YAVATMAL

About ancient trade in Yavatmal, one such site is Pachkhed, a village where recent discoveries point to its possible role in early regional trade routes.

In 2024, a team from the Post-Graduate Department of Ancient Indian History, Culture & Archaeology (AIHC&A) at Rashtrasant Tukadoji Maharaj Nagpur University unearthed an Iron Age smelting site at Pachkhed, dated to around 1500 BCE. The excavation revealed iron smelting furnaces, beads made from precious and semi-precious stones, and potsherds inscribed in Brahmi script. Located on the left bank of the Chandrabhaga River, near its confluence with the Wardha, the site’s position suggests that rivers likely supported the movement of raw materials and finished goods.

Dr. Prabhash Sahu, who led the excavation, noted that Pachkhed appears to have served as an industrial centre for centuries. “The site was used for metal smelting during the Iron Age and later for lime slaking in the Satavahana period,” he explained. Terracotta tiles and a sentry post hint at continued settlement during the medieval period. Dr. Sahu added, “Any industrial centre usually forms along with it trade networks — this correlates the existence of communication across regions.”

The team believes Pachkhed’s location was not random. Prof. Sahu told The Hitavada that they plan to study its connection to “the trade route of the Satavahana period connecting Bhokardan to Pauni,” which would have passed through parts of Vidarbha and linked Pachkhed to larger regional exchange systems.

Yavatmal’s railways are part of the Central Railway Zone, under the Bhusawal Division. While not as extensive as some neighbouring districts, this network has a unique history shaped by the region’s cotton economy and early private railway initiatives.

One of the district’s most distinctive railway lines is the Murtizapur–Yavatmal narrow gauge route, which is notably still recognised as India’s only privately owned railway line. This line was originally built in 1915 by the Central Provinces Railway Company (CPRC) to transport raw cotton from Yavatmal’s farmlands to the major Bombay–Nagpur–Calcutta railway corridor, making it possible for cotton to reach Mumbai’s port and, from there, the textile mills of Manchester in England.

Interestingly, in 1916, the line began to carry passengers too, providing a vital transport option for villages that often lacked proper roads. The train that runs on this line, the Shakuntala Express, became a familiar sight for generations. It was originally pulled by a steam engine imported from Manchester and switched to a diesel locomotive in 1994. Despite buses now offering faster journeys, the Shakuntala Express still serves as an affordable way for residents in rural parts of Yavatmal to reach nearby towns — keeping a unique piece of railway heritage in use even today.

Another important chapter in Yavatmal’s railway story is the Majari–Rajur broad gauge branch line, which opened on 4 May 1925. This stretch, at the time, connected the town of Wani with Rajur (both lie in Yavatmal district), and was built to link the region’s coal and agricultural areas with the larger Delhi–Chennai Grand Trunk route. This connection, at the time, gave local traders and producers better access to bigger markets across India.

The Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) has long been the backbone of bus transport in Yavatmal district. It remains as the major provider for both inter-district and rural bus travel. Its routes link Yavatmal town with larger cities like Nagpur, Amravati, and Wardha, while also reaching smaller villages that depend on regular bus services for school, work, and access to markets.

Interestingly, organised public bus services in the district first took shape in 1946, when the initial depot began operating just five routes, connecting Yavatmal to nearby towns such as Nagpur, Dhamangaon, and Ralegaon. At the time, these early routes were crucial for linking rural communities that had limited access to rail or reliable roads. Notably, by 1965, it is noted in the district Gazetteer (1974) that the local network had grown to cover at least 18 routes run by the Yavatmal depot alone, with private bus operators gradually complementing state services to meet rising demand.

One of the earliest newspapers recorded in Yavatmal district was Hari Kishor, a Marathi weekly edited by Narhar Vithal Bhave, which circulated during the colonial period. According to the district Gazetteer (1974), Hari Kishor had a circulation of about 750 copies by 1909 and interestingly, regularly published articles on nationalist topics. The paper’s editors invited Bal Gangadhar Tilak to Yavatmal from Amravati, reflecting its role in early political mobilisation. Hari Kishor later came under suppression during British rule (see Political History for more).

In recent decades, the district has become part of the circulation area for larger Marathi dailies such as Divya Marathi, Lokmat, and Nava Rashtra, which maintain strong readerships in Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, and Chhattisgarh. Notably, both Lokmat and Nava Rashtra include special sections focusing on local developments in Yavatmal, providing coverage of community issues, rural affairs, and ground-level reporting that connects local stories with wider regional news.