Maharashtra


Date of formation	May 1, 1960
Capital	Mumbai
Auxiliary Capital	Nagpur
Largest City	Mumbai
Governor	S.M. Krishna
Chief Minister	Vilasrao Deshmukh
Deputy Chief Minister	R R Patil
Area	308,000 km²
Population - Total - Density	Ranked 2nd in India and in the world 96,752,247 (2001) 322.5/km²
Literacy rate: - Total - Male - Female	77.27% 86.27% 67.51%
Urbanization:	42.11%
GSDP growth rate:	6.9% (2003-04)
GSDP in US $:	$ 60 Billion (2004)
GSDP in US $(Per Capa):	$ 3,240 (2004)

Maharashtra (महाराष्ट्र) is a state in west-central India. It is one of the richest states of India. Its capital is Mumbai, the economic powerhouse of India.

Maharashtra's population was 96,752,247 according to the 2001 provisional results of Census of India, making it the second most populous state in India. Only eleven countries of the world have a population greater than Maharashtra.

The state was created on May 1, 1960 to satisfy demands of the Marathi linguistic group, who form the majority ethnic group in the state, for their own state. Bombay state, which had been enlarged in 1956 to include Marathi-speaking portions of Hyderabad state and Madhya Pradesh as well as Gujarati-speaking areas to the north, was split into two linguistic states, Maharashtra and Gujarat.

Timeline

230 BC to 225 AD: ruled by the Satvahanas
250 to 525: The Vakatakas brought Vidharba under their rule.
550 to 760: Ruled by the Chalukyas
640: Chinese pilgrim Hiun Tsang visited Maharashtra
973: Rashtrakuta rule comes to an end
973 to 1180: Ruled by the Chalukyas
1189 to 1310: Ruled by the Yadavas of Deogiri
1296: Alla-ud-din Khilji, the first Muslim sultan of the north penetrates the Deccan, defeats the Yadavas and carried away a huge booty.
1534: Portuguese occupy Mumbai
1659: Shivaji captures Satara from Sultanate of Bijapur, leads revolt against the Mughal empire
1661: Mumbai transferred from Portugal to Britain
1668: British government transfers Mumbai to British East India Company
1674: Shivaji declares himself King of the Marathas (see Maratha empire)
1680: Shivaji dies
1720: Bajirao I becomes Peshwa (Prime Minister)
1740: Death of Bajirao I
1756: Marathas capture the town of Attock (now in north-west Pakistan). Maratha empire reaches its largest extent.
January 14, 1761: Maratha defeat at Third Battle of Panipat.
1775-1782: First Anglo-Maratha War
1803-1805: Second Anglo-Maratha War
1817-1818: Third Anglo-Maratha War
June 3, 1818: Peshwa Bajirao II surrenders to the British
August 14, 1947: India becomes independent
November 1, 1956: Bombay state enlarged to include all of present Maharashtra.
May 1, 1960: Bombay state split along linguistic lines into new states of Gujarat and Maharashtra.

Geography

Maharashtra borders Goa and Karnataka to the south, Andhra Pradesh to the southeast, Gujarat, Dadra and Nagar Haveli, and Madhya Pradesh to the north, Chhattisgarh to the east, and the Arabian Sea to the west.

The Western Ghats mountains, which run north and south, parallel to the Arabian Sea coast, separate the western coastal portion of Maharashtra from the eastern portion of the state, which lies on the Deccan plateau. Maharashtra has five geographic regions.

Konkan is the western coastal region, between the Western Ghats and the sea, which includes Mumbai. Other major cities of Konkan include Thane, Ulhasnagar, and Bhiwandi, north of Mumbai, and Ratnagiri and Chiplun to the south.

Kandesh is the northwestern region, lying in the valley of the Tapti River, which flows west off the Deccan plateau into the Arabian Sea at Surat, in Gujarat. Jalgaon, Dhulia and Bhusawal are the major cities.

Desh is in the centre of the state, east of the Ghats. Desh is the historic core of the Marathi state, and Pune, the capital of the Marathas, is the second largest city in the state. Other important cities include Nasik, Sangli, Sholapur, and Kolhapur. The Western Ghats in Desh are the source of Deccan's great rivers; the Godavari River rises at Trimbak, between Nasik and Mumbai, and flows eastward through Marathwada to empty into the Bay of Bengal in Andhra Pradesh. The Krishna River, which originates at Mahabaleswar and passes through Sangli, and its tributary the Bhima, which rises north of Pune, enter Karnataka state and ultimately empty into the Bay of Bengal at Hamasaladeevi, Andhra Pradesh.

Marathwada is located in the south-eastern part of the state, and was part of the former princely state of Hyderabad until 1956. Aurangabad is the main city of the region, which also includes the famous sculpture caves of Ajanta and Ellora.

Vidarbha is the easternmost region of the state, formerly part of Central Provinces and Berar. Nagpur is the main city in the region. The Penganga and Pranhita, tributaries of the Godavari, are the region's main rivers.

Divisions and Districts

Maharashtra is divided into 35 districts, which are grouped into six divisions: Aurangabad, Amravati, Konkan, Nagpur, Nashik, and Pune.

see Districts of Maharashtra

Politics

List of political parties in the state

Economy

Maharashtra is one of the most advanced states in India, with a strong industrialized economy, and the largest power production and consumption in the nation. Mumbai is the financial capital of India, and home to India's film industry. Its GSDP (Gross State Domestic Product) was $60 billion in 2004.

Maharashtra is the top state in India in foreign investment, receiving 17% of all foreign direct investment in India. 32% of all exports from India are from the state of Maharashtra, per economic survey of Government of Maharashtra in 2002-03.

Main items of export from Maharashtra

gems and jewelry
readymade garments
sugar
cotton yarn
turmeric
made-up fabrics
machinery and instruments
metal products
agro-based products
wine

Specialized Industrial Parks in Maharashtra

Infotech /IT Parks

World Famous Turmeric of Maharashtra

The country's sole turmeric exchange in Sangli city (Maharashtra) boasts of secrets gained through a centuries-old practice -- storing turmeric in pits.

These underground pits for storing turmeric stretch out in the open fields of the villages of Haripur and Sangalwadi in the Sangli. It is possibly the most unique agri-commodity storing system in the country.

After clearing the loose soil covering the pit, it is left open for about two to three hours. One cannot enter the pit until one finds out if there is any oxygen within. To ascertain this, a lantern is lowered into the pit. If the lantern does not go off, it is safe to enter the pit.

It is this ingenious storing system, devised probably 200 years ago that has turned Sangli into a major trading centre for turmeric. Today, the country's sole turmeric exchange is in Sangli.

Measuring 18 to 20 feet deep, the pits are considered the best storing areas for turmeric. Raw turmeric sold by farmers is stored in these underground pits for three to four years. These pits provide the best storage facility for turmeric as the quality of the commodity remains unchanged. This storage system has an added advantage in that the turmeric hardens and matures while in storage.

Today, more than 90% of Turmeric trade in India takes place in Sangli.

That’s why Turmeric City of Sangli is the undoubted Capital of Turmeric Trade in Asia.

Demographics

See: Konkani, Marathi language

Culture

The Indian film industry, commonly called Bollywood, is centered here.

It has a rich history, and has given birth to great warriors, like Shivaji, and Bajirao, and to national leaders, including Veer Savarkar, M. G. Ranade and Lokamanya Tilak.

Mumbai was home to B. R. Ambedkar, India's most prominent Untouchable leader of the 20th century, for most of his life. Maharashtra is still the center of neo-Buddhist movement that he founded.

Transport and communications

Total road length: 266,000 km.
Total railroad length: 5,459 km. (8.6% of total railroad length in India)
Number of telephone lines: 6.074 million

Tourism

List of prominent shrines in Maharashtra

Dehu
Alandi
Ghrishneshwar Temple
Khuldabad
Pandharpur
Siddhivinayak Temple
Jejuri
Shegaon - Sant Gajanan Maharaj Temple
Shirdi
Ganapati Temple of Sangli
Sangameshwar Shiva Temple, Haripur, Sangli
Audumbar Near Sangli
Khidrapur
Meherabad
Anwa Temple
Ashta Vinayak
Trimbakeshwar
Narasimha Wadi Near Sangli
Mahalaxmi Temple, Mumbai
Bhimashankar
Saptashringi Devi Temple
Haji Ali Shrine
Meherabad and Meherazad, near Ahmednagar, India

List of hill stations

Natural areas

Maharashtra is home to several National Parks, including Sanjay Gandhi National Park (Borivali National Park) in Mumbai, Chandoli Wildlife Sanctuary in Sangli District, Tadoba National Park in Chandrapur District, Panch National Park in Nagpur District, Nawegaon National Park in Bhandara District and Gugmal National Park in Amravati District.

There are also a number of wildlife sanctuaries and nature preserves, including Sagareshwar Wildlife Sanctuary near Sangli. Others are Andhari, Aner Dam, Bhimashankar, Bor, Chandoli, Chaprala, Gautala Autramghat, Great Indian Bustard, Jaikwadi, Kalsubai Harishchandra, Katepurna, Koyana, Malvan, Melghat, Nagzira, Nandur, Madmeshwar, Painganga, Phansad, Radhangiri, Tansa, and Yawal.