PLACES

HINGANGHAT

Hinganghat, situated on the left bank of the Wunna river, is a municipal town of 36,890 inhabitants. It was made a tahsil headquarters in 1860. The old town to the north of the Nagpur-Hyderabad national highway is always in danger of being flooded during heavy rains. In fact the low lying areas of the town were devastated by floods successively in 1960 and 1961. However, prompt measures undertaken to rehabilitate the flood-stricken saved the situation. Hinganghat has the advantage of being a railway station on the Wardha-Ballarshah cord of the Central Railway and later growth of the town has taken place closer to the railway station and farther away from the river. Shifting of the habitations farther away from the river was begun in 1866 when two sets of three broad streets running at right-angles to each other and planted with rows of trees like boulevards were laid out. Besides the railway, which crosses the river just west of the town, Hinganghat is linked with Nagpur and other commercial centres of the region by good roads, has post and telegraph, and telephone facilities. Thus the town is placed favourably for transport and communications which have made it one of the leading commercial centres of the Vidarbha region. Along with the increasing commercial activity, the town is also steadily growing and has some fine modern buildings.

The name Hinganghat means ' the ghat or crossing of the Hingan trees' (Balanites aegyptiaca). As to when the town was established, no authentic information is available. It is, however, probable that it made its beginnings some time in the 5th Century A. D. when Pravarsena II of the Vakatakas was ruling over that tract of the country. Of the many grants or dana-patras issued by Prabhavatigupta one was traced here some three score years ago which mentions the name of Hinganghat as being Danguna-grama. The plate is with the Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute.

Municipality.

Hinganghat was created a municipality in 1867 and today its jurisdiction extends over an area of 2.5 square miles. Twenty-five elected members constitute the municipal council presided over by a president who is elected by the elected councillors from among themselves.

Finance: During the last few years the income of the municipality has considerably increased enabling it to undertake programmes of public welfare. In 1965-66 the municipal income, excluding a sum of Rs. 71,512 as being income under extraordinary and debt heads, amounted to Rs. 9,07,190. Income heads comprised municipal rates and taxes Rs. 4,00,130; realizations under special Acts Rs. 1,147; revenue derived from municipal property and powers apart from taxation Rs. 88,908; grants and contributions Rs. 4,01,577 and miscellaneous Rs. 15,428. During the same year expenditure excluding Rs. 59,910 as expenditure due to extraordinary and debt heads totalled Rs. 8,73,625. Expenditure items included general administration and collection charges Rs. 107,558; public safety Rs. 33,683; public health and convenience Rs. 3,36,163; public instructions Rs. 3,80,505; grants and contributions Rs. 1,175 and miscellaneous Rs. 11,541.

Medical Aid, Drainage and Water Supply: To meet the medical needs of the towns-people the municipality conducts a civil hospital. Besides, there are two privately managed Ayurvedic dispensaries, one of which receives an annual grant of Rs. 100 from the municipality. There is also a dispensary maintained by the Employees State Insurance for mill workers. The town has also a full-fledged veterinary dispensary. Hinganghat, enjoying a salubrious climate is not subject to frequent epidemic attacks, but in case of emergencies vaccinations and inoculations are performed. While the newer quarters have pucca stone-lined gutters, the older quarters continue to have kutcha drains. The town is supplied with water from the Wunna river, a pumping station having been installed on the Wunna about a mile from the town. Water is first pumped in a main service reservoir and then distributed through a network of pipes. The original waterworks was constructed in 1883 at a cost of Rs. 1.36 lakhs and was subsequently expanded. It has, however, now outlived its capacity and water scarcity has made its further expansion necessary. The expansion now envisaged is estimated to cost Rs. 14,72,500. Work has already begun in this direction. Towards the expansion cost the government grant would be 23¹/2 per cent of the total cost.

Education : Primary education is conducted by the municipality. In 1965-66 nearly 4000 pupils were receiving primary education. There were 110 primary teachers in the schools under municipal administration. Of the three high schools the town has, one is conducted by the municipality and two by the Progressive Education Society, of which one is exclusively for girls. Hinganghat has a general library receiving an annual grant of Rs. 100 from the municipality. For higher education there is the Bidkar College of Arts and Commerce.

One cremation ground is maintained by the municipality for Hindus. There are two burial grounds maintained and used by the Muhammedans and Khojas respectively.

Trade.

Hinganghat is a leading producer of cotton and hence has developed into a flourishing cotton trade centre. Here there are two textile mills, a few ginning and pressing factories and an oil mill. Once the Hinganghat brand of cotton known as bani was well known and though it is still grown, the acreage under it has considerably declined. Now improved high-yielding varieties and American Cotton are mostly grown. In olden days it was largely exported to Liverpool in Britain, but today much of it is used locally. Central Provinces Gazetteers published in 1870 has the following to say about Hinganghat: ' The name of an obscure town in the Wardha valley, unknown until within the last century, has become a household word in the markets of Liverpool.' [Central Provinces District Gazetteers, Wardha District, Vol. A. 1906, p. 246.] Of the two textile mills, the Hinganghat Mill Company was established in 1881 and the second started working in 1900. Hinganghat has also a significant handloom industry, there being some handloom co-operatives. It should, however, be noted that even to-day Hinganghat has a large trade in the export of raw cotton and other general merchandise. The turmeric formerly grown in the neighbourhood has a very good local reputation, but very little is grown now. On Mondays a large weekly market is held at which timber, brass and copper wares, fodder and agricultural implements besides provisions are sold. But by far the greatest attraction of the market is the fine breed of Gaolao and other cattle, for which the district is so justly well-known, which are sold in considerable numbers. Villagers from the surrounding habitations attend this market to purchase their weekly quota of provisions.

Objects.

The only old building worthy of notice is the Khandoba Malhari ' Martand temple built by Lalba Dadba Bidkar, a Sardar of the Bhosles, to perpetuate the memory of his mother. Its construction was undertaken in 1792 and completed in 1805, the stone employed being brought from Waroda, Bhandak, Bhatala and other places. Noted architects from Rajasthan woked indefatigably on this monument to make it one of the finest sculptural achievements in the Vidarbha region. The whole temple bears richly carved images and patterns, and the illustrations of the burning Lanka, the seat of Ravana, Vanara Sena of Rama, Rama-Ravana war are especially of high sculptural merit. Again the carvings delineating the carrying away of Rukmini, Draupadi-Svayamvara, Amrita Manthana or churning of the sea for Amrit or nectar, a scene of Yamapuri or hell, and images of deities like Ganesha and Mahakali also deserve mention. In addition to an imposing yet artistic idol of Malhari in the sanctuary, the temple contains an idol of Ganesha and a fine nandi image installed in the centre of the mandap. The town has three mosques, none of which is significant and two dargahs at one of which a small annual urus is held. In the month of December a fair attended by over 10,000 persons is held in honour of Gadge Maharaj.

Of the modern buildings, the Jain temple built by one Bansilalji Kochar is one of the most beautiful places of religious worship met with in the Vidarbha region. The glass work in the temple is especially noteworthy. A large number of Jains from other parts of the country come down to Hinganghat to pay their respects.

Ornamenting the town and contributing to its beauty are the Vrundavan and Shiva gardens and Ganga and Shivaji parks. Laid out by Seth Mathura-dasji Mohata, a wealthy inhabitant of the town, the Vrundavan garden is the finest garden of the town and stands favourable comparison with the best gardens in Nagpur City. It is about a mile from the town along Nagpur road and, besides other amenities, has a fine tank. Shiva Baga is to the south of the town and contains a shrine of Vishvanatha built in the centre of a lake. It was laid out by Seth Thakurdasji Potdar, another wealthy resident of Hinganghat. Of lesser importance are the Ganga Park and the Shivaji Park, the latter containing a statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji immediately inside the entrance. Hinganghat has also a well-built town-hall.

Being the headquarters of a tahsil, Hinganghat has mamlatdar's and panchayat samiti offices, civil and judicial courts, a police station and a rest house.

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