Satara District, Maharashtra
Area - 10,480 sq.km
Population - 3,003,741 as per 2011 Census
Population rank in India - 122 out of 640
Capital - Satara
Administrative Division - Pune
Talukas - 11
Villages - 205
Languages Spoken - Marathi, Hindi, English
Geographical Borders -
North - Pune
South - Sangli
East - Solapur
West - Ratnagiri
North - West - Ratnagiri
Sahyadri Ranges - Running North to the South along the districts Western Edge.
Water Sources - River Bhima, River Krishna, River Nira, River Krishna and its tributaries
Forest - Timber and Firewood
How to Reach -
Nearest Airport -
Lohegaon Airport, Pune about 123 km away.
Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Airport, Mumbai, at a distance of 264 km.
Railways - Satara lies on the Pune - Miraj line and is well connected to many of the major cities in India
Roadways - Pune - Satara, Mumbai - Satara buses run daily; both Private and Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation ( MSRTC ). It is connected by roadways to major towns and cities in the State.
USP - First ever Residential Military School for boys was established here.
Historical Significance - The Pandava princes spent a part of their exile in Wai, that was then called Viratnagari.
The district of Satara has a few of the most popular tourist attractions in the state of Maharashtra. Ranging from the most popular hill station of Mahabaleshwar that attracts thousands of tourists all year round to the town of Satara which definitely doesn't lack in its own unique charm and places that are sure to please the tourists.
Nestled in the Sahyadri ranges, with some of the most beautiful landscape ranging from high mountains, elevated plateaus to river banks of the mighty Krishna, Koyna, Bhima along with their many tributaries, Satara district is blessed with pleasing weather, quaint towns and villages in its many mountains and valleys, lush green fields, the massive Koyna dam, rich flora and fauna and many well known and loved tourist towns and hill stations. Its picturesque locales are a sight to behold. This makes Satara district very high up on the tourism itinerary.
The most popular places here being -
Mahabaleshwar, Panchgani, Koregaon, Tapola, Karad, Pratapgad, Wai.
Here is a list of some of the Must-Visit places for the tourists.
Koyna Dam, Koynanagar
Sangam Manali Temple
Baramatichi Vihir,Satara city
Char Bhinti
Yamai Devi Sakhargadnivasini Temple, Kinhai Village
Ajinkyatara Fort, Satara city
Jarandeshwar
Sajjangarh Fort,Satara city
Mayani Bird Sanctuary
Sri Uttara Chidambaram Nataraja Mandir, Satara
Yawateshwar Temple, Yawateshwar Village
Dholya Ganpati Temple, Wai
Siddhanth Temple, Mhaswad
Shri Shivaji Maharaj Museum, Satara city
Thoseghar Waterfall
Kaas Valley
Shri Bhavani Museum, Aundh
Janki Agro Tourism, Bargaon
Koteshwar Mandir
Karad hills, Karad
Vasota Fort, Jawli
Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Cricket Stadium, Karad
Lord Kartikeya Temple
Solashi Shani Dev Temple
Nandgiri Ancient Shri Parshwanath Digambar Jain Temple, Nandgiri Fort, Satara
Chalkewadi Windmill Farms
Shri Bhrahma Chaitanya Gondavalekar Maharaj, Pandharpur Road, Satara
*Trivia - Satara name is derived from Marathi word for the number 17 ( सत्रा ) due to the district having a total of seventeen towers, gates and walls
The River Krishna is one of the three most sacred rivers in the Southern part of India with its origin near the high mountains of Mahabaleshwar.
Picture source - mapsofindia
