BE TTUR—BETUL.
328
second-class municipality, consisting of 9 members. Municipal income in 1880-81, ^693 ; expenditure, Bettia is the most important trade-centre in Champaran, and would be even more frequented if
water communication could be kept open
and Gandak
The Tirhut
rivers.
all
Harha
the year by the
State Railway
now
(1883) in course of construction from Muzaffarpur through Motihari to Bettia. The most noteworthy building is the palace of the Maharaja of Bettid, the wealthiest of the three great Champaran landlords, situated on the is
Close to it are the Roman Catholic church and This mission was founded in 1746 by an Italian priest, who established himself at Bettia on the invitation of the Maharaja. The converts, being principally descendants of Brahmans, hold a fair
west side of the town. mission-house.
some
social position, but
About one-fourth are and the remainder and the surrounding country becomes
are extremely poor.
carpenters, one-tenth blacksmiths, one-tenth servants,
The town lies very low, swamp during the rains. A large
carters.
a
honour of Rama is held in and is attended by Cloth and brass and iron utensils are fair in
the town in October, which lasts for fifteen days,
from 25,000 to 30,000 persons. minor articles, such as
largely sold, as well as
large charitable dispensary
Bettur.
—Village
in
is
Davangere
14° 29' n., long.
toys, sv.'eetmeats, etc.
A
established here. 76°
taluk, Chitaldrug
District,
Mysore
Said to population (1881) 919.
have been the capital of the Yadava kings of Devagiri during the 1 3th Lat.
State.
century.
e.
—
District in the Chhindwara Division of the Chief Commissionership of the Central Provinces, lying between 21° 21' and 22° 25' N. lat., and 77° 8' and 78° 20' e. long. Bounded on the north and west by Hoshangabad District, on the east by Chhindwara, while
Betlil {Bitool).
of
southern border the eastern half touches Amraoti District, and the
its
western half marches with Ellichpur.
3905 square
F/iysisal Aspects
mean
The
miles. .
Population (1881) 304,905
area,
administrative head-quarters are at Badniir.
—Although
essentially a highland country, with a
elevation of 2000 feet above the sea, this District divides itself
by their appearance, their Betul, the chief town, occupies the centre of the District. It lies in a level basin of rich land, composed of a deep alluvial deposit, entirely devoid of blqck soil. This tract is almost entirely under cultivation, being studded with numerous naturally into several portions, distinguished soil,
and
their geological formation.
Through
and thriving
village
streams of the
Machna and Sampna,
communities.
steep ridges of igneous rocks shut
it
flow
the
perennial
while on every side except the west it
in.
Westward, the Tapti winds Here, at intervals, Below this fertile plain, a
through a deep valley clothed with dense jungle. rocks rolling
emerge from beneath the
trap.
plateau of basaltic formation spreads over the southern part
