Satara had been the capital of Maratha dynasty for a long time and carries a rich history behind its invasion by various rulers and emperors. The district had witnessed some memorable historical moments. The presence of its existence is witnessed from the inscriptions found 200 B.C. reveals that the Wai region of Satara was known as Viratnagari where Pandavas of Mahabharatta epic stayed during the 13
th year of their exile. The region had been under the control Satvhans for almost two centuries from (550 A.D to 750 A.D).
Satara had also been under the control of Chalukyas of Badami and later by other rulers of different dynasties namely Rashtrakutas, Silaharas, Yadavs of Devgiri, the Bahamanis, Adil Shahi, Muslim Rule, Great Maratha ruler Shivaji, Shahu Ram Raja and Shahu II Pratapsingh.For the first time the region came under the control of Muslim rulers in 1296 and their dominance in the region remained till 1707.
The period of Maratha’s rule over Satara is considered as a golden era in the history of Satara. After Shivaji his son Shahji started establishing his control on the hilly areas of Poona. The major incidences which took place during the reign of Chhattrapati Shivaji Maharaj revolved between Pune and Satara especially in the Sahydari ranges. Western part of the Satara district was covered by the deep forest and hills and with an objective of protecting his empire Shivaji built almost 25 forts in this region. There were always frequent wars between Adil Shah and Shivaji, the army of Adil Shah was headed by Afzal Khan who was finally defeated in the war that took place at Pratapgarh. In 1663 the forts of Parali and Satara were conquered by Shivaji Raje and he request his Guru Shri Samartha Ramdas Swami to stay in fort of Parali which was later named as Sajjangad.
Satara District at a Glance:
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Geographical location
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: North Latiitudes 17.5 to 18.11
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East Longitude 73.33 to 74.54
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Climate
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: Min.Temp - 11.6 Celsius
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Max.Temp - 37.5 Celsius
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Rainfall
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: 1426 mm ( Average )
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Geog.Area
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: 10484 Sq.Kilometer.
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Male
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: 14,02,301
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Female
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: 13,94,605
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Literacy
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: 78,52 %
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Male
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: 88.45 %
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Female
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: 68.71 %
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Density
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: 266.77 Per Sq.Km.
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Sex Ratio
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: 995 ( For 1000 Male)
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Tahasil's -( 11 )
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1. Satara 2.Karad 3.Wai 4.Mahabaleshwar
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Panchayat Samiti (11)
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5. Phaltan 6.Man 7.Khatav 8.Koregaon
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9.Patan 10.Jaoli 11.Khandala
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Nagar Palika (8)
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1.Satara 2.Karad 3.Wai 4.Mahabaleshwar
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5.Panchagani 6.Rahimatpur 7.Phaltan
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Tot. Villages
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: Rural - 1707, Urban - 43
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Tourist Destinations: The district of Satara is blessed with some fascinating and renowned tourist destinations.
Mahableshwar: Recognized as the Kashmir of Maharashtra. Mahableshwar is the best hill station of Maharashtra. It is situated about 4500 ft. above sea level on the Sahyadri hills. It was the erstwhile summer capital of Old Bombay Presidency. The tourists get thrilled by its exotic greenery and beautiful gardens. The best season for visiting is from March to June. It is well connected by road.
Shri Chhatrapati Shivaji Museum: The district of Satara had been the capital of Maratha kingdom and carries a rich history behind it. It had been under the dominance of the successors of Chhatrapatti Shivaji till 1839. During their rule number of museums and historical places were built the then rulers. The most famous them is the museum of Maharaja Chhatrapati Shivaji’s Museum which reveals the culture of 17th and 18th century. The museum is divided into 2 sections, exhibition articles and Maratha art Gallery.
Char Bhinti Hutatma Smarak: Built in the memory of Martyr's of 1857 freedom movement. It is recently reconstructed by the government.
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Sajjangad: During the rule of Chhtrapati Shivaji Raigad was the capital of Shivshahi while Sajjangad was the spiritual Capital of it. Sajjangad (Fort) is situated just 9 kms away from Satara city where Samarth Ramdas took 'Samadhi'. There are 750 steps to enter into this Fort. Samarth Ramdas inspired Chatrapati Shivaji in his fight for Swaraj. He was the spiritual teacher (guru) of Chatarapati Shivaji. On the day of Das Navami people gather here and take part in festival.
Connectivity: The district is well connected by all the means of transport.
Air: The nearest airport to Satara is at Pune (112 kms) and another at Mumbai (272 kms).
Railways: Well connected by rail (broad gauge line) from Pune and Kolhapur (123 kms). Station at Satara Road is 17 kms away from the district headquarters.
Road: National highway No 4 passes through Satara and is connected with road to Pune. State highways and roads from the district headquarters at Satara connect all 11 tehsils (subdistricts) and major towns.
To know more about Satara, explore here
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