Balapur

History

Balapur was an important military station after Ellichpur now Achalpur during the Mughal period. It became the seat of Provincial governor of Berar instead of Ellichpur and Prince Murad, son of Akbar settled in Barar with Balapur as his headquarters in 1596. Near Balapur he founded a new city named Shahpur and constructed a beautiful palace for himself which is now in ruins. As his relationship was deteriorating with Abdul Rahim Khan-i-Khanan, the commander of the army, Akbar recalled the Khan-i-Khanan and sent his trusted friend Abul Fazl to help him. After the fall of Ahmadnagar, Balapur was still the principal garrison town of Berar, but the next prince sent to administer the Deccan after the death of Murad, Daniyal Mirza preferred Burhanpur, as his viceregal capital. Daniyal died of drink in 1605. The death of his third son was a severe shock to the Emperor Akbar, who survived Daniyal Mirza only for a few months, and died in October 1605, when he was succeeded by his eldest son Salim (Jehangir). The climate of Balapur had an unfortunate effect on the Mughal officers. Akbar's son Murad had already died there from the effects of drink, and in 1617 Raja Maan Singh, a distinguished and valued officer of Jahangir's, died there from the same cause. Shahnawaz Khan succumbed to the same fate a few years later. Balapur was one of the richest Pargana in Berar Subah. Muhammad Azam Shah, Son of Aurangzeb Alamgir resided and build a Mud fort here. A Chhatri or Pavilion was erected by Mirza Raja Jai Singh, Commander of Shah Jahan and general of Aurangzeb. In 1720, Asaf Jah defeated the Mughal forces dispatched against him.

Geography

Balapur has an average elevation of . The town is an important junction for traffic on National Highway No 6, which carries the Calcutta traffic to the Port City of Bombay. Transport destined for south takes a southward turn following a wide State Highway towards Hyderabad, crossing the NH 6. There are three rivers: Mann, Mahens and Bhikund. Two of them are in the city including a dam at Mann river providing water to thermal power plant placed in Paras. The nearest rail head is at Paras, 7 km from the town. The Mahagenco is expanding its thermal power station with two 250 MW units to augment the falling generating capacity of the state power corporation. There is further potential to expand it to 1000 MW making it a Super Thermal Power Station. One of the popular and traditional profession of people here is manufacturing DARI (cotton rugs/carpets) using handlooms. Other major business of people here is manufacturing bricks, which is exported to surrounding districts. There are no suicide by the farmers here as the majority of them are Muslims and do not go for high yield crops which are not suitable to Balapur area.

Most-observed species

• Red-wattled Lapwing

  Vanellus indicus (Boddaert, 1783) · Aves
  126
• Red-vented Bulbul

  Pycnonotus cafer (Linnaeus, 1766) · Aves
  114
• Laughing Dove

  Spilopelia senegalensis (Linnaeus, 1766) · Aves
  106
• Green Bee-eater

  Merops orientalis Latham, 1801 · Aves
  102
• Rose-ringed Parakeet

  Psittacula krameri (Scopoli, 1769) · Aves
  102
• Rock Pigeon

  Columba livia J.F.Gmelin, 1789 · Aves
  96
• Ashy Prinia

  Prinia socialis Sykes, 1832 · Aves
  92
• Black Drongo

  Dicrurus macrocercus Vieillot, 1817 · Aves
  91

Most recent

• M 4.4 — 2024-09-30
  22 km NNW of Anjangaon, India