Bidar District
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Bidar district is the northernmost part of the
Karnataka Karnataka (; ISO: , , also known as Karunāḍu) is a state in the southwestern region of India. It was formed on 1 November 1956, with the passage of the States Reorganisation Act. Originally known as Mysore State , it was renamed ''Karnat ...
state in
India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...
. The administrative headquarters of district is Bidar city. Geographically, it resembles the "Crown of the State", occupying its northeastern end. It is bounded by
Kamareddy Kamareddy is a town and headquarters of eponymous district in Telangana state in India. It is located about north of the state capital Hyderabad, from Nizamabad and from Karimnagar. Geography Kamareddy is located at . It covers an area ...
and
Sangareddy Sangareddy, is a city and district headquarters of the Sangareddy district in the Indian state of Telangana. It was named after the ruler Sanga, who was the son of Rani Shankaramba, a ruler of Medak during the period of Nizams. Government an ...
districts of
Telangana Telangana (; , ) is a States and union territories of India, state in India situated on the south-central stretch of the Indian subcontinent, Indian peninsula on the high Deccan Plateau. It is the List of states and union territories of India b ...
state on the eastern side,
Latur Latur(लातूर) is a city in Indian state of Maharashtra, and is one of the largest cities of the Marathwada region. It is the administrative headquarters of Latur district and Latur Taluka. The city is a tourist hub surrounded by ma ...
and
Osmanabad Osmanabad (; pronounced as ''Usmānābād''),is a city and a municipal council in Osmanabad district in the Indian state of Maharashtra. Osmanabad derives its name from the last ruler of Hyderabad, Mir Osman Ali Khan. Osmanabad city is the adm ...
districts of
Maharashtra Maharashtra (; , abbr. MH or Maha) is a states and union territories of India, state in the western India, western peninsular region of India occupying a substantial portion of the Deccan Plateau. Maharashtra is the List of states and union te ...
state on the western side, Nanded district of Maharashtra state on the northern side and
Kalaburagi Kalaburagi, formerly known as Gulbarga, is a city in the Indian state of Karnataka. It is the administrative headquarters of the Kalaburagi district and is the largest city in the region of North Karnataka (Kalyana-Karnataka). Kalaburagi is 6 ...
district on the southern side. The Bidar district is constituted by eight
taluka A tehsil (, also known as tahsil, taluka, or taluk) is a local unit of administrative division in some countries of South Asia. It is a subdistrict of the area within a district including the designated populated place that serves as its administr ...
s, namely
Bidar Bidar (/ biːd̪ər/) is a city in the north-eastern part of Karnataka state in India. It is the headquarters of Bidar district, which borders Maharashtra and Telangana. It is a rapidly urbanising city in the wider ''Bidar Metropolitan area ...
,
Humnabad Humnabad is a town and municipal council in the Bidar District of the Indian States and territories of India, state of Karnataka. Humnabad is the headquarters of Humnabad taluk. Geography Humnabad is located at . It has an average elevation of ...
,
Bhalki Bhalki is a town in Bidar district in the Indian state of Karnataka. History First mention of the town was made as "Bhallunke" in the vachanas of 12th century sharanas. The sharana Kumbara Gundaiah was from Bhalki who was part of Bhakthi movem ...
,
Aurad Aurad is a town and municipal council in the Bidar district of Kalyana-Karnataka region of the Indian state of Karnataka. It passes through the National Highway 161A. Geography Aurad is located at . It has an average elevation of . Aurad is ...
, Hulsoor, Chitgoppa,
Kamalnagar Kamalnagara is a town and taluk in Bidar district in the South Indian state of Karnataka. History Kamalnagara became a ''taluk'' in 2017. Kamalnagara has the biggest ''panchayat'' in the district. Kamalnagara has a National Highway (NH) t ...
and
Basavakalyan Basavakalyana is a city and municipal council in the Bidar District of the Indian state of Karnataka. History Before India's independence, Basavakalyan was called Kalyani. After independence and division of states on linguistic basis in 1956 ...
with Bidar being the headquarters of the district. Bidar district is connected with the NH-9 and NH-218 highways.


History

Traditional tales refer to the surrounding region of Bidar district as "Viduranagara" and also as the place where Nala and
Damayanthi ''Damayanti'' (Sanskrit: दमयंती) is a character in a love story found in the Vana Parva book of the Mahabharata. She was the daughter of Bhima (not the Pandava one) and a princess of the Vidarbha Kingdom, who married King Nala of th ...
met. The area was ruled by the
Maurya The Maurya Empire, or the Mauryan Empire, was a geographically extensive Iron Age historical power in the Indian subcontinent based in Magadha, having been founded by Chandragupta Maurya in 322 BCE, and existing in loose-knit fashion until 1 ...
s,
Satavahana The Satavahanas (''Sādavāhana'' or ''Sātavāhana'', IAST: ), also referred to as the Andhras in the Puranas, were an ancient Indian dynasty based in the Deccan region. Most modern scholars believe that the Satavahana rule began in the la ...
s, Rashtrakutas,
Chalukya The Chalukya dynasty () was a Classical Indian dynasty that ruled large parts of southern and central India between the 6th and the 12th centuries. During this period, they ruled as three related yet individual dynasties. The earliest dynasty ...
s, Kalachuris,
Kakatiya The Kakatiya dynasty (IAST: Kākatīya) was an Indian dynasty that ruled most of eastern Deccan region comprising present day Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, and parts of eastern Karnataka and southern Odisha between 12th and 14th centuries. Th ...
s,
Khalji The Khalji or Khilji (Pashto: ; Persian: ) dynasty was a Turco-Afghan dynasty which ruled the Delhi sultanate, covering large parts of the Indian subcontinent for nearly three decades between 1290 and 1320.Bahamani The Bahmani Sultanate, or Deccan, was a Persianate Sunni Muslim Indian Kingdom located in the Deccan region. It was the first independent Muslim kingdom of the Deccan,
s, Baridshahis, Mughals and the Nizams of
Hyderabad Hyderabad ( ; , ) is the capital and largest city of the Indian state of Telangana and the ''de jure'' capital of Andhra Pradesh. It occupies on the Deccan Plateau along the banks of the Musi River (India), Musi River, in the northern part ...
. The great revolution by Shivasharanas in the 12th century, encompassed social, literacy and religious fields emerged here. Culture, fine arts and architecture nurtured by successive rulers has contributed to its cultural richness. There are more Hindus and Muslims in this district. Similarly, social and religious reformers such as Basaveshwara and
Guru Nanak Gurū Nānak (15 April 1469 – 22 September 1539; Gurmukhi: ਗੁਰੂ ਨਾਨਕ; pronunciation: , ), also referred to as ('father Nānak'), was the founder of Sikhism and is the first of the ten Sikh Gurus. His birth is celebrated w ...
also played a significant role in social reformation based on equality. Bidar district is well-known for its different religions, castes and cultures due to its historical developments through the ages.


Early and medieval history

The first Rashtrakuta capital was Mayurkhandi (Morkhandi) in the present day Bidar district. The regal capital was later moved to
Manyakheta Malkhed originally known as Manyakheta (IAST: Mānyakheṭa, Prakrit: "Mannakheḍa"), and also known as Malkhed,Village code= 311400 Malkhed (J), Gulbarga, Karnataka is a town in Karnataka, India. It is located on the banks of Kagina river i ...
(Malkhed) in the present day
Kalaburagi district Kalaburagi district, formerly known as Gulbarga district, is one of the 31 districts of Karnataka state in southern India. Kalaburagi city is the administrative headquarters of the district. The district is the headquarters of Kalaburagi div ...
by
Amoghavarsha I Amoghavarsha I (also known as Amoghavarsha Nrupathunga I) (r.814–878 CE) was the greatest emperor of the Rashtrakuta dynasty, and one of the most notable rulers of Ancient India. His reign of 64 years is one of the longest precisely dated mo ...
. Kalyani (today called
Basavakalyan Basavakalyana is a city and municipal council in the Bidar District of the Indian state of Karnataka. History Before India's independence, Basavakalyan was called Kalyani. After independence and division of states on linguistic basis in 1956 ...
, after Basaveshwara) in Bidar district was the capital of
Western Chalukyas The Western Chalukya Empire ruled most of the western Deccan, South India, between the 10th and 12th centuries. This Kannadiga dynasty is sometimes called the ''Kalyani Chalukya'' after its regal capital at Kalyani, today's Basavakalyan in th ...
, who were also called Kalyani Chalukyas after their capital. The Kalachuris continued with Kalyani as their capital. Later, Bidar was ruled in succession by the vassals to Sevuna Yadavas of
Devagiri Daulatabad Fort, also known as Devagiri Fort or Deogiri Fort, is a historic fortified citadel located in Daulatabad village near Aurangabad, Maharashtra, India. It was the capital of the Yadava dynasty (9th century–14th century CE), for a br ...
, Kakatiyas of
Warangal Warangal () is a city in the Indian state of Telangana and the district headquarters of Warangal district. It is the second largest city in Telangana with a population of 704,570 per 2011 Census of India, and spreading over an . Warangal ser ...
,
Alauddin Khalji Alaud-Dīn Khaljī, also called Alauddin Khilji or Alauddin Ghilji (), born Ali Gurshasp, was an emperor of the Khalji dynasty that ruled the Delhi Sultanate in the Indian subcontinent. Alauddin instituted a number of significant administrativ ...
and
Muhammad bin Tughluq Muhammad bin Tughluq (1290 – 20 March 1351) was the eighteenth Sultan of Delhi. He reigned from February 1325 until his death in 1351. The sultan was the eldest son of Ghiyath al-Din Tughluq, founder of the Tughlaq dynasty. In 1321, the youn ...
. The generals of Muhammad Bin Tughlaq who were nominated as viceroys of the newly conquered Deccan region broke up and formed the Bahmani Sultanate under Allauddin Hasan Gangu Bahman Shah. The Bahmani capital was shifted from Kalburgi or Kalubaruge (pronounced as Gulbarga and subsequently renamed ''Ahsanabad'' by the Muslim newcomers) to Bidar (renamed ''Muhammadabad'' by the Bahmanis) in 1425. Bidar remained the capital until the Sultanate's breakup after 1518. It then became the center of the Barid Shahis, one of the five independent sultanates known as the Deccan sultanates. These were the successor states to the Bahmani kingdom. The
Bidar Sultanate Bidar sultanate was one of the Deccan sultanates of late medieval southern India. The sultanate emerged under the rule of Qasim Barid I in 1492 and leadership passed to his sons. Starting from the 1580s, a wave of successions occurred in th ...
was absorbed by the
Bijapur Sultanate The Adil Shahi or Adilshahi, was a Shia,Salma Ahmed Farooqui, ''A Comprehensive History of Medieval India: From Twelfth to the Mid-Eighteenth Century'', (Dorling Kindersley Pvt Ltd., 2011), 174. and later Sunni Muslim,Muhammad Qasim Firishta's T ...
to the west in 1619, which was in turn included into their Deccan province by the Mughal Emperor
Aurangzeb Muhi al-Din Muhammad (; – 3 March 1707), commonly known as ( fa, , lit=Ornament of the Throne) and by his regnal title Alamgir ( fa, , translit=ʿĀlamgīr, lit=Conqueror of the World), was the sixth emperor of the Mughal Empire, ruling ...
during his viceroyship of Deccan in 1656. After the death of Aurangazeb,
Asaf Jah I Mir Qamar-ud-din Khan Siddiqi Bayafandi (11 August 16711 June 1748) also known as Chin Qilich qamaruddin Khan, Nizam-ul-Mulk, Asaf Jah and Nizam I, was the 1st Nizam of Hyderabad. He was married to the daughter of a Syed nobleman of Gulbarga. He ...
, the Mughal Subehdar of the Deccan province, became independent and assumed the title '' Nizam-ul-mulk'', with the whole of the province under the
Nizam The Nizams were the rulers of Hyderabad from the 18th through the 20th century. Nizam of Hyderabad (Niẓām ul-Mulk, also known as Asaf Jah) was the title of the monarch of the Hyderabad State ( divided between the state of Telangana, Mar ...
's sovereign control. After Independence, Bidar district, along with Gulbarga, Bijapur and Raichur districts, became part of Karnataka.


Geography

The total geographical area of the district as per the provisional figures computed by the Survey of India is , while the reporting area of the district for land-utilisation purposes, as worked out by the State Department of Survey Settlement and Land Records and local bodies, is .


Topography

The district extends from latitude 17.35'N to 18.25'N and from the longitudes 76.42'E to 77.39'E which is located on the ''northern maidans'' of Karnataka which provides a mountainous treeless expansive
plateau In geology and physical geography, a plateau (; ; ), also called a high plain or a tableland, is an area of a highland consisting of flat terrain that is raised sharply above the surrounding area on at least one side. Often one or more sides ha ...
landscape A landscape is the visible features of an area of land, its landforms, and how they integrate with natural or man-made features, often considered in terms of their aesthetic appeal.''New Oxford American Dictionary''. A landscape includes the ...
. The ancient
schistose Schist ( ) is a medium-grained metamorphic rock showing pronounced schistosity. This means that the rock is composed of mineral grains easily seen with a low-power hand lens, oriented in such a way that the rock is easily split into thin flakes o ...
rocks are covered by the Deccan Traps (
Cretaceous The Cretaceous ( ) is a geological period that lasted from about 145 to 66 million years ago (Mya). It is the third and final period of the Mesozoic Era, as well as the longest. At around 79 million years, it is the longest geological period of th ...
Eocene The Eocene ( ) Epoch is a geological epoch (geology), epoch that lasted from about 56 to 33.9 million years ago (mya). It is the second epoch of the Paleogene Period (geology), Period in the modern Cenozoic Era (geology), Era. The name ''Eocene' ...
). The most remarkable character of these traps is their perfectly horizontal disposition. The traps
weather Weather is the state of the atmosphere, describing for example the degree to which it is hot or cold, wet or dry, calm or stormy, clear or cloudy. On Earth, most weather phenomena occur in the lowest layer of the planet's atmosphere, the ...
with a characteristic spheroidal weathering and the trap area is strewn with numerous dark-coloured
boulder In geology, a boulder (or rarely bowlder) is a rock fragment with size greater than in diameter. Smaller pieces are called cobbles and pebbles. While a boulder may be small enough to move or roll manually, others are extremely massive. In c ...
s of all shapes and sizes. The
soil Soil, also commonly referred to as earth or dirt, is a mixture of organic matter, minerals, gases, liquids, and organisms that together support life. Some scientific definitions distinguish ''dirt'' from ''soil'' by restricting the former te ...
s covering this region are black to deep brown in colour which are rich in
humus In classical soil science, humus is the dark organic matter in soil that is formed by the decomposition of plant and animal matter. It is a kind of soil organic matter. It is rich in nutrients and retains moisture in the soil. Humus is the Lati ...
and form some of the most valuable fertile lands in the country, well suited for cultivating
pulses In medicine, a pulse represents the tactile arterial palpation of the cardiac cycle (heartbeat) by trained fingertips. The pulse may be palpated in any place that allows an artery to be compressed near the surface of the body, such as at the nec ...
. Physiographically, the district can be divided into two regions, the northern low lands and southern high lands. The southern high lands are popularly known as Bidar plateau, which is made up of laterite. The ground altitudes are varying from above sea level. Bidar plateau has an elevation range from above sea level. The ground surface is flat, gently sloping forming broad valleys and flat topped hills. Flat topped hills with step-like sides exhibit the terraced landscape. The southern half of the district is a high plateau about above mean sea level and are well drained.


Laterite

Laterite is a peculiar type of residual porous clayey rock, full of worm-like tubes mainly made up of hydrated oxides of
iron Iron () is a chemical element with symbol Fe (from la, ferrum) and atomic number 26. It is a metal that belongs to the first transition series and group 8 of the periodic table. It is, by mass, the most common element on Earth, right in f ...
and alumina, formed as end product of weathering of the underlying rocks. It is formed under special climatic conditions of alternating dry and wet seasons. Much of the
silica Silicon dioxide, also known as silica, is an oxide of silicon with the chemical formula , most commonly found in nature as quartz and in various living organisms. In many parts of the world, silica is the major constituent of sand. Silica is ...
is dissolved and carried away, leaving the weathered product rich in oxides of iron and aluminium. The laterite cappings over the
bedrock In geology, bedrock is solid Rock (geology), rock that lies under loose material (regolith) within the crust (geology), crust of Earth or another terrestrial planet. Definition Bedrock is the solid rock that underlies looser surface mater ...
range in thickness of to . The best development of laterite can be seen in the
Bidar Bidar (/ biːd̪ər/) is a city in the north-eastern part of Karnataka state in India. It is the headquarters of Bidar district, which borders Maharashtra and Telangana. It is a rapidly urbanising city in the wider ''Bidar Metropolitan area ...
,
Basavakalyan Basavakalyana is a city and municipal council in the Bidar District of the Indian state of Karnataka. History Before India's independence, Basavakalyan was called Kalyani. After independence and division of states on linguistic basis in 1956 ...
and
Humnabad Humnabad is a town and municipal council in the Bidar District of the Indian States and territories of India, state of Karnataka. Humnabad is the headquarters of Humnabad taluk. Geography Humnabad is located at . It has an average elevation of ...
talukas of the district.


Soil

The two important types of soils noticed in the district are black soils and
lateritic soil Laterite is both a soil and a rock type rich in iron and aluminium and is commonly considered to have formed in hot and wet tropical areas. Nearly all laterites are of rusty-red coloration, because of high iron oxide content. They develop by ...
s. *Black soils: Major parts of the district are made up of black soils derived from Deccan traps. These are deep black in colour and their texture varies from loam to clay. Lime concentration in this soil is high, resulting in poor infiltration capacities. Their infiltration characteristics are poor to moderate. This type of soils covers mainly in areas lying below contour and along the valley portions. *Lateritic soils: A
lateritic soil Laterite is both a soil and a rock type rich in iron and aluminium and is commonly considered to have formed in hot and wet tropical areas. Nearly all laterites are of rusty-red coloration, because of high iron oxide content. They develop by ...
is confined to the central portion of the district. Lateritic soils are pale to bright red in colour and clay to clayey loam in nature. This soil has moderate to good infiltration characteristics. This type of soils covers mainly in areas lying above contour. The entire district forms a part of the
Deccan Plateau The large Deccan Plateau in southern India is located between the Western Ghats and the Eastern Ghats, and is loosely defined as the peninsular region between these ranges that is south of the Narmada river. To the north, it is bounded by the ...
and is made up mostly of solidified
lava Lava is molten or partially molten rock (magma) that has been expelled from the interior of a terrestrial planet (such as Earth) or a moon onto its surface. Lava may be erupted at a volcano or through a fracture in the crust, on land or un ...
. The northern part of the district is characterized by expanses of level and treeless surface punctuated here and there by flat and undulating hillocks, black soils and basaltic rocks.
Alluvial deposit Alluvium (from Latin ''alluvius'', from ''alluere'' 'to wash against') is loose clay, silt, sand, or gravel that has been deposited by running water in a stream bed, on a floodplain, in an alluvial fan or beach, or in similar settings. Alluv ...
is normally found along the banks of the Manjra river and its main tributaries. The district is entirely covered by the Deccan trap flows of the tertiary period. The Deccan trap is composed of horizontal flows of
basaltic Basalt (; ) is an aphanitic (fine-grained) extrusive igneous rock formed from the rapid cooling of low-viscosity lava rich in magnesium and iron (mafic lava) exposed at or very near the surface of a rocky planet or moon. More than 90% of a ...
lava Lava is molten or partially molten rock (magma) that has been expelled from the interior of a terrestrial planet (such as Earth) or a moon onto its surface. Lava may be erupted at a volcano or through a fracture in the crust, on land or un ...
. They generally form flat-topped hillocks and terrace-like features. The physical characteristics of individual flows show considerable variations. Some flows are hard and massive while others are weathered, soft and friable. This character has resulted in terraced landscape, suddenly ending in
escarpments An escarpment is a steep slope or long cliff that forms as a result of faulting or erosion and separates two relatively level areas having different elevations. The terms ''scarp'' and ''scarp face'' are often used interchangeably with ''esca ...
. The traps are seen generally above mean sea level. These are jointed and show the characteristics of spherical weathering leaving massive hard cores. Columnar jointing is predominantly developed in these rocks, besides horizontal joints, which impart to the rocks bedded appearance. The top layers of the Deccan trap in parts of
Bidar Bidar (/ biːd̪ər/) is a city in the north-eastern part of Karnataka state in India. It is the headquarters of Bidar district, which borders Maharashtra and Telangana. It is a rapidly urbanising city in the wider ''Bidar Metropolitan area ...
and
Humnabad Humnabad is a town and municipal council in the Bidar District of the Indian States and territories of India, state of Karnataka. Humnabad is the headquarters of Humnabad taluk. Geography Humnabad is located at . It has an average elevation of ...
talukas are altered to reddish vesicular laterite, forming and extensive undulating plateau. The surface of the plateau presents wide stretches of red plains, either waved over by light dry grasses alive with coveys of partridges and herds of deer, or mottled by every sort of cultivation for which artificial irrigation is not essential. The laterite must everywhere be pierced nearly to the subjacent trap to reach the perennial springs, so that the wells in the vicinity of the edges of the tableland (''maidan'') are of extraordinary depth. The stream-fed valleys and the tracts of mixed soil in the lowlands bear prodigally fruits and grains, sugarcanes and vines, and every variety of vegetable produce.


Minerals

The minerals found in the area are
bauxite Bauxite is a sedimentary rock with a relatively high aluminium content. It is the world's main source of aluminium and gallium. Bauxite consists mostly of the aluminium minerals gibbsite (Al(OH)3), boehmite (γ-AlO(OH)) and diaspore (α-AlO ...
,
kaolin Kaolinite ( ) is a clay mineral, with the chemical composition Al2 Si2 O5( OH)4. It is an important industrial mineral. It is a layered silicate mineral, with one tetrahedral sheet of silica () linked through oxygen atoms to one octahedral ...
and
red ochre Ochre ( ; , ), or ocher in American English, is a natural clay earth pigment, a mixture of ferric oxide and varying amounts of clay and sand. It ranges in colour from yellow to deep orange or brown. It is also the name of the colours produced ...
. A deposit of highly siliceous bauxite clay has been located about three kilometers south of
Basavakalyan Basavakalyana is a city and municipal council in the Bidar District of the Indian state of Karnataka. History Before India's independence, Basavakalyan was called Kalyani. After independence and division of states on linguistic basis in 1956 ...
. Similar deposits are noticed near Alwal and Kamthana villages of Bidar taluka. A large deposit of Kaolin is located near Kamthana village. Red ochre deposits are found near Sirsi and Aurad Village.


Weather and climate

The district experiences
semi-arid A semi-arid climate, semi-desert climate, or steppe climate is a dry climate sub-type. It is located on regions that receive precipitation below potential evapotranspiration, but not as low as a desert climate. There are different kinds of semi-ar ...
climate with extreme summer. The dust storms and severe heat waves are common in the district between April and May. Coldest months are December and January. The temperature varies in the district between 20 °C and 42 °C The summer season in Bidar starts in the first week of March and lasts until mid-June. This is followed by
southwest monsoon A monsoon () is traditionally a seasonal reversing wind accompanied by corresponding changes in precipitation but is now used to describe seasonal changes in atmospheric circulation and precipitation associated with annual latitudinal oscill ...
which continues till late September, and from September to end of January is winter. May is the hottest month with average daily maximum temperature of 38.8 °C while December is the coldest with average daily minimum of 16.4 °C, The highest temperature recorded at Bidar was 43.3 °C on 8 May 1931, and the lowest 3.9 °C on 5 January 1901. The average annual precipitation at Bidar is , with most of the rainfall received during the
monsoon A monsoon () is traditionally a seasonal reversing wind accompanied by corresponding changes in precipitation but is now used to describe seasonal changes in atmospheric circulation and precipitation associated with annual latitudinal oscil ...
season. The variation in rainfall from year to year is large and the district is prone to drought.


River systems and drainage

The important rivers in the district are: * Manjra * Karanja (River) * Chulki Nala * Mullamari * Gandrinala The district has two river basins, the
Godavari The Godavari (IAST: ''Godāvarī'' od̪aːʋəɾiː is India's second longest river after the Ganga river and drains into the third largest basin in India, covering about 10% of India's total geographical area. Its source is in Trimbakeshwa ...
and the
Krishna Krishna (; sa, कृष्ण ) is a major deity in Hinduism. He is worshipped as the eighth avatar of Vishnu and also as the Supreme god in his own right. He is the god of protection, compassion, tenderness, and love; and is one ...
. Major parts of the district are covered by Godavari basin, drained by its two major tributaries the Manjra and the Karanja rivers. The Godavari basin extends to over , of which Manjra covers up to and Karanja up to . The Krishna basin covers of which Mullamari river basin covers and Gandarinala river basin covers . The Manjra river is perennial river flows over a distance of in the central part of the district and flows in eastern direction with a meandering course. The Karanja river flows in northwestern direction for with Karanja reservoir being major water source. The river Mullamari takes its origin near Matala village of Basavakalyan taluk flows from west to east for a length of and then flows into Kalaburgi district and joins the river Kagna. The Kagna river is one of the main tributary of Bhima river. Besides, there are several streams, which are of ephemeral in nature. The drainage pattern in the district varies from sub-dendritic to dendritic and some streams have a sub parallel drainage to the main river. These rivers and their rivulets are not navigable.


Forests

Bidar Forest Division is the northernmost division of Karnataka, encompassing the whole of Bidar district and 31 villages of the adjoining Gulbarga district. Classified under reserve forests,
protected forests Protection is any measure taken to guard a thing against damage caused by outside forces. Protection can be provided to physical objects, including organisms, to systems, and to intangible things like civil and political rights. Although th ...
and unclassed forests, Bidar Forest Division has of its area under forest cover. The forests are mainly dry deciduous and have scrub type vegetation. Over the years, almost all the forest areas have been worked on one or more times resulting in large expanses of man made forests consisting mostly of ''
Eucalyptus ''Eucalyptus'' () is a genus of over seven hundred species of flowering trees, shrubs or mallees in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae. Along with several other genera in the tribe Eucalypteae, including '' Corymbia'', they are commonly known as euca ...
'', '' Acacia auriculiformis'', ''Glyricidia'', and miscellaneous species such as ''
Hardwickia ''Hardwickia'' is a monotypic genus of flowering plant in the subfamily Detarioideae of the legumes. The only species is the Anjan, ''Hardwickia binata'', a tree which is native to India, and which grows to height of 25-30 meters. This plant gen ...
'', ''
Albizzia ''Albizia'' is a genus of more than 160 species of mostly fast-growing subtropical and tropical trees and shrubs in the subfamily Mimosoideae of the family Fabaceae. The genus is pantropical, occurring in Asia, Africa, Madagascar, America and A ...
'', ''
Azadirachta ''Azadirachta'' is a genus of two species of trees in the family Meliaceae. Numerous species have been proposed for the genus but only two are currently recognized, ''Azadirachta excelsa'' and the economically important tree ''Azadirachta indica ...
'', and ''
Pterocarpus ''Pterocarpus'' is a pantropical genus of trees in the family Fabaceae. It belongs to the subfamily Faboideae, and was recently assigned to the informal monophyletic ''Pterocarpus'' clade within the Dalbergieae. Most species of ''Pterocarp ...
''. The majority of these plantations are successful. Because of the sustained efforts of the forest department, the forest cover in the district has increased by about 4% as reported by the Hyderabad-based National Remote Sensing Agency.
Teak Teak (''Tectona grandis'') is a tropical hardwood tree species in the family Lamiaceae. It is a large, deciduous tree that occurs in mixed hardwood forests. ''Tectona grandis'' has small, fragrant white flowers arranged in dense clusters ( pan ...
is found mixed with dry deciduous species. Ground cover is scanty and seedlings regeneration is practically absent. Thorny plants occur and tend to increase in proportion with heavy grazing, to which most of the area is subjected. Ground cover is scanty and seedlings regeneration is practically absent. Grazing incidence is heavy. This type of forest is found in Changlair, Karpakpalli and Karakanalli forests. ''
Acacia catechu ''Senegalia catechu'' is a deciduous, thorny tree which grows up to in height. The plant is called ''khair''
in H ...
'', ''
Acacia leucophloea ''Vachellia leucophloea'' ( hi, रेवंजा), also called ''reonja'', is a moderate-sized tree native to South and Southeast Asia. Distribution ''Vachellia leucophloea'' grows natively in India, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Thail ...
'', ''
Wrightia tinctoria ''Wrightia tinctoria'', Pala indigo plant or dyer's oleander, is a flowering plant species in the genus ''Wrightia'' found in India, southeast Asia and Australia. It is found in dry and moist regions in its distribution. Various parts of the plan ...
'', ''Zizyphus xylopyrus'', ''Cassia fistula'', ''Annona'' species, ''
Azadirachta indica ''Azadirachta indica'', commonly known as neem, nimtree or Indian lilac, is a tree in the mahogany family Meliaceae. It is one of two species in the genus ''Azadirachta'', and is native to the Indian subcontinent and most of the countries in Afr ...
'', '' Butea monosperma'', ''Chloroxylon switenia'', ''Albizzia amara'', etc. are widely seen in Ladwanthi, Kohinoor, Algood and Manhalli forests Basavakalyan range. Out of the total forest area of in the division, more than 50 percent of the area is concentrated in Humnabad range, followed by Bidar range (20%) and Basavakalyan range. Aurad range is having the smallest area under the forest. Viewed from the point of area under forests, the out-turn of forest produce and the revenue from forests Bidar division is not endowed with quality forest wealth. Out of the total geographical area of in Bidar division, an extent of under forests. In other words, this accounts for about 8.5 percent of the total geographical area. Area under forests in the division is very much below the state average.


Medicinal Plant Conservation Area

In Karpakpalli village of Humnabad taluk, a Medicinal Plant Conservation Area (MPCA) has been established. It is a part of Saidapur Reserve forest. Situated at an altitude of 600–700 meters, the MPCA is spread over about . The terrain is undulating and the vegetation is the dry deciduous scrub type. It is the northernmost member of the Medicinal Plants Conservation Network established by the Karnataka forest department and the Foundation for Revitalization of Local Health Traditions (FRLHT) jointly. The uniqueness of the MPCA is characterized by representation of the medicinal flora of the driest regions of southern India. The vegetation is the dry deciduous scrub type, with most of it being stunted due to harsh climatic and edaphic factors. The terrain is criss-crossed by a few small seasonal streams, which go dry soon after the monsoon. The MPCA offers a tapestry of about 289 species of flowering plants. Common tree species in the drier parts are '' Albizzia amara'', ''
Madhuca latifolia ''Madhuca longifolia'' is an Indian tropical tree found largely in the central, southern, north Indian plains and forests, Nepal, Myanmar and Sri Lanka. It is commonly known as madhūka, , mahuwa, Butter Tree, mahua, mahwa, , Iluppai or vippa che ...
'', '' Buchnania lanzan'', '' Butea frondosa'', ''
Ficus bengalensis ''Ficus benghalensis'', commonly known as the banyan, banyan fig and Indian banyan, is a tree native to the Indian Subcontinent. Specimens in India are among the largest trees in the world by canopy coverage. It also known as the " strangler fig" ...
'' and ''
Wrightia ''Wrightia'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Apocynaceae, first described as a genus in 1810. It native to tropical Africa, China, the Indian Subcontinent, Southeast Asia, Papuasia, and Australia. The species are all small trees or ...
'' spp. Along the nullahs occur ''
Terminalia arjuna ''Terminalia arjuna'' is a tree of the genus '' Terminalia''. It is commonly known as arjuna or arjun tree in English. Description ''T. arjuna'' grows to about 20–25 metres tall; usually has a buttressed trunk, and forms a wide canopy at the ...
'' and '' Syzigium'' spp. Shrubs include ''
Gymnosporia ''Gymnosporia'' is an Old World genus of plants, that comprise suffrutices, shrubs and trees. It was formerly considered congeneric with ''Maytenus'', but more recent investigations separated it based on the presence of achyblasts (truncated br ...
'', ''
Ixora ''Ixora'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Rubiaceae. It is the only genus in the tribe Ixoreae. It consists of tropical evergreen trees and shrubs and holds around 544 species. Though native to the tropical and subtropical areas ...
'', ''
Nyctanthes arbor-tristis ''Nyctanthes arbor-tristis'', also known as the Night-flowering jasmine or Parijat (Parvati chi phula), is a species of '' Nyctanthes'' native to South Asia and Southeast Asia.Flora of Pakistan''Nyctanthes arbor-tristis''/ref>AgroForestry Tr ...
'' and '' Nizyphus oenopia''. Overall about 193 medicinal plant species area found in the MPCA. It is home to highly endangered species ''Pterocarpus santalinus'' the Rakta chandana and ''
Gloriosa superba ''Gloriosa superba'' is a species of flowering plant in the family Colchicaceae. Common names include flame lily, climbing lily, creeping lily, glory lily, gloriosa lily, tiger claw,Scheper, J''Gloriosa superba''.Floridata.com. agnishikha and fir ...
''. The most important are ''Hollorhina antidyssentrica'' and ''
Santalum album ''Santalum album'', or Indian sandalwood, is a small tropical tree, and the traditional source of sandalwood oil. It is native to southern India and Southeast Asia. It is considered sacred in some religions like Hinduism, and some cultures plac ...
''. The presence of large number of medicinal plant species has helped the locals to take the advice of ''Nati vaidyas'' in the surrounding villages in case of any health problem. It is home to highly endangered species of ''Pterocarpus santalinus'', the Rakta chandana and Gloriosa superba. The area being highly valuable to the locals for medicinal plants a, local initiative to protect the highly valuable plant species in Karpakpally MPCA with active participation of the local villagers is also underway. An NGO, Kriyasheela Geleyaru, is involved in organizing local children and women disseminating knowledge about the locally available medicinal plants and the need to protect the ecosystem.


Red sanders

The southern and eastern parts of Bidar district support the growth of red sanders (''
Pterocarpus santalinus ''Pterocarpus santalinus'', with the common names red sanders, red saunders, protect it Yerra Chandanam, Chenchandanam, red sandalwood, Rakta Chandana, and saunderswood, is a species of ''Pterocarpus'' endemic to the southern Eastern Ghats mou ...
''), which is highly valued. Owing to its dark red to almost black wood it is largely used for carving and ornamental work. The wood is in much demand for carved house posts. It is used in making musical instruments in Japan. Red sanders timber is a very good foreign exchange earner. Red sanders has a very restricted natural range extending over an area of only 6000 sq. milies in south eastern portion of the Indian Peninsula. Its principal home is in the Sheshachalam hills of Cuddapah district of Andhra Pradesh and North Arcot district of Tamil Nandu besides southern and eastern parts of Bidar district.


Wildlife

The northern part of the state is generally considered to be a dry belt, devoid of water bodies, vegetation and wildlife. The surroundings of Bidar, the northernmost district, seem to be an exception. There are no wildlife sanctuaries and national parks in the Bidar Forest Division. However, leopards may be seen occasionally far from human habitations.
Langur The Colobinae or leaf-eating monkeys are a subfamily of the Old World monkey family that includes 61 species in 11 genera, including the black-and-white colobus, the large-nosed proboscis monkey, and the gray langurs. Some classifications sp ...
s,
wolves The wolf (''Canis lupus''; : wolves), also known as the gray wolf or grey wolf, is a large canine native to Eurasia and North America. More than thirty subspecies of ''Canis lupus'' have been recognized, and gray wolves, as popularly un ...
,
spotted deer The chital or cheetal (''Axis axis''; ), also known as the spotted deer, chital deer, and axis deer, is a deer species native to the Indian subcontinent. It was first described and given a binomial name by German naturalist Johann Christian Po ...
,
wild boar The wild boar (''Sus scrofa''), also known as the wild swine, common wild pig, Eurasian wild pig, or simply wild pig, is a suid native to much of Eurasia and North Africa, and has been introduced to the Americas and Oceania. The species is ...
, hares, porcupines,
fox Foxes are small to medium-sized, omnivorous mammals belonging to several genera of the family Canidae. They have a flattened skull, upright, triangular ears, a pointed, slightly upturned snout, and a long bushy tail (or ''brush''). Twelve sp ...
es,
wild cat Felidae () is the family of mammals in the order Carnivora colloquially referred to as cats, and constitutes a clade. A member of this family is also called a felid (). The term "cat" refers both to felids in general and specifically to the dom ...
s and
jackal Jackals are medium-sized canids native to Africa and Eurasia. While the word "jackal" has historically been used for many canines of the subtribe canina, in modern use it most commonly refers to three species: the closely related black-backed ...
s are also seen. In Karnataka, after Ranebennur Blackbuck Sanctuary in Haveri district and Jayamangali Blackbuck Conservation Reserve in
Tumkur district Tumakuru District is an administrative district in the state of Karnataka in India. It is the third largest district in Karnataka by land area with an area of 10,598 km2, and fourth largest by Population. It is a one-and-a-half-hour drive from ...
, a sizeable population of near threatened species of
blackbuck The blackbuck (''Antilope cervicapra''), also known as the Indian antelope, is an antelope native to India and Nepal. It inhabits grassy plains and lightly forested areas with perennial water sources. It stands up to high at the shoulder. Ma ...
s is found in the plains of Bidar District. The existing natural water holes have to be developed by desilting. Herds of spotted deer and peafowl are found in Kamathana, Chitta, Shahapur and Godepalli forest areas. Poaching of deer in these areas is common. Hence, protection needs to be ensured. Creation of a wildlife sanctuary may be contemplated in the future when the number of wildlife increases. Some of the bigger trees act as a roosting place for
peacock Peafowl is a common name for three bird species in the genera ''Pavo (genus), Pavo'' and ''Afropavo'' within the tribe Pavonini of the family Phasianidae, the pheasants and their allies. Male peafowl are referred to as peacocks, and female pea ...
s, the national bird of India. The following forests support considerable wildlife: * Narayanapur reserved forest in
Basavakalyan Basavakalyana is a city and municipal council in the Bidar District of the Indian state of Karnataka. History Before India's independence, Basavakalyan was called Kalyani. After independence and division of states on linguistic basis in 1956 ...
range * Dubalgundi and Benchincholi forest blocks in
Humnabad Humnabad is a town and municipal council in the Bidar District of the Indian States and territories of India, state of Karnataka. Humnabad is the headquarters of Humnabad taluk. Geography Humnabad is located at . It has an average elevation of ...
range * Kosam, Khanapur and Dhanura forests in
Bhalki Bhalki is a town in Bidar district in the Indian state of Karnataka. History First mention of the town was made as "Bhallunke" in the vachanas of 12th century sharanas. The sharana Kumbara Gundaiah was from Bhalki who was part of Bhakthi movem ...
range In addition to commonly found birds, varied species like green bee eaters,
robins Robins may refer to: Places United States *Robins, Iowa, a small city * Robins, Ohio, an unincorporated community * Robins Township, Fall River County, South Dakota * Robins Island, of the coast of New York state *Robins Air Force Base, Georgia *R ...
,
sunbirds Sunbirds and spiderhunters make up the family Nectariniidae of passerine birds. They are small, slender passerines from the Old World, usually with downward-curved bills. Many are brightly coloured, often with iridescent feathers, particularly ...
, red vented bulbuls,
egret Egrets ( ) are herons, generally long-legged wading birds, that have white or buff plumage, developing fine plumes (usually milky white) during the breeding season. Egrets are not a biologically distinct group from herons and have the same build ...
s, herons,
duck Duck is the common name for numerous species of waterfowl in the family Anatidae. Ducks are generally smaller and shorter-necked than swans and geese, which are members of the same family. Divided among several subfamilies, they are a form ...
s, cormorants,
kingfishers Kingfishers are a family, the Alcedinidae, of small to medium-sized, brightly colored birds in the order Coraciiformes. They have a cosmopolitan distribution, with most species found in the tropical regions of Africa, Asia, and Oceania, ...
,
kites A kite is a tethered heavier than air flight, heavier-than-air or lighter-than-air craft with wing surfaces that react against the air to create Lift (force), lift and Drag (physics), drag forces. A kite consists of wings, tethers and anchors. ...
,
eagle Eagle is the common name for many large birds of prey of the family Accipitridae. Eagles belong to several groups of genera, some of which are closely related. Most of the 68 species of eagle are from Eurasia and Africa. Outside this area, just ...
s,
peafowl Peafowl is a common name for three bird species in the genera '' Pavo'' and '' Afropavo'' within the tribe Pavonini of the family Phasianidae, the pheasants and their allies. Male peafowl are referred to as peacocks, and female peafowl are ref ...
s and
partridge A partridge is a medium-sized galliform bird in any of several genera, with a wide native distribution throughout parts of Europe, Asia and Africa. Several species have been introduced to the Americas. They are sometimes grouped in the Perd ...
s can be seen. Rare birds and endangered species such as
Indian courser The Indian courser (''Cursorius coromandelicus'') is a species of courser found in mainland South Asia, mainly in the plains bounded by the Ganges and Indus river system. Like other coursers, it is a ground bird that can be found in small groups ...
s and
vulture A vulture is a bird of prey that scavenges on carrion. There are 23 extant species of vulture (including Condors). Old World vultures include 16 living species native to Europe, Africa, and Asia; New World vultures are restricted to North and ...
s are often sighted. Winter sees the arrival of aquatic
migratory bird Bird migration is the regular seasonal movement, often north and south along a flyway, between Breeding in the wild, breeding and wintering grounds. Many species of bird migrate. Animal migration, Migration carries high costs in predation a ...
s from regions as far as
Siberia Siberia ( ; rus, Сибирь, r=Sibir', p=sʲɪˈbʲirʲ, a=Ru-Сибирь.ogg) is an extensive geographical region, constituting all of North Asia, from the Ural Mountains in the west to the Pacific Ocean in the east. It has been a part of ...
, Mongolia and
Alaska Alaska ( ; russian: Аляска, Alyaska; ale, Alax̂sxax̂; ; ems, Alas'kaaq; Yup'ik: ''Alaskaq''; tli, Anáaski) is a state located in the Western United States on the northwest extremity of North America. A semi-exclave of the U.S., ...
. One study has recorded 74 species of aquatic birds in Bidar district, of which 32 species are migratory. Tanks and other water bodies at places like Janawada, Elaspur, Solpur, Papnash, Hallikhed, and Tripurant in the district, which have large quantities of fish and other aquatic animals, provide feeding grounds to various migratory birds like,
black-necked stork The black-necked stork (''Ephippiorhynchus asiaticus'') is a tall long-necked wading bird in the stork family. It is a resident species across the Indian Subcontinent and Southeast Asia with a disjunct population in Australia. It lives in wetlan ...
, great stone plover,
marsh sandpiper The marsh sandpiper (''Tringa stagnatilis'') is a small wader. It is a rather small shank, and breeds in open grassy steppe and taiga wetlands from easternmost Europe to the Russian Far East. The genus name ''Tringa'' is the New Latin name give ...
, and
painted snipe The Rostratulidae, commonly known as the painted-snipes, are a family of wading birds that consists of two genera: '' Rostratula'' and '' Nycticryphes''. Description The painted-snipes are short-legged, long-billed birds similar in shape to the ...
.


Demographics

According to the 2011 census Bidar district has a
population Population typically refers to the number of people in a single area, whether it be a city or town, region, country, continent, or the world. Governments typically quantify the size of the resident population within their jurisdiction using a ...
of 1,703,300, roughly equal to the nation of The Gambia or the US state of
Nebraska Nebraska () is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States. It is bordered by South Dakota to the north; Iowa to the east and Missouri to the southeast, both across the Missouri River; Kansas to the south; Colorado to the southwe ...
. This gives it a ranking of 287th in India (out of a total of 640). Bidar district accounts for 2.84% of total area of the state and it is the home of 2.78% of the total population in the state. The district has a population density of . Its
population growth rate Population growth is the increase in the number of people in a population or dispersed group. Actual global human population growth amounts to around 83 million annually, or 1.1% per year. The global population has grown from 1 billion in 1800 to ...
over the decade 2001-2011 was 13.16%. Bidar has a
sex ratio The sex ratio (or gender ratio) is usually defined as the ratio of males to females in a population. As explained by Fisher's principle, for evolutionary reasons this is typically about 1:1 in species which reproduce sexually. Many species devia ...
of 952
females Female (symbol: ♀) is the sex of an organism that produces the large non-motile ova (egg cells), the type of gamete (sex cell) that fuses with the male gamete during sexual reproduction. A female has larger gametes than a male. Females ...
for every 1000 males, and a Literacy in India, literacy rate of 71.01%. Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes make up 23.47% and 13.85% of the population respectively.


Languages

According to the 2011 census, 52.97% of the population spoke Kannada, 18.41% Marathi language, Marathi, 17.16% Urdu, 4.25% Telugu language, Telugu, 3.60% Lambadi and 3.14% Hindi as their first language. Kannada is official and the most spoken language in the district. Marathi is spoken in villages and towns bordered with
Maharashtra Maharashtra (; , abbr. MH or Maha) is a states and union territories of India, state in the western India, western peninsular region of India occupying a substantial portion of the Deccan Plateau. Maharashtra is the List of states and union te ...
. Urdu is registered as mother tongue by 17% of the population. Telugu is spoken by Telugu people who live in the areas of the district bordering
Telangana Telangana (; , ) is a States and union territories of India, state in India situated on the south-central stretch of the Indian subcontinent, Indian peninsula on the high Deccan Plateau. It is the List of states and union territories of India b ...
. Lambadi is spoken by Banjara people, followed by Hindi.


Sandalwood carving

A locally less-known but globally renowned sandalwood carving at Bakchodi village in the district produces woodworks of Buddha heads, handicraft items and prayer beads carved in red sandalwood to many countries in Europe and Asia.


Attractions / amenities


Religious places

* Anubhava Mantapa,
Basavakalyan Basavakalyana is a city and municipal council in the Bidar District of the Indian state of Karnataka. History Before India's independence, Basavakalyan was called Kalyani. After independence and division of states on linguistic basis in 1956 ...
* Guru Nanak Jhira Sahib, Gurudwara Nanak Jhira Sahib * Narasimha Jharni Cave Temple * Mailar Mallanna Temple, Shri Mailar Mallanna Devasthana, Mailar, Khanapur ( Bidar taluka) * Shri Manik Prabhu Devasthanam, Manik Nagar (
Humnabad Humnabad is a town and municipal council in the Bidar District of the Indian States and territories of India, state of Karnataka. Humnabad is the headquarters of Humnabad taluk. Geography Humnabad is located at . It has an average elevation of ...
taluka)


Hospitals

* Gudge Hospital, Bidar * Mulge Multispeciality Hospital, Bidar * Guru Nanak Hospital Bidar * Dr Gurupadappa Nagamarpalli Hospital, Bidar


Economy

In 2006 the Ministry of Panchayati Raj named Bidar one of the country's 250 Poverty in India, most backward districts (out of a total of 640). It is one of the five districts in Karnataka currently receiving funds from the Backward Regions Grant Fund, Backward Regions Grant Fund Programme.


Agriculture

Agriculture is the main occupation in rural parts of the district. Greengram, bengalgram, blackgram, paddy, groundnut, wheat, redgram, sugarcane and chillies are other agricultural crops. Agriculture in Bidar had its own specific form. Drawing on the specification of the local ecology, agriculture was mostly dry cultivation or rain-dependent cultivation in which a wide variety of local sorghum (''jola'', the staple grain) was grown in combination with pulses, oil seeds, wheat and other cereals. Though cultivation was restricted to two periods, ''rabi crop, rabi'' or "winter cultivation" (August–January), and ''kharif'' or "summer cultivation" (June–September), care was taken to cultivate green manure crops of ''sann hemp''Sann hemp is called ''pundi'' in the local language and is a versatile green bush/shrub the leaves of which make for a nutritious vegetable and the dried stems make good rope. and ''diancha''. The cultivation and use of such manure crops helped agriculturists retain the fertility of the soil, decreased the chances of external Pest (organism), pests and diseases entering the fields, and enabled agriculturists to be self-reliant for a very significant agricultural input. Even by the 1970s little commercial or inorganic manure and fertilisers were used.Agrarian Distress in Bidar, A R Vasavi, 1999, National Institute of Advanced Studies, Indian Institute of Science Campus, Bengaluru However, the agriculture of Bidar, like that of many other
semi-arid A semi-arid climate, semi-desert climate, or steppe climate is a dry climate sub-type. It is located on regions that receive precipitation below potential evapotranspiration, but not as low as a desert climate. There are different kinds of semi-ar ...
regions which produced dry cereals, was considered to be "low productive" and has been subject to a variety of "development programmes" that have drawn, largely, on the agenda of the Green Revolution. Drawing on programmes and policies that emphasise the need to increase agricultural productivity, the state has promoted a model of agriculture in the region that draws primarily on the model of agriculture developed for wet regions and for commercial cultivation. In 1966–67, high-yielding varieties of seeds for sorghum, paddy, wheat and sugarcane were introduced. Gradually between the late 1960s and mid-1970s hybrid varieties of seeds for other crops such as cotton,
pulses In medicine, a pulse represents the tactile arterial palpation of the cardiac cycle (heartbeat) by trained fingertips. The pulse may be palpated in any place that allows an artery to be compressed near the surface of the body, such as at the nec ...
and sunflower were introduced. The cultivation of ''tur'' or ''toghri'' (red gram) as a commercial crop became the primary agricultural agenda in the region, A significant proportion of land once under multi-crops and dry cultivation (especially sorghum, wheat and oil-seeds) has now been dedicated to the cultivation of pulses, especially that of ''kadle'' (Bengal gram) and ''tur''. The introduction and promotion of modern agriculture resulted in the development of two key and striking contradictions in the region. Perhaps the most significant contradiction of this is that while there is an alteration in the very foundations and orientations of agricultural cultivation (in the type of crops cultivated, in the new seed varieties, new inputs, etc.), there is little or no change in the social bases of the agrarian society. That is, though there is an alteration in the physical conduct of agriculture (in the types of crops grown, the cultivation patterns etc.), it is not matched by any alteration in the ownership patterns of the agrarian society in which the new agriculture is introduced. Though it is largely a dry cultivation belt with a predominance of small cultivators, there is a schism in the patterns of land ownership. Given the declining size of landholdings, many small and marginal cultivators resort to renting or sharecropping. * Social scenario - The introduction of commercial agriculture in this predominantly dry agriculture belt has its impact on the social fabric of the region. Commercial agriculture itself forces agriculturists to submit to the prescriptions of the agricultural extension service, the market, the agri-business agencies and credit institutions and agents. Agriculture is no longer drawn on the established principles of local knowledge and caste and kin-based ties. Instead, agriculture is a form of livelihood, to engage in which individual agriculturists (farmers) depend primarily on their household and family support. As agriculture becomes an externally prescribed form of economic activity there are problems in the dissemination of knowledge, in the conduct of actual agricultural activities and in the understanding and management of situations such as crop loss.


Irrigation

In geo-physical terms Bidar district is part of the
semi-arid A semi-arid climate, semi-desert climate, or steppe climate is a dry climate sub-type. It is located on regions that receive precipitation below potential evapotranspiration, but not as low as a desert climate. There are different kinds of semi-ar ...
and drought-prone belt of northern Karnataka and has been susceptible to periodic droughts. Though some 82 percent of the total land are cultivated, only eight (8) percent of its total cultivable area is irrigated. The two major irrigation projects, Karanja, which started in 1963, and Chulkinala, which started in 1972, are yet to be completed. Only are irrigated by canals and tanks, while the rest, of about , are irrigated by wells and tube wells. The state of incompletion and disrepair (of the little that has been completed) of the two large irrigation projects are reflect the extent of state support for the region.


Government


Administration

The district has eight
taluka A tehsil (, also known as tahsil, taluka, or taluk) is a local unit of administrative division in some countries of South Asia. It is a subdistrict of the area within a district including the designated populated place that serves as its administr ...
s,
Bidar Bidar (/ biːd̪ər/) is a city in the north-eastern part of Karnataka state in India. It is the headquarters of Bidar district, which borders Maharashtra and Telangana. It is a rapidly urbanising city in the wider ''Bidar Metropolitan area ...
,
Humnabad Humnabad is a town and municipal council in the Bidar District of the Indian States and territories of India, state of Karnataka. Humnabad is the headquarters of Humnabad taluk. Geography Humnabad is located at . It has an average elevation of ...
,
Bhalki Bhalki is a town in Bidar district in the Indian state of Karnataka. History First mention of the town was made as "Bhallunke" in the vachanas of 12th century sharanas. The sharana Kumbara Gundaiah was from Bhalki who was part of Bhakthi movem ...
,
Aurad Aurad is a town and municipal council in the Bidar district of Kalyana-Karnataka region of the Indian state of Karnataka. It passes through the National Highway 161A. Geography Aurad is located at . It has an average elevation of . Aurad is ...
, Hulsoor, Chitgoppa,
Kamalnagar Kamalnagara is a town and taluk in Bidar district in the South Indian state of Karnataka. History Kamalnagara became a ''taluk'' in 2017. Kamalnagara has the biggest ''panchayat'' in the district. Kamalnagara has a National Highway (NH) t ...
and
Basavakalyan Basavakalyana is a city and municipal council in the Bidar District of the Indian state of Karnataka. History Before India's independence, Basavakalyan was called Kalyani. After independence and division of states on linguistic basis in 1956 ...
. In the Lok Sabha, the district is represented by Bidar (Lok Sabha constituency), Bidar constituency. The MP for Bidar is Bhagwanth Khuba from the Bharatiya Janata Party.


Legislative Assembly seats

In the Karnataka Legislative Assembly, Bidar district is represented through six members elected from the following assembly segments: * Bidar (Vidhana Sabha constituency), Bidar - Rahim Khan (Politician), Rahim Khan (Indian National Congress, Congress) * Bidar South (Vidhana Sabha constituency), Bidar South - Bandeppa Kashempur (Janata Dal (Secular), JD(S)) * Bhalki (Vidhana Sabha constituency), Bhalki - Eshwara Khandre (Congress) * Basavakalyan (Vidhana Sabha constituency), Basavakalyan - Sharanu Salagar (BJP) * Aurad (Vidhana Sabha constituency), Aurad - Prabhu Chavhan (BJP) * Humnabad (Vidhana Sabha constituency), Humnabad - Rajashekar Patil, Rajshekar Patil (Congress)


References


External links


Bidar district official website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bidar District Bidar district, Districts of Karnataka Minority Concentrated Districts in India