Neemuch or Nimach is a city in the Malwa region. Neemuch crowns the north western part of Madhya Pradesh. It has been also referred to city of Nature and Peace. The town shares its northwestern border with the state of Rajasthan and is the administrative headquarters of Neemuch District. Formerly a large British cantonment of Gwalior princely state, in 1822 the town became the headquarters of the combined Rajputana–Malwa political agency and of the Malwa Agency in 1895. The British Cantonment was disbanded in 1932 after which it was maintained by a British Municipal Board.
Etymology
A number of myths surround the name Neemuch. One is that the city received its name because of the large number of Neem trees found here. While other story states that city's first dwellers belonged to Meena caste, leading to the name "Meenuch", which over time became Neemuch. A further theory is that "Nimach" is an abbreviation of "North India Mounted Artillery and Cavalry Headquarters".
History
It became a British cantonment of the Gwalior princely state, except for short periods in 1794 and 1844 and 1965. The Cant area of Neemuch was a planned town constructed by the British as a local military headquarters for the region. The Neemuch cantonment played a significant role in the Indian Rebellion of 1857 and was the centre of disturbances in Malwa. After the end of rebellion and transfer of power directly to the British crown in the Raj, Neemuch has always climbed the stairs of progress and success.
Geography
Neemuch district is part of the Ujjain Division. It borders Rajasthan to the west and north and Mandsaur district to the east and south. It was split from Mandsaur District on 30 June 1998.
The city is divided into three main parts: Neemuch city, Chhavani, and Baghana.
Chhavani is the main commercial area hosting Pustak bazzar, Dusshera maidan, Satya Path, Tilak Marg, Budha Gopal street, Bohra gali, Rabindranath Tagore Marg and Sabji Mandi, bus stand, timber market, Ambedkar road and Nasirabad - Mhow National highway no. 56 and Neemuch - Bhopal State Highway no. 87.
Baghana is widely known for its 'Anaj Mandi'.
Economy
Neemuch is known for Krishi Upaj Mandi (Agriculture Produce Market). This is main market for all the livelihood and another attraction is CRPF.
Neemuch was the birthplace of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) in 1939 and is home to a large scale army recruitment centre for the organisation. The CRPF still maintains part of Neemuch's British Military Cantonment, which was the first of its kind in India. After independence Neemuch and the Baghana area were included in the municipal area. Neemuch is known as India's Eye donation capital as it accounts for the highest per capita eye donation rate in the country. Neemuch also has Asia's largest opium alkaloid processing plant which is a government-owned company named- Opium and Alkaloid Works. It is a road junction and distribution centre for agricultural products. Handloom weaving is the major industry here.
Neemuch is a dominant trading place in the food processing industry and has many cooking oil mills, solvent extraction plants, pulses processing plants, dehydration plants, herbal extraction plants and isabgol husk plants.
Neemuch district is one of the largest producers of opium in the country. Neemuch also has one of the only two opium factories in India. Major exportable items are isabgol, ashwagandha and many kind of herbs, methi, ajwain, coriander, soybean products like oil, de-oiled cake, soya paneer, soya papar, soy milk, garlic powder, onion powder, dehydrated flakes of onion and garlic, red chili powder , leather garments, and artificial jewelry.
Milestones
Welspun Solar MP project, Bhagwanpura, Diken
Welspun Solar MP project is one of the largest solar power plant in Asia, inaugurated by Narendra Modi, as BJP's prime ministerial candidate. It is a 151 megawatt photo-voltaic power station constructed at a cost of 1,100 crore rupees (about $182,000,000) on 305 hectares (750 acres) of land operating since February 2014 at Neemuch.
Gomabai Netralaya
An ophthalmic centre that under the leadership of G.D. Agrawal and the help of Ramji Lal Goyal, GomabaiNetralaya was established at Neemuch in 1992. Within a span of a decade, it has become one of the leading ophthalmic centres in India. Neemuch, though situated in Madhya Pradesh, is located close to Rajasthan and Gujarat. GomabaiNetralaya has played a key role in achieving the highest per capita rate of eye donation in India for Neemuch and the facilities provided by the institute for performing penetrating keratoplasty, can provide a complete solution to the problem of corneal blindness in the region. GomabaiNetralaya is also involved in a continuous process of educating staff and conducting research into the cause and cure of blinding eye diseases.
Food Park
Located at village Jhanjharwada and Dhamaniya and Soniyana village of Neemuch district (M.P). The proposed food park assumes a sizing of 55.74 ha or 137 acres, as an outcome of detailed demand assessment and infrastructure planning. The land reportedly houses mineral deposits worth Rs 2,500 crores. The mineral is rare across the world, and the situation is same in India. This is being developed under Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor (DMIC).
Tourism and places of interest
Shri Kileshwar Mahadev Temple
The most important festival of Neemuch is the Shivratri festival which is celebrated every year in the month of March at this temple. Religious tourism to the Kileshwar temple also contributes to the local economy as 50,000 devotees from the town and nearby visit during Shivratri. This festival is arranged and managed by the Municipal Council of Neemuch. The temple is also used as a picnic spot for school children as it consists of a small amusement park and large ground covered with grass.
Sukhanandji Ashram
Sukhanandji Ashram or Sukhanand Dham is situated at a distance of about 32 km from Nimach on the border of Rajasthan in an ancient rock cave. There is a temple of Shiva here. There is a spring of perennial water. It is said to be founded by Śuka, the son of Vedavyasa.A character in a number of Puranic texts belonging to various traditions, mainly Vaishnavism. He is believed to be a son of Vyasadeva. It also believed that Vedavyasa first wrote Bharata-Samhita which contained twenty-four thousand verses (slokas) and taught that to his son Śuka.
Nava Toran temple, Khor
Nava Toran temple or Nav Toran Temple at village Khor is in a ruined condition. It contains a proch, mahamandapa and garbhagriha and pradakshinapth. It has a Siva linga in the sanctum. The exterior is ornamented with simple mouldings (c.12th century). This monument has been declared to be of national importance under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1958 (24 of 1958).
Gandhi Sagar Sanctuary
Gandhi Sagar Sanctuary is a wildlife sanctuary situated on the northern boundary of Mandsaur and Neemuch districts in Madhya Pradesh. It is spread over an area of 368.62 km square adjoining Rajasthan state in India. It was notified in 1974 and more area was added in 1983. The Chambal River passes through the sanctuary and divides into two parts. The western part is in Neemuch district and eastern part is in Mandsaur district.
Morwan Dam
Morwan Dam is 24 km from Neemuch and constructed on river Gambhiri. It is mainly used for irrigation and water supply to nearby places. Boating facilities are also available. Frequent buses are available to reach there (Neemuch-Singoli-Kota Road).
Bhadwa Mata Temple
The Bhadwamata Temple is situated 19 km from Neemuch town in Bhadva village. It is believed that who so ever takes bath in the Baori situated in the temple premises get cured of paralysis and Polio. During Nav Ratri a 9 days long festival takes place in this temple where about two lac devotes from all over the country visit this temple. Apart from that temple, there is one more temple in the near vicinity of Neemuch town namely Bhanwarmata (25 km).
Aantri Mata Temple
Aantri Mata Temple is situated at Antri village at the distance of 54 km from Neemuch. The temple is famous for boon of Mata Aantri devi. Thouands of pilgrims visits here in Navratri and Diwali.
Sports
Neemuch has a rich sporting history, especially in soccer. Despite being a small town, Neemuch has produced a number of players who have played in the Indian soccer league. Neemuch has about 12 local soccer clubs which participate in the tournament organized by local municipal council every year. Football teams are the Central Reserve Police (Neemuch) and Neemuch XI.
Neemuch's Olympic size swimming pool, known as Padm Taran Pushkar, was inaugurated in 1978. It has 1-metre and 3-metre springboards, and 5-metre and 10-metre-high (33 ft) diving platforms.
Transportation:
Rail
Neemuch is an important broad gauge railway station of Ajmer — Ratlam route. Neemuch railway station was constructed by the British in 1880. It has direct links to Ratlam, Ujjain via Nagda and Kota and Bundi in Rajasthan via Chittorgarh. It is about 140 km from Ratlam and 60 km from Chittorgarh by rail and road.
Road
Neemuch has a network of district roads and National Highway 79 connecting with other cities of this district, Madhya Pradesh state and neighbouring Rajasthan state. NH 79 links it to Ajmer, Chittor and Ratlam of MP. The state highway connects the city with Udaipur in Rajasthan via Chhoti Sadri. Except for the national highway, district roads going to Singoli and Manasa are maintained by state PWD whereas the city roads are maintained by the municipal council. The roads within the CRPF area are maintained by the central government. This city has one bus stand.
Air
An airstrip also exists on the south of the railway line near Jaisinghpura village. The operating agency is the Indian Air Force.