Dhawade is a small village in the state of Maharashtra, India. It is located in the Sindkheda taluka of the Dhule district on the Maharashtra State Highway 6 (MH SH 6)
Etymology This village is more commonly referred to as "Zirve-Dhawade" to specify its location.
Geography Dhawade has a total village area of 180,316.72 m² ha. Out of that, 2,700 ha of land is under cultivation, of which 900 ha is irrigated and 1,800 ha is rain fed. Of the remaining, 285.82 ha is under forest, 53 ha under village habitation, 0.2 ha. is burial ground, and the balance is under roads, path, streams, and rocky outcrops.
The topography of the land within the village boundary varies from hilly to plains. The forest areas are hilly with plateau at the top. They are cris-crossed with enumerable streams. The areas under the cultivation is generally flat especially where it is irrigated. The flood irrigation is practiced which necessitates level field. The land under rain fed cultivation is somewhat undulating .
The soil type varies from black cotton to murrumy. Soil is generally black cotton in flatter area. It is reddish to buff in coloured along gentle slopes. The soils tend to be reddish with high proportion of murum in areas which are exposed. In highly eroded areas and steep slopes in hilly area the underlying rock is seen exposed. The depth of the soil varies from few centimeters to 20 meters within the village limits.
There is small river the Iraas (Hiraasan as per the state records) on the bank of which this village is located. The other two small streams are Waghad and Bhalkhai. There are three water bodies all within the village limits. The first one the minor irrigation tank on the Iraas river, the second, percolation tank on Waghad stream and the third, percolation tank on Bhalkhai stream. The stored resource is small in extent and quantity but suffice to meet the village needs of water for drinking and other domestic use. All these water bodies have been boon to the village as they have been recharging ground water in their downstream where in the agricultural land is laying and farmers have dug up well for irrigation.
The total forest area is 739.144 ha, out of which 285.79 ha is assigned to the Joint Forest Management Committee of Dhawade. The forest area is identified by the compartment numbers in forest records like the survey numbers in land records. The entire forest area is vested in the state government of Maharashtra.
Wild animals like black buck, fox, hare, hyena, wolf, and wild boar are reported in this forest, but the population is very small. During recent times (2013–14), panther (Panthera pardus) is reported to be seen in the forests of Dhawade. This big cat is also reported to be preying on cattle of the villagers who are staying in their farm houses located along the forest boundary. Killing of big sized domestic animals like bulls, buffaloes and lifting off their young ones is reported to on increase since last year. Though there is scheme from the state government to compensate the damage like this, the villagers rarely claim for the damage due to remoteness and non availability of local staff besides intricacies involved in such claims getting settled.
Climate Dhawade has three distinct seasons during the year: summer, winter, and the rainy season.
The average annual maximum temperature is 35 degrees Celsius and the average annual minimum is 16 degrees Celsius. April, May, and June are summer months when the climate is hot, with daytime temperatures reaching up to a maximum of 42 degrees Celsius. May is the hottest month. In this village, the microclimate is such that although the days is hot, the nights are cooler. Dusty and hot winds of medium velocity are common during summer months. Storms are not recorded. Winter is spread over from November to mid-February, when the temperature drops down to minimum of 10 degrees Celsius. Snowfall is unknown. Smog is unheard, however hailstorms of mild intensity are rare and reported in once in a decade.
Rainy season starts by mid-June and lasts till September. The average annual rain fall is 600 mm spread over about 60 rainy days. The nearest rain gauge station is at Dhule. Rain is only precipitation that is received from the monsoon winds. Showers from North –East monsoon are occasional during winter. Occasionally, dew formation takes place in very cold days during winter season.
Dhawade rarely has water scarcity, which is common in many villages of Dhule Taluka. The last drought year was 1972.
During the southwest monsoon season, the humidity is generally about 70%. The air is dry during the rest of the year. The driest part of the year is the summer season when the relative humidity is about 20% at noon. During the monsoon season, the skies are heavily clouded. For the rest of the year, the sky is mostly clear.
Winds are generally light to moderate with some strengthening in force during the summer and monsoon seasons. During the southwest monsoon season, winds are mainly south-westerly to westerly. In the post-monsoon season, winds are light and variable. In the winter and summer seasons, winds are mostly from directions between southwest and northwest.
Demographics As of 2011 census, Dhawade had a population of 4,639 with 2,390 males and 2,249 females. Males constitute 51% of the population and females 49%. Dhawade has an average literacy rate of 58.99%. Male Literacy is 70.16%, and female literacy is 47.13%. In Dhawade, 16.53% of the population is under 6 years of age.Government Of India 2011 Census Website Population Data for Village Code - 526579
Government and politics Dhawade has a Village Gram Panchayat for day-to-day administration, which is grouped with administration of hamlet of Hingane. Hingane is located in south direction at a distance of 3 km. The group gram panchayat was established on 4-11-1952. The District Zilla Panchayat headquarters is at Dhule and the Block Panchayat is also at Dhule.
Dhawade has no commercial banks or co-operative banks present within the village, but there are 1 agricultural credit societies, 1 non-agricultural credit societies and 3 other credit societies present within the village.Government Of India 2001 Census Website: Administration Data for Village Code - 00157800 Dhawade has Joint Forest Management Committee (JFMC) constituted to protect, conserve, develop and manage adjoining forests.
Economy Dhawade has a farming economy, traditional crops include millet, coconut, cotton, bhuimug (ground nut), jowar, onion and wheat. Farmers rely on rain water as well as water from rivers for farming needs.
As there is limited scope for irrigation water availability from state managed irrigation facilities numbering three; first the minor irrigation tank on Iraas river (Hiraasan as per the state records ), the second, percolation tank on Waghhad stream and the third, percolation tank on Bhalkhai stream all within the village limits; the villagers have invested their own money in creating water availability for irrigation by way of digging up wells wherever underground water is available and pumping the water up to their farms. At times the water is available at distance of 4 to 6 kilometers away.
Farmers from Dhawade on their own; not with any support from the government funding, have taken up land development works to bring more fallow land under cultivation over period of last two decades. This activity is still going on during 2010. These land developmental works include leveling, terracing, bunding, nalla (small streams) training etc.
Advanced farming techniques like improved seeds, drip irrigation, chemical and organic fertilizers are used. In the last few years, horticulture has been used more often for growing sitafal, dalimb and papaya.
Such entrepreneurship have led to increase in the all round agricultural products output, with the cultivation of crops of commercial nature like floriculture.
During last 5 years there is shortage of farm laborers in the village as the demand has gone up steadily, due to increase in area under irrigation. This has led to increase in wage rates and laborers from other adjoining villages viz. Padalde, Ajnale, and Mehergaon, are being called to overcome the labor shortage. There is also spurt in demand for farm yard manure as many farmers practice organic farming to a great extent. Dhawade is an example in Dhule Taluka to showcase the incremental benefits of irrigation.
Dairying is another major economic activity of the village. Traditionally it was the profession of Gawali community over decades. But other communities have also taken up to dairying. Buffaloes are reared for milk . The milk is mostly sold to traders from Dhule city, who also finance for buying the buffaloes.
Village cottage industries Historically, in Maharashtra, certain professions or village level services at village level were community assigned over the centuries. Proprietary of the professions or village level services particularly at village level, have always remained with particular community and enabled to gain skills and expertise in that particular profession. There are 12 such professions assigned to the various 12 communities. These professions are called 12 balute and these communities are called 12 Balutedars - village level services providers/workers. As per this system, the balutedar has to provide for his services of routine nature to the farmers throughout the year. Under the balute system, in-exchange of services provided, farmers had to make payment in kind; mostly in the form fixed volume of grains and other agriculture produce of food value, every year after the harvest. This system had long been a part of the village societal arrangement since times immemorial. However, there may be variations seen in the 21st century with spread of education, and economic development. Besides there are other village industries in which all communities can engage themselves.
Tailoring has been the traditional occupation of the Shimpi community in Dhawade. However, with the passage of time and changes in the socio-economic conditions and availability of professional training in tailoring to all from government at various places, a number of persons from other communities have taken to this occupation. The numbers of females of other communities also do tailoring and have specialisation in women garments. Carpentry is important village cottage industry in Dhawade, as the majority of farmers regularly require their services for manufacturing of new agricultural implements and for repairs to them. Broom making is the hereditary and traditional occupation of the Mang community in Dhawade.
Culture and tourism
Dhawade has no recreational facilities like cinemas or video halls.
Dhawade has no cultural facilities like sports-clubs, stadium or auditorium. The village has a tradition of conducting Helyachi Takkar (Male Bull's Head on fight) on the occasion of the Diwali festival, outside the village. The villagers gather in large numbers to watch the fight on the river bankside where this fight is conducted.
As milk production is also a major profession for this village, the farmers specially rear the male buffaloes for this fight.
Dhawade population consists of various communities - Kunabi, Mali, Gawali, Bhil, Koli, Sutar, Shimpi, Harijan. There are separate temples of their faith or deity, constructed by each community in and around the village site Gaothan, where the cultural programmes take place. These programmes are sponsored by individual communities and take place almost every year; however these programmes are attended by almost all other communities. At times adjoining villages also participate on invitation. These programmes include Bhajan (Devotional songs), Kirtan (Saint lead religious discourse), Bhandara (Community sponsored lunch) etc. The duration of these programmes ranges from a day to week.