On my way to Jalgaon in Maharashtra – India’s own “banana republic”! Literally because 16% of India’s banana production and 3% of the worlds banana are grown here. Bananas usually grow only in wet, coastal areas and not in semi arid conditions like in Jalgaon. But years of enterprise and drip irrigation has shown great results. If Jalgaon was a country it would be the seventh largest banana producing nation in the world!
Historically, Jalgaon is Eastern Khandesh, a kingdom which the Bahmani Sultans could not conquer from the South.
Today, it is also home to one of the most outstanding museums on Gandhi in the country.
Jalgaon is where the Deccan Plateau begins. It is 7 hours drive from Mumbai; 56 kilometers from world famous Ajanta caves; and few kilometers away from the Parola Fort of Rani Laxmibai’s father.
Innovations and enterprise have turned semi-arid Jalgaon district, into the largest banana producing region in the country!
The Parola Fort was built in the year 1727. According to history, this fort was home to the father of the Great Rani of Jhansi – Laxmibai.
Gandhi Mandir has more than 8000 records of written documents by, and on Gandhiji. This museum is not a Govt. project, but was built through the CSR efforts of a private enterprise called Jain Irrigation, which calls Jalgaon it’s home.
