About Kolhapur

Kolhapur with its rich, colourful historical and mythical past stands out among the various cities in Maharastra State. The city is situated on the banks of river Panchaganga and is nestled among the Sahyadri ranges and surrounded by beautiful fortresses and hillocks.

The name Kolhapur originates around Dravidian times when it is said that the aborgines of the region worshipped a powerful mother goddess named 'kolla'. Some say that the name originates around the temple of goddess Mahalaxmi. She, after the great deluge, salvaged the city by using her mace(kur) and hence the name 'Karveer'.
Going by the puranas, some suggest that the city is spiritually vibrant. They say that Lord Vishnu dwells in the form of rocks, Lord Mahadeva in the form of water, goddesses in the form of trees and seers in the form of sand.

Kolhapur has lived through the regimes of various rulers from the ancient past to the modern age. The Hindu era(upto 1347 A.D.), the Muslim period (1347 A.D. to 1700 A.D.) and the maratha reign(1700 A.D. to 1849 A.D.). In 1849 the British took over and Chhattrapati Shahu Maharaj was installed as the ruler of Kolhapur. the Maharaja reign lent a progressive spirit to the city and the king extended his patronage to Arts, Theatre, Film making, Music, Painting, Sculpture, Wrestling and crafts like tanning and jewellery making.

At present the city is supposedly the fourth largest city in Maharastra and boasts a booming commercial centre, flourishing Dairy and Sugar industry. Infact the Sugar Industry is amongst the Richest Belt in India.
Below are various important sites in kolahpur. You can access more information about these places by clicking on any of them.

Mahalaxmi Temple

The Shri Mahalakshmi Temple of Kolhapur in Maharashtra, India, is one of the Shakti Peethas, listed in various puranas of Hinduism. According to these writings, a shakti peetha is a place associated with Shakti, the goddess of power. The Kolhapur peetha is of special religious significance, being one of the six places where it is believed one can either obtain salvation from desires or have them fulfilled. The temple takes its name from Mahalakshmi, the consort of Vishnu, and it is believed that the divine couple reside in the area.

The temple belongs, architecturally, to the Kannada Chalukya empire, and may have been first built circa 700 AD. Mounted on a stone platform, the image of the four armed and crowned goddess is made of gemstone and weighs about 40 kilograms. The image of Mahalakshmi carved in black stone is 3 feet in height. The Shri yantra is carved on one of the walls in the temple. A stone lion, the vahana of the goddess, stands behind the statue. The crown contains an image of the Sheshnag — the serpent of Vishnu. In Her four hands, the deity of Mahalakshmi holds objects of symbolic value. The lower right hand holds a mhalunga (a citrus fruit), in the upper right, a large mace (kaumodaki) with its head touching the ground, in the upper left a shield (khetaka), and in the lower left, a bowl (panpatra). Unlike most Hindu sacred images, which face north or east, the image of this deity looks west (Pashchim). There is a small open window on the western wall, through which the light of the setting sun falls on the face of the image for three days around the 21st of each March and September.

There are a number of other shrines in the courtyard to the Navagrahas, Surya, Mahishasuramardini, Vitthal-Rakhmai, Shiva, Vishnu, Tulja Bhavani and others. Some of these images date back to the 11th century, while some are of recent origin. Also located in the courtyard is the temple tank Manikarnika Kund, on whose bank is a shrine to Visweshwar Mahadev.

Worship Structure: Five worship services are offered each day. The first one is at 5 am, and it involves the waking of the deity with a Kakada - torch, to the accompaniment of hymns. The second worship service at 8 am involves the offeirng of the Shodashopachara pooja consisting of 16 elements. The afternoon and evening services and the Shejaarati pooja constitute the three other services.

Special Events: A festival image of the deity is taken out in procession around the temple courtyard each Friday, and on full moon days.

Jyotiba Temple

Jyotiba is a holy site of Hinduism near Wadi Ratnagiri, Maharashtra, India. The deity of the temple is known by the same name, and is held by the locals to be an incarnation of three gods: Brahma, Vishnu, Mahesha, and Jamadagni[1]. An annual fair takes place on the full moon night of the Hindu months of Chaitra and Vaishakha.

Jyotiba temple is an important Hindu religious destination located at an altitude of 3124 feet above sea level in the Panhala range of Maharashstra. It is believed that the main deity the Jyotiba is formed from the souls of three Primary Gods, Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva. Legendery stories tell that Jyotiba is formed to kill the demon Ratnasur.

Visiting and offering prayers to the Incarnation of Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva as Jyotiba is a sacred ritual according to Hindu belief. Devotees and tourists throng to this temple premises for the large fair held yearly in the full moon days in the months of Vaishakh and Chaitra.

Bhavani Mandap

This palace is behind Mahalaxmi Mandir. This palace was built around 200 years ago and it was the royal residence. in the year 1813 it was partly destroyed in a fire. later on it was  reconstructed. This palace has old fashioned architecture and it is huge in size and strong in construction.

Shri Chhatrapati got this Bhavani temple built for members of his family. This temple and its surrounding area is proof  of the royal wealth. Shri Chhatrapati used to conduct his Dasera Court in this temple. A beautiful idol of Goddess Bhavani can be seen in Bhavani chowk.

Shalini Palace

Shalini Palace is located very close to the famous Rankala lake.It was built in 1931-1934 and cost approx 8.00 lacs to build. Surrounded by tall palm trees and lush green lawns this palace offers visitors a magnificient place of interest in kolhapur which at the same time provides a wonderful backdrop to the lake. The palace was constructed with italian marble and black stone. The main door has Belgium glass and the inscription work on it reflects the majesty of the Royal family of kolhapur. The columns made of black stone as well as the entrance porch is a architectural masterpiece. In 1987 this palace was converted into the only palace hotel in the state. You can enjoy the reflection of the palace on a moonlit night on the Rankala lake,as well as its serene beauty during sunset.

Khasbaug Wrestling Stadium

One more attraction the city of Kolhapur can offer the tourists. many great wrestlers of India have shown their wrestling skills in this stadium. The art of wrestling developed during the life time Shri Shahu Maharaj as he used to love this art very much. He converted this Khasbaug maidaninto proper stadium. This stadium has capacity to accommodate 20,000 people.

Panhala Fort

Panhala-Location :

Panhala, Maharashtra - Hill Resorts in India

Panhala-Sites to Visit :

Almost all the holiday packages to Panhala include a tour to Ambarkhana. The Ambarkhana was built by the Marathas and it houses the palace, the administrative division and the granary. The granaries were necessary since grain needed to be stored in case of famines and other calamities. You can also take a look at the Teen Darwaja, which are three gates that provide access to the fort.

If you are on a tour to Panhala, you can check out Sajja Kothi, which was built by the Mohammedans in 1008 AD. There is a very interesting story related to this fort. Many say that when Siddi Johar, who was a Bijapur general, attacked the fort, Shivaji escaped from the window while Shiva Kashid, in the disguise of Shivaji fought bravely with Siddi Johar.

Another place one can visit is the Ambabai temple, where you can pay respect to the Goddess. Sambhaji temple is another place you can visit, which was built in the memory of Sambhaji, as the name itself suggests.

There is also the Someshwar tank and Andhar Bav. Do not forget to visit the Nayakini Sajja, at Panhala, It is a great thing to see, to understand the warfare strategy used by the Marathas to deceive their foes. It was located next to one of the corners of the fort to hide the ravine or moat. When the enemies tried to climb over the particular corner, they would fall into the ravine. There are also other places in Panhala that you could visit besides all these wonderful places.

Panhala-How to Reach :

The airport nearest to Panhala, is the Kolhapur airport, which is at a distance of 35km from the hill station.

If you wish to travel by road, there are frequent buses between Kolhapur and Panhala. As for the railway station, the Kolhapur railway station is only 26 km from Panhala.

Panhala-Best time to visit :

The weather of Panhala is great, especially for people with ailments. The perfect time to visit Panhala is from October to December. The temperature usually ranges from 25-32 degree Celsius to 20-24 degree Celsius during the rainy season.

Panhala-Where to stay :

Though there are many hotels, three good options are Hotel Hill Top, Hotel Valley View and the MTDC Station at Panhala.

Hill Resorts in India offers online booking for hotels in Panhala and also several tour or holiday packages to the hill station. Spend your holiday in a beautiful hill resort in Maharashtra and enjoy a holiday experience that you would never want to forget.

Dajipur

Dajipur situated about 82 kms. From kolhapur has one of the regions thickest forests. It borders on Kolhapur and Sindhudurg districts. Having a vast composition of flaura and fauna, it is also home to many animals, especially wild beasts. Previously it was famous for the abundant quantities of Wild Boars which resulted in hunting. It also has Bears, Antelopes and different types of snakes too. Fortunately hunting is now banned in the state, but nevertheless this lovely picturesque area, which is actually in Radhanagari Taluka, is a must see especially during the monsoon season. M.T.D.C has provisions for a rest house and tents can also be availed here to stay.

Amboli

Amboli is situated approx. 135 km from kolhapur. Nestled amongst the beautiful sahyadri ranges, it is about 630 mts above sea level and is considered one of the prime hill stations in Maharashtra. It is surrounded by thick forests and ravines and tall cliffs. Considering its location and lovely climate it is a perfect picnic spot as well as a 'Retreat' from the crowded cities and towns. There are numerous waterfalls, a sunset point and a holy site close to 'Amboli'. Maharashtra tourism has a resort built for visitors who would like to stay at 'Amboli'.

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