Vidarbha | |
|---|---|
      Clockwise from top left: Court in Amravati, Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium, Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve, Anand Sagar, Daitya Sudan Temple, and Lonar Lake | |
 | |
| Country | India |
| State | Maharastra |
| District(s) | Akola, Amravati, Bhandara, Buldhana, Chandrapur, Gadchiroli, Gondia, Nagpur, Wardha, Washim, Yavatmal |
| Largest city | Nagpur |
| Population (2011) | |
• Total | 23,003,179 |
| Time zone | Indian Standard Time |
Vidarbha (Pronunciation: [ʋid̪əɾbʱə]) is a geographical region in the west Indian state of Maharashtra. Forming the eastern part of the state, it comprises Amravati (earlier Berar) and Nagpur divisions. As per the 2011 Census, the region had a population of 23,003,179. The region occupies 31.6% of the total area and is home to 21.3% of the total population of Maharashtra. Situated in central India, it borders the state of Madhya Pradesh to the north, Chhattisgarh to the east, Telangana to the south and Marathwada and Uttar Maharashtra regions of Maharashtra to the west.
According to the Hindu epic Mahabharata, Rukmini, the wife of lord Krishna, was born to Bhishmaka, the king of the Vidarbha kingdom. Vidarbha was part of the Satavahana Empire during 1st to 2nd century CE). The coins and inscriptions from the period of Paramara king Jagadeva, the son of the Udayaditya (reigned c. 1060–1086) have been found in the northern parts the region. According to the Ain-i-Akbari, the region was part of Berar Subah, in the Medieval period. In 1680, the region was captured by Sambhaji, the son of Shivaji, who was the founder of Maratha empire. In 1724, Asaf Jah, who later became the Nizam of Hyderabad, declared independence and brought most of the region under his nominal rule. The administration and right of collecting taxes were held by the Marathas. In 1803, following the defeat of the Marathas, the region came under the rule of British East India Company. Later, the British Empire took control of the region from the British East India Company in 1857. After Indian Independence in 1947, the region was part of the Bombay State. After the Re-organization of Indian states, majority of the region became part of Maharashtra in 1960.
The GDP of the region is estimated to be ₹5,445.4 billion (US$65 billion) 2022-23. The economy of the region is largely dependent on agriculture with oranges and cotton being the major crops. The region also holds considerable mineral resources and forest cover. The region is economically under developed compared to the rest of Maharashtra with considerable poverty and malnutrition. Agriculture is largely dependent on seasonal monsoons and the region receives very less rainfall due to its location in the rain shadow region of the Western Ghats. Droughts and famines are common with more than 1.4 lakh farmer suicides in the period 1997 to 2006.
The largest and major city in the region is Nagpur and other major towns include Amravati, Akola, Chandrapur and Gondia. Varhadi and Zadi dialects of Marathi is widely spoken. There have been demands for a separate state of Vidarbha, due to perceived neglect from the Government of Maharashtra. While the demand is supported by major political parties BJP and Congress, it is opposed by Shiv Sena, one of the major regional political parties in the state.