Chikhaldara
| Author:Laxman Burdak, IFS (R) |
Chikhaldara (चिखलदरा) is a town and tahsil in Amravati district of Maharashtra, India.
Variants
Location
Chikhaldara is well connected to the cities of Paratwada, Amravati, Akola, Betul, Khandwa and Burhanpur by road. The nearest airport is Nagpur: 229 km via Paratwada-Chandur Bazar-Katol route and 231 km via Paratwada-Amravati-Kondhali route. MSRTC plies buses from Nagpur to Chikhaldara via Amravati-Paratwada.
Origin
Chikaldhara, literally translates from Marathi to mud stream/falls (chikal + dhara). Hindus claim that this place was featured in the epic of the Mahabharata; it is where Bheema killed the villainous Keechaka in a herculean bout and then threw him into the valley. It thus came to be known as Keechakadara, which eventually colloquialised to Chikaldhara. There is, however, not much evidence apart from hearsay to support this argument.
Old name of Chikhaldara is "Melghat". and Current village Manjarkapdi known as "Majkur" before 1950.
Jat Places Namesake
- Chikhal (चिखल) (Jat village) →
Villages in Tahsil
Town: 1. Chikhaldara
Villages:
1 Adhav, 2 Adnadi, 3 Ahad, 4 Aki, 5 Aladoh, 6 Ambapati, 7 Amona, 8 Amzari, 9 Awagad, 10 Badnapur, 11 Baglinga, 12 Bahadarpur, 13 Barugavhan, 14 Barukheda, 15 Bela, 16 Bhagdari, 17 Bhamadehi, 18 Bhandora, 19 Bhandri, 20 Bhandum, 21 Bhandum, 22 Bhawai, 23 Bhilkheda, 24 Bhilkheda, 25 Bhiroja, 26 Bhulori, 27 Bhutrum, 28 Biba, 29 Bichukheda, 30 Bihali, 31 Bodu, 32 Borala, 33 Borda, 34 Bori, 35 Borikheda, 36 Bortyakheda, 37 Butida, 38 Chandpur, 39 Chauramal, 40 Chichati, 41 Chichkheda, 42 Chikhali, 43 Chilati, 44 Chobita, 45 Chunkhadi, 46 Churni, 47 Churni, 48 Dabiya, 49 Dahendri, 50 Dhakna, 51 Dharamdoh, 52 Dhargad, 53 Dolar, 54 Doma, 55 Domi, 56 Domnifata, 57 Ektai, 58 Gadgabhandum, 59 Gangadhari, 60 Gangarkheda, 61 Garajdari, 62 Gaulkheda Bazar, 63 Ghana, 64 Ghatang, 65 Girguti, 66 Gularghat, 67 Hatru, 68 Hattighat, 69 Hilda, 70 Hiradmal, 71 Jaitadehi, 72 Jambli, 73 Jamlivan, 74 Jamun Nala, 75 Jarida, 76 Kajaldoh, 77 Kakadari, 78 Kalapani, 79 Kamapur, 80 Kamida, 81 Kanheri, 82 Karada, 83 Karanjkheda, 84 Katkumbh, 85 Keli, 86 Kelpani, 87 Kesharpur, 88 Khadimal, 89 Khandukheda, 90 Khari, 91 Khatkali, 92 Khatkali, 93 Khirapani, 94 Khongada, 95 Kohana, 96 Kohi, 97 Kolkas, 98 Korda, 99 Kotmi, 100 Koylari, 101 Kulgana Bk., 102 Kulgana Kh., 103 Lakhewada, 104 Lawada, 105 Lawada, 106 Madizadap, 107 Madki, 108 Makhala, 109 Malkapur, 110 Manbhang, 111 Manjarkapdi, 112 Marita, 113 Masondi, 114 Mehriaam, 115 Memna, 116 Menghat, 117 Morgad, 118 Motha, 119 Mozari, 120 Nagapur, 121 Nagartas, 122 Nawalgaon, 123 Pachdongri, 124 Palshya, 125 Pandhra Khadak, 126 Pastalai, 127 Patkahu, 128 Pili, 129 Pipadari, 130 Piplya, 131 Rahu, 132 Raipur, 133 Raksha, 134 Ramtek, 135 Rehatyakheda, 136 Ruipathar, 137 Salita, 138 Salona, 139 Sarwarkheda, 140 Sattiruipatha, 141 Sawarpani, 142 Sawarya, 143 Semadoh, 144 Shahapur, 145 Simori, 146 Somthana Bk, 147 Somthana Kh., 148 Somwarkheda, 149 Sonapur, 150 Sumita, 151 Tarubanda, 152 Telkhar, 153 Tembhrusonda, 154 Tembru, 155 Tetu, 156 Toranwadi, 157 Vairat, 158 Vastapur, 159 Wadapati, 160 Wanroad, 161 Zingapur,
Source - https://www.census2011.co.in/data/subdistrict/4002-chikhaldara-amravati-maharashtra.html
History
Captain Robinson of the Hyderabad Regiment visited Chikhaldara in 1823. The Englishmen found it particularly attractive because the lush green hue of the place reminded them of England. When the leaves fell in September/October, they were reminded of autumn in England. There was even a proposal to make it the seat of the Government of India.
Tourism
Since the area is heavily forested and the population count is low, there are no big festivals in Chikhaldara like in the rest of India. Only at the Jain temples that exist in the area, the pujas are held regularly.
Chikhaldara is a small hill station in the Indian state of Maharashtra. As it is the only coffee-growing area in the region, it is visited by tourists who come solely to taste the region's coffee.[citation needed] Apart from the coffee plantations, Chikhaldara has several lakes, waterfalls, old forts, temples, and viewpoints
The sole hill resort in the Vidarbha region, it is situated at an altitude of 1118 meters with highest elevation point 1188 meters and has the added dimension of being the only coffee-growing area in Maharashtra. Chikhaldara has an annual rainfall of 154cm. Temperatures vary from 39C in summer to 5C in winter. The best months to visit are from October to June.
It abounds in wildlife, such as tigers, panthers, sloth bears, sambars, wild boar, and rarely seen wild dogs. Close by is the Melghat Tiger Project which has 82 tigers.
Places of Importance
- Melghat Tiger Reserve, which includes the Gugamal National Park
- Gawilgad fort
- Bhim-kund, where Bhima washed his hands of the blood of Keechaka
- Forest garden
- Wildlife museum
- Paratwada City
Tourist points
- Malviya point (sunrise)
- Bhimkund (Kitchakdari)
- Vairat Devi
- Sunset Point
- Bir Dam
- Panchbol Point
- Kalapani Dam
- Mahadev Mandir
- Semadhoh Tiger Project
- Hariken Point
- Mozari Point
- Prospects Point
- Devi Point
- Goraghat
- Shakkar Lake
- Government Garden
- Museums
- Waterfalls
- Dharkhora
- Bakadari
- Muktagiri
- Kolkaz
- Pancha Dharag waterfall
- Gawilgad Fort
चिखलदरा
चिखलदरा भारत के महाराष्ट्र राज्य के अमरावती ज़िले में स्थित एक शहर है। यह एक रमणीय पहाड़ी क्षेत्र है जो पर्यटकों को आकर्षित करता है। समीप ही मेलघाट बाघ अभयारण्य स्थित है।
नामोत्पत्ति: मान्यता है कि यहाँ महाभारत-काल में भीम ने कीचक से संघर्ष कर उसका वध करा और उसे घाटी में फेंक दिया। इस से स्थान का नाम कीचक-धरा पड़ा, जो समय के साथ-साथ परिवर्तित हो चिखलदरा बन गया।