Chhindwara is the 135th largest Hindi speaking city of India with a total population of 1,38,291. Highest employment in the Chhindwara district is in the sectors of Agriculture, Metal, Wooden Furniture and other household industries. 73% of the workforce is employed in the Agricultural Sector, 25% in the Industrial Sector and the remaining 2% are Household workers. The major exportable items are Man made fabric, Woolen fabric, Fruit & vegetable powder, Cotton yarn & blended yarn. There are five major rivers which flow through the district — the Kanhan, the Pench, the Jam, the Kulbehra, the Shakkar and the Doodh. The major crops produced are Soybean, Maize, Wheat, Chickpea, Cotton, Sorghum, Orange, Guava, Mango and Water Chestnut. It was believed that Chhindwara District was full of "Chhind" (date palm or khajoor) trees many years ago, and the place was named "Chhind"-"Wada" (Wada means place). There is another story that because of the population of lions (called "sinh" in Hindi), it was considered that making entry into this district is akin to entering the lions den. Hence it was called "Sinh Dwara" (means through the entrance of lion). In due course, it became "Chhindwara". It is said that one Ratan Raghuwanshi, who came from Ayodhya and killed the Gaoli chief of this region, founded Chhindwara. Then he let loose a goat and on the place where it lay down built a house, burying the goat alive under its foundations. A platform was erected afterward on the spot. It is worshiped as the tutelary deity of the town. There is a ruined mud fort at Chhindwara, within which there is an old stone house, supposed to have been that of Ratan Raghuwanshi. A military force was stationed at Chhindwara before the Great Revolt of 1857-58. For a short period, the house was used as a sanatorium for the Kamptee garrison. The municipality of Chhindwara was founded in 1867.
