Умария: География, история и природные богатства района

the district

Umaria district is a district of Madhya Pradesh. The town of Umaria is the district headquarters. The district is part of Shahdol Division. The total geographical area of the district sums up to 4548 square kilometers and has a population of 644,758. Umaria is enriched with its vast resources of forests and minerals. The coal mines are a steady source of revenue for the district. The most important mineral found in the district is coal and as a result 8 mines are being operated by South Eastern Coalfields Limited (Nowrozabad) in the district. The Bandhavgarh National Park (Tala) and Sanjay Gandhi Thermal Power Station at Mangthar (Pali) are located in the district. Umaria was formerly the headquarters of the South Rewa District and thereafter the headquarters town of the Bandhavgarh tehsil. It is situated at a distance of about 69 km. from Shahdol, the parent district. Metalled roads connect the town with Katni, Rewa, Shahdol, etc., on which regular buses ply. Umaria is also a railway station on the Katni Bilaspur section of the South East Central Railway zone. As of 2011 it is the second least populous district of Madhya Pradesh (out of 50), after Harda.

Umaria was ruled by Lodhi Rajputs. The Lodhi Rajput family built the temple of Lakshmi Narayan on southern bank of Narbada Barman ghat. They also built on the steps of the northern bank of Barman ghat Karkeli a great gateway called the Hathi Darwaza, to allow their elephants passage. The fort of Bandhavgarh was given as dowry with Padamkuwari, daughter of Somdutt Karchuli of Mandla to Karan Deo, son of Maharaja Vyaghradev. Bandhogarh was the early capital of the Baghel dynasty. Akbar spent his childhood days in Bandhogarh. Later the Baghels of Rewa came with his force and won Umaria from Lodhis. Umaria was always a favourite town for many princes and kings because the dense forests and tigers. It was the southern capital of old Rewa District under the former Bandhogarh tehsil. The forests of Bandhavgarh were a game reserve of Maharaja of Rewa. After independence, Umaria was a part of Shahdol district. In 1998, it was carved out of Shahdol as a separate district.

Average Rainfall : 1293 m. m.

Average Max. Temperature :46.2 °C

Average Min. Temperature : 0.1 °C

In 2006 the Ministry of Panchayati Raj named Umaria one of the country's 250 most backward districts (out of a total of 640).

Bandhavgarh is a relatively small park. In the last few years this former game reserve has become one of India's most prominent National Parks. The major reason for all the interest is Bandhavgarh high density of tigers, which roam the mixed forests of sal, bamboo and ambilica officinale in search of an easy kill. The tigers have not only bolstered the local population by breeding successfully, they have also brought international media attention to the park and to the plight of the Royal Bengal Tiger. The density of the tiger population at Bandhavgarh is the highest known in India. 60 Tigers at 450 km2 area in Bandhavgarh National Park. This is also white tiger country. The last known as captured by Maharaja Martand Singh in 1951. This white tiger, named "Mohan," is now stuffed and display in the place of Maharaja of Rewa.

Chandia is on the Umaria Katni road, from Umaria. The railway station of Chandia Road, known as Chandia railway station. The most important spot of Chandia is a small temple, enshrining Goddess Kalika. Her mouth is wide open, but her out stretched tongue is broken. There is also an old temple of god Rama and his consort Janaki. It was a thikana (state or estate) of Thakur of Chandia. A small fair meets at Suraswahi Chandia for three days in February/March, on the occasion of Shivaratri. There is a Fort Chandia of Baghels.

Pali Birsinghpur is situated on the Umaria Shahdol road, at a distance of about from Umaria. Another road goes from Pali to Mandla via Dindori. This place is famous for Maa Birasini Devi Temple. Pali is also a railway station, and there is a rest house for the tourists to stay. The station is known as the Pali Birsinghpur station. Near the railway station there is a temple, enshrining Maa Birasini Devi Temple. By popular belief she is Goddess Kali, represented here as skeleton Goddess, but with her mouth closed. Many remains of old Jain idols kept here in some Hindu temples. The annual fairs are held both in October and March, on the occasion of Navaratri, near the temple of Goddess.

The headquarters town of the Umaria district and Bandhavgarh tehsil, formerly Umaria was the headquarters of the South Rewa District. It is situated at a distance of about from Shahdol. Near the railway station stands a Shiva temple, known as the Sagara temple. It was an old shrine, recently remodeled. Its main gates are still intact with stone statues, carved in Khajuraho models. Near about is Jwalamukhi temple. About from the town, there is another temple named Madhibag temple of Mahabharata era, with similar carvings of the Khajuraho pattern. Umaria is known for its coal mines, which were opened in 1881 by the Government of India and transferred to the Rewa Darbar in the same year, mainly to meet the requirement of railway at Katni.

Baderi is a gram panchayat in Umaria district. It is situated about from Umaria in Bandhavgarh Road. It was an estate under Rewah Riyasat. It was ruled by Baghela rajputs. There is Nand Mahal and Baderi Fort, dates back to 17th century. Nand Mahal was built by the Baghela chief, Lal Ahlad Singh in 1750s and Baderi Fort was half built by Lodhi rajputs, later on conquered and constructed by Lal Ramnat Singh in 1850s.

Manpur is a block and the biggest tehsil in umaria district. It is situated about from district headquarter and about from Bandhavgarh National Park in Tala Jaisinghnagar road. There are 84 Gram Panchayats in Manpur tehsil.

Birsinghpur Reservoir is located from Birsinghpur Pali Railway Station. This reservoir is constructed for Sanjay Gandhi Thermal Power Station. This reservoir is constructed on Johila river, which originates near Amarkantak in Anuppur district of Madhya Pradesh. Johila River is a tributary of the Son River, which is the second largest tributary of the Ganga river from the southern banks.