Geography

Banswara is located at 2333N 7427E / 23.55N 74.45E.[1] It has an average elevation of 302 metres (990 ft). District Banswara is situated in the southern - most part of Rajasthan. It has an area of 5037 square kilometre and lies between 23.11 N to 23.56 N latitudes and 73.58 E to 74.49 E. longitudes.It is bounded on the north by Dhariawad tehsil of Udaipur district and Pratapgarh district; on the east by Ratlam district of Madhya Pradesh; on the west by Sagwara and Aspur tehsils of Dungarpur district; and on the south by Jhabua district of Madhya Pradesh. It also touches the boundary of Panchmahal district of Gujrat on the south-west.The region represents a rugged terrain undulated by short ridges west of Banswara. The eastern part of it is occupied by flat-topped hills of the Deccan trap. It has the southern end of the Aravali mountains.The drainage system belongs to the Mahi river which originates from Amjera hills near Dhar in M.P. Its main tributaries are Anas, Chanp, Erav, Haran and Kagdi. The Mahi Bajaj Sagar dam has been constructed on the Mahi, some 16 k.m. away from Banswara town. Right and Left Main Canals and their distributaries irrigate 60,149 hect. of land. Normal annual rainfall is about 82.59 cms.Maize, Wheat, Cotton, Gram are main crops. Graphite, Soapstone, Dolomite, Rock Phosphate, Limestone and a variety of marbles are found. Gold mineral is also found around Jagpura. Forest land consists of 20% of the told area but most of the forest land is devoid of trees. Hills have become bald-headed.[2]

[edit] History
Main article: Banswara State Banswara (literally "the forest country"), was a Rajput feudatory state in Rajputana during British India. It borders on Gujarat and is bounded on the north by the native states of Dungarpur and Udaipur or Mewar; on the north-east and east by Partabgarh; on the south by the dominions of Holkar and the state of Jabua; and on the west by the state of Rewa Kantha. Banswara state is about 45 miles (72 km) in length from N. to S., and 33 miles (53 km) in breadth from E. to W., and has an area of 1946 m. The population in 1901 was 165,350. The Banswara district forms eastern part of the region known as Vagad or Vagwar. The district was formerly a princely state ruled by the Maharavals. It is said that a Bhil ruler Bansia ruled over it and Banswara was named after his name. Bansia was defeated and killed by Jagmal Singh who became the first Maharaval of the princely state.It is also named so because of the bamboos (Bans) which were found in abundance in the forests. In 1913 some bhils revolted under the headship of a social reformer Govindgiri and Punja which was suppressed in November, 1913. Hundreds of Bhils were shot dead at the Mangarh hillock where they were holding a peaceful meeting. The event is also known as the Mini Jalianwala Bagh massacre. The place has become sacred and is better known as

the Mangarh Dham.With the merger of the princely states in the Union of India, the Banswara State and Kushalgarh chiefship got merged in the Greater Rajasthan in 1949 and Banswara was carved out as a separate district by merging these principalities.[3]

[edit] Demographics
As of 2001 India census,[4] Banswara had a population of 85,638. Males constitute 52% of the population and females 48%. Banswara has an average literacy rate of 74%, higher than the national average of 59.5%, with 56% of the males and 44% of females literate. 13% of the population is under 6 years of age. The density of population according to 2001 census is 298 per square kilometer. The drainage system belongs to the Mahi river which originates from Amjera hills near Dhar in M.P. Its main tributaries are Anas, Chanp, Erav, Haran and Kagdi. The Mahi Bajaj Sagar dam has been constructed on the Mahi, some 16 k.m. away from Banswara town. Right and Left Main Canals and their distributaries irrigate 60,149 hect. of land. Normal annual rainfall is about 82.59 cms. The region represents a rugged terrain undulated by short ridges west of Banswara. The eastern part of it is occupied by flat-topped hills of the Deccan trap. It has the southern end of the Aravali mountains. Banswara, it is likely, derived its name from bans or bamboo shoots, which once grew in abundance around the places. It was a part of the territory known as Vaagad during the reign of Udai Singh (who succeeded to the throne sometime between 1496 and 1498 AD) and is said to have been founded by Jagmal, the younger son of Udai Singh who, being much devoted to his queen, the mother of Jagmal and wanting to see him installed as a ruler of a separate State, had partitioned the country between his sons. The town remained the capital of this State of the same name for about four centuries thereafter. The crumbling stone wall enclosing the old town is still visible, overlooked by the palace of the former rulers of the principality. Bai Tal - an artificial tank - believed to have been constructed by Lachhi Bai of Idar, the Rani of Maharawal Jagmal, lies on the eastern side of the town. About a kilometre away, are the chhatris or cenotaphs of the royalty. The town has some Jain and Hindu temples and old mosques.

[edit] Area
5,037 km (1.47 per cent of the State) This city also known as city of Hundred Island.

[edit] Location
The Banswara district lies in the southern most part of Rajasthan. It is surrounded by Udaipur and Chittaurgarh in the North, Dungarpur in the west, Ratlam and Jhabua districts of Madhya Pradesh in the east and south and Dahod district, Gujarat to the south

[edit] Distance from major cities

The closest major city to Banswara is Udaipur which is 157 km away. Indore and Ahmedabad are also close, at 215 km and 285 km away respectively. The town is 827 km from New Delhi and 816 km from Mumbai.

Climate and rainfall

The district has a climate which is very much milder than that in the desert regions in further north and north-west.

Maximum temperature is 45 degrees Celsius to 46 degrees Celsius. Minimum temperature is 10 degrees Celsius to 20 degrees Celsius Normal annual rainfall is 922.4 mm Population: 15,00,420 Density of population: 298/km Literacy: 48.22 % Total working population: 32.46 % Percentage distribution of work force

Cultivators: 75.58 % Agricultural labourers: 9.36 % Household industry, manufacturing Processing servicing and repairs: 1.25 % Other workers: 13.80 %