Satara district
Encyclopedia
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 . Satara
is the capital of the district and other major towns include Wai
, Karad
, Koregaon
, Koyananagar, Rahimatpur
, Phaltan
, Mahabaleshwar
and Panchgani
. This district comes under Pune Administrative Division along with Pune, Sangli, Solapur and Kolhapur Districts. The district of Pune
bounds it to the north, Raigad
bounds it to the North-West, Solapur
the east, Sangli
to the south, and Ratnagiri
to the west.
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.
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.
is Karad (mentioned as Karhakada). It is also believed that the Pandava
s stayed in Wai
, then known as 'Viratnagari', in the 13th year of exile.
Satara District can be proud of the oldest Rashtrakuta history. The oldest Rashtrakutas are believed to be from ancient Kuntala in the valley of river Krishna. Manank ruled from 350 - 375 C.E. and had built his capital in Manpur (now Maan in Satara district). The Vakatakas of Vidarbha, another Rashtrakuta rulers were in conflict with Manank. Subsequenyly the Rashtrakutas became feudatories to the Chalukyas and came into prominence under Dantidurga around 753 CE.
The empire of Chandragupta II
, known as Mahendraditya Kumargupta I, extended as far as Satara district in Deccan when he ruled between 451 AD to 455 AD. The Mauryan 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 Pratinidhi
in 1706. In 1708 Chattrapati Shahu was crowned within the Satara fort. The direct descendents of Shivaji continue to live in Satara. The current king of Satara, Udayanraje Bhonsale, is the 13th descendent of Shivaji Maharaj.
After their victory in the Third Anglo-Maratha War
in 1818, the British Empire
annexed most of the Maratha territory to Bombay Presidency, but restored the titular Raja Pratap Singh
, 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.
, Wai
, Mahabaleshwar
, Phaltan
, Man, Khatav
, Koregaon
, Patan, Jaoli and Khandala. There are ten Vidhan Sabha
constituencies in this district. Phaltan, Man, Khatav, Koregaon, Wai and Satara are part of Satara Lok Sabha
constituency and Jaoli, Patan, Karad (North) and Karad (South) are part of Karad Lok Sabha constituency.
Later, in the year 2009, the Karad Lok Sabha constituency was cancelled and it fused in the Satara Lok Sabha constituency. A new Madha Lok Sabha constituency was formed in the same year. Jaoli and Khatav Vidhan Sabha constituencies were cancelled, and Man, Phaltan were added to Madha Lok Sabha Constituency.
Satara district has a population
of 3,003,922, roughly equal to the nation of Albania
or the US state of Mississippi
. This gives it a ranking of 122nd in India (out of a total of 640
). The district has a population density of 287 PD/sqkm . Its population growth rate
over the decade 2001-2011 was 6.94 %. Satara has a sex ratio
of 986 females
for every 1000 males, and a literacy rate
of 84.2 %.
in Satara is one of the oldest residential school preparing boys for military career. There are also institutes run by the Rayat Shikshan Sanstha.
Districts of Maharashtra
The Indian state of Maharashtra came into existence on May 1, 1960 , initially with 28 districts. 7 new districts have been created since then and currently the number of districts in the state is 35...
of Maharashtra
Maharashtra
Maharashtra is a state located in India. It is the second most populous after Uttar Pradesh and third largest state by area in India...
state in western India
India
India , 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 with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
with an area of 10,480 km² and a population of 2,808,994 of which 14.17% were urban . Satara
Satara
Satara is a city located in the Satara District of Maharashtra state of India. The town is 2320 ft. above sea-level, near the confluence of the Krishna and its tributary river Venna. The city was the capital of the Maratha empire in the 17th century, hence one of the the historical cities of...
is the capital of the district and other major towns include Wai
Wai
Wai 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 that is part of the O RLY? Internet meme.*Wai, a form of Thai greeting...
, Karad
Karad
Karad is a town and a municipal council in Satara district in the Indian state of Maharashtra. It lies at the confluence of Koyna River and the Krishna River. The two rivers originate at Mahabaleshwar which is around 100 km from Karad. They diverge at their origin and then meet again in...
, Koregaon
Koregaon
Koregaon is a small town and surrounding tehsil in the Satara subdivision of Satara district in the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is situated on the Satara Pandarpur road about 18 km east of Satara, about 120 km from Pune and 267 km from Mumbai. The Koregaon railway station,...
, Koyananagar, Rahimatpur
Rahimatpur
Rahimatpur is a city and a municipal council in Satara district in the Indian state of Maharashtra.-Geography:Rahimatpur is located at . It has an average elevation of 657 metres ....
, Phaltan
Phaltan
Phaltan is a city, a taluka and a municipal council in Satara district in the Indian state of Maharashtra. The town is about 59 km north-east of the city of Satara...
, Mahabaleshwar
Mahabaleshwar
Mahabaleshwar 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 Raj.-Geography...
and Panchgani
Panchgani
Pānchgani is a town and 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...
. This district comes under Pune Administrative Division along with Pune, Sangli, Solapur and Kolhapur Districts. The district of Pune
Pune District
Pune District is situated in Maharashtra state of India. Pune city is the district headquarters. In the last census on 2001, the total population of the district was 7,232,555, making it the fourth most populous district in India . Urban population comprises 58.08% of the total population...
bounds it to the north, Raigad
Raigad district
Raigad District , also known as Raigarh District, is a district in the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is located in the Konkan region. The district was renamed after Raigad, the fort which was the former capital of the Maratha leader Shivaji, and is located in the interior regions of the district,...
bounds it to the North-West, Solapur
Solapur District
- Solapur District is a district in Maharashtra state of India. The city of Solapur is the district headquarters. It is located on the south east edge of the state and lies entirely in the Bhima and Seena basins. The entire district is drained by the Bhima River.Solapur district leads in beedi...
the east, Sangli
Sangli district
Sangli district is a district of Maharashtra state in west-central India. Sangli city is the district headquarters. The district is 24.51% urban. Sangli and Miraj are the largest cities. The industrial town of Kirloskarwadi is also located in the Sangli District...
to the south, and Ratnagiri
Ratnagiri District
Ratnagiri district is one of the 35 districts of Maharashtra state in western India. Ratnagiri is the district headquarters of the district. The district is 11.33% urban. The district is bounded by the Arabian Sea to the west, Sindhudurg district to the south, Raigad district to the north and...
to the west.
The Sahyadri range, or main range of the Western Ghats
Western Ghats
The Western Ghats, Western Ghauts or the Sahyādri 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. The Western Ghats block rainfall to the Deccan...
, 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
Bhima River
The Bhima River originates in Bhimashankar hills near Karjat on the western side of Western Ghats, known as Sahyadri, in Maharashtra state in India. Bhima flows southeast for 861 km through Maharashtra, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh states...
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
Deccan Traps
The Deccan Traps are a large igneous province located on the Deccan Plateau of west-central India and one of the largest volcanic features on Earth. They consist of multiple layers of solidified flood basalt that together are more than thick and cover an area of and a volume of...
area; the hills consist of trap intersected by strata of basalt
Basalt
Basalt is a common extrusive volcanic rock. It is usually grey to black and fine-grained due to rapid cooling of lava at the surface of a planet. It may be porphyritic containing larger crystals in a fine matrix, or vesicular, or frothy scoria. Unweathered basalt is black or grey...
and topped with laterite
Laterite
Laterites are soil types rich in iron and aluminium, formed in hot and wet tropical areas. Nearly all laterites are rusty-red because of iron oxides. They develop by intensive and long-lasting weathering of the underlying parent rock...
, 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.
The Mandher Devi temple in Mandhradevi
Mandher Devi temple in Mandhradevi
Mandherdevi Kalubai temple is near Wai . Located on a hill 4,650 feet above sea level, the temple, some 20 km from Satara, overlooks the picturesque Purandar fort. Devotees attribute miraculous properties to a grove around the shrine. Local lore has it that the temple is more than 400 years...
, 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.
History
Historical inscriptions as old as 200 BCE indicate the oldest known place in Satara district in MaharashtraMaharashtra
Maharashtra is a state located in India. It is the second most populous after Uttar Pradesh and third largest state by area in India...
is Karad (mentioned as Karhakada). It is also believed that the Pandava
Pandava
In the Hindu epic Mahābhārata, the Pandava are the five acknowledged sons of Pandu , by his two wives Kunti and Madri. Their names are Yudhisthira, Bhima, Arjuna, Nakula and Sahadeva. Although, Karna is told by Lord Krishna that according to the laws and ethics he is the first son of Kunti making...
s stayed in Wai
Wai
Wai 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 that is part of the O RLY? Internet meme.*Wai, a form of Thai greeting...
, then known as 'Viratnagari', in the 13th year of exile.
Satara District can be proud of the oldest Rashtrakuta history. The oldest Rashtrakutas are believed to be from ancient Kuntala in the valley of river Krishna. Manank ruled from 350 - 375 C.E. and had built his capital in Manpur (now Maan in Satara district). The Vakatakas of Vidarbha, another Rashtrakuta rulers were in conflict with Manank. Subsequenyly the Rashtrakutas became feudatories to the Chalukyas and came into prominence under Dantidurga around 753 CE.
The empire of Chandragupta II
Chandragupta II
Chandragupta II the Great, very often referred to as Vikramaditya or Chandragupta Vikramaditya in Sanskrit; was one of the most powerful emperors of the Gupta empire in northern India. His rule spanned c...
, known as Mahendraditya Kumargupta I, extended as far as Satara district in Deccan when he ruled between 451 AD to 455 AD. The Mauryan 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 Pratinidhi
Parshuram Pant Pratinidhi
Parshuram Tryambak Kinhaikar , popularly known as Parshuram Pant Pratinidhi, was a diplomat and warrior of Maratha Empire during Rajaram and Tarabai’s regime. His contribution to the Maratha war of Independence is considered to be of vital importance...
in 1706. In 1708 Chattrapati Shahu was crowned within the Satara fort. The direct descendents of Shivaji continue to live in Satara. The current king of Satara, Udayanraje Bhonsale, is the 13th descendent of Shivaji Maharaj.
After their victory in the Third Anglo-Maratha War
Third Anglo-Maratha War
The Third Anglo-Maratha War was the final and decisive conflict between the British East India Company and the Maratha Empire in India. The war left the Company in control of most of India. It began with an invasion of Maratha territory by 110,400 British East India Company troops, the largest...
in 1818, the British Empire
British Empire
The British Empire comprised the dominions, colonies, protectorates, mandates and other territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom. It originated with the overseas colonies and trading posts established by England in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. At its height, it was the...
annexed most of the Maratha territory to Bombay Presidency, but restored the titular Raja Pratap Singh
Pratap Singh
Pratap Singh may refer to:*Partab Singh of Kashmir, Maharaja of Jammu and Kashmir*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.
Divisions
Satara district consists of 11 talukas (tahsils). These are Satara, KaradKarad
Karad is a town and a municipal council in Satara district in the Indian state of Maharashtra. It lies at the confluence of Koyna River and the Krishna River. The two rivers originate at Mahabaleshwar which is around 100 km from Karad. They diverge at their origin and then meet again in...
, Wai
Wai
Wai 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 that is part of the O RLY? Internet meme.*Wai, a form of Thai greeting...
, Mahabaleshwar
Mahabaleshwar
Mahabaleshwar 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 Raj.-Geography...
, Phaltan
Phaltan
Phaltan is a city, a taluka and a municipal council in Satara district in the Indian state of Maharashtra. The town is about 59 km north-east of the city of Satara...
, Man, Khatav
Khatav
Khatav is a town and taluka place located in Phaltan subdivision of Satara district. Town has a population of around 20.000.- Geography :Khatav is located at . It has an average elevation of 777 metres ....
, Koregaon
Koregaon
Koregaon is a small town and surrounding tehsil in the Satara subdivision of Satara district in the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is situated on the Satara Pandarpur road about 18 km east of Satara, about 120 km from Pune and 267 km from Mumbai. The Koregaon railway station,...
, Patan, Jaoli and Khandala. There are ten Vidhan Sabha
Vidhan Sabha
The Vidhan Sabha or the Legislative Assembly is the lower house or the sole house of the provincial legislature in the different states of India. The same name is also used for the lower house of the legislatures for two of the union territories, Delhi and Pondicherry...
constituencies in this district. Phaltan, Man, Khatav, Koregaon, Wai and Satara are part of Satara Lok Sabha
Lok Sabha
The Lok Sabha or House of the People is the lower house of the Parliament of India. Members of the Lok Sabha are elected by direct election under universal adult suffrage. As of 2009, there have been fifteen Lok Sabhas elected by the people of India...
constituency and Jaoli, Patan, Karad (North) and Karad (South) are part of Karad Lok Sabha constituency.
| Taluka | Capital |
|---|---|
| Satara | Satara |
| Karad | Karad Karad Karad is a town and a municipal council in Satara district in the Indian state of Maharashtra. It lies at the confluence of Koyna River and the Krishna River. The two rivers originate at Mahabaleshwar which is around 100 km from Karad. They diverge at their origin and then meet again in... |
| Wai | Wai Wai Wai 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 that is part of the O RLY? Internet meme.*Wai, a form of Thai greeting... |
| Koregaon | Koregaon |
| Jaoli | Medha |
| Mahabaleshwar | Mahabaleshwar Mahabaleshwar Mahabaleshwar 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 Raj.-Geography... |
| Khandala | Khandala (Pargaon) |
| Patan | Patan |
| Phaltan | Phaltan |
| Khatav | Vaduj |
| Man | Dahiwadi |
Later, in the year 2009, the Karad Lok Sabha constituency was cancelled and it fused in the Satara Lok Sabha constituency. A new Madha Lok Sabha constituency was formed in the same year. Jaoli and Khatav Vidhan Sabha constituencies were cancelled, and Man, Phaltan were added to Madha Lok Sabha Constituency.
Demographics
According to the 2011 census2011 census of India
The 15th Indian National census was conducted in two phases, houselisting and population enumeration. Houselisting phase began on April 1, 2010 and involved collection of information about all buildings...
Satara district has a population
Demographics of India
The demographics of India are inclusive of the second most populous country in the world, with over 1.21 billion people , more than a sixth of the world's population. Already containing 17.5% of the world's population, India is projected to be the world's most populous country by 2025, surpassing...
of 3,003,922, roughly equal to the nation of Albania
Albania
Albania , officially known as the Republic of Albania , is a country in Southeastern Europe, in the Balkans region. It is bordered by Montenegro to the northwest, Kosovo to the northeast, the Republic of Macedonia to the east and Greece to the south and southeast. It has a coast on the Adriatic Sea...
or the US state of Mississippi
Mississippi
Mississippi is a U.S. state located in the Southern United States. Jackson is the state capital and largest city. The name of the state derives from the Mississippi River, which flows along its western boundary, whose name comes from the Ojibwe word misi-ziibi...
. This gives it a ranking of 122nd in India (out of a total of 640
Districts of India
A district is an administrative division of an Indian state or territory. Districts are further subdivided, in some cases into Sub-Divisions, and otherwise directly into tehsils or talukas.District officials include:...
). The district has a population density of 287 PD/sqkm . Its population growth rate
Family planning in India
Family planning in India is based on efforts largely sponsored by the Indian government. In the 1965-2009 period, contraceptive usage has more than tripled and the fertility rate has more than halved , but the national fertility rate is still high enough to cause long-term population growth...
over the decade 2001-2011 was 6.94 %. Satara has a sex ratio
Sex ratio
Sex ratio is the ratio of males to females in a population. The primary sex ratio is the ratio at the time of conception, secondary sex ratio is the ratio at time of birth, and tertiary sex ratio is the ratio of mature organisms....
of 986 females
Women in India
The status of women in India has been subject to many great changes over the past few millennia. From equal status with men in ancient times through the low points of the medieval period, to the promotion of equal rights by many reformers, the history of women in India has been eventful...
for every 1000 males, and a literacy rate
Literacy in India
Literacy in India is key for socio-economic progress, and the Indian literacy rate grew to 74.04% in 2011 from 12% at the end of British rule in 1947. Although this was a greater than sixfold improvement, the level is well below the world average literacy rate of 84%, and India currently has the...
of 84.2 %.
Education
The Sainik SchoolSainik School
The Sainik Schools are a system of schools in India established and managed by the Sainik Schools Society. They were conceived in 1961 by V. K. Krishna Menon, the then Defence Minister of India, to rectify the regional and class imbalance amongst the Officer cadre of the Indian Military, and to...
in Satara is one of the oldest residential school preparing boys for military career. There are also institutes run by the Rayat Shikshan Sanstha.
External links
- Satara goes Global
- Satara district website
- History
- Map of MaharashtraMaharashtraMaharashtra is a state located in India. It is the second most populous after Uttar Pradesh and third largest state by area in India...
. - Satara District Main Roads and Railways
- Physical Map of Satara District
- Zilla Parishad Website
- dasbodh.com - Site dedicated to Dasbodh and Samarth Ramdas Swami (Who lived in Satara District in his last days) (contains Dasbodh in various languages plus all the literature of Samarth Ramdas Swami)
Further reading
- Malik, S.C. Stone Age Industries of the Bombay & Satara Districts, M. Sayajirao University Baroda 1959.
- 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.