History of Akola
Akola District had once been a part of Vidarbha, the legendary kingdom that finds a mention in the epic Mahabharta. Along with Berar it was also a part of the Maurayan Empire from 272 to 231 BCE and was ruled by king Ashoka. The entire province along with Akola, that was then a small part of it, came under the rule of the Satavahana dynasty in the 2nd century BC. After this, the Vakataka dynasty took over and ruled the province for almost 3 centuries until the 6th century. Chalukya dynasty then came into power and ruled Berar for until the 8th century.After having ruled the province for nearly 2 centuries it lost power at the hands of the Rashtrakuta dynasty in the 10th century only to regain power in the 10th century. Finally, the Yadava dynasty tool over and ruled the province for two centuries until the 14th century. Berar then came under the Muslim rule. The Mughals ruled it during the 17th century. In around 1734, the Berar province came under Maratha rule. After more than a century, it came under the rule of British East India Company in the year 1853. Berar was then divided into East and West Berar amd Akola district became a part of West Berar. After independence, Berar was divided into different states and Akola formed a part of the Bombay state. In 1960, when Bombay got divided into two states, Akola formed a part of the new Maharashtra State.
Notable Personalities from Akola
The city has given some notable personalities who excel in different fields. These are:Dr. Vijay P. Bhatkar: The development of Param supercomputers was led by Bhatkar who was born in Murtijapur near Akola. Some of the notable personalities from
Dr. Nitin Oke: A listed astronomy observer, Oke was NASA educator for 13 years.
Patrick Barr: Well known British film and television actor, Patrick Barr was born in Akola.
Dr. Vitthal Wagh: He is a famous Varhadi dialect songwriter and poet.
Geography of Akola
Located at a longitude of 77.07 degree east and latitude of 20.7 degree north, Akola lies at an altitude of 925 ft above the sea level. The place sees a tropical savanna climate almost all through the day. It lies on the Tropic of Cancer and gets really hot during the summer season. The temperature rises up to 48 degree C around this time. Akola witnesses rainfall mostly during between the months of June and September. Average rainfall here ranges around 800 mm.The city is bordered by the Melghat hills and forest region. Purna river lies at the north border of the district and this the top northern region of this district is located in its watershed. Many other rivers and tributaries including the Morna river, Aas river, Shahnur river, Uma river, Katepurna river, Vaan river and Maan river. Among the various dams in the region, the Mahan dam on Katepurna river is quite well known.
Business and Economy in Akola
Economy in Akola is growing at a steady pace and both large and small scale industries from various sectors continue to contribute towards its growth with the agriculture sector being the major contributor. It is an important trading and commercial center. Popularly known as the cotton city, Akola boasts of its cotton production and houses several textile mills. It is the biggest cotton-producing district in the country. In addition to this, it is also known for the production of jowar, pulses, soyabean and oil.The well established transportation and communication system and Paras Thermal Power Station that provides uninterrupted power supply have all contributed towards its commercial growth over the years.
Major Industries in Akola
Big industries such as Simplex Mill, Berar Oil Industries, Polyophin Industry and Mohata Cotton Mill (NTC Ltd.) are located here. Business giants such as Mafatlal Group and Birla Group have also set up their factories here.Tourism in Akola
Though Akola is not a major tourist spot, it sees quite a few travellers, coming in for both leisure and business purpose. On your visit to this city you can check out the following places for re-creation:Shahanur Fort: This ancient fort constructed in 10 A.D. by the Gond Kings is certainly worth a visit. It is also referred to by the name Narnala. This name was given by Rajput Ruler Narnal Singh.
Narnala Wildlife Sanctuary: Don’t miss this place on your visit to Akola. Located at a distance of 40 km from the city, it is home for different species of flora and fauna including sambar, leopard, elephants, bears. Trees such as teal, salai and kusum are a common site here.
Nehru Park: This amusement and water park is a great place to rejuvenate. Besides rides and rope way you can also enjoy a lot of other fun activities here. India’s first 3D planetarium installed here attracts several tourists. You can also enjoy a fabulous laser show and sit beside the musical fountain set up here. The park also encompasses a snake park which is home for a variety of snakes among which are certain endangered species.
Religious Spots in Akola
Akola also encompasses many big and small temples and other places of religious importance. While you would be able to locate one such place in almost every locality in the city, here are some of the famous religious spots that people visit from far and wide:Ashok Vatika: Located in the heart of the city, Ashok Vatika encompasses the statues of Gautam Buddha, Mahatma Jyotirao Phule and Dr. B R Ambedkar and is considered to a place of great religious reverence for the buddhists and dalits. Large number of people gather here to offer prayers. A must visit for those seeking inner peace.
Shegaon: Another place of religious importance, Shegaon is visited by several pilgrimages from different parts of the country, especially Maharashtra. It is dedicated to Gajanan Maharaj and is located at a distance of 35 km from Akola. Its history dates back several centuries.
Raj Rajeshwar Temple: This is one of the oldest Shiva temples in the city and sees large number of people gathering to offer prayers to the lord, especially on Mondays. Akola is also referred to by the name, Rajeshwar Nagari.
Besides these, the city includes many other temples including Shri Rani Sato Dham, Shri Khatu Shyam Mandir, Jain Temple, Shreenath Dutta Mandir, Shree Kala Maruti Temple, Shri Salasae Dham, Shri Laxminarayan Mandir, Hanuman Temple, Annapurna Devi Mandir, Jalaram Mandir, Shri Tirupati Balaji Mandir, Shree Bara Jyotirlinga Mandir, Gram-Daivat Shree Rajarajeshwar Mandir, Shri Salasar Balaji Hanuman Temple, Swami Samarth Mutthh, Birla Mandir and Shree Sidhivinayak Temple and Shri Ram Temple.
The city also encompasses a number of mosques that are visited by Muslim devotees from far and wide. Jama Masjid located at Inamdar Pura, Nagina Masjid at Akot Stand, Mominpura Masjid at Mominpura, Raza Masjid at Akot File, Kacchan Masjid at Tajnapeth, Badi Masjid, Akbar-plot Masjid, Masjid Turaab Ali Nawab Pura, Chand Hafiz Masjid, Masjid Al-Falah and Ammajan Masjid are the various mosques situated in the city.
Akola also encompasses the Mount Carmel Church and All Saint Church that see large number of people gathering to offer prayers especially on Sunday.
Hotels and Restaurants in Akola
Here ia a list of the various hotels and restaurants in the city. You may opt for one on your visit here to have a comfortable stay.Jasnagara
Gaddam Plot Road, Near Railwaystation, Ramdaspeth
Hotel Shalimar
Akashwani Rd
Hotel Ramlata Palace
NH 6
Hotel Suvidha
Gaddam Plot Rd
Khandare's Palace
Dabki Rd
Multi Spectra Inn
Murtizapur Road, NH 3, Akola, Maharashtra
Hotel Rajwada
Tukaram Chawk, Gaurakshan road, Akola
Hotel Rasika Inn
Near Old Gajanan Watika, Khamgaon Road
Hotel Tulsi Inn
293, In Front of Gajanan Maharaj Mandir
Hotel Vighnaharta Inn
Khamgaon Road, Buldhana
Hotel Sukhsagar Veg Plaza Family Garden & Restaurant Shegaon
MH MSH 24
Hotel Satyam Winebar & Restaurant
Balapur - Akola Hwy
Hotel Valmiki
Near Shri Gajanan Maharaj Mandir
Hotel Shri Sai
Balapur Naka, NH6
Adarsh Resort
Khamgaon Road, MH MSH 24
Hotel Marath Bar & Restaurant
NH6
Hotel Ajay
NH6
Hotel Tuljai And Restaurants
Nandura Road, Near Lic Office
Hotel Kinhi
Selu Bazzar, NH-207, Nagpur-Aurangabad-Mumbai Highway
Administration in Akola
Akola has been divided into 4 zones and as many as 73 electoral wards. On 1st October 2001, Akola Municipal Corporation came into being. It is headed by the Municipal Commissioner and Mayor. The Deputy Mayor helps them in carrying out various tasks. Several committies including the Sanding Committee, Law Committee, Women and Child Welfare Committee, City Development Committee, Education Committee and Four Zonal Committee have been formed to manage the tasks appropriately. The work has been distributed tactfully among different departments so that all the tasks are handled well.Culture of Akola
The culture of Akola is quite like the other Maharashtrian cities. People of different cultures and religions reside in the city and it thus enjoys a varied culture. Marathi is the most commonly spoken language here however you will also see a good number of Hindi, English and Urdu speaking people.
With the population consisting of Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs, Christians and Buddhists various festivals including Diwali, Holi, Dussehra, Eid, Ganesh Chaturthi, Buddha Purnima and Shivratri are celebrated with great zeal here. Akola is known for cultural activities such as theatre, sports, music, literature and spirituality. There are various schools that specialize people in these fields. Many students are attracted to the city because of these activities.
Medical Facilities in Akola
Akola is known for offering good medical facilities. It has the largest number of hospitals and other medical centers in the Paschim Vidarbha. The hospitals here are equipped with advanced medical technology. Civil Hospital, Khandelwal Imaging Centre, Icon Hospital, Joshi Hospital, Ozone Hospital, Chaudhary Hospital, Netrakamalanjali Eye Hospital, Om Hospital, Orbit Hospital, Sahara Hospital and Sant Tukaram Cancer Hospital are among the various hospitals located here.Shopping in Akola
Whether you are looking for household items, clothes, electronics or items of luxury, you will get it all here. Given below are the various markets situated in Akola:- Old Cloth
- Patil Market
- Cho Cho Bazar
- APMC Market
- Shrikant Market
- Saujanya Market
Sports in Akola
Several state and national level tournaments for different games are held here each year. Cricket, Football, Vollyball, Hockey, Badminton, Boxing, Kabaddi, Chess and Carrom are played here. Let us have a look at the various stadiums and playgrounds located here:- Akola Cricket Club Ground: This is the main cricket ground here.
- Lal Bahadur Shastri Stadium: Games like cricket and football are mostly played here.
- Vasant Desai Stadium: It hosts several tournaments for games such as swimming, boxing, running, volleyball and kabbadi.
Transportation in Akola
The transportation system of the city is well intact. Akola houses a domestic airport by the name, Shivani Airport however it is non-functional. The airport nearest to Akola is at Nagpur. It offers both national and international flights.It is easy to commute within the city. Buses as well as autorikshaw are the common public transports used here. Buses are also available to travel to other parts of the state. These are an economical means of transport. The service as well as the frequency of buses is good.
Akola railway station is located at Mount Carmel School Chowk, Railway Station Road, Akola. You can catch direct trains to different parts of the country including Delhi, Mumbai, Pune, Kamakhya, Jodhpur, Bikaner, Jaipur, Okha, Ahmedabad, Rajkot, Kolhapur, Indore, Mhow, Chittorgarh, Nagpur, Gondia, Surat, Nanded, Puri, Madras, Vaidnath,Tirupati, Purna, Parli, Ganganagar, Secundarabad, Hingoli, Bilaspur, Howrah, Nampally, Bhopal, Ratlam, Hatia, Ujjain and Khandwa. It is an important junction for travellers from both South as well as North India.
Fact File
Area: 60 sq km
Elevation: 286 m
Population: 427,146 as of 2011
Density: 7,100 per sq km
Language: Marathi
PIN: 444xxx
Telephone code: 0724
Vehical registration: MH30
