Bhomat
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| Bhomat | |
|---|---|
| Bhumat (Hindi: भोमट or भूमट) | |
| Floor elevation | 800 ft (240 m) |
| Length | 94 km (58 mi) |
| Width | 56 km (35 mi) |
| Area | 1,233 km2 (476 mi2) |
| Geology | |
| Type | Quartzite, Phyllite, Gneisses, Schist, Dolomitic marble |
| Geography | |
| Location | Rajasthan, India |
| Borders on | Girwa and Kherwara tehsils of Udaipur district (east), Gogunda tehsil of Udaipur district (north), Sirohi district (west), Gujarat (south) |
| Coordinates | 24°26′N 73°18′E / 24.433°N 73.300°E |
| Traversed by | NH 76 |
| Rivers | Sabarmati River, Wakal River, Som River |
 Interactive map of Bhomat | |
Bhomat (also referred to as Bhumat; Hindi: भोमट or भूमट) is a mountainous and forested area in southern Rajasthan, covering all or parts of the tehsils of Kotra, Jhadol and Kherwara in Udaipur district.[1] During British rule, the region was also referred to as 'Hilly Tracts of Mewar'.[2][3][4]
Geography
The Bhomat region is 25 to 50 kilometres (20 to 30 mi) wide in the east-west direction and stretches approximately 94 kilometres (58 mi) in the north-south axis. It covers approximately 1,233 square kilometres (476 mi2).Geographically, Bhomat is divided in three sub-regions: its western area is called Bhader (Hindi: भाडेर), the central area is called Wakal (after the Wakal River; Hindi: वाकल) and the eastern area is called Khadak (Hindi: खड़क).[6] Primary rivers of the Bhomat are Sabarmati, Vakal, and Som.[6]
History
In the 15th century, Rana Kumbha is credited with building fortresses in the Bhomat region with the goal of containing revolts among the Bhils of the area.[7] In the 16th century, the Bhomat region was the shelter for the Ranas of Mewar when times of military crises caused by the Mughals.[8][9] Rajput Jagirdars had recognised suzerainty of the Maharana of Maewar and were paying cash tribute in form of dasoond and provided armed contingents of their quota at disposal of the Mewar State.[5]
The Bhomat is recognised as a geographical or cultural region, but it was a unified political entity for only a short term - a century - under British paramountcy. Prior to accession of the Mewar State to the Republic of India in 1949, the region was ruled by several Rajput jagirdars, the important ones being: Jawas, Pahara, Madri, Thana, Chhani, Juda, Panarwa, Oghna, Umariya, Patia, Bawalwara, Barothi, Sarwan, and Nainbara.[2] These Jagirdars were known as bhumias (i.e., ones holding a bhum land tenure) and owed only nominal allegiance to the Mewar State.[10] For approximately a century during British paramountcy over Mewar State, the Bhomat represented a political unit divided in two sub-divisions - Kherwara Bhomat to the east and Kotra Bhomat to the east.[11]