Sirur Town (or Ghodnadi)

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This article has been extracted from THE IMPERIAL GAZETTEER OF INDIA , 1908. OXFORD, AT THE CLARENDON PRESS.

Note: National, provincial and district boundaries have changed considerably since 1908. Typically, old states, ‘divisions’ and districts have been broken into smaller units, and many tahsils upgraded to districts. Some units have since been renamed. Therefore, this article is being posted mainly for its historical value.

Sirur Town (or Ghodnadi)

Head-quarters of the taluka of the same name in Poona District, Bombay, situated in 18° 50' N. and 74° 20' E., on the Ghod river, 36 miles north-east of Poona city and 34 miles south-west of Ahmadnagar. Elevation, about 1,750 feet above sea-level. Population (1901), 7,212. The country around is hilly and uncultivated. Sirur has been a municipality since 1868, with an average income during the decade ending 1901 of Rs. 12,000. In 1903-4 the income was Rs. 13,000. It contains many money-lenders, traders, and shopkeepers, who trade in cloth and grain. At the weekly market on Saturdays large numbers of cattle and horses are sold. The garrison of Sirur consists of a regiment of native cavalry. The most notable monument in the cemetery is the tomb of colonel W.Wallace (1809), who is still remembered at Sirur as Sat Purush, 'the holy man.' Except Brahmans and Marwaris, all the Hindus of Sirur and neighbouring villages worship at Colonel Wallace's tomb. At harvest- lime the villagers bring firstfruits of grain as naivedya or 'food for the saintly spirit.' At a hamlet about 2 miles south of the town a Hindu fair attended by about 3,000 persons is held yearly in March or April. The town contains five boys' schools with 385 pupils, and two girls' schools with 177. A branch of the American Marathi Mission maintains two orphanages and four schools, including an industrial school. One of the late members of the mission planted an extensive agave plantation here, the plants having been specially procured from Mexico. A branch of the Salvation Army was founded in 1 893.