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PLACES
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BHAMBRAJA.
Bhambraja, known simply as Bham to the locals, is a village of 1,408 inhabitants in Yavatmal tahsil, situated 24.14 km (15 miles) south-west of Yavatmal along Yavatmal-Arni road. It occupies a small plateau overlooking the Adan river and is about 300 feet above the level of the valley. Banjaras form the dominant section of the population. Cotton, groundnut and jovar are the chief crops grown, there being a farmer's co-operative and a vividha sahakari society. Hardly any land has been brought under irrigation.
Parasoji Bhosle, the ancestor of the later Bhosle rulers of Nagpur was in possession of Berar and Gondavana and had made Bham his headquarters. Kanhoji, who succeeded him as the Senasaheb Subha of Chhatrapati Shahu, retained Bham as his headquarters. Subsequently differences developed between Shahu and Kanhoji and the former ordered Raghuji, the nephew of Kanhoji to punish his uncle. Raghuji laid siege to Bham which Kanhoji had fortified but the place capitulated and Kanhoji fled. Raghuji now became the Senasaheb Subha. With the expansion of his territorial: possessions Raghuji shifted his headquarters from Bham to Nagpur. The importance of the place could be judged from the ruins of many great stone buildings scattered all over. It is reported that during these days Bham had 5,000 houses of Bairagis. Raghuji had planted a great number of trees to beautify the place, but hardly any fine trees of great age survive to the present day. He is said to have had here a divine intimation of rising to regal power. The Berar Gazetteer of 1870 remarks about the condition of Bham. The ruins of palaces being now covered with dense jungle, are the resort of bears and tigers'. There is, today, not a single house of Bairagi, and of the old fort nothing except outlines of broken and ruined walls remain. Among modern buildings only that of the gram-panchayat stands out prominently amidst a whole crowd of dingy dwellings. Barring its historical importance, the village is insignificant. It is, however, known for its luscious custard-apples. There are also no objects of interest, if an exception be made of insignificant shrines, of which there are two to Hanuman, one each to Mahadeva and Malkaji Maharaj, and a dargah in a dilapidated state. Bhambraja has a dispensary, a post office and a middle school teaching up to the eighth standard. On every Friday a small weekly market selling vegetables and other provisions is held. Wells provide drinking water.
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