Akole (Vidhan Sabha Constituency)
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Akole is a city and
taluka A tehsil (, also known as tahsil, taluk, or taluka () is a local unit of administrative division in India and Pakistan. It is a subdistrict of the area within a district including the designated populated place that serves as its administrative ...
in the Akole tehsil of
Ahmednagar District Ahmednagar district (Marathi pronunciation: ɦ(ə)məd̪nəɡəɾ, officially Ahilyanagar district, is the largest district of Maharashtra state in western India. The historical city of Ahmednagar is the headquarters of the district. Ahmednagar ...
,
Maharashtra, India Maharashtra () is a state in the western peninsular region of India occupying a substantial portion of the Deccan Plateau. It is bordered by the Arabian Sea to the west, the Indian states of Karnataka and Goa to the south, Telangana to the so ...
. It is situated within the Sahyadri Mountains of the Western Ghats. The city has several historical sites that reflect its connection to the history and culture of Maharashtra.


History

According to local beliefs, Lord Rama visited Akole during his 14-year exile, known as Vanvaas. Additionally, it is said that King Harishchandra built the
Harishchandragad Harishchandra Fort is a Forts in India, hill fort in the Ahmednagar district of India. Its history is linked with that of Malshej Ghat, Kothale village and it has played a role in guarding and controlling the surrounding region. History The fo ...
fort for his wife, Taramati, in the Akole tehsil. Great Maratha emperor
Shivaji Maharaj Shivaji I (Shivaji Shahaji Bhonsale, ; 19 February 1630 – 3 April 1680) was an Indian ruler and a member of the Bhonsle dynasty. Shivaji carved out his own independent kingdom from the Sultanate of Bijapur that formed the genesis of the ...
visited Vishramgad in Akole after his campaign in
Surat Surat (Gujarati Language, Gujarati: ) is a city in the western Indian States and territories of India, state of Gujarat. The word Surat directly translates to ''face'' in Urdu, Gujarati language, Gujarati and Hindi. Located on the banks of t ...
, where he stayed for 30 days to recuperate from the exhaustion of his tour.


Geography

Kalsubai Kalsubai () is a mountain in the Western Ghats, located in the States and union territories of India, Indian state of Maharashtra. Kalsubai is the highest peak in Maharashtra and is located in Ahilyanagar district in Akole Taluka. Its summit, si ...
is the highest peak in Maharashtra, with an elevation of 1,646 meters (5,400 feet). Ghatghar, located 22 kilometers (14 miles) from Bhandardara, offers views of the Sahyadri range and is the site of the Udanchan Hydro-power project's first installation, which has a capacity of 250 MW. Additionally, Kokan Kada, situated near
Harishchandragad Harishchandra Fort is a Forts in India, hill fort in the Ahmednagar district of India. Its history is linked with that of Malshej Ghat, Kothale village and it has played a role in guarding and controlling the surrounding region. History The fo ...
, is known for its flat, sharp, and deeply edged mountainous terrain.


River and irrigation projects

The
Pravara River The Pravara is the smallest of the major tributaries of Godavari river located in Maharashtra, India. Among the 7 major tributaries, it is the only tributary which originates in the Western Ghats akin to Godavari. Also, it is the only major tri ...
, a major tributary of the Godavari River, flows through the region and holds both historical and mythological significance. The Mula River originates on the eastern slopes of the Sahyadris, between Ratangad and Harichandragad, and for the first 20 miles, it flows parallel to the Pravara, draining the southern part of Akole taluka. The
Bhandardara Dam Bhandardara is a holiday resort village near Igatpuri, in the western ghats of India. The village is located in the Akole tehsil, Ahmednagar district of the state of Maharashtra, about from Mumbai, from Ahmednagar and from Nashik. Bhandardar ...
, also known as Wilson Dam, was constructed in 1910 and is situated approximately 150 meters (490 feet) above sea level. Nearby, Umbrella Falls, named for its resemblance to an umbrella, is a local waterfall. Randha Falls, standing 45 meters (148 feet) high, is about 11 kilometers (6.8 miles) from Wilson Dam. It serves as a source of
hydroelectricity Hydroelectricity, or hydroelectric power, is Electricity generation, electricity generated from hydropower (water power). Hydropower supplies 15% of the world's electricity, almost 4,210 TWh in 2023, which is more than all other Renewable energ ...
and is a popular tourist destination in Bhandardara, having been featured in
Bollywood Hindi cinema, popularly known as Bollywood and formerly as Bombay cinema, is primarily produced in Mumbai. The popular term Bollywood is a portmanteau of "Bombay" (former name of Mumbai) and "Cinema of the United States, Hollywood". The in ...
films such as ''
Maine Pyaar Kiya ''Maine Pyar Kiya'' (), also known by the initialism ''MPK'', is a 1989 Indian Hindi-language romantic musical film directed by Sooraj Barjatya in his directorial debut. Produced by Tarachand Barjatya, the film was co-written by S. M. Ahale, ...
'' and ''
Raju Chacha ''Raju Chacha'' () is a 2000 Indian Hindi-language action comedy film directed by Anil Devgan and produced by his cousin Ajay Devgn, debuting as a film producer. The film stars Ajay, Kajol and Rishi Kapoor, along with Sanjay Dutt in a spe ...
''. The
Nilwande Dam Nilwande dam, also called as Upper Pravara dam, in the Indian state of Maharashtra is the second largest dam on the Pravara river. The dam is located near Akole, Ahmednagar district. Specifications The height of the dam above lowest foundati ...
, built on the Pravara River, is also used for generating hydroelectricity.


Historical sites

Agasti Agastya was a revered Indian sage of Hinduism. In the Indian tradition, he is a noted recluse and an influential scholar in diverse languages of the Indian subcontinent. He is regarded in some traditions to be a Chiranjivi. He and his wife Lo ...
Rishi Ashram, located on the banks of the
Pravara River The Pravara is the smallest of the major tributaries of Godavari river located in Maharashtra, India. Among the 7 major tributaries, it is the only tributary which originates in the Western Ghats akin to Godavari. Also, it is the only major tri ...
, is associated with the Ramayana, where it is believed that Lord
Ram Ram, ram, or RAM most commonly refers to: * A male sheep * Random-access memory, computer memory * Ram Trucks, US, since 2009 ** List of vehicles named Dodge Ram, trucks and vans ** Ram Pickup, produced by Ram Trucks Ram, ram, or RAM may also ref ...
,
Lakshman Lakshmana (, ), also known as Laxmana, Lakhan, Saumitra, and Ramanuja, is the younger brother of Rama in the Hindu epic ''Ramayana''. He is considered as an incarnation of Shesha, the lord of serpents. Lakshmana was married to Urmila, and is ...
and
Sita Sita (; ), also known as Siya, Jānaki and Maithili, is a Hindu goddess and the female protagonist of the Hindu epic ''Ramayana''. Sita is the consort of Rama, the avatar of god Vishnu, and is regarded as an avatar of goddess Lakshmi. She is t ...
visited Sage Agastya. The
sage #REDIRECT Sage {{redirect category shell, {{R from other capitalisation{{R from ambiguous page ...
reportedly provided Lord Ram with a miraculous arrow used to kill
Ravan Ravan, Raavan or Ravanan, may refer to: Religion * Ravana, Ravan or Ravanan, the prime antagonist in the ancient Hindu epic ''Ramayana'' Film and TV * ''Raavan'' (1984 film), an Indian Hindi-language film * ''Ravanan'' (1994 film), a 1994 Indi ...
. The Amruteshwar Temple, at the entrance of Ratanwadi, is over 1,200 years old and dedicated to Lord Shiva. Constructed in the
Hemadpanthi Hemadpanti architecture (also spelled Hemadpanthi) is an architectural style that originated in the 13th century in the Deccan region of India, under the patronage of the Yadava dynasty. Named after Hemadri Pandit (also known as Hemadpant), the pr ...
architectural style, it features rock carvings on the main shrine. The Jagdamba Temple in Tahakari village is a Hemadpanthi temple known for its wooden sculpture of the deity
Apsara Apsaras (, , Khmer language, Khmer: អប្សរា are a class of celestial beings in Hinduism, Hindu and Culture of Buddhism, Buddhist culture. They were originally a type of female spirit of the clouds and waters, but, later play ...
s. Located on the bank of the Aadhala River, it is one of the notable temples in
Ahmednagar Ahmednagar, officially Ahilyanagar, is a city in, and the headquarters of, the Ahmednagar district, Maharashtra, India. Ahmednagar has several dozen buildings and sites from the Nizam Shahi period. Ahmednagar Fort, once considered almost impre ...
District. The temple hosts the Jagdamba Mata festival twice annually: Chaitra Pournima, a two-day Yatra attracting visitors from nearby areas, and Navratri, a nine-night festival dedicated to Goddess
Jagdamba Jagadamba () is an epithet used to address a Hindu goddess, primarily applied to Durga, Lakshmi and Parvati in literature. Literature Ramcharitmanas In Ramcharitmanas, a version of the Ramayana by Tulsidas, after Angada meets Ravana, the latt ...
.
Patta Fort Patta Fort, or Patta Killa, also known as Vishramgad, is a fort situated between Nasik and Ahmadnagar in Maharashtra, India. The Indian ruler Chatrapati Shivaji I Maharaj once visited and rested there. The residents of Patta Killa are known a ...
, also known as Vishramgad, and the Kalseshwar Temple in Kalas Bk near Akole, situated on a mountain surrounded by the Pravara River, are popular trekking destinations. Koltembhe, a village at the foothills of Ghanchakkar Peak, and Deothan, 12 kilometers (7.5 miles) from Akole, are near several scenic locations and temples. The Shree Gangadhareshwar Temple, built in 1782 by Sardar Potnis from Gwalior, is designed in the Hemadpanti style and situated on a 30-foot-high platform in Akole, a short walk from the ST stand.


Villages

Akole taluka encompasses several small and large villages, including Mehenduri, Balthan, Maveshi, Rumbhodi, Rajur, Kotul, Lingdev, Lahit Khurd, Dhamangaon Awari, Nawalewadi, Dhumalwadi, Virgaon, Samsherpur, Unchakhadak, Indori, Ambad, Dhamangaon P, Brahmanwada, and Sugaon.


Places of interest


Sandhan Valley

Sandhan Valley, often referred to as "The Great Canyon" of the Sahyadri ranges, is a combination of a canyon and a valley. Situated near Samrad village in the Akole tehsil of Punya Shlok Ahilyadevi Nagar district, close to Ratangad Fort, it is also known as the Valley of Shadows. Surrounded by the Ratangad and Kalsubai mountains, the valley is located at an elevation of 4,255 feet above sea level. The trek through Sandhan Valley involves navigating a 200-foot-deep and 2-kilometer-long gorge carved by water between narrow walls. In the film '' Tanhaji: The Unsung Warrior'', Sandhan Valley was recreated to depict a battle scene between the
Mughal Mughal or Moghul may refer to: Related to the Mughal Empire * Mughal Empire of South Asia between the 16th and 19th centuries * Mughal dynasty * Mughal emperors * Mughal people, a social group of Central and South Asia * Mughal architecture * Mug ...
army and the Marathas.


References

{{Reflist Geography of Maharashtra