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PLACES
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SONGIR
Songir, known for the antique fort called after the village name, is a village in Dhulia taluka on the Bombay-Agra road 22.58 km. 14 miles), north of the taluka headquarters. In 1961 it had
6,750 inhabitants. It was previously the chief town of Songir sub- division which was subsequently abolished and Songir incorporated in Dhulia taluka, in 1820. It is of some manufacturing importance with skilled workers in brass and copper, and a considerable manufacture of coarse woollen blankets or what are locally known as kambah. Songir has a high school conducted by Vidya Prasarak
Samstha, two Marathi and two Urdu primary schools teaching upto the VII standard, a civil dispensary with a maternity home, a post and telegraph office and a police station. Tap water is made available from a big well near the Samadhi of Guru Govind
Maharaj over which a pumping set has been installed. The water works including the distributing system was constructed at a total cost of Rs 1,150.000.
Like Dhulia. Songir also passed through the hands of the Arab kings, the Moghals, and the Nizam to the Peshva who gave it to the Vinchurkar family from whom it passed to the British in 1818. Not long after its occupation by the British an attempt was made by Arab soldiers to recover it, but was successfully repulsed by a contingent of 250 soldiers under the command of Captain Briggs.
The village though not remarkable for any big temple, has small shrine dedicated to Mahadev, Someshwar Ram, a Jain mandir and a dargah and two mosques. It also has the samadhi of Guru Govind Maharaj, a noted saint of Dhulia, which is held in deep reverence. Over this a small edifice was constructed on Shravan Vdaya 2, Shaka 1874 by one Gaurishankar Mulji Vyas. It is right at the foot of the fort.
The historic fort of Songir, a strip of 4,57.200 metres (500 yds.) by 45.720 metres (50 yds.) is easy of access and is entered through a stone gate still in good order. An inscription on this gate dated Shake 1497 (1575 A.D.) only states that Ugrasen, son of Mansingh was very brave. There is an old well near this gate. The fort is partly commanded by a hill,365.760 metres (400 yds.) to the south. The north and, south ends are of solid masonry and the rampart walls of client stone loop-holed for musketry for the most part, are generally in a ruined condition except at a few places. Of the inner build-ings hardlv a trace remains. Inside the fort there is a handsome old reservoir and a fine old well. Remnants of broken pipes ol the old. water system that must have existed on the fort in the days gone by could still be seen. Time has withered away the fortifications of the fort which once must have been i stronghold giving cover to the village that has flourished at its foot. It commands an excellent view of the country around for miles together.
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