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PLACES
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DARWHA.
Darwha is an ancient settlement and headquarters of the tahsil of the same name. It lies in the Ami valley surrounded on three sides by hills on the Murtizapur-Yavatmal rail link. A tar road connects it with Yavatmal 27 miles to the north-east and another with Karanja in Murtizapur tahsil of Akola district. In 1961 its population was 11,540.
Municipality.
The town was constituted into a municipality in 1931 and its council today is composed of eleven elected councillors. The meetings of the council are presided over by the president who is elected by the councillors from among themselves.
Total municipal receipts in 1965-66 were Rs. 3,02,345. Income comprised municipal rates and taxes Rs. 10,387; realization under special acts Rs. 587; government grants Rs. 9,047: miscellaneous sources Rs. 4,983 and income due to extra-ordinary and debt heads Rs. 24,989. During the same year expenditure stood at Rs. 3,19,299 and comprised general administration and collection Rs. 76,897: lighting Rs. 9,899; public health and convenience Rs. 1,44.685; public education Rs. 60,521: contributions Rs. 1,500; miscellaneous heads Rs. 4,044 and extra-ordinary and debt beads Rs. 21,753.
A municipal conducted civil dispensary and a primary health centre with family planning facilities afford medical aid. There is also a veterinary dispensary located near the motor stand. Pucca cement concrete drains are provided only along the main roads and the sewage water collected in cesspools, the rest of the town having only kutcha drains. For the present wells supply drinking water. A water-supply scheme has been taken up which on completion would make tap water available to the town.
Primary education is compulsory. It is under municipal management. In 1965-66, 1,320 pupils were receiving primary education at the hands of 36 teachers in the municipal primary schools. Two high schools are privately conducted and receive some annual grants from the town municipality. There is also a library.
Darwha is an old town and was the scat of one of the Bhosles, Sabaji. Remnants of the old town wall, one gateway and the inner citadel or killa of mud walls can still be traced. The town has fairly large temples of Mallikarjun and Ganapati. In an enclosed courtyard of 60' x 60' stands the temple of Mallikarjun. It is located just near the Nagzari nala and contains a linga symbol; at unusual size. There is also a nandi statue in front of the temple in the traditional pose. The Ganapati shrine, to which repairs were carried out at the beginning of this century, is quite antique and houses a Ganapati idol inside its sanctuary. In Bhadrapada celebrations beginning with Ganesha Chaturthi and lasting for ten days are held. There is a mosque in the town
which was extended about 1893 at a cost of Rs. 4,000. None of
the buildings, however, have any pretensions to architectural
merit, though some tombs belonging to the Kazi family are
beautifully built of a stone of fine grain. Situated to the east of
the town along Darwha-Dhulapur road, the tombs are in two
groups of three and five respectively. Both these are encircled by
compound walls which arc falling into ruins. The tombs lie in
utter neglect.
Darwha being the headquarters of a tahsil has the mamlatdar's and panchayat samiti offices, civil and criminal courts, and a police station, besides other government offices. The
tahsil was built in 1864. The town has post and telegraph facilities and a rest house. A weekly market is held on Sundays. Within the premises of the veterinary dispensary, a poultry farm is accommodated. There is a taluka seed farm also.
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