As Maharashtra is a vast state, the people of this colourful state wears different types of costumes, take different cuisines,

has different forms of dances and music according to the physical features of their locality. Generally, men wear dhoti and
pheta in olden days, while women wear choli and saree. But with the change of time, young Maharashtrians too are fast
attracting to the latest fashions imported from the western countries.

The mouth watering Konkan and Varadi cuisines would kill any visitor's appetite. Although, Maharashtrian cuisines are a bit
strong in pepper and spice, but it is the speciality of the dishes of this state that world knows about. And everybody knows
about the unbeatable taste of the Mumbai chaats.

The dance forms like Povada, Lavani and Koli with mesmerizing music and rhythmic movements entertain the
Maharashtrians. Dhangri Gaja, Dindi, Kala and Tamasha are the folk dances that attach to the heart of the people of this
state.

CUSTOMES OF MH

As Maharashtra is a vast state, the people of this colourful state wears different types of costumes, take different cuisines,
has different forms of dances and music according to the physical features of their locality. Generally, men wear dhoti and
pheta in olden days, while women wear choli and saree. But with the change of time, young Maharashtrians too are fast
attracting to the latest fashions imported from the western countries.

The mouth watering Konkan and Varadi cuisines would kill any visitor's appetite. Although, Maharashtrian cuisines are a bit
strong in pepper and spice, but it is the speciality of the dishes of this state that world knows about. And everybody knows
about the unbeatable taste of the Mumbai chaats.

The dance forms like Povada, Lavani and Koli with mesmerizing music and rhythmic movements entertain the
Maharashtrians. Dhangri Gaja, Dindi, Kala and Tamasha are the folk dances that attach to the heart of the people of this
state.

Cuisines of Maharashtra
Maharashtrians consider anna, or food equals to Brahma, the creator of the universe. Maharashtrians believe in offering
their food first to the God as a thanksgiving. Especially on festive occasions, specific mithais (sweets) are offered such
as ukadiche modak (Ganesh Chaturthi) and satyanarayan puja sheera.

Maharashtrian cuisine has two major styles - Konkan and Varadi. A major portion of Maharashtra, which lies on the coast
of the Arabian Sea, is called the Konkan having its own Konkani cuisine, which is a combination of Malvani, Gaud
Saraswat Brahmin and Goan cuisines. The cuisine for the interior Maharashtra or the Vidarbha area is called Varadi
cuisine.

Maharashtrian cuisine is packed with the subtly flavoured vegetarian delicacies and hot aromatic meat and fish curries,
while the crunchy, crisp sweets are made mostly from rice and jiggery are also their favourite. The Konkan food has a lot
of coconut in it and strong in masalas, red chillies and coriander.

The spicy Kolhapuri food emphasizes on mutton. The food of the Vidarbha region is prepared strong in red chillie powder
and garlic. Mumbai has its own pot-pourri of dishes like vada pav, misal and pav bhaji, which are immensely popular
across India.
 Dances of Maharashtra
Gifted with its rich culture and traditions, Maharashtra has different types of dance forms. Povada is the dance form that
showcases the lifetime achievements of the Maratha ruler Shivaji Maharaj. Lavani and Koli dance forms entertain the
Maharashtrians with its mesmerizing music and rhythmic movements. Dhangri Gaja dance pays respect to their God by
the Dhangars of Sholapur. Dindi and Kala are the religious folk dances, which expresses of religious ecstasy of Lord
Krishna. Tamasha is the folk dance that is so popular all over the state.

Music of Maharashtra
Every festive occasion is accompanied by song, music and dance in Maharashtra. Talking about the music of
Maharashtra won't complete without the mention of Natya Sangeet, numerous folk songs and its great saint poets.
Although music in Maharashtra like Marathi literature has an ancient tradition, the popularity of classical music in
Maharashtra began through Gwalior. Miraj town of Sangli district is known as the 'town of music'. The world famous
Indian musical instrument the Sitar is made in this town.

Folk songs are an inseparable part of the daily lives of the rural Maharashtra. Folk forms like lavani, nautanki and
tamasha music are very famous. However, a lot of these art forms are dying out as performers are finding it difficult to
sustain.

Amongst the saint poets, Jnandev, Namdev, Tukaram, Jani and Soyara are imorptant to mention. They believed in the
fusion of Bhakti (devotion) with Jnana (knowledge). They taught to worship and merge into oneness with the God

OR

Dance and Music

Maharashtra has been equally well known for its music. Its vibrant folk forms like lavnis, povadas, gondnals
and bharuds are a true reflection of the society. Besides India's greatest treasure on classical music of
medieval times the "Sangitratnakara" was written by Sharang Dev in the 13th century. Many of India's
greatest stalwarts of music reside and perform here like Bhimsen Joshi, Pandit Jasraj, Lata Mangeshkar, Bal
Gandharva, Kishori Amonkar etc. Maharashtra also has a flourishing theatre tradition. Two of the most well-
known handicrafts of Maharashtra are Kolhapuri Chappals and the Paithani Sari; its silk bordered with
opulent zari.

Commercial Cities
Maharashtra also represents some of India's most industrially and commercially advanced areas
like Mumbai, Pune, Nashik, Aurangabad, Nagpur etc.

About Mumbai
The Capital of Maharashtra, is the fastest moving city of
India. Mumbai, being the commercial capital of the
country, it is a land for finance, trade and entertainment
of the country. This city is full of excitement energy and
enthusiasm. The city displays a cosmopolitan character
which reflects in its cuisine, culture, inhabitants and
language. The bustling city, is the most busy ports of
India and handles about 40 percent of India's Martine
trade. The city which is a part of India's splendid coast,
has a natural harbour developed by the British.
 This fascinating city which houses people of all cultures
and creeds, is throbbing with life and absorbing the ever
increasing needs of the people there.

The city which was earlier the land of Kolis,

came under the Portuguese rule in 1534.
Mumbai derives its name from Mumba Devi
whose temple still exists here. The Portuguese
however named it 'Bom Baim" meaning good
bay. Mumbai earlier was made of seven islands
which are today called Colaba, Mahim, Mazgaon,
Parel, Worli, Girgaum and Dongri. The profit
hungry Britishers transformed it into an
excellent port and the large expanses of the
open sea were filled in to further the land area.
Nariman Point and Churchgate.

About Pune

Pune has been known by a plethora of sobriquets. Popular

among them: Queen of the Deccan, cultural capital of
Maharashtra, pensioner's paradise and Oxford of the East.
Pune is one of the historical cities of India with a glorious
past, an innovative present and a promising future. The Pune
Municipal Corporation administers the city. Its boundaries
extend over four hundred square kilometres and it has a
population of close to four million. Thus, Pune city has been
developed into a Pune metropolitan area, just equal in area
to that of Greater Mumbai. It is located 192 km (by rail) and
160 km (by road) from Mumbai and is 559 meters above the
mean sea level. Being surrounded by beautiful hills and the
Sinhagad fort, it has a temperate climate. Water, which is
plentiful, is supplied to the city from Panshet, Khadakvasla
and Varasgaon dams --all located about thirty kilometers
from Pune. Pune is among the greenest urban areas in the
country with more than 40 per cent of its area under green
cover.

PUNE or Punyanagri as it is called has had a glorious past of nearly 1000 years. Pune’s history is
both illustrious and romantic. The city’s historical associations are fast woven with Shivaji
Maharaj, the Peshwas and Lokmanya Tilak. It was here, in the Lal Mahal that Shivaji boldly
attacked Aurangzeb’s uncle, Shaista Khan and won back the lost territories. Later it was ruled by
the Peshwas. When Bajirao-I became the Peshwa, he made Pune the headquarters of the army
and the Shaniwar Wada was built. Bazaars and shopping plazas. Palaces and ritzy hotels.
Temples, mosques, churches and even a synagogue to visit. This sprawling metropolis conjures
up a myriad images - ancient forts, ornate palaces, lush gardens, shopping arcades, educational
institutions and rolling hills. The Ganapatifestival celebrated yearly, called the Pune Festival, has
made its mark on the tourist map of India.

About Nasik

A delightful town, usually bustling with fervent crowds, Nasik is a classic mélange of the
past and the present. It paves way to many fascinating forts and royally graceful temples
that possess an aura of exuberance. This part of the terra firma is more than a dream
destination for zealous lovers of glorious travel. It plays abode to most of the industries
located in Maharashtra, including the Security Printing Press of the government, the
nation's currency printer. The core of commerce and trade, it was earlier the country's
largest market arena.

Widely held as the land that produces the maximum varieties of fruits and vegetables, it is
rightly labelled as the green belt area. It lodges a great diversity of tourist attractions,
religious domains and the nature at its bountiful and beautiful best. This land of exquisite
grandeur witnessed 14 years of exile suffered by a hero, a hero named Lord Rama. The
Lord spent his years of exile in the forests of this land.

The splendour of Nasik tells you all about the magnificence of the place. Its fame has
augmented by leaps and bounds due to its propinquity to Shirdi, a very famous pilgrimage
centre, where thousands cram to acquire darshan of Shri Sai Baba.

About Nagpur
Nagpur is a city in the central part of India.
In Maharashtra State. Left side is the map
of Maharashtra state shows the position of
Nagpur city. Nagpur district is located
between 21*45 N to 20*30 N and 78*15 E
to 79*45 E, which essentially indicates that
Nagpur district is located in the Deccan
Plateau. The adjoining districts are
Bhandara on the east, Chandrapur on the
south, Amravati and Wardha on the west
and in the north shares the boundary with
Madhya Pradesh.

It is practically at geographical center of India, in fact the zero milestone of India is in

this city. All major highways NH-7 ( Varanasi - Kanyakumari ) & NH-6 (Mumbai -
Sambalpur - Calcutta) and major railways trunk route (Mumbai, Chennai, Howrah *
Delhi) pass through the city. Important Central & State Government offices and
institutions are located in Nagpur. Industrial Development is existing along the fringe
areas like Kamptee, Hingna, Wadi, Khapri, Butibori and Kalmeshwar
History

Early History

Although some Paleolithic remains have been

discovered, Maharashtra enters recorded history in
the second century BC, with the construction of its
first Buddhist caves. These lay, and still lie, in
peaceful places of great natural beauty, but could
never have been created without the wealth
generated by the nearby caravan trade routes
between north and south India.
Origins
The name Maharashtra first appeared in a 7th century inscription and in a Chinese traveler's
account. Its name may have originated from rathi, meaning "chariot driver" and referring to
builders and drivers of chariots who formed a maharathis, a "fighting force." This region
seems to have attained prominence as early as 90 A.D., when king Vedishri made Junnar the
capital of his kingdom, thirty miles north of Pune. For the 900 years ending in the early
fourteenth century, with the overthrow of the Devgiri Yadavs by the northern Muslim
powers, no historical information in this region is available. In 1526, first Mughal king,
Babar, established his prominanace in Delhi and soon the Mughal power spread to the
southern India. The Mughals were to dominate India till the early eighteenth century.

Poet-Saints
The regions's first Hindu rulers, based in Badami, appeared during the sixth century, but the
eighth-century Rashtrakutas achieved a greater authority. Buddhism was almost entirely
supplanted throughout the entire country by the twelfth century, in what has been
characterized as a peaceful popular revolution attributable largely to the popular poet-saints.
Maharashtra was one of the main channels that helped the emotional and emotional bhakti
school of Hinduism spread from southern to northern India, thanks here to work of
Jnanesvara (1271-1296) whose commentary on the Bhagwad Gita, the Jnanesvari, was
significantly written in the day-to-day spoken language, Marathi, as opposed to classical
Sanskrit. The most famous of his contemporary poet-saints was the tailor Namdev (1270-
1350), whose passionate devotional hymns caught the popular imagination. The tradition
they established continued to flourish, even when forced underground by Islam, reaching its
zenith in the simple faith of the anguished Tukaram (1598-1650), whose wife and son died
in a famine, and Ramdas, the "Servant of Rama" (1608-1681). Ramdas, both ascetic and
political activist, provided the philosophical underpinning behind the campaigns of
Maharashtra's greatest warrior, Shivaji.

The Maratha Reign

In the sixteenth century, regional Muslim powers like Nizamshahi, Adilshahi, and
Qutubshahi established their prominence in the Deccan region. They basically served the
Mughal empire but were autonomous to an extent. One of them, Nizamshahi was located in
Ahmednagar, a town 95 miles east of Pune. Maloji Bhosle, Grandfather of Shivaji served
for the Nizam as a Sardar. In 1595, Bahadur Nizam II honored him as 'Raja' for his courage
in a battle with Mughals and gave him the estates of Pune and the fort of Chakan, near Pune.
This
 The Reign of Shivaji (1627 - 1680)

Shivaji Bhosle, founder of the Maratha empire, was born in 1627, in the fort of Shivneri, 40
miles north of Pune. In 1629, Shivaji's father Shahaji, who had succeeded his father Maloji,
in Pune and Chakan, disengaged himself from the service of the Nizamshahi. Consequently,
in 1635 the Nizam's army attacked Pune. Shahaji surrendered and his estates were returned to
him. Soon, Shahaji put Dadaji Kondadev in charge of Pune,and as a caretaker for the Shivaji
while he joined the Adilshahi in Vijapur, aprox. 400 miles south of Pune, which was soon to
emerge as the most important power in the region as the other local powers slowly
diminished.

In Pune, Dadoji built a palace 'Lal Mahal', for Shivaji and his mother Jijabai. At the age of
sixteen (1643 AD), Shivaji took great delight in stirring up his friends' hopes and nursed the
thought of becoming independent. He took the oath to make the land free at the fort Torna at
the age of sixteen. This was the start of his lifelong struggle against Mughals and other
Muslim powers. By 1647, Shivaji had captured two forts and had the complete charge of
Pune. In 1657, he committed his first act of hostility against the Adilshahi by plundering a
large booty in Ahmednagar. Thus, began a sequence of attacks on the Adilshahi.He slowly
started capturing forts in the region, Purandar, Rajgad, Torna being most notable of his first
achievements.

Disturbed by his continuing success, Adilshahi sent a famous Sardar, 'Afzalkhan' to destroy
Shivaji. Afzalkhan knew that Shivaji's army, which was much smaller than his huge force
would be unable to fight him on open land. He tried all the tricks in the book to make him
fight on plains, but Shivaji was no less clever. He convinced Khan that he was very much
afraid of him and requested him for a meeting at a place near Vai ( 100 miles south of Pune)
which was densely wooded, mountainous region, and ideal for his army to fight. Khan still
had plans to kill him in the meeting and Shivaji knew it well. Ultimately it was Khan who
was killed and his unsuspecting army was completed washed out by Shivaji. After this,
Shivaji went on a winning spree and spread his reach till Panhala near Kolhapur.

Meanwhile, Aurangzeb got concerned by Shivaji's rise to power. It was now clear that local
Muslim Powers were unable to stop him. So he sent a huge Army, led by Mirzaraje Jaisingh
to defeat Shivaji(1666). Jaising's army was much stronger than Shivaji and soon he lost most
of his important forts. Realising that he was fighting a losing battle, he signed a treaty with
Mirza and agreed to serve Aurangzeb, his young son, Sambhaji being made a sardar. He went
to Delhi with Mirza to meet Aurangzeb. Aurangzeb gave a humiliating treatment to Shivaji
and soon put him under house imprisonment under some excuse. It looked certain that
Shivaji will be killed sooner or later by Aurangzeb. But this was not to happen, fortunately,
for Maratha kingdom. Shivaji made a clever plot to escape and escaped with Sambhaji to
south.

After this turning point, Shivaji never looked back and slowly regained his lost glory. By
1673, he had control over most of western Maharashtra and had made 'Raigad' ( Dist.
Raigad , 150 miles southwest of Pune) his capital. He was ceremeniously enthroned as a
sovereign king in 1673. By 1680, the year of Shivaji's death, nearly whole of the Deccan
belonged to his kingdom. He had developed an efficient administration and a powerful army.
He also encouraged a spirit of independence among the Marathas that enabled them to
withstand for 150 years all attempts to conquer them. Shivaji's achievements amongst
monumental difficulties were really spectacular and that is why he holds the highest place in
Maratha history.

The Period of Unstability - 1680 to 1707

Shivaji was succeeded by his son Sambhaji. He showed the same vigor as his father, but was
taken prisoner and executed by the Mughal ruler Aurangzeb, in 1689. Rajaram, Sambhaji's
younger brother then took the throne, since Sambhaji's son, Shahu was still a minor. The
death of Rajaram in 1700 seemed to end the power of the Marathas, but Tarabai, the elder
widow of Rajaram, put her young son Shahu on the throne, at the tender age of ten, and
continued the struggle against Aurangzeb who had come to south with the sole purpose of
destroying Maratha kingdom. Between 1700 and 1703, Aurangzeb captured the fort of
Sinhagad, near Pune. During the siege, his son prince Muhuil-Mulk died; so Aurangzeb
changed Pune's name to Muhiabad, in the prince's honor. Shahu continued to fight against the
Mughals and captured Rajgad, the former capital of the Maratha territory. The fight against
the Mughals ended with the death of Aurangzeb in 1707 which was another turning point in
Maratha history. After Aurangzeb, Mughal power never regained its status as main power in
India and Balance of power shifted towards Marathas, which was soon to be controlled by
Peshwas.

The Peshwe Dynasty - 1712 to 1818

Balaji Vishwanath - 1712 to 1721

In 1712, Shahu died of smallpox and his minister or peshwa, Balaji Vishwanath took over the
throne.

Negotiations between the Mughal court of Delhi and Balaji Vishwanath enabled him to send
a large Maratha delegation to Delhi to assist the Mughals. The year 1718 marked the
beginning of the Maratha influence in Delhi, to which they remained closely acquainted, till
1803. Balaji Vishwanath's health had suffered considerably, and he died in 1721.

Bajirao Peshwa ( Pahila Bajirao ) - 1721 to 1740

Bajirao, his elder son was awarded the title of peshwa after the death of his father . It was
Bajirao's dream to extend the Maratha empire to North India. By this time, Pune had regained
its status as capital of Maratha Kingdom from Rajgad. Rajgad was made capital by Shivaji
beacuse it was a safe place, high in the moutainous, wooded area. As Pune was in plains, it
always had a threat. By 1720's, Maratha power was spreading in large areas and the threat of
local battles fought over forts did not exist much. Pune remained the capital till the end of
Maratha empire in 1818.

In 1734, Bajirao captured the Malwa territory in the north, and in 1739, his brother Chimnaji
drove out the Portuguese from almost all their possessions in the northern Western Ghats.
Bajirao diedi in 1740 and left three sons behind him. It was Bajirao who built the
'Shanivarwada', the residence and ruling place for the Peshwas.

Nanasaheb Peshwa - 1740 to 1761

Nanasaheb succeeded Bajirao as Peshwa in 1740. He had two brothers, Raghunathrao, who
later betrayed the Marathas and joined hands with the British, and Janardan, who died in his
early youth.

Nanasaheb was ambitious and a multifaceted person.In 1741, when his uncle Chimnaji died,
he returned from the northern districts and spent nearly a year improving the civil
administration of Pune. The period between 1741 and 1745 was of comparative calm in the
Deccan. Nanasaheb encouraged agriculture, protected the villagers and brought about a
marked improvement in the state of the territory.

The scene changed in 1751, when the Mughals, supported by the French, advanced towards
Pune, totally destroying every village in their way. The Marathas fought with great
determination, and nothing but the French artillery saved them from total defeat. In 1754,
Raghunathrao, Nanasaheb's brother started on an expedition to conquer Gujarat, the state
north of Bombay. In 1756, Nanasaheb marched south to attack Karnatak. In the meantime,
news spread that the war had broken out between the English and the French, in Europe.

In 1756, the fall of the formidable navy formed by Shivaji gave British their chance to regain
importance in the region. The navy was headed by Kanhoji Angre and its destruction was a
cruical blow to Maratha sea power. It was a sad outcome of neglect of navy by Marathas
which turned out to be a horrible mistake. Marathas never regained control of the sea after
that.

In 1761, the Marathas were defeated at the third Battle of Panipat against Ahmadshah
Abdali , a great warrior from Afganistan. Marathas were fighting to save Delhi Sultanat and
consequently their power in the north. NajibUddowla was the person responsible for calling
Abdali. 14th January, 1761 was the D-Day. This was a cruical blow to the rising Maratha
power from which they never recovered. They lost more than 100,000 men and dozens of
important Sardars in the battle. Nanasaheb Peshwe ( Balaji Bajirao ) lost his brother,
Sadashivrao ( After whom the Sadashiv Peth in Pune is named ), and also his first son,
Vishwasrao, in this battle. This news shattered Balaji Bajirao, who died shortly afterwards, in
the temple on Parvati hill in Pune. The Maratha power was at the zenith of its glory during
Balaji Bajirao's (also called Nana Saheb Peshwa) reign. It never fully recovered from the
crushing defeat at Panipat.

'Thorale' Madhaorao Peshwa - 1761 to 1772

Madhavrao, his second son then took over, but had to constantly face administrative disputes
with his uncle, Raghunathrao. Despite of this, he achieved many remarkable victories and
restored the shattred Maratha kingdom to a large extent. His outstanding achievements
included defeat of Nizam (Hyderabad), Hyder (Karnataka) and Bhosle of Nagpur. He also
had to fight wars with Raghunathrao whose greed for power never waned. Ultimately,
Madhavrao took Raghunathrao prisoner in 1768; the same year when the Nizam attacked
Pune.He was eventually defeated. Madhavrao, also called 'Thorale'or Greatest Madhavrao, is
entitled to special praise for supporting the poor and for his sense of justice. Ramshastri
Prabhune, the chief justice, has become a legend for his work. The people who rose to power
in his rule were Mahadji Shinde, Nana Phadnis and Haribhau Phadke who became the key
figures in the power structure after his death. He took ill in 1771 and died in 1772 at an early
 age of 27, causing yet another blow to recovering Maratha power.

Narayanrao Peshwa - 1772 to 1773

Narayanrao, Balaji Bajirao's third son succeeded the throne at Shaniwarwada as the next
Peshwa. He neither had the courage to take any bold decisions nor administrative skills and
soon became very unpopular among the people. In 1773, Raghunathrao, who had been
imprisoned by Madhavrao, in a room in the palace in Pune, escaped with the help of the
Gardi people . Narayanrao was murdered at the Shaniwar wada , owing to a conspiracy by
Anandibai, Raghunathrao's wife.

'Sawai' Madhaorao Peshwa - 1774 to 1795

Raghunathrao was proclaimed the next peshwa, although he was not heir to the title.
Narayanrao's widow gave birth to a son, Sawai Madhavrao, who was legally the next
peshwa. Raghunathrao tried to maintain his kingdom by signing treaties with the English ,
and relied on them for manpower in exchange for money and territory. However his plans did
not succeed. Raghoba was displaced from power by a clever plot by the 12 Maratha sardar's "
Barambhainche karasthaan" ( Plot by 12 people ) including Nana, Holkar, Phadke Shinde .
Sawai Madhavrao was then declared the next Peshwa. As he was only one year old at that
time, Nana Phadnis became the main administrator with Phadke,Shinde,Holkar taking care of
Military duties. These people handled the Peshwai well and with great unity till the
premature death of Sawai Madhaorao in 1795. They defeated the rising British Power in
1784, near Pune and halted their advancements, temporarily. Sawai Madhaorao's death was
the last blow to the Maratha empire and all the unity among its leaders vanished after his
death causing a downfall of Peshwai in a short time.

'Second' Bajirao Peshwa - 1795 to 1802

Raghunathrao died in 1782, leaving behind him, two sons; Bajirao, who in 1817 confronted
the British at the Battle of Kirkee, in Pune; and the younger, Chimnaji Appa. Bajirao became
the next Peshwa after Madhaorao's death. Nana was still the administrator and the Peshwai
remained in stable condition till his death owing to his superb administrative skills. Nana
died in 1800 and Pune fell into the hands of the Sindia's ( Shinde) ; the former chiefs of
Nana's army. They remained in power for a short while and in 1802, Bajirao reestablished
himself in Pune, by signing the treaty of Bassein with the British. This essentially ended
Peshwai , establishing British supremacy in the region. The capturing of the Ahmednagar fort
in 1803, proved British supremacy in the Deccan. In 1804, General Wellesly proclaimed the
Deccan in a state of chaos, established military rule and the Peshwas remained rulers for
name's sake.

The British Raj - 1818 to 1947

Towards the end of 1805 Sir James Mackintosh, the Chief Justice of Bombay (1804-1811),
came from Bombay to visit Colonel Close, the Resident at Pune. The Residency on the
'Sangam'(confluence of the Mula and Mutha rivers) Mackintosh describes as a set of
bungalows, fitted conveniently and luxuriously. Pune city had its principal streets paved with
stone, and was reckoned one of the best built native towns in India. The Peshwa's residence,
 that is the Shaniwar wada, added to Pune's glory. Between 1805 and 1811, under Colonel
Close and for a short while under Mr. Russel, affairs went smoothly in Pune.

In 1811, Mr. Russel was succeeded by Lord Mountstuart Elphinstone. Bajirao was very
disloyal to the British, and in November of 1817, he declared war against them. This battle
was fought at Kirkee, that is the Cantonment area, in the east of Pune. The Peshwa fled and
the power of the country passed from the Peshwas to the British by 1819. The rest of the
nineteenth century witnessed a few minor uprisings in and around Pune, but the British
established their supremacy. As the Maratha's were the key power in India at this time, their
fall clearly marked the begining of British Rule in India.

The first step towards establishing a municipal government in the city of Pune, was taken in
1856, when the Pune Municipality came into existence under the Act of 1850. The fact that
Pune is not recognized as a major tourist center, is probably because it cannot boast of
outstanding artistic specimens of architecture, like those of Delhi or Agra. Yet, it is rich in its
associations with the past.

In the early 20th century, the whole of India was in revolt against the British; yearning for
freedom. Mahatma Gandhi launched his movement of nonviolence, and people participated
by the thousands in the 'Chale Jao' ('go away') struggle. Paradoxically, Pune witnessed
violence when the Chaphekar brothers killed a British police officer by the name of Mr.
Rand. On one hand, as the violence overrode the city, improvements were made in the
education of women and the abolition of child labor. Independence was attained in 1947, but
that was not the end of violence.

Modern Maharashtra - 1947 to Present

At Indian Independence in 1947, western Maharashtra and present-day Gujarat were joined
as Bombay state. The eastern districts were then part of Hyderabad State, but were later
added to Bombay in 1956. The present state was formed in 1960 when the Marathi and
Gujarati linguistic areas of former Bombay state were separated. Bombay city became the
capital of the new state.

Geographical Profile of Maharashtra

Located in the north centre of Peninsular India, with a command of the Arabian Sea
through its port of Mumbai, Maharashtra has a remarkable physical homogeneity,
enforced by its underlying geology. The Sahyadri Range is the physical backbone of
Maharashtra. Rising on an average to an elevation of 1000m. it falls in steep cliffs, to the
Konkan on the west. Eastwards, the hill country falls in steps through a transitional area
known as Mawal to the plateau level. The Konkan, lying between the Arabian Sea and the
Sahyadri Range is narrow coastal lowland, barely 50 km. wide. Though mostly below 200
m., it is far from being a plain country. Highly dissected and broken, the Konkan
alternates between narrow, steep-sided valleys and low laterite plateaux. The Satpudas,
hills along the northern border, and the Bhamragad-Chiroli-Gaikhuri Ranges on the
eastern border form physical barriers preventing easy movement, but also serve as
natural limits to the state. (Interactive map of Maharashtra)

Except around Mumbai, and along the eastern limits, the State of Maharashtra presents a
monotonously uniform, flat-topped skyline. The state area, barring the extreme eastern
Vidarbha region, parts of Kolhapur and Sindhudurg, is practically co-terminus with the
Deccan Traps. The State of Maharashtra has rivers such as the Krishna, Bhima, Godavari,
Tapi-Purna and Wardha-Wainganga river.

The state enjoys a tropical monsoon climate; the hot scorching summer from March
onwards yields to the rainy monsoon in early June. The rich green cover of the monsoon
season persists during the mild winter that follows through an unpleasant October
transition, but turns into a dusty, barren brown as the summer sets in again. The seasonal
rains from the western sea-clouds are very heavy and the rainfall is over 400 cm., on the
Sahyadrian crests. The Konkan on the windward side is also endowed with heavy rainfall,
declining northwards. East of the Sahyadri, the rainfall diminishes to a meagre 70 cm. in
the western plateau districts, with Solapur-Ahmednagar lying in the heart of the dry zone.
The rains increase slightly, later in the season, eastwards in the Marathwada and Vidarbha
regions.

Forests comprising only 17% of the state area cover the eastern region and the Sahyadri
Range, while open scrub jungle dots the plateaux. The soils of Maharashtra are residual,
derived from the underlying basalts. In the semi-dry plateau, the regur (black-cotton soil)
is clayey, rich in iron, but poor in nitrogen and organic matter; it is moisture-retentive.
Where redeposit along the river valleys, those kali soils are deeper and heavier, better
suited for rabi crops. Farther away, with a better mixture of lime, the morand soils form
the ideal Kharif zone. The higher plateau areas have pather soils, which contain more
gravel. In the rainy Konkan, and the Sahyadri Range, the same basalts give rise to the
brick-red laterites productive under a forest-cover, but readily stripped into a sterile
varkas when the vegetation is removed. By and large, soils of Maharashtra are shallow
and somewhat poor.
Water is the most precious natural resource of the state, greatly in the demand, and most
unevenly distributed. A large number of villages lack drinking water, especially during the
summer months, even in the wet Konkan. Barely 11% of the net sown area is irrigated.
Perched water tables in the basalt aquifers have contributed to increased well irrigation,
which accounts for approximately 55% of the irrigable water. The granitic-gneissic terrain
in the eastern hilly area of Vidarbha accounts for all tank irrigation. Tube-wells in the Tapi-
Purna alluvium and shallow wells in the coastal sands are the other main sources of water.
Water is the most precious natural resource of the state, greatly in the demand, and most
unevenly distributed. A large number of villages lack drinking water, especially during the
summer months, even in the wet Konkan. Barely 11% of the net sown area is irrigated.
Perched water tables in the basalt aquifers have contributed to increased well irrigation,
which accounts for approximately 55% of the irrigable water. The granitic-gneissic terrain
in the eastern hilly area of Vidarbha accounts for all tank irrigation. Tube-wells in the Tapi-
Purna alluvium and shallow wells in the coastal sands are the other main sources of water.
 Art & Culture

A region as diverse and rich in geography, biology

and people and customs, naturally has a long and
varied tradition of art and crafts. Maharashtra is the
proud home to various different artistic techniques
which have flourished under the many rulers
including the Marathas, the Mughals and the British.
From the paintings at Ajanta, so many hundreds of
years ago, to today's Warli paintings, Maharashtra's ties with the Arts have always remained
strong and nurturing.

Mashru and Himru

Aurangabad is famous for Mashru and Himru fabrics made of cotton and silk with the luster
of satin. Himru is an age-old weaving craft, and was originally known as kum khuab.

Bidriware

Bidriware, another one of Aurangabad's ancient crafts, is made from a combination of zinc
and copper. It usually involves intricate workmanship of pure silver, either embossed,
overlaid or inlaid on the metal surface. Originally, Bidri ware items were used as hookahs or
paan daans. Nowadays they are more often sold as souvenirs.

Paithani Saris

The art of weaving Paithani saris is 2000 years old. The yarn used is pure silk and the zari or
gold threads are drawn from pure gold. A heavily brocaded Paithani sari takes anywhere from
six months to one and a half years to weave.

Sawantwadi Crafts

From recent evidence, it appears that the craft of lacquer ware was introduced into
Sawantwadi around the end of the 17th and the beginning of the 18th century. Lacquer ware
can be broadly divided into three categories. Firstly, turned lacquer ware which is the craft of
applying colored lacquer on an object which is turning on a lathe, and then polishing and
buffing it by means of a kewda leaf. Secondly, painting of floral borders and motifs on
surfaces of objects and thirdly, the painting of mythological figures on various surfaces.

The painting of mythological figures show three distinct styles, roughly divided into the
Chitrakatha, Temple and Ganjifa styles. The Chitrakatha style shows a boldness and
tremendous mobility of figures. Temple paintings are static and usually depict a seated deity.
The Ganjifa paintings on the other hand, are very stylized and depict the ten incarnations of
Vishnu. During the 18th and the 19th centuries, various schools of this craft were started in
Sawantwadi. The artisans who trained in these schools, many of whom were imported from
nearby Goa, came to be known as Chitrakars or Chitaris.

These days, Sawantwadi lacquer ware has a large range of products and concentrates on
traditional hand painted and lacquered furniture and light fittings. Ganjifa card games, which
Fair & Festivals

The Maharashtrians are a vibrant, earthy people for

whom life itself is a celebration. Small wonder then
that all festivals in Maharashtra are celebrated with
abundant fervor and enthusiasm. These times
provide a unique opportunity to absorb
Maharashtrian culture, with all its colorful customs,
rituals and traditions. The song, music and dance
that accompany almost every festive occasion add
joy and excitement to the lives of the people from
every walk of life.
These festivals attract world-renowned artistes - musicians, dancers, painters, sculptors,
weavers - who come together to pay tribute to Maharashtra's rich culture and legacy.

The Maharashtrians are a hearty, festive people. The love for celebration is deeply ingrained
in their culture and it finds expression through the various occasions on the Maharashtrian
calendar. There is festivity all round the year and people cherish the good times with music,
dance and delectable food.

Nag Panchami

In Hindu mythology, the cobra has a special significance and the earth, it is believed, rests on
the head of 'Shesha' - the thousand-hooded cobra. Snake worship is an important ritual of the
Maharashtrians, and on the festival of Nag Panchami, clay icons of cobras are venerated in
homes. People offer sweets and milk to the snake deity and the day is celebrated with folk
dances and songs, especially in the countryside. Snake charmers carry cobras in baskets and
collect offerings from the public in the streets. A small village near Sangli, Battis Shirale, is
famous for its snake catchers, and people throng the streets to watch the thrilling
performances of expert snake charmers.

Narali Pournima

The full moon day of the month of Shravan is celebrated with characteristic fervor in
different parts of Maharashtra and is known variously as Narali Pournima, Shravani
Pournima, Rakhi Pournima or Raksha Bandhan. 'Naral' means 'coconut', and Narali Pournmia
is thus called because offerings of coconuts are made by people to the sea-god on this day.
Narali Pournima also marks the advent of the new fishing season and fishermen appease the
sea-god before sailing out in their gaily-decorated boats. The festival is a day of singing and
dancing.

Raksha Bandhan is also observed on this day. Sisters tie 'rakhis' or beautifully decorated
threads on their brothers' wrists. The ritual renews the bond of affection between siblings and
signifies the brother's responsibility of protecting his sister all her life.

Gokul Ashtami

The birth of Lord Krishna is celebrated on Gokul Ashtami or Janmashtami. Most devotees