PLACES

MHASVAD

Mhasvad (Man T; 17° 35' N, 74° 45' E; RS Koreganv 43 m. NW; p. 9,145), seventeen miles south-east of Dahivadi and about fifty-three miles east of Satara, is a municipal town, and in extent the largest in the Man taluka. It lies on the Satara-Pandharpur road on the left bank of the Man. Mhasvad is enclosed by a ruined mud wall with corner bastions. The town has one main street running from east to west and leading to the Pandharpur road which runs round the north of the town. It is about half a mile long and thirty feet broad with on each side grain and cloth shops. A weekly market is held on Wednesday. It is an important trade centre.

Population.

The population of the town according to 1951 Census was 9,149. Of this the agricultural classes number 3,796 and the non-agricultural classes 5,349; of the latter, 2,681 persons derive their principal means of livelihood from production other than cultivation; 901 persons from commerce; 92 persons from transport; and 1,676 persons from other services and miscellaneous sources.

Municipality. Constitution.

Mhasvad is a municipal town with an area of 34.05 sq. miles where municipality was established in the year 1957. It is governed under the Bombay District Municipal Act, 1901. The total number of members in the municipal council is 15. Two seats are reserved for women and two seats for the Scheduled Castes. The administration is looked after by committees viz., the managing, the school and the dispensary committees. The Secretary is the administrative head of the municipality.

Income and Expenditure.

For the year 1957-58, the total income of the municipality, excluding extraordinary and debt heads, amounted to Rs. 71,885; from municipal rates and taxes Rs. 53,948; revenue derived from municipal property and powers apart from taxation Rs. 10,340; and grants and contributions Rs. 7,597. The expenditure incurred for the same year excluding extraordinary and debt heads amounted to Rs. 69,959; general administration and collection charges being Rs. 16,062; public safety Rs. 3,560; public health and convenience Rs. 37,581; contribution Rs. 2,557 and miscellaneous Rs. 10,199.

Water Supply.

The main source of water supply is the Man river. The municipality has constructed a well and has bored small holes in the river bed. The municipality had a scheme for permanent water-supply under its Consideration in 1959.

Drainage.

There is no proper drainage system. Kaccha guttars have been dug-and water is allowed to gather in cess pools.

Education.

Primary education is compulsory and is managed by the District School Board. The municipality pays an yearly contribution of Rs. 4,300. The municipality runs a secondary school which was started in 1957.

A dispensary situated within the municipal limits receives grant-in-aid from the municipality.

The veterinary dispensary is managed by the District Local Board. The municipality pays an annual contribution of Rs. 400. The total length of roads is 38 miles all of which are Kaccha roads.

There are two burial places on the south side of the Mhasvad Gaothan. There is a park maintained by the municipality.

Temples. Nath Temple.

Near the west entrance of the town in the north side of the street is the temple of Shiddhanath usually called Nath. The original structure is evidently ancient and recoursed. The gabhara or image-chamber, with an internal area of 20' by 20' but outside about 30' by 30' is of the star shape and built of gray basalt. It contains images of Nath and his wife Jogai in human form. The walls are ten feet high. The original unmortared blocks have been replaced by smaller ones in mortar but the old shape has been retained. The spire, thirty feet high is of brick and lime with a series of octagonal concentric storeys. The mandap has a vestibule about 6' by 6' the walls of which are in black basalt and have a wainscot of carved stone figures. This leads into a mandap, an oblong structure (30' X 30') with a roof ten feet high. In the centre are four of the ancient pillars in the usual octagonal cylindrical and rectangular courses excellently carved and moulded. The whole is on a plinth four feet high. Outside this is a modern court about fifty feet square enclosed on three sides by rude verandahs of stone and mud with wooden pillars. On the wall of the western verandah is embedded a large black stone on which is a very plainly written Kanarese inscription. Every evening Puranas are read here by a Brahman. On the fourth or southern side is a detached hall on wooden pillars about 50' by 30' and beyond this again an uncovered court. Just outside the southern end of the hall is a large black stone elephant about 5' high and 4' broad with the right foot raised and trunk curled. A legend explains that Nath rescued from drowning in the Ganges the elephant of which this is the image. It is much venerated and many offerings are presented to it. Attached to the right foot is a small chain and the story goes that rheumatism can be cured by waving the chain over the shoulders; also that if any one fails while visiting the temple to give a suitable offering to the elephant, the chain will be discovered next day in his field, and he will have to return it to the temple under pain of severe calamities arising from the displeasure of Nath. The court also contains at the south-east corner a fine lamp-pillar. Two archways lead into the street of which the inner about thirty feet high is a little higher than the outer archway. Who built the original temple is not known, as the inscription has not been made out. The courts, archways, lamp-pillar and restorations are mostly about 200 years old, the work of Balaji Dabal a member of the Karad Deshchaughule family. Minor repairs to the temple were carried out from time to time to preserve it in a good condition (1960). A yearly fair is held on the bright first of Margshirsh or November-December, when the masks of the images are driven in a carriage. Besides the usual articles of trade this fair, which is attended by about 22,000 people and lasts for about fifteen days, has a special traffic in horses and cattle. The number of cattle and horses, sheep and goats exhibited reaches about 3,000, and as much as Rs. 30,000 are estimated to change hands. Six miles south-east of Mhasvad at Rajevadi in the Atpadi territory is the great Mhasvad irrigation lake which when full covers an area of six square miles [Details of the Mhasvad irrigation lake are given above in Chapter on 'Agriculture and Irrigation'.].

Mhasvad was the home of the Mane family who were its Deshmukhs. The Manes were distinguished Shiledars under the Bijapur Government but nearly as notorious for their revengeful character as the Shirkes [Grant Duff's Marathas, Vol. I, 70.]. The most glaring example of which could be found in the assassination of Santaji Ghorpade, the Maratha General during the period of Rajaram.

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