INFORMATION ABOUT SATARA

'SATARA' was the capital of Maratha Kingdom spreaded over 14 lacks square kilometer. This land has rich heritage . Several great warriors, kings,saints, and great personalities create their historical evidence in the history of Maharashtra.

SATARA HISTORY

Inscriptions as old as 200 B.C revels that probably the oldest known place in Satara district is Karad (mentioned as Karhakada). It is also believed that Wai in Satara district is the 'Viratnagari' where Pandavas lived in the 13th year of exile. The Mauryan empire in the Deccan was followed by the rules of "Satvahans" for about two centuries(between 550 A.D. to 750 A.D.) Satara as also the southern Maharashtra, was ruled by Chalukyas of Badami and was later by Rashtrakutas, Silaharas and Yadav of Devgiri, the Bahamanis, Adil Shahi, Muslim Rule, Shivaji (Maratha rule), Shahu Ram Raja and Shahu II Pratapsinh. The first Musalman Invasion of the Deccan took place in 1296. Muslim ruled over Satara till 1707. In 1636 the Nijam Shahi Dynasty came to an end.

SATARA TOURISM

The Places of Interest in and around Satara



• Panchgani :Panchgani, often referred to as the Mecca of Maharashtra, is a small hill-station in the state of Maharashtra, India. It is located amidst five small hills, from which it derives its name (panch in marathi means five). All these 5 hills are topped by a volcanic plateau which is the second highest in Asia after the Tibetan plateau. These plateaus are known in the local term as "Table Land". These plateaus are part of the Deccan plateau and were raised by the pressure between the earth plates. Because of this it is also an area of high seismic activity with epicenter near Koynanagar which is famous of the Koynanagar dam and hydroelectric power plant. It is located about 265 km from Mumbai and has breathtaking valleys, winding rivers, scenic mountains and scattered hamlets. It attracts many tourists throughout the year, and many Mumbaites visit it as a weekend escape. Some go further, opening resorts which they themselves own, but rent out during certain seasons. There is a Ganesh Temple at Wai, which is located close by. The temperature in Panchgani is around 16 C during the winter and can soar up to 35 C during the summer. There are many elite boarding schools in Panchgani and it has been used as a location to film a number of Bollywood movies. The British set up numerous tuberculosis sanitoriums in Panchgani due to the presence of silver oak trees, which were considered therapeutic. The main attractions are: Table land, Parsi point, Sydney point. [1]Panchgani now faces immense environmental pressures due to commercial activities, opening of illegal hotels, vehicles and temperature inversion (due to humidity) from various new dams built to store water in the vicinity. Freddie Mercury attended St Peter's school in Panchgani where he formed his first band, The Hectics (1958-1962.)



• Mahabaleshwar :Mahabaleshwar is a hill station located in the Satara District in the Western Ghats range of Maharashtra, India. Located about 120 km from Pune and 285 km from Mumbai, Mahabaleshwar is a vast plateau measuring 150 kmē, bound by valleys on all sides. Many tourists also visit nearby Panchgani. After the construction of a new highway, it is only a five hour drive from Mumbai. It reaches a height of 1438 m (4710 ft) at its highest peak above sea level, known as Wilson/Sunrise Point. Mahabaleshwar, "The Queen of Hill Stations", served as the summer capital of Bombay province during the British Raj, and today is a popular holiday resort and honeymoon spot. The area is also an important pilgrimage site for Hindus, and is the site of the Mahabaleshwar Temple. Mahabaleshwar comprises three villages, Malcolm Peth, Old "Kshetra" Mahabaleshwar and part of the Shindola village. The first historical mention of Mahabaleshwar dates back to year 1215 when the King Singhan of Deogiri visited Old Mahabaleshwar. Present Mahabaleshwar came into existence in the year 1829-30 and from old records is mentioned as Malcolm Peth, but in practise today it is known as Mahabaleshwar.



• Pateshwar : Tourism has been a prominent industry nowadays and in the last decade it has seen a mammoth growth in turnover and tourists inlay. Though the horizons of this industry are left with no bounds, as it has been an inter-continental affair. Still there are certain places around us, which are hardly been explored. Pateshwar alias Patheshwar aka Surya Patheshwar is one such place near Satara where one can find copious archaic sculptures.



• Ajinkyatara : Satara city is situated on the slope of this hill fort. The fort is located at 17°40'21.87"N 73°59'44.46"E. The Temple of Mangalai Devi is on the fort. Other temples are of Hanuman & Shiv. Apart from temple you can find Television & Radio broadcasting towers on this fort. You can drive up to the main gate and can see a beautiful view of Satara city and Parali from here. You can also see Sajjan gadh.



• Yawateshwar:A famous and old shiv temple on the east side of satara city. Many people do pilgrimage on Monday's of marathi month Shravan. It is about five km away from Satara. You can walk from Satara or get there by road. You can have Sai Baba temple on the road. You can take a bird's eye view of Satar city & Kanher Dam while on the road to temple.



• Kaas Lake :Further going eastward from Yawateswar, Kaas Lake is situated on Kaas Platau. It is about 26 km away from Satara city and accessible by road. Built in 1875 the lake provides most supply of drinking water to the old city. This is also a famous picnic spot for the rainy season.



• Bamnoli :Bamnoli is about 36 km from Satara city and is situated on the bank of Koyana Dam backwater. Though there is nothing at Bamnoli, it is basically a last road stop for people who want to go Koyana Sanchury from satara city. From here you can take a motor boat to see Tapola which is famous for water sport.



• Sajjangad :Sajjangad is place of great saint Samartha Ramdas Swami. Ramdas Swami is famous for his message of mental and physical exercise. He established temples of god Hanuman all across Maharashtra and India. These temples was meant for exercise known as 'Talim'. He was Chatrapathi Shivaji's spiritual guru. His writings 'Manache Shlok'-Thoughts of Mind, and Dasbodh teaches principles of life through simplest way. You can see Saint Ramdas Swami's tomb here. This is also a Hill fort visited by thousands of pilgrims and trekking entusiasts. You can reach by road almost up the fort followed by climb of 100 steps to reach on top. Accommodation is available from charity trust. Fort gives great views of scenic beauty, most watchfull is view of Urmodi Damn, windfarms of Chalkewadi. And apart from all gives sense of mental peace because of its unmatchable climate, beauty and spirituality.



• Thoseghar Waterfall : To reach this waterfall you have to drive little further on same road of Sajjangadh from Satara. This fall is approximately 100 m high.



• Chalkewadi :Satara is put on international map of renewable energy source due to over 100 windmills build on Chalkewadi plateu. Installed capacity of windmill project is around 350 MW second largest in India until 2006.



• Nandgiri or Kalyangad Fort :(Koreganv T; 18° N, 74° E; RS, Satara Road, 2 m. w;) 3,537 feet above sea level, stands at the end of a spur of the Mahadev range running south-west from the villages of Vikhale and Bhadle, eight miles north of Koreganv and about fourteen miles north-east of Satara. It is separated from the rest of the spur by a small gorge or Khind and stands on a lower hill than the Candan Vandan range close to its north-west. It forms, therefore, a less conspicuous object from Satara than the Candan Vandan twins, though from the south it comes prominently in view as it forms the southern extremity of the spur dividing the Vangna and Vasna valleys. The hill sides are very steep and rugged and the scarp is very perfect. There is no regular approach and the ascent is made by very tortuous and precipitous footpaths from Dhumalvadi the village immediately at the foot of the hill to the east to the first gate directly above the village and facing north. Though easy at first, the ascent becomes very steep afterwards and much blocked by prickly pear. Halfway up in a ravine is a good spring and pond known as the Kham pond, the water of which is not potable. The pond is hollowed out of the rock in three divisions and the roof is supported by pillars. The water is abundant. [Mr. H. R. Cooke, C. S., found that perhaps the most remarkable feature on the hill was its water-supply. Immediately after entering the lower gate a steep footpath descends within the western was into a hollow at the bottom of the scarp. The hollow is about forty or fifty feet deep. When the bottom is reached the entrance to a huge cavern is seen which can only be reached by stooping. The cavern is full of water but very dark. Outside the gate and to the north there evidently were huge caverns but these have been built up with rough masonry.] The fort has two gateways the one below the other connected by steps. The first gate faces north, the path turning abruptly as it is reached. Within is a hollow used formerly for stores. From the inside facing east is another cave pond called the Gavi also full of good water. The entrance to it is protected by a wall. This cave pond is very difficult of access, the way being thickly blocked with prickly pear. The second gateway of mortared stone leads out into the plateau, which is about two hundred yards high by one hundred broad with many ruined buildings, and four chief ponds inside the second gate



• Gove :A small village on the bank of Krishna river, around 16 km north to the Satara city, attract many devotees due to famous Koteshware temple. The temple of Lord Shiva is too old and classic example of 16th century architecture. Most of the villagers are farmers and it is nice to see farming in Western state of Maharashtra here. Chhatrapathi Shivaji Maharaj Museum, Charbhinti or Hutatma Smarak, Natraj Temple, Shri Kshetra Mahuli, Pedhyancha Bhairoba, Kuraneshwar or Khinditla Ganapati, Dholya Ganapati, Phutaka Talav or Talyatla Ganapati, Jawaharlal Neharu Udyan and Koyana Dam, Priti Sangam Karad, Mayani, Mayani Bird Sanctuary is located in the Satara district of Maharashtra state near Vaduj, in India.

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