Burhanpur

Burhanpur, a town in the Nimar district, Central Provinces of British India. It is situated on the N. bank of the river Tapti, at a distance of 280 miles from Bombay, with which it is connected by the Great Indian Peninsular Railway. Founded in 1400 A.D. by a Mahometan prince of Khandesh, it was annexed by Akbar two centuries later, and until 1635 was the Mogul capital of the Deccan. It was the scene of frequent contests between the Mahometans and the Mahrattas, and was finally ceded in 1760 by the Nizam to the Peshwa, who gave it over to Sindia. The British took the place in 1803, but restored it, and it was only in 1860 that it passed into our hands. Under the Moguls it is said to have had an area of five square miles, but the population has fallen steadily in the present century. However, the boras, or Mahometan itinerant merchants, have headquarters here, and the embroidered muslins, silks, and brocades adorned with silver and gold threads, for which the town has always been famous, are still made in some quantities. The Lal Kila, or Red Fort, built by Akbar, and the Jumma Musjid, founded by Aurungzebe, are buildings of interest.