Gadarwara

Historically the town has manufactured and dyed cotton cloth, and functioned as a center of trade in grain and cotton from eastern Bhopal, Bhilsa, Sagar and elsewhere, exporting salt, crude sugar and piece-goods, particularly brass and bell-metal vessels made at Chichli.

Gadarwara is famous for production of pulses and has approximately ninety production mills: most varieties of lentils are available in this small town. Sugarcane is also produced in the area.

A large coal mine known as Gotetoria is found some 15 km from the city. A railway station is situated 2 miles south of the town centre, whence a branch railway runs to the Mohpani coal-fields 14 miles farther south-south-east in the gorge by which the Chita-Rewa leaves the Satpura table-land.

NTPC (national thermal power corporation) built an 800*4=3200 MW Coal Based Super Thermal Power Plant spread over 900 acres near Gangai village in Gadarwara Tehsil.

Coal requirement of 7.5 MTPA (Million Tons Per Annum) which will be obtained from the North Karanpura Coalfield. The water requirement of 32 cusec will be met from the Narmada River.

During the 2nd CCE this area was under the rule of the Satvahans dynasty. From the 4th century the area was under the Gupta Empire. In the 6th century there are certain indications of the Padi Kingdom.

During 14th century the area was part of Gond dynasty. This dynasty (1400–1541) came to existence by Yadav Rao who laid the foundation of a strong kingdom at a place called Garha-Katanga. One of the rulers Sangram Shah had established 52 Garh (forts).

The fort of Chouragarh, also known as Chougan, is situated around 20 km from Gadarwara. The fort was constructed by Sangram Shah, which is evidence of the bravery of Veerarayan – The son of Rani Durgawati.

At the fort of Chouragarh, Asif Khan trapped prince Veer Narayan and killed him. Thus Garha Katanga come under the control of Mugals in 1564.

In 1785, Mudhoji II Bhonsle purchased the area of Mandla and Narmada ghati and the name "Gadarwara" came into use. This area was under the pressure of army rule during the reign of Raghuji Bhonsle, Nawab of Bhopal and Pindari's due to unsuitability, the common people were extremely exploited. This period also known as a period of problems and unsuitability. Paloha was the headquarters of Pindari Sardars, Chitu and Karim Khan during this period.

A small fortress on the river bank was built by a family of Gond Rajputs in the early days of Maratha rule.

As per records, the town was the capital of the district in the time of the Marathas with a 1901 population of 6,198.

After the Battle of Sitaburdi in 1818, this area came under the control of the British Raj. In this period the area was known as Gadarwara pargana. In 1818 British army captured fort of Chouragarh and in 1830 the control of this area was given to a committee. During British rule the Administration of this area was further improved and in 1836 the area was partitioned and was merged in Hoshangabad district.

Gadarwara was created a municipality in 1867. The municipal receipts during the decade ending 1901 averaged Rs. 19,000. In 1903-4 the income was Rs. 33,000, derived principally from Octroi. Gadarwara was the largest exporting station in the District for the local products oil and grain. Various handicrafts, such as weaving, dyeing, shoe-making and pottery were carried on in the town, but are in a depressed condition. A cotton-ginning factory was erected with a capital of Rs. 32,000, which disposed of cotton to the value of a lakh of rupees in 1902–3. Gadarwara had an English middle school and a dispensary. A police Thana and Tehsildar were appointed during British period.

There are few notable cases of protests that took place here during the Indian independence movement. During the mass demonstration of Satyagrah at Chichli in 1932, Mansharam and Gauradevi lost their lives during a police firing.

After nine years of independence, when states were reorganized on the basis of languages, Gadarwara once again became part of Narsinghpur district.

Nearest airport is Dumna Airport (Jabalpur Airport), Jabalpur (129 km) and Raja Bhoj Airport, Bhopal (209 km).

Gadarwara is located on the MP SH 22 (Sandalpur – Nasrullanganj – Hoshangabad – Piparia – Gadarwara – Narsinghpur – Jabalpur – Dindori) and MP SH 44 (Gairatganj – Silwani – Udaipura – Saikheda – Gadarwara). The buses from and to Jabalpur, Bhopal, Indore, Chhindwara, Narsinghpur, Kareli, Sagar, Pipariya, Hoshangabad are available.

Gadarwara has connectivity with the rail network of India, located between Mumbai-Allahabad Rail Route, Many trains running between Mumbai, Jabalpur, Allahabad have stoppage at Gadarwara Railway Station.

Gadarwara railway station is under the Jabalpur railway division of West Central Railway zone. In 1869–71, brothers, Ladhha Bharmal Chawda and Ramji Bharmal Chawda of Chandiya were the main contractors for Great Indian Peninsula Railway; who built 153 miles long railway track from Itarsi to Jabalpur. The station of Gadarwara along with Bagra Tawa, Sohagpur, Pipariya, Kareli were also built by them. With completion of this line in 1871, the Great Indian Peninsula Railway got connected with East Indian Railway network with Jubbulpore (Jabalpur) as the junction.

Gadarwara is connected by Indian Railways, with the facility of daily running trains for New Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Bhopal, Indore, Jabalpur, Itarsi, Gwalior, Allahabad, Varanasi, Patna, Goa, Coimbatore Junction and several other places in India. The nearest junction is Itarsi (117 km), and another nearby junction is Jabalpur (129 km).