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Tumsar: Tracing Centuries of Transformation in Bhandara's Historic Heartland

Tumsar: Tracing Centuries of Transformation in Bhandara's Historic Heartland
Tumsar: Tracing Centuries of Transformation in Bhandara's Historic Heartland

Tumsar town in the Bhandara district of Maharashtra stands as a testament to the layered history of Vidarbha, yet its past remains largely undocumented in mainstream historical discourse.


Positioned approximately six kilometres from the Wainganga River and 95 kilometres from Nagpur, this tahsil headquarters has witnessed the rise and fall of multiple dynasties across more than a millennium.


From ancient tribal kingdoms to medieval fortifications, from colonial railway networks to contemporary agricultural markets, the town's trajectory mirrors the broader political and economic transformations that have shaped central India.


The absence of comprehensive historical accounts has left significant gaps in understanding how this settlement evolved from its early origins into a regional centre known for rice cultivation and mineral extraction.


Historical records dating back to the seventh century provide fragmentary evidence of human habitation and political control in the region, yet the specific narrative of Tumsar as a distinct settlement requires systematic examination of archaeological, epigraphic, and administrative sources.


Ancient and Medieval Foundations


The earliest documented references to the Bhandara region, which encompasses Tumsar, trace back to the seventh century when the area formed part of the territories controlled by the Haihaya Yadav kings of Chhattisgarh, whose kingdom was known as Maha Kosala.


The name Bhandara itself derives from Bhannara, as mentioned in a stone inscription at Ratanpur dating to 1100 AD, confirming that the designation existed at least from the 11th century. During this period, the region fell under the domain of various ruling houses that exercised control over central India and Vidarbha.


Archaeological evidence from the broader Bhandara district points to megalithic culture manifestations, with dolmens and sepulchral monuments identified at sites including Pimpalgaon, Tilota, Khairi, and Brahmi.


These structures, first examined by researchers Pearson and Hislop, indicate human settlement patterns extending back to the Early Iron Age period, though detailed scientific excavation remains incomplete.


The megalithic people, credited with introducing iron technology to the region, established the foundations for agricultural communities that would later characterise Vidarbha's economy.


The transition from Haihaya rule to Panwar Rajput control occurred in the 12th century, marking a shift in political authority.


This was followed by the ascendancy of Gond chiefs, who established kingdoms across central India from the 13th century onwards. The Bhandara district, including the area around Tumsar, became incorporated into the Gond kingdom of Devagad (also spelt Deogarh), which emerged as one of the significant tribal polities in the region.


The Gond kingdom of Devagad reached considerable prominence under rulers such as Bakht Buland Shah and his successor Chand Sultan. Historical accounts indicate that Bakht Buland Shah controlled territories that extended across substantial portions of Vidarbha.


It was during this period, around 1700 AD, that Raja Khan Pathan, serving as the subhedar (governor) of Bakht Buland Shah, constructed Ambagad Fort approximately 13 kilometres from Tumsar.

The fort, positioned strategically in dense forest atop a steep hill in the Ambagarh Ranges, served defensive purposes and later would play a significant role in the region's military history.


Maratha Conquest and Reorganisation


The political landscape of the Bhandara region underwent a fundamental transformation during the 18th century with the expansion of Maratha power under Raghoji Bhonsle I (also known as Raghuji I).


Raghoji, who belonged to the Hinganikar branch of the Bhonsle family, was granted the title of Senasaheb Subha (Lord of the Provinces and the Army) along with territories in Vidarbha by Chhatrapati Shahu I.


In 1743, Raghoji successfully established control over the Gond territories of Devagad through a combination of military campaigns and strategic manoeuvring. A significant battle occurred near Bhandara at Shirasghat on the banks of the Wainganga River, where Raghoji employed strategic deception to defeat the forces of Raghunathsingh, the Diwan of Devagad. The Maratha divisions stationed at Sonbardi and Giroli encircled and routed the Gond army, with many fleeing troops drowning in the Wainganga.


Following the capture of Bhandara fort after a 22-day siege, Raghoji shifted his headquarters from Bham in Yavatmal district to Nagpur, significantly enhancing Bhandara's strategic importance.


The region, including Tumsar, became part of the Kingdom of Nagpur under the Bhonsle dynasty.

By 1748, when internal conflicts in the remnant Devagad territory allowed Raghoji to bring both Akbar Shah and Burhan Shah under his direct protection, the Gond kingdom effectively faded into insignificance. The entire territory of Devagad passed under direct Bhonsle rule, though the Gond kings continued to receive due respect and regular dues from the Nagpur rulers.


The Ambagad Fort, originally constructed by Raja Khan Pathan, came under the possession of Raghoji Bhonsle and was subsequently used as a prison for captives. Local historical accounts describe harsh conditions at the fort, where prisoners were allegedly forced to drink stagnant or possibly poisoned water from the fort's tank, leading to deteriorating health and prolonged suffering.


The fort's isolated location within dense forest, surrounded by vast rolling hill ranges, made escape attempts futile, as fleeing prisoners would become lost, succumb to fatigue, or fall prey to wild animals.


British Administration and Industrial Development


The transition to British control occurred progressively during the early 19th century. The district was under regency administration from 1818 to 1830, with headquarters initially located at Lanji.


Between 1820 and 1821, the administrative headquarters shifted from Lanji to Bhandara. The area formally became a British Territory in 1853.


During the period of British administration, significant infrastructure development took place. Prior to 1820, the district was administered from Lanji, but the relocation to Bhandara reflected changing administrative priorities. The British era witnessed the construction of metalled roads connecting important places and railway stations. Before the Satpura railway line construction in 1903, the Gondia-Balaghat road served as the principal trade route in the northern part of the district.


Main roads included routes from Tumsar to Rampalli and from Tumsar to Katangi, along which produce from the Balaghat lowlands and northern Bhandara was transported to the Tumsar market. These roads also carried manganese ore from the Chandrapur mines.


The discovery and exploitation of manganese ore deposits fundamentally altered the economic landscape of the Tumsar area.

A manganese mining operation was founded in 1896 as the Central Provinces Prospecting Syndicate, later renamed in 1924 as the Central Provinces Manganese Ore Company. The company, originally a British enterprise incorporated in the United Kingdom, operated several mines in the Bhandara district. Mining operations in the Munsar area, located in Tumsar tahsil, commenced in the early 1960s by what became MOIL (Manganese Ore India Limited), though the area had been worked earlier as an opencast mine by the British company.


The transportation needs of the manganese mining industry drove railway development in the Tumsar area. In 1910, the Central India Mining Company constructed a narrow-gauge tramway or light railway of just under 43 miles connecting mining sites to Tumsar.


At Tumsar, a 3,000-foot aerial ropeway connected the mines to the tramway. This line, initially known as the Tumsar-Katangi Light Railway, operated on a 2-foot gauge. The Government of India purchased the line in 1916 and renamed it the Tumsar-Tirodi Light Railway. The line was opened for traffic on 1 April 1916 and was worked by the Bengal-Nagpur Railway for maintenance and operation as part of its Satpura Railway network. In 1929, the line underwent conversion to broad gauge, with operations ceasing on the narrow gauge in that year. The remainder of the line was dismantled between 1934 and 1936.


The Jabalpur-Gondia section of the Jabalpur-Chanda Fort railway route (narrow gauge) opened for traffic in 1903. By 1908, the total length of metalled roads in the district reached 166 miles, with 70 miles of unmetalled roads. The development of these transportation networks facilitated the movement of agricultural produce and mineral resources from the interior regions to market centres and railway stations.


Tumsar established itself as a significant rice market during this period. The town, located in a region characterised by extensive rice cultivation, developed a concentration of rice processing facilities.


Historical records indicate that Tumsar was once a large market for scented rice, though the market experienced a decline in later years.

The town came to be known as Rice Nagri and was previously referred to as Kuber Nagari, a reference to Kubera, the Hindu god of wealth. The etymology of the town's name is attributed to a fish called "tum" that was discovered in the area.


Freedom Movement and Post-Independence Transition


The freedom movement found expression in Tumsar during the 1940s. Many young people from the town joined the independence struggle under the guidance of Govindrao Ganpat Nawkarkar, a local freedom fighter who led activities aligned with Mahatma Gandhi's movement in 1946.


Prominent freedom fighters from Tumsar included Ram Lanjewar, Bhiwaji Lanjewar, Hemraj Sakharwade, Gaidhane, and Mehar.

Their participation reflected the broader mobilisation across central India against British colonial rule during the final years before independence.


Following India's independence in 1947, the Bhandara district, including Tumsar, continued to form part of the Central Provinces until 1956. The States Reorganisation Act of 1956 transferred Bhandara district from Madhya Pradesh to the newly created bilingual Bombay State. This reorganisation reflected the linguistic and administrative restructuring that characterised post-independence India.


The period from 1956 to 1960 saw intense political mobilisation for the creation of separate linguistic states. The Samyukta Maharashtra Movement, led by figures including Keshavrao Jedhe, S.M. Joshi, Shripad Amrit Dange, and Pralhad Keshav Atre, advocated for a separate Marathi-speaking state with Mumbai as its capital.


The movement faced opposition and resulted in significant loss of life, with 107 individuals killed due to police firing orders during protests.


On 1 May 1960, the bilingual Bombay State was divided into the present-day states of Maharashtra and Gujarat. The Bhandara district, including Tumsar, became part of the newly formed Maharashtra state.


Contemporary Economic and Administrative Profile


In the post-independence period, Tumsar has functioned as a tahsil headquarters within the Bhandara district. The tahsil covers an area of 837.57 square kilometres and recorded a population of 226,108 in the 2011 census.


The urban population of Tumsar town was 49,221, constituting approximately 21.77 per cent of the total tahsil population.

The town itself, functioning as a municipal council, had a population of 44,869 in 2011, with 22,568 males and 22,301 females. The sex ratio stood at 988 females per 1,000 males in the municipal area.


The literacy rate in Tumsar town reached 91.49 per cent, significantly higher than the district average of 83.8 per cent. Male literacy was recorded at 95.29 per cent, while female literacy stood at 87.68 per cent. The child population (age 0-6 years) constituted 9.42 per cent of the town's total population.


The 2025 estimated population for the Tumsar tahsil was projected at approximately 257,665, indicating a 13.96 per cent increase from the 2011 census figures.

Agriculture remains the predominant occupation in the Tumsar tahsil and the broader Bhandara district.


Rice cultivation dominates agricultural activity, with the district known for its production of aromatic rice varieties. Bhandara Chinnor rice, a variety cultivated in the talukas of Bhandara, Pauni, Tumsar, Mohadi, Sakoli, Lakhani, and Lakhandur, received Geographical Indication tag recognition. This rice variety has been cultivated in the district for generations, with many farming families growing it for over 100 years. Historical records from 1867 mention Chinnor rice in the book "Races of Rice in India", noting its significance in the Bhandara district.


Tumsar's role as a rice market centre has persisted into the contemporary period. The town hosts approximately 21 rice mills and one of the biggest grain mandis (markets) operated by the Agricultural Produce Market Committee. The concentration of rice processing facilities reflects the continued importance of this crop to the local economy. Data from the 2001-2011 period indicates fluctuations in cultivated area, with Tumsar tahsil recording 37,934 hectares under cultivation in 1991, 38,105 hectares in 2001, and 41,044 hectares in 2011.


The manganese mining industry continues to operate in the Tumsar tahsil, though on a different scale than during the peak extraction periods of the early 20th century. Important mining centres identified in official records include Chikhala, Dongri Buzurg, Balapur (Hamesha), Sitaswangi, and Indrabuchi in Tumsar tahsil, where high-grade manganese ore deposits are found. MOIL Limited, a Central Public Sector Undertaking under the Ministry of Steel, operates manganese mines in the region, including the Dongri Buzurg mine located in Tumsar tahsil. Mining operations commenced underground production at various sites in the early 1980s, following earlier opencast extraction.


The district's industrial economy encompasses rice mills, oil mills, and bidi factories, largely dependent on locally available agricultural and forest raw materials.


The Maharashtra State Electricity Board established a power sub-station at Tumsar, fed through the main Khaparkheda thermal power station near Nagpur. The district receives electricity supply through the Vidarbha grid system. An additional sub-station operated by Messers Cambata Ferro-Manganese near Tumsar also supplies electricity to the district.


Transportation infrastructure connecting Tumsar includes the Bombay-Calcutta broad gauge railway line that passes through the district from west to east, with a total length of 82 miles within district boundaries. A branch line of 18 miles extends from Tumsar Road station to Tirodi in Madhya Pradesh, traversing through manganese-producing areas and facilitating ore transportation.


The Jabalpur-Chandrapur narrow gauge line passes through the district from north to south, covering 73 miles. Important centres and tahsil headquarters are interconnected by metalled roads, though many interior places lack road connections to other locations within the district.


The town's location, approximately six kilometres from the Wainganga River and 95 kilometres from Nagpur, positions it within the broader economic and administrative network of Vidarbha.


The Wainganga, a key tributary of the Godavari River system, originates in the Mahadeo Hills in Mundara near Seoni in Madhya Pradesh and flows through the states of Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra for roughly 580 kilometres.


The river has developed extensive floodplains characterised by sweeping meanders, low alluvial flats, and high banks measuring 10 to 15 metres on either side. Bhandara, the district headquarters, is a major city located on the bank of the Wainganga, with the river serving as the primary water source for urban centres in the region.


Cultural and Religious Landscape


The religious composition of Tumsar tahsil reflects the broader demographic patterns of Vidarbha. According to the 2011 census, Hindus constituted 90.63 per cent of the tahsil population (204,926 individuals), while Buddhists comprised 6.17 per cent (13,945 individuals). Muslims accounted for 2.43 per cent of the population (5,484 individuals), with smaller percentages of Christians and other religious communities. The town's Hindu population in the municipal area was recorded at 84.31 per cent (37,828 individuals) in the 2011 census.


The Scheduled Caste population in Tumsar tahsil was 25,814 (11.4 per cent), while the Scheduled Tribe population stood at 25,087 (11.1 per cent). In the municipal area, Scheduled Castes constituted 15.74 per cent and Scheduled Tribes 2.28 per cent of the total population. These demographic patterns reflect the historical presence of both tribal and non-tribal communities in the region.


The Gond people, the largest tribal group in the region, have maintained cultural and religious traditions rooted in their history of settlement in Gondwana. Historical accounts trace Gond presence in the region to migrations from southern territories, with some scholars suggesting movement up the Godavari into Vidarbha, from there up the Indravati into Bastar, and up the Wardha and Wainganga into the Satpura Range. The Gond religion, based on Koya Punem, incorporates animist beliefs and practices, with the high god Kupar Lingo depicted as wearing a trident-shaped crown and revered at multiple shrines across Gondwana.


Tumsar observes various festivals reflecting the cultural synthesis of the region. Major celebrations include Kanuba, Kanhaiya Pujan, Durga Pujan, Ganpati Utsav, Pola (Marbat), Dasara, Diwali, and Buddha Jayanti. The town initiated Shobha Yatra celebrations in 2005. During the Kanuba and Rakshabandhan festivals in the Shravana month, the tradition of exchanging bhujli marks respect and affection among community members.


The Ambagad Fort, located approximately 13 kilometres from Tumsar, has been developed as a heritage tourism destination by the Government of Maharashtra.


The fort's structures, including the main entrance gateway with a triangular arch, palace building, court building (masalat khana), ammunition room, and granary, have been strengthened by the Department of Archaeology.


Access to the fort has been facilitated through the construction of steps. The site attracts visitors interested in the medieval history of the region, though its association with harsh treatment of prisoners during the Maratha period continues to generate local narratives about the fort's gloomy atmosphere.


The contemporary period has witnessed infrastructure development in Tumsar, including the construction of a Civil Court Building inaugurated in 2011. The establishment of various government offices, educational institutions, and healthcare facilities reflects the town's function as an administrative centre serving surrounding rural areas.


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