Satara (Marathi:सातारा) is a
townA town is a type of settlement ranging from a few hundred to several thousand inhabitants, although it may be applied loosely even to huge metropolitan areas; the precise meaning varies between countries and is not always a matter of legal definition...
located in the
Satara DistrictSatara District is a district of Maharashtra state in western India with an area of 10,480 km² and a population of 2,808,994 of which 14.17% were urban . Satara is the capital of the district and other major towns include Wai, Karad, Koregaon, Koyananagar, Mahabaleshwar and Panchgani...
of
MaharashtraMaharashtra is a state located on the western coast of India. Maharashtra is a part of Western India. It is India's third largest state by area and second largest by population....
stateIndia is a federal union of states comprising twenty-eight states and seven union territories. The states and territories are further subdivided into districts and so on.- States and territories :...
of
IndiaIndia, officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the south, the Arabian Sea on the west, and the Bay of Bengal...
. The name is derived from the seven (sat) hills (tara) surrounding the town. The town is 2320 ft. above sea-level, near the confluence of the
Krishna RiverThe Krishna River , is one of the longest rivers in central-southern India .-Course:...
(Marathi:क्रूष्णा) and its tributary the Venna (Marathi:वेण्णा), 67 mi (about 110 km) south of
PunePune , formerly known as Punawadi or Punya-Nagari or Poona, is the eighth largest city in India, and the second largest in the state of Maharashtra, after Mumbai...
.
History
Historical inscriptions as old as 200 BCE indicate the oldest known place in Satara district is Karad (mentioned as Karhakada). It is also believed that the
PandavaIn the Hindu epic Mahābhārata, the Pandava brothers are the five acknowledged sons of Pandu , by his two wives Kunti and Madri. Their names are Yudhishtira, Bhima, Arjuna, Nakula and Sahadeva. All five brothers were married to one woman, Draupadi...
s stayed in
WaiWai or WAI may refer to:*Wai, Maharashtra, a town in India*Wai, an alternative name for the Nuristani people, speakers of the Waigali language*NO WAI, a phrase which is part of the O RLY? Internet meme.*Wai, a form of Thai greeting...
, then known as 'Viratnagari', in the 13th year of exile.
The empire of
Chandragupta IIChandragupta II was one of the most powerful emperors of the Gupta empire. His rule spanned 375-413/15 CE, during which the Gupta Empire achieved its zenith. The period of prominence of the Gupta dynasty is very often referred to as the Golden Age of India...
, known as Mahendraditya Kumargupta I, extended as far as Satara district in Deccan when he ruled between 451 AD to 455 AD. The Gupta empire in the Deccan was followed by the rules of "Satvahans" for about two centuries between 550 A.D. to 750 AD.
The first Muslim invasion of the Deccan took place in 1296. In 1636 the Nizam Shahi dynasty came to an end. In 1663 Shivaji conquered Parali and Satara fort. After the death of Shivaji, Aurangjeb conquered Satara fort later won by
Parshuram PratinidhiParshuram Tryambak Kinhaikar , popularly known as Parshuram Pant Pratinidhi, was a diplomat and warrior of Maratha Empire during Rajaram’s and Tarabai’s regime. His contribution to the Maratha war of Independence is considered to be of vital importance. He was also the founder of the princely...
in 1706. In 1708 Chattrapati Shahu was crowned within the Satara fort. The direct descendents of The Great Maratha King Chh.
ShivajiShivaji Raje Bhosle , popularly known as Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj laid the foundations of the Maratha Empire. Shivaji Maharaj was younger of the two sons of Shahaji Bhosle and Jijabai...
continue to live in Satara. The current king of Satara, Chh. Udayanraje Bhonsale is the 13th descendent of Shivaji Maharaj.
After their victory in the
Third Anglo-Maratha WarThe Third Anglo-Maratha War was a final and decisive conflict between the British East India Company and the Maratha Empire in India, which left the Company in control of most of India....
in 1818, the
British EmpireThe British Empire comprised the dominions, colonies, protectorates, mandates, and other territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom, that had originated with the overseas colonies and trading posts established by England in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. At its height it was...
annexed most of the Maratha territory to Bombay Presidency, but restored the titular Raja
Pratap SinghPratap Singh may refer to:*Pratap Singh of Mewar , Maharana of Mewar, India, 1540–1597*Pratap Singh of Idar , Maharaja of Idar, India, 1902–1911...
, and assigned to him the principality of Satara, an area much larger than the present district. As a result of political intrigues, he was deposed in 1839, and his brother Shahji Raja was placed on the throne. When this prince died without a male heir in 1848, Satara was annexed by the British government and added to Bombay Presidency.
During the independence struggle Satara was known for Prati Sarkar (Parallel Government). During
Quit India MovementThe Quit India Movement was a civil disobedience movement launched in India in August 1942 in response to Mohandas Gandhi's call for immediate independence. Gandhi hoped to bring the British government to the negotiating table...
this parallel government replaced the British in rural areas for 4.5 years, from August 1943 to May 1946. This type of parallel government was also seen in Midnapur, West Bengal and Balia in UP. Krantisinh Nana Patil was the leader to run this government.
Geography
Satara is located at . It has an average elevation of 742
metreThe metre or meter is the basic unit of length in the International System of Units . Historically, the metre was defined by the French Academy of Sciences as the length between two marks on a platinum-iridium bar, which was designed to represent one ten-millionth of the distance from the Equator...
s (2434 feet).
Satara is located in the western part of
MaharashtraMaharashtra is a state located on the western coast of India. Maharashtra is a part of Western India. It is India's third largest state by area and second largest by population....
.The whole of Satara district falls within the Deccan area. It is bounded by
PunePune , formerly known as Punawadi or Punya-Nagari or Poona, is the eighth largest city in India, and the second largest in the state of Maharashtra, after Mumbai...
district to the north,
SolapurSolapur is a city and a municipal corporation in South Western Maharashtra, India near the Karnataka border and is the administrative headquarters of Solapur District. Solapur is one of the four districts that form the region of Western Maharashtra Solapur ( Marathi : सोलापुर) is a city and a...
district to the east, Sangli district to the south and Ratnagiri district to the west.
RaigadRaigad is a hill fortress situated in the modern day Raigad district of Maharashtra, India. The Maratha king Shivaji made the fort his capital in 1674 when he was crowned King of a Maratha Kingdom which later developed into the Maratha Empire eventually covering majority of modern day India.The...
district lies to its north-west. Satara District has an area of 10,480 km², and a population of 2,796,906 (2001).
The Sahyadri range, separates the district from
RatnagiriRatnāgiri is a port city on the Arabian Sea coast in Ratnagiri district in the southwestern part of Maharashtra, India. The district is a part of Konkan.The Sahyadri mountains border Ratnagiri on its west...
on the western side
The black rock Mahadeo range starts about 10 m north of
MahabaleshwarMahabaleshwar is a city and a municipal council in Satara district in the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is a hill station located in the Western Ghats range. With one of the few evergreen forests of the world, it served as the summer capital of Bombay province during the British...
and stretches east and south-east across the whole of the district
The main rivers of Satara district are Koyna and Krishna. The Krishna is one of the three largest sacred rivers of southern India. Approximately 172 km of the river course falls inside the district. The Krishna river begins on the eastern brow of the Mahabaleshwar plateau and the source is about 4500 ft. above sea level. Kudali, Urmodi, Venna and Tarali are small feeder rivers (tributaries) of Krishna. Koyna is the largest tributary of the Krishna in the district. Neera and Manganga rivers are the two representatives of the Bhima drainage, in the north and north-eastern parts of the district respectively.
Satara City is divided into four parts, as like other cities: Urban (Shahar), Sub-Urban (Upanagar), MIDC (Audyogik Vasahat) & Rural (Grameen).
Areas in Satara Urban: Mangalwar peth, Rajwada, Kamani Haud, Pratapganj peth, Shivaji circle, Powai Naka, Devi Chawk, Moti Chawk, Khann Aali, Visawa Park, Vyankatpura Peth, Chimanpura Peth etc.
Areas in Satara Sub-Urban: Krishanagar, Visawa Kamp, Sangamnagar, Gendamaal, I.T.I. etc.
Areas in Satara MIDC: Old MIDC, New MIDC & Degaon MIDC
Areas in Satara Rural: Khindwadi, Limbkhind, Shahupuri, Godoli, Some part of Pirwadi, Khed & Kanher Villages.
Demographics
India
censusA "census" is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population.In other words every 10 years...next one would be in 2010 The term is used mostly in connection with...
, Satara had a population of 108,043. Males constitute 52% of the population and females 48%. Satara has an average literacy rate of 80%, higher than the national average of 59.5%: male literacy is 84%, and female literacy is 76%. In Satara, 10% of the population is under 6 years of age.
Tourist spots in and around Satara City
The Shri Bhavani Museum and Library, Aundh, located on the Yamai Hill in Satara district. Aundh was a princely state in British India, as per the Deccan State Agency division of the Bombay Presidency. It was one of the Satara Jagirs, and was founded in the year 1699 by Trimbak Pant Pratinidhi who was a warrior during the period of Sambhaji Raje and Rajaram Maharaj. The Raja of Aundh, the late Bhawanrao Pantpratinidhi, in 1938, built a museum. The museum and library contain more than 5,000 items. It is located on the Yamai Hill near Aundh village of the Khatav tehsil of the Satara district. A building adjacent to the main building contains more than 25,000 fine arts reference books.
The region also contains The Yamai Devi temple. built in the Hemadpanthi pattern, it contains life-sized marble idols of
avatars of Lord Vishnu, as well as an art gallery, and a 200 feet high deepmala which is believed to be the highest intact deepmala in the state.
'PanchganiPānchgani is a town with a municipal council in Sātārā district in Mahārāshtra, India .-History:Scenic Panchgani was discovered by the British during the British Raj as a summer resort, and a superintendent named John Chesson was placed in charge of the hill station in the 1860s...
'
PanchganiPānchgani is a town with a municipal council in Sātārā district in Mahārāshtra, India .-History:Scenic Panchgani was discovered by the British during the British Raj as a summer resort, and a superintendent named John Chesson was placed in charge of the hill station in the 1860s...
, is a small hill-station in the state of
MaharashtraMaharashtra is a state located on the western coast of India. Maharashtra is a part of Western India. It is India's third largest state by area and second largest by population....
, 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 plateauA volcanic plateau is a plateau produced by volcanic activity. There are two main types: lava plateaus and pyroclastic plateaus.-Lava plateau:...
which is the second highest in Asia after the
Tibetan plateauThe Tibetan Plateau , also known as the Tibel-Qingai Plateau or Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau is a vast, elevated plateau in Central Asia covering most of the Tibet Autonomous Region and Qinghai Province in China and Ladakh in Kashmir, India...
. 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
MumbaiMumbai, formerly Bombay, is the capital of the Indian state of Maharashtra. The city proper is the most-populous in the world, with approximately 14 million inhabitants. Along with the neighbouring suburbs of Navi Mumbai and Thane, it forms the world's 4th largest urban agglomeration, with around...
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
WaiWai or WAI may refer to:*Wai, Maharashtra, a town in India*Wai, an alternative name for the Nuristani people, speakers of the Waigali language*NO WAI, a phrase which is part of the O RLY? Internet meme.*Wai, a form of Thai greeting...
, which is located close by. The average day temperature in Panchgani is around 16 deg celsius during the winter and can soar up to 35 deg celsius during the summer. There are many elite boarding schools in Panchgani and it has been used as a location to film a number of
BollywoodBollywood is the informal term popularly used for the Hindi-language film industry based in Mumbai, India. The term is often incorrectly used to refer to the whole of Indian cinema; it is only a part of the Indian film industry. Bollywood is the largest film producer in India and one of the...
movies. The British set up numerous
tuberculosisTuberculosis is a common and often deadly infectious disease caused by mycobacteria...
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. 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 MercuryFreddie Mercury was a British musician, best known as the frontman of the rock band Queen. As a performer, he was known for his vocal prowess and flamboyant performances...
attended St Peter's school in Panchgani where he formed his first band, The Hectics (1958-1962.)
MahabaleshwarMahabaleshwar is a city and a municipal council in Satara district in the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is a hill station located in the Western Ghats range. With one of the few evergreen forests of the world, it served as the summer capital of Bombay province during the British...
(Marathi:महाबळेश्वर)
MahabaleshwarMahabaleshwar is a city and a municipal council in Satara district in the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is a hill station located in the Western Ghats range. With one of the few evergreen forests of the world, it served as the summer capital of Bombay province during the British...
is a hill station located in the Satara District in the
Western GhatsThe Western Ghats also known as the Sahyadri Mountains, is a mountain range along the western side of India. It runs north to south along the western edge of the Deccan Plateau, and separates the plateau from a narrow coastal plain along the Arabian Sea...
range of Maharashtra, India. Located about 120 km from Pune and 285 km from Mumbai,
MahabaleshwarMahabaleshwar is a city and a municipal council in Satara district in the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is a hill station located in the Western Ghats range. With one of the few evergreen forests of the world, it served as the summer capital of Bombay province during the British...
is a vast plateau measuring 150 km², bound by valleys on all sides. Many tourists also visit nearby
PanchganiPānchgani is a town with a municipal council in Sātārā district in Mahārāshtra, India .-History:Scenic Panchgani was discovered by the British during the British Raj as a summer resort, and a superintendent named John Chesson was placed in charge of the hill station in the 1860s...
. 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.
MahabaleshwarMahabaleshwar is a city and a municipal council in Satara district in the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is a hill station located in the Western Ghats range. With one of the few evergreen forests of the world, it served as the summer capital of Bombay province during the British...
, "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.
MahabaleshwarMahabaleshwar is a city and a municipal council in Satara district in the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is a hill station located in the Western Ghats range. With one of the few evergreen forests of the world, it served as the summer capital of Bombay province during the British...
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
MahabaleshwarMahabaleshwar is a city and a municipal council in Satara district in the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is a hill station located in the Western Ghats range. With one of the few evergreen forests of the world, it served as the summer capital of Bombay province during the British...
.
Other notable regions of the city include Pateshwar (Marathi:पाटेश्वर),
AjinkyataraOn the southern side of Satara city the sentinel of Maraathaa empire Ajinkya Tara is situated. The fort is scalable from a north side. A tar road from municipality of Satara leads us to the grand entrance of the fort. It is built in such a manner to protect from direct attack from cannons...
(Marathi:अजिंक्यतारा),
Yawateshwar (Marathi:यवतेश्वर), Kaas Lake (Marathi:कास तलाव), Bamnoli (Marathi:बामणोळी),
SajjangadSajjangad meaning Fort of Good People, is located near the city of Satara, India. It is the final resting place of Sant Ramdas, a saint and social reformer in 16th century India...
(Marathi:सज्जनगड),
Thoseghar Waterfall (Marathi:ठोसेघर धबधबा),
Chalkewadi (Marathi:चाळकेवाडी),
Bhairoba, Natraj Mandir etc.
Kalyangad or Nandgiri
(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 temple of Maruti was renovated by Dahanebuva of Ninapadali. The tomb of Abdul Karim, a Musalman Saint, is located there. The fort was built by the Silahara king Bhoj II, of Panhala . In 1673 with other Satara forts it was surrendered to Shivaji . The Pratinidhi, administered it till his struggle with Bajirav, the second Peshva (1720-1740). In 1791 Major Price describes it as looking like the hull of a ship of war with opposite it another hill with on its summit some places of devotion [Memoirs of a Field Officer, 261.]. In the last Maratha war it fell to the army of General Pritzler in April, 1818. In 1862, it is described as a dismantled and uninhabited fort with a steep approach and a strong gateway but no water and no supplies [Government List of Civil Forts, 1862.].
Famous Personalities
- Yashwantrao Chavan
Yashwantrao Balwantrao Chavan was the first Chief Minister of Maharashtra after the division of Bombay State and fifth Deputy Prime Minister of India. He was a strong Congress leader, freedom fighter, Cooperative leader, social activist, and writer...
- Dr Karmaveer Bhaurao Patil
Karmaveer Bhaurao Patil , a renowned social activist in Maharashtra who is particularly known as being the founder of Rayat Shikshan Sanstha...
- Freedom fighter Kisan Veer
- Krantisinh Nana Patil
Education
- Aaba Saheb Chirmule Vidya Mandir, Satara(Primary school)
- Dr. J. W. Airan Academy, Satara
- Hutatma Parshuram Vidyalaya, Vaduj
- Shivaji Highschool, Vaduj
- Anant English School, Satara
- New English School, Satara
- Nirmala Convent High School, Satara
- Karmaveer Bhaurao Patil College of Engineering and Polytechnic, Satara
Newspapers
Maps
Further reading
- Selections from the Historical Records of the Hereditary Minister of Baroda. Consisting of letters from Bombay, Baroda, Poona and Satara Governments. Collected by B.A. Gupte. Calcutta 1922.
- Malik, S.C. Stone Age Industries of the Bombay & Satara Districts, M. Sayajirao University Baroda 1959.
- Irawati Karve, Jayant Sadashiv Randadive, The Social Dynamics of a Growing Town and Its Surrounding Area. Deccan College ,1965, Poona. ISBN B0000CQW3J
- Valunjkar, T. N. Social Organization, Migration & Change in a Village Community, Deccan College Poona 1966.
External links
External links
- Wilhelm Filchner: Life of a Researcher (chapter XXIII). Wilhelm Filchner
Wilhelm Filchner was a German explorer.At the age of 21, he participated in his first expedition, which led him to Russia. Two years later, he travelled alone and on horseback through the Pamir Mountains, from Osh to Murgabh to the upper Wakhan to Tashkurgan and back...
was interned from September 1941 until November 1946 in the Parole Camp in Satara. Later on he lived in Poona in the MaharashtraMaharashtra is a state located on the western coast of India. Maharashtra is a part of Western India. It is India's third largest state by area and second largest by population....
stateIndia is a federal union of states comprising twenty-eight states and seven union territories. The states and territories are further subdivided into districts and so on.- States and territories :...
of IndiaIndia, officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the south, the Arabian Sea on the west, and the Bay of Bengal...
.