Barshi

Barshi is a city located in Barshi Sub district of Solapur District of Maharashtra State of Republic of India. Barshi is second largest city in Solapur District. It is a hub for business, industry and tourism. Barshi is densely populated. Barshi has high number of lentil industries. Barshi is forthcoming as medical and educational center for rural masses from nearby Marathwada region.Barshi is known as entrance of 'Marathwada'.Barshi is famous for "Bhagwant Mandir".

Demographics
Barshi is a city located in Barshi Sub district of Solapur District of Maharashtra State. Barshi is second largest city in Solapur District. It is a hub for business, industry and tourism. Barshi is densely populated.

Barsi
 projected India census, Barshi has a population of 100000. Males constitute 51% of the population and females 49%. Barshi has an average literacy rate of 87%, higher than the national average of 59.5%; with 56% of the males and 44% of females literate. 12% of the population is under 6 years of age. It had, as per the Census of 1971, a total population of 62,374.

Municipality
The municipality was established at Barshi in 1865. It covers an area of  and is now governed under the Maharashtra Municipalities Act, 1965. The municipal council is composed of thirty-three members with three seats being reserved for women and two for scheduled castes. The municipal council has six committees: the standing committee, the public works committee, the education committee, the sanitation, medical and public health committee, the water-supply and drainage committee and the planning and development committee to look after the various aspects of municipal administration. The Chief Officer is the executive head of the municipality and is assisted by the Health Officer, the Municipal Engineer, the Octroi Superintendent, the Internal Auditor and the Chief Accountant and other ministerial staff.

For public convenience the municipality maintains two vegetable markets, one mutton market and one fish market. The open-air theatre-cum-mangal Karyalaya has been constructed at a cost of about Rs. 67,000. The municipality conducts one hospital and an ayurvedic dispensary. The veterinary dispensary is managed by the Zilla Parishad. Primary education has been made compulsory in the town and is conducted by the municipal school board. The municipality spends annually about Rs. 4,00,000 on primary education. The underground drainage system has not been introduced in the town as yet. There are open and covered gutters and the arrangements are made by the municipal council for the removal of night-soil. Wells and the Pathari tank form the main sources of water-supply. Pumping sets have been installed on wells within the municipal area. The municipality maintains one fire-fighter and the necessary staff. The total length of roads in the municipal limit is approximately , of which a length of about  is asphalted, about  metalled and about  unmetalled. The cremation and burial places are maintained by the municipality.

Bhagvant Temple
Bhagvant temple is dedicated to Shri Vishnu. The uniqueness of this temple is that this is the only temple of Shri Vishnu all over India having Shri Vishnu’s name as BHAGAVANT.

The temple was built in 1245 A.D. in Hemadpanthi style. There are four entries to the temple from all the four directions, but the main entry is east-facing.

There is one GARUDKHAMB in front of Garbhagraha. The idol of main deity Shri Bhagvant is in black stone having SHANKH, CHAKRA andGADA is in the hands and picture of devotee king Ambrish below the right hand. Shri Laxmi is on the back of Bhagvant idol. Shivlinga is there on the forehead and marks of Footsteps of Bhrigu Rishi on the chest of the deity.

There are old records showing the grants released by Shri Nanasaheb Peshve in the year 1760, by East India Company in 1823 and by British Government in 1784.

The temple management is looked after by a Panch Committee. Badves carry out the work of daily rituals of the temple. The daily rituals include Kakada Arti, Nitya Puja, Mahapuja in the morning, Dhuparti in the evening and Shejarti in the
night.

A large number of devotees visit during the Chaitri, Maghi, Aashadi & kartiki (Hindu Months) Ekadashi.

During the Aashadi & Kartiki Ekadashi a large procession is taken out covering the town with Bhagvant riding on Garuda. A CHABINA is taken out on every full moon day.

Ritual at Sri Bhagawanta Mandir:

Every morning at five Lord Bhagawanta is woken up with the Kakad arati adorations to the accompaniment of the sound of the cymbals.  Several devotees, both men and women, attend these morning devotions. They bring the offerings of sugar, fruits, milk, curds and butter.  The traditional honour of the Kakad of Bhagawant Mandir is with Sri Dattatreya Krishnath Patil. The priest is particular about continuing this convention. It was Sri Bhaurao Tatya Patil who took up the onus of Bhagawant Kakad way back, a tradition that has been passed down the generations.

At the time of Kakad arati, the Lord is first adored with ghee lamps and then the priest changes the cloak and offerings of fruits and sugar are made.  The lotus feet of the Lord are washed with warm water. Incense is waved, milk offered in silver vessels and then a pancharati performed. After this Sri Ganapati and Varun are worshipped with blowing of conch. The priest puts a blob of butter in Lord’s mouth. Then He is anointed with milk, curds, ghee, sugar and honey. Lord Bhagawanta is given a bath with water showered out of His silver pail.  This water is considered equal in merit to Bhagirathi and sprinkled upon the devotees assembled. After this follows the karpur arati and hymns and praises are sung by the devotees.  After the Lord has bathed and put on new clothes, He is given an offering of khichadi. This is being taken care of by the local business community— Sri Nanasaheb Budukh and Sri Balasaheb Kokate are looking at this aspect presently.

In the afternoon, the Brahmins of town, Deshpande, Budukh, Joshi, Patil, Deshmukh etc. provide the naivedya/repast for Lord Bhagawanta. The priests bring this from the homes of the respective families.  Many are the offerings made on occasions such as Gudi Padva, Dasera, Diwali etc.

Educational institutes
The city is well known in the region for its state of the art educational institutions and nearby districts and tehsils depends upon these educational facilities.
Major Pre Schools -
1 Shishuvihar Barshi.

Major Primary Schools -

1. Maharashtra Vidyalaya, Barshi.

2. Navin Marathi Vidyalaya, Barshi

3. Nutan Marathi Vidyalaya, Barshi

4. Jijamata Primary School, Barshi

5. Mahatma Phule Primary School, Barshi

6. MIT's Smt. Prayag Karad Vishwashanti English Medium Primary School, Barshi

7. Datta Prathmik Vidyamandir, Vaiduwadi, Barshi

8. Phoenix Podar Learn school, Alipur Road, Barshi

9.Saint Joseph's English Medium School, Barshi

Apart from these there are 19 primary schools run by Municipality. Most are Marathi medium but 2 Urdu and 1 Gujarati medium schools are also there.

Major High Schools -

1 Silver Jubilee High School, Barshi

2 Saint Joseph's English Medium School, Barshi

3 Sojar English Medium School, Barshi

4 Barshi Technical High School, Barshi

5 Sheth Agarchand Kunkulol High School, Barshi

6 Maharashtra Vidyalaya, Barshi

7 Anglo-Urdu High School, Barshi

8 Adarsh Highschool, Shendri.

9 Model High School, Barshi

10 Sulakhe High school, Barshi

11 New Highschool, Kuslamb

12 Z.P. School, Dhanore (Every Village Have ZP Schools)

13 Nagnath Highschool, Ghari

Junior and Senior Colleges -

1 Shree Shivaji Mahavidyalaya  (Shri Shivaji Sikshan Prasarak Manadal - founded by Karmaveer Mamasaheb Jagdale)

2 Shriman Bhausaheb Zadbuke College

3 B.P. Sulakhe Commerce College - SSSPM's Polytechnic, Barshi - Karmveer Institute of Information Technology(K.I.I.T.)

4 Sulakhe junior science college, Barshi

These institutions serves the higher educational needs of the town as well as surrounding region.
Sarvodaya Shikshan Prasarak Mandal, Chare is one of the educational institute run Schools and colleges in Barshi Taluka.
The Junior College of education (Adhyapak Vidyalaya Chare) Chare is one of oldest D. Ed. colleges founded by Mr Sambhajirao Jagdale and Late Shree Madhukar Kisan More (sir).

Barshi is one of the best leading centers in the field of IT.

There are about 35 Computer Institutes like Shree Computers, Suyash Computers, Promtech Computers, Samarth computers keeping city up to date. There are also various institutions providing competitive professional education such as BA, B.Com, BSC, BCA, BCS, B.P.Ed, M.P.Ed, M.Sc, Agri, Engg, Diploma, ATD, Pharmacy, ITI, etc.

Recently renowned educationalist Dr. Vishwanath Karad announced his plans to establish state of the art Medical institution in the city. ( at the place of old textile mill - Lokmanya Mills) & also establish india's first private engineering college dedicated to Railway Sector from 2017-18.

Technical Education:
 MAEER's MIT College of Railway Engineering & Research, Barshi [India's firsts private engineering college dedicated to Railway Sector] [DTE Code - EN 6901] for more info visit the web site www.mitcorer.edu.in  
 BIT Engineering college, Barshi
 S.S.S.P.M Polytechnic, Barshi provides Diploma courses in the stream of Industrial Electronics, Civil and Computer sciences.
This is one of the very few institute offering diploma course in Industrial Electronics department.
At the place of KIIT which becomes now School of Nursing which gives diploma in nursing.
Tushar Polytechnic, Vairag.
S.B.Z. Institute of Polytechnic, Puri.

Healthcare facility
Nurgis dutt cancer hospital is one of the leading hospital having multidisciplinary approach.

Transport
Barshi is situated: At East-Osmanabad, Latur, Tuljapur, Paranda, kallamb At West-Pandharpur, Madha, Pune. At North-Bhoom, Beed, Ahmednagar. At South-Solapur, Akkalkot, Dudhani.

Barshi is connected with NH65 and NH52 by NH63 and NH548C. At west NH65 and East NH52. NH65 is 60 km away at Tembhurni, Solapur District Itself. NH52 Is 30 km away at Yermala Cross, Osmanabad District as its neighbor district.

The National Highway 63 and NH548C which goes through Barshi city will be upgraded to 4 lane.
Highway.

Barshi Town Central (BTC) Railway Station
Barshi is connected by railways with Mumbai, Pune, Hyderabad, Nagpur, Kolhapur, Sangli, Baramati, Pandharpur, Bidar, Latur,.

See also
 Bhonsale
 Maratha
 Maratha Empire
 List of Maratha dynasties and states
 Shripat Pimpri

References

1. http://solapur.gov.in/htmldocs/1977/places_Barshi.html

External links 

Satellite View of Barshi Town Railway Station

Category:Cities and towns in Solapur district
Category:Talukas in Maharashtra
Category:Cities in Maharashtra