The Great Maharashtra: Maharashtra

Maharashtra's Festivals Shopping and Economy

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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Fairs and Festivals:</span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">There are about 1,700 towns, village sites and sacred spots
where fairs and festivals are periodically held. Most of these are annual
fairs, though some towns have more than one fair in honour of local deities. Regional
distribution of the fair centres shows an interesting correspondence with local
relief and the distribution of rural settlements. More significant is the
seasonal rhythm of the associated Shravan (August) as a tryambak in Nashik
district. The short break between the kharif and the ensuing rabi season marks
a minor 'peak' with Dassera, Kartiki and Datta Jayanti as the important
occasions. The major season, however, is the one that extends from the end of
the harvest until the beginning of the south-west monsoon. This comprises
broadly the period from late January to May. Maghi Purnima and Chaitri Purnima,
Maha Shivaratri, Rama Navami, Hanuman Jayanti, and the days of feast associated
with deities such as Tuljapur Bhavani, Jejuri Khandoba, Siddeswar, and saints
like Changdem Goroba, Nivritti Nath, Muktabai, Eknath and Narsainh Saraswati
belong to this period. To rural Maharashtra, this is the season of comparative
rest from work on the soil, and a season of marriages, festivals and visits to
family deities and sacred places. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The beginning of the rainy season on the plateau is marked
by the most famous wari (pilgrimage) of Ashadhi, from Alandi to Pandharpur via
Pune, Saswad and Phaltan, which is a unique experience to the participants. It
is a movement of devotees, surprisingly orderly and neat, merging followers of
all castes and creeds, rich and poor, and carrying the palanquin of Sant
Dnyaneshwar to the shrine of Pandurang in all humility and unquestioning faith.
As in other forms of social and economic organisation, the fairs and festivals
show, up to a limit, a kind of hierarchy in status. Nashik, as a pilgrim
centre, enjoys a national status, and receives its periodic strength through
the Adhik Mas and Sinhastha fairs. At the regional level are the fairs at
Pandharpur, Tuljapur, Shikar Shingapur, jejuri, Alandi, Karanja, Ramtek, Vani,
Paithan and Pali, to mention the more important ones. The smaller fairs are
locally important both in the number of visitors and in the area from which
they come. Some of them are specialised centres for the sale of livestock and
local commodities.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Economy:</span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">In terms of economy, Maharashtra is one of the leading
Indian states; where the co-operative movement has spread its early roots far
and wide into the countryside. In the agricultural section, there are the
marketing and warehousing societies, the co-operative farming and lift
irrigation societies, the milk, fisheries, and the poultry and piggery
co-operative societies. Forest labourers have their own societies for their
labour contracting services. Handloom weavers’ co-operatives supply the raw
material required, process them and sell the finished product. In the
industrial sector, setting up of industrial estates has been a welcome move for
dispersing industry into smaller units and for avoiding concentration in
already crowded places. Mumbai-Pune region has been a concentrated industrial
estate of unusually vast proportions, holding many industries within its com-
pass. Mumbai, being the chief port for import and export, is where the major
part of the country's import and export activities takes place. The Atomic
Energy Establishment and The Tara pore Atomic Power Station are proud
achievements of Indian scientific thought that win appreciation from all people
who come visiting. Maharashtra is a place, where there is scope of every kind
of industry to flourish.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Handicrafts:</span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Maharashtra's handicrafts include carved brass and copper
pots, black woodcarving, tortoise-shell carving, inlay work and pottery. Mumbai
produces India’s finest finished leather goods. Shoes, bags, wallets, jackets,
belts, pouches, briefcases, short and long coats compare favourably with those
sold at major fashion centres of the world, but at just a fraction of their
costs. ’Kolhapuri Chappals' which is the favourite footwear for people of all
ages are tough, elegant, extremely durable slippers made of buffalo hide. The
most imaginative range of silverware both in contemporary and age-tested
classic designs are available in Mumbai; jewellery, cigarette cases, goblets,
plates, glasses, cutlery, serving dishes, ’paan’ boxes and vases are all
available in silver.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Shopping:</span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Maharashtra offers a plethora of shopping delights. As
Maharashtra is a vast state, every region and every district has its own
specialty. There are marketplaces lo suit every type of pocket. Chor Bazaar,
Mutton Street and Zaveri Bazar are some of the important shopping areas. The
shopping arcades of five-star hotels like Oberoi and Taj Mahal offer a good
variety of up-market items. In central and suburban Mumbai, the Dadar,
Bandra-Linking Road, and Juhu Road areas are good spots for shopping. Colaba
and Flora Fountain (Hutatama Chowk) sell items like ethnic artefact’s and also
harbour a lot of departmental stores. State emporiums at the World Trade
Centre, at Cuffed Parade are perfect for buying souvenirs, rare artefacts and
textiles. The prices at the Central Cottage Industries Emporium (Apollo Bunder)
and Khadi Village Industries Emporium (D.N. Road) cannot be bargained, but the
quality is genuine. In Aurangabad, himroo shawls, mashroo and kimkhab weaves
are the popular buys that also make excellent souvenirs, one can't overlook the
well-known, fine paithani silk sarees. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The silver inlay craft of Bidriware too is world famous.
Shopping in Pune too is like that of Mumbai. Jewellery, Maharashtrian
traditional wares, pearl nose ring, necklace and the nine-yard sarees are
available at Tulsi Garden. Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar or Deccan Gynikhana is
another place for good shopping, while Mahatma Gandhi Road is a place with big
stores. Kolhapur is popular for its cotton textiles, in particular - the
Kolhapuri sarees. This city is also popular for its jewellery and leather
sandals or Kolhapuri chappals. Kolhapur is also famous forits special type of
necklace called Kolhapur saaj. This jewellery is very special to Maharashtrian
women. Har and malas, mohanmal, borinal, chaplahar, kolhapuri saaj, pohehar and
putlihar are the other jewellery items made in Kolhapur. These names are
derived from the peculiar shapes of the jewels. Thushi, a choker with closely
bound tiny gold beads, is also very popular in Kolhapur. In Nagpur, Sitabuldi,
WHC Road, Dharampeth Road, Residency Road (Sadar) are famous for shopping.
Poonam Chambers in Chhindwara Road is a shopping mall for branded as well as
non-branded clothes, shoes, super bazaar buys, gifts and cards, jewellery
shops, furniture, snacks and fast food, and music. Nagpur is famous for its
world-class oranges. Orange products like jam, jelly, marmalade and fruit squash
can also be purchased here. In Nashik, one can find a wide varieties of little
brass statues and beaded necklaces everywhere.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Maharashtra's Festivals Shopping and Economy

Fairs and Festivals: There are about 1,700 towns, village sites and sacred spots where fairs and festivals are periodically held. Mo...

Culture Region Languages Of Maharashtra State

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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Art and architecture:</span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Art and architecture in Maharashtra shows an ascetic
influence. Most of the village temples are worth studying from that point of
view. But no palatial buildings, no vast temples or imposing structures can he
found throughout the state. Places like Pune, Kolhapur, Sangli, Nagpur,
Aurangabad, Ahmednagar, Paithan, Pandharpur, Dehu, Alandi etc. make Maharashtra
a land of historical and spiritual importance. With regard to folk arts, the
traditional Tamasha and Powada are still thriving in Maharashtra. The Tamasha
is an improvised play, woven round a catchy theme, generally chosen from the
problems of the day, the presentation being confined to some select characters
who play many roles, without leaving the stage, without any sets or change of
costume. Occasionally, there are group competitions; questions and answers in
improvised verse, with highly intelligent import or at times with double
meanings. The Lavani is the erotic folk song the actor sings, and the meanings
conveyed by gestures and facial expressions, has a hold on the rural audiences.
The Powada on the other hand is a heroic ballad, generally composed on the spot
or chosen from the traditional repertoire, which included compositions on brave
deeds in Maratha history. These two types of folk songs, Lavani and Powada,
have a peculiarly strong hold on the mind of the masses. In music, vocal and
instrumental music play a prominent role in the life of the people. Many
maestros from Maharashtra have attained an all-India stature. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Another form of performing arts has been the single
character plays; P.L. Deshpande as a great artist, solo and in-group, has set a
high record. Suhasini Mulgaonkar presents what may be called a mono-character
play, (the roles of many are played by the same character). The imprint of
religion on the landscape of Maharashtra is visible in the form of shrines
belonging to Vari- ous creeds and castes, which are of great tourist
importance. In their present state they also reflect the cultural impact of the
various periods in history. The earliest shrines are the Buddhist caves of
Ajanta, Karla and others, well-carved into the scarp faces of the lava bands.
The famous rock-cut temple of Ellora, and the temple architecture associated
with the more well-known shrines like the Aundhya Nagnath, Amravati,
Pandharpur, Tuljapur and Kolhapur represent Hindu influence of a later period.
Islamic influence is seen in the mosques built at capital-seats like Ahmednagar
and Aurangabad. The early Christian influence came from the Konkan side with
the churches built by the Portuguese in ports like Mumbai, Bassein and Chaul.
British rule favoured church movement mainly at their administrative seats, and
missionary efforts primarily in the scarcity and poverty stricken areas like
Ahmednagar district.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Culture:</span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The culture of Maharashtra is not different from Indian
culture as such; yet there are distinct aspects, which may be noted. Devotion
to local godheads, attachment to the poet-saints and inborn respect for
national heroes like Chhatrapati Shivaji and others are striking features of
the Maratha mental make-up. Simple living and high thinking seems to have been
carried here to an extreme and the grace and decoration of the aristocratic
type finds little acceptance in the rough soil of the Marathas.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Languages:</span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Marathi is the main language of the masses and is also the
official language. However, as seen above, the people of the State speak as
many languages as there are in the country. Hence, one can get by comfortably
with either Hindi or English as the case may be.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">People:</span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The Marathi-speaking population is multi-racial and
multi-religious. The Bene-lsraels, the Konkani and other Musalmans, the
Zoroastrian Parsis, Christians from the coastal regions and from the interior,
Jains from the south and central India, all are Marathi-speaking people of Maharashtra.
In recent times, the Punjabis and the Sindhis have been added to Maharashtra in
sizable groups, around Mumbai and Pune in particular. In the cities of Maharashtra,
Kannada-speaking population is fully assimilated with the rest of the people.
Nagpur, Mumbai and Pune, to a lesser extent, have important minorities of
Bengali, Tamil, Telugu and Malayalam-speaking populations. Over a long period
in history, a variety of outsiders came and tried to settle in this land,
resulting in this colourful variety. However there were groups of original residents
of this place such as the Gonds, the Bhils, the Warlis, the Kolis and the
Thakurs who are some of the aboriginals. The Nagas too were dominant in some
places. While most of the Adivasis have been pushed into less frequented hilly
regions, Nagas seem to have completely disappeared. For a tourist, the people
provide colourful variety as well as warm hospitality, which is an ingrained
trait of all Indians.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Religions:</span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Hinduism is the main religion of the region. The Poet-saints
of Maharashtra have attracted the attention of social historians. They have
sprung up from all layers of society and they have had almost the same content
in their songs. Although all the saints preached devotion to one God and harped
on the equality of creation, their ways of expressing the same thought were
different. It is surprising that there were Muslim saints, preaching the same
devotional lessons. The advent of Islam has had a strange and varied impact on
the people of Maharashtra whose living culture was already a composite one. The
assimilation of Islam and later Christianity from Goa has been smooth and
natural. The Bohras are an influential Muslim community in Maharashtra. Another
powerful community here is that of the Parsis who are, by way of religion,
Zoroastrians. Other minority religions like Buddhism and Jainism also thrive
comfortably on Maharashtrian soil.</span><o:p></o:p></div>
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Culture Region Languages Of Maharashtra State

Art and architecture: Art and architecture in Maharashtra shows an ascetic influence. Most of the village temples are worth studying...

The Climate Seasons And Geographical Condition's Of Maharashtra

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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Geographical Conditions:</span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The geographical limits of the Marathi-speaking regions,
broadly speaking, are: Goa and Daman on the western coast and Bhandara in the
eastern sector, a little beyond Nagpur. The triangle thus formed has remained
the traditional home of Marathi-speakers, although, for administrative purposes,
more distinct divisions were made. The triangle of Maharashtra is divided into
clear-cut natural regions. The great divide, running north-south, the Western Ghat
also known as the Sahyadri range, being older than then grand, snow-clad Himalayas,
plays a significant role in imparting to the land and to its people the
characteristics which single them out from the rest, physically and in their
mental make-up. The narrow strip between the Arabian Sea and the Western Ghats,
is Konkan, with its sparse population, poor soil and heavy rainfall. Open to
the onslaught from the seashore, the land has faced many an invasion,
commercial, military and peaceful at different times in history. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The dominant feature of Maharashtra is its association with
the north-south mountain range which stands between the Desh and the Konkan
which are the natural divisions of the State; Konkan being the narrow strip
between the sea and the Sahyadri range and Desh lying to the east of the hills,
extending into the Peninsular Deccan. Desh in its turn is divided by the
intervening hills and the rivers. Off-shoots of this north-south range run
eastwards and they too play a similar role in the life of the people of that
region. The domination of the hills is seen in two ways; in the physical makeup
of the people and in their spirit. Rivers and streams flow from the side of the
hills and they make these fields fertile on their way to their ultimate destination,
the sea. The westward flowing streams are necessarily short, because their span
runs over a narrow strip between the coast and the hills. But they are swift
because of the sharp drop in the height and when they pour them- selves into
the sea, they naturally form a shallow, broad basin at the mouth. The Vaitarna,
the Ulhas, the Savitri and the Vasishti are the more important of these rivers.
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Rivers that rise in the Western Ghats but flow eastward are
longer and therefore far more useful to the country and the people on their
banks; they are the Krishna and the Godavari, with their tributaries. The
Krishna rises at Mahabaleshwar and the Godavari at Tryambakeshwar (near
Nashik). The Western Ghats cover all the three sections of the
Sahyadri-northern, central and southern. The Sahyadri is composed of at least two
different types of rocks of varying hardness on the basis of which the range
can be divided into two sections. The northern 640 km of the Sahyadri is built
of horizontal sheets of lave. These have given rise to the typical Deccan trap
landscape. Viewed from the east, the range seems cut up into terraces, but from
the western coastal plain, it looks like a sheet wall. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The crest line runs in broad curves, carved by the head waters
of the Godavari and the Bhima rivers, respectively, and two easterly bulges
marked by the Harishchandragad (1,424 m) and Mahabaleshwar peaks (1,4368 ni).
Two other peaks rise higher - Kalsubai (1,646 m), near lgatpuri, and Salher (1,567
m), 90 km to the north of Nashik. Thalghat and Bhorghat are the important
passes through which roads and railways run between the Deccan Plateau and the
Konkan plains from Mumbai to Nashik and Pune respectively. But the line of
communication through the Ghats had been maintained by man and animal and there
are many passages through the hills (ghats). There are about twenty such
passages across, and the Amba, Amboli, Fonda, Kumbharli are some of the well-known
Ghats. Maharashtra has an area of 307,713 sq. km, which is a little more than a
tenth of that of the nation. The Arabian Sea guards the western boundary of the
State while Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh are its neighbours on the northern side.
On the eastern boundary, Madhya Pradesh closely keeps a watch, while Mysore and
Andhra Pradesh take care of the south.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Seasons:</span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The seasons in Maharashtra are typically monsoonal in
character, with ’hot’, 'rainy' and 'cold weather’ seasons. The months of March,
April and May are the months of maximum heat. The Konkan as well as the Plateau
wears a parched appearance under intense heat and dry winds. During this
season, especially in April and May, thunderstorms are a common feature all
over the State. Usually, the first week of June is the time for the onset of
the south-west monsoon; and this is preceded by days of very sultry weather,
thundershowers and heavy gusts of wind. July is the wettest month, followed by August.
In September, the skies become clearer and showers are less frequent. October
marks the transition from the rainy season to winter. From November to the end
of February, there is a cool dry spell, with clear skies, gentle breezes and in
general, a pleasant weather.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Climate:</span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The temperature varies tremendously over the various parts
of the State. In the Konkan area, the maritime influences are clearer. The
range between summer temperature (30°C) and ‘cold weather’ (24°C) is low.
Humidity is uniformly high. Rainfall is concentrated in the south-west
monsoonal season, the other months being mainly dry. In the Ghat regions,
temperatures are lower due to height, ranging between 24°C in April and 18.7°C
in January. Throughout this region, the cold weather is pleasant, occasionally
chill but on the whole bracing in the hill stations. Except in the hill stations,
hot weather conditions are unpleasant due to forest humidity and dried-up
watercourses. Maharashtra plateau has a dry climate. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Summer afternoon temperatures run up to 38°C, while the
early morning temperatures of the winter season are of the order 12-13°C.
Rainfall is scanty and precarious. The Tapi valley climate is transitional
between the climate of the coastal plains and that of the plateau interior.
Summers are very hot and winters appreciably cold. The annual range in temperature
is as high as 14-15°C. In the Western Vidarbha region, and in the Briars, the
climate is characterised by hot summers and cool winters. Rainfall is moderate
and well distributed. In the Eastern Vidarbha region, notably the districts of
Bhandara and Chanda, the climate is more prone to influences from the Bay of
Bengal. The summers are hot and the winters cool. Humidity is generally high.
Copious rainfall and larger number of rainy days have promoted the best forest
cover in Maharashtra and an agricultural economy dominated by rice.</span><o:p></o:p></div>
</div>

The Climate Seasons And Geographical Condition's Of Maharashtra

Geographical Conditions: The geographical limits of the Marathi-speaking regions, broadly speaking, are: Goa and Daman on the western co...

Maharashtra: The Incredible State (History)

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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">History Of Incredible Maharashtra</span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">LITERALLY MEANING 'A GREAT STATE' IN THE VERNACULAR,
MAHARASHTRA'S NAME ORIGINATED PROBABLY FROM 'RATHI’ MEANING 'A CHARIOT DR|VER',
REFERRING TO DRIVERS AND BUILDERS OF CHARIOTS WHO WERE CALLED 'MAHARISHIS' OR
'FIGHTING FORCE'. IT IS ONE OF THE LARGEST STATES IN INDIA, BOTH IN TERMS OF
AREA AND POPULATION, SPANNING AN AREA OF 308,000 SQ KM. ITS SHAPE ROUGHLY RESEMBLES A TRIANGLE, WITH A 725 KM WESTERN
COASTLINE. THE CAPITAL, <b>MUMBAI</b>, IS AN ISLAND CITY WHICH HAS BEEN CALLED THE
<b>GATEWAY OF INDIA</b>. MUMBAI IS ALSO ONE OF THE MOST VIBRANT COMMERCIAL AND
CULTURAL CENTERS OF INDIA. MAHARASHTRA IS A REGION OF DISTINCT CULTURE. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">ITS ARTISTIC AND CULTURAL HERITAGE IS BEST MANIFESTED IN THE
NUMEROUS ANCIENT CAVE PAINTINGS FOUND AT <b>AJANTA</b> AND <b>ELLORA</b>, IN A NUMBER OF
MEDIEVAL ARCHITECTURAL MASTERPIECES, IN ITS CLASSICAL AND DEVOTIONAL MUSIC AND
IN ITS THEATER. COTTON TEXTILE INDUSTRY IS THE BIGGEST INDUSTRY
IN MAHARASHTRA. THE TOURIST CENTERS IN THE STATE INCLUDE'S THE ELEPHANT ISLANDS, CAVES, MAHABALESHWAR,
MATHERAN,  MALSHEJ GHAT, AMBOLI GHAT, </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">PANCHGANI,</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> CHIKALDHARA LIKE AND PANHALA HILL
RESORTS AND VARIOUS RELIGIOUS PLACES.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeZaU0K08VsnEwHkworbwQ4dab26R2pF-b8j_3BQGKbq5l3LpDvKHFWuypM47VXYJi16ta-ZtR1rpVDwi7eFZxB6wBvBwmKppX66gMJWXQhfs12T6jlUCQ6zm_o7GgBRwTvy-3eTe9tgtt/s1600/maharashtra-india-maps.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="history-of-incredible-maharashtra-state-map" border="0" height="364" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeZaU0K08VsnEwHkworbwQ4dab26R2pF-b8j_3BQGKbq5l3LpDvKHFWuypM47VXYJi16ta-ZtR1rpVDwi7eFZxB6wBvBwmKppX66gMJWXQhfs12T6jlUCQ6zm_o7GgBRwTvy-3eTe9tgtt/s1600/maharashtra-india-maps.png" title="Maharashtra-map-history" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">History</span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Maharashtra</b> is one of the famous state in India, recorded history reveals a clear picture of the ruling
dynasties that once ruled this region. Shatavahanas (also known as Shalivahanas
and Andhras or Andharh hrityas) who had their capital at Paithan on the
Godavari, ruled over the region for about three Centuries up to the 2nd century
AD. Vakatakas seem to have been a stronger race of rulers with Bhandak as their
capital in the Chanda district of today. They ruled for about 300 years, from
300 to 600 AD. Chalukyas had a shorter period to rule for a century and a half,
after which the Rashtrakutas got sway over the country. Their capital was at
lvlanyakhet (Malkhed). By 970 AD, the Chalukyas again got an upper hand and wrested
power from the Rashtrakutas. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">They ruled till about the end of the 12<sup>th</sup>
century. By that time the Yadavas of Deogiri came to power and they were in saddle
till the beginning of the 14th century. The Khiljis from the north wanting to extend
their sway far into the Deccan, naturally came into conflict with the Yadavas.
ln the fight, the Yadava rule came to an end and this event synchronised with
the rise of a new Sultanate, the Brahmins, with its capital at Gulbarga. Their
rule lasted for about 140 years and about 12 rulers small and big assumed power
in succession. Their Viziers remained more powerful as the Sultans themselves
proved incapable of good administration. Luxury and vice kept them occupied and
neither military nor civil administration could attract them. Along with the
rise of the Brahmin’s, there arose on the banks of the Tungabhadra further
south, a powerful kingdom that soon developed into the great empire of
Vijayanagar. Clashes between the Brahmins and Vijayanagar were inevitable
because of the great riches of the latter.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The expansionist policy of both was also responsible for the
conflict. The battle of Talikot (1565) proved decisive and disastrous for the
Empire. lt broke into small principalities with their limited regions. These
sultanates afforded opportunities for the people of Maharashtra to obtain
military assignments and get trained in aggressive and defensive warfare.
However, under such a politically unsettled condition, peaceful rule for material
growth was not possible. The creator of the modern Maratha nationality was
Shivaji, the Chhatrapati (1630-80) and he, as it were, bridges the gulf in the
history of the Deccan, between the disappearance of the Ahmednagar Sultanate
and the descent of the full imperial power with Aurangzeb in personal command
on the Deccan plateau with the avowed object of destroying Maratha power, once
and for all. Within two years of the death of Aurangzeb (1707) imperial attempts
at subduing the Marathas were given up and the scales were turned in favor of
the Maratha's. Maratha support was sought and they were wooed to lend it to
Delhi. Shivaji’s greatness lay in the awakening of his people, which he brought
about quite effectively and within a short span of time. They were forced out
of their stupor, as it were. lt was the bold effort and the successful revolt
of Shivaji that won for him some ardent followers, who were prepared to die for
him or at his bidding. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This was indeed a great achievement of Shivaji and its greatness
can only be imagined. The coronation of Shivaji, which took place on June 6,
1674, was highly signify cant. The establishment of a Hindu Swarajya was a
challenge flung at Aurangzeb who had already declared a jihad against Hindus. Shivaji’s
Coronation proclaimed to the world the birth of a new Maratha State, which in
status, as a sovereign power, was at par with the Mughal Empire. Shivaji's
empire extended from Surat in the north to Karwar near Goa in the south. It
included Nashik, Satara, Kolhapur and Thanjavur. After his death in 1680,
Shivaji was succeeded by his eldest son, Sambhaji. He was not as effective as
his father and soon lost the confidence of the Maratha chiefs devoted to Shivaji.
He achieved some success against the Portuguese of Goa and the Siddis of Janiira,
but never made requisite preparation against the plans of the Mughal emperor
Aurangzeb, who was determined to destroy the Maratha power. eventually,
Sambhaji was captured and cruelly tortured to death in 1689. The powers of the
successors of Shivaji were eclipsed by a new line of rulers known as the
Peshwas who came to Control and guide the Maratha's in the eighteenth century.
During the times of Shivaji, Peshwa was the chief member of the Ashtapradhan
but enjoyed no invincible position, after the death of Shivaii in 1680 the
position of the Peshwa started growing stronger under Sambhaji (1680-89), Rajaram (1689-1700), and Tara Bai (1700-07) and particularly under Shahu (1707-49).
Shahu appointed Balaji Vishwanath as his Peshwa in 1713, who was succeeded by
Baji Rao his son (1720-1740) after whom Balaji Rao came to rule. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Under Balaji Rao (1740-61) the Maratha's extended their
frontiers on the north to the Indus and the Himalayas and on the south to near
the extremity of the Peninsula: all the territory within these limits, which
was not their own, paid tribute. Marathas began to be considered as saviors
offering protection from the foreign yoke and their help and assistance was
sought by many smaller powers. But the greatest disaster which befell Maratha
power and which resulted in the most glorious death and defeat was the Third
battle of ' Panipat (1761). Thinking the centre to be weak, without a proper
Iliad, the Maratha Sardars began to entertain dreams of independent rule. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The
British, the Nizam and other powers, both in the north and in the south, were
wanting to grab the territory over which ran the Maratha writ before.
Maharashtra’s tradition of opposing foreign rule was once again activated
during the British period. The first meeting of the Indian National Congress
was held in Mumbai and many workers from Maharashtra took a leading part in its
early development. The Civil Disobedience Movement in Maharashtra spread quite
wide. The State stood in the forefront of the freedom struggle till India
became independent on August 15, 1947. Today it is the richest state in India,
contributing to 15 per cent of the country's industrial output.</span><o:p></o:p></div>
</div>

Maharashtra: The Incredible State (History)

History Of Incredible Maharashtra LITERALLY MEANING 'A GREAT STATE' IN THE VERNACULAR, MAHARASHTRA'S NAME ORIGINATED PROBA...