About Satara Tourism

About Satara Tourism

Satara is located in the Satara District of Maharashtra and is spread over an area of 10,484 square km. The name of this town has been derived from the seven mountains surrounding the place implying sat (seven) and tara (hills).

It is situated 2320 feet above sea level, near the assemblage point of Krishna River and its tributary, Venna. It lies 112 km south of Pune and at the feet of the Sahyadri range of mountains. It is surrounded by Pune District in the north, Solapur district in the east, Sangli district in the south and Ratnagiri in the west.

Karad is the oldest place in Satara, which is evident by old historical inscriptions that belong to 200 B.C. Satara, was also a part of the Mauryan Empire between 451 and 455 A.D. Shivaji, the great Maratha ruler, occupied this region in the year 1663. The district became a part of the Bombay Presidency in the year 1848, and became a district of Maharashtra after India’s independence.

Satara is popular as an untouched tourist destination that experiences mass bloom of rare species of flowers on the Kas Plateau, September onwards, after the monsoon. Laterite plateaus are also found at several places in the Western Ghats that is transformed into carpets of colourful flowers after mid August.

The place is also famous for its two main rivers, namely Koyna and Krishna. Krishna is among the three largest sacred rivers of southern India and starts from the eastern brow of the Mahabaleshwar Plateau. Small feeders of the Krishna River include Kundali, Urmodi, Venna, and Tarali. Koyna is the largest tributary of the Krishna River.

The Ajinkyatara Fort of Satara District is situated at the Ajinkyatara Mountain, which is 3000 feet high and provides a complete view of the whole town. The Fort is a historic site and was used in the ancient times to keep a watch on entire south Maharashtra.

The Fort also comprises ancient temples namely Devi Mangalai, Lord Shankar and Lord Hanuman temple, along with some other forts like Nandgiri and Chandan-Vandan. The Sajjangarh Fort is also a popular religious attraction of Satara, which contains the mausoleum of Samarth Ramdas.

The Koteshwar Mandir, also known as the age-old temple, is a famous tourist destination in Satara, constructed during the 16th century. The temple is dedicated to the chief deity Lord Shiva and is a popular pilgrimage destination for worshippers during the festive season of Maha Shivratri.