Maharashtra – The State of Maharaj Chatrapati Shivaji

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Maharashtra – The State of Maharaj Chatrapati Shivaji

Posted On : Jul-12-2011 | seen (224) times | Article Word Count : 1030 |

The word Maharashtra is derived from the Sanskrit words Maha meaning Great and Rashtra meaning Nation, thus rendering the name Maharashtra (Great Nation). It is the second most populous after Uttar Pradesh and third largest state by area in India.
Maharashtra is situated in the western part of India, and is the third largest state of India. It is bordered by the states of Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Goa and the union territory of Dadra and Nagar Haveli.
History: The name Maharashtra first appeared in a 7th century inscription and in a Chinese traveler’s account. Its name may have originated from Rathi, which means, “chariot driver”. At that age Maharashtra was full of builders and drivers of chariots who formed a Maharathis, a “fighting force”.
90 A.D. - King Vedishri made Junnar the capital of his kingdom.
Early 14th century- The Devgiri Yadavs were overthrown by the northern Muslim powers. Then on, for the 900 years ending, no historical information in this region is available.
1526- The first Mughal king, Babar, established his prominence in Delhi and soon the Mughal power spread to the southern India. The Mughals were to dominate India till the early eighteenth century.
1680- Post Shivaji’s death, nearly whole of the Deccan belonged to his kingdom.
Shivaji 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.
Culture: The Marathi culture is a blend of Natural as well as cultural diversities which makes it so unique. Maharashtra being a vast state, the people of this colorful state wears different types of costumes, consume different cuisines and 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. Marathi is the native language spoken here. Maharashtra has been equally well known for its music. Its vibrant folk forms like lavnis, povadas, gondnals, koli and bharuds are a true reflection of the society with their mesmerizing music and rhythmic movements. Dhangri Gaja, Dindi, Kala and Tamasha are the folk dances that attach to the heart of the people of this state.
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.
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 specialty of the dishes of this state that world knows about. And everybody knows about the unbeatable taste of the Mumbai chaats.
Topography and Weather: Being the third largest state in India with the Western Ghats also known as Sahyadri, are a hilly range running parallel to the coast, at an average elevation of 1,200 metres. Kalsubai, a peak in the Sahyadris, near Nashik City is the highest elevated point in Maharashtra. To the west of these hills lie the Konkan coastal plains. To the east of the Ghats lies the flat Deccan Plateau. The Western Ghats have Godavari River, and Krishna, which flow eastward into the Bay of Bengal, forming one of the greatest river basins in India.
March, April and May are the hottest months and during April and May thunderstorms are common all over the state. Rainy season starts normally in the first week of June. July is the wettest month in Maharashtra, while August too gets substantial rain. Monsoon starts its retreat with the coming of September from the state. The winters from November to February are generally with cool dry spell, with clear skies gentle breeze and pleasant weather. But the eastern part of Maharashtra sometimes receives some rainfall.
Places to Visit:
Mumbai
Pune
Ajanta & Ellora Caves
Elephanta Caves
Murud Janjira
Lonavala
Khandala
Bassein Fort
Raigad
Matheran
Panchagani
Sinhagad Fort
Amaravati
Buldhana
Thane
Solapur
Sangli
Ratnagiri
Jalgaon
Chandrapur
How to Reach:
Air: There is basically one major international airport in Maharashtra i.e. the Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport of Mumbai. Apart from that, the city also has a domestic airport - Santa Cruz Domestic Airport. The airports at Nagpur and Pune also operate a few international flights, apart from the usual domestic ones. The cities of Kolhapur and Aurangabad also have a domestic airport of their own.
Rail: The largest as well as the most important railway station of Maharashtra is situated in Mumbai and is known as Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus. From there, you can get trains to almost every part of India. Apart from that, there are railway stations in Pune, Nashik, Nagpur, Kolhapur, Aurangabad, Amravati, etc. In short, Maharashtra is well connected with the other states via railways.
Road: There are a number of National Highways and State Highways crisscrossing Maharashtra, which make it easier for any visitor to visit the state by road. Infact, through these highways, you can easily approach the state from any and every part of the country. Apart from that, you can easily get buses and taxis from the numerous cities in Maharashtra to travel within as well as outside the state.
Sea: Since a number of cities in Maharashtra are situated on sea banks, you can also go there via ship from the neighboring countries. Apart from the international naval port at Mumbai, there are a number of other minor ports in the state. Thus, reaching Maharashtra by presents no problems for the tourists.
Bus ticket booking is fairly easy nowadays on internet. If you plan early you’ll get budget tickets online. For online bus tickets booking you can check different OTA’s website. Search best bus service, compare and buy cheap tickets.

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<h1>Maharashtra – The State of Maharaj Chatrapati Shivaji </h1> Author: <a href='http://www.articleseen.com/profile_wejai.aspx'>wejai</a> The word Maharashtra is derived from the Sanskrit words Maha meaning Great and Rashtra meaning Nation, thus rendering the name Maharashtra (Great Nation). It is the second most populous after Uttar Pradesh and third largest state by area in India.
Maharashtra is situated in the western part of India, and is the third largest state of India. It is bordered by the states of Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Goa and the union territory of Dadra and Nagar Haveli. 
History: The name Maharashtra first appeared in a 7th century inscription and in a Chinese traveler’s account. Its name may have originated from Rathi, which means, “chariot driver”. At that age Maharashtra was full of builders and drivers of chariots who formed a Maharathis, a “fighting force”. 
90 A.D. - King Vedishri made Junnar the capital of his kingdom.
Early 14th century- The Devgiri Yadavs were overthrown by the northern Muslim powers. Then on, for the 900 years ending, no historical information in this region is available.
1526- The first Mughal king, Babar, established his prominence in Delhi and soon the Mughal power spread to the southern India. The Mughals were to dominate India till the early eighteenth century.
1680- Post Shivaji’s death, nearly whole of the Deccan belonged to his kingdom. 
Shivaji 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.
Culture: The Marathi culture is a blend of Natural as well as cultural diversities which makes it so unique. Maharashtra being a vast state, the people of this colorful state wears different types of costumes, consume different cuisines and 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. Marathi is the native language spoken here. Maharashtra has been equally well known for its music. Its vibrant folk forms like lavnis, povadas, gondnals, koli and bharuds are a true reflection of the society with their mesmerizing music and rhythmic movements. Dhangri Gaja, Dindi, Kala and Tamasha are the folk dances that attach to the heart of the people of this state.
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.
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 specialty of the dishes of this state that world knows about. And everybody knows about the unbeatable taste of the Mumbai chaats. 
Topography and Weather: Being the third largest state in India with the Western Ghats also known as Sahyadri, are a hilly range running parallel to the coast, at an average elevation of 1,200 metres. Kalsubai, a peak in the Sahyadris, near Nashik City is the highest elevated point in Maharashtra. To the west of these hills lie the Konkan coastal plains. To the east of the Ghats lies the flat Deccan Plateau. The Western Ghats have Godavari River, and Krishna, which flow eastward into the Bay of Bengal, forming one of the greatest river basins in India.
March, April and May are the hottest months and during April and May thunderstorms are common all over the state. Rainy season starts normally in the first week of June. July is the wettest month in Maharashtra, while August too gets substantial rain. Monsoon starts its retreat with the coming of September from the state. The winters from November to February are generally with cool dry spell, with clear skies gentle breeze and pleasant weather. But the eastern part of Maharashtra sometimes receives some rainfall. 
Places to Visit:
Mumbai
Pune
Ajanta & Ellora Caves
Elephanta Caves
Murud Janjira
Lonavala 
Khandala
Bassein Fort
Raigad
Matheran
Panchagani
Sinhagad Fort
Amaravati
Buldhana
Thane
Solapur
Sangli
Ratnagiri
Jalgaon
Chandrapur
How to Reach:
Air: There is basically one major international airport in Maharashtra i.e. the Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport of Mumbai. Apart from that, the city also has a domestic airport - Santa Cruz Domestic Airport. The airports at Nagpur and Pune also operate a few international flights, apart from the usual domestic ones. The cities of Kolhapur and Aurangabad also have a domestic airport of their own.
Rail: The largest as well as the most important railway station of Maharashtra is situated in Mumbai and is known as Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus. From there, you can get trains to almost every part of India. Apart from that, there are railway stations in Pune, Nashik, Nagpur, Kolhapur, Aurangabad, Amravati, etc. In short, Maharashtra is well connected with the other states via railways. 
Road: There are a number of National Highways and State Highways crisscrossing Maharashtra, which make it easier for any visitor to visit the state by road. Infact, through these highways, you can easily approach the state from any and every part of the country. Apart from that, you can easily get buses and taxis from the numerous cities in Maharashtra to travel within as well as outside the state. 
Sea: Since a number of cities in Maharashtra are situated on sea banks, you can also go there via ship from the neighboring countries. Apart from the international naval port at Mumbai, there are a number of other minor ports in the state. Thus, reaching Maharashtra by presents no problems for the tourists.
Bus ticket booking is fairly easy nowadays on internet. If you plan early you’ll get budget tickets online. For online bus tickets booking you can check different OTA’s website. Search best bus service, compare and buy cheap tickets.
About the Author: Via.com is a leader in travel automation and technology. Now <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.via.com/bus-tickets" title="bus booking">bus booking</a> <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.via.com">cheap Air tickets</a> Article Source: <a href='http://www.articleseen.com/Article_Maharashtra-–-The-State-of-Maharaj-Chatrapati-Shivaji_66151.aspx'> http://www.articleseen.com/Article_Maharashtra – The State of Maharaj Chatrapati Shivaji _66151.aspx</a>

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