Maharashtra  *

 

 

    It is the third largest state in India both in population and area. Only Uttar Pradesh and Bihar are more populous, while Madya Pradesh and Rajasthan are larger in area. It appears on the map like a huge irregular triangle. The internal geographical divisions are important - Konkan is the coastal strip that runs about 720 kilometres long and 80 kilometres wide. The Sahyadri mountain range separates it from the plateau land to the east that is drained by the great rivers Godavari, Bhima and Krishna. The land in this region is very fertile, and excellent crops of cotton, sugarcane and oilseeds are grown here. Historically too, the State can be divided into three regions - Western Maharashtra, Vidarbha, mentioned in epics and ancient inscriptions and Marathwada which merges into Khandesh.

 

    The history of modern Maharashtra begins with Shivaji and the rise of Maratha power. It was this remarkable military genius who gave the Marathas a national identity and welded them into a superbly efficient war machine. At the height of its glory, the Maratha empire extended from Gwalior in the north to Tanjore in the south. The defeat of the Marathas at Panipat at the hands of the Afghan invader Ahmed Shah Abdali led to the eclipse of their power, and disintegration set in. After a decisive defeat at the hands of the British in 1818, Mumbai Presidency gained control of the territory previously under Maratha control.

 

    Contributing 23 per cent of the nation’s industrial output, Maharashtra is among the most industrialized states in India. About 70 per cent of the state’s population depends on agriculture - the principal crops are wheat, jowar, bajra and pulses. Mumbai has the largest stock exchange in the land, and is considered the commercial capital of India.

 

    Mumbai is the country’s largest harbour. It is also known as the Hollywood of India; Nasik, Aurangabad, Jalgaon and Nagpur are fast emerging as new growth centres.

 

    The most important tourist centres are Ajanta, Ellora and Elephanta. Ajanta near Aurangabad has some of the most stunning wall paintings, illustrating the Jataka tales that narrate the stories of the Lord Buddha’s previous birth.