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Imperial Gazetteer of India, v. 15, p. 47.

KARMALA TOWN 47 excavated not very long after stone came to be used as a building material in India.' Karmad.-Petty State in K7THiAwe1R, Bombay. Karmala Taluka.-Tâluka of Sholâpur District, Bombay, lying between 17° 58′ and 18° 33′ N. and 74° 48′ and 75° 26′ E., with an area of 772 square miles. It contains one town, KARM9LA (population, 7,3oî), the head-quarters; and 123 villages. The population in igoi was 67,558, compared with 93,353 in 18gi. The great decrease is due to mortality and emigration during the famine of i8gg-igoi. The taluka is one of the most thinly populated in the District, with a density of only 88 persons per square mile. The demand for land revenue in 1903-4 was 1-7 lakhs, and for cesses Rs. ii,ooo. Karmâla is in the north of the District, between the Bhima on the west and the Sina on the east. Except the hills near Kern and the dividing ridge, forming the watershed between the two rivers, the country is flat ; towards the north it is rough and broken, crossed by many streams. About half consists of rich black soil, and the rest is red and gravelly. The seasons are uncertain-a really good one, as a rule, not occurring oftener than once in three or four years, when, however, the harvest is exceedingly abundant. The annual rainfall averages 23 inches. Weekly fairs are held at eight towns and villages ; and at Sonâri an annual fair in April is attended by about 6,ooo persons. Karmala Town.-Head-quarters of the tâluka of the same name in Sholapur District, Bombay, situated in 18° 24′ N. and 75° 12′ E., i i miles north of the Jeur station on the south-east section of the Great Indian Peninsula Railway. Population (1901), 7,301. Karmala was originally the seat of a branch of the Nimbâlkar family. The founder began and his son finished a fort, which still exists and is used for the tâluka offices. This fort, one of the largest in the Deccan, extends over a quarter of a square mile, and contains about a hundred houses. Karmala grew and became a large trade centre,, being a crossing station for the traffic from Balâgh5t through Bârsi to Poona, and between Ahmadnagar and Sholâpur. Most of this traffic has now passed to the railway, but Karmala is still a large mart for cattle, grain, oil, and piece- goods. A weekly market is held on Friday, and the town has a small weaving industry. The water-supply is derived from wells three-quarters of a mile to the south, the water being carried through an earthenware conduit to dipping wells in the town. An annual fair is held here, last- ing four days. The town possesses a large temple of Ambâ Bai. The municipality, established in 1867, had an average income during the decade ending igoi of Rs. 8,8oo. In 1903-4 the income was Rs. 9,1oô. Karmâla contains a Subordinate judge's court, three schools, includ- ing one maintained by the American Congregational Mission, and a dispensary.