Akole

Akole
City
Country	India
State	Maharashtra
District	Ahmednagar
Government
• Body	Nagarpanchaayat
Elevation	593 m (1,946 ft)
Population  (2011)
• Total	18,278
Languages
• Official	Marathi
Time zone	UTC+5:30 (IST)
PIN	422 601
Telephone code	02424
Vehicle registration	MH-17
Coastline	0 kilometres (0 mi)
Nearest city	Sangamner
Lok Sabha constituency	Shirdi
Civic agency	Nagarpanchaayat

Akole is a city and Taluka in Akole tehsil, Ahmednagar district in the state of Maharashtra, India. The city is surrounded by the Sahyadri Mountains of Western Ghats. Several historical sites in the city honour Akole's connection to the history and culture of Maharashtra.^[1]

History

• It is believed that Lord Rama visited Akole after departing for 14 years to Vanvaas.
• King Harishchandra built a fort for his wife, Taramati, known as Harishchandragad, which is located in Akole tehsil.^{[citation needed]}
• Great Maratha emperor Shivaji Maharaj visited Vishramgad in Akole after looting Surat and halted there for 30 days to recover from the exhaustion due to the Surat tour.^{[citation needed]}

Geography

• Kalsubai is the highest peak in Maharashtra, standing at 1,646 m (5,400 ft).
• Ghatghar is situated at 22 kilometres (14 mi) from Bhandardara. Providing views of the Sahyadri range, Ghatghar is also home to the first project of Udanchan Hydro-power, which has a capacity of generating 250 MW.
• Kokan Kada near Harishchandragad is a flat, sharp, and deep edged mountainous region.

River and irrigation projects

• The Pravara River, one of the major tributaries of the Godavari River, flows through the region. It has both historical and mythological significance.^[2]
• The Mula River rises on the eastern slopes of the Sahayadris between Ratangad and Harichandragad. For the first twenty miles, it flows parallel to Pravara, draining the southernmost of Akole taluka.
• Bhandardara Dam, also known as Wilson Dam, was built in 1910, and is located about 150 metres (490 ft) above sea level.^[3]
• Umbrella Falls is a local waterfall named for its visual similarity to an umbrella.
• Sheshnarayan Temple, also known as Sheshnarayan Temple, was built in 1795 and is located about 150 metres (490 ft) from Kumbhefhal Akole.
• Randha Falls is a waterfall standing at 45 m (148 ft) high. It is about 11 kilometres (6.8 mi) from Wilson Dam. Randha Falls is a source of hydroelectricity and is a tourist spot at Bhandardara.^[4] This location has also been featured in Bollywood films such as Maine Pyaar Kiya and Raju Chacha.
• Nilwande Dam is a dam built on the Pravara River to generate hydroelectricity.^[5]

Historical sites

Agasti Rishi Ashram is situated on the banks of the Pravara River. As mentioned in the Ramayana, it is believed that Lord Ram, Lakshman and Sita visited Sage Agastya here, where the Rishi then offered Lord Ram a miraculous arrow which he later used to kill Ravan.^[6]

Amruteshwar Temple is at the entrance of the Ratanwadi village. It is considered over 1,200 years old and is dedicated to Lord Shiva as the main deity.^[7] The temple itself has been constructed in the Hemadpanthi architectural style, featuring rock carvings on the main shrine.

The Jagdamba Temple is situated in Tahakari village. Jagdamba is a Hemadpanthi temple that features a sculpture of the deity Apsaras. Similar in style to the Khajuraho temples, the main deity of Jagadmba is made of wood. It is one of the most famous temples in the Ahmednagar District of Maharashtra.^{[citation needed]} The Temple is situated on the bank of river Aadhala. Local people organise the festival of Jagdamba Mata, which takes place two times a year. First is the Chaitra Pournima, a two-day Yatra festival involving many people from nearby villages and districts who travel to Darshan of Jagdamba. Second is the Navratri, a 9-night festival of Jagdamba Mata to focus on the continuous worship of Goddess Jagdamba.

The Patta Fort is also known as Vishramgad. The Kalseshwar Temple in Kalas Bk near Akole is situated on a mountain surrounded by the Pravara River. Harishchandragad is a popular point to enjoy trekking.

Koltembhe, a small village at the foothills of Ghanchakkar peak, and Deothan, located 12 km (7.5 mi) from Akole, is close to many scenic locations and temples.

The Shree Gangadhareshwar temple was built in 1782 in hemadpanti style. It was built by Sardar Potnis from Gwalior and has architecture depicting Ganga flowing down, located on a 30 ft high platform. The temple is situated in Akole, a 5-minute walk from the ST stand.

Villages

There are several small and large villages present in the Akole taluka. These include 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

• Sheshnarayana Temple - the biggest temple in Sheshnarayan
• Harishchandragad
• Ratangad
• Balthan Dam
• Bhandardara Dam, formerly known as Wilson Dam, is a dam built during the British occupation.
• Kalsubai^[8]
• Agasti Maharaj Temple has been mentioned in Ramayana. It is said that Lord Ram visited here during the 14 years Vanvas by building a cave. The remains of the cave are still visible. It starts from Agasti Temple to Panchavati, Nashik.

Sandhan Valley

Sandhan Valley, "The Great Canyon" in the Sahyadri ranges, combines a canyon and a valley. Located near Samrad village in the Akole tehsil of Ahmednagar district near the fort of Ratangad, Sandhan Valley is undoubtedly The Valley of Shadows. Surrounded by the mountains of Ratangad and Kalsubai, the valley stands 4255 ft high above sea level. The trek goes through a 200 ft deep and 2 km long gorge carved by water between the narrow walls. In the film Tanhaji: The Unsung Warrior, by the Actor Ajay Devgn, the film's director Om Raut recreated the Sandhan Valley, where a confrontation between the Mughal army and the Marathas is shown to have taken place.

References