Kolhapur in southern Maharashtra, is a modern city with glorious past of rich Maratha history.

History, religion and nature are the entwining facets of this bustling commercial city of Kolhapur. A fascinating tour destination with ancient monuments and temples, Kolhapur is  Maharashtra’s religious pride. Kolhapur is sometimes referred as the ‘City of palaces and Gardens. 

History of Kolhapur

A heroic history spanning over 2000 years, Kolhapur has been called Karvirnagari and Dakshin Kashi during various ancient times. Its ancient and medieval history is marked respectively by the era before and after the construction of the Mahalakshmi temple. The latter period saw the temple as the city’s centre for religion and politics. It was once invaded by Mughals and subsequently the seventeenth- century Maratha warrior, Shivaji drove out the invaders and established their stronghold. Despite the continued challenge from the Mughals, Kolhapur takes pride in its Maratha heritage and until the residency during 1844 to 1848.

Tourism in Kolhapur

A tour to Kolhapur must include the popular Mahalakshmi temple that is centuries old and its architecture is characteristic of the old Hemadpanti. The  temple is so popular that devotees wait up to 3 hours to get near the main deity. The other must see attractions are the Maharaja’s Palace, built in early 1880s, and the New Palace which now houses Shahaji Chhatrapati museum. Kolhapur is well known for traditional wrestling and it is the home town for several wrestling schools known as Aakhadas. Tour to the wrestling arenas known as talims, can be arranged and visitors can try their hand at kushti (traditional wrestling). The other implicit feature of Kolhapur are the sugar factories which are integral part of the Maharashtra’s core economy.

Nature and Hillstation tours

Rankala Lake is a popular tourist attraction as well as a favourite picnic site for locals and visitors. There are food stalls where one can savour the local authentic street food and boating facilities. The wildlife sanctuary at Dajipur Forest is popular with nature lovers as wild species such as wild boars, leopards, tigers and many more can be spotted here. Night camping is allowed and is certain to be an unique travel experience.

The numerous hill stations of Kolhapur - such as popular Amboli and Mahabelshwar and yet to be discovered Gaganbawada and Amba- Pavankhind-  offer lush views of refreshing scenes and trails to delight trek enthusiasts. A popular site is the spectacular Panhala Fort, the largest among the Deccan forts and one with a glorious heritage. Built between 1178 to 1209 AD, this was the place where the Maratha hero Shivaji Maharaj spent nearly 2 years. Besides its heroic history - it used to guard the coasts- it presents a soothing scenery, with the green fields, tall mountains and picturesque valleys. Its cool climate presents a lovely change from the city tour attractions.