Page:The Imperial Gazetteer of India - Volume 2 (2nd edition).pdf/338

 BE TTUR—BETUL.

328

second-class municipality, consisting of 9 members. Municipal income in 1880-81, ^693 ; expenditure, Bettia is the most important trade-centre in Champaran, and would be even more frequented if

water communication could be kept open

and Gandak

The Tirhut

rivers.

all

Harha

the year by the

State Railway

now

(1883) in course of construction from Muzaffarpur through Motihari to Bettia. The most noteworthy building is the palace of the Maharaja of Bettid, the wealthiest of the three great Champaran landlords, situated on the is

Close to it are the Roman Catholic church and This mission was founded in 1746 by an Italian priest, who established himself at Bettia on the invitation of the Maharaja. The converts, being principally descendants of Brahmans, hold a fair

west side of the town. mission-house.

some

social position, but

About one-fourth are and the remainder and the surrounding country becomes

are extremely poor.

carpenters, one-tenth blacksmiths, one-tenth servants,

The town lies very low, swamp during the rains. A large

carters.

a

honour of Rama is held in and is attended by Cloth and brass and iron utensils are fair in

the town in October, which lasts for fifteen days,

from 25,000 to 30,000 persons. minor articles, such as

largely sold, as well as

large charitable dispensary

Bettur.

—Village

in

is

Davangere

14° 29' n., long.

toys, sv.'eetmeats, etc.

A

established here. 76°

taluk, Chitaldrug

District,

Mysore

Said to population (1881) 919. have been the capital of the Yadava kings of Devagiri during the 1 3th Lat.

State.

century.

e.

—

District in the Chhindwara Division of the Chief Commissionership of the Central Provinces, lying between 21° 21' and 22° 25' N. lat., and 77° 8' and 78° 20' e. long. Bounded on the north and west by Hoshangabad District, on the east by Chhindwara, while

Betlil {Bitool).

of

southern border the eastern half touches Amraoti District, and the

its

western half marches with Ellichpur.

3905 square

F/iysisal Aspects

mean

The

miles. .

Population (1881) 304,905



area,

administrative head-quarters are at Badniir.

—Although

essentially a highland country, with a

elevation of 2000 feet above the sea, this District divides itself

by their appearance, their Betul, the chief town, occupies the centre of the District. It lies in a level basin of rich land, composed of a deep alluvial deposit, entirely devoid of blqck soil. This tract is almost entirely under cultivation, being studded with numerous naturally into several portions, distinguished soil,

and

their geological formation.

Through

and thriving

village

streams of the

Machna and Sampna,

communities.

steep ridges of igneous rocks shut

it

flow

the

perennial

while on every side except the west it

in.

Westward, the Tapti winds Here, at intervals, Below this fertile plain, a

through a deep valley clothed with dense jungle. rocks rolling

emerge from beneath the

trap.

plateau of basaltic formation spreads over the southern part