hamlet, not too distant, known as Peth is attached to the village. There is a cinema theatre here. On Caitra Paurnima day a fair known as Ghoda fair is held in the village. Brahmapuri, however, suffers from inadequacy of drinking water.

TOP