Social,
Environmental & Economic Sustainability
Our analysis of the rank of the district
Backwardness : 25
Disability : 298 (Census 2001)
Minority : Does not figure in MCD
Literacy Ratio : 477 (Census 2001)
Sex Ratio Rank : 370
(Rank one is least sex ratio - Cenus 2001)
HIV Category District : C (HIV Sentinel Surveillance 2004 - 2006)
Water : Flouride in Groundwater above permissible limits
Challenges of the district : Our research with local communities
In Dhar district, the amount of fluoride is high
in the ground. We have the highest amount of fluoride (5.5ppm) in
our ground water. Various NGOs and government agencies are looking
after this issue. Government should provide us with clean drinking
water.
Agriculture is a source of income.
We have many industries in and around Dhar. So employment is not
an issue. People receive less income but mostly all are employed.
Brief About Dhar District
According to the census of 1991 Dhar has a population
of 13,67,412 persons. The district thus ranked twenty first in
descending order of population among the then existing 45 districts,
containing 2.07 percent of the population of Madhya Pradesh.
The area of the district is 8,149 sq. km. The area of the district
is 1.84 percent of the area of the entire state of Madhya Pradesh.
The District is divided into 4 Sub-divisions. These 4 Sub-Divisions
were further divided into 13 Blocks. The District is also divided
into 7 Tehsils. District is having 669 Gram Panchayats & 1479
Villages. District is also divided in 20 Thanas (Police Stations)
Physical Divisions
The district extends over three physiographic divisions. They
are the Malwa in the north, the Vindhyachal range in central zone
and the Narmada valley along the southern boundary. However, the
valley is again closed up by the hills in the south-western part.
The Vindhyachal range
A part of the range extends in the district in a crescentic belt
generally from south-east to north-west. The range is represented
by a strip of hilly area 5 to 20 kilometres in width. It is about
5 km wide near village Dhani near the south-eastern boundary.
Near Mograbav in the centre, it is about 10 km further widening
to 20 km west of Tanda. To the west of Bagh and Kukshi the range
stands disconnected by the valleys of the Mahi and Hatni.
It restarts along the Narmada in the south-west. The northern
spur (peak 543.76 metres) froms the boundary between the Sardarpur
tahsil and Jhabua district. It extends from the peak of Gomanpura
(556.26 metres) to Bajrangarh in Jhabua. Another spur extends
to wards Jhabua in the north-west. The great Vindhyachal range
extends generally from west to east and scarps at most of its
length towards the south. In Dhar also the south-ward escarps
are well marked, the wall rising from 400 to 600 metres. However,
in the western part their faces have been eroded back into long
and deep rugged valleys of the tributary hills of the Narmada.
In fact the strong currents of the small strems on the steep southern
side have cut back at their heads. The numerous streams of the
Narmada valley find their sources on the Malwa plateau. The main
line of the highest peaks has been left to the south of their
present courses.
In the eastern and central parts of the Vindhyachal in Dhar the
main hill range is continuous but in the west it is dissected
by deep channels of the rivulets. The range slopes towards the
north and gradually meets the Malwa plateau. Numerous spurs also
extend over the Malwa plateau in the north. But in the western
half in the district one may also find a series of denuded ridges
alternating with the parallel stream-channels and running for
some kilometres from local confusion, unless one tries to trace
the line of the main peaks.
The hightest peak of the district, Mograba (751.03 metres) lies
in the central part. Nilkanth (702.26 metres) lies further east
and the Shikarpura hill rises up to 698.91 metres. The famous
historical fort of Mandugarh towers the flat-topped hill about
600 metres, from the mean sea level.
The Malwa Plateau
The northern half of the district lies on the Malwa plateau. It
covers the northern parts of Dhar, Sardarpur and Badnawar tahsils.
The average elevation of the plateau is 500 metres above the mean
sea level. The land is undulation with a few scattered flat topped
hills roughly aligned between the valleys from south to north.
The general slope is towards the north. The valleys are covered
with black cotton soil of varying thickness, mostly adapted for
cultivation. The mounds may bear gravels or the underlaying sandstone
rocks may have been exposed. The plateau covers an area of about
466,196 hectares in the district.
The Narmada Valley
Below the Vindhyachal scarps lies the narrow valley of the Narmada.
It occupies the sourthern part of the district in Manawar tahsil
and the south-eastern part of Kukshi tahsil. The width of the
valley is 15 to 30 kilometres. The elavation varies from 275 metres
in the northern part of Manawar tahsil to 150 metres in the low
plain of Nisarpur in the south-west. To the east between Khalghat
and Bakaner the valley is undulation wider, more open and fertile
with alluvial cover. Proceeding westwards the valley is studded
with hills alternatively cut up by numerous streams which join
the Narmada along the southern boundary of the district. The result
is that there are few stretches and pockets of alluvium along
the streams.
BRIEF HISTORY OF DHAR
Historically and culturally, Dhar District has occupied
an important place throught its epoch-ancient, mediaeval and morden.
Dhar, known as Dhar Nagari in ancient period and Piran Dhar in
mediaeval period, has had the privilege of being of the capital
city, both in the ancient and in the early mediaeval periods.
The Paramaras ruled over a vast territory around Malwa for 400
years from the 9th to the 13th centuries. Vakpati Munja and Bhojadeva
were the most famous rurlers of this dynasty. Munja was a great
general, a poet of repute and a great patron of art and literature.
His court was adorned by poets like Dhananjaya, Halayudha, Dhanika,
Padmagupta, the author of Navasahasankacharita, Amitagati, etc.
He excavated the Munja Sagar at Dhar and Mandu and built beautiful
temples at a number of places.
Bhojadeva, the most illustrious of the Parmaras, was one of the
greatest kings of ancient India. His name became a household word
in India not only as a soldier but also as a builder, a scholar
and a writer. Authorship of a large number of books on a variety
of subjects like gramer, astronomy, poetics, architecture and
asceticism is ascribed to him. He shifted his capital from Ujjain
to Dhar, where the established a university for Sanskrit studies.
It is known as the Bhoja Shala in which was enshrined the image
of Goddes Saraswati. He rebuilt temples, including the magnificient
temple at Bhojapur. Bhoja also created a large lake near Bhojapur.
In the year 1305, A.D. the whole of Malwa passed into the hands
of Al-ud-din Khalji when Dhar and Mandu were also captured. Dhar
continued to be under Delhi Sultans until the reign of Muhammed
II. At that time, Dilawar Khan Ghuri was the Governor of Malwa.
In 1401 A.D. he assumed royality and established an independent
Kingdom of Malwa, with his capital at Dhar. His son and successor,
Hoshang Shah moved the capital to Mandu. Hoshang Shah died in
1435 A.D. and was entomed in the splendid mausoleum which is still
existing at Mandu. On Hoshang's death his son, Ghazni Khan, succeeded
him. He ordered his capital Mandu to be called "Shadiabad
(the City of Joy). He, however, had a very short reign, as he
was poisoned to death by Mahmud Khalji in 1436 A.D. Mahmud Khan
ascended the throne and inaugurated the reign of the Khalji Sultans
in Malwa. Khalji Sultans continued to rule Malwa till 1531 A.D.
Later Malwa was captured by Sher Shah and was placed under the
charge of Shujat Khan. Shujat Khan was succeeded by his son Baz
Bahadur. Mandu and its environs reverberated with the stories
of romance of Rupmati and Baz Bahadur. When Baz Bahadur was defeated
and put to fight by the Mugal army, his beloved Rupmati took poison
and put an end to her life to escape dishonour.
In the administrative organisation of Akbar, Dhar was the Chief
town of a Mahal in Mandu Sarkar of the Subah of Malwa. Akbar stayed
at Dhar for seven days, while directing the invasion of the Deccan.
He also visited Mandu a number of times. Mandu was also a favourite
resort of Emperor Jahangir, who stayed here for over six months
in 1616 A.D. In his memoirs, Jahangir has payed glowing tributes
to the pleasant climate and prety scenery at Mandu Noorjahan shot
four tigers with six bullets, from the back of an elephant, near
Mandu.
When Baji Rao Peshwa divided Malwa among Sindhia, Holkar and
the three Pawar Chief, in 1832 A.D. Dhar was bestwed on Anand
Rao Pawar. The rulers of Dhar held away over this area till 1948,
except for a brief period of three years, following the grat Revolt
of 1857.
Dhar was an important centre of Revolt, during the First War
of Independence in 1857. Freedom fighters captured the Fort of
Dhar which remained in their possession from July to October,
1857. The Bhils also took active part in the Revolt. The rebels
paralysed the authority of the State and opposed the British.
Consequently, a large force marched against Dhar under Colonel
Durand, and captured the town. Just because three or four rounds
were fired on the British troops by rebels, the British soldiers
took a tribal revenge on the local people. They dragged civilians
from their houses, killed them and looted their property ladies
were dishonoured. The rebels defended the fort, till 31st October,
1857 when breach was caused. They, therefore, escaped through
an underground passage.
As an aftermath of the Revolt, Dhar State was annexed to the
British terriory. The British Government however, changed the
decision of Government of India, and restored Dhar to Anand Rao
III, on the 1st may 1860.
Mandu, clothed in green, with turbulent brooks and torrents rushing
down into the encircling ravines, presents a magnificent spectacle.
Thousands of tourists are drawn to Mandu, to have a glimpse of
the splendid movements there.
Another place of great national importance is Bagh, where the
caves have been excavated on the rockface of a lofty hill, on
he bank of the Bagh river. The paintings at Bagh date back to
a period between the 5th and the 7th centuries A.D., the Golden
Age of Indian Art. Together with the Ajanta paintings, the Bagh
paintings represent the finest traditions of Indian Art, which
had a far-reaching influence on the Buddhist Art, not only in
India, but on the entire Buddhist Art in Asia.
The majority of the population in Dhar District belongs to the
Scheduled Tribes. The main tribes in the District are Bhils and
Bhilalas. Their highest concentration is in Kukshi Tahsil.
Collectorate
07292 234702 236615 234701
