PLACES

YEOTMAL

Yavatmal, the headquarters of the tahsil and the district of Yavatmal, is situated at an elevation of 1,476 feet. The population of the town is 45,587 according to the 1961 Census and consists largely of Marathi-speaking people, though Hindi, Urdu, Gujarati and some tribal languages are also represented. It is sometimes said that the original name of the place was Yevata, and the termination is either the word mal, a hill or a plain, or a corruption of mahal, chief town of a pargana. The pargana is called Yot-Lohara in the Ain-i-Akbari, Lohara being a village three miles to the west of Yavatmal. It used to have a village fort, gadhi, which perished many years ago but was a place of no importance until it was made headquarters of the Wun district and cultivation in the district began to develop. The name of the district was changed to Yavatmal in 1905. It is situated on the high ground above the ghats on the southern side of the Payanghat plain and four miles back from the edge of the plateau. The town has a fairly open site and the streets are generally broad and tarred. The climate is naturally cooler than that of the Payanghat though it is still hot. In the hot weather there is almost always a cool breeze at night. Yavatmal is connected with Bombay-Nagpur railway by a link line from Murtizapur in Akola district. It is also connected by tar roads with each of the tahsil headquarters and other places in the Wardha and the Penganga valleys. Dhamangaon railway station on the Bombay-Nagpur line is only 29 miles to the north and connected by a good tar road with a frequent bus service. The town, besides the usual post and telegraph facilities, is served by a telephone exchange. Thus it is advantageously placed for transport and communications. However, it has hardly anything to distinguish it except as a large outgrown village.

Municipality.

A municipality was constituted in 1869 but was dissolved shortly thereafter. It was again established in 1894 and thus forms the oldest municipality in the district. The area under its jurisdiction is 3.2 square miles. A total of 30 elected councillors compose the municipal council. The municipal council is headed by a president elected by the councillors from among themselves. In 1966-67 the total receipts of the municipality excluding extraordinary and debt heads were Rs. 19,50,749.94 of which municipal rates and taxes alone contributed Rs. 9,57,490.76 and government grant Rs. 6,40,273.44.

Yavatmal has a well-equipped government maintained civil hospital with X-ray and ether facilities, including a 40 bedded unit for leprosy affected patients and a T.B. clinic. A maternity home also affording treatment in gynaecology is also maintained. An ayurvedic dispensary and a veterinary dispensary are the only medical institutions conducted by the town municipality. The town has also private clinics and dispensaries. Yavatmal has yet neither underground drainage system nor water-works supplying tap water. Drains for the most part are kutcha. At present the water supply is drawn wholly from the wells and though it is plentiful, acute scarcity is felt during the dry season. A water works scheme has, however, already been taken up and is expected to make tap water shortly available. A large tank is situated close to the town on the north and is directly useful for watering cattle and indirectly probably helps to maintain the level of water in the wells.

Primary education is conducted by the municipality. 5,002 pupils were learning in the municipal primary schools in 1966 67. There were 155 primary teachers. The net cost in this regard was Rs. 3,19,733 towards which the municipality received a grant of Rs. 1,78,733 from the government. A high school is also conducted by the municipality in which there were 1,155 pupils and 48 teachers in 1966-67. The net cost in this regard stood at Rs. 1.51,371.29 during the same year. Besides, the town has eight private schools of which four receive an annual grant of Rs. 1,000 each from the town municipality. Yavatmal has also two privately conducted colleges having the faculties of Arts, Science and Commerce. Among the montessories the one conducted by Shishu Vihar Mandal and established way back in 1946 deserves a mention. The Mandal has also started a Mahila Vidyalaya with a Vasatigriha and should he commended for the propaganda it has carried out and the help and guidance it has rendered in setting up similar montessories not only in Yavatmal district but in other adjoining districts also.

The town has three libraries viz., the Nagar Vachanalaya, the Vivekananda Library and the Zilla Granthalaya. Of these the Nagar Vachanalaya is perhaps the best and the oldest in the town having been established in 1887. In 1965-66 its total income including a grant of Rs. 6,700 from government and Rs. 250 from the town municipality was Rs. 17,081.27 and expenditure Rs. 1,780.57. In addition to the collection of nearly 7,000 books a majority of which are in English, Marathi and Hind', the library provides all the leading dailies and other magazines. The Union Biblical Seminary of the Free Methodist Mission conducts a Biblical Training School which is one of the oldest institution in Yavatmal.

One cremation ground for Hindus and a burial ground for Muslims are maintained by the town municipality.

Yavatmal is located in a typically rural section of Maharashtra and is a centre of cotton trade of importance, there being about eight ginning factories and four presses. It has cotton and grain market under the supervision of agriculture produce market committee, as also many co-operatives embracing diverse fields and occupations. Along with the increasing commercial activity a nuclei of trade and banking is also growing up. It is the headquarters of the Yavatmal District Central; Co-operative Bank and has branches of some of the leading banks. In the recent past an agricultural research station, a district poultry farm and a few oil mills have come into being. An industrial estate is also being established. Yavatmal is an important market for cattle and at the weekly bazar on Sundays a large number of cattle is also sold. The municipality has made provision for holding three daily markets.

Objects.

The town has no great buildings of architectural excellence except the antique Hemadpanti temple of Kedareshvara and some fine modern buildings. Located in the centre of the town the Kedareshvara shrine is of great antiquity, its sabhamandap having been added only in 1915 by public contributions and subscriptions. The sanctuary, the entrance to which is richly ornamented, contains a large linga symbol and unlike other linga symbols has a hollow pit in the centre. In front there is a nandi installed on a pedestal where from to the left there are niches one of which houses a brass idol of Shankara sheltered by a eleven hooded cobra also of brass. In a similar niche there-is an idol of Parvati. The temple also contains idols of Ganapati and Sarasvati, and has pavilions in the courtyard serving as sands. There are also one or two wells for water supply. The sabhamandap is let on hire for the performance of marriage and such other sacred ceremonies. A largely attended fair is called on the festival of Mahashivratra and on the occasion a number of temporary shops are erected for the sale of toys, furniture, utensils and such other goods. A trust looks after the management of the temple.

The town has also temples one each dedicated to Vitthal and Hanuman and two mosques. Built in about 1900 A.D. by one Shivram Sonar in memory of his son the Vitthal Mandir has much religious importance. It has a spacious sabhamandapa and a hall used for solemnising weddings and conducting such other functions. The gabhara contains idols of Vithoba and Rakhumai reportedly brought from Pandharpur. In honour of the deity a fair beginning with Ashadhi Ekadashi and lasting for seven days is held. The temple has an annual income of about Rs. 25,000 from immovable assets of its propriety. A trust looks after the temple management. To the south of the town is the Hanuman shrine, revered all the more by virtue of the idol in it being believed to he svayambhu. It was built by one Ganpatrav Marathe in 1931. The mandap of 30' x 30' dimensions was added in 1938 and consists of brick walls and tin roof. In addition to Hanuman idols, the shrine also houses a linga and a Nandi. In the vicinity of the temple there is a large water tank used for drinking purposes and a talav of smaller proportions used mainly for washing purposes and watering cattle. Hanuman Jayanti is the major occasion for a large gathering at the temple. On every Saturday a number of people visit the temple for worship.

Yavatmal has a research institute known as Shardashrama founded in 1932 by Dr. Y. K. Deshpande. The institute conducts research in the field of ancient Indian history. It has, since its inception, succeeded in tracing some valuable manuscripts and publishing them. It has also a good collection of copper-plate and stone inscriptions, coins and other archaeological finds.

Being the headquarters of a district the town besides the collectorate, the Zilla Parishad, the district court and the police, has the offices of all the major government departments. There are a rest house and a circuit house.

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