The city was founded by the [[Gond people|Gonds]] and later became a part of the [[Maratha Empire]] under the royal [[Bhonsale]] dynasty. The [[British East India Company]] took over Nagpur in the 19th century and made it the capital of the [[Central Provinces and Berar]]. After the first reorganisation of states, the city lost its status as the capital. Following the informal "[[Nagpur Pact]]" between political leaders, it was made the second capital of Maharashtra.
The city was founded by the [[Gond people|Gonds]] and later became a part of the [[Maratha Empire]] under the royal [[Bhonsale]] dynasty. The [[British East India Company]] took over Nagpur in the 19th century and made it the capital of the [[Central Provinces and Berar]]. After the first reorganisation of states, the city lost its status as the capital. Following the informal "[[Nagpur Pact]]" between political leaders, it was made the second capital of Maharashtra.
Nagpur is also called the "Tiger Capital of India"<ref name="Nagpur as Tiger Capital of India">{{cite news|title=Tiger Capital|url=http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2011-04-10/nagpur/29402898_1_tiger-reserves-tiger-population-tiger-land|accessdate=28 December 2011|newspaper=Times of India|date=10 April 2011}}</ref><ref name="Tiger Capital of World">{{cite news|title=Nagpur as Tiger Capital|url=http://www.dnaindia.com/mumbai/report_nagpur-to-be-countrys-tiger-capital_1532395|accessdate=28 December 2011|newspaper=DNA|date=16 April 2011}}</ref> as it connects many [[Tiger reserves of India|tiger reserves in India]] to the world. It is among the important cities for the [[Information Technology]] sector in Maharashtra. Nagpur lies at the dead centre of the country with the [[Zero Mile]] marker indicating the geographical centre of India.<ref name="Zero Mile in Nagpur">{{cite web|url=http://www.maharashtra.gov.in/marathi/mahInfo/nagpur.php|title=Nagpur|publisher=Maharashtra Government|accessdate=June 2006}}{{dead link|date=April 2013}}</ref> The city was rated as the best "Indian city to live in".
Nagpur is also called the "Tiger Capital of India"<ref name="Nagpur as Tiger Capital of India">{{cite news|title=Tiger Capital|url=http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2011-04-10/nagpur/29402898_1_tiger-reserves-tiger-population-tiger-land|accessdate=28 December 2011|newspaper=Times of India|date=10 April 2011}}</ref><ref name="Tiger Capital of World">{{cite news|title=Nagpur as Tiger Capital|url=http://www.dnaindia.com/mumbai/report_nagpur-to-be-countrys-tiger-capital_1532395|accessdate=28 December 2011|newspaper=DNA|date=16 April 2011}}</ref> as it connects many [[Tiger reserves of India|tiger reserves in India]] to the world. It is among the important cities for the [[Information Technology]] sector in Maharashtra. Nagpur lies at the dead centre of the country with the [[Zero Mile]] marker indicating the geographical centre of India.<ref name="Zero Mile in Nagpur">{{cite web|url=http://www.maharashtra.gov.in/marathi/mahInfo/nagpur.php|title=Nagpur|publisher=Maharashtra Government|accessdate=June 2006}}{{dead link|date=April 2013}}</ref> The city was rated as the best "Indian city to live in".{{mihan}} is now the best plan for nagpur
According to a survey by ABP News-Ipsos, Nagpur has been identified as the best city in India by topping the liveability, greenery, public transport, and health care indices.[11][12][13] Nagpur has the best literacy rate,93.13%, among cities with more than 20 lakhs population in India.[14]
It is famous for the Nagpur Orange and is known as the "Orange City" for being a major trade centre of oranges cultivated in the region.[15]
The city was founded by the Gonds and later became a part of the Maratha Empire under the royal Bhonsale dynasty. The British East India Company took over Nagpur in the 19th century and made it the capital of the Central Provinces and Berar. After the first reorganisation of states, the city lost its status as the capital. Following the informal "Nagpur Pact" between political leaders, it was made the second capital of Maharashtra.
Nagpur is also called the "Tiger Capital of India"[16][17] as it connects many tiger reserves in India to the world. It is among the important cities for the Information Technology sector in Maharashtra. Nagpur lies at the dead centre of the country with the Zero Mile marker indicating the geographical centre of India.[18] The city was rated as the best "Indian city to live in".Template:Mihan is now the best plan for nagpur
Toponymy
One of the earlier names of Nagpur was "Fanindrapur". It derives its origin from the 'fana' or hood of a cobra. In fact, Nagpur's first newspaper's name was 'Fanindramani', which means a jewel that is believed to be suspended over a cobra's hood. It is this jewel that lights up the darkness. Hence the name of the newspaper.
[19]
The river Nag flows through the city. B. R. Ambedkar claimed that both the city and the river are named after "Nag people".[citation needed]
The word "pur" means "city" in many Indian languages. During British rule, the name of the city was spelt and pronounced as "Nagpore".[20]
In the 18th era, this city was created by leader of Gond tribes named Bhakt Buland( Raja Buland Shah) in the first half of the century.
Human existence around present-day Nagpur city can be traced back 3000 years to the 8th century BCE. Mehir burial sites at Drugdhamna (near MHADA Colony) indicate that the megalithic culture existed around Nagpur and is still followed.[21] The first reference to the name "Nagpur" is found in a 10th-century copper-plate inscription discovered at Devali in the neighbouring Wardha district. The inscription is a record of grant of a village situated in the visaya (district) of Nagpura-Nandivardhana during the time of the Rastrakuta king Krsna III in the Saka year 862 (940 CE).[22] Towards the end of the 3rd century, King Vindhyasakti is known to have ruled the Nagpur region. In the 4th century, the Vakataka Dynasty ruled over the Nagpur region and surrounding areas and had good relations with the Gupta Empire. The Vakataka king Prithvisena I moved his capital to Nagardhan (ancient name Nandivardhana), 28 kilometres (17 mi) from Nagpur.[23] After the Vakatakas, the region came under the rule of the Hindu kingdoms of the Badami Chalukyas, the Rashtrakutas, and finally the Yadavas. In 1296, Allauddin Khilji invaded the Yadava Kingdom after capturing Deogiri, after which the Tughlaq Dynasty came to power in 1317. In the 17th century, the Mughal Empire conquered the region. However, regional administration was carried out by the Gond kingdom of Deogarh-Nagpur in the Chhindwara district of the modern-day state of Madhya Pradesh.
Recent history ascribes the founding of Nagpur to Bakht Buland, a prince of the kingdom of Deogarh-Nagpur. The next Raja (king) of Deogarh was Chand Sultan, who resided principally in the country below the hills, fixing his capital at Nagpur, which he turned into a walled town. On Chand Sultan's death in 1739, Wali Shah, an illegitimate son of Bakht Buland, usurped the throne and Chand Sultan's widow invoked the aid of the Maratha leader Raghoji Bhonsale of Berar in the interest of her sons Akbar Shah and Burhan Shah. The usurper was put to death and the rightful heirs placed on the throne. After 1743, a series of Maratha rulers came to power, starting with Raghoji Bhonsale, who conquered the territories of Deogarh, Chanda and Chhattisgarh by 1751.
In 1803 Raghoji II Bhonsale joined the Peshwa against the British in the Second Anglo-Maratha War, but the British prevailed. After Raghoji II's death in 1816, his son Parsaji was deposed and murdered by Mudhoji II Bhonsale. Despite the fact that he had entered into a treaty with the British in the same year, Mudhoji joined the Peshwa in the Third Anglo-Maratha War in 1817 against the British but suffered a defeat at Sitabuldi in present-day Nagpur city. The fierce battle was a turning point as it laid the foundations of the downfall of the Bhonsales and paved the way for the British acquisition of Nagpur city.[24] Mudhoji was deposed after a temporary restoration to the throne, after which the British placed Raghoji III Bhonsale, the grandchild of Raghoji II, on the throne. During the rule of Raghoji III(which lasted till 1840), the region was administered by a British resident. In 1853, the British took control of Nagpur after Raghoji III died without leaving an heir.
Map of Nagpur district with major towns and rivers.Central Provinces and Berar, 1903. Princely states are shown in yellow.
From 1853 to 1861, the Nagpur Province (which consisted of the present Nagpur region, Chhindwara, and Chhatisgarh) became part of the Central Provinces and Berar and came under the administration of a commissioner under the British central government, with Nagpur as its capital. Berar was added in 1903. Tata group started the country's first textile mill at Nagpur[25] formally known as Central India Spinning and Weaving Company Ltd. The company was popularly known as "Empress Mills" as it was inaugurated on 1 January 1877, the day queen Victoria was proclaimed Empress of India.
The non-cooperation movement was launched in the Nagpur session of 1920. The city witnessed a Hindu–Muslim riot in 1923 which had profound impact on K. B. Hedgewar,[26] who in 1925 founded the RSS, a Hindu nationalist organisation in Nagpur with an idea of creating a Hindu nation. After the 1927 Nagpur riots RSS gained further popularity in Nagpur and the organisation grew nationwide.
After Indian Independence in 1947, Central Provinces and Berar became a province of India and in 1950 became the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh, again with Nagpur as its capital. When the Indian states were reorganised along the linguistic lines in 1956, Nagpur and Berar regions were transferred to Bombay state, which in 1960 was split between the states of Maharashtra and Gujarat. At a formal public ceremony on 14 October 1956 in Nagpur B. R. Ambedkar with his supporters converted to Buddhism starting Dalit Buddhist movement which is still active. In 1994, the city witnessed its most violent day in modern times in form of Gowari stampede deaths.
Nagpur is a city with great capabilities to grow and prosper in the coming days. It is very important for State and Central Governments to contribute to the growth, development, prosperity of Nagpur.
Nagpur completed 300 years of establishment in the year 2002. A big celebration was organised to mark the event.
Sonegaon Lake is a man-made dam-lake built by rulers of Nagpur in the mid-18th century
Nagpur is located at the exact centre of the Indian peninsula. The city has a Zero Mile stone locating the geographical centre of India, which was used by the British to measure all distances within the Indian-subcontinent.
The city lies on the Deccan plateau of the Indian Peninsula and has a mean altitude of 310.5 meters above sea level.[27] The underlying rock strata are covered with alluvial deposits resulting from the flood plain of the Kanhan River. In some places these give rise to granular sandy soil. In low-lying areas, which are poorly drained, the soil is alluvial clay with poor permeability characteristics. In the eastern part of the city, crystalline metamorphic rocks such as gneiss, schist and granites are found, while in the northern part yellowish sand stones and clays of the lower Gondwana formations are found.[28]
Nagpur city is dotted with natural and artificial lakes. The largest lake is Ambazari Lake. Other natural lakes include Gorewada Lake and Telangkhedi lake. Sonegaon and Gandhisagar lakes are artificial, created by the city's historical rulers.[citation needed] Nag river, Pilli Nadi along with nallas form the natural drainage pattern for the city.[29][30]
A view of Gandhisagar lake at sunset.
Nagpur is known for its greenery and was adjudged the cleanest and second greenest in India after Chandigarh in 2010.[31]
Climate
Nagpur has tropical wet and dry climate (Köppen climate classification) with dry conditions prevailing for most of the year. It receives an annual rainfall of 1,205 mm (47.44 inches) from monsoon rains during June to September.[32] The highest recorded daily rainfall was 304 mm on 14 July 1994.[33] Summers are extremely hot, lasting from March to June, with May being the hottest month. Winter lasts from November to January, during which temperatures drop below 10 °C (50 °F).[27] The highest recorded temperature in the city was 47.9 °C on May 22, 2013, while the lowest was 3.9 °C.[34]
Nagpur is administered by the Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC),[36] which is a democratically elected civic governing body. Nagpur Improvement Trust (NIT) works with NMC and carries out the development of the civic infrastructure and new urban areas on behalf of NMC.[37] The city is divided into 10 zones, which are, in turn, divided into 145 wards.[38] Each ward is represented by a corporator, a majority of whom are elected in local elections.
Nagpur is the headquarters of some national scientific and governmental establishments such as the National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI), the Central Institute of Cotton Research (CICR), the National Research Centre for Citrus, the National Bureau of Soil Survey and Land Use Planning, the Jawaharlal Nehru National Aluminium Research and Development Centre, and the Petroleum And Explosives Safety Organisation (PESO), formerly known as the Department of Explosives.
Nagpur is home to the National Academy of Direct Taxes (NADT) in which officers of the revenue services are trained and the National Academy of Defence Production (NADP), in which officers of ordnance factories are trained.
Localities
Nagpur is the largest city in central India and fourth largest in Maharashtra in terms of population as per the 2011 census.[39]
Greater Nagpur Metropolitan Area
In 1999, the government of Maharashtra declared that the Nagpur Metropolitan Area shall comprise all of Nagpur city, Nagpur Gramin (rural areas near Nagpur), Hingna, Parseoni, Mauda and KampteeTaluka and parts of Savner, Kalmeshwar, Umred and Kuhi. The boundaries of the "Metro region" around the municipal corporation limits of the city have been defined as per the notification.
In 2002, the government extended the jurisdiction of the Nagpur Improvement Trust (NIT)[40] outside the limits of the Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC)[41] by 25 to 40 kilometres. This new area was defined under clause 1(2) of NIT Act-1936 as "Nagpur Metropolitan Area".[42]
Area of Nagpur region/District
9810 km2
Area proposed for Metroregion
25 to 40 km
Area around Nagpur Municipal limit
3780 km2
Area Under NMC limit
218 km2
NIT has proposed the Metro region plan in two phases:
Phase I
area 1520 km2
Phase II
area 2260 km2
Military
Sitabuldi fort is home to Indian Army's 118th infantry battalion.
The Ordnance factory and staff college of ordnance factory ambajhari and National Academy of Defence Production for Group A officer of ordnance factories are in the western part of the city. The 'raison d'être' for Kamptee, the military cantonment, is still operational. Kamptee Cantonment houses the Officers Training Academy for National Cadets Corps, which is the only one of its kind. It is also the home of one of the oldest and most respected regiments in the Indian Army, the Brigade of the Guards. Guards, located at Kamthi, are the only group in the Indian Army which have won two PVC (Param Veer Chakra), the highest gallantry awarded to soldiers for war time operations. There are other important units also such as the Institute of Military Law and a well equipped military hospital to care for the health of the soldiers. Army Postal Service centre is also operational in the cantonment since 1948, to provide training to personnel of Dept of Post who volunteers them self for Army. Nagpur's National Civil Defense College provides civil defence and disaster management training to pupils from all over India and abroad. Indian Air Force's giant IL-76 transport planes nicknamed "Gajraj" are also based in Nagpur.[43]
As of the[update]2011 census, Nagpur municipality had a population of 2,905,421[5] and the urban agglomeration had a population of 3,123,911.[6] The municipality had a sex ratio of 961 females per 1,000 males and 9.9% of the population were under six years old.[5] Effective literacy was 93.13%; male literacy was 96.16% and female literacy was 89.99%.[5]
Economy
Nagpur is an emerging metropolis. In 2004, it was ranked the fastest-growing city in India in terms of the number of households with an annual income of Rs 1 crore (10 million) or more.[44] Nagpur has been the main centre of commerce in the Vidarbha region since its early days and is an important trading location. Though, Nagpur's economic importance gradually declined relative to Mumbai and Pune after the merging of Vidarbha into the Maharashtra because of a period of neglect by the state government, the city has recovered its economy later.[45] During the slowdown, state and central government offices were a major source of employment.
Sitabuldi Market, one of the busiest commercial areas of NagpurNagpur branch of the Reserve Bank of India
Nagpur's economy has recovered from past slowdowns[46] and the city has attracted Rupees 5,000 crore in investment in 2004.[47] It was ranked the 11th most competitive city in the country by the Institute for Competitiveness in its 2012 report.[48] The city is important for the banking sector as it hosts the regional office of Reserve Bank of India, which was opened on 10 September 1956. The Reserve Bank of India has two branches in Nagpur in which one of it houses India's entire gold assets.[49]Sitabuldi market in central Nagpur, known as the Heart of the city, is the major commercial market area.
MIHAN
The Multi-modal International Cargo Hub and Airport at Nagpur (MIHAN) is a project for the Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar International Airport, Nagpur. It is the biggest economical development project currently underway in India in terms of investments. The project aims to exploit the central location of Nagpur and convert the airport into a major cargo hub with integrated road and rail connectivity. This project consists of two parts:
An international airport to act as a cargo hub and
A Special Economic Zone (SEZ) with residential zone covering an area of 40.25 km² on the southern end of Nagpur.
The government of Maharashtra formed a special-purpose entity, Maharashtra Airport Development Company, for development of MIHAN. The project is financed by Indian banks with loan amount of INR 3,000 million along with investment from the state government and Airports Authority of India. With a projected target of serving 14 million passengers and handling 0.87 million tones of cargo this is one of the largest aviation project in India. The estimated capital cost of the project is INR 2581 crores (by year 2035) and is supposed to generate revenues INR 5280 crores.
TAL Manufacturing Solutions is developing its facility in the SEZ for manufacturing structural components for Boeing's 787 Dreamliner airplane.[56] Global heavyweights like Boeing and Lupin have started work on their units.
MIDC Industrial Areas
Nagpur and the vidarbha region has a very prominent power sector as compared to the rest of Maharashtra.
The Butibori industrial area is the largest in all of Asia in terms of area.[57] The estate's largest unit is of Indo Rama Synthetics, which manufactures synthetic polyester yarn. Other units in Butibori include the power transmission company Gammon India Limited (T & D), Gammon India Ltd. (Infra), Central Workshop, KEC, Hyundai Unitech, ACC Nihon Castings Ltd.[58]Koradi Thermal Power Station and Khaparkheda Thermal Power Station are two major thermal power stations located near Nagpur and operated by MSPGCL. NTPC has a super thermal power plant in Mauda around 40 km from Nagpur whose first plant is commissioned.
The Hingna industrial estate on the western fringes of the city is made up of around 900 small and medium industrial units. The major ones among them are the tractor manufacturing plant of Mahindra and Mahindra, casting units of NECO Ltd. (the country's largest casting group),[59] units of International Combustion, Bajaj Auto group, Candico (the second largest confectionery manufacturing plant in India[60]), Bharat Containers making Aluminium Aerosol cans,[61] <www.bharatcontainers.com>, Ajanta toothbrushes and Sanvijay Group (largest steel rolling group of companies for long products in Central India).[62] Nagpur is home to ice-cream manufacturer Dinshaws, Indian dry food manufacturer Haldiram's, Indian ready-to-cook food manufacturer Actchawa and Ayurvedic products company Vicco and Baidyanath.[63]
Mining
Owing to rich natural resources in the region, mining is a major activity. Several government organizations related to the mining industry are based in Nagpur. Western Coalfields Limited (WCL), which is one of the eight fully owned subsidiaries of Coal India Limited, h
Public Attractions
Nagpur at night
BAPS Swaminarayan temple:This temple is situated in east zone of city. This mandir was build in 5 years and inaugurated by the blessings of H.D.H Pramukh Swami Maharaj on 7th October, 2013. Now a days it has become the most loving places in the eyes of Nagpurians.
Seminary Hill: The Seminary Hill lies at a distance of 6 km west of the old city. The hillock gets its name from the Seminary of St. Charles which is built at the top of the hillock. The main attraction is the spectacular view of the whole city of Nagpur that it offers. The climb up the hillock is an easy task and can even be attempted by people who do not take part in trekking on a regular basis.
Sitabuldi Fort: The specialty of the Sitabuldi Fort is the historical lineage of the place. This fort of Maharashtra was put up as early as in the year 1757, in the pre-independence era. The person who established the Sitabuldi Fort was British by birth. The year of establishment of this well-reputed fort of Nagpur is the same as the year in which the very crucial battle of Plassey was fought. From the pre-independent era, the Sitabuldi Fort has been one of the major tourist spots of Nagpur. For the protection of the fort, a trough has been created around the fort. There is a memorial that is located inside the fort, which is meant to commemorate the dedication of the soldiers who lost their lives during the well-known war between the British and the Marathas.
Deekshabhoomi: This sculpture is world known for its beauitiful design and architect. Deekshabhoomi, the biggest "stupa" in Asia, is a sacred monument of Buddhism at the place where B. R. Ambedkar converted to Buddhism along with his about 380,000 followers on October 14, 1956. Ambedkar’s conversion to Buddhism is still a guidance for the masses in India. Deekshabhoomi makes Nagpur a location regarded as a pilgrimage centre of Buddhism in India. Thousands of pilgrims visit Deekshabhoomi every year, especially on Ashok Vijaya Dashmi and the 14th of October.
Mahalaxmi Devasthan [5]: The Mahalaxmi Devasthan, a temple constructed more than a hundred years ago, is at Badkas Chowk, Mahal Nagpur. The principle deity is the goddess Mahalaxmi. The temple was granted by Raja Bahadur Janojirao Bhonsle.
Shukrawari Lake: It is located near Raman Science Centre. The lake which is said to have existed for more than 275 years, was established as a source of water supply by Chand Sultan, the then ruler of Nagpur. He created the water body in the form of streams being diverted to the Nag River, which was connected to the water reservoir and named it as 'Jumma Talab'.
Zero Mile-Zero Mile at Nagpur, is the geographical centre of India Stone of India: At the centre of Nagpur city "Zero Mile stone of India" is located from where the distance of all the cities of India is calculated.
Maharajbagh zoo: The charm of the Maharaj Baug and Zoo of Nagpur lies in the fact that it has a historical lineage, unlike many other places of its kind in India. It was established by the rulers who used to belong to the Bhonsle dynasty. There is a fascinating garden, which is called the Maharaj Baug. The name of this garden suggests the historical background of the place. It is converted into a botanical garden housing a zoo, containing some rare species of birds and animals. The zoo comes under the Central Zoo Authority (CZA) of India.
Raman Science Centre: The centre was developed to promote a scientific attitude, portray the growth of science and technology and their applications in industry and human welfare, and hold science exhibits. The centre is named after famous Nobel Prize winner Indian physicist Chandrasekhara Venkata Raman.
Nagpur..tank.
Futala Lake: Futala Lake is one of the lakes in Nagpur. Built by Bhosle kings of Nagpur, the lake is known for its coloured fountains. In the evenings the place is illuminated with halogen lights. The lake is surrounded on three sides by forest and a landscaped Chowpatty on one side.
Ambazari Lake: Ambazari Lake is situated near the western border of Nagpur. One of the 11 lakes in Nagpur, it is the largest lake in the city. Nag River of Nagpur originates from this lake. The beauty of the lake is complemented by a well-kept garden, which is situated close to the lake. Created in 1958, it covers an area of approximately 20 acres (8.1 ha). The garden is called the Ambazari Garden. There is a musical fountain and a replica of a dinosaur, which are of much interest to the children who visit the place. People can take part in a variety of fun activities like boating and riding in the toy train. One of the most preferred games of the place is the Swinging Columbus Boat.
Aadasa temple
Khernakala: It is a renowned tourist spot that is home to a beautiful dam, which is positioned at the fringe of the verdant woodlands known as Khapra Range Forest. The ambiance that prevails at Khernakala is so soothing and placid that it will beyond a shadow of a doubt captivate you in a state of trance. The luscious green surroundings which are simply spellbinding blend into the aura created by the healthy environment prevailing there, to give rise to an awesome combination.
Balaji Temple: One of the reasons for the popularity of the Balaji Mandir at Nagpur is the picturesque surrounding of this religious place. It is located at the Seminary Hills, one of the most important places of interest in the city of Nagpur. The soothing natural beauty of the place adds to the tranquility of the temple area.
Adasa: This small village is the site of the ancient Ganesh temple, which houses a statue of the deity, believed to have been self-evolved. It is one of the eight Ashta-Vinayaks in Vidarbha.
Paradsinga: This is the place where Vaidehi Sati Anusuya Mata displayed her charisma and spiritual powers. The temple and dharmashala, amidst beautiful landscaping, is worth a visit.
Dragon Palace Temple [6]: The Temple which was inaugurated in 1999 had received International and National Awards for its structural design. Many delegates from Japan, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Burma, United States and United Kingdom visit the Temple which is considered as a landmark of Indo-Japanese friendship. Representatives of 14 countries participated in this grand inaugural function. A record number of 5 lacs people withness this inaugural ceremony. Dragon Palace Temple is being visited by 17 million people annually.
Wildlife tourism
Nagpur boasts vast forests and tiger sanctuaries within a radius of few hundred kilometers. In fact, Nagpur has been declared as TIGER CAPITAL of the country.[64]
Some famous national parks surrounding Nagpur include:
Tiger tourism is witnessing a good growth in the city.
Religious festivals
Deekshabhoomi, the largest hollow stupa or the largest dome shape monument and an important place of buddhist movement, is located in Nagpur.[65] Every year on the day of Vijayadashami i.e. Dasehara, followers of Ambedkar visit deekshabhoomi. The 14 April, which is birth date of Dr. B. R. Ambedkar is celebrated. The most famous Temple in Nagpur is Tekdi Ganesh Mandir, and is said to be one of the Swayambhu (means Self-Manifested) temple in city. Sri Poddareshwar Ram Mandir and Shri Mahalaxmi Devi temple of Koradi are important Hindu temples.[66] Religious events are observed in the city throughout the year. Ram Navami is celebrated in Nagpur with shobha yatra with a procession of floats depicting events from the Ramayana.[67] Processions are also held on important festivals of other religions such as Dhamma Chakra Pravartan Din, Vijayadashami, Eid E Milad, Guru Nanak Jayanti, Mahavir Jayanti, Durga puja, Ganesh Chaturthi and Moharram. Like the rest of India, Nagpurkars celebrate major Hindu festivals like Diwali, Holi and Dussera with enthusiasm.
Diksha Bhoomi.
Celebrations lasting for several days are held on Ganesh Chaturthi and DurgaPuja festivals in virtually every small locality in the city.
The city also contains a sizeable Muslim population, and famous places of worship for Muslims include the Jama Masjid-Mominpura and Bohri Jamatkhana-Itwari.
Dargah Baba Tajuddin.
The most famous Shrine (Dargah) of Hazrat Baba Tajuddin at TajAbad. Annual Urs is celebrated in great enthusiasm and unity on 26th of Muharram.
The St. Francis De Sales Cathedral is located in Sadar as well as the All Saints Cathedral church. There are many south Indian Temples in Nagpur like Sarveshwara Devalayam were all south Indian festivals are celebrated like Sitarama Kalyanam, Radha Kalyanam Dhanurmasa celebration with Andal Kalyanam, Balaji temple in seminary hills were every year Bramhotsavam to lord Balaji and lord Kartikeya is celebrated here, Then there are 2 Ayyapa Temples one at Ayyapa nagar and other at Harihara Nagar, Raghvendraswami Mutt, Murugananda swami Temple at Mohan Nagar, Nimishamba Devi temple Subramanyiam devastanam at Sitabuldi and may more such south Indian temples are here in Nagpur as there is quite a good populations of south Indians in Nagpur.
Cuisine
The Vidharbha region has its own distinctive cuisine known as the Varhadi cuisine or Saoji cuisine. Saoji or Savji cuisine was the main cuisine Savji community. This traditional food is famous for its spicy taste. The special spices used in the gravy include black pepper, dry coriander, bay leaves, grey cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, and ample use of poppy seeds (khus-khus). Non-vegetarian food especially chicken and mutton are commonly eaten in Saoji joints at Nagpur. There are numerous Savji bhojanalays[68][69] in Nagpur which are so popular in Maharashtra that the renowned Indian chef Sanjeev Kapoor once featured Savji mutton on one of his TV shows and the recipe is listed on his website.[70]
Nagpur is a major education centre in Central India.[71] College of Agriculture, Nagpur is the oldest college in the country founded in 1906 by the then British Government. The college is held at the historic and heritage Victoria Building (built in 1856 for stay of Queen of England Her Highness Victoria at Nagpur) at Maharajbagh, Nagpur.[72] Nagpur has 3 state universities.
Founded in 1923, Nagpur University[73] is one of the oldest in the country.[74] The name has been officially changed to Rashtrasant Tukadoji Maharaj Nagpur University.[75]
The other two state universities are:
The city has both municipal schools (run by the NMC) as well as private schools (run by trusts or individuals), which in some cases receive financial aid from the government. The city's school system follows a 10+2+3/4 plan, so that students have the option to enroll in Junior college after 10 years of schooling and later degree courses for three or four years depending on the field. The school system has a geographical jurisdiction over the five districts of Nagpur division in addition to giving affiliation to hundreds of colleges. Apart from the municipal and private schools there are several CBSE, ICSE and IGCSE schools in Nagpur.[76]
Nagpur is home to India's only National Fire Service College that provides a graduation course in Fire Engineering. Nagpur houses IGNOU regional centre.[77] Also Indian Institute of Fire Engineering (IIFE) is another institution affiliated with Maharashtra State Board of Technical Education (MSBTE) and Director of Technical Education (DTE, Mumbai) that provides diploma courses in Fire Engineering, Safety and Security Management and located on Katol road.
Laxminarayan Institute of Technology (LIT), one of the oldest (established 1942) and top ranking engineering college of India and premier Chemical Engineering & Technology Institute is located in Nagpur.
Recently Nagpur got two major national institutes that include Indian Institute of Management IIM (starting academic session from 2015 ) and
All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS)) (both to be set inaugurated in Janauary)
Autonomous Colleges
Nagpur has three Engineering colleges which have been granted the prestigious 'Autonomous' status by the University Grants Commission, New Delhi, in recognition of their excellence in engineering education. These colleges are:
Nagpur is the big centre for cricket in vidarbha because of vidarbha cricket association.
The Vidarbha Cricket Association Ground (VCA) in Nagpur is one of the nine test venues in the country. A new stadium of VCA called Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium has been built on Wardha road with a seating capacity of 45,000 people at cost of ₹75 crore (US$8.8 million) and was one of the venues for the 2011 Cricket World Cup. Ind vs SA match was played here. Nagpur has one more cricket stadium named as VCA, Civil Lines which also hosted international matches. Thus Nagpur is one of the few cities, having more than one international cricket stadium in India.[79][80][81]
Vidarbha Cricket Association affiliated to the Board of control for cricket in India is the parent body or governing the game of Cricket in Vidarbha, and involved in the conduct of the game from the grass root level to the International level.
The Vidarbha Cricket Association promotes and develops Cricket by conducting various League Tournaments, Tournaments for the age group Under-13, Under-15, Under-17, and Under-19, Under-22 and Under-25 categories besides organising and conducting National Tournaments.
Nagpur Premier League:
LOKMAT NPL (Nagpur Premier League), a football tournament, is held at Nagpur annually and was started in 2010 by Lokmat Group of newspapers. The people in Nagpur city and the region given a great response to Nagpur Premier League with great enthusiasm.
Cultural events
Sunset at Futala Lake.
The city contains people from other Indian states as well as people belonging to the world's major faiths, and yet is known for staying calm during communal conflicts in India.[83] Nagpur plays host to cultural events throughout the year. Cultural and literary societies in Nagpur include Vidarbha Sahitya Sangh (for development of Marathi), Vidarbha Rashtrabhasha Prachar Samiti (promotion and spreading Hindi) and VidarbhaHindi Sahitya Sammelan (for promoting Hindi). Marathi Sahitya Sammelan, the conference on Marathi Literature were held twice in Nagpur city.
The South Central Cultural Centre also sponsors cultural events in Nagpur city, such as the Orange City Craft Mela and Folk Dance Festival, Vidarbha which is noted for its numerous folk-dances. Nagpur is a head office of Aadim Sanvidhan Sanrakshan Samiti(working for the rights of scheduled tribes).[84] Newspapers are published from Nagpur in Marathi, English and Hindi. In addition, the Government of Maharashtra organises a week-long Kalidas Festival, a series of music and dance performances, by national level artists.[85]
The Nagpur Central Museum (est. 1863) maintains collections are mainly for Vidarbha region.
Three brothers Ghulam Ali (Kotwal), Mohammad Saaduddin (Subedar) and Mohammad Saladuddin (Minister and Kotwal) from Jhajjar are remembered as great scholars of Urdu and Persian during the reign of Maharaja Senasaheb Subha Chhatrapati Raghuji Bapusaheb Bhonsle III. They founded 'Jhajjar Bagh' at Hansapuri (Now Mominpura). In this location, they built their residence 'Aina-e Mahal', a well and a Masjid (now Masjid Ahle Hadith). 'Jhajjar Bagh' also known as 'Subedar ka Bada' was located where nowadays Mohammad Ali Road at Mominpura, Jamia Masjid, Mohammad Ali Sarai and Furqania Madrasa are located.[86]
In 2013, ABP News-Ipsos declared Nagpur the country's best city for health care services.[88] The city is home to numerous hospitals, some run by the government and some private.
Nagpur is a health hub for Central India & caters to a large geographical area arbitrarily bounded by Delhi in the North, Calcutta in the East, Mumbai-Pune in the West and Hyderabad in the South. People from Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Uttar Pradesh, Orissa, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana regularly come to Nagpur for their health needs.[89] Nagpur boasts of super-specialty physicians & surgeons[90] serving its population in both public sector government run hospitals and well equipped private hospitals catering to all strata of society.[91] AIIMS Nagpur is the latest feather in the cap of Nagpur health care services.[92]
A total of 260 trains stop at Nagpur. These include passenger, express, mail, Duronto, rajdhani, garib rath trains. Of these 65 are daily trains and 26 terminate/originate from Nagpur. Almost 1.5 lakh passengers board/leave Nagpur Railway Station daily.
In 2010 Jan aahar opened its outlet in Nagpur Railway station. Jan aahar has only a few of its outlets in India offering light and healthy food at very affordable prices.
The Nagpur Metro Rail project is announced by the state government of Maharashtra for the city with the expenses of 4,400 Cr and 3,800 Cr Rupees for its two phases of 25 km (from Sitabuldi to MIHAN and Butibori via Airport) and 20 km (Sitabuldi to Automotive Square in Kamptee) respectively.[93] Consultants Delhi Metro Railway Corporation (DMRC) will study the alignment and submit a detailed project report.[94]
The site inspection has already begun in March 2012 with the initiatives from NIT. The Rs 10,000-crore project will be executed by a new company called Nagpur Metro Transport Co Ltd (NMTCL) formed under the NIT. NMC, Maharashtra Airport Development Corporation (MADC) — that is currently developing the MIHAN project – MIDC and CIDCO are the other participating organisations. MIHAN vice-chairman UPS Madan will be the chairman of the new company and NIT chairman Parvin Darade will be its executive director.[95]
The new state highway, Nagpur–Aurangabad–Mumbai express highway, built on the national highway basis is also sanctioned by the state and central government. This highway connects the state capital Mumbai to Nagpur via Aurangabad and significantly reduces the distance travelled by NH 6 and NH 3 between two cities.
One more national highway NH-26 BSavner-Chhindwara-Narsinghpur has connected with NH 69 at Savner near Nagpur providing another optional connectivity with Northern part of India.
Maharashtra State road transport Corporation (MSRTC) runs cheaper transport service for intercity, interstate, interstate travel. It has two bus stations in Nagpur: Nagpur Bus Sthanak (CBS-1) at Ganeshpeth and MorBhawan (CBS-2) at Jhansi Rani Square, Sitabuldi. It operates 1600 daily services from CBS-1 to long and short distances within state and to places in other surrounding states. It also operates 750 daily services from CBS-2 to short distances within Vidarbha. Its services include semiluxury 2+2 NEEM AARAAM, Parivartan 2+2, Asiad 2+2, and ordinary ST 2+3. Bus services are available for big cities in and around the states like Bhopal, Indore, Jabalpur, Raipur, Satna, Rewa, Raipur, Panna, Amravati, Raipur, Jagdalpur, Bilaspur, Mandla, Katni, Pune, Aurangabad, Nashik, Mumbai, Nanded, Akola, Jalgaon, Bhusawal, Rajnandgaon, Latur, Buldhana, Washim, Amravati, Wardha, Yavatmal, Chandrapur, Gadchiroli, Bhandara, Gondia, Parbhani, Hyderabad, Nijamabad, and Adilabad.
Public transport
Nagpur Mahanagar Parivahan Limited (NMPL) is the company formed with elected municipal corporators on board that caters to the city public transport. It has contracted Vansh Nimay Infraprojects (VNIL) to run city buses. It has a fleet of 470 Low-floor StarBuses that serve around 2.5Lakh citizens daily in the urban, suburban, metro areas. Of the total fleet 88 are low floor MiniBuses, and 382 are low floor 50 seater StarBuses as shown in the picture below. 240 buses are acquired under JNNURM and 230 are acquired under purchase-run-transfer basis by VNIL.[99]
Nagpur is currently witnessing an economic boom as the Multi-modal International Cargo Hub and Airport at Nagpur (MIHAN) is under development. MIHAN will be used for handling heavy cargo coming from south east Asia and the Middle East. The project will include ₹10,000 crore (US$1.2 billion) Special Economic Zone (SEZ)[102] for Information Technology (IT) companies.
The Nagpur Airport has received Special Achievement Award 2012-2013 from Airports Authority of India. Nagpur became the first airport in India to commission the INDRA system and also hasADS-B system. No other airport in the country had commissioned INDRA yet.[103]
Nagpur airport became the first airport in the country to receive an ISO 27000 certificate. In fact, Nagpur is not only the first in India but also the first in world to be certified for Air navigation service provider (ANSP). There are seven airports in the world which have ISO 27000, but none of them have it for ANSP.[104]
It has been identified as the safest airport for landing aircraft in case of emergencies or during bad weather conditions at other airports.[citation needed] More than 500 aircraft on domestic and international routes such as Europe-South East Asia pass over this region and all have been already informed that in case of emergencies, the pilots should prefer Nagpur airport for further process. Central government has identified Nagpur airport as one of the safe airports for diverted flights and emergency landing. In fact, many flights have used the airport during emergencies. It was because all international and domestic airlines had already been informed by the government to go to Nagpur during emergencies. Availability of excellent fire fighting equipment, air traffic control equipment and latest radar, in addition to being in city with good hospitals and hotels made the airport a good choice during emergencies.[105]
Indian Railways would have new station coming up near MIHAN to connect cargo hub with countries rail network. MADC would later play a larger role in Maharashtra for airports not owned by AAI and IAF. CIDCO has been selected as it had successfully formed the CIDCO city near Mumbai.[107]
As the project progresses, Nagpur will see an influx of migrants adding to city’s population. The existing city bus service would not be able to cope up with this. So a new bus mass transit system would be started with combine efforts from NMC, NIT, MSRTC and MIDC each organisation playing part in it.[108] NMC and NIT are together responsible for civic administration in Greater Nagpur Metropolitan Area and MSRTC along with Indian Railways would be responsible for developing logistic infrastructure.
Notable people
The Prominent persons originating/related with Nagpur city are:
Nitin Gadkari, Union Minister and former President of the BJP.
^"Nagpur University". Rajiv Gandhi College of Engineering, Research, and Technology website. Archived from the original on 7 September 2006. Retrieved 12 August 2006.
India
Star Bus Public transport in Nagpur
Media related to Nagpur at Wikimedia Commons
Nagpur travel guide from Wikivoyage
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