Saoner

Saoner सावनेर Saraswatpur, Savner
SCB town
Saoner Location in Maharashtra, India
Coordinates: 21°23′09″N 78°55′12″E / 21.3858107°N 78.9201379°E / 21.3858107; 78.9201379Coordinates: 21°23′09″N 78°55′12″E / 21.3858107°N 78.9201379°E / 21.3858107; 78.9201379
Country	India
State	Maharashtra
District	Nagpur
Population (2001)
• Total	26,631
Languages
• Official	Marathi
Time zone	IST (UTC+5:30)
PIN	441107
Telephone code	07113
Vehicle registration	MH-40
Nearest city	Nagpur
Literacy	78%
Vidhan Sabha constituency	Saoner
Climate	Healthy (Köppen)
Website	www.saonernagarparishad.org.in

Map of Nagpur district with major towns and rivers.

Saoner is a town and tehsil headquarters in north part of Nagpur district in state of Maharashtra, India. The town is governed by Saoner municipal council.^[1] It is 36 kilometres (22 mi) from Nagpur city. It is well connected to Nagpur by road and a narrow gauge railway. Saoner is located on the bank of Kolar River.

History

Saoner is said to be mentioned in the Jaimini Ashwamedh under the name of Saraswatpur, and there are many legends connected with it. Ancient temple of Ganpati and Mahadeo are located at the neighbouring village of Adasa, on a hill, which is said to have been one of the gates of a great ancient city. There are also remains of a large stone fort with corner towers built for protection against the habitual raids of the Pindaris. Saoner was a town of importance under the Bhonsla dynasty and has been a municipality since 1862. The octroi tax was abolished in 1876, and since then the municipal income has been small, but during the recent years of cotton prosperity it has been expanded to Rs. 9000, which is derived chiefly from a house-tax, a small conservancy cess, bazar dues, cotton-market dues and cattle registration fees. Until very recent years lack of funds served to discourage municipal enterprise. Only the schools were maintained and some sanitation effected. But quite lately an excellent cotton-market has been constructed. It is nearly four acres in extent, is well fenced, and has a weighing machine and two wells. Near it land has been acquired by the town, and on this substantial dwellings and shops are being erected by private lessees. Saoner is also of historic importance due to its role in the 1942 Quit India Movement against the British.

Demographics

As of 2001 India census,^[2] the town of Saoner had a population of 26,631. Males constituted 51% of the population and females 49%. Saoner had an average literacy rate of 73%, higher than the national average of 59.5%: male literacy was 79%, and female literacy was 68%. In Saoner, 14% of the population was under 6 years of age.

Culture

Pola (Festival of Bullocks) and Holi are the main festivals of this area. Famous Marathi writers include Ram Ganesh Gadkari. Most of the people of Saoner are Maratha/ Kunbi (farmers), Teli (oil merchants) and Koshtis (cotton weavers), and some of the red dye is still produced, for which the town was at one time noted.

Economy

This small town is famous for its coal mines, textile and paper industry. The primary occupation of its people is farming. Nearly 65% of the people are engaged in growing oranges on 80% of available nearby land. But in recent days coal mines has brought new employment opprtunities in this region. Saoner is part of Ramtek (Lok Sabha constituency). The local language is Marathi but a few people also speak Hindi. Most of the bridges and government buildings were built by the British in the late 1930s. Summer months are very hot (45 °C/113 °F) and the winter is moderate. WCL (Western Coalfields India Limited) has open cast and closed coal mines, coal is mined and transported with the help of railway wagons to Khaparkheda Thermal Powerhouse. A large weekly market is held on Fridays, at which the ordinary attendance is about 10,000. This is chiefly a cloth and cattle bazar. In the open season from two to three hundred cattle are sold weekly. But Saoner, like Katol, now depends chiefly on its trade in raw cotton. There are four ginning factories at work, two of which have presses. On the west Katol town is a successful rival, and most of the cotton grown south of Saoner goes directly to the city. But a railway between Nagpur and Saoner is projected and if from that point it is continued in three directions to Amravati, Itarsi and Chhindwara, it is practically certain that the trade of Saoner will develop very rapidly.

References

		Chhindwara, Madhya Pradesh State
	Narkhed		Parseoni
	Saoner
	Katol	Kalmeshwar	Nagpur