Chandrapur (also known as Chanda) is a city in the state of Maharashtra in India. The city gets its name from the Chanda Fort present here. The city is also known as City of Black Gold due to the large number of coal mines present around the city.

Understand

History

The district Chandrapur was earlier known as 'Chanda' according to tradition and legend the name of the place was 'Lokapura' which was first changed to ' Indpur' and subsequently to Chandrapur. During the British colonial period it was called Chanda district, which was again changed to its original name 'Chandrapur ' around 1964. Other places of the region in ancient times include Wairangad, Kosala, Bhadravati and Markanda. Hindu and Buddhist kings are said to have ruled the area for a long time, Later on Gonds overtook Dana Chiefs who ruled Chandrapur around 9 th century and Gond Kings ruled the area till 1751 after which Maratha period started. Raghuji Bhosale, the last King of the dynasty, died heirless in 1853 and Nagpur province together with Chandrapur was declared annexed to the British Empire.

In 1854, Chandrapur formed and independent district and in 1874, it comprised of three tehsils Viz Mul, Warora and Bramhpuri. In 1874, however, upper Godavari district of Madras was abolished and four tehsils were added to Chandrapur to form one tehsil with Sironcha as its headquarters. In 1895, the headquarters of one tehsil transferred to MUl to Chandrapur. A new tehsil with headquarter at Gadchoroli was created in 1905 by transfer of zamindari estates from Bramhpuri and Chandrapur tehsil. An small zamindari tract from Chandrapur district as transferred to newly from districts in 1907. In the same year and area of about 1560 sq. km. comprising of three divisions of the lower Sironcha tehsil namely Cherla, Albak and Nugir were transferred to Madras State.

No major changes occurred in the boundaries of the district or its tehsils between 1911-1955. Consequent upon reorganization of the states in 1956, the district was transferred from Madhya Pradesh to Bombay state. In the same Rajura tehsil, a part of Adilabad district of Hydrabad state, was transferred to Nanded district subsequently it was transferred to Chandrapur district in 1959. the district became part of the Maharashtra since its creation in May 1960. For administrative convenience and industrial and agricultural development , this district was again divided into Chandrapur and Gadchiroli district after 1981 census. Chandrapur district now comprises of the tehsil of Chandrapur , Bhadravati, Warora, Chimur, Nagbhir, Bramhpuri, Sindhewahi, Mul, Gondpipri, Pomburna, Saoli, Rajura, Korpana, Jivati and Balharshah.

Climate

Chandrapur is known for hot and dry climate. Humidity is very low in the region. Temperatures start decreasing in October with December being the coldest month, with a minimum average temperature of 7.6 °C and maximum of 28.2 °C. The Southern region is warmer than the Northern region. The lowest recorded temperature is 3 °C (Northern region) and 8 °C (Southern). Temperatures begin to rise in February. May is the hottest month with a mean maximum temperature of 45 °C and minimum of 28 °C. It is not uncommon for temperatures to reach up to 46 °C, and temperatures in this region are often the highest in Southern Asia. The highest temperature ever recorded in Chandrapur was 48.3 °C on May 16, 1912 and lowest temperature recorded was 2.8 °C on January 10, 1899. Monsoons bring humidity to the region in June, and this lasts until September.

The average annual rainfall is about 1420 mm. The Eastern region receives more rainfall than Westermonsoon season [Jun-Sep], which exceeds 70%, but it falls down rapidly in Summer [Feb-May]. Average number of rainy days is 60 to 65 per year. The humidity is relatively more during the 20%.

The prominent wind direction is from South to North. In Summer the wind direction is from East to south and in Monsoon from South to East. During Winter [October–January], the wind direction changes from North to East.

Get in

Traveling to the city is quite easy; since it has good air, rail as well as road links.

By air

• 1 Chandrapur airport (near Morwa village). The airstrip is 950 metres long and is operated by the Maharashtra Airport Development Company (MADC). MADC has no plans of developing this airstrip owing to obstructions all around the site, particularly the Thermal Power Plant. The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Nagpur Airport, which has regular as well as direct flights to all the metros. Since Nagpur is serviced by both public as well as private carriers, reaching here by air is no problem.  

By train

Chandrapur is located on main New Delhi-Chennai and New Delhi - Hyderabad - Bangalore railway line of the Indian Railway. It comes under Nagpur division of the Central Railway. It is connected to Bhopal, Gwalior, Indore, Allahabad, Nagpur, Jhansi, Agra, New Delhi, Jammu Tawi, Warangal, Vijaywada, Chennai, Kanyakumari, Vadodara, Bangalore, Secunderabad, Hyderabad, Puri, Ahmedabad, Jaipur, Mumbai Bangalore, Mysore, Lucknow, Kanpur, Varanasi, Gorakhpur, Patna and Gaya by train.

By road

Chandrapur is also connected to many cities in Maharashtra by MSRTC buses. The buses ply to Nagpur, Gondia, Amravati, Akola, Shirdi, Aurangabad, Nanded and Hyderabad.

See

In the City

• Ramala Talav Garden. A newly developed place for all ages, especially for kids. 
• Sri Mahakali Temple. Goddess Kali attracts devotees from different parts of State. 

Around City

• 1 Anandwan, Anandwan, Warora (You can come to Chandrapur and take a bus or car.), ☏ +91-7176-282034. This is the place where Baba Amte made a home for the patients of leprosy. Free.  
• Ballarpur. A rapidly developing municipal town situated on the Chandrapur-Chennai railway route. It was a royal city in ancient times and signs of its splendor glory are still seen scattered in its environs. Today it is known for its collieries having nearly 2000 million tones of coal deposits and large quantities of fine teak and other varieties of timber that are brought from the surrounding forest and sold at Ballarpur. 
• Bhamragarh Wildlife Sanctuary. Located in Chandrapur district in the Vidharba region of Maharashtra covering an area of 104.38-sq-km. Majority of the area is under thick forest that is wood land, with small patches of grass lands distributed over the entire protected area. 
• Bhadrawati (Bhandak). A flourishing ancient village in Waroda Tehsil, which is today better known to the general public as a place of Jain religious importance for majestic temple of Parsvanatha than for its historical importance or archaeological remains. The architectural remains in and around the village are of remote antiquity and great interest. 
• Jain Temple, Bhadrawati. The temple belongs to Shwetamber sect of Jain religion. 
• 2 Melghat Tiger Reserve. Located in Chikhaldara and Dharni tehsils of on the Satpuda hill range. It spreads over an area of 1676.93 sq km. It is one of the last remaining habitats of Indian tiger in Maharashtra. 
• Mul. The largest village in Chandrapur Tehsil, which is picturesquely situated near Mul hills and on the banks of a river, called Huma, which flows in a shallow bed, a mile or two to the east of the village site. 
• Somnath. 
• 3 Tadoba National Park. A compact 120-sq-km park, perched at an altitude of 200m and is placed 100 km south of Nagpur and 45 km north of the district headquarter and industrial town of Chandrapur. A heaven for wildlife enthusiasts, Tadoba is also referred to as 'The Jewel of Vidarbha. The oldest National Park in the state of Maharashtra, it is also a Project Tiger reserve, since 1993. 

Sleep

• 1 Tristar Hotel, Wadgoan, Near Tristar Cars, Nagpur Road ,Chandrapur-442402, toll-free: +91 7172-256606, chandrapur@tristarinn.in. 

Go next

Tadoba (Tiger Reserve, 41 km from Chandrapur) Bhamragarh Wildlife Sanctuary

• Nagpur (150km)