Bhilwara

Stone Age tools dating from 5,012 to 200,000 years were found in Bundi and Bhilwara districts of the state.^[4]

According to substantiation, the present Bhilwara city had a mint where coins known as 'Bhiladi' were minted and from this denomination was derived the name of the district. And another tall story goes like this the original Adivasi tribe known as Bheel helped Maharana Pratap in the war against Mughal Empire king Akbar lived in Bhilwara region that's this area came to be known as Bheel+Bada (Bheel's area) Bhilwara. Over the years it has emerged as one of the major cities of Rajasthan. Nowadays, Bhilwara is better known as the textile city in the country.

The oldest part of this town was set up in the middle of the 11th century by building a Krishna Radha mandir (temple) that still exists and is known as the Bada Mandir. The area that is now known as Purana Bhilwara (Patwari Mohalla, Junawas, Manikya Nagar Malikhera). In Ancient History, there is also a reference to Arjuna having fought here during the Mahabharata period.

Historical records show that a town named Mandal close to Bhilwara served as the military camp for the Mughals when they conquered Chittaurgarh. The ruins of their campsite can still be seen today. A watch tower that was built on a small mound in Mandal is now a Devi temple.

Bhilwara is located at 25.359854°N 74.652791°E / 25.359854; 74.652791.^[5] It has an average elevation of 421 metres (1381 feet). It falls between the districts of Ajmer (in the north) and Chittorgarh and Udaipur (in the south). Major rivers flowing through the district are Banas, Bedach, Kothari, Khari, Mansi, Menali, Chandrabhaga, and Nagdi.

There is no natural lake in the district but there is a number of ponds and dams so the district is the most irrigated in the state of Rajasthan. It has a small man-made pond Mansarovar Jheel(Pond) near Azad Nagar which is a famous attraction and gets crowded on weekends.

As of the 2011 census official report, Bhilwara Municipal Corporation had 74,184 households and a population of 359,483. 46,812 (13.02%) were under the age of 7. Bhilwara had a sex ratio of 922 females per 1000 males and a literacy rate of 82.20% for those 7 years and above. Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes made up 47,692 (13.27%) and 4,488 (1.25%) of the population respectively.^[13]

According to the 2011 census, 52.58% of the population recorded their language as Hindi, 21.37% Mewari, 18.13% Rajasthani, 2.99% Marwari, 2.14% Urdu and 1.39% Sindhi as their first language.^[14]

Bhilwara is renowned in the world for its textile industry. The major industry is textiles, with more than 850 manufacturing units in the town. The main textile product is the synthetic fabric used in trousers. It began with a spinning and knitting company named Mewar Textile Mills, owned by industrialist Shri Sampatmal Lodha, started in 1938. Thereafter Shri Laxmi Niwas Jhunjhunwala started his first unit for synthetic textiles in 1961 at Bhilwara. Today the fabric manufactured in Bhilwara is exported to many countries around the world.

Bhilwara is known as the textile city of India. The city has a strong presence in the textile industry, with several textile mills and factories located in and around the city. The city is known for its production of high-quality cotton, silk, and woolen fabrics, which are exported to various parts of the world. Apart from textiles, the city is also known for its mining and agriculture industries.

Great Indian miniature artist Badri Lal Chitrakar highlights the city on international maps for Indian miniature art. He was given several awards including the Shilp Guru/Master Craftsperson award by the vice-president of India on 9 September 2006. Bhilwara is famous for its 'Fad Paintings' which are depictions of traditional stories on cloth using naturally available colours. Bhilwara's Phad Artist Shree Lal Joshi contributed greatly to making and saving Phad Painting to whole of India.

Attractions in Bhilwara include the Badnore Fort, Harni Mahadev Temple, Smriti van, Mansarovar Lake, Joganiya Mata Temple, Kyara Ke Balaji, Sanganer Fort, Meja dam, and Pur Udan Chatri.^[16]

Bhilwara has a rich cultural heritage, with several festivals and fairs celebrated throughout the year. The city's most famous festival is the Gangaur festival, which is celebrated in the months of March and April. The festival is dedicated to the Hindu goddess Parvati and is celebrated with great pomp and show.

In recent years, various efforts have been made to document and promote Rajasthan’s cultural heritage through different mediums. One such initiative is "Padharo Mhare Podcast", which explores the traditions, history, and stories of Rajasthan, including Bhilwara’s artistic and cultural contributions. This podcast provides a digital platform for preserving the oral history and folk narratives of the region, helping to keep Rajasthan’s vibrant traditions alive in the modern age.

Overall, Bhilwara is a city that is steeped in history, culture, and tradition. Its textile industry, tourist attractions, and educational institutions make it an important city in Rajasthan and in India as a whole.

Bhilwara has an autonomous engineering college of the Government of Rajasthan known as MLV Textile and Engineering College, which offers courses in engineering, including textile engineering and one Private University named Sangam University. There is also a medical college, Rajmata Vijaya Raje Scindia Medical College.^[17] Bhilwara has several schools and colleges, including engineering and medical colleges. The city is also known for its coaching centers, which provide coaching for various competitive exams like IIT-JEE, NEET, CA/CS/CMA.