Kolhapur () is a city on the banks of the

Panchganga River The Panchganga River is one of the important rivers of India located in Maharashtra. In English, the name translates as "Five Rivers". It is a major tributary of Krishna River, with which it joins at Narsobawadi. Origin The Panchganga River o ...

in the southern part of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is the administrative headquarter of the

Kolhapur district Kolhapur district (Marathi pronunciation: olʱaːpuɾ is a district in the Maharashtra state of India. The city of Kolhapur is its district headquarter. It is situated near Panchaganga river. It is bordered by the Sangli district to the Nor ...

. In, around 2 C.E. Kolapur's name was 'Kuntal'. Kolhapur is known as ''`Dakshin Kashi''' or Kashi of the South because of its spiritual history and the antiquity of its shrine Mahalaxmi, better known as Ambabai. The region is known for the production of the famous hand-crafted and braided leather

slipper Slippers are light footwear that are easy to put on and off and are intended to be worn indoors, particularly at home. They provide comfort and protection for the feet when walking indoors. History The recorded history of slippers can be traced ...

s called

Kolhapuri chappal Kolhapuri chappals are Indian decorative hand-crafted and braided leather slippers that are locally tanned using vegetable dyes. Kolhapuri Chappals or Kolhapuris as they are commonly referred to are a style of open-toed, T-strap sandal, but a ...

, which received the

Geographical Indication A geographical indication (GI) is a name or sign used on products which corresponds to a specific geographical location or origin (e.g., a town, region, or country). The use of a geographical indication, as an indication of the product's source, ...

designation in 2019. In Hindu mythology, the city is referred to as "''Karvir''." Before India became independent in 1947, Kolhapur was a princely state under the

Bhosale The Bhonsle (or Bhonsale, Bhosale, Bhosle) are a prominent group within the Maratha clan system of kunbi origin. They claimed descent from the Sisodia Rajputs but were likely Kunbi tiller-plainsmen. History Earliest members The earliest a ...

Chhatrapati of the

Maratha Empire The Maratha Empire, also referred to as the Maratha Confederacy, was an early modern Indian confederation that came to dominate much of the Indian subcontinent in the 18th century. Maratha rule formally began in 1674 with the coronation of Sh ...

. It is an important center for the

Marathi film Marathi cinema is an Indian film industry of Marathi-language motion pictures. It is based in Mumbai, Maharashtra. Based in old Mumbai, it is the oldest film industry of Indian cinema. The first Marathi film to be released in India was '' S ...

industry.

Etymology

Kolhapur is named after Kolhasur, a demon in

Hindu History The history of Hinduism covers a wide variety of related religious traditions native to the Indian subcontinent. It overlaps or coincides with the development of religion in the Indian subcontinent since the Iron Age, with some of its traditions ...

. According to History, the demon Kolhasur renounced asceticism after his sons were killed by God for harassing people, and prayed to

Mahalakshmi Lakshmi (; , sometimes spelled Laxmi, ), also known as Shri (, ), is one of the principal goddesses in Hinduism. She is the goddess of wealth, fortune, power, beauty, fertility and prosperity, and associated with '' Maya'' ("Illusion"). Al ...

that she would leave the area to him for a hundred years. He committed numerous crimes until the goddess returned after the hundred years were over and killed him for his sins. The dying wish of Kolhasur was to name the place after him, which was granted and the place was named Kolhapur. Kolha stands for Kolhasur and ''pur'', a Sanskrit word, means "city".

History

Medieval era

The Shilahara family founded a dynasty at Kolhapur about the time of the downfall of the

Rashtrakuta Empire Rashtrakuta ( IAST: ') (r. 753-982 CE) was a royal Indian dynasty ruling large parts of the Indian subcontinent between the sixth and 10th centuries. The earliest known Rashtrakuta inscription is a 7th-century copper plate grant detailing thei ...

, that ruled over southern Maharashtra including the modern districts of Satara, Kolhapur and

Belagavi (Karnataka) Belgaum ( ISO: ''Bēḷagāma''; also Belgaon and officially known as Belagavi) is a city in the Indian state of Karnataka located in its northern part along the Western Ghats. It is the administrative headquarters of the eponymous Belagavi ...

. Their family deity was the goddess Ambabai, whose blessing they claimed to have secured in their copperplate grants (''Mahalakshmi-labdha-vara-prasada''). Like their relatives of the northern branch of

Konkan The Konkan ( kok, कोंकण) or Kokan () is a stretch of land by the western coast of India, running from Damaon in the north to Karwar in the south; with the Arabian Sea to the west and the Deccan plateau in the east. The hinterland ...

, the Shilaharas of Kolhapur claimed to be of the lineage of Vidyadhara Jimutavahana, a

Jain Jainism ( ), also known as Jain Dharma, is an Indian religion. Jainism traces its spiritual ideas and history through the succession of twenty-four tirthankaras (supreme preachers of ''Dharma''), with the first in the current time cycle being ...

scholar. Their banner featured a golden

Garuda Garuda (Sanskrit: ; Pāli: ; Vedic Sanskrit: गरुळ Garuḷa) is a Hindu demigod and divine creature mentioned in the Hindu, Buddhist and Jain faiths. He is primarily depicted as the mount (''vahana'') of the Hindu god Vishnu. Garuda ...

. One of the many titles used by the Shilaharas was ''Tagarapuravaradhisvara'', supreme sovereign ruler of Tagara. The first capital of the Shilaharas was probably at

Karad Karad is a city in Satara district of Indian state of Maharashtra and it is 320 km (180.19 miles) from Mumbai and 159 km from Pune. It lies at the confluence of Koyna River and the Krishna River known as the "Priti sangam". The ...

during the reign of

Jatiga II Jatiga II (1000 CE - 1020 CE) was the first ruling king of the Shilahara dynasty. His reign can be placed between 1000 and 1020 CE as his grandson King Marasimha is known to be ruling in 1058 CE The records of King Marasimha mention him as Tagr ...

, as known from their copper plate grant of

Miraj Miraj (Pronunciation: iɾəd͡z ) is a city in Sangli District and also in Maharashtra, India, that was founded in the early 10th century. It was an important jagir of the Adil Shahi court of Bijapur. Shivaji Maharaj stayed in Miraj for ...

and 'Vikramankadevacharita' of

Bilhana Kaviraj, Kavi Bilhana was an 11th-century Kashmiri Pandits, Kashmiri poet. He is known for his love poem, the ''Caurapañcāśikā''. According to legend, Bilhana fell in love with the daughter of King Madanabhirama, Princess Yaminipurnatilaka, ...

. Hence, they are referred to sometimes as the 'Shilaharas of Karad'. Later, although the capital was shifted to Kolhapur, some of their grants mention Valavada and the hill fort of Pranalaka or Padmanala (Panhala) as the places of royal residence. Karhad retained its significance during the Shilahara period. This branch rose to power in the latter part of the Rashtrakuta rule and unlike the kings of the other two branches, this branch does not allude to the genealogy of the Rashtrakutas even in their early grants. They acknowledged the suzerainty of the later Chalukya dynasty for some time. They had used

Kannada Kannada (; ಕನ್ನಡ, ), originally romanised Canarese, is a Dravidian language spoken predominantly by the people of Karnataka in southwestern India, with minorities in all neighbouring states. It has around 47 million native s ...

as an official language as can be seen from their inscriptions. The branch held southern Maharashtra from circa 940 to 1220. From 940 to 1212 CE, Kolhapur was the centre of power of the Shilahara dynasty. An inscription at

Terdal Terdal is a Municipal town in Bagalkot district in the Indian state of Karnataka. Geography Teradala is located at . It has an average elevation of 536 metres (1758 feet). Terdal Shree Allam Prabhu Devaru Brahanmath is famous and hi ...

states that the king

Gonka During the reign of Gonka I (1020 CE - 1050 CE), the Chalukyas conquered Kolhapur, under their king Jayasinha (before 1024 CE). The Shilaharas had to submit to the Chalukyas in order to retain their kingdom. In the records, Gonka is described as ...

(1020 - 1050 CE) was bitten by a snake then healed by a

monk. Gonka then built a temple to Lord

Neminath Neminatha, also known as Nemi and Arishtanemi, is the twenty-second ''tirthankara'' (ford-maker) in Jainism. Along with Mahavira, Parshvanatha and Rishabhanatha, Neminatha is one of the twenty four ''tirthankaras'' who attract the most devoti ...

, the twenty-second Jain

tirthankara In Jainism, a ''Tirthankara'' (Sanskrit: '; English: literally a ' ford-maker') is a saviour and spiritual teacher of the '' dharma'' (righteous path). The word ''tirthankara'' signifies the founder of a '' tirtha'', which is a fordable pass ...

(enlightened being). From this era, Jain temples in and around Kolhapur are called ''Gonka-Jinalaya''. Around 1055 CE, during the reign of

Bhoja I Bhoja I was a medieval Shilahara king of Southern Maharashtra (Kolhapur) on the west coast of India. On the death of Guhala 11 in 1055 CE, Bhallala and Bhoja I must have ruled the kingdom. Achugi II, the Sinda ruler of Yelburga, is said to h ...

(Shilahara dynasty), a dynamic

Acharya In Indian religions and society, an ''acharya'' (Sanskrit: आचार्य, IAST: ; Pali: ''ācariya'') is a preceptor and expert instructor in matters such as religion, or any other subject. An acharya is a highly learned person with a ...

(spiritual guide) named Maghanandi (Kolapuriya) founded a religious institute at the Rupanarayana

temple (

basadi A Jain temple, Derasar (Gujarati: દેરાસર) or Basadi (Kannada: ಬಸದಿ) is the place of worship for Jains, the followers of Jainism. Jain architecture is essentially restricted to temples and monasteries, and Jain buildings g ...

). Maghanandi is also known as ''Siddhanta-Chakravarti'', meaning ''the great master of the scriptures''. Kings and nobles of the Shilahara dynasty such as

Gandaraditya I Gandaraditya (1108 CE – 1138 CE): Bhoja I was succeeded by Gandaraditya. who claimed to be the undisputed king of Konkan. During the later period of his regime, his son Vijayaditya defeated Jayakesin II of Goa who had ousted the Shilahara ru ...

, who succeeded

, were disciples of Maghanandi. Kolhapur was the site of intense confrontation between the

Western Chalukya Empire The Western Chalukya Empire ruled most of the Deccan Plateau, western Deccan, South India, between the 10th and 12th centuries. This Kannada people, Kannadiga dynasty is sometimes called the ''Kalyani Chalukya'' after its regal capital at Kalya ...

and

Rajadhiraja Chola Rajadhiraja I (994 CE - 1052 CE) was a Chola emperor, the most skilled military commander among the Chola rulers and the successor of his father, Rajendra I. He was the only Chola emperor who was killed while leading his army in war, and alth ...

and his younger brother

Rajendra Chola II Rajendra Chola II (997 CE - 1064 CE) often referred to as Rajendradeva Chola was a Chola emperor who reigned from 1052 CE to 1064 CE. He was made Rajendra succeeded his brother Rajadhiraja I after his death at the Battle of Koppam.''The ...

of the

Chola empire The Chola dynasty was a Tamil thalassocratic empire of southern India and one of the longest-ruling dynasties in the history of the world. The earliest datable references to the Chola are from inscriptions dated to the 3rd century BC ...

. In 1052 CE, following the

Battle of Koppam The Battle of Koppam was a battle fought between the Medieval Chola kings Rajadhiraja Chola and Rajendra Chola II with the Chalukya king Someshvara I in 1054, or in 1052 CE according to Sen. The site of the battle has been identified as Koppa ...

, the victor, Rajendra Chola II, marched on to Kolhapur and erected a ''jayastambha'' (victory pillar). Sastri K. A. N. "The CōĻas." 1935 p. 256–257 (University of Madras, 2000). Between 1109 and 1178 CE, the Kopeshwar temple to Lord

Shiva Shiva (; sa, शिव, lit=The Auspicious One, Śiva ), also known as Mahadeva (; ɐɦaːd̪eːʋɐ, or Hara, is one of the principal deities of Hinduism. He is the Supreme Being in Shaivism, one of the major traditions within Hindu ...

was built by Shilahara kings,

Vijayaditya Vijayaditya (696–733 CE) followed his father, Vinayaditya on to the Chalukya throne. His long reign was marked by general peace and prosperity. Vijayaditya also built a number of temples. He fought against the Pallavas and extracted tribu ...

, and Bhoja II in Khidrapur, Kolhapur.

Kolhapur State

The state of Kolhapur was established by

Tarabai Tarabai Bhosale (Pronunciation: ̪aːɾabaːi ''née'' Mohite) was the regent of the Maratha Empire of India from 1700 until 1708. She was the queen of Rajaram Bhonsale, and daughter-in-law of the empire's founder Shivaji. She is acclaimed ...

in 1707 in the midst of a succession dispute over the Maratha crown. The Maratha throne was then occupied by descendants of Tarabai. One of the prominent Kings was Rajarshi Shahu Maharaj (

Shahu of Kolhapur Shahu (also known as Chhatrapati Rajarshi Shahu, Shahu IV, Rajarshi Shahu Maharaj, Kolhapur's Shahu) (26 June 1874 – 6 May 1922) of the Bhonsle dynasty of Marathas was a Raja (reign. 1894 – 1900) and the first Maharaja (1900–1922) of ...

). In his reign, he promoted free education to people of all castes and fought against

untouchability Untouchability is a form of social institution that legitimises and enforces practices that are discriminatory, humiliating, exclusionary and exploitative against people belonging to certain social groups. Although comparable forms of discrimin ...

. The state was annexed by the British in the 19th century. After India's independence in 1947, the Maharaja of Kolhapur acceded to the Dominion of India on 14 August 1947 and merged with Bombay State on 1 March 1949. Kolhapur is sometimes found spelled as ''Colapore''. Often, Kolhapur is also referred as ''Dakshin Kashi'' or the

Kashi Kashi or Kaashi may refer to: Places * Varanasi (historically known as "Kashi"), a holy city in India **Kingdom of Kashi, an ancient kingdom in the same place, one of the sixteen Mahajanapadas **Kashi Vishwanath Temple, Varanasi * Kashgar, a cit ...

of the South, due to its rich religious history.

Scriptural references

Kolhapur is mentioned in the ''Devi Gita'', the final chapter of the ''

Devi-Bhagavata Purana The Devi Bhagavata Purana ( sa, देवी भागवतपुराणम्, '), also known as the Srimad Devi Bhagavatam, Srimad Bhagavatam, Bhagavata Purana or simply ''Devi Bhagavatam'', is one of the eighteen Mahapuranas of Hindui ...

'', a text of

Shaktism Shaktism ( sa, शाक्त, , ) is one of several major Hindu denominations, wherein the metaphysical reality is considered metaphorically a woman and Shakti ( Mahadevi) is regarded as the supreme godhead. It includes many goddesses, al ...

. Kolhapur is noted as a place of ''Kollamma'' worship. In the text, Devi says, :"O King of Mountains! Still I am now telling something out of My affection to My

Bhakta ''Bhakti'' ( sa, भक्ति) literally means "attachment, participation, fondness for, homage, faith, love, devotion, worship, purity".See Monier-Williams, ''Sanskrit Dictionary'', 1899. It was originally used in Hinduism, referring to d ...

s. Hear. There is a great place of pilgrimage named ''Kollapura'' in the southern country. Here the Devi Ambabai always dwells."

Geography

Kolhapur is an inland city located in south-west Maharashtra state, south of Mumbai and south of

Pune Pune (; ; also known as Poona, ( the official name from 1818 until 1978) is one of the most important industrial and educational hubs of India, with an estimated population of 7.4 million As of 2021, Pune Metropolitan Region is the largest i ...

, north-west of Bengaluru, west of

Hyderabad Hyderabad ( ; , ) is the capital and largest city of the Indian state of Telangana and the ''de jure'' capital of Andhra Pradesh. It occupies on the Deccan Plateau along the banks of the Musi River, in the northern part of Southern India ...

and west of

Sangli Sangli () is a city and the district headquarters of Sangli District in the state of Maharashtra, in western India. It is known as the Turmeric City of Maharashtra due to its production and trade of the spice. Sangli is situated on the banks ...

city. Within Maharashtra, Kolhapur's nearest cities and towns are

Ichalkaranji Ichalkaranji ( t͡səlkəɾəɳd͡ʒiː is a city in Kolhapur District, Indian state of Maharashtra, governed by a municipal corporation. It is known for its textile manufacturing industry and "Manchester City of Maharashtra". Ichalkaranji ...

Jaysingpur Jaysingpur is a city and municipal council in the Kolhapur district of the Indian state of Maharashtra. The city derives its name from Raja Jaysing, the father of Shrimant Chhatrapati Shahu Maharaj of Kolhapur, who planned and developed the ...

Kodoli Kodoli is a census town in Kolhapur district in the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is situated between the foothills of Panhala fort (Ranges) and Warana River. Kodoli is well developed town as per all point of view. Kodoli is home to many and v ...

, Peth Vadgaon

Kagal Kagal is a town in Kolhapur district of the Indian state of Maharashtra. History During the rule of the Marathas and British raj, the town was the seat of a noble Ghatge Maratha The Marathi people ( Marathi: मराठी लोक ...

, Kasaba Walva , Satara . It lies in the Sahayadri mountains in the Western Ghats at an elevation of . Tambraparni river dam near Umgaon village is close by, as also are

Radhanagari Radhanagari is a town and the headquarters of Radhanagari tehsil in the Radhanagari subdivision of Kolhapur district in the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is located on the banks of the Bhogawati River, near the Radhanagari Dam and the Rad ...

and Kalambawadi dams.

Panhala Panhala (Pronunciation: ənʱaːɭa is a city and a Hill station Municipal Council (3177 feet above sea level) 18 km northwest of Kolhapur, in Kolhapur district in the Indian state of Maharashtra. Panhala is the smallest city in Maharash ...

and Jyotiba Temple are in the vicinity of Kolhapur too.

Climate

Kolhapur's climate is a blend of coastal and inland elements common to Maharashtra. The temperature ranges between . Summer in Kolhapur is comparatively cooler, but much more humid, than neighbouring inland cities. Maximum temperatures rarely exceed and typically range between . Lows during this season are around . The city receives abundant rainfall from June to September due to its proximity to the Western Ghats. The heavy rains often lead to severe flooding during these months. 2005, 2006, 2019 and 2021 were years when floods occurred. Temperatures are low in the rainy season and range between . Kolhapur experiences winter from November to February. The winter temperatures are warmer than other cities in Maharashtra such as

and

Nashik Nashik (, Marathi: aːʃik, also called as Nasik ) is a city in the northern region of the Indian state of Maharashtra. Situated on the banks of river Godavari, Nashik is the third largest city in Maharashtra, after Mumbai and Pune. Nashi ...

. Lows range from while highs are in the range of due to its high elevation and being adjacent to the Western Ghats. Humidity is low in this season making the weather pleasant. Kolhapur at night from Rankala

Hydrology

The

originates in the Western Ghats. It has five tributaries which supply the city and surroundings - the Bhogavati, Tulsi, Kumbhi, Kasari and Dhamani rivers. Kolhapur has a number of lakes. The

Rankala Lake Rankala Lake is a freshwater lake located in Kolhapur, Maharashtra, India. History Before the eighth century, Rankala was a stone quarry. In the 9th century, an earthquake caused immense structural damage to the quarry, causing water to accumulat ...

was once a stone quarry. The Kalamba lake was built in 1873. These two lakes provide the city with domestic

potable Drinking water is water that is used in drink or food preparation; potable water is water that is safe to be used as drinking water. The amount of drinking water required to maintain good health varies, and depends on physical activity level, ag ...

water.

Governance

Kolhapur is governed by the Kolhapur Municipal Corporation (KMC). The city is divided into five wards, named with the letters A to E. The corporation provides services such as sewage treatment and free cremation for residents and has made a number of improvements, for example, the Kolhapur Road Project,"Kolhapur Road Project."
Government of India website. Retrieved 12 September 2017. the Anti-Encroachment Drive to stop illegal building activity encroaching on the city's open spaces, and the ''Suvarna Jayanti Nagarotthan'' Project to improve roads and storm water management."Kolhapur Nagarothan Abhiya."
Kolhapur Municipal Corporation website. Retrieved 12 September 2017. The KMC faces problems like the civic limits of Kolhapur city which have not expanded since 1972, due to which the city cannot benefit from various government schemes. The Kolhapur Municipal and Regional Development Authority was established on 16 August 2017. This authority to manage Kolhapur city and 42 villages around it was formed for the balanced development of Kolhapur city and the neighbouring villages.

Demographics

As per the

2011 Census of India The 2011 Census of India or the 15th Indian Census was conducted in two phases, house listing and population enumeration. The House listing phase began on 1 April 2010 and involved the collection of information about all buildings. Information ...

, the population of Kolhapur city is 549,236 and that in 'Kolhapur Municipal and Regional Development Authority' is 561,837. Kolhapur has one of the highest

Human Development Index The Human Development Index (HDI) is a statistic composite index of life expectancy, education (mean years of schooling completed and expected years of schooling upon entering the education system), and per capita income indicators, wh ...

ratings among Indian districts, at 0.770 in 2011.

Religion

* Hindu – 460,774 (83.89%) * Muslims – 59,760 (10.88%) * Jain – 18,420 (3.35%) * Christian – 5,251 (0.96%) * Buddhist – 2,929 (0.53%) * Not Stated – 1,289 (0.23%) * Sikh – 581 (0.11%) * Others – 232 (0.04%

Economy

Manufacturing industry

Kolhapur has a higher per capita domestic product than the state's average. It has auto-ancillary, foundry and casting industrial establishments which act as supporting units for industries in

and

Bangalore Bangalore (), List of renamed places in India, officially Bengaluru (), is the Capital city, capital and largest city of the Indian state of Karnataka. It has a population of more than and a metropolitan area, metropolitan population of a ...

. The city is the home of ''Kolhapuri chappal'', a hand-crafted buffalo leather slipper that is locally tanned using vegetable dyes. Kolhapuri slippers are sold on Mahadwar road. Other handicrafts include hand block printing of textiles, silver, bead and paste jewellery crafting, pottery, wood carving and lacquerware, brass sheet work and oxidised silver artwork, and lace and embroidery making. Kolhapur is also an industrial city with approximately 300

foundries A foundry is a factory that produces metal castings. Metals are cast into shapes by melting them into a liquid, pouring the metal into a mold, and removing the mold material after the metal has solidified as it cools. The most common metals pr ...

generating exports with a value of 15 billion rupees per year. A manufacturing plant of Kirloskar Oil Engines OELis set up in the

MIDC Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC) is a project of the government of Maharashtra state in India and is the leading corporation of Maharashtra. It provides businesses with infrastructure such as land (open plot or built-up spa ...

at Kagal near Kolhapur, as is the Raymond clothes plant. Kolhapur has two more industrial areas, Gokul-Shirgaon MIDC and Shiroli MIDC. Shivaji Udyamnagar is an industrial area in the city with a rich entrepreneurial tradition of more than 100 years and specializing in oil engines. Kolhapuri jewelry includes a type of necklace called Kolhapuri saaj, patlya (two broad bangles), chinchpeti (choker), tanmani (short necklace), nath (nose ring), and bajuband (an amulet).

Tourism

The Bombay Gazetteer recorded almost 250 temples in the region of which 6 - Ambabai, Temblai, Vithoba, Mahakali, Phiranga and Yallamma temples - are considered the most prominent. Tourism is an important source of revenue with about three million annual visitors. Kolhapur's attractions include: * Mahalakshmi Temple, Kolhapur * Jyotiba Temple *

Fort *Kaneri Math *New Palace *The world's first statue of

Babasaheb Ambedkar Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar (14 April 1891 – 6 December 1956) was an Indian jurist, economist, social reformer and political leader who headed the committee drafting the Constitution of India from the Constituent Assembly debates, served a ...

at Bindu Chowk, inaugurated on 7 December 1950 *

Temblai Temblai Devi or Tryamboli (as known locally) is form of Renuka devi, an incarnation of Goddess Durga and the presiding deity of temple located on a hilltop in the eastern part of Kolhapur, Maharashtra, India. On account of the temple, the hillock ...

temple complex Bust of Dr

* Rankala Lake * The Tara Rani equestrian statue * An idol of the Lord

Ganesh Ganesha ( sa, गणेश, ), also known as Ganapati, Vinayaka, and Pillaiyar, is one of the best-known and most worshipped deities in the Hindu pantheon and is the Supreme God in Ganapatya sect. His image is found throughout India. Hindu ...

at the

Chinmaya Mission The Chinmaya Mission is a Hindu religious and spiritual organization engaged in the dissemination of Vedanta, the science of the self as expounded in the Vedas, particularly the Upanishads, and other Hindu scriptures such as the Bhagavad Gita ...

(Top-Sambhapur). The Kolhapur Maybach car of the chhatrapatis of Kolhapur is displayed to the public during the annual

Dusshera Vijayadashami ( sa, विजयदशमी, Vijayadaśamī, translit-std=IAST), also known as Dussehra, Dasara or Dashain, is a major Hindu festival celebrated at the end of Navaratri every year. It is observed on the tenth day in the Hindu ...

procession.

Film industry

Kolhapur Memorial to Baburao Painter 2012 IMG 1601

On 1 December 1917, the

Maharashtra Film Company Maharashtra Film Company was an Indian film production company, established by Baburao Painter in Kolhapur. Established in 1918, it was a silent film studio, which was a pioneer in Maharashtra and Marathi cinema, under the patronage of the Shahu M ...

was established in Kolhapur by

Baburao Painter Baburao Krishnarao Mestry, popularly known as Baburao Painter (3 June 1890 – 16 January 1954) was an Indian filmmaker and artist. He was a man of many talents with proficiency in painting, sculpture, film production, photography, and mechanic ...

. The city has become the primary centre for the

Marathi film industry Marathi cinema is an Indian film industry of Marathi-language motion pictures. It is based in Mumbai, Maharashtra. Based in old Mumbai, it is the oldest film industry of Indian cinema. The first Marathi film to be released in India was ''Sh ...

. Kolhapur plays host to many film festivals, including the Kolhapur International Film Festival. The Kolhapur film city was renovated in 2017.

Cuisine

Kolhapur cuisine includes mutton dishes, Kolhapuri

misal ''Misal'' ( Marathi: मिसळ isəɭ meaning "mixture"), is a very popular spicy dish in the Western Indian state of Maharashtra. The dish is mostly eaten for breakfast or as a midday snack or sometimes as a one-dish meal, often as part of ...

, and ethnic meat dishes The city also lends its name to certain types of food and ingredients, such as Kolhapuri lavangi (

chili pepper Chili peppers (also chile, chile pepper, chilli pepper, or chilli), from Nahuatl '' chīlli'' (), are varieties of the berry-fruit of plants from the genus ''Capsicum'', which are members of the nightshade family Solanaceae, cultivated for ...

s), Kolhapuri jaggery (cane juice concentrate), Kolhapuri masala (spice mixture) and Kolhapuri

chutney A chutney is a spread in the cuisines of the Indian subcontinent. Chutneys are made in a wide variety of forms, such as a tomato relish, a ground peanut garnish, yogurt or curd, cucumber, spicy coconut, spicy onion or mint dipping sa ...

(onion garlic chutney) which is a staple in gravies and curries. Kolhapur cuisine also includes soup-like curries called ''Pandhara Rassa'' and ''Tambda Rassa'' which are served as a part of a

Thali Thali (meaning "plate"), Bhojanam (meaning "full meal") or Chakluk is a round platter used to serve food in South Asia, Southeast Asia and the Caribbean. Thali is also used to refer to an Indian-style meal made up of a selection of various d ...

. ''Pandhara Rassa'', which can be loosely translated as white curry, is a soup-like dish made from mutton stock and coconut milk infused with spices like cinnamon, coriander, ginger, and garlic. It is served as an appetizer, and also as a part of the main course. ''Tambda Rassa'', red curry, is a spicier form of the dish made by substituting coconut milk with red chillies. Dummy 19 W

Media and telecommunication

Kolhapur's main newspaper is the ''

Pudhari ''Pudhari'' is a popular Marathi daily, printed in three centres and distributed in Maharashtra, Goa and North Karnataka. It is the leader in Kolhapur and Western Maharashtra and the third-largest Marathi newspaper daily in the entire state of ...

''. Other Marathi language newspapers include ''

Sakal ''Sakal'' ( Marathi: सकाळ, meaning "Morning") is a Marathi-language daily newspaper by Sakal Media Group, its headquarters established in Pune, Maharashtra, India. Sakal is the flagship newspaper of the foundation publication, Sakal M ...

'', '' Loksatta'', ''

Lokmat ''Lokmat'' () is a Marathi language newspaper published in Maharashtra state. Founded in 1971 by Jawaharlal Darda, it is the largest read regional language newspaper in India with more than 18 million readers and the No. 1 Marathi newspaper in ...

'', '' Kesari'', ''

Saamna ''Saamana'' is a Marathi-language newspaper published in Maharashtra, India. The paper was launched on 23 January 1988 by Bal Thackeray, the founder of the Shiv Sena, a local, regional and language driven; political party; in the Indian state ...

'', ''

Tarun Bharat ''Tarun Bharat'' is a Marathi newspaper based in Belagavi, India. RNI , Reg. No.3735/1957 , Name: TARUN BHARAT , Publication City: BELAGAVI , Link: http://rni.nic.in/registerdtitle_search/registeredtitle_ser.aspx It is the seventh-larges ...

'', and ''Punyanagari''. The

English language English is a West Germanic language of the Indo-European language family, with its earliest forms spoken by the inhabitants of early medieval England. It is named after the Angles, one of the ancient Germanic peoples that migrated to the ...

dailies include ''

The Times of India ''The Times of India'', also known by its abbreviation ''TOI'', is an Indian English-language daily newspaper and digital news media owned and managed by The Times Group. It is the third-largest newspaper in India by circulation and largest ...

'' (Kolhapur edition), ''

The Indian Express ''The Indian Express'' is an English-language Indian daily newspaper founded in 1932. It is published in Mumbai by the Indian Express Group. In 1999, eight years after the group's founder Ramnath Goenka's death in 1991, the group was split be ...

'', ''

Business Standard ''Business Standard'' is an Indian English-language daily edition newspaper published by Business Standard Private Limited, also available in Hindi. Founded in 1975, the newspaper covers the Indian economy, infrastructure, international busin ...

'' and ''

The Economic Times ''The Economic Times'' is an Indian English-language business-focused daily newspaper. It is owned by The Times Group. ''The Economic Times'' began publication in 1961. As of 2012, it is the world's second-most widely read English-language bu ...

''. Kolhapur's FM radio services include Tomato FM (94.3 MHz),

Radio Mirchi Radio Mirchi (also known as 98.3 Mirchi) is a nationwide network of private FM radio stations in India. It is owned by the EntertainmentNetwork India Ltd (ENIL), which is one of the subsidiaries of The Times Group. ''Mirchi'' is Hindi for re ...

(98.3 MHz), Radio City (95 MHz), Big FM(92.7 MHz) and

All India Radio All or ALL may refer to: Language * All, an indefinite pronoun in English * All, one of the English determiners * Allar language (ISO 639-3 code) * Allative case (abbreviated ALL) Music * All (band), an American punk rock band * ''All'' (All ...

FM (102.7 MHz).

Sports

Wrestling (known as Kusti in Hindi/Marathi) and football are the sports most played in the city."Hanuman's Army: Kushti Wrestlers."
Reportage at Getty Images website. 2013. Retrieved 12 September 2017.

Wrestling

Kolhapur is known as

wrestling Wrestling is a series of combat sports involving grappling-type techniques such as clinch fighting, throws and takedowns, joint locks, pins and other grappling holds. Wrestling techniques have been incorporated into martial arts, combat ...

capital of India. Kolhapur has a long history of kushti (wrestling) and has produced many wrestlers. The sport flourished during the reign of

(1894–1922). During this golden age, he built

Akhara Akhara or Akhada ( Sanskrit and Hindi: अखाड़ा, shortened to ''khara'' Hindi: खाड़ा) is an Indian word for a place of practice with facilities for boarding, lodging and training, both in the context of Indian martial artist ...

s or Taleems (as they are colloquially called) all over Kolhapur and organized wrestling tournaments, inviting wrestlers from across the Indian sub-continent. Since then, Kolhapur's wrestling culture has been dominated by various Taleems like Gangavesh taleem, Shahupuri taleem, Motibag taleem, etc. More than 70 wrestlers undertake training in each of these. India's first individual Olympian

Khashaba Dadasaheb Jadhav Khashaba Dadasaheb Jadhav (15 January 1926 – 14 August 1984) was an Indian athlete. He is best known as a wrestler who won a bronze medal at the 1952 Summer Olympics in Helsinki. He was the first athlete from independent India to win an indiv ...

, India's first

Hind Kesari Hind Kesari is an Indian-style wrestling championship, established in 1958. It is affiliated to the Indian Style Wrestling Association of India (ISWAI). Hindi Kesari Title is a biggest Kushti Wrestling Title in India . In 2011, women were a ...

Shripati Khanchnale and

Rustam-e-Hind Ghulam Mohammad Baksh Butt (22 May 1878 – 23 May 1960), commonly known as ''Rustam-e-Hind'' (Hindi-Urdu for ''Rostam of Hindostan'') and by the ring name The Great Gama, was a pehlwani wrestler and strongman in British India. In the earl ...

Dadu Chougule belonged to Kolhapur. Rajarshi Shahu Stadium is a football stadium in Kolhapur. Khasbag Wrestling Stadium, India's largest wrestling stadium is situated in Kolhapur. B.B. Nimbalkar (former Ranji cricketer),

Suhas Khamkar Suhas Madhukar Khamkar (born 9 August 1980) is a professional bodybuilder from India. Early life Khamkar is a native of Kolhapur region and comes from a family of fitness experts and bodybuilders. His inspiration for bodybuilding traces ba ...

(Mr. Asia, Winner),

Virdhawal Khade Virdhawal Vikram Khade (born 29 August 1991) ( mr, विरधवल खाडे) is an Indian swimmer. He competed in the men's 50, 100, and 200 meters Freestyle swimming events at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, setting an Indian nat ...

(Indian Olympian in swimming), Jaysingrao Kusale (Indian shooter), Tejaswini Sawant (Arjuna awardee, world championship gold medalist shooter),

Rahi Sarnobat Rahi Jeevan Sarnobat (Marathi: राही सरनोबत) is a female athlete from India who competes in the 25 metre pistol shooting event. She won her first gold medal at the 2008 Commonwealth Youth Games in Pune, India. She is the fi ...

(Arjuna awardee, Asian Gold medalist in shooting),

Rucha Pujari Rucha Pujari (born 2 July 1994) is an Indian chess player. She is currently a Woman International Master and was previously awarded the title of Woman FIDE Master in 2006. Born in Kolhapur, she picked up the game of chess at the age of six in ...

(chess -

Woman International Master FIDE titles are awarded by the international chess governing body FIDE (''Fédération Internationale des Échecs'') for outstanding performance. The highest such title is Grandmaster (GM). Titles generally require a combination of Elo rating an ...

), Shahu Mane also belong to the city. Aniket Jadhav who played the

FIFA U-17 World Cup 2017 The 2017 FIFA U-17 World Cup was the 17th FIFA U-17 World Cup, a biennial international football tournament contested by men's under-17 national teams. Organised by FIFA, the tournament took place in India between 6 and 28 October 2017, after the ...

is from Kolhapur.

Transport

Railway

The Chhatrapati Shahu Maharaj Terminus links Kolhapur via rail to India's major cities with express services to

, Mumbai, Bengaluru and New Delhi. A daily shuttle service connects Kolhapur with the main rail hub of

on the Central Railway main line. A daily DEMU local train also runs from Kolhapur to

Sangli railway station Sangli railway station serves the city of Sangli Sangli () is a city and the district headquarters of Sangli District in the state of Maharashtra, in western India. It is known as the Turmeric City of Maharashtra due to its production an ...

. A new railway route from Miraj via Kolhapur until Vaibhavwadi has been confirmed, which will connect Kolhapur and many other towns with to the Western coastal region of India.

Road

Kolhapur is located on

National Highway 4 Route 4, or Highway 4, may refer to several highways in the following countries: International * AH4, Asian Highway 4 * European route E04 * European route E004 * Cairo – Cape Town Highway Albania * SH-4 road in Albania from Durres to Kakav ...

and National Highway 204. Kolhapur is 55 km from Sangli and 200 km from Pune. The city has three state transport bus stands: Central Bus Stand (CBS), Rankala Bus Stand and Sambhajinagar Bus Stand. Kolhapur Municipal Transport (KMT) provides local bus services. The CBS of Kolhapur is the busiest bus stand in western Maharashtra with more than 50,000 commutators a day. National Highway-4 kolhapur

Airport

Kolhapur's domestic airport, also known as Chhatrapati Rajaram Maharaj Airport, is located south east of the city at Ujalaiwadi.

Indigo Indigo is a deep color close to the color wheel blue (a primary color in the RGB color space), as well as to some variants of ultramarine, based on the ancient dye of the same name. The word "indigo" comes from the Latin word ''indicum'', m ...

operates daily flights to

Hyderabad Airport Rajiv Gandhi International Airport (RGIA) is an international airport that serves Hyderabad, the capital of the Indian state of Telangana. It is located in Shamshabad, about south of Hyderabad and it was opened on 23 March 2008 to replace ...

and

Tirupati Airport Tirupati Airport is a domestic airport serving Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh. It is situated in Renigunta, a suburb of Tirupati. It is away from National Highway 71 (India), National Highway 71 (previously NH-205), from Tirupati and from Venkat ...

as well as three times a week to Ahmedabad Airport. Star Air operates flights three times in a week to Mumbai Airport. Expansion of runway and construction of and airport terminal building is in progress. The nearest international airports to Kolhapur are Pune International Airport () and Goa International Airport ().

Education

Kolhapur has educational institutions for engineering, medicine, management studies, pharmaceutical sciences and agriculture.

Shivaji University Shivaji University, established in 1962, is a state university located at Kolhapur, Maharashtra, India. The university, with a campus spread over , is named after Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, founder of the Maratha Empire. It was inaugurated ...

is located in Kolhapur city. There are international schools and a pre-IAS training centre. The pre-IAS training centre is in Rajaram college campus. The admissions to pre-IAS centre are allotted by merit through an entrance exam. The city attracts students form all over India and Africa.

Languages

The

Marathi language Marathi (; ''Marāṭhī'', ) is an Indo-Aryan language predominantly spoken by Marathi people in the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is the official language of Maharashtra, and additional official language in the state of Goa. It is one of t ...

spoken in Kolhapur has some distinctive adaptations. Women for example will use the masculine gender for verbs. Some syllables in names are uniquely shortened to utter them faster. For example, शंकर becomes शंक्रोबा. Some phrases are unique to the local dialect, and especially popular among the youth, such as 'काय भावा?', 'नाद नाही करायचा', 'काटा कीर्रर्र', 'खटक्यावर बोट, and 'जाग्यावर पल्टी'.

Notable people

- Maharaja and a social reformer. *

- Maratha queen and warrior. *

Ramchandra Pant Amatya Ramchandra Neelkanth Bawadekar (1650–1716), also known as Ramchandra Pant Amatya, served on the Council of 8 ('' Ashta Pradhan'') as the Finance Minister (''Amatya'') to Emperor (''Chhatrapati'') Shivaji, dating from 1674 to 1680.

- One of the

Ashta Pradhan Ashta Pradhan (literally, ''Modern council of ministers'') was a system /topic/Ashta-Pradhan, title = Ashta Pradhan | Marathi council The council is credited with having implemented good governance practices in the Maratha heartland, as well ...

s of

Shivaji Shivaji Bhonsale I (; 19 February 1630 – 3 April 1680), also referred to as Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, was an Indian ruler and a member of the Bhonsle Maratha clan. Shivaji carved out his own independent kingdom from the declining Adil ...

. * Santaji Ghorpade - Maratha warrior and Sarsenapati. *

Bhalji Pendharkar Bhalji Pendharkar (3 May 1897 – 26 November 1994) was a film personality in India, and recipient of Dadasaheb Phalke Award, the most prestigious award in the field. Early life and family Born to Radhabai and her husband Dr Gopal Pendharkar ...

- Award Winning director. *

Nanda Nanda may refer to: Indian history and religion * Nanda Empire, ruled by the Nanda dynasty, an Indian royal dynasty ruling Magadha in the 4th century BCE ** Mahapadma Nanda, first Emperor of the Nanda Empire ** Dhana Nanda (died c. 321 BCE), last ...

- Film actress. * Sudhir Phadke - Singer and composer. * Suresh Wadkar - Playback singer. *

Jayant Narlikar Jayant Vishnu Narlikar (born 19 July 1938) is an Indian astrophysicist and emeritus professor at the Inter-University Centre for Astronomy and Astrophysics (IUCAA). He developed with Sir Fred Hoyle the conformal gravity theory, known as Hoyl ...

- Indian astrophysicist. *

V. Shantaram Shantaram Rajaram Vankudre (18 November 1901 – 30 October 1990), referred to as V. Shantaram or Shantaram Bapu, was an Indian filmmaker, film producer, and actor known for his work in Hindi and Marathi films. He is most known for films such ...

- Indian filmmaker, film producer and actor. *

Shivaji Sawant Shivaji Sawant (31 August 1940 – 18 September 2002) was an Indian novelist in the Marathi language. He is known as Mrutyunjaykaar (meaning Author of ''Mrutyunjay'') for writing the famous Marathi novel - ''Mrutyunjay''. He was the first Marathi ...

- Indian novelist. *

Ranjit Desai Ranjit loda Desai (8 April 1928 – 6 March 1992) was an Indian Marathi-language writer from Maharashtra, India. He is best known for his historical novels Swami and Shriman Yogi. He was awarded the Sahitya Akademi Award in 1964 and the Padma Sh ...

- Popular Marathi writer. *

Master Vinayak Vinayak Damodar Karnataki (19 January 1906 – 19 August 1947) commonly referred to as Master Vinayak was an Indian actor and film director of the 1930s and 1940s. Personal life Master Vinayak was born in Kolhapur, Maharashtra, India. He mar ...

- Indian actor and film director. *

Suniti Ashok Deshpande Suniti Ashok Deshpande (pronounced 'DESH-paan-day'), (8 November 1954 – 23 September 2015) was an Indian educator, writer, translator and interpreter, best known for her work on spreading the Russian language and Russian culture, culture in ...

- Indian educator, writer, translator and interpreter. *

Leena Nair Leena Nair (née Menon;born 1969) is a British-Indian business executive who is the Global CEO of Chanel. Nair previously served as the Chief Human Resource Officer of Unilever and member of the Unilever Leadership Executive. Nair was respon ...

- CEO of Chanel. * D. Y. Patil - Indian politician and educator. *

Arun Sarnaik Arun Shankarrao Sarnaik (4 October 1935 – 21 June 1984) was an Indian actor and singer from Kolhapur, Maharashtra. He was the son of the famous singer "Maharashtrakokil" Pt. Shankarao Sarnaik and brother of famous classical singer "Pandit Niv ...

- Actor and singer. *

Dhondutai Kulkarni Dhondutai Kulkarni, (23 July 1927 – 1 June 2014) was an Indian classical singer from the Jaipur-Atrauli gharana. She was the last legendary exponent of orthodox Jaipur-Atrauli Gharana. Early life Dhondutai was born in a Brahmin family in Kolh ...

- Indian classical singer from the Jaipur-Atrauli gharana. *

Govindrao Tembe Govind Sadashiv Tembe, popularly known as Govindrao Tembe (5 June 1881 – 9 October 1955), was a harmonium player, stage actor, and music composer. Early life and background He grew up in Kolhapur and became attached to music early in life. He ...

- Music composer. *

B. B. Nimbalkar Bhausaheb Babasaheb Nimbalkar (12 December 1919 – 11 December 2012) was an Indian cricketer, best known for his score of 443 not out during the 1948–49 Ranji Trophy, which remains the highest score, and the only quadruple century, in ...

- Indian cricketer, best known for his score of 443 not out during the 1948–49 Ranji Trophy. * Dhananjay Mahadik - Indian politician and former Member of Parliament. * Chandrakant Patil - Indian politician and Maharashtra

BJP The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP; ; ) is a political party in India, and one of the two major Indian political parties alongside the Indian National Congress. Since 2014, it has been the ruling political party in India under Narendra Mo ...

president. *

Ramesh Deo Ramesh Deo (30 January 1926 – 2 February 2022) was an Indian film and television actor who worked in more than 285 Hindi films, 190 Marathi films and 30 Marathi dramas with over 200 showings in his long career. He also produced feature films, ...

- Indian film and television actor. *

Vasantrao Ghatge Vasantrao Madhavrao Ghatge (9 May 1916 – 3 September 1986) was an Indian entrepreneur, business magnate, industrialist and a professor. He was the co-founder of Ghatge Patil Transports along with Jaykumar Patil in the year 1945 based in Kolha ...

- Indian entrepreneur, business magnate, industrialist and a professor. *

Jagdish Khebudkar Jagdish Khebudkar (10 May 1932 – 3 May 2011) was a Marathi littérateur and lyricist of Marathi cinema, known for his songs in films like '' Pinjra'' (1972), ''Sadhi Mansa'', ''Samna'' (1975), ''Chandra Hota Sakshila'' and ''Ashtavinayak''. ...

- Marathi littérateur and lyricist of Marathi cinema. *

Ashutosh Gowariker Ashutosh Gowariker (born 15 February 1964) is an Indian film director, actor, screenwriter and producer who works in Hindi cinema. He is known for directing films "set on a huge canvas while boasting of an opulent treatment". His is particular ...

- Indian film director, actor, screenwriter and producer. *

Madhavrao Bagal Madhavrao Khanderao Bagal (28 May 1895 – 6 March 1986), also called Bhai Madhavrao Bagal, was a noted writer, artist, journalist, social reformer, political activist, orator and freedom fighter from Kolhapur. Early life He was born on 28 ...

- Writer, artist, journalist, social reformer, political activist, orator and a freedom fighter. * Anant Mane - Film director. *

Satej Patil Satej Dnyandeo Patil alias Bunty (born 12 April 1972) is a Member of the Maharashtra Legislative Council from the Indian National Congress.He served as the Minister of State for Home (Urban), Housing, Transport, Information Technology, Parlia ...

- Politician and Minister of State for home in the Maharashtra Government. *

Padmini Kolhapure Padmini Kolhapure is an Indian actress and singer, who works primarily in Hindi films. She began her acting career in 1972 at the age of seven, and her early works include ''Zindagi'' (1976) and ''Dream Girl'' (1977). She had her breakthroug ...

- Film actress. *

Shruti Sadolikar Shruti Sadolikar Katkar (born 9 Nov. 1951) is an Indian classical singer of the khyal style in the Jaipur-Atrauli gharana. She is a recipient of the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award for Hindustani vocal music for 2011. Early life and career Sadolik ...

- Indian classical singer of the khyal style in the Jaipur-Atrauli gharana. *

Sadashivrao Dadoba Mandlik Sadashivrao Dadoba Mandlik (7 October 1934 – 10 March 2015) was a member of the 15th Lok Sabha of India from Kolhapur. He was a member of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) political party. He served as a member of the 12th Lok Sabha, ...

- Former Member of Parliament and NCP leader. * Sanjay Mandlik - Member of Parliament and Shiv Sena Leader. *

Bhanu Athaiya Bhanu Athaiya (née Rajopadhye; 28 April 192915 October 2020) was an Indian costume designer and painter. She was the only woman member of the Bombay Progressive Artists' Group and the first Indian to win an Academy Award. Alongside being Bolly ...

- Indian costume designer and painter. *

Sangram Chougule Sangram Chougule (born 28 December 1979) is an Indian bodybuilder from Kolhapur, currently settled in Pune Pune (; ; also known as Poona, ( the official name from 1818 until 1978) is one of the most ...

- Body builder, Mr Universe winner (2012), Mr India (6-time winner), Mr Maharashtra (5-time winner). *

- Body builder.

References

External links

*
Kolhapur Municipal Corporation
{{Authority control Articles containing potentially dated statements from 2011 All articles containing potentially dated statements Cities and towns in Kolhapur district Cities in Maharashtra