Berar

Berar, also known as the Berar Province, is a historical region in central India, largely in present-day Maharashtra. In historical sources the name is associated with the area administered by the Hyderabad State as the Berar Province and with the older Berar Agency. The boundaries and administrative status changed over time, but the term remains a geographic-historical reference rather than a current political unit.

Geography and people: Berar sits on the Deccan plateau and forms part of the wider Vidarbha area. The landscape is mainly flat to gently undulating plains with alluvial soil conducive to agriculture; the Godavari river basin and its tributaries influence irrigation and settlement patterns. The population includes communities typical of central India, with linguistic and cultural ties to Marathi-speaking regions.

History: The region has been part of several polities in medieval and early modern times, including the Deccan sultanates and the Marathas. In the 18th century portions were ceded to the Nizam of Hyderabad, who administered them as Berar Province within Hyderabad State. After Indian independence, Hyderabad State acceded to the Union in 1948, and Berar was incorporated into Bombay State. In 1960, following the States Reorganisation Act, the area that had formed Berar became part of the new state of Maharashtra. Today, Berar is rarely used as an administrative designation; it is referenced mainly in historical or cultural contexts and roughly overlaps parts of the Vidarbha region.

See also: Vidarbha.