History

History

The District of Dhulia was previously known as West Khandesh district. The ancient name of this region was Rasika. It is bounded on the east by Berar (Ancient Vidarbha) ,on the north by the Nemad district (Ancient Anupa) and on the south by the Aurangabad (Ancient Mulaka) and Bhir ( Ancient Asmaka) districts. Later the country came to be called as Seunadesa after king, Seunchandra of the Early Yadava dynasty, who ruled over it. Subsequently its name was changed to Khandesh to suit the title Khan given to the Faruqi kings by King Ahmad I of Gujarat.

During Aryans penetration to the Deccan ‘Agastya’ was the first Aryan who crossed Vindhya and resides on the bank of Godavari. This territory was included in the empire of Ashoka. Pusyamitra, the founder of Sanga dynasty overthrew Maurya dynasty. Later on Satavahan ruled over the region.

About A.D. 250, the Satavahans were supplanted by the Abhiras in Western Maharashtra (Region Isvarsena). The names of Feudatories of Abhiras that ruled in Khandesh was found from copperplates discovered at Kalachala (Gujarath) and Cave X5II at Ajanta. After downfall of Satavahans the Vakatakas rose to power in Vidarbha. The Vakatakas were over thrown by Rastrakuta family. This region was ruled by Chalukyas of Badami and subsequently Yadavas.

In A.D. 1296, Ala-ud-din Khilji invaded Ramachandra Yadava who agreed to pay a heavy ransom. His son Sankaragana discontinued sending the stipulated tribute to Delhi and then defected and slain by Malik Kafur in A.D. 1318.

In 1345, Devagiri was passed into the hands of Hasan Gangu, the founder of Bahamani dynasty. However, Khandesh formed Southern boundaries of the Tashlug empire.

In 1370, Firoz Taghluq assigned the district of Thalner and Karavanda to Malik Raja Faruqui, the founder of ‘Faruqui’ dynasty. His family claimed the descent from Khaliph Umer Faruq. He established himself at Thalner. The Governor of Gujarat honored Malik Raja with the little ‘Sipahsalar of Khandesh’. From the little Khan the region came to be known as ‘Khandesh’ the country of Khan. During the period, a rich ahir 'Asa' of Asirgad had many storehouses in Gondvana and Khandesh which were opened in order to sell the corn. However his wife was of a charitable disposition persuaded Asa to allow the grains to be distributed to the poor and suffering without payment to which Asa agreed. It was also with a view to employ many of the sufferers as labours that Asa leveled the old wall of Asir and constructed a fort built of masonry. Asa also distributed food to aged and decrepit who were unable to performed manual labour. The Ahir chief in spite of his wealth and strength of this fort, without any struggle acknowledged the supremacy of Malik Raja bequeathed Laling to his elder son Malik Nasir and Thalner to Malik Iftikar.

Malik Nasir had decided that upon seizing Asirgad, he would make it his own capital. He therefore wrote to Asa complaining that he was in great problems as the chief of Baglana, Antur and Kherla were rising against him. Of those; two had collected large forces. Laling, to close to enemy territories was not a safe retreat. He requested Asa to afford his family a safe retreat. Asa ordered suitable apartments to be filled up for the Malik Nasir’s ladies. Shortly after that several covered litters with women were brought to into Asirgad and were visited by Asa’s wife and daughters. Next day another of 200 litters arrived reportedly occupied by Malik Nasir’s family. Asa along with his son went to receive them but to his astonishment instead of women, he found the litters full of armed soldiers who leapt up and murdered Asa and his innocent sons in cold blood. Not a single male child in the family was left alive. The treacherous and cunning Malik Nasir returned from his camp at laling to the Asirgad fort. Shortly after this a disciple of Shaikh Zain Uddin, the tutelary saint of the family came to congratulate Malik Nasir on his success. On his advice, Malik Nasir built two cities on the bank of Tapi, on the east Bank called Zainabad after the Saikh and the other on the west Bank called Burhanpur after Saikh Burhanuddin of Daulatabad. The Burhanpur became the capital of farugui dynasty. IN 1917 Malik Nasir defected his younger brother Malik Iftikar.

On 6th January 1601 Khandesh came under Akbar regime. Khandesh was fancifully named by Akbar a Dandes after his son Daniyal. In 1634 Khandesh was made into a Suba

On 3rd June 1818 the Peshva surrendered himself before British and Khandesh came under British rule.