Maharashtra

Rugged and vast, of enormous energy and vitality, Maharashtra, the third largest state in India, was created in 1960, from the Marathi-speaking regions of what was previously Bombay State. The Arabian Sea in the west, Gujarat in the northwest, Madhya Pradesh in the north, Andhra Pradesh in the southeast, and Karnataka and Goa in the south bound the state. Maharashtra with its diverse geographical features provides a range of tourist centers. The state has a 720-km coastline dotted by rugs standing as mute witnesses down the ages to the march of warrior kings, foreign trading vessels and invaders from across the seas. Running parallel to the coast are the Western Ghats, which harbour some of the more scenic and inviting hill stations - particularly Matheran and Mahabaleshwar. The Ghats divide the Deccan from the Konkan Coast, with its unspoilt beaches, today being developed as modern resorts, like Ganapatipule and Sindhudurg.

Located in the northern center of peninsular India, Maharashtra is surrounded by the Arabian sea in the west, Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh on the north, Madhya Pradesh in the east and Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh on the south. Mumbai is the capital of Maharashtra, which derives its name from the Goddess Mumba Devi.

Mughal rulers from Delhi tried their best to keep this region under their control. From the middle of the 17th century, a new group of warrior people came to dominate the scene in Maharashtra and elsewhere in India called Marathas. The origin of Marathas is still debatable, but what is known is that they stole the limelight from the great Mughals and at one point of time even captured Delhi. It was only after defeating the Marathas that the English could establish their rule in India. Shivaji was the first great ruler of Marathas and it was he who paved the way for future Maratha influence on India.