Kota, Rajasthan

This article is about The municipality in Rajasthan, India. For its namesake district, see Kota district.
Kota
कोटा
Metropolitan City

Jagmandir palace
Nickname(s): Education city of India, Industrial city of Rajasthan
Kota
Coordinates: 25°11′N 75°50′E / 25.18°N 75.83°E / 25.18; 75.83Coordinates: 25°11′N 75°50′E / 25.18°N 75.83°E / 25.18; 75.83
Country India India
State Rajasthan
District Kota
Division Kota Division ( Hadoti Region )
Government
 • Type Democratic
 • Body Municipal Corporation
 • Mayor Mahesh Vijay (BJP)
 • Member of Parliament Kota-Bundi Om Birla (BJP)
 • Member of Legislative Assembly Kota South Sandeep Sharma (BJP)
 • Member of Legislative Assembly Kota North Prahlad Gunjal (BJP)
Area[1]
 • Total 527 km2 (203 sq mi)
Elevation 271 m (889 ft)
Population (2011)[2][3]
 • Total 1,001,694
 • Rank 46th
 • Density 1,900/km2 (4,900/sq mi)
Languages
 • Official Hindi
 • Native English, Hadoti, Hindi
Time zone IST (UTC+5:30)
PIN 324001 to 324011 and 324022
Telephone code 0744
Vehicle registration RJ 20
Sex ratio 890 ♀/♂
Website kota.rajasthan.gov.in

Kota (i/ˈkoʊtə/) formerly known as Kotah, is a city located in the southeast of northern Indian state of Rajasthan.[4] It is located Around 250 kilometres (155 mi) south of the state capital, Jaipur. Situated on the banks of Chambal River, it is the third most populous city of Rajasthan afterJaipur and Jodhpur and 46th most populous city of India. It serves as the administrative headquarters for Kota district and Kota Division. Kota has a number of engineering and medical coaching institutes.

The city is the trade centre for an area in which millet, wheat, rice, pulses, coriander and oilseeds are grown; industries include cotton and oilseed milling, textile weaving, distilling, dairy, manufacture of metal handcrafts, fertilizers, chemicals and engineering equipment.

The town of Kota was once the part of the erstwhile Rajput kingdom of Bundi. It became a separate princely state in the 17th century. Apart from the several monuments that reflect the glory of the town, Kota is also known for its palaces and gardens.

Mahesh Vijay of Bhartiya Janta Party is the current Mayor of Kota.

Geography

Kota is located along the banks of the Chambal River in the southern part of Rajasthan. It is the 3rd largest city of Rajasthan after Jaipur and Jodhpur. The cartographic coordinates are 25°11′N 75°50′E / 25.18°N 75.83°E / 25.18; 75.83.[5] It covers an area of 527 km2.[1][6] It has an average elevation of 271 metres (889 ft). The district is bound on the north and north west by Sawai Madhopur, Tonk and Bundi districts. The Chambal River separates these districts from Kota district, forming the natural boundary.

The city of Kota is situated at a center of the southeastern region of Rajasthan a region very widely known as Hadoti, the land of the Hadas. Kota lies along the banks of the Chambal river on a high sloping tableland forming a part of the Malwa Plateau. The Mokandarra hills run from southeast to northwest axis of the town. The historical places and temples are getting surrounded by signs of modern development.

It has fertile land and greenery with irrigation facilities through canals. Kota is one of the industrial hubs in northern India, with chemical, engineering and power plants based there. The rail junction, a road hub, lies 4.8 km (4 mi) to the north.

Climate

Kota
Climate chart (explanation)
JFMAMJJASOND
 
 
10
 
 
23
11
 
 
20
 
 
26
13
 
 
10
 
 
33
19
 
 
10
 
 
39
25
 
 
20
 
 
42
29
 
 
50
 
 
40
29
 
 
250
 
 
34
26
 
 
240
 
 
32
26
 
 
110
 
 
34
25
 
 
20
 
 
34
22
 
 
10
 
 
30
16
 
 
10
 
 
25
12
Average max. and min. temperatures in °C
Precipitation totals in mm
Source: Kota weather

Kota has a semi arid climate (Köppen climate classification BSh) with high temperatures throughout the year. Summers are long, hot and dry, starting in late March and lasting till the end of June. The temperatures average above 40 °C in May and June and frequently exceed 45 °C with temperatures as high as 48.4 °C also been recorded.[7] The monsoon season follows with comparatively lower temperatures, but higher humidity and frequent, torrential downpours. The monsoons subside in October and temperatures rise again. The brief, mild winter starts in late November and lasts until the last week of February. Temperatures hover between 26.7 °C (max) to 12 °C (min). This can be considered the best time to visit Kota because of intense heat in the summer.

The average annual rainfall in the Kota district is 660.6 mm.[6] Most of the rainfall can be attributed to the southwest monsoon which has its beginning around the last week of June and may last till mid-September. Pre-monsoon showers begin towards the middle of June with post-monsoon rains occasionally occurring in October. The winter is largely dry, although some rainfall does occur as a result of the Western Disturbance passing over the region.

Climate data for Kota
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °C (°F) 30.4
(86.7)		 36.8
(98.2)		 41.5
(106.7)		 44.2
(111.6)		 46.1
(115)		 46.1
(115)		 42.0
(107.6)		 37.8
(100)		 39.6
(103.3)		 38.8
(101.8)		 36.4
(97.5)		 31.5
(88.7)		 46.1
(115)
Average high °C (°F) 23.2
(73.8)		 26.0
(78.8)		 32.7
(90.9)		 38.6
(101.5)		 42.1
(107.8)		 39.6
(103.3)		 33.6
(92.5)		 31.5
(88.7)		 34.3
(93.7)		 34.0
(93.2)		 29.6
(85.3)		 25.1
(77.2)		 32.53
(90.56)
Average low °C (°F) 10.6
(51.1)		 12.8
(55)		 18.6
(65.5)		 24.8
(76.6)		 29.3
(84.7)		 28.5
(83.3)		 26.2
(79.2)		 25.0
(77)		 25.0
(77)		 22.0
(71.6)		 15.6
(60.1)		 12.0
(53.6)		 20.87
(69.56)
Record low °C (°F) 4.4
(39.9)		 4.3
(39.7)		 8.4
(47.1)		 13.8
(56.8)		 19.8
(67.6)		 20.8
(69.4)		 20.5
(68.9)		 21.4
(70.5)		 16.8
(62.2)		 14.2
(57.6)		 7.8
(46)		 6.4
(43.5)		 4.3
(39.7)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 10
(0.39)		 20
(0.79)		 0
(0)		 0
(0)		 20
(0.79)		 50
(1.97)		 250
(9.84)		 240
(9.45)		 110
(4.33)		 20
(0.79)		 0
(0)		 10
(0.39)		 730
(28.74)
Average rainy days 0.9 1.0 0.6 0.4 2.1 6.9 13.1 15.2 5.6 1.6 1.2 0.5 49.1
Average relative humidity (%) 48 38 25 19 23 43 67 74 58 40 41 48 43.7
Source: Kota weather, NOAA (1971-1990)[8]

History

See also: Kota State
Procession of Raja Ram Singh II of Kota Later Mughal Period, c. 1850

The history of the city dates back to the 12th century AD when the Hada clan, a Chauhan Rajput chieftain, Rao Deva, conquered the territory and founded Bundi and Hadoti. Later, in the early 17th century, during the reign of the Mughal Emperor Jahangir, the ruler of Bundi - Rao Ratan Singh, gave the smaller principality of Kota to his son, Madho Singh. Since then Kota became a hallmark of the Rajput gallantry and culture.

The independent state of Kota became a reality in 1631 when Rao Madho Singhal, the second son of Rao Ratan of Bundi was made the ruler, by the Mughal Emperor Jahangir. Soon Kota outgrew its parent state to become bigger in area, richer in revenue and more powerful. Maharao Bhim Singh played a pivotal role in Kota's history, having held a 'Mansab'[9] of five thousand and being the first in his dynasty to have the title of Maharao. During the colonial period, firebrand social activist Guru Radha Kishan organised the masses against the policies of the government. He left Kota after local administration came to know about the arrest warrant issued against him for his participation in Indian Independence activities.

Princely city of Kota

Princely city: Kota (कोटा)
Region Hadoti
19th-century flag
Independence from: Bundi State
State existed: 1579-1949
Dynasties Rajput Chauhan Hada
Capital Kota
See also: Hadoti

Kota city became independent in 1579, after Bundi state in Hadoti region had become weak. Then, Kota ruled the territory which now is Kota district and Baran district.

Demographics

As of 2011, Kota City had a population of 1,001,694, of which male and female are 528,601 and 473,093 respectively. The urban agglomeration of Kota consists of city only.[10][11] The sex ratio was 906 and 12.74% were under six years of age. The effective literacy rate was 83.65%, with male literacy at 90.56% and female literacy at 75.90%.

Hinduism is followed by the majority of population (80.5%). Muslims form large minorities (15.9%) followed by Jains (2.2%), Sikhs (0.9%) and Christians (0.4%).[12]

Demographic Distribution of Religion in Kota, Rajasthan[12]
Religion Percent(%)
Hinduism
  
 80.50%
Islam
  
 15.87%
Jainism
  
 2.17%
Sikhism
  
 0.86%
Christianity
  
 0.42%
Others
  
 0.18%

Government institutions and courts

Governmental institutions in Kota include:

Instrumentation Ltd is a Public Sector company based in Kota. Its clientele includes public sector entities such as the Indian Railways, BSNL and VSNL.

The District court provides court and notary services.

Health services

Healthcare is provided by a combination of public and private-sector hospitals.

The main hospitals include:

There are 16 other hospitals within the city limit.

Economy

The city is the trade center for an area in which cotton, millet, wheat, coriander and oilseeds are grown; industries include cotton and oilseed milling, textile weaving, distilling, dairying, and the manufacture of metal handcrafts.[13] Kota also has an extensive industry of stone-polishing of a stone called Kota Stone, used for the floor and walls of residential and business buildings. Since last 15 years Kota has emerged as an Education hub of the country as producing excellent results in IIT-JEE and medical entrance exams.

Kota doria and saris

Main article: Kota doria

Kota is known for the fine translucent muslins called Masuria Malmal. Originally, such saris were called Masuria because they were woven in Mysore. The weavers were subsequently brought to Kota by Rao Kishore Singh who was a general in the Mughal army. The weavers were brought to Kota in the late 17th and early 18th centuries, and the saris came to be known as 'Kota-Masuria'. Kota saris are popularly known as 'Masuria' in Kota and Kotadoria outside the state. 'Doria' means thread.

Weaving in Kota was started by Maharana Bhimdeo in the 18th century.[14] Maharaja Bhim Singh of Kota brought some weavers from the Deccan in the early 18th Century and the craft blossomed under the royal patronage. The warp and weft use a combination of threads creating a fine chequered pattern (Khat) where the cotton portion provides firmness while the silk lends a gossamer finish to the fabric.

The Kota saris like most traditional piece of work had started becoming lost before designer Vidhi Singhania moved to Kota and started working with the workers to revive its market.[15] Once again Kota saris and weaves are found around the country and have become one of the most beautiful and elegant saris worn by humble housewives to actresses.

Kota stone

Storage area of Kota Stone
Main article: Kota Stone

The fine-grained variety of limestone quarried from Kota district is known as Kota stone, with rich greenish-blue and brown colours. Kota stone are tough, non water-absorbent, non-slip, and non-porous. The varieties include Kota Blue Natural, Kota Blue Honed, Kota Blue Polished, Kota Blue Cobbles, Kota Brown Natural and Kota Brown Polished. The industry of polishing of this Kota stone is also a significant contributor to the city's economy.

Power Plants

Kota is surrounded by five power stations within its 50 km radius.

Education

In the past decade the city has emerged as a popular coaching destination for competitive exams preparation and for profit educational services. The education sector of Kota has become a major contributor to the city's economy.[16] Kota is popularly referred to as "the coaching capital of India".[17][18] Over 1.5 lakh students from all over the country flock every year towards the city for preparation of various exams such as IIT, JEE, AIPMT and AIIMS etc.[19][20][21][22][23] Many hostels and PGs are located in Kota near the vicinity of coaching centers for students. Students live here for 2-3 years and prepare for the exams. In the past few years, reports of students commiting suicide have increased. As per reports, students feel stressed and get pressurised in order to crack their target competitive exam. For the same cause, many coaching centres have also appointed counsellors to help students.[24][25][26][27]

Major Universities And College

Major Coaching Institutions in Kota

Transport

Kota is well connected with road and rail to all major cities within Rajasthan as well as those located outside the state. It is also connected by air, although only chartered flights are available.

Roadways

The district is well connected with neighbouring districts and with major cities outside the state. National highway No.12 (Jaipur—Jabalpur) and National Highway No.76 passes through the district. National Highway No.76 is a part of East-West Corridor. The total road length in the district is 2,052 km. as of March 2011.

There are three bus stations in Kota:

Daily buses carry passengers inter-state as well as within the city. Auto-rikshaws and tempos are also popular means of public transport within the city.

Railways

Entrance of Kota Railway station

Kota is well connected to all the major cities of India. Kota Junction is one of the divisions in West Central Railway. It is an important station on the Delhi-Mumbai main line. There are four railway stations within Kota and in its vicinity. Another suburban station of South Kota city is Dakaniya Talav Railway station which has a stoppage of Avadh Express, Dehradun Express and Ranthambore Express.

Kota Junction

The city is a halt for over 150 trains, including Jaipur - Indore SuperFast, Udaipur SuperFast (Delhi - Udaipur City Express), Dayodaya Express (Jaipur - Jabalpur Express / Ajmer - Jabalpur Express), Jodhpur - Indore Intercity, Hazrat Nizamuddin - Indore Express, Garbha Express, Marusagar Express (Ajmer - Ernakulam Express / Ernakulam Express), Jaipur - Mysore Express, Jaipur - Chennai Express, Jaipur - Coimbatore Express, Jodhpur - Puri Express, Jodhpur - Bhopal Express and Mumbai Rajdhani Express.

The Delhi—Mumbai railway line passes through the Kota junction. The district has 148.83 km of railway line in the Kota — Ruthia section, 98.72 km on Nagda—Mathura (Mumbai-Delhi) section and 24.26 km on Kota —Chittorgarh section.

A broad-gauge railway facility between Kota and Jodhpur via Jaipur exists.

Kota is also an originating point for many trains like Kota - Damoh Passenger (Kota - Katni Passenger) connecting Kota to Damoh in Madhya Pradesh. The Kota - Indore Intercity Express connects to another major city of Madhya Pradesh, Indore Junction. There is also a Jan Shatabdi Express train, from Kota to national capital Delhi. The other includes, Kota - Vadodara Passenger, Kota - Shree Ganganagar Express, Kota - Ajmer, Kota - Jabalpur & Kota - Bina Passenger. Patna – Kota Express connects Kota and Patna cities via Agra, Kanpur, Lucknow and Varanasi.

Airports

Kota Airport has had no scheduled services operating since 1999.[28]

FM stations

Kota has total of four FM stations:

References

  1. 1 2 "Kota District Census 2011 Handbook: VILLAGE AND TOWN WISE PRIMARY CENSUS ABSTRACT (PCA)" (PDF). Censusofindia.gov.in. p. 29 (pdf) Urban Section. Retrieved 19 April 2016.
  2. ↑ "2011 census: Kota Municipal Corporation Demographics". Censusofindia.gov.in. Retrieved 2016-04-07.
  3. ↑ "Provisional Population Totals, Census of India 2011; Cities having population 1 lakh and above" (PDF). Office of the Registrar General & Census Commissioner, India. Retrieved 26 March 2012.
  4. ↑ "Major Cities in Rajasthan". Indiatravelportal.com. Retrieved 2013-09-27.
  5. ↑ Falling Rain Genomics, Inc - Kota
  6. 1 2 Statistics by Govt. of Rajasthan
  7. ↑ "Heat wave claims 10 lives; Kota hottest at 48.4 °C". Zee News. 26 May 2010. Retrieved 23 April 2016.
  8. ↑ "Kota (A) Climate Normals 1971-1990". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved 22 December 2012.
  9. ↑ "History of Kotah".
  10. ↑ Kota District Demographics, Census 2011 census India 2011
  11. ↑ Kota City Census report census 2011
  12. 1 2 "Religion in Kota". Census 2011.
  13. ↑ "Economy of Kota". kotaonline.com. Retrieved 2015-05-06.
  14. ↑ "Metro Plus Delhi / Arts & Crafts : Let's go Kota". The Hindu. 2005-04-02. Retrieved 2013-09-27.
  15. ↑ Radhika Rajamani (2003-03-12). "A piece of 'tradition'". The Hindu. Retrieved 2016-04-20.
  16. ↑ "The Sunday Tribune - Spectrum". Tribuneindia.com. Retrieved 2013-09-27.
  17. ↑ Anjali Puri (31 December 2015). "How Kota became India's capital for educational coaching". Business Standard. Retrieved 11 January 2016.
  18. ↑ "Kota, the coaching capital". Financialexpress.com. 2010-04-11. Retrieved 2013-09-27.
  19. ↑ Sudhanshu Mishra (2013-04-23). "Inside Kota's Rs 300 crore coaching industry: How students aiming to crack IIT-JEE join mushrooming institutes | Mail Online". Dailymail.co.uk. Retrieved 2013-09-27.
  20. ↑ Sharma, Yojana (2012-11-27). "BBC News - Meet the 'tutor kings and queens'". Bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 2013-09-27.
  21. ↑ TNN 17 November 2010, 12.56pm IST (2010-11-17). "IIT hub losing edge - Times Of India". Articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com. Retrieved 2013-09-27.
  22. ↑ "Forbes India Magazine - The New Coaching Class in Kota". Forbesindia.com. Retrieved 2013-09-27.
  23. ↑ "Home tips cut Kota JEE rush". Telegraphindia.com. 2013-04-29. Retrieved 2013-09-27.
  24. ↑ Singh, Harsha Kumari (12 September 2015). "Behind the Successes of Kota's Coaching Centres, a Harsh Reality". NDTV.
  25. ↑ Singh, Akhilesh (3 January 2016). "Why Kota is so killing". The Times of India.
  26. ↑ Dwivedi Johri, Ankita (26 November 2015). "Kota coaching factory – Panic calls: 14-hr days, morning nightmares". The Indian Express.
  27. ↑ Rakhee Roy Talukdar (2015-07-01). "Suicides hit IIT coaching hub". Telegraphindia.com. Retrieved 2016-05-06.
  28. ↑ "Airports fail to lure airlines". The Times of India. 9 October 2011. Retrieved 4 February 2012.

External links

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Further reading

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