Banswara district is an administrative district in the southern part of the Indian state of Rajasthan. The district takes its name from its headquarters town, Banswara, which is said to derive from the bamboo (bans) forests that historically covered the area. It lies in the tribal-dominated Mewar–Vagad region and forms part of the Udaipur division.
| Country | India |
|---|---|
| State | Rajasthan |
| Division | Udaipur |
| Headquarters | Banswara |
| Region | Vagad (southern Rajasthan) |
| Major river | Mahi |
| Predominant communities | Bhil and other tribal groups |
Banswara district is bordered by Dungarpur district to the west, Pratapgarh district to the north-east, and the states of Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat to the east and south respectively. The terrain is undulating, dotted with low hills of the southern Aravalli range and patches of forest. The Mahi river traverses the district and is the principal water source; it has been impounded by the Mahi Bajaj Sagar Dam, around which a network of canals supports irrigation. Because of the numerous islets formed by the Mahi and its tributaries, Banswara is sometimes called the "City of Hundred Islands".
Before independence, Banswara was a princely state ruled by a Rajput dynasty of the Sisodia clan, traditionally regarded as a junior branch of the rulers of Mewar. The state was founded in the late 16th century when the Vagad region was divided between the houses of Dungarpur and Banswara. During the British period it was a salute state under the Rajputana Agency. After Indian independence in 1947, the state acceded to the Indian Union and was integrated into the United State of Rajasthan in 1948–49.
The district is administered by a District Collector and is subdivided into tehsils and panchayat samitis for revenue and rural-development purposes. Banswara town serves as the administrative, judicial, and commercial centre. The district is part of the Banswara parliamentary constituency for elections to the Lok Sabha, and contains several constituencies of the Rajasthan Legislative Assembly.
Banswara has one of the highest proportions of Scheduled Tribe population among districts of Rajasthan, with the Bhil community forming a major share. Wagdi, a dialect related to Gujarati and Rajasthani, is widely spoken alongside Hindi. The district is culturally linked to the Vagad tradition, with distinctive folk music, dance forms such as Ghoomar and Gair, and tribal festivals.
The economy is predominantly agrarian, with maize, wheat, gram, soybean, and cotton among the principal crops. Irrigation from the Mahi Bajaj Sagar project has expanded cultivation in command areas. The district has deposits of minerals including soapstone, dolomite, limestone, and graphite. Forest produce, dairying, and small-scale industries supplement household incomes, and migration for wage labour to Gujarat is common in tribal households.
Banswara is connected by state highways to Udaipur, Ratlam, Ahmedabad, and other regional centres. The nearest broad-g