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PLACES
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DHABA.
Dhaba, with 1,866 inhabitants in 1961, is largely an agricultural village in Candrapur tahsil lying about 64.37 km. (40 miles) south-east of Candrapur. It is pleasantly situated in a broad fertile valley shut in by low forest clad hills. Down the valley winds a wide shallow stream, a tributary to the Wardha river, called the Dabha nala. The village has settled on either banks of this stream and is surrounded by shady mango groves. Appa Saheb the Bhosle Raja, had granted this village along with the village of Talodhi to Ramcandra Venkates, a Brahman, in recognition of his services as kamdar. When the grant was made Dhaba and
Talodhi were no more than hamlets in the jungle of ten to fifteen huts each. It is mainly due to the efforts and indefatigable energy of Anand Rav, son and successor of Ramcandra that these villages came to be populated and set on the road to prosperity. In those days Dhaba inhabitants used to be harassed by the inroads of the dacoits from the Mughalai, who at regular intervals dashed across the river and decamped with the loot. The general feeling of insecurity created by the dacoits was so much that even the shop-keepers were afraid to display their goods. For the same reason until the end of the 19th
century no weekly bazars were held though Dhaba could have
been an entrepot for trade and commerce for many of the
surrounding villages. To-day, however, a large weekly bazar is held on Wednesdays and serves the needs or many villages in the vicinity. The village is almost entirely agricultural, the main crops being jovar and oil-seeds. Rice cultivation was given up as it was round to be unprofitable. Ramcandra built a colony each of silk-weavers and sonars (goldsmiths) by inducing them to settle there, and in those days Dhaba was tamed for its silk stuffs and silver works. The silk-weavers colony has dwindled to-day to a mere three or four families and excepting a few the sonars have taken to brass metal work. But Dhaba is still famed for its silver snuff boxes and belts. The village has five temples, of which four are dedicated to the worship of Siva and one to Vitthal Rukmini. All the temples have been erected during the last 120 years and the form of the sculpture show how great is the difference between these temple builders and the pious founder of Markanda. Dhaba has a middle school, a post and a dispensary. Wells are the sources of drinking water. The village suffers from inadequate water-supply.
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