Chhindwara district

Based on copper-plate inscriptions found in Chhindwara and neighbouring Seoni districts, it was speculated that the Vakatakas were in power here until the 3rd century CE.

The southern part of the district, like the Nagpur plain to the south, was ruled by the Rashtrakutas for several centuries.

A copper plate inscription from the 9th century CE gives a village named Mohagrama to a Kannada Brahmin, which some scholars have identified as Mohgaon in southern Chhindwara.

According to legend, founder of the Gond dynasty, Jatha slew and supplanted the Gauli chiefs Ransur and Ghamsur during a temple festival.

[3] Briefly the Deogarh kingdom was the most powerful of the four Gond states, but was quickly made into a tribute-paying sarkar under the Berar subah of the Mughals.

King Bakht Bulund was most powerful in the dynasty and he has adopted Islam as his religion during the rule of Emperor Aurangzeb.

Bakht Buland mainly resided in Deogarh and conquered large territories from the kingdoms of Mandla and Chanda.

When Aurangzeb's army was faltering, Bakht Buland took the opportunity to attack Mughal territory on both sides of the Wardha river.

He and his sons encouraged the migration of many non-tribal cultivators to the Berar plains and the plateau region.

Nagpur state continued to administer the territory until in 1853 it was annexed as part of the Doctrine of Lapse.

Bamboo, teak, harra, saalbeej, and tendu patta are the major commercially harvested forest products.

The district is divided into 11 tehsils:[5] 9 Development Blocks: Chhindwara, Parasia, Junnardeo, Damua, Tamia, Amarwara, Chourai, Bichhua, Harrai and Mohkhed There is one Nagar Nigam (Chhindwara), 5 Nagar Palikas (Parasia, Junnardeo, Damua, Amarwara, Chourai), 6 Nagar Panchayats (Chandameta-Butaria, Newton Chikhli Kalan, Chand, Barkhui, Bichhua, and Harrai).

According to the 2011 census Chhindwara District has a population of 2,090,922,[7] This gives it a ranking of 218th in India (out of a total of 640).

The local dialect in Chhindwara is a variant of western Hindi related to Bundeli.

Today, it is only spoken by shrinking minorities in Junnardeo, Mokhed and Bichhua tehsils and has vanished everywhere else.

Korku, primarily the Mawasi dialect, is spoken in the same regions as Gondi and is experiencing a similar steep decline.

This plant has achieved a record production capacity of 14.65 million meters, giving it the distinction of being the single largest integrated worsted suiting unit in the world.

The first in a series of seven parks planned by the Spices Board is being set up with an investment of Rs 20 cr.

The park has come up in an area of 18 acres (73,000 m2) in Laas village, Umranala, near Chhindwara in Madhya Pradesh on Chhindwara-Nagpur Highway.

Junnardeo, about 50 km from Chhindwara, is the head office of the Kanhan area of WCL.

The unique fair of stone Gotmaar mela of Pandhurna is also attractive for the tourist all around the world.

The terrain is undulating, with most of the area covered by small hill ranges, steeply sloping on the sides.

The reserve is in an area that holds a significant place in the natural history of Central India.

The description of its landscape, flora, and fauna has appeared in wildlife books dating back to the 17th century.

Map of Chhindwara District