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PLACES OF INTEREST
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RAVER.
Raver (2P10' N, 76°00' E; R. S. Raver, p. 11,245), the headquarters of Raver taluka, is situated on the high road from Burhanpur, about 14 miles east of Savada town. Two miles of made road carefully bridged joins it to the nearest railway station.
Ravaged by Yeshvantrao Holkar in 1803, it was shortly after taken
by Suryajirao Nimbalkar and held by him till its transfer to the i British in 1818. Though the people are chiefly agriculturists, the dyed turbans and robes and the gold lace of Raver are held in high local esteem.
Of the total population of 11,245 according to the Census figures of 1951, the argicultural classes number 4,336 and the non-agricultural classes 6.879. Of the latter 2,451 persons derive their principal means of livelihood from production other than cultivation; 1,357 persons from commerce; 271 persons from transport; and 2,800 persons from other services and miscellaneous sources.
The civic affairs of the town are managed by a municipality established in 1892 and now governed by the Bombay District Municipal Act, 1901. There are 20 members in the municipal council. Two seats are reserved for women, and one seat is reserved for the Scheduled Castes. Besides the Managing Committee, the municipality has the Sanitary, Dispensary, and School Committees.
For the year 1956-57, the income of the Raver municipality, excluding extraordinary and debt heads, amounted to Rs. 1,07,520, comprising octroi, Rs. 31,752; tax on houses and lands, Rs. 20,502; other municipal rates and taxes, Rs. 19,216; revenue derived from municipal grants and contributions, Rs. 16,305; and miscellaneous, Rs. 786. The total expenditure for the same year, excluding extraordinary and debt heads amounted to Rs. 1,27,918, composed of general administration and collection charges, Rs. 23,098; public safety, Rs. 10,675; public health and convenience, Rs. 76,705; public instruction, Rs. 8,060; contribution for general purposes, Rs. 335, and miscellaneous, Rs. 6,045.
There is no special water works in Raver. The chief source of water-supply is wells. Generally every house or mohalla has a well of drinking water. For watering roads and other purposes water is drawn from a tank called Nagziri Kund and also from the river. The town is provided with open and underground drains built of stone and lime. The drain water is carried to a nala passing through the central parts of the town and through it to a nala outside the town.
Compulsory primary education is managed by the District School Board and the municipality makes its statutory contribution to the Board. The municipality pays Rs. 2,000 as an annual grant to a private high school. The municipality pays grants to local libraries.
For fire service, the municipality has a firefighter fixed to a tractor. Water is supplied from the tanker. There is also a hand fire pump.
The length of municipal roads is about seven miles and six furlongs, and the metalled length is four miles and one furlong.
The municipality has its own weekly and daily markets. The weekly market is held on otas (open verandahs)' and the daily marker under the municipal tin-sheds.
A dispensary is maintained by the municipaliiy. There is no veterinary dispensary, but a veterinary assistant employed by the District Local Board at Savada Veterinary Dispensary visits the town once a week. The municipality pays a grant to
the District Local Board according to the animals treated.
The municipality managed a cremation place situated to the north-west of the town. The Muslims bury their dead in a field which is a Government land.
One of the places of interest is the Nagziri Tank situated close to the west gate. A stream rising from it runs half round the town. Bajirav I died at this place on 28th April 1740.
The fort, once used as the Mahalkari's office, now accommodates the municipal offices. It is now a taluka town. About fifty yards from the fort a pool called Keshav Kund, twenty-two feet by eighteen, with constant supplies of fresh and clear water, is said to have been built by Ahilya Bai Holkar (1800). On a stone [ This stone has since been removed to a Saint's tomb close beside the market.] of the old rest-house, now used as a market place, is an almost illegible Persian inscription. There is a Datta Mandir. Every year a fair is held at this temple, when the idol of Datta is taken out in a chariot all over the town.
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