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Districts of Maharashtra
Maharashtra state is made up of 35
districts, which are grouped into six divisions. Population data is from
the 2001 Census of India.
Amravati Division 9,941,903
Aurangabad Division (Marathwada) 15,589,223
Konkan Division 24,807,357
Nashik Division 15,774,064
Nagpur Division 10,665,939
Pune Division 19,973,761
Maharashtra
Maharashtra (महाराष्ट्र) is a
state in
west-central
India. It is one
of the richest states of
India. Its
capital is
Mumbai, the
economic powerhouse of India. Maharashtra's population was 96,752,247 according to the
2001 provisional
results of Census of India, making it the
second most populous state in India. Only eleven countries of the world
have a population greater than Maharashtra. The state was created on May 1, 1960 to satisfy demands of the Marathi linguistic group, who form the majority ethnic group in the state, for their own state. Bombay state, which had been enlarged in 1956 to include Marathi-speaking portions of Hyderabad state and Madhya Pradesh as well as Gujarati-speaking areas to the north, was split into two linguistic states, Maharashtra and Gujarat.
Timeline
See also: Shivaji, Social Reform Movement in Maharashtra
Geography Maharashtra borders
Goa and
Karnataka to the
south,
Andhra Pradesh
to the southeast,
Gujarat,
Dadra and Nagar
Haveli, and
Madhya Pradesh
to the north,
Chhattisgarh to
the east, and the
Arabian Sea to
the west. The
Western Ghats
mountains, which run north and south, parallel to the Arabian Sea coast,
separate the western coastal portion of Maharashtra from the eastern
portion of the state, which lies on the
Deccan plateau.
Maharashtra has five geographic regions.
Konkan is the
western coastal region, between the Western Ghats and the sea, which
includes
Mumbai. Other
major cities of Konkan include
Thane,
Ulhasnagar, and
Bhiwandi, north
of Mumbai, and
Ratnagiri and
Chiplun to the
south.
Kandesh is the
northwestern region, lying in the valley of the
Tapti River,
which flows west off the Deccan plateau into the Arabian Sea at
Surat, in
Gujarat.
Jalgaon,
Dhulia and
Bhusawal are the major cities.
Desh is in the
centre of the state, east of the Ghats. Desh is the historic core of the
Marathi state,
and
Pune, the
capital of the
Marathas, is the
second largest city in the state. Other important cities include
Nasik,
Sangli,
Sholapur, and
Kolhapur. The
Western Ghats in Desh are the source of Deccan's great rivers; the
Godavari River
rises at Trimbak, between Nasik and
Mumbai, and flows eastward through
Marathwada to
empty into the Bay of Bengal in Andhra Pradesh. The
Krishna River,
which originates at
Mahabaleswar and
passes through
Sangli, and its
tributary the Bhima, which rises north of
Pune, enter Karnataka state and ultimately empty into the Bay of Bengal
at
Hamasaladeevi,
Andhra Pradesh.
Marathwada is
located in the south-eastern part of the state, and was part of the
former princely state of
Hyderabad until
1956.
Aurangabad is
the main city of the region, which also includes the famous sculpture
caves of
Ajanta and
Ellora. Vidarbha is the easternmost region of the state, formerly part of Central Provinces and Berar. Nagpur is the main city in the region. The Penganga and Pranhita, tributaries of the Godavari, are the region's main rivers.
Divisions and Districts Maharashtra is divided into 35 districts, which are grouped into six
divisions:
Aurangabad,
Amravati,
Konkan,
Nagpur,
Nashik, and
Pune.
Politics List of political parties in the state
Economy Maharashtra is one of the most advanced states in India, with a strong
industrialized economy, and the largest power production and consumption
in the nation. Mumbai is the financial capital of India, and home to
India's film
industry. Its GSDP (Gross State Domestic Product) was $60 billion in
2004. Maharashtra is the top state in India in foreign investment, receiving 17% of all foreign direct investment in India. 32% of all exports from India are from the state of Maharashtra, per economic survey of Government of Maharashtra in 2002-03.
Main items of export from Maharashtra
Specialized Industrial Parks in Maharashtra
Infotech /IT Parks
World Famous Turmeric of Maharashtra The country's sole
turmeric
exchange in
Sangli city
(Maharashtra) boasts of secrets gained through a centuries-old practice
-- storing turmeric in pits. These underground pits for storing turmeric stretch out in the open
fields of the villages of Haripur and Sangalwadi in the Sangli. It is
possibly the most unique agri-commodity storing system in the country. After clearing the loose soil covering the pit, it is left open for
about two to three hours. One cannot enter the pit until one finds out if
there is any oxygen within. To ascertain this, a lantern is lowered into
the pit. If the lantern does not go off, it is safe to enter the pit. It is this ingenious storing system, devised probably 200 years ago
that has turned Sangli into a major trading centre for turmeric. Today,
the country's sole turmeric exchange is in Sangli. Measuring 18 to 20 feet deep, the pits are considered the best storing
areas for turmeric. Raw turmeric sold by farmers is stored in these
underground pits for three to four years. These pits provide the best
storage facility for turmeric as the quality of the commodity remains
unchanged. This storage system has an added advantage in that the
turmeric hardens and matures while in storage. Today, more than 90% of Turmeric trade in India takes place in Sangli. That’s why Turmeric City of Sangli is the undoubted Capital of Turmeric Trade in Asia.
Demographics See: Konkani, Marathi language
Culture The Indian film industry, commonly called
Bollywood, is
centered here. It has a rich history, and has given birth to great warriors, like
Shivaji, and
Bajirao, and to
national leaders, including Veer Savarkar,
M. G. Ranade and
Lokamanya Tilak. Mumbai was home to B. R. Ambedkar, India's most prominent Untouchable leader of the 20th century, for most of his life. Maharashtra is still the center of neo-Buddhist movement that he founded.
Transport and communications
Tourism
List of prominent shrines in Maharashtra
List of hill stations
Natural areas Maharashtra is home to several
National Parks,
including
Sanjay Gandhi
National Park (Borivali National Park) in
Mumbai,
Chandoli Wildlife Sanctuary in Sangli
District,
Tadoba National Park
in Chandrapur District,
Panch National Park
in
Nagpur District,
Nawegaon National Park in
Bhandara District and
Gugmal National Park in
Amravati
District. There are also a number of wildlife sanctuaries and nature preserves, including Sagareshwar Wildlife Sanctuary near Sangli. Others are Andhari, Aner Dam, Bhimashankar, Bor, Chandoli, Chaprala, Gautala Autramghat, Great Indian Bustard, Jaikwadi, Kalsubai Harishchandra, Katepurna, Koyana, Malvan, Melghat, Nagzira, Nandur, Madmeshwar, Painganga, Phansad, Radhangiri, Tansa, and Yawal.
Miscellaneous Government resources
Colleges and universities
[1] (http://www.mu.ac.in)
Urban Agglomerations with over 0.5 Million Population
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Children in Maharashtra - An Atlas of Social Indicators