Balaghat Town
This article has been extracted from THE IMPERIAL GAZETTEER OF INDIA , 1908. OXFORD, AT THE CLARENDON PRESS. |
Note: National, provincial and district boundaries have changed considerably since 1908. Typically, old states, ‘divisions’ and districts have been broken into smaller units, units, and many tahsils upgraded to districts.Many units have since been renamed. Therefore, this article is being posted mainly for its historical value.
Balaghat Town
Head-quarters of the District and tahsil of the same name, Central Provinces, situated in 2i°49 / N. and 8o° 12' E. Population (1901), 6,223. When the District of Balaghat was consti- tuted in 1867, the small village of Burha was selected as its head- quarters, and the name has now been officially changed to correspond with that of the District, which means 'above the passes.' So far as the town is concerned, however, the name is a misnomer, as it lies below the hills. Balaghat is a station on the new Satpura narrow-gauge line, 25 miles from Gondia junction and 626 from Bombay.
It is situated two miles from the Wainganga river ; and between the town and river lie about 1,200 acres of small forest through which roads have been laid out, while a large tank has been built on the outskirts of the town. Balaghat was created a municipality in 1877. The municipal receipts during the decade ending 1901 averaged Rs. 5,000. In 1903-4 they were Rs. 7,000, the chief source of income being a house tax. A manganese mine is now being worked near the town. Balaghat has a certain amount of trade, but no manufactures. It contains an English middle school, a girls' school, and a dispensary.
