The land of magnificent temples...this is the town of Kolhapur, the
religious pride of Maharashtra. Nestled in the tranquil laps of the
Sahyadri mountain ranges, it is situated on the verge of the river
Panchganga. Surrounded by rivers from all directions with Krishna
Ganiki to the east, Shiva and Mayuri to the west, Veda and Yaksha
to the south and to the north, Krishna and Warana, this part of terra
firma houses a plethora of fascinating temples. It is believed to
be a milk-rich area and the hill-side weather conditions are believed
to be beneficial for bodybuilders. Winters are mild and misty and
the people remain enthusiastic. Also termed as a city of palaces and
gardens, it is a historic Maratha city, with the Mahalakshmi temple
forming the focus.
Kolhapur was an imperative Buddhist base during 3rd century BC.
There's evidence to prove the same. Even today this place is termed
as Dakshin Kashi and is believed to be 108 kalpas old (1 kalpa =
100 years). Also called Karveer, a very rich and glamourous town
once, it was turned entirely into shambles in the 8th and the 9th
century; the cause... earthquakes. Later, the Rashtrakoot kings
thought of bringing back the town to life and developing it to form
an important city. That they did, and the city got a new face in
the 12th century. It was then declared as the capital of the King
Sheeldatta. 1945 witnessed certain archaeological excavations near
a hill in Kolhapur.
And there was a discovery... Remains of a prehistoric town that supposedly
belonged to the Roman Era. Kolhapur was the main target of the Mughal
forces. Demolition and rejuvenation was surprising no more. The early
19th century was a spectator to the rise of the British control over
the Marathas. Rigorous attacks lead to agitation of the Kolhapur troops
in 1857. The British regime saw the coronation of Shri Chatrapati
Shahu Maharaj as the King of Kolhapur in 1894. The land became a part
of India in 1947. Prior to this, it was a province, that ranged from
the Western Ghats to the Deccan Plains, and was under the rulers called
the Marathas. The land later turned into a major avenue of outdoor
sports, hunting being a key hit in those times.
Shahu Maharaj was a great ruler, who took immense pains to identify
the sufferings of his subjects, unlike the other princes of his
time. He took to developing the land and its people. A princely
state that it was during the British rule, it still has palaces,
gardens and monuments displaying the Indo-British architecture.
|
|
