Jalgaon

Jalgaon is situated in the north – western part of the state of Maharashtra. Located on the northern part of the Deccan Plateau, Jalgaon is a major center of agriculture and trade. It shot to fame due to the world famous heritage sites of Ajanta and Ellora Caves.

The historical city of Jalgaon was attacked and taken over by many ancient dynasties. Though the early history of Jalgaon is ambiguous, it was a part of the ‘Rasika’ region. Rasika was conquered by the Farqui kings and henceforth Jalgaon came to be known as ‘Khandesh’.

As per some records, the name ‘Khandesh’ came from the Khandava forest, which is mentioned in the Mahabharata. Abul Fazl, a renowned historian belonging to the Mughal court, was of the opinion that the name ‘Khandesh’ was derived from the "Khan" title given to Malik Nasir, the second of the Faruki kings, by Ahmad-I of Gujarat.

According to the inscriptions found in the rock temples and caves of Nasik and Ajanta, Khandesh was under the rule of those kings who followed Buddhism from 1 AD – 3 AD. The Satavahana dynasty, Andhrabhrityas, Virsen (Ahir King), Yawan dynasty, Chalukya dynasty and the Yadavas were the dynasties that came, conquered and ruled Khandesh for the next few centuries. Khandesh had also been under the control of Ala-ud-din Khilji, Mohammad bin Tughluq, Malik Raja Malik Nazir, the Nizams of Hyderabad, and the Marathas.  

Khandesh was captured from the Holkar dynasty by the British troops during the 18th century. Robert Gill of the British East India Company was the first officer who ruled over Khandesh. Dhule was the headquarters of Khandesh under the British rule. In the year 1906, the State of Khandesh (former Rasika) was divided and the present-day Jalgaon came in to being. Jalgaon was known by the name of East Khandesh in those times.

In 1956, Jalgaon became a part of the state of Bombay and in 1960 Jalgaon became a district in the state of Maharashtra. The tourism industry at Jalgaon has prospered greatly since it has become a major place of tourist attraction in India.

Jalgaon has become a favorite destination of historians as well. Apart from Ajanta and Ellora caves, there are ancient temples like Patnadevi, Omkareshwar Mandir and Ecchapurti Ganesh Temple and many cultural establishments at Jalgaon that attract people.