Nagpur is a city located in the central part of the Indian state of Maharashtra. Human presence around present-day Nagpur can be traced back to the 8th century BCE, when megalithic cultures existed in the area. The first reference to the name Nagpur is found in a 10th-century inscription discovered at Devali. Tradition attributes the founding of Nagpur to Bakht Buland Shah, a prince of the Gond kingdom of Deogarh in Chhindwara district. In 1743, the Maratha leader Raghoji Bhonsale established himself in Nagpur after conquering the territories of Deogarh, Chanda and Chhattisgarh. After Raghoji’s death in 1755, his son and successor Janoji was forced to acknowledge the effective suzerainty of the Maratha Peshwa of Pune in 1769.

Despite this, however, the Nagpur state continued to grow and expand its boundaries. Under Raghoji II Bhonsale, who ruled from 1788 to 1816, Nagpur covered a large area, including present-day eastern Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Orissa and parts of Madhya Pradesh and Jharkhand. In 1803, Raghoji II joined the Peshwas against British forces in the Second Anglo-Maratha War, but was forced to cede territories. After Raghoji II’s death in 1816, his son Parsaji was deposed and assassinated by Mudhoji II Bhonsale. Mudhoji II entered into a treaty with the British, but joined the Peshwas in the Third Anglo-Maratha War in 1817 against British forces. After the defeat at Sitabuldi, Mudhoji II was forced to cede the rest of Berar to the Nizam of Hyderabad and parts of Saugor and Damoh, Mandla, Betul, Seoni and the Narmada valley to the British. Sitabuldi Fort was the site of a fierce battle between British forces and the Bhonsale of Nagpur in 1817, paving the way for the British takeover of Nagpur in 1818.

After the British takeover, Nagpur became part of the British Empire and was administered as part of the Central Provinces and Berar. In 1853, after the death of the last Bhonsle ruler, Raghoji III, Nagpur was officially annexed by the British and transformed into Nagpur Province. This period marked a significant transformation in the city’s administration and infrastructure. British officials introduced modern educational institutions, railways, and telegraph networks, which contributed to the city’s economic and social development. Nagpur also became an important center of political activity and nationalist movements, especially during the Indian independence movement that culminated in Indian independence.

Nagpur’s city center is characterized by bustling markets and historic buildings. You can take several walks here, and you can start at the Zero Milestone, which in a way marks the geographical center of India, and which is a popular meeting place. The Zero Milestone was erected in connection with the British Great Trigonometrical Survey in 1907, and the geographical center should be taken as an expression that Nagpur is located as the center of or between the major Indian cities of Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Chennai, Hyderabad, Kochi, Lucknow, Mumbai, Kolkata, New Delhi and Patna. From the monument it is not far to the Nagpur Junction railway station and to Sitabuldi Fort with a surrounding park.

Sitabuldi Fort is located on two hilltops and is one of the most famous landmarks in central Nagpur. The fort is a historical structure built by the British after their victory in the Battle of Sitabuldi in November 1817. It became a strategic military base that played an important role in the British control of the region. The fort consists of two main areas, Badi Tekri on the big hill and Choti Tekri on the small hill, and stands as a structure of sandstone and black basalt. The fort houses, among other things, a memorial to the soldiers who fell in the battle, and the site is open to the public on special days such as Republic Day, Maharashtra Day and Indian Independence Day.

The city centre is also home to several other historical buildings such as Vidhan Bhavan, which is the seat of the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly during the winter. During the summer, the assembly meets in Mumbai in the western part of the state. The Parliament building was built from 1912 by the British, who used the site for the administration of the region. Close to Vidhan Bhavan, you can visit the Central Museum of Nagpur, established in 1863. The museum’s exhibitions are themed around the institution’s vast collection of finds and artifacts, spanning from prehistoric times to modern times. Among the exhibits are dinosaur fossils, ancient coins, inscriptions, sculptures, weapons, paintings, minerals, and historical exhibits on local rulers.

There are also some religious attractions such as Deekshabhoomi, a Buddhist stupa where Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar converted to Buddhism along with his followers in 1956. The stupa was built as a symbol of social justice and equality, and attracts thousands of pilgrims every year. Back in the city center at Sitabuldi Fort, you can visit the evocative Shri Ganesh Mandir Tekdi, an important Hindu temple and a popular place for worship and meditation.