Vaijapur is a city and a municipal council in Aurangabad District in the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is bordered by the Nashik districts to the west, Kannad tehsil to the north, Gangapur tehsil to the east, and Ahmednagar districts to the south. Vaijapur is the headquarters of Vaijapur tehsil and also known as the Gateway of Marathwada.
History
Battle of Palkhed In 1719 Nizam-ul-Mulk who had been appointed the governor of Malva by the Mughal Emperor rose against the Sayyid Brothers and marched to the Deccan. He was followed by a large force under Dilawar ‘Ali Khan, and another army advanced against him from Aurangabad, commanded by the acting viceroy, ‘Alam ‘Ali Khan. Nizam-ul-Mulk first encountered the former, and Dilawar ‘Ali Khan was defeated and killed in engagement at Ratanpur, sixteen kos from Burhanpur. ‘Alam Ali Khan was at Fardapur when news arrived of Husain ‘Ali Khan, who was advancing to his assistance from Agra. He preferred, however, to hazard a battle, and was defeated and killed Burhanpur on 1 August 1720. Nizam-ul-Mulk proceeded to Aurangabad, where he was joined by Mubariz Khan, the subadar of Hyderabad, and other officers.22 Nizam-ul-mulk now established himself firmly in the Deccan. Next year saw the downfall of the Sayyad brothers and elevation of Nizam-ul-mulk as prime minister of the Mughal Empire. He took charge of his new post in 1722.1 But tired of court intrigues retired to the Deccan in 1724 when he crushed Mbariz Khan, the governor of Hyderabad in the battle of Sakharkherda which he later renamed Fatteh Kharda fought in October 1724.2 From this date the Nizam became virtually independent of Moghal power. In the next two years the Nizam consolidated his hold in the eastern parts of the province. His real enemies, however, were the Marathas who under the dynamic leadership of Peshva Bajirao were fast growing into an all-India power. In 1727 Nizam-ul-mulk opened his campaign against the Marathas. Bajirao, also made his preparations. He laid waste the district of Jalna in the cold season of 1727, and ‘Iwaz Khan with Asaf Jah's advanced guard partially engaged him. The Marathas retired to Mahur, and then turned rapidly towards Aurangabad and made for Burhanpur followed by ‘Iwaz Khan and ‘Asaf Jah. After crossing the Ajanta ghat, Bajirao started off for Gujarat; while ‘Asaf Jah relieved Burhanpur, and returned to Aurangabad with the intention of advancing on Pune. ‘Asaf Jah went as far as Ahmadnagar, when Bajirav also returned in 1728, and crossing the Kasar Bari ghat, laid waste the talukas of Vaijapur and Gangapur. ‘Asaf Jah's Maratha allies rendered him but little assistance, and he was much harassed by the enemy. There was also great scarcity of water. The Maratha forces surrounded him at Palkhed where a battle was fought in March 1728 and forced him to sign a treaty by which the Nizam agreed to acknowledge Shahu as the head of the Marathas, and as entitled to collect chauth and sardeshmuki in the Deccan. This treaty is a landmark in the history of the Nizams as the Marathas now obtained a full right to post their officers for the collection of chauth and sardeshmukhi in the territory of the Nizam.Gazetter of Aurangabad district/Aurangabad
Geography Vaijapur is located at . Vaijapur, situated on the Narangi river. Vaijapur is located 514 m (1,666 ft) above sea level on the western margin of the Deccan plateau.
Toponymy Regarding the origin of Vaijapur which was also known as Baizapur, it is related that a certain Kunbi struck upon a linga while ploughing his field. He installed this linga in a temple to Vaijanath and hence the village came to be known as Vaijapur. Yet another story tells that a certain princess Vaija was converted by a Muhammedan saint and that after her death she was laid to rest in the tomb of that saint. To commemorate this event the village was termed as Vaijapur or Baizapur. The town gives glimpses of its former prosperity in the handsome stone buildings which were erected by the savakars or capitalists of the place. The basement of the structures and the lower half of the walls are constructed of huge stone slabs, cemented and bolted together. Large kiln-burn bricks have been employed in building the upper portions of the walls, and the roofs are terraced. The town had a population of 16,660 in 1971. It also has a medium-size project on Nārangi-Sārangi river junction, for water supply to the Vaijapur city.
Municipality Vaijapur was constituted a municipality in 1944 and according to the 1961 census its jurisdiction extended over an area of 13.6 square miles. The municipal affairs are managed by a committee of 21 members presided over by the president who is elected by the members from among themselves. Necessary administrative staff has been appointed to look after the various municipal departments. In 1973–74 municipal income and expenditure amounted to Rs. 8,04,000 and Rs. 6,81,000 respectively.
Climate The climate of the district is characterized by a hot summer and a general dryness throughout the year except during the southwest monsoon season, which is from June to September while October and November constitute the post-monsoon season. The winter season commences towards the end of November when temperatures begin to fall rapidly. December is the coldest month with the mean maximum temperature of 28.9 °C, while the mean minimum temperature is 10.3 °C. From the beginning of March, the daily temperature increases continuously. May is the hottest month with the mean maximum temperature of 39.8 °C and the mean minimum temperature of 24.6 °C. With the onset of the southwest monsoon by about the second week of June, the temperature falls appreciably. Except during the southwest monsoon season, when the relative humidity is high, the air is generally dry over the district. The summer months are the driest when the relative humidity is generally between 20 and 25% in the afternoon. Winds are generally light to moderate with increase in speed during the latter half of the hot season and in the monsoon season. The winds flow predominantly from directions between west and north during the hot season. They are mostly from directions between southwest and northwest during the southwest monsoon season. They blow mostly from the directions between northeast and southeast during the rest of the year becoming southwesterly to north westerly in January and February.
Demographics India census, Vaijapur had a population of 37,002. Males constitute 52% of the population and females 48%. Vaijapur has an average literacy rate of 70%, higher than the national average of 59.5%: male literacy is 77%, and female literacy is 62%. In Vaijapur, 14% of the population is under 6 years of age. Vaijapur consists of 164 villages and has 7 revenue circle. The main occupation in the tehsil area is agriculture. Marathi is the official and most widely spoken language, while Hindi, Ahirani, Marwari, Rajputi dialect and English are understood and spoken widely.
Religion in Vaijapur city
Religion in Vaijapur Taluka
Hinduism is strong in Vaijapur Taluka with 85% which is more than Average 69% of Aurangabad district. Muslims constitute 10% of the population. Navayana Buddhism is practiced by 3–4% of the population.
Geological setting Deccan trap of the Late Cretaceous-Palaeogene comprising lava flows of basaltic composition, occupy the whole area of the tehsil. Quaternary alluvium occupies the Godavari valley and well exposed south of Vaijapur and comprises gravel beds, sands, silts, and clay.Director General, GSI, Calcutta, District resources map, Aurangabad District, Maharashtra, 1999
Soil The most important soils of the district are the black clayey soils on plains interspersed with occasional stretches of shallow soils on ridges. In the north, the soils are shallow and poor and in the south they are deep and fertile and particularly so in the Godavari valley. They are all derived from Deccan trap. The soils can be classified as light, medium and heavy according to the depth, texture and location.
Rivers Godavari -The Godavari forms nearly the entire southern boundary from Dongaon about 3 kilometres above Puntamba to Chendufal. Narangi River -The Narangi rises on the southern slopes of the water divide to the south of the Maniyad river a little above Naral village and flows past Vaijapur. A little below the latter, it is joined by the Deo nala, flowing from Nasik district. It has a fairly long south by southwesterly course before its point of entry into the Godavari is carried a little down the latter. It is joined by the Chor nala from the west and Kurla nala from the east. Narali-The Narali nala is a small stream rising above Jambargaon on a low divide and after passing by Virgaon joins the Godavari at Dak Pimpalgaon. Shivna-The Shivna is a much larger river than any of the streams mentioned above and is a master stream of the western part of Aurangabad district. The Shivna rises on the eastern slopes of the Ajanta range just east of the trijunction of Jalgaon, Nasik and Aurangabad districts above Kalanki village and has a fairly long easterly course as far as Kannad town draining the entire area lying between the Ajanta range on the north and the Surpalnath range on the south. Near Kannad it is joined by several streams draining the Ajanta range and the northern part of the Ellora range, inclusive of the one which rises on the southern slopes of the Satmala hill. South of Kannad, the Shivna after flowing beyond the eastern extremity of the Surpalnath range, is relieved of the restrictive influence of the latter and flows in a southwesterly direction as far as Baigaon, where it turns and flows almost in a southerly course up to Katepimpalgaon. Here it turns and flows in a southeasterly course to join the Godavari at Sawkheda. Thus the river has an initial easterly course, then a southwesterly course, then a southerly course and lastly a southeasterly course. These changing directions of flow depict the lines of structural lines of weakness in the basal rocks. Bori nala.-The westernmost significant tributary of the Shivna is Bori nala which rises above HilaIpur on the low water divide separating it from the Maniyad. Near Kolhi where the ShiynaVaijapur road crosses the Bori is located the Kolhi Project. After passing by Borsar, Bhaigaon, Parsoda and Karanjgaon it turns and flows southwards to join the Shivna above Katepimpalgaon below the confluence of the Dheku. Dheku-The Dheku nala rises in the Gorakhnath and Kapilanath hills of the Ajanta range above Dheku. village in Nasik district and flows in a southerly course as Tunki, where it turns and flows in southeasterly course. It covers an area of 410 km2 and lies between latitudes 12°152 N to 19°552 N and longitudes 74°452 E to 75°002 E and falls in the Survey of India Toposheet 46L/ 16 and 47I/13. The Karali nala, a similar stream flowing a little eastwards joins the Dheku. The headworks of the Dheku Project are located below this confluence and upstream of Bhatana village. Below Bhatana the river flows in a more southerly course and after running nearly parallel to the Shivna for more than 20 km., joins the latter upstream of Katepimpalgaon.Aher, K.R. and S.M. Deshpande, 2015. Hydrogeochemical characteristic and assessment of water quality in Dheku basin, Aurangabad, India. J. Applied Geochem., 17: 41-49 Khari-The Khari nala rises in the Ajanta range and after an initial course in Nasik district enters this district. Soon it is joined by the Chamandara nala and the combined stream flows southeastwards and joins the Shivna near Bharagaon.