Jalgaon, city in western India, in northern Maharashtra state, on the northern Deccan Plateau. Located within a productive, irrigated agricultural region, Jalgaon is a significant collection and distribution center of agricultural goods. The leading products are millet and raw cotton; the region's rich volcanic soil is particularly well suited to cotton production. Jalgaon is an important center for cotton-textile and vegetable-oil mills, particularly groundnut-oil and hydrogenation plants. The city is served by several major rail lines and a national highway connecting it to Mumbai (formerly Bombay) and Kolkata. The Ajanta Caves are located about 64 km (about 40 mi) to the south of Jalgaon and the Yaval Wildlife Sanctuary is about 32 km (about 20 mi) to the north. Formerly part of territory controlled by the Holkar family of Maratha rulers, Jalgaon became part of British India in 1818 and independent India in 1947. Population (1991) 242,193.
