Telugu Historyతెలుగు చరిత్ర

Adilabad (old district)

The old Adilabad district was the northernmost district of Telangana in undivided Andhra Pradesh, between the Godavari and the Penganga. It grew out of the Nizam's sub-district of Sirpur Tandur and became a full district in 1905. In 1956 its Marathi-speaking taluks were transferred to Bombay State, while Mudhol joined Adilabad. The district was known for its forests, Gond villages, coal, paper and cement mills, and Nirmal toys. In 2016 Telangana divided it into Adilabad, Mancherial, Nirmal and Komaram Bheem districts.

The old Adilabad district lay in the far north of Telangana, on the border of Maharashtra.1 The Penganga and Wardha rivers ran along its northern borders and the Godavari along its southern border.2 It became a district in 1905, and Telangana divided it into four districts on 11 October 2016.34 It was a land of forests, Gond villages, coal mines and paper and cement mills.5678

Early history and kingdoms

The 1909 gazetteer gives little information about the district’s history before it became part of Hyderabad State.9 It says Rajura taluk once belonged to a Gond raja, and later passed to the Bhonslas.9 The fort of Manikgarh was said to have been built by a Gond raja.9 Near Mahur stood an old hill fort with a palace and a mosque, and a cave with a temple.9

The 2001 census handbook says Adilabad town was named after Ali Adil Shah, the Adil Shahi ruler of Bijapur.10 The area later became part of the Hyderabad State of the Asaf Jahis.1 For the old towns of the district, see Adilabad and Nirmal.

The Nizam’s sub-district

Before forming regular districts in 1866, the Nizam’s government gave contractors the right to collect revenue in Edlabad (Adilabad) and Sirpur taluks.11 In 1866 these two taluks were placed in Indur (Nizamabad) district.11 Rajura was then a jagir (land grant), given to pay for troops.11 In 1867 the two taluks went to Elgandal district, but they returned to Indur in 1869.1112

In 1872 the government took back the Rajura jagir.12 It joined Rajura with Edlabad and Sirpur to form an amaldari, or sub-district.12 This sub-district of Sirpur Tandur covered 5,029 square miles.5 Its three taluks were all very thinly populated.13

Formation, 1905

In 1905 the Nizam’s government made the sub-district into an independent district, named Adilabad.13 It gained Nirmal and Narsapur taluks from Nizamabad (Indur) district, and Chinnur and Lakshettipet from Karimnagar (Elgandal).13 Parts of Nirmal, Narsapur and Edlabad became a new Kinwat taluk.13 A new Jangaon taluk was formed from villages of Sirpur and Lakshettipet.13

The 2001 census handbook says this Jangaon taluk was later renamed Asifabad.14 Between 1911 and 1921 two more taluks, Utnur and Boath, were formed.141 The district then stayed much the same until 1956.1

1956–2014

On 1 November 1956 most of Adilabad district became part of Andhra Pradesh.151 It lost the Marathi-speaking taluks of Rajura and Kinwat, and the Islapur circle of Boath taluk, to Bombay State.1 In their place it gained the Mudhol, Kuber and Bhainsa circles of Nanded district, which became Mudhol taluk.1

In 1961 the district covered 6,256 square miles, with ten taluks in three revenue divisions.1 The census of 1981 counted it among the 23 districts of Andhra Pradesh.16 In 1985 the 11 taluks were reorganised into 52 mandals.17 A mandal parishad (local council) was formed for each mandal.17 The Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2014 placed the district in the new State of Telangana.18

Division, 2016

On 11 October 2016 Telangana divided the district into four districts:4

Administration

After 1905 the district had eight taluks.5 They were Adilabad, Sirpur, Rajura, Nirmal, Kinwat, Chinnur, Lakshettipet and Jangaon.5 A First Talukdar (district officer) ran it, with Second and Third Talukdars over three sub-divisions.5

In 1961 there were ten taluks in three revenue divisions, Adilabad, Nirmal and Asifabad.1 By 2001 there were 52 mandals in five revenue divisions:17

  • Adilabad, with 10 mandals
  • Utnoor, with 8 mandals
  • Nirmal, with 13 mandals
  • Mancherial, with 12 mandals
  • Asifabad, with 9 mandals17

Adilabad town was the headquarters from 1905.51

Land, farming and water

In 1901 jowar grew on about half of the cropped land.6 Rice was grown in Sirpur taluk, watered from tanks and wells.6 The gazetteer calls farming “in a very backward condition”, and says the sub-district had never been surveyed.6 The buffaloes of Mahur were known as fine milkers.6

In 1961 tanks and wells were still the main sources of irrigation.19 The district received the most rain in Telangana.19 But without enough irrigation works, little of that water could be used for farming.19 The Kadam dam then watered about 65,000 acres in Khanapur and Lakshettipet taluks.19 Forests covered 38 per cent of the land.19

In 1999–2000 the Kadam project was still the district’s only major irrigation project.20 Irrigation reached 20.6 per cent of the cropped area, against a State average of 43.11 per cent.20 Cotton covered 1,64,289 hectares and jowar 1,33,217 hectares, more than any other crops.20

Crafts and industries

In 1909 the gazetteer found “no important hand industries”.11 Weavers made coarse cotton cloth, dyers printed cloth for quilts, and Sirpur made leather water-bottles.11 Coal was found near Sasti in Rajura taluk, but trial digging in 1874–75 was given up.11

By 1961 the large industries were the Sirpur Paper Mills, the Sir Silk factory, a chemical and fertiliser factory at Bellampalli and a cement factory at Mancherial.7 Kagaznagar was the largest town in the district in 1961.2 The toy makers of Nirmal were famous across India and even abroad.7

By 2001 Adilabad was among the State’s leading districts in mineral revenue.810 Coal was the main contributor.810 The Singareni Collieries worked coal fields around Bellampalle, Tandur, Mandamarri and Chennur.8 The 2001 handbook puts the district’s total coal production at about 57 lakh tonnes.8 Cement factories at Mancherial, Adilabad, Asifabad and Devapur used its limestone.21

People

The 2001 census handbook lists the district’s population within its 2001 boundaries, from 1901 onward.22 The 2011 figure is from the 2011 handbook.23

Census yearPopulation
19014,55,099
19518,31,600
196110,09,292
198116,40,356
200124,88,003
201127,41,239

In 1901, in the old sub-district of Sirpur Tandur, about 44 per cent of the people spoke Telugu and 28 per cent Marathi.13 The 2001 handbook says Marathi was still spoken in places near Maharashtra.10

For an overview of district changes, see How the map changed.

Footnotes

  1. A. Chandra Sekhar, Census of India 1961, Andhra Pradesh: District Census Handbook, Adilabad District (1968), p. 1 (PDF p. 19) (censusindia.gov.in (opens in a new tab)). Cite-only; paraphrased. ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4 ↩5 ↩6 ↩7 ↩8 ↩9 ↩10

  2. A. Chandra Sekhar, Census of India 1961, Andhra Pradesh: District Census Handbook, Adilabad District (1968), p. 2 (PDF p. 20) (censusindia.gov.in (opens in a new tab)). Cite-only; paraphrased. ↩ ↩2

  3. Imperial Gazetteer of India: Hyderabad State (1909), p. 184 (archive.org (opens in a new tab)). ↩

  4. Government of Telangana, Revenue (DA-CMRF) Department, G.O.Ms. No. 221 (Adilabad), No. 222 (Mancherial), No. 223 (Nirmal) and No. 224 (Komaram Bheem), 11 October 2016, final notifications: notification PDF p. 2, Schedule-I PDF p. 3 (archive.org copies of the goir.telangana.gov.in orders: 221 (opens in a new tab), 222 (opens in a new tab), 223 (opens in a new tab), 224 (opens in a new tab)). Cite-only; paraphrased. ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4 ↩5 ↩6

  5. Imperial Gazetteer of India, Provincial Series: Hyderabad State (1909), p. 185 (archive.org (opens in a new tab)). ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4 ↩5 ↩6

  6. Imperial Gazetteer of India, Provincial Series: Hyderabad State (1909), p. 188 (archive.org (opens in a new tab)). ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4 ↩5

  7. A. Chandra Sekhar, Census of India 1961, Andhra Pradesh: District Census Handbook, Adilabad District (1968), p. 4 (PDF p. 22) (censusindia.gov.in (opens in a new tab)). Cite-only; paraphrased. ↩ ↩2 ↩3

  8. Director of Census Operations, Andhra Pradesh, Census of India 2001, Andhra Pradesh: District Census Handbook, Adilabad District (2006), p. 13 (PDF p. 53) (censusindia.gov.in (opens in a new tab)). Cite-only; paraphrased. ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4 ↩5

  9. Imperial Gazetteer of India, Provincial Series: Hyderabad State (1909), p. 186 (archive.org (opens in a new tab)). ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4

  10. Director of Census Operations, Andhra Pradesh, Census of India 2001, Andhra Pradesh: District Census Handbook, Adilabad District (2006), p. 24 (PDF p. 47) (censusindia.gov.in (opens in a new tab)). Cite-only; paraphrased. ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4

  11. Imperial Gazetteer of India, Provincial Series: Hyderabad State (1909), p. 189 (archive.org (opens in a new tab)). ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4 ↩5 ↩6 ↩7

  12. Imperial Gazetteer of India, Provincial Series: Hyderabad State (1909), p. 190 (archive.org (opens in a new tab)). ↩ ↩2 ↩3

  13. Imperial Gazetteer of India, Provincial Series: Hyderabad State (1909), p. 187 (archive.org (opens in a new tab)). ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4 ↩5 ↩6

  14. Director of Census Operations, Andhra Pradesh, Census of India 2001, Andhra Pradesh: District Census Handbook, Adilabad District (2006), p. 5 (PDF p. 42) (censusindia.gov.in (opens in a new tab)). Cite-only; paraphrased. ↩ ↩2

  15. History of the Andhra Pradesh Police (1961), p. 260 (archive.org (opens in a new tab)). ↩

  16. Ch. Purnachandra Rao, Census of India 1981, Andhra Pradesh: Portrait of Population (1981), p. 13 (archive.org (opens in a new tab)). ↩

  17. Director of Census Operations, Andhra Pradesh, Census of India 2001, Andhra Pradesh: District Census Handbook, Adilabad District (2006), p. 8 (PDF p. 45) (censusindia.gov.in (opens in a new tab)). Cite-only; paraphrased. ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4

  18. The Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2014 (Act No. 6 of 2014), ss. 2–4, pp. 1–2 (Gazette copy (opens in a new tab)). ↩

  19. A. Chandra Sekhar, Census of India 1961, Andhra Pradesh: District Census Handbook, Adilabad District (1968), p. 3 (PDF p. 21) (censusindia.gov.in (opens in a new tab)). Cite-only; paraphrased. ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4 ↩5

  20. Director of Census Operations, Andhra Pradesh, Census of India 2001, Andhra Pradesh: District Census Handbook, Adilabad District (2006), p. 12 (PDF p. 52) (censusindia.gov.in (opens in a new tab)). Cite-only; paraphrased. ↩ ↩2 ↩3

  21. Director of Census Operations, Andhra Pradesh, Census of India 2001, Andhra Pradesh: District Census Handbook, Adilabad District (2006), p. 14 (PDF p. 54) (censusindia.gov.in (opens in a new tab)). Cite-only; paraphrased. ↩

  22. Director of Census Operations, Andhra Pradesh, Census of India 2001, Andhra Pradesh: District Census Handbook, Adilabad District (2006), p. xxxi (PDF p. 22) (censusindia.gov.in (opens in a new tab)). Cite-only; paraphrased. ↩

  23. Directorate of Census Operations, Andhra Pradesh, Census of India 2011, Andhra Pradesh: District Census Handbook, Adilabad District, Part XII-A (Village and Town Directory) (2014), p. 7 (PDF p. 25) (censusindia.gov.in (opens in a new tab)). Cite-only; paraphrased. ↩

Places in this district (2)

References

Sources (8)
  1. Ch. Purnachandra Rao (Census of India 1981), Census of India 1981, Andhra Pradesh: Portrait of Population (opens in a new tab), Registrar General and Census Commissioner, India, 1981, pp. 13. Cite-only; paraphrased. [All rights reserved (cited, not reproduced)]
  2. Government of India, Imperial Gazetteer of India, Provincial Series: Hyderabad State (opens in a new tab), Superintendent of Government Printing, Calcutta, 1909, pp. 184–190. [Public domain]
  3. A. Chandra Sekhar (Census of India), Census of India 1961, Andhra Pradesh: District Census Handbook, Adilabad District (opens in a new tab), Census of India, 1968, pp. 1, 3–4. Cite-only; paraphrased. [All rights reserved (cited, not reproduced)]
  4. Director of Census Operations, Andhra Pradesh, Census of India 2001, Andhra Pradesh: District Census Handbook, Adilabad District (Parts A and B) (opens in a new tab), Census of India, 2006, xxxi, 5, 8, 12–14, 24. Cite-only; paraphrased. [All rights reserved (cited, not reproduced)]
  5. Directorate of Census Operations, Andhra Pradesh, Census of India 2011, Andhra Pradesh (Series 29): District Census Handbook, Adilabad District, Part XII-A (Village and Town Directory) (opens in a new tab), Census of India, 2014, pp. 7. Cite-only; paraphrased. [All rights reserved (cited, not reproduced)]
  6. Government of Telangana, Revenue (DA-CMRF) Department, Formation / reorganisation of districts, revenue divisions and mandals: final notifications, G.O.Ms. Nos. 221 to 250 (11 October 2016) (opens in a new tab), Government of Telangana (goir.telangana.gov.in), for the Telangana Gazette Extraordinary of 11 October 2016, 2016, PDF pp. 2–3 of each order. Cite-only; paraphrased. [All rights reserved (cited, not reproduced)]
  7. Inspector-General of Police, Andhra Pradesh, The History of the Andhra Pradesh Police (1861-1961) (opens in a new tab), Government of Andhra Pradesh, Hyderabad, 1961, pp. 260. [Public domain in India]
  8. Parliament of India, The Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2014 (Act No. 6 of 2014) (opens in a new tab), Gazette of India, Extraordinary, Part II, Section 1 (1 March 2014), 2014, pp. 1–2 (ss. 2–4). [Public domain (Indian enactment; Copyright Act 1957, s. 52(1)(q))]

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