Akola is a city in the state of Maharashtra located in the Vidharbha region in central India. It is located around 600  km east of Mimbai (former "Bombay") and 250  km west of Nagpur. Akola is the headquarter of  Akola District located in Amaravati Division. Akola District has an area of about 54.31 square kilometers and population of 1,629,305 million people (2001 census). Marathi is the most popularly Spoken Language, though English and Hindi are also used. Akola District is bounded on the north and to the east by  Amaravati District, to the south by Washim District, and to the west by Buldhana District

Akola, also called Cotton City, is renowned for its Cottan  production and is the largest cotton producing district in India. The city is also famous for its Pulses (dal), oil and texttills mills . Akola is also renowned for its medical facilities. It is a major center for advanced medical treatments, such as The Elizarov technique, IVF.Major hospitals in Akola include the Civil Hospital Chaudhary Hospital and Akola Critical Care Unit.

History of Akola

Akola District along with the rest of the Berar province was part of the legendary Kingdom of Vidarbha mentioned in the Mahabharat. Berar also formed part of the Mauryan Empire during the reign of Asoka (272 to 231 BCE). Berar later came under the rule of the Satavahana  dynasty (2nd Century  BCE–2nd century CE), the Vakataka dynasty (3rd to 6th centuries), the Chalukya dynasty  (6th to 8th centuries), the Rashtrakuta  dynasty (8th to 10th centuries), the Chalukyas again (10th to 12th centuries) and finally the yadav dynasty of Devagiri (late 12th to early14th centuries). A period of Muslim rule began when Ala  Ala ud din Khilji, Sultan of Delhi, conquered the region in the early 14th century. The region was part of the Bahmani Sultanate, which broke away from the Delhi Sultanate in the mid-14th century. The Bahmani Sultanate broke up into smaller sultanates at the end of the 15th century, and in 1572 Berar became part of the Nizam Shahi sultanate, based at Ahamadnagar . The Nizam Shahis ceded Berar to the Mughal Empire in 1595. The Mughals ruled the Berar province during 17th century. As Mughal rule started to unravel at the start of the 18th century, Asaf Jah I, Nizam of Hyderabad seized the southern provinces of the empire (including Berar) in 1724, forming an independent state.

But the rise of Maratha Empire (from 1674 to 1760) under the command of Chhatrapati Shivaji  succeeded by his son Sambhaji and grandson Shahu brought the whole Berar province including Akola district under the Maratha Empire around 1734. In 1749 at the time of his death, Shahu appointed the Peshwa as the head of the Maratha Empire with certain conditions to follow. The loss in the third battle of Panipat in 1761 weakened the Maratha empire and corrupted the power of Peshwa forever. The Berar province remained under the Marathas.

The Battle of Argoan , (or Adgaon near Akot) in took place on the 28th of November 1803 between the British under the command of Governor Arthur Wellesley and the forces of Maratha under Bhonsle of Nagpur during Second Anglo-Maratha War. In the third Anglo-Maratha War, the last Peshwa Baji Rao II, was defeated by the British. In 1853, Akola district together with the rest of Berar came under the administration of the British East India Company. Berar was divided into East and West Berar with Akola district being included in West Berar. In 1903, Berar was leased to the Nizam of Hyderabad by the British East India Company in return of the debt.

Religion and Culture

Raj Rajeshwar Temple" in Akola is a famous pilgrimage done by worshippers of Lord Shiva and has a great historical heritage. During the Marathi calendar month of 'Shravan', there is a large amount of devotees to worship Lord Shiva especially on every Monday of the month. The month of Shravan is very sacred according to Hindu Religion and worshippers travel from long distances to Raj Rajeshwar Temple to worship Lord Shiva.

Narsingh Maharaj Mandir at Akot and Baladevi temple at Balapur both in Akola District are also famous religious temples near Akola. Also in Balapur, 'Chatri' momento by Raja Jaisingh in the memory of his Horse is famous as well. The Atishay kshatra Shri Antariksh Parshvanath Jain Temple is situated in Shirpur (Akola District) about 75  km away from Akola. The Black colored idol of Bhagawan Parshvanath is ancient and is famous amongst Jain Temples in Maharashtra.

Other Temples in Akola city are:

 Birla Mandir(Shri Ram Temple) Shreenath Dutta Mandir, Ramdas Peth, Jain Temple, Swami Samarth muth (Temple) at Ramdas peth.

 Shegoan (in Buldhana District), a very famous pilgrimage place of "Shri Sant Gajanan Maharaj , is just 45  km away from Akola. Sant Gajanan Maharaj Sansthan is the biggest temple trust in the Vidarbha region and is so called as "Pandharpur of Vidarbha". The origin of Sant Gajanan Maharaj is untraceable in history. People from all over Maharashtra visit Shegaon and offer their prayers to Shri Sant Gajanan Maharaj. Akola is known as a colorful city because of its many festivals. Ganesh Chaturthi, Makar Sankranti, Dashera,Diwali, Holi, and Eid  are celebrated with special enthusiasm