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Malkheda
Place in Karnataka, India From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Malkheda originally known as Manyakheta (IAST: Mānyakheṭa, Prakrit: "Mannakheḍa"), and also known as Malkhed,[1][2] is a town in Karnataka, India. It is located on the banks of Kagina river in Sedam Taluk of Kalaburagi district, around 40 km from Kalaburagi.
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The city reached the peak of its prosperity during the 9th and 10th centuries, serving as the Imperial capital of the Rashtrakutas. At Manyakheta, there is a historical fort whose restoration is in progress based on a proposal submitted by HKADB (Hyderabad Karnataka Area Development Board).
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Demographics
As of 2001[update] India census, Malkheda had a population of 11,180 with 5,679 males and 5,501 females and 2,180 households.[3]
History
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Manyakheta rose to prominence when the capital of Rashtrakutas was moved from Mayurkhandi in present-day Bidar district to Mānyakheṭa during the reign of Amoghavarsha I. He is said to have built the imperial capital city to "match that of Lord Indra". The capital city was planned to include elaborately designed buildings for the royalty using the finest of workmanship. After the fall of the Rāṣṭrakūṭas, it remained the capital of their successors, the Kalyani Chalukyas or Western Chalukyas until about 1050 CE. According to Dhanapāla's Pāiyalacchi, the city was sacked by the Paramāra king Harṣa Sīyaka in CE 972-73, the year he completed that work.[4]
Manyakheta is home to two ancient institutions.
- The Uttaradi Matha of the Dwaita School of philosophy of Madhvacharya. The remains of one of its most prominent saints, Sri Jayatirtha's Brindavana is here. He wrote many commentaries on Madhvacharya's works but was well known for the commentary on celebrated work "Anuvyakhyana" of Madhvacharya which itself is a commentary upon the "Brahma Sutras". For this commentary called Nyaya Sudha, he is popularly known as Teekacharya.[5]
- The Jain Bhattaraka Math. The temple of Neminath (9th century CE). The pillars and walls of the temple date back to between the 9th and 11th centuries. The idols include tirthankaras, choubisi (24 tirthankaras), Nandishwar dvipa and idols of yakshi. There is a famous panchdhatu shrine with 96 images. In the same temple, there are other historical images. The last bhaṭṭāraka of the Malkheda seat who reigned during the year 1950–61, was Bhaṭṭāraka Devendrakīrti.[6]
The famous Mahapurana (Adipurana and Uttarapurana) was composed here by Acharya Jinasena and his pupil Gunabhadra in the 9th century. The mathematics text Ganita Saara Sangraha was written here by Mahaviracharya.
The renowned Apabhramsha poet Pushapadanta lived here.
From 814 CE to 968 CE Manyakheta rose to prominence when the capital of Rashtrakuta Empire was moved from Mayurkhandi in present-day Bidar district to Mānyakheṭa during the reign of Amoghavarsha I (Nrupatunga Amoghavarsha), who ruled for 64 years and wrote Kavirajamarga the first classical Kannada work. Amoghavarsha I and the scholars mathematician Mahaveeracharya, and intellectuals Ajitasenacharya, Gunabhadracharya and Jinasenacharya, he helped to spread Jainism. According to Dhanapāla's Pāiyalacchi, the city was sacked by the Paramāra king Harṣa Sīyaka in 972–73 CE, the year he completed that work.[7] In the year 1007 CE, Rajendra Chola destroyed the capital[8][9][10] as per inscription in Tanjore Big Temple. Most probably the destruction was so much that today nobody knows the exact location where the Rashtrakuta's capital existed.[11] After the fall of the Rāṣṭrakūṭas, it remained the capital of their successors, the Kalyani Chalukyas or Western Chalukyas until about 1050 CE. It was later ruled by the Indic Kalyani Chalukyas, Southern Kalachuris, Cholas, Yadavas, Kakatiyas and the Turko-Persian Delhi Sultanate, Bahmani Sultanate, Bidar Sultanate, Bijapur Sultanate, Mughal Empire and Nizam of Hyderabad by 1948.
Economy Industrial Sector
Malkheda hosts one of the largest industrial establishments in the region—Rajashree Cement Works, operated by UltraTech Cement Limited of the Aditya Birla Group [official website / company profile]. The complex comprises four operational units (RC 1–RC 4) with a fifth (RC 5) under development [company report / news release]. The industrial township, known as Adityanagar, functions as a self-contained settlement with a CBSE-affiliated school (Aditya Birla Public School), branches of HDFC Bank and Canara Bank, staff quarters, gardens, and civic facilities [school website / local directory]. The plant is connected by both road and rail (Malkhaid Road station) [Indian Railways info / news article] and employs roughly 10 percent of the local population [local news / district economic survey]. About 400 trucks serve the factory daily [transport union record / local media]. A smaller unit, South India Cement Limited (Balaji Cements Ltd.), has remained closed for more than two years [business registry / news coverage].
Agriculture
Agriculture remains central to Malkheda’s livelihood base [district agriculture office data]. Mixed and large-scale cropping dominates, with major crops including maize, jowar, cotton, sugarcane, pulses, and sunflower [agricultural report / Krishi Vibhag document]. The Kagina River, historically linked to the Uttarimath Jain School of Thought [historical source / tourism dept.], provides irrigation alongside canals and borewells. Malkheda hosts an agricultural mandi and livestock market active on Tuesdays, drawing traders from nearby taluks [local mandi board / district administration notice].
Livestock and Dairy
Livestock rearing occurs mainly at the household level [animal husbandry dept. data]. Common species include cattle, buffaloes, sheep, goats, and oxen. A government veterinary hospital provides animal healthcare [dept. website]. Milk is mainly retailed through Nandini Milk Parlour and HAP Daily [company listings]. About 10–25 families rely primarily on livestock income [local survey / news].
Commodity Trade
The mandi trades in maize, jowar, pulses, cotton, and groundnut, marketed via auctions, agents, and direct buyers [APMC Sedam data]. Transport uses trucks, campers, and pickups connecting to Kalaburagi and Sedam [transport dept. info]. Storage is limited to small public and private warehouses [warehousing corp data].
Construction Material Supply
No quarrying exists within Malkheda; materials are imported from nearby areas [geological survey / district report]. Handling and retail distribution are overseen by the Gram Panchayat [local administration page].
Infrastructure
The village lies on State Highway 10 (SH-10) [PWD road map], connecting Sedam, Kalaburagi, and Chittapur. The Malkhaid Road railway station (4–5 km) handles passenger and freight traffic [Indian Railways data]. Power is supplied by GESCOM [GESCOM official site]; water from Kagina River and borewells [minor irrigation dept. data]. Telecom by BSNL, Airtel, Jio, VI, and Railwire [DoT coverage map]. Fuel services include IOCL, BPCL, and Jio-BP [petroleum retail list]. Overall civic amenities are satisfactory [panchayat audit / district report].
Commerce and Local Enterprises
The village sustains numerous furniture, carpentry, welding, fabrication, hardware, lubricant, cement, retail, and service businesses [local directory / trade registry]. These meet most local needs, establishing Malkheda as a self-reliant rural-commercial hub [business feature / district gazetteer].
Employment and Workforce
Employment divides approximately 50 % agriculture, 30 % industry, 20 % services [census / labour dept. data]. Women work mainly in education and agriculture, men in industry and transport [social survey]. Self-employment and small businesses are common [block report]. Unemployment persists among low-educated youth [labour study].
Government and Policy Influence
Roughly 60 % of development stems from state programs [Karnataka govt budget doc]; 40 % from central schemes [central rural development data]. Sectors like education and health show satisfactory performance, while agriculture support remains moderate [DAHD / agriculture dept.]. Occasional delays occur during administrative transitions [local news report].
Challenges and Constraints
Seasonal rainfall variation influences farm output [IMD / district agri report]. Economic reliance on a single industry limits diversification [industrial survey]. Youth debt and credit dependence noted [microfinance report]. Administrative delays manageable through local governance [panchayat record].
Future Prospects
Though no large official projects announced [news check], potential expansion of UltraTech’s operations may enhance employment [corporate statement]. Agriculture expected to modernize gradually, with youth increasingly entering industry and services [youth survey / district economic outlook]. Growing access to digital finance and market awareness indicates steady progress [financial literacy programme data].
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Transport
Malkheda is well connected by road and rail. Malkheda lies on State Highway 10. Malkaheda is 40 km southeast to the District Headquarters Kalaburagi district and 12 km west to the Taluk Headquarters Sedam. There is also a railway station near the village, Malkhaid Road.
See also
References
External links
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