Satara district General information
Satara 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 (as of 2001[update]). Satara is the capital of the district and other major towns include Wai, Karad, Koregaon, Koyananagar, Mahabaleshwar and Panchgani. Pune bounds it to the north, Solapur the east, Sangli to the south, and Ratnagiri to the west.
History
'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.
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.
Shahaji's son Shivaji , the founder of Maratha empire had begun to establish himself in the hilly part of Poona in the north where he had been put in possession of his fathers estate (Subhedari) at Poona and Supa.
The major incidence took place in the rule of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj was round to Pune and Satara, specifically in the Sahyadri ranges . Western part of Satara district was covered by dense forests, high hills which is the main reason where Shivaji Maharaj built about 25 forts. He has fought with Adil Shahi,Mughals throughout his life . Due to growing exploits of Shivaji , Adilshah send Afzal Khan the giant sardar of Bijapur to make an end of Shivaji's kingdom. He was accompanied by a huge army , he harassed the people also destroyed several temples from holy cities of Pandharpur & Tuljapur.The historical defeat and end of Afzal Khan took place at Pratapgad , the ideal fort built on high hill (called Bhorpyacha Dongar) covered with very dense forest and high hills .
In 1663 Shivajiraje conquered Parali & Satara fort. He requested his 'GURU' Shri Samartha Ramdas Swami to stay on this parali fort which later named as 'Sajjangad' . It is just 12 kilometers from Satara city . Satara city situated on the slope of Satara fort popularly known as 'Ajinkyatara'. After the death of Shivaji Maharaj, Aurangjeb conquered Satara fort later won by Parshuram Pratinidhi in 1706. In 1708 Shahumaraj crowned on this fort.
Geography
The Sahyadri range, or main range of the Western Ghats, runs north and south along the western edge of the district, separating it from Ratnagiri district. The Mahadeo range starts about 10 m. north of Mahabaleshwar and stretches east and south-east across the whole of the district.
The Mahadeo hills are bold, presenting bare scarps of black rock like fortresses.
The Satara district is part of two main watersheds. The Bhima River watershed, which is a tributary of the Krishna, includes the north and northeast of the district, north of the Mahadeo hills. The rest of the district is drained by the upper Krishna and its tributaries. The hill forests have a large store of timber and firewood. The whole of Satara district falls within the Deccan Traps area; the hills consist of trap intersected by strata of basalt and topped with laterite, while, of the different soils on the plains, the commonest is the black loamy clay containing carbonate of lime. This soil, when well watered, is capable of yielding heavy crops. Satara contains some important irrigation works, including the Krishna canal. In some of the western parts of the district the average annual rainfall exceeds 5 m.; but on the eastern side water is scanty, the rainfall varying from 1 m in Satara town to less than 30 cm in some places farther east. The district is traversed from north to south by a railway line, which passes 15 km east Satara town.
Religion
The Mandher Devi temple in Mandhradevi, near Wai, is the Kalubai temple. Located on a hill 4,650 feet above sea level, the temple, some 20 km from Satara, overlooks the picturesque Purandhar fort. Devotees attribute miraculous properties to a grove around the shrine. Lore has it that the temple is more than 400 years old and was built during Shivaji's Maratha rule. However, no definite date on the temple's construction is available. It was the scene of a tragic stampede on 25 January 2005.
Tourist Place
Koyna Dam, Dhom Dam, Kanher Dam.