Telugu Historyతెలుగు చరిత్ర

Mahbubnagar (old district)

The old Mahbubnagar district lay in south-western Telangana in undivided Andhra Pradesh, along the Krishna and Tungabhadra rivers. Formerly the Nizam's Nagar Karnul district, it took the name of its new headquarters. The town was named after Mir Mahbub Ali Khan. This large, dry district was known for its samsthans, castor and groundnut crops, and Narayanpet silk. In 1956 it gained Gadwal and Alampur from Raichur. In 2016 Telangana divided it into Mahabubnagar, Wanaparthy, Nagarkurnool and Jogulamba districts.

The old Mahbubnagar district lay in south-western Telangana, with the Krishna and Tungabhadra rivers on its southern border.1 It was the second largest district of Andhra Pradesh by area.1 It belonged to Andhra Pradesh from 1956, and Telangana divided it into four districts on 11 October 2016.23

Early history and kingdoms

The 2001 census handbook says the area came under the Mauryas, the Satavahanas, the Vakatakas and then the Badami Chalukyas.4 The Rashtrakutas and the Western Chalukyas of Kalyani ruled it after them.4 For the temples on the Tungabhadra, see Alampur and the Alampur temples.

The 1909 gazetteer says the Rajas of Warangal once ruled the district.5 It mentions a ruined fort called the Pratap Rudra Kot in Amrabad taluk.6 After the Muslim conquest the area went to the Bahmanis, and then partly to the Qutb Shahis and partly to Bijapur.5

The fort of Koilkonda was built by Ibrahim Qutb Shah of Golconda.6 In 1686 Aurangzeb defeated the king of Bijapur, and the Bijapur lands became part of the Mughal empire.56 Early in the eighteenth century the district was included in the Nizam’s dominions.6 In Nagarkurnool taluk stood the hill fort of Panagal, with seven walls and a citadel.6

The Nizam’s district

The 2001 handbook says the Asaf Jahi Nizams made the bigger local chiefs lords of samsthans.7 The chief samsthans of the district were Gadwal, Wanaparthy, Jatprole, Amarchinta, Gopalpet and Alampur.7 They joined the Indian Union after independence.7 See Gadwal, Wanaparthy and Amarchinta.

Before 1866 contractors collected revenue in the taluks and kept two annas in every rupee.89 District administration began in 1866.9 The farmers’ land was roughly measured.9 Some taluks were taken back from Arab and Pathan commanders, who had held them in place of pay for their troops.89

In 1909 the gazetteer describes “Mahbubnagar District (formerly called Nagar Karnul)”, of 6,543 square miles.10 In 1905 Ibrahimpatnam taluk went to Medak, and 73 villages went to Gulbarga district.6 The district then had six taluks.11 The 2001 handbook adds that Amrabad taluk was renamed Achampet.7

1956–2014

In 1956 the district became part of Andhra Pradesh.2 It gave Pargi taluk to Hyderabad district.7 It gained Alampur and Gadwal taluks from Raichur district and Kodangal taluk from Gulbarga.7 The census of 1981 counted it among the 23 districts of Andhra Pradesh.12

In 1985 the 13 taluks of the district were reorganised into 64 mandals.713 A mandal parishad (local council) was formed for each mandal.13 A fifth revenue division was later formed at Wanaparthy, from mandals of Gadwal and Nagarkurnool divisions.13 The Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2014 placed the district in the new State of Telangana.14

Division, 2016

On 11 October 2016 Telangana divided the district into four districts:3

Some of its mandals also went to Vikarabad and Rangareddy.15 The notifications of 2016 spell the name Mahabubnagar.3

Administration

After 1905 the district had six taluks: Mahbubnagar, Kalvakurti, Amrabad, Nagar Karnul, Makhtal and Pargi.11 A First Talukdar (district officer) ran it, with Second and Third Talukdars over its sub-divisions.8 By 2001 its 64 mandals were grouped into five revenue divisions: Narayanpet, Mahbubnagar, Gadwal, Nagarkurnool and Wanaparthy.13

Mahbubnagar town was the headquarters.1

Land, farming and water

In 1901 jowar and bajra were the main food crops.11 Castor covered about three-quarters of the land under oilseeds.11 Irrigation reached 162 square miles, from 505 large tanks, 1,863 smaller tanks and 9,615 wells.16 Amrabad taluk was known for its small, fast-trotting bullocks, which were sold far and wide.1116

The district’s rain was scanty and the monsoon unreliable.17 In 1999–2000 jowar covered 1,65,788 hectares, castor 1,55,526, paddy 1,33,074 and groundnut 1,23,135.18 That year 1,57,186 hectares were irrigated.19 Tube wells watered 95,464 hectares, canals 14,584 and tanks only 3,359.19

The 2001 handbook lists the Koilsagar reservoir, the Jurala project and the backwaters of the Srisailam reservoir among the district’s water resources.20 Forests covered 16.5 per cent of the district.17

Crafts and industries

In 1909 coarse cotton cloth was woven everywhere.16 Narayanpet taluk made silk saris and dhotis with gold borders for Poona, Sholapur, Bombay and Baroda.16 Koilkonda and Mahbubnagar had once made coarse paper, but cheap imported paper ended the trade.16

By 2001 quartz from Shadnagar and Balanagar supplied glass works there.21 A small cement plant worked at Kothur, and limestone slabs were cut near Kodangal.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
19018,56,680
195114,47,132
196115,90,686
198124,44,619
200135,13,934
201140,53,028

In 1901 about 86 per cent of the people of the district spoke Telugu, 6 per cent Urdu and nearly 5 per cent Kannada.6 Only 3.3 per cent could read and write.9

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

Footnotes

  1. Director of Census Operations, Andhra Pradesh, Census of India 2001, Andhra Pradesh: District Census Handbook, Mahbubnagar District (2006), p. 8 (PDF p. 50) (censusindia.gov.in (opens in a new tab)). Cite-only; paraphrased. ↩ ↩2 ↩3

  2. History of the Andhra Pradesh Police (1961), p. 260 (archive.org (opens in a new tab)). ↩ ↩2

  3. Government of Telangana, Revenue (DA-CMRF) Department, G.O.Ms. No. 241 (Mahabubnagar), No. 242 (Wanaparthy), No. 243 (Nagarkurnool) and No. 244 (Jogulamba), 11 October 2016, final notifications: notification PDF p. 2, Schedule-I PDF p. 3 (archive.org copies of the goir.telangana.gov.in orders: 241 (opens in a new tab), 242 (opens in a new tab), 243 (opens in a new tab), 244 (opens in a new tab)). Cite-only; paraphrased. ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4 ↩5 ↩6 ↩7

  4. Director of Census Operations, Andhra Pradesh, Census of India 2001, Andhra Pradesh: District Census Handbook, Mahbubnagar District (2006), p. 5 (PDF p. 47) (censusindia.gov.in (opens in a new tab)). Cite-only; paraphrased. ↩ ↩2

  5. Imperial Gazetteer of India, Provincial Series: Hyderabad State (1909), p. 142 (archive.org (opens in a new tab)). ↩ ↩2 ↩3

  6. Imperial Gazetteer of India, Provincial Series: Hyderabad State (1909), p. 143 (archive.org (opens in a new tab)). ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4 ↩5 ↩6 ↩7

  7. Director of Census Operations, Andhra Pradesh, Census of India 2001, Andhra Pradesh: District Census Handbook, Mahbubnagar District (2006), p. 6 (PDF p. 48) (censusindia.gov.in (opens in a new tab)). Cite-only; paraphrased. ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4 ↩5 ↩6 ↩7

  8. Imperial Gazetteer of India, Provincial Series: Hyderabad State (1909), p. 146 (archive.org (opens in a new tab)). ↩ ↩2 ↩3

  9. Imperial Gazetteer of India, Provincial Series: Hyderabad State (1909), p. 147 (archive.org (opens in a new tab)). ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4 ↩5

  10. Imperial Gazetteer of India, Provincial Series: Hyderabad State (1909), p. 141 (archive.org (opens in a new tab)). ↩

  11. Imperial Gazetteer of India, Provincial Series: Hyderabad State (1909), p. 144 (archive.org (opens in a new tab)). ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4 ↩5

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

  13. Director of Census Operations, Andhra Pradesh, Census of India 2001, Andhra Pradesh: District Census Handbook, Mahbubnagar District (2006), p. 7 (PDF p. 49) (censusindia.gov.in (opens in a new tab)). Cite-only; paraphrased. ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4

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

  15. Government of Telangana, Revenue (DA-CMRF) Department, G.O.Ms. No. 248 (Vikarabad), No. 249 (Medchal-Malkajgiri) and No. 250 (Rangareddy), 11 October 2016, final notifications: notification PDF p. 2, Schedule-I PDF p. 3 (archive.org copies of the goir.telangana.gov.in orders: 248 (opens in a new tab), 249 (opens in a new tab), 250 (opens in a new tab)). Cite-only; paraphrased. ↩

  16. Imperial Gazetteer of India, Provincial Series: Hyderabad State (1909), p. 145 (archive.org (opens in a new tab)). ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4 ↩5

  17. Director of Census Operations, Andhra Pradesh, Census of India 2001, Andhra Pradesh: District Census Handbook, Mahbubnagar District (2006), p. 9 (PDF p. 51) (censusindia.gov.in (opens in a new tab)). Cite-only; paraphrased. ↩ ↩2

  18. Director of Census Operations, Andhra Pradesh, Census of India 2001, Andhra Pradesh: District Census Handbook, Mahbubnagar District (2006), p. 10 (PDF p. 52) (censusindia.gov.in (opens in a new tab)). Cite-only; paraphrased. ↩

  19. Director of Census Operations, Andhra Pradesh, Census of India 2001, Andhra Pradesh: District Census Handbook, Mahbubnagar District (2006), p. 11 (PDF p. 53) (censusindia.gov.in (opens in a new tab)). Cite-only; paraphrased. ↩ ↩2

  20. Director of Census Operations, Andhra Pradesh, Census of India 2001, Andhra Pradesh: District Census Handbook, Mahbubnagar District (2006), p. 14 (PDF p. 56) (censusindia.gov.in (opens in a new tab)). Cite-only; paraphrased. ↩

  21. Director of Census Operations, Andhra Pradesh, Census of India 2001, Andhra Pradesh: District Census Handbook, Mahbubnagar District (2006), p. 12 (PDF p. 54) (censusindia.gov.in (opens in a new tab)). Cite-only; paraphrased. ↩ ↩2

  22. Director of Census Operations, Andhra Pradesh, Census of India 2001, Andhra Pradesh: District Census Handbook, Mahbubnagar District (2006), p. xxxi (PDF p. 23) (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, Mahbubnagar District, Part XII-A (Village and Town Directory) (2014), p. 6 (PDF p. 24) (censusindia.gov.in (opens in a new tab)). Cite-only; paraphrased. ↩

Places in this district (9)

Monuments in this district (1)

Inscriptions found in this district (5)

References

Sources (7)
  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. 141–147. [Public domain]
  3. Director of Census Operations, Andhra Pradesh, Census of India 2001, Andhra Pradesh: District Census Handbook, Mahbubnagar District (Parts A and B) (opens in a new tab), Census of India, 2006, xxxi, 6–8, 10–12, 14. Cite-only; paraphrased. [All rights reserved (cited, not reproduced)]
  4. Directorate of Census Operations, Andhra Pradesh, Census of India 2011, Andhra Pradesh (Series 29): District Census Handbook, Mahbubnagar District, Part XII-A (Village and Town Directory) (opens in a new tab), Census of India, 2014, pp. 6. Cite-only; paraphrased. [All rights reserved (cited, not reproduced)]
  5. 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)]
  6. 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]
  7. 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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