Mumbai Fire Brigade

Contact numbers Hotline : 101 (Unmetered Number)

Established : 1 April 1987

Fire chief : Hassan Mujawar

Facilities

Stations : 33

Trucks : 115

Ambulances : 15

EMS Level : BLS

The Mumbai Fire Brigade is responsible for the provision of fire protection in the city of Greater Mumbai as well as responding to building collapses, drowning cases, gas leakage, oil spillage, road and rail accidents, bird and animal rescues, fallen trees and taking appropriate action during natural calamities.


History

Pre Independence

The origins of the Fire Service in Bombay can be traced back to 1477 when the locals were allotted Rs. 4 per day for handling different carts and horse chariots which were used to extinguish fire. In 1855, the Bombay Fire brigade started as a part-time function of the Police and a regular fire service with horse-drawn fire engines came into being in Bombay under control of the Commissioner of Police. In 1864, a commission was appointed to report the organisation of fire service and a police officer was sent to England to qualify himself as Captain of the New sterm Fire Brigade. Bombay Fire Brigade was placed jointly under the control of the Government and the Municipality in 1865. On 1 April 1887, the fire protection subject had passed on the Municipality. In 1888 Bombay Municipal Corporation Act was enacted and protection of life and properties from fire become the obligatory duty of the Corporation. W.Nicholls of the London Fire Brigade was appointed Chief Officer of Bombay Fire Brigade in 1890 and the management passed into hands of a professional fire fighting officer. In 1907, the first petrol driven motor fire engine was imported and commissioned in the Bombay Fire Brigade. W.J.Scllu of Bombay Fire Brigade joined Bombay Salvage Corps, which was formed on 1 May 1907 with 37 insurance companies. One of the prime objective of the Corps apart from salvage operation was to minimise chances of fire. Street Fire Alarm System was first introduced in 1913. The Brigade was motorised by replacing the horse drawn steam engine in 1920 and the Bombay fire brigade started ambulance service consisting of six ambulances donated by Bai Jerbal Wadia and Sir Mangaldas Mehta.

On 14 April 1944 there was a huge explosion in Mumbai's (then Bombay) dock yard when the freighter SS Fort Stikine, carrying a mixed cargo of cotton bales, gold, and ammunition (including around 1,400 tons of explosives), caught fire and was destroyed in two giant blasts, scattering debris, sinking surrounding ships and setting fire to the surrounding area, killing around 800 people. The Bombay Fire Brigade tried to bring the fire under control, with many firefighters losing their lives in the process. It was one of the major incidents in history of the brigade, the deadliest incident ever for the Bombay/Mumbai Fire Brigade. Preserved in the fire station at Byculla is one of the surviving Leyland fire engines from the 1930s that took part in fighting the fires in the docks.


Post Independence

After Independence, in 1948, M.G. Pradhan was appointed Chief Fire Officer, the first Indian to hold this distinction. Since then, the Brigade has been completely manned and controlled by Indians.


2008 Terrorist Attacks

On 26 November 2008, the Mumbai Fire Brigade faced its greatest challenge, as terrorists attacked multiple high-visibility targets within the south city centre. The attacks took place in buildings which were frequented by foreign tourists. Among the buildings involved were the Taj Mahal Hotel , Hotel Trident, Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus , the Leopold Cafe and Bade Miyan Gali.

In a well-planned series of simultaneous attacks, the terrorists used automatic weapons, hand grenades and C4 explosive with the intention of murdering as many as possible, taking hostages and igniting fires within the structures. The largest blaze was determined to be the one at the Taj Mahal Hotel, whose upper floors were well-inflamed.

With no sprinkler systems or interior standpipes, the fire-suppression effort was limited to a master stream attack from aerial devices such as the Bronto Skylift. Firefighting efforts were hampered by gunfire aimed at firefighters, who bravely remained at their posts both atop the aerial platforms and at the ground level. Many dozens of rescues and removals took place using additional aerial devices. In news accounts, Mumbai's firefighters were referred to as "angels from Heaven" by the trapped victims. The fire crews valiantly surrounded the rescued victims to protect them from gunfire.

While fighting fires at the Taj Hotel, firefighters reported spotting a gun-toting terrorist. The fire brigade was called in to battle fires multiple times at the Taj and Oberoi hotels as the terrorists kept setting the rooms on fire while fighting the commandos. Fire crews awaited clearance from the commandos before going in.

In the wake of the late November 2008 events, it was revealed that Mumbai's firefighters had poor personal protective gear. One fireman best described the brigades' Personal protective equipment (PPE) as similar to London's circa 1950. This attack initiated modernisation of Fire Brigade. Now brigade has been proved with new PPE uniforms.


Jurisdiction & duties

The role and jurisdiction of the Brigade are set under the Maharashtra Fire Prevention and Life Safety Measures Act (2006). Under the Act, the jurisdiction is set as the limits of Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai. Its role include:

Promote Fire Safety; andT

o prepare for fighting fires and protecting peopleand property from fires; rescuing people from Road Traffic Accidents; and dealing with other specific emergencies, such as flooding or terrorist attack.

Any activity which will help them meet their Statuatory Duties

Organisation

The Mumbai Fire Brigade has its City Headquarters in Byculla and Suburban Headquarters in Marol headed by the Chief Fire Officer. For operational purposes, Mumbai is divided into four regions. These are further divided in Divisions which is then further sub-divided in Sub-Divisions. Each Sub-Division has required number

of Fire Stations as per need. The Regions are each headed by a Deputy Chief (Fire). The Divisions are in the charge of Divisional Officers. Each of the Sub-Division is headed by the Sub-Divisional Officer. The Fire Station is managed by a Station Officer.

Hierarchy

Chief Fire Officer : 01 nos.

Deputy Chief Fire Officer : 06 nos.

Divisional Fire Officer : 07

Assistant Divisional Fire Officer : 13+1

Station officer : 40

Assistant Station Officer : 139 waso 3

Sub-Officer : 7

Driver/Operator : 445

Leading fireman Also called as Tandel : 228

Fireman : 1557

Firewomen : 12

Duty hours

Initially, the Mumbai Fire brigade staff used to be placed on 24-hour duty and were provided quarters in the premises of the fire station. This virtually eliminated their personal life. In the year 1991 this rule was changed to limit 24hr duty only for officers above the rank of Station officer. Firemen and Assistant Station Officers now work on eight-hour shifts. A Few rules from British era like roll call are still prevalent. roll calls are taken at the start of every shift and after every tea and lunch break.

Daily Routine

Daily Routine is divided in four groups:

1. Daily Routine

2. Watch Room Function

3. Fire Station Function

4. Miscellaneous

Daily Routine Procedure

Work, which includes general duty, maintenance of fire stations, operational work, drills and such other works carried out round the clock every day and time to time.

1. Rising Bell :- Rising Bell for personnel is given at 05:45 am. This bell also functions as a per-bell Alarm for the P.T. and Exercise.

2. Bell for P.T. :- To maintain all personnel to be in physically good shape, Physical Training and Exercise are conducted early Morning at about 06:15 am to 07:10 am everyday (except Sunday) This includes Running up to 2 km and different sets of exercise.

Watchroom's Function

1. Duty Change :- It is shift change routine where personnel of the present shift take charge form the previous shift. This procedure is followed after the person's joining the duty and person's off the duty conducts 'Mount dismount' and every thing is checked according to Inventory List. Each shift is of 8 Hrs duty and in every shift these are about 9.10 personnel and every two person's take charge of Watch-room duty and Sentry-duty after every two Hrs. Duty/ shift Change Timings :-07:00 Hrs to 15:00 Hrs – Ist. 15:00 Hrs to 23:00 Hrs – IInd 23:00 Hrs to 07:00 Hrs – IIIrd Shift. Work normally done by Watch-room and sentry duty personnel are as follows.

2. Telephone Checking :- All the three Telephone Instruments are checked after every two Hrs and relevant entries are made in occurrence book. Any fault is reported to Fire Rescue Leader/ Officer-in-charge.

3. Hand Over :- Take Over :- Duty Change of the two personnel working as Watch-room and Sentry by the next two personnel of the same which is done after the interval of two hrs.

4. Night Round up :- Checking of Fire Station premise to see everything is sound and safe, usually done during Night/ Third shift and after every 1 Hrs.

Fire Station Functions

Routine followed every day to check and impact various appliances and equipments as well as maintenance of Fire Station Group.

1. Fall-In :- To carry out different function, Fall-In is essential in which all personnel of that particular shift/ irrespective of the shift get-together.

2. Fall in for Cleanliness/ Maintenance :- 08:00Hrs, all personnel fall-in to keep station ground clean, checking of appliances and equipments etc.

3. Fall in for Foot/ Fire Drill : – 08:30 Hrs to 10:00Hrs Foot Drill and Fire Drill (as per Drill Manual) is conducted everyday (except Sunday).

4. Fall in for Maintenance/ Testing:- 15:00Hrs to 16.30Hrs -> Maintenance of all fire fighting equipments as well as testing of such equipment are done during these Hrs.

5. Fall in for Roll Call :- 20:00Hrs. To check all personnel are present in station ground and to see personnel on leaves have joined duty and/ or to see which person is going next day leave etc.

Miscellaneous

Other miscellaneous function as follows.

1. Dismount :- 20:05Hrs :- Day called off after full day routine work.

2. Bell Operandi :- Before each fall in, Warning Bell are given before is 15 minutes, to remain punctuate at exact fall in. Warning Bell and Fall in Bell is given by ringing such bell thrice sh/ off after Keeping constant for not more than 2 seconds.

3. Date Change :- Date/ Day Change for next twenty four hrs at 00:00Hrs

Uniform

Fire brigade personals have three uniforms: the administrative uniform, drill uniform, and fire fighting uniform. When attending a parade or any other ceremony, firemen wear blue tunics and all their gallantry medals whirle officers wear blue coat on their administrative uniform with their medals.

Fire Fighting uniform

Mumbai Fire Brigade officials had dark blue tunic and pants. Blue keeps their body temperature constant (thus preventing them from catching fever) while fighting a blaze. The uniform included a black waist-belt, a black helmet made from fibre reinforced plastic (in early days it was made from leather), and rubber shoes, which are fire-proof as well as chemical-proof. Mumbai fire brigade personals were using Merryweather type helmet made of composite fibre. Now this uniform is being replaced with new personal protective uniform which provided more protection from fire. Old merryweather helmets are replace with new composite material helmets, their helmets have protective visor to protect face from heat and chemical splashes. Their helmet also have built in socket for headlight and communication systems. The uniform of the Mumbai Fire Brigade is distinctive. Fire Service Officers in other Indian states wear khakis.

Administrative Uniform

At the office, for administrative work, Fire Officers wear uniform with a white shirt, blue pants, peaked cap and black leather shoes. Firemen wear Sky blue shirt with dark blue pants and leather shoes. Firemen have Garrison cap and Driver, operator has Peaked cap.

Equipment

The fire stations are equipped with specialised equipment such as Fire Fighting and Rescue Vehicles, Ambulances, Breathing Apparatus Sets, Hydraulic Rescue Tools, electric chain saw, concrete or steel cutter, chemical protective suits, fire proximity suits, rescue rocket device, self/rope rescue devices and search camera.

Operations

Fire Safety Week

Fire Safety Week is held from 14 to 21 April every year, in honour of the 66 fire-fighters who lost their lives in the Bombay Explosion.

Mumbai Police

Abbreviation : मु. पो. (Mu. Po.)

Motto : Sadrakshnaya Khalanighrahanaya (सदरक्षणाय खलनिग्रहणाय)

Employees : 40,914

Formed : 1991/1969

Annual Budget : ₹ 650 crores (USD 120 million)

Operation jurisdiction: Mumbai City

Mumbai Police jurisdictional area Size : 603.4 km² (233 sq mi)

Facilities

Stations : 89

Patrol cars : 3000

Boats : 10~15 (36 on order)

Helicopters : 1 (More to be ordered)

Dogs : ~30

The Mumbai Police ( Marathi मुंबई पोलिस) (also known as Brihanmumbai Police) is the police force of the city of Mumbai , India . It has the primary responsibilities of law enforcement and investigation within the limits of Mumbai . The department's motto is " Sadrakṣaṇāya Khalanigrahaṇāya " (Sanskrit : सद्रक्षणाय खलनिग्रहणाय, "To protect the good and to destroy the evil").

It is headed by the Commissioner of Mumbai Police, who is generally an Indian Police Service (IPS) officer.


History

Origins

During the 17th century (until 1655), the area of present day Mumbai was under Portuguese control. The Portuguese formed a basic law enforcement structure in this area with the establishment of a Police out-post in 1661.

The origins of the present day Mumbai police can be traced back to a militia organised by Gerald Aungier, the then Governor of Mumbai in 1669. This Bhandari Militia was composed of around 500 men and was headquartered at Mahim , Sewree and Sion. In 1672, the judicial overview of police decisions by courts was introduced, although none of the judges had any actual legal training. The situation remained unchanged through the Maratha wars. However, by 1682, policing remained stagnant. There was only one ensign for the whole Bhandari militia, and there were only three sergeants and two corporals.


Creation and early days

On 29 March 1780, the office of the Lieutenant of Police was dissolved and the office of Deputy of Police was created. James Tod, the then Lieutenant of Police was appointed as the first Deputy of Police on 5 April 1780. He was tried and dismissed for corruption in 1790. Subsequently, the designation was changed to "Deputy of Police and High Constable".

In 1793, Act XXXIII, Geo. III was promulgated. The post of Deputy of Police was abolished and a post of Superintendent of Police was created in its place, with a Deputy of Superintendent of Police assisting him. Mr. Simon Halliday was the first Superintendent of Police, and governed till 1808. During this time, a thorough revision and re-arrangement of policing in the area outside the Fort was carried out. The troublesome area known as "Dungree and the Woods" was split up into 14 Police divisions, each division being staffed by two English constables and a varying number of Peons (not exceeding 130 for the whole area), who were to be stationary in their respective charges and responsible for dealing with all illegal acts committed within their limits.


Post-1857

After the cementing of English Rule in India after the 1857 Mutiny , in 1864, the three Presidency towns of Bombay, Calcutta and Madras were given Commissioners of Police. On 14 December 1864, Sir Frank Souter was appointed the first Police Commissioner of Bombay. He remained in office for 24 years, till July 3, 1888. During that year (1864), Khan Bahadur Sheikh Ibrahim Sheikh Imam became the first Indian appointed to a police officer's post.

In 1896 the Commissioner's office moved to an Anglo- Gothic revival building, which it still occupies to this day. The Police Headquarters building is a protected heritage site. The Maharashtra Police Headquarters moved into what was known as the Royal Alfred Sailors' Home, in 1896. Construction began on the building in early 1872 and was finished four years later, in 1876. As its name suggests, it was made to accommodate 20 officers and 100 seamen. However, the building was actually conceived to commemorate the visit of the Duke of Edinburgh in 1870. The Duke
laid the Foundation stone during his visit.

The Maharastra government acquired the building in 1928 to house the Bombay Legislative Council. The Police department subsequently moved in after it was vacated.


Post-independence

After 1947

After independence, many changes to the Mumbai Police were instituted. On 15 August 1947, J.S. Bharucha became the first Indian head of the Mumbai Police, taking over from the last British Commissioner, Mr. A.E. Caffin.

A dog squad was set up in 1965. Computers were first used by the Mumbai police in 1976. A Narcotics Cell and an anti-terrorist special operations squad were created in 1989. In 1995, the control room was computerised, and finally, in 1997, the Mumbai Police went online.


Modernisation and present day

A massive modernisation of the Mumbai Police took place in 2005. New vehicles, guns and electronic equipment were procured for police use. The Tourist Squad was also created to patrol the beaches of Mumbai. On 30 May 2009 the Maharashtra government in Mumbai set up a police station dedicated to tackling cyber crime. It is the third such facility in India after Bangalore and Hyderabad. The dedicated police station will now register first information reports (FIRs) on its own and investigate offences pertaining to cyberspace. The police station will take care of all cyber cases in the city including that of terror e-mails. The existing Cyber Crime Investigation Cell of the city police probes cyber offences, but the FIRs are registered in local police stations depending on the site of the offence. A specially trained team of over 25 policemen, headed by an Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP), were selected for the new job. The facility will function under the supervision of Deputy Commissioner of Police (Preventive) and Joint Commissioner of Police (Crime).


Jurisdiction and duties

Organisation

The Mumbai Police is headed by a Police Commissioner , who is an IPS officer. The Mumbai Police comes under the state Home Ministry. The city is divided into Twelve police zones and Twenty Five traffic police zones, each headed by a Deputy Commissioner of Police. The Traffic Police is a semi-autonomous body under the Mumbai Police.


Geographical division

Mumbai police is broadly divided into five regions namely Central, North, South, East and West. For administrative purposes, each region is subdivided into 3 to 4 zones. Each zone contains 3 to 4 police stations. Each zone is commanded by a Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP). Apart from the 12 zones, there is also an additional Port zone. Police stations under the Port zone keep vigil on the Mumbai Port and container terminals in Mumbai. There are a total of 91 police stations in the jurisdiction of Mumbai Police. Every police station has a Police Inspector who is the in-charge officer of the station.


Recruitment

Those who join the police force through the constabulary exam enter the force at the lowest ranks of the force. Their starting rank is that of a Police constable. Those who join the Police force through the state examination (Maharashtra state Public Service Commission) holds a starting rank of Sub Inspector of Police. Those who join the police force through the civil service examination (UPSC ) also known as the IPS exam holds a starting rank of Deputy Commissioner of Police. Generally the IPS officers make it to the highest rank of Director General. The Commissioner of Police for Mumbai also holds the rank of Additional Director General of Police Maharashtra.


Subunits

Mumbai Police is divided into the following units:

• Crime Branch 
• Cyber Cell
• Commando Force
• Detection Unit (Wrongly known as Mumbai Encounter Squad Officially or unofficially Encounter squad doesnot exist. Its the name given by media)
• Anti Terrorist Squad
• Law and Order
• Traffic Police
• Administration
• Social Service Cell
• Narcotics Cell
• Wireless Cell
• Local Armed Police
• Anti-Extortion Cell
• Modus Operandi Bureau
• Missing Persons Bureau
• Special Branch
• Intelligence Unit
• Protection & Security
• Riot Control Police
• Economic Offences Wing
• Juvenile AID Protection Unit
• Quick Response Team
• Force One

Each of these units have a commander of the rank of Joint Commissioner of Police.

Maharashtra Police

Abbreviation : म. पो. (M. Po.)

Headquarters : Mumbai

Motto : Sadrakshnaya Khalanighrahanaya (सदरक्षणाय खलनिग्रहणाय)

Employees : Superintendents of Police: 282

                       Deputy Superintendents : 523

                       Police Inspectors : 3522

                       Assistant Police Inspectors: 3123

                       Sub Inspectors: 6230

Maharashtra State Police is the law enforcement agency responsible for the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is headed by Director General of Police and headquartered in Mumbai .

It has one of the largest police forces in the country, having about 10 Police Commissionerates and 35 district police units in the state. The Maharashtra Police force has a strength of nearly 1.95 lakh. It also has 1.5 lakh women in its force.


Special units

Following are the special units of the Maharashtra
Police.

• State Intelligence Department (S.I.D.): It came into existence in 1905 as C.I.D. (Intelligence Wing) and was renamed to its current name in 1981. It is headed by Commissioner of Intelligence.
• Maharashtra State C.I.D. : This Crime Branch was established in 1905 and is headquartered in Pune. It is headed by the Additional Director General Police.
• Anti-Terrorism Squad (A.T.S.) : This unit was created by the Government of Maharashtra in 2004 for countering terrorism. It works in coordination with Central Agencies such as Intelligence Bureau and RAW .
• Highway Traffic Police: This branch was created in 1993.
• State Reserve Police Force (S.R.P.F.): The SRPF was raised on 6 March 1948 as a Special Armed Police Force of the State of Maharashtra.
• Training Directorate
• Protection of Civil Rights Cell
• Motor Transport Unit: This was established in 1948 to cater to the needs of mobility of Maharashtra Police.
• State Police Wireless : Established before 1947.
• Anti-Corruption Bureau: The ACB was constituted in 1957 with a view to eradicate the bribery and corruption in the state.

Police ranks

• The Maharashtra Police maintains the following ranks:
• Director General of Police
• Additional Director General of Police
• Inspector General of Police
• Deputy Inspector General of Police
• Superintendent of Police
• Additional Superintendent of Police
• Deputy Superintendent of Police
• Assistant Superintendent of Police
• Police Inspector
• Assistant Police Inspector (Only in West Bengal and Maharashtra Police)
• Police Sub Inspector
• Assistant Police Sub Inspector
• Head Constable
• Police Naik.
• Police Constable

Sports in Maharashtra

Maharashtra's state sport - Kabaddi

Sports is an important part of the culture of Maharashtra. Kabaddi, Hockey, Kho kho, Badminton, Cricket and Table tennis are the popular sports of Maharashtra. The wrestling championship like Hind Kesari , Maharashtra Kesari are very popular in the rural regions of Maharashtra. The cricket craze can be seen throughout Maharashtra, as it is the most widely followed and played sport. The Maharashtra has produced many Iconic cricketers to India like Sachin Tendulkar and Sunil Gavaskar . Children games include Gilli-danda and Pakada-pakadi ( tag ) are also played in Maharashtra. Horse riding , Wrestling, Fencing, Archery and Shooting were popular among the rulers of Maharashtra. Maharashtra has various domestic level Franchise based leagues for Hockey, Chess, Tennis and Badminton.


Hockey

Field Hockey is one of the more popular sports in the state.Many Maharashtrian hockey players have also contributed to India's rich hockey legacy. Tushar Khandekar is referred to as 'the Goal Poacher'. Hiranna M. Nimal was the silver medalist at Asian Games, 1962 and also represented many other National and International Leagues. Some notable hockey stars from Maharashtra include Dhanraj Pillay , Viren Rasquinha . Maharashtra have three hockey clubs playing for different leagues and one defunct club,the Maratha Warriors hockey team from Maharashtra that competed in the now defunct Premier Hockey League .

Mumbai Magicians (MM) team based in Mumbai that plays in the Hockey India League . Mumbai Marines (MM) initially known as Mumbai Warriors a team based in Mumbai and Pune Strykers (PS) is a team based in Pune, that plays in the World Series Hockey . PCMC Hockey Stadium a field hockey stadium in Pune which serves as the home ground for Pune Strykers, for World Series Hockey. Mahindra Hockey Stadium at Mumbai is the home of the Mumbai M Marines of the World Series Hockey and Mumbai Magicians of the Hockey India League . It was also the home venue of the Maratha Warriors in the Premier Hockey League . The stadium was formerly known as the Bombay Hockey Association Stadium and hosted the 1982 Men's Hockey World Cup . Domestic tournaments such as All India Bombay Gold Cup Hockey Tournament and All India Aagha Khan Hockey Tournament is popular in Maharashtra. Approximately 30 tournaments from Junior to Senior level are held
across Pune in a calendar year.


Cricket

Cricket is played on domestic levels, and enjoys consistent support from people in most parts of Maharashtra. Maharastra has produced many notable cricketers for India that includes Sachin Tendulkar , Sunil Gavaskar , Vinod Kambli , Ajit Agarkar and Ravi Shastri. Maharashtra has three domestic cricket teams that includes Ranji Trophy superpower Mumbai cricket team , Maharashtra cricket team and Vidarbha cricket team . The first Ranji Trophy Championship was won by Bombay after they defeated North India in the final of 1934–35. Mumbai cricket team totally dominated Indian cricket in the 1960s. As part of 15 consecutive victories in the Ranji Trophy from 1958-59 to 1972-73, Mumbai won the title in all ten seasons of the period under review. Among its players were Farokh Engineer , Dilip Sardesai , Bapu Nadkarni, Ramakant Desai , Baloo Gupte , Ashok Mankad and Ajit Wadekar . Mumbai is the most successful team in the history of Ranji Trophy, India's premier domestic cricket competition, with 40 titles. It also has 16 Irani Trophy titles to its name, also the most by any team. Mumbai has produced some of the greatest Indian cricketers of all time such as Sachin Tendulkar, Sunil Gavaskar , Vinoo Mankad, Polly Umrigar and Dilip Vengsarkar .The Mumbai cricket team is overseen by the Mumbai Cricket Association, which has established its home ground the Wankhede Stadium , an international cricket ground. The Maharashtra cricket team is overseen by the Maharashtra Cricket Association based on Nehru Stadium, Pune. Mumbai Indians and defunc Pune Warriors India are the two franchises participated in IPL from Maharashtra. Mumbai Indians is one of the eight founding members of the IPL in 2008.The primary home ground of the Mumbai Indians is the Wankhede Stadium. The Mumbai Indians were the most watched team on television in the first season of the IPL, totaling to 239 million viewers. Blades of Glory, India’s first cricket museum, is based out of Pune run by Rohan Pate, a former Maharashtra Under-19 cricketer, inaugurated during IPL V by Sachin Tendulkar and located in the quaint Sahakar Nagar.


Football

Football is another popular sport in the city, with the FIFA World Cup and the English Premier League being followed widely. Maharashtra Football Pyramid consists of the national state league, The Maha League, at the top, district leagues in second, followed by leagues within the leagues. This pyramid operates during the whole calendar year, but at different times.In the I-League the Mumbai city is represented by three teams, Mumbai FC, Mahindra United and Air-India. The Pune F.C. , is recently founded football club that plays in the Indian Football League . It was established on August 2007. Local rivalry with another Mumbai-based clubs Air India FC and Mumbai FC and state rivalry with Pune F.C. are called the 'Maha' derby as clubs play in the state of Maharashtra. Seven-a-side version of football is hugely popular Maharashtra. Motilal Mathurawala Trophy 8th Seven-a-side Junior National Football Championship was held in Pune. The Western India Football Association (WIFA) has signed a deal with Sporting Ace Pvt Ltd (SAPL), a sports management company, to infuse Rs 100 crores into the Maharashtra football. Maharashtra football team represents Maharashtra in the Santosh Trophy. Maharashtra football team where four times champions and 11 times runners up in Santosh Trophy. Maharashtra football team last won Santosh trophy in 1999-2000 season. Mumbai District Football Association (MDFA) is the organisation responsible for Association football in and around city of Mumbai. The MDFA organises some 7 leagues, containing approximately 300 plus club sides, in addition to being responsible for SIX of India's I-League sides.


American football

Maharashtra has two clubs franchises playing in Elite Football League of India. Mumbai Gladiators is a team based in Mumbai and Pune Marathas team based in Pune with Shree Shiv Chhatrapati Sports Complex as their home stadium. Maharashtra hosted the First Youth National American Football Championship in 2007. Mumbai Gladiators and Pune Marathas played their first match against each other. Manipur defeated hosts Maharashtra 3-0 in finals of the First Youth National American Football Championship played at Mathurawala Ground.


Derby (horse race)

The horse racing season in Maharashtra starts in mid-November and ends in the last week of April.Every February, Mumbai holds derby races at the Mahalaxmi Racecourse. Since the year 1986 McDowell's Indian Derby has been sponsored by liquor baron Vijay Mallya's UB Group under the name of flagship company McDowells Co. Ltd. as The McDowell's Indian Derby. It was first run in the year 1943. The Mahalaxmi Racecourse horse racing track is one of the two Racecourse in Maharashtra located Mahalaxmi . The track is oval shaped with 2,400 metres (7,900 ft) straight chute, spread over approximately 225 acres (0.91 km 2 ; 0.352 sq mi). The Mahalaxmi Racecourse was built in 1883 and modelled on the Caulfield Racecourse in Melbourne. Pune Race Course is the second Racecourse in Maharashtra located in Pune Cantonment . Pune Race Course was nuilt in 1830, it
covers 118.5 acres (48.0 ha).


Grand Prix

In March 2004, the Mumbai Grand Prix was part of the F1 powerboat world championship and the Force India F1 team car was unveiled in the city of Mumbai, in 2008. The city is planning to build its own F1 track and various sites in the city were being chalked out, of which the authorities have planned to zero down on Marve-Malad or Panvel-Kalyan land. If approved, the track will be clubbed with a theme park and will spread over 400 to 500 acres (202 ha).


Marathon

In 2004, the annual Mumbai Marathon was established as a part of " The Greatest Race on Earth ". The Mumbai Marathon is an annual international marathon held in Mumbai on the third Sunday of January every year. The Standard Chartered Mumbai Marathon is India's biggest charity platform.


Tennis

Maharashtra has a Franchise based tennis league called Maharashtra Tennis League. Maharashtra Tennis League is India's first league format in tennis. Franchise based Maharashtra Tennis League kicked off with 80 players. Inaugural edition of MTL featured five teams Mumbai Blasters, Sharp Smashers, Baseline Bombers, Accurate Aces and Dazzling Deuces. Each team in MTL consists of six players each and there is a compulsion on each team owner to have at least two girls in the team and at least one player from Maharashtra. Gaurav Natekar is a former Davis Cup player and seven-time Indian National Tennis Champion. He was awarded the Arjuna Award in 1996 for Tennis. Mumbai has played host to the Kingfisher Airlines Tennis Open , an International Series tournament of the ATP World Tour , in 2006 and 2007. The 2006 and 2007 Kingfisher Airlines Tennis Open tennis tournaments were played on outdoor hard courts . The 2006 and 2007 tournaments took place at the Cricket Club of India in Mumbai.


Wrestling

Wrestling is a very popular sport of Maharashtra Even in the era of cricket, it has maintained its popularity, especially in the rural regions of Maharashtra. Kolhapur district is well known for wrestling. Khashaba Jadhav was a famous wrestler from Maharashtra. He was the first Indian of independent India to win Olympic medal in an individual sport. He won a bronze medal in the 1952 Helisinki Olympics. In Maharashtra, wrestling takes place in a clay or dirt pit. The soil is mixed with ghee and other things and is tended to before each practice. Traditional wrestling is also called Kushti isn't just a sport - it's an ancient subculture where wrestlers live and train together and follow strict rules on everything from what they can eat to what they can do in their spare time. Drinking, Smoking and even Sex are off limits. The focus is on living a pure life, building strength and honing their wrestling skills.Wrestlers belong to gyms called akharas, where wrestlers live under strict rules. Wrestlers' diets consist of milk, almonds, ghee, eggs and chapattis and each wrestler has a job to do in preparing meals. Kushti is located at the intersection of sports, politics and culture and is deeply embedded in the agrarian economy. Hind Kesari is a style wrestling championship, established in 1958 is popular in Maharashtra.It is affiliated to All India Amateur Wrestling Federation (AIAWF). Wrestling schools in rural western Maharashtra are called taleems.At the taleems, Maharashtra’s wrestling gurus lay emphasis on an ethical and moral instruction that blends the spiritual and the secular. There are tournaments in rural western Maharashtra which feature top wrestlers from Pakistan, Iran, Turkey, and even some African nations.


Chess

Maharashtra has a five-decade long chess culture. The first chess Association in Maharashtra was formed in 1921 known as South Maharashtra Chess Club. The Sangali Chess Society was established in 1930. The Southern Maratha Country Chess Association came into existence in the year 1955. The growth of the game in Bombay Province, the first Chess body in Mumbai, known as Bombay Chess Association was established in 1944.The open Chess tournaments started in city since 1945. Then in 1950, All India Chess federation was started in Mumbai. And it held a tournament at National Level for five years after words in Mumbai. The first Inter State Championship was held in 1960. In 1963, the Bombay Chess Association and Southern Maratha Country Chess Association took a decision to merge. The unified state Association was known as Maharashtra Chess Association.The Maharashtra Chess Association (MCA) is the apex body for the game of chess in Maharashtra and is affiliated with the All India Chess Federation. Maharashtra has produced many notable chess players like Abhijit Kunte, Praveen Thipsay , Rohini Khadilkar and Anupama Gokhale. The Maharashtra Chess League, the first ever IPL style chess league in India, at the PYC Hindu Gymkhana club in Pune on April 24, 2013. The tournament played on a league-cum-knock-out basis. Each team gets to play other five teams once, with the top four teams at the end of the league stage making it to the semis.

Transport in Maharashtra

Maharashtra is the Third largest state by area in India and India's second most populous state. Maharashtra is a state in western region of India. It is also the second most populous sub-nation entity in the world, with over 110 Million inhabitants. Spread over 307,713 sq mi (796,970 km 2 ), it is bordered by the Arabian Sea to the west and the Indian states of Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh , Goa, Gujarat , Chhattisgarh , Madhya Pradesh and the Union territory of Dadra and Nagar Haveli . The state capital is Mumbai which is also the financial capital of the nation. Maharashtra is the wealthiest and most develop state in India, contributing 15% of the country's industrial output and 13.3% of its GDP (2006–07).

Maharashtra consist three mode of transportation viz. Roads, Railways and Civil aviation. Besides, Maharashtra has three major ports at Mumbai (operated by the Mumbai Port Trust ), the JNPT lying across the Mumbai harbour in Navi Mumbai , and in Ratnagiri.

Roads

Maharashtra has the largest road network in India at 267,452 kilometres. 17 National Highways connect Maharashtra to six neighbouring states. The length of National Highways in Maharashtra is 3688 kilometres. Maharashtra has a large state highway network. 97.5 per cent of the villages in the state were connected by all-weather roads as of March 2010. The Yeshwantrao Chavan Mumbai-Pune Expressway , the first access controlled toll road project in India was made fully operational in April 2002.

The Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) has been providing passenger road transport service in the public sector since 1948, linking most of the towns and villages in and around the state with a large network of operation. These buses, popularly called ST (State Transport), are the preferred mode of transport for much of the populace. In addition to the government run buses, privately run luxury buses also ply between major towns. Other modes of public transport, such as a seven-seater tempo have gained popularity in semi-urban areas.

Railways

The state is well-connected to other parts of the country with a railway network spanning 5,983 km between four Railways.

• The Central Railway and the Western Railway zones of the Indian Railways that are headquartered in Mumbai, at Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus and Churchgate respectively,
• The Nanded division of the South Central Railway that caters to the Marathwada region of Maharashtra and
• The Konkan Railway , a subsidiary of the Indian Railways based in CBD Belapur, Navi Mumbai that serves the Konkan coastal region south of Mumbai and continues down the west coast of India.

Maharashtra also has suburban railway networks that carry around 6.4 million passengers every day. In addition to this, a monorail and Metro has been planned for Mumbai.

Civil aviation

The booming Indian economy, growing tourism industry, entry of low cost airlines, liberalisation of international bi-lateral agreements and liberalisation of civil aviation policy at the centre has resulted in an unprecedented growth in air traffic. Most of the State's airfields are operated by the Airports Authority of India (AAI) while Reliance Airport Developers (RADPL) , currently operate five non – metro airports at Latur, Nanded , Baramati, Osmanabad and Yavatmal on a 95-year lease. The Maharashtra Airport Development Company (MADC) was set up in 2002 to take up development of airports in the state that are not under the AAI or the Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC). MADC is playing the lead role in the planning and implementation of the Multi-modal International Cargo Hub and Airport at Nagpur (MIHAN) project.

Maharashtra has three international airports:

• Mumbai's Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport(among the busiest airports in India);
• Pune's Pune International Airport with flights to Bangkok , Dubai , Frankfurt and Sharjah ;
• Nagpur's Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar International Airport .

Additionally there are smaller airports such as Aurangabad , Akola , Amravati , Baramati, Chandrapur, Dhule , Gondia , Jalgaon , Karad , Kolhapur , Latur, Nashik , Nanded , Osmanabad , Ratnagiri , Solapur and Yavatmal that do not have scheduled air services. There are also private airstrips at Aamby Valley City and Shirpur.

A greenfield airport is being built by the MADC at Shirdi while IRB Infrastructure is constructing Sindhudurg Airport . A new passenger terminal at Ozar Airport near Nashik will inaugurated March 2014. Navi Mumbai International Airport , being built by CIDCO for ₹ 90 billion (US$1.5 billion) is in the land acquisition stage. The New Pune International Airport is being planned near Pune[11] as well as greenfield airports at Boramani (near Solapur) and Gadchiroli . 

Biodiversity of Maharashtra

Maharashtra state symbols

State Animal : Indian Giant Squirrel

State Bird : Yellow-footed Green Pigeon

State Fruit : Mango

State Flower : Lagerstroemia

State Dance : Lavani

State Sport : Kabaddi

The flora of Maharashtra is heterogeneous in composition. As of 2012, recorded thick forest area in the state is 61,939 km 2 (23,915 sq mi) which is about 20.13% of the state's geographical area. There are 3 main Public Forestry Institutions (PFIs) in the
Maharashtra state viz. the Maharashtra Forest Department (MFD), the Forest Development Corporation of Maharashtra (FDCM) and the Directorate of Social Forestry (SFD). The flora of regions such as Nag region formed by Nagpur , districts , districts and Gadchiroli and the plateau of Vidarbha composed by Wardha , Amravati , Yavatmal, Akola and Buldhana . Most of the forests are found in the Sahyadri region and are very dense. These forests are confined to areas which have low annual rainfall (50–70 cm), a mean annual temperature of 25-27 °C and low humidity. Some of forest areas are converted into wildlife reserves thus preserving the biodiversity.

Maharashtra is known for its extensive avifauna . Maharashtra is said to have 3 game reserves, 5 national parks and 24 bird sanctuaries. Wild sanctuaries in the state include Radhanagari Wildlife Sanctuary , Bor Wildlife Sanctuary , Koyna Wildlife Sanctuary , Chandoli National Park, Sanjay Gandhi National Park and Mhadei Wildlife Sanctuary.

The most common animals which are found in the state are Tigers , Black panthers , Leopards , Gaur , Sloth bears, Sambar, Four-headed antelope , Blue Bull, Chital , Barking deer, Mouse deer, Civet cats, Jackals , Jungle cats , Spotted hyena, and Hare. Other animals in the state include reptiles such as lizards, cobras and kraits . The national parks of Maharashtra possess a variety of plant species that include Jamun , Palas , Shisam , Neem , Teak , Dhawada , Kalam, Saja / Ain , Bija, Shirish , Mango , Acacia , Awala , Kadamba , Moha , Acacia , Terminalia , Hedu and Ficus.

Districts of Maharashtra

Maharashtra is the India's second most populous state and is a state in western region of India. It is also the second most populous sub-nation entity in the world, with over 110 Million inhabitants. The Indian State of Maharashtra came into existence on May 1, 1960 (also known as Maharashtra Day), initially with 26 districts . Nine new districts have been created since then, and currently the number of districts in the state is 36. These districts are grouped into six administrative divisions.

Districts

Maharashtra is divided into 36 districts , which are grouped into six divisions.

1. .Amravati
2. Aurangabad
3. Akola
4. Ahmednagar
5. Buldana
6. Beed
7. Bhandara
8. Chandrapur
9. Dhule
10. Gadchiroli
11. Gondia
12. Hingoli
13. Jalna
14. Jalgaon
15. Kolhapur
16. Latur
17. Mumbai
18. Mumbai Suburban Districts
19. Nagpur
20. Nanded
21. Nandurbar
22. Nasik
23. Palghar
24. Parbhani
25. Pune
26. Raigad
27. Ratnagiri
28. Satara
29. Sangli
30. Sindhudurg
31. Solapur
32. Thane
33. Usmanabad
34. Washim
35. Wardh
36. Yavatmal

Regions

Geographically, historically, and according to political sentiments, Maharashtra has five main regions :

1. Vidarbha : Nagpur and Amravati Divisions
2. Marathwada : Aurangabad Division
3. Khandesh and Northern Maharashtra Region :  Nasik Division
4. Pune : Pune Division
5. Konkan : Konkan Division

Division


1.Amravati Divisions :
   Region: Vidarbha
   Districts: Akola, Amravati, Buldana, Yavatmal and Washim
   Big City: Amravati

2.Nagpur Division:
   Region: Vidarbha
   Districts: Bhandara, Chandrapur, Gadchiroli, Gondia, Nagpur and Wardha
   Big City: Nagpur

3.Aurangabad Division:
   Region: Marathwada
   Districts: Aurangabad, Beed, Hingoli, Jalna, Latur, Usmanabad, Parbhani and Nanded
   Big City: Aurangabad

4.Nasik Division:
   Region: Khandesh and Northern Maharashtra Region
   Districts: Ahmednagar, Dhule, Jalgaon, Nandurbar and Nasik
   Big City: Nasik

5.Pune Division:
   Region: Pune
   Districts: Pune,  Kolhapur, Satara, Solapur and Sangli
   Big City: Pune

6.Konkan Division:
   Region: Konkan
   Districts: Mumbai, Mumbai Suburban Districts, Thane, Raigad, Ratnagiri and Sindhudurg
   Big City: Mumbai

Maharashtra Geography and Climate

Maharashtra Geography

The word Maharashtra, the land of the Marathi -speaking people, appears to be derived from Maharashtri , an old form of Prakrit. Some consider it a corruption of the term 'Maha Kantara' (the Great Forest), a synonym for 'Dandakaranya'. Maharashtra is the third largest state (in area) in India after Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh . It covers an area of 307,713 km 2 and is bordered by the states of Madhya Pradesh to the north, Chhattisgarh to the east, Andhra Pradesh to the southeast, Karnataka to the south and Goa to the southwest. The state of Gujarat lies to the northwest, with the Union territory of Dadra and Nagar Haveli sandwiched between the borders. The Arabian Sea makes up Maharashtra's west coast. Maharashtra consists of two major relief divisions. The plateau is a part of the Deccan tableland and the Konkan coastal strip abutting on the Arabian Sea.


Land

Located in the north centre of Peninsular India, with a command of the Arabian Sea through its port of Mumbai, Maharashtra has a remarkable physical homogeneity, enforced by its underlying geology. The dominant physical trait of the state is its plateau character. Maharashwesterns part of costal plains western upturned rims rising to form the Sahyadri Range and its slopes gently descending towards the east and southeast. The major rivers and their master tributaries have carved the plateau into alternating broad-river valleys and intervening higher lever interfluves, such as the Ahmednagar, Buldana, and Yavatmal plateau.

The Sahyadri Range is the physical backbone of Maharashtra. Rising on an average to an elevation of 1000m. it falls in steep cliffs, to the Konkan on the west. Eastwards, the hill country falls in steps through a transitional area known as Malwa to the plateau level. The series of crowning plateaux1564 on the crest forms a distinctive feature of the Sahyadri Range.

The Konkan, lying between the Arabian Sea and theSahyadri Range is narrow coastal lowland, barely 50 km wide. Though mostly below 200 m., it is far from being a plain country. Highly dissected and broken, the Konkan alternates between narrow, steep sided valleys and low laterite plateaux.

The Satpuras, hills along the northern border, and the Bhamragad-Chiroli-Gaikhuri Ranges on the eastern border form physical barriers preventing easy movement, but also serve as natural limits to the state.


Geology and Topography

Except around Mumbai , and along the eastern limits, the State of Maharashtra presents a monotonously uniform, flat-topped skyline. This topography of the state is the outcome of its geological structure. The state area, barring the extreme eastern Vidarbha region, parts of Kolhapur and Sindhudurg, is practically co-terminous with the Deccan Traps. Roughly 60 to 90 million years ago, the outpouring of basic lava through fissures formed horizontally bedded basalt over large areas. Variations in their composition and structure have resulted in massive, well-jointed steel-grey cliff faces alternating with structural benches of vesicular amygdaloid lava and ash layers, all of which contribute to the pyramida-shaped hills and crest-level plateaux or mesas. Earth sculpturing under the tropical climate completed the panorama-sharply defining the landform features in the semi-arid conditions, and rounding the hilltops under water condition. Fluvial action by the Krishna, Bhima, Godavari, Tapi-Purna and Wardha-Wainganga river systems has further aided in the compartmentalisation of the Desh into broad, open river valleys, alternating with plateau interfluves, that form the ribs of the Sahyadrian backbone. In sharp contrast, the hill torrents of the Konkan, barely a 100 km long, tumble down as roaring streams which flow in deeply entrenched valleys to terminate in tidal estuaries.


Climate

The state enjoys a tropical monsoon climate; the hot scorching summer from March onwards yields to the rainy monsoon in early June. The rich green cover of the monsoon season persists during the mild winter that follows through an unpleasant October transition, but turns into a dusty, barren brown as the summer sets in again. The seasonal rains from the western sea-clouds are very heavy and the rainfall is over 400 cm., on the Sahyadrian crests. The Konkan on the windward side is also endowed with heavy rainfall, declining northwards. East of the Sahyadri, the rainfall diminishes to a meagre 70 cm. in the western plateau districts, with Solapur Ahmednagar lying in theheart of the dry zone. The rains increase slightly, later in the season, eastwards in the Marathwada and Vidarbha regions.

The highly pulsatory character of the monsoon, with its short spells of rainy weather and long dry breaks, floods, as well as droughts add much to the discomfort of the rural economy.


Resource

Forests comprising only 17% of the state area cover the eastern region and the Sahyadri Range, while open scrub jungle dots the plateaux. If Maharashtra represented the Maha Kantara in the historic past, today little of it is left; vast sections have been denuded and stripped of the vegetal cover.

The soils of Maharashtra are residual, derived from the underlying basalts. In the semi-dry plateau, the regur (black-cotton soil) is clayey, rich in iron, but poor in nitrogen and organic matter; it is moisture-retentive. Where redeposited along the river valleys, those kali soils are deeper and heavier, better suited for rabi crops. Farther away, with a better mixture of lime, the morand soils form the ideal Kharif zone. The higher plateau areas have pather soils, which contain more gravel. In the rainy Konkan, and the Sahyadri Range, the same basalts give rise to the brick-red
laterites productive under a forest-cover, but readily stripped into a sterile varkas when the vegetation is removed. By and large, soils of Maharashtra are shallow and somewhat poor.

Water is the most precious natural resource of the state, greatly in the demand, and most unevenly distributed. A large number of villages lack drinking water, especially during the summer months, even in the wet Konkan. Barely 11% of the net sown area is irrigated. Perched water tables in the basalt aquifers have contributed to increased well irrigation, which accounts for approximately 55% of the irrigable water. The granitic-gneissic terrain in the eastern hilly area of Vidarbha accounts for all tank irrigation. Tube-wells in the Tapi-Purna alluvium and shallow wells in the coastal sands are the other main sources of water. Special wells are being made by the Government for the villages lacking water.

The mineral-bearing zones of Maharashtra lie beyond the area of the basalts in eastern Vidarbha, southern Kolhapur and the Sindhudurg area. The Chandrapur, Gadchiroli, Bhandara and Nagpur Districts form the main mineral belt, with coal and manganese as the major minerals and iron ore and limestone as potential wealth. The Ratnagiri coast contains sizeable deposits of illimenite.


Protected Areas

Several wildlife sanctuaries , national parks and Project Tiger reserves have been created in Maharashtra, with the aim of conserving the rich bio- diversity of the region. As of May 2004, India has 92 national parks, of which six are located in Maharashtra.There are 4 project tiger areas in Maharashtra. viz Tadoba-Andhari, Melghat, Sahyadri and Pench. A large percentage of Maharashtra's forests and wildlife lie along the western Ghats or western Maharashtra and eastern Vidarbha.

Navegaon National Park , located near Gondia in the eastern region of Vidarbha is home to birds, deer, bears and leopards.

Nagzira wildlife sanctuary lies in Tirora Range of Bhandara Forest Division, in Gondia district of Vidarbha region. The sanctuary consists of a range of hills with small lakes within its boundary. These lakes guarantee a source of water to wildlife throughout the year, and heighten the beauty of the landscape.

Tadoba Andhari Tiger Project , a prominent tiger reserve near Chandrapur in Vidarbha. It is 40 km from Chandrapur.

Pench National Park , in Nagpur district, extends into Madhya Pradesh as well. It has now been upgraded into a Tiger project.

Bor Wildlife Sanctuary is located in in Wardha district of Eastern Vidarbha. Due to large number of tigers along with other wild animals, Bor Wildlife Sanctuary has been declared Special Tiger Zone by Govt. of Maharashtra in 2012.

Chandoli National Park, located in Sangli district has a variety of flora and fauna. The Prachitgad Fort and Chandoli dam and scenic water falls can be found around the park.

Gugamal National Park, also known as Melghat Tiger Reserve is located in Amravati district. It is 80 km from Amravati .

Sanjay Gandhi National Park, also known as Borivali National Park is located in Mumbai and is the world's largest national park within city limits.

Sagareshwar Wildlife Sanctuary , a man made wildlife sanctuary situated 30 km from Sangli . Ancient temples of Lord Shiva and Jain Temple of Parshwanath located in Sagareshwar are an attraction.

Maldhok Sanctuary, situated in Solapur district. Some of its part is in Ahmednagar district . The sanctuary is for the Great Indian Bustard.

Tansa wildlife Sanctuary, situated in Thane district and along the Tansa and Vaitarna river. The major water supplying dams Tansa, Modaksagar and lower vaitarna are located in the Sanctuary. The fauna include Leopard, barking deer, Hyena, Flying squirrel and Wild boar. There are four forest ranges in the sanctuary-Tansa, Vaitarna, Khardi and Parli. The wildlife division headquarters is at Thane.

Bhimashankar wildlife Sanctuary. This is situated in the western Ghats and is famous for the Malabar Giant squirrel. The sanctuary is located in Thane, Raigad and Pune district of Maharashtra. Apart from these, Maharashtra has 35 wildlife Sanctuaries spread all over the state, listed here. Phansad Wildlife Sanctuary, and the Koyna Wildlife Sanctuary are the important ones.

Apart from the above, Matheran, a Hill station near Mumbai has been declared an eco-sensitive zone (protected area) by the Government of India .

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Maharashtra the State of India

State: Maharashtra (महाराष्ट्र)

Country: India (भारत)

Region: Western India (दक्षिण भारतीय)

Established: 1 May 1 960 A Maharashtra Day (महाराष्ट्र दिन)

Capital: Mumbai (मुंबई)

Largest City: Mumbai

Districts: 35

Official Language: Marathi (मराठी)

Area: 308,456 Km2 (119,096 sq mi)

Area Rank: 2nd

Time Zone: IST (UTC +05:30)

Maharashtra

Maharashtra is the India's second most populous state and is a state in western region of India. It is also the second most populous sub-nation entity in the world, with over 110 Million inhabitants. Spread over 307,713 sq mi (796,970 km 2 ),

it is bordered by the Arabian Sea to the west and the Indian states of Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh , Goa, Gujarat , Chhattisgarh , Madhya Pradesh and the Union territory of Dadra and Nagar Haveli . The state capital is Mumbai which is also the financial capital of the nation. Maharashtra is the wealthiest and most develop state in India, contributing 15% of the country's industrial output and 13.3% of its GDP (2006–07) .

In the 16th century, the Marathas rose under the leadership of Shivaji against the Mughals , who ruled a large part of India. By 1760, the Maratha Empire had reached its zenith with a territory of over 250 million acres (1 million km²) or one-third of the Indian sub-continent. After the Third Anglo-Maratha War, the empire ended and most of Maharashtra became part of Bombay State under the British Raj . After Indian independence, Samyukta Maharashtra Samiti demanded unification of all Marathi-speaking regions under one state. At that time, Babasaheb Ambedkar was of the opinion that linguistic reorganisation of states should be done on a "One state One language" principle and not on a "One language – One state" principle. He submitted a memorandum to the reorganisation commission stating that a "single government can not administer such a huge state as United Maharashtra".

The first state reorganisation committee created the current Maharashtra state on 1 May 1960 (known as Maharashtra Day ). The Marathi-speaking areas of Bombay State, Deccan states and Vidarbha (which was part of Central Provinces and Berar) united, under the agreement known as Nagpur Pact , to form the current state.


Etymology

The modern Marathi language developed from the Maharashtri Prakrit , and the word Marhatta (later used for the Marathas) is found in the Jain Maharashtri literature. The terms Maharashtra, Maharashtri, Marathi and Maratha may have derived from the same root. However, their exact etymology is uncertain.

The most widely accepted theory among the scholars is that the words Maratha and Maharashtra ultimately derive from a compound of Maha (Sanskrit for "great") and rashtrika. The word rashtrika is a Sanskritised form of Ratta , the name of a tribe or a dynasty of petty chiefs ruling in the Deccan region. Another theory is that the term is derived from Maha ("great") and rathi or ratha (great chariot driver), which refers to a skillful northern fighting force that migrated southward into the area.

An alternative theory states that the term derives from the words Maha ("Great") and Rashtra ("nation/ dominion"). However, this theory has not found acceptance among modern scholars who believe it to be the Sanskritised interpretation of later writers.
Yet another theory, popular among the Dalit activists and the nineteenth-century British writers in India, was that the term means "the nation of Mahars " (Mahar + Rashtra). This theory, too, is not widely accepted: it is unlikely that the term derives from the name of a Dalit (outcaste) community.


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Maharashtra Culture

State: Maharashtra
Language: Marathi

Marathi is the language of Maharashtrians. Maharashtrians take great pride in their language and history, particularly the Maratha Empire , its founder Shivaji is considered a folk hero across India .


Overview

About 82% of Maharashtrians are Hindu, and there are significant Muslim, Christian and Buddhist minorities. There are many temples in Maharashtra some of them being thousands of years old. These temples are constructed in a fusion of architectural styles borrowed from North and South India. The temples also blend themes from Hindu, Buddhist and Jain cultures. The temple of Vitthal at Pandharpur is the most important temple for the Varkari sect. Other important religious places are the Ashtavinayaka temples of Lord Ganesha , Bhimashankar which is one of the Jyotirling (12 important shiva temples). Ajanta and Ellora caves near Aurangabad are UNESCO World Heritage Sites and famous tourist attractions. Mughal architecture can be seen is the tomb of the wife of Aurangzeb called Bibi Ka Maqbara located at Aurangabad Mumbai is the capital of Maharashtra with Humid climate throughout the year. Maharashtra has a large number of hill, land and sea forts . Forts have played an important role in the history of Maharashtra since the time of the Peshwas. Some of the important forts in Maharashtra are Raigad, Vijaydurg, Pratapgad, Sinhagad. Majority of the forts in Maharashtra are found along the costal region of Konkan.

Marathi Hindus revere Bhakti saints of all castes, such as Dnyaneshwar (Brahmin), Tukaram (Moray Shudra), Namdev (Chhimba Shudra), and Chokhamela ( Mahar). There were several other Harijan saints of Maharastra. They are Sant Banka Mahar, Sant Bhagu, Sant Damajipanth, Sant Kanhopatra, Sant Karmamelam, Sant Nirmala, Sant Sadna, Sant Sakhubai, Sant Satyakam Jabali, Sant Soyarabai. Other important devotees are Namdev Mahar, devotee of Shirdi Sai Baba, lived in Kharagpur and Bhagubai, the wife of Namdev Mahar, devotee of Sai.

In modern times Nisargadatta Maharaj , a Shudra and bidi -seller, became a Hindu saint of major influence in India.

Popular forms of God are Lord Shiva , Lord Krishna and Lord Ganesh .

Lord Shiva's devotion is celebrated by taking part in Maha Shivaratri (Night of Shiva) festival. In modern times, the Elephanta island in Mumbai, Lord's Shiva island in local mythology, originated the Elephant Festival. Lord Krishna's devotion are celebrated in the state-wide Gokul Ashtami (or Krishna Janmashtami, Krishna's birthday ) whereby many devotees fast on the entire day until midnight. Lord Ganesh's devotion is celebrated by Ganesh Chaturthi (Ganesh's birthday) in August.


Lifestyle

The people of the state are known to wear different colorful types of costumes and there is variation in dance and music according to people's specific localities. Dance forms like Powada, Lavani , Koli with mesmerizing music and rhythmic movement entertain the people of Maharashtra.

The state is divided into 5 different regions: namely Konkan region, Khandesh (Northern maharashtra), Paschim maharashtra, Marathwada, Vidarbha. According to geographical variations and a little change in the dialects are also seen in these regions. Generally, in olden days, men wore dhoti and pheta, while a choli and nine yard saree is common for women, particularly in Maharashtra, where it is worn in a very peculiar and unique way. Nowadays, young Maharashtrans commonly embrace contemporary fashion.

The Konkan and Varadi cuisines are popular with tourists. The specialty dishes of Maharashtran cuisines are often strong in pepper and spice; well-known dishes include vada pav and Mumbai chaat.

History of Maharashtra

Marathi is the language of Maharashtrians. Maharashtrians take great pride in their language and history, particularly the Maratha Empire , its founder Shivaji is considered a folk hero across India .

The antiquity of this region can be traced to approximately the 3rd century BC. Marathi, which evolved from Maharastri-Prakrit, has been the lingua franca of the people of this area from the 10th century onwards. The oldest stone inscriptions in Marathi language can be seen at Shravana Belgola in Karnataka at the foot of the Bahubali Statue (Jain). And, in the course of time, the term 'Maharashtra' was used to describe a region which consisted of Aparanta , Vidarbha , Mulak, Ashmak and Kuntal. The tribal communities of Nags, Munds and Bhills inhabited this area, also known as Dandakaranya , in ancient times. They were joined by the Aryas, the Shakas and the Huns , who came from the North, as well as by foreigners, who arrived by sea.


Maharashtra during 4th century BC-12th century

The region that is present day Maharashtra was part of a number of empires in the first milinium. These include the Satavahana dynasty, the Chalukya dynasty and the Rashtrakuta dynasty . And Most of these empires extended over a large swathes of Indian territory. Some of the greatest monuments in Maharashtra such as the Ajantha and Ellora Caves were built during the time of these empires.

Maharashtra was ruled by the Maurya Empire in the 4th and 3rd century BC. Around 230 BCE Maharashtra came under the rule of the Satavahana dynasty which ruled the region for 400 years. The greatest ruler of the Satavahana Dynasty was Gautamiputra Satakarni . The Chalukya dynasty ruled Maharashtra from the 6th
century to the 8th century and the two prominent rulers were Pulakesi II , who defeated the north Indian Emperor Harsha and Vikramaditya II , who defeated the Arab invaders in the 8th century. The Rashtrakuta Dynasty ruled Maharashtra from the 8th to the 10th century. The Arab traveler Sulaiman called the ruler of the Rashtrakuta Dynasty ( Amoghavarsha ) as "one of the 4 great kings of the world". From the early 11th century to the 12th century the Deccan Plateau was dominated by the Western Chalukya Empire and the Chola dynasty. Several battles were fought between the Western Chalukya Empire and the Chola dynasty in the Deccan Plateau during the reigns of Raja Raja Chola I, Rajendra Chola I , Jayasimha II , Somesvara III and Vikramaditya VI.


Seuna dynasty 12th-14th century

The Yadavas of Devagiri Dynasty was an Indian dynasty, which at its peak ruled a kingdom stretching from the Tungabhadra to the Narmada rivers, including present-day Maharashtra, north Karnataka and parts of Madhya Pradesh , from its capital at Devagiri (present-day Daulatabad in modern Maharashtra). The Yadavas initially ruled as feudatories of the Western Chalukyas . Around the middle of the 12th century, as the Chalukya power waned, they declared independence and established rule that reached its peak under Singhana II. The Yadavas of Devagiri patronised Marathi which was their court language. Kannada may also have been a court language during Seunachandra's rule, but Marathi was the only court-language of Ramchandra and Mahadeva Yadavas. The Yadava capital Devagiri became a magnet for learned scholars in Marathi to showcase and find patronage for their skills. The origin and growth of Marathi literature is directly linked with rise of Yadava dynasty.


Islamic Rule

Islamic rule came to the region with the Khilji dynasty in the 14th century. The Tughlaq Dynasty that followed the Khiljis tried to move their capital from Delhi to Daulatabad in Central Maharashtra with disastrous consequences. Later from 15th century, the Bahamani Sultanate and its offshoots, the Nizamshahi of Ahmadnagar, Adilshahi of Bijapur and the Qutubshahi of Govalkonda ruled different parts of the region until they were either swallowed by the Moghul empire or by the emerging Maratha forces in the second half of 17th Century.


The Marathas

The Marathas dominated the political scene in Maharashtra from the middle of the 17th century to the early 19th century. Although for historical purposes the term 'Maratha' is used in a comprehensive sense to include all Marathi-speaking people, actually the word signifies the distinct community which has dominated the political scene of Maharashtra since medieval times.

References to the Marathas and their country are found in accounts by the Arab geographer, Al Biruni (1030 AD), Friar Jordanus (c. 1326) and Ibn Batuta (1340), the African traveller. The Marathas came into political prominence only in the 17th century under Shivaji .


Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj


Shivaji was an able warrior and established a government that included such modern concepts as cabinet (Ashtapradhan mandal), foreign affairs (Dabir) and internal intelligence. Shivaji established an effective civil and military administration. He also built a powerful navy and erected new forts like Sindhudurg and strengthened old ones like Vijayadurg on the west coast. The Maratha navy held its own against the British, Portuguese and Dutch till Maratha internal conflict brought their downfall in 1756.

Shivaji is well known for his fatherly attitude towards his subjects. He believed that the state belonged to the people. He encouraged all socio-economic groups to participate in the ongoing political changes. To this day he is remembered as a just and welfare-minded king. He brought revolutionary changes in military, fort architecture, society and politics. Because of his struggle against an imperial power, Shivaji became an icon of freedom fighters (along with the Rani of Jhansi) in the Indian independence struggle that followed two centuries later. He is remembered as a just and wise king and his rule is called one of the six golden pages in Indian history.

School texts in Maharashtra glorify Shivaji's period and he is considered the founder of the modern Marathi nation; his policies were instrumental in forging a distinct Maharashtrian identity. Indeed, Marathi Hindus, Dalits, Muslims, Christians and Buddhists, all Consider him as a hero. A popular quotation,

“
"Maratha tituka milavava
Maharashtra Dharma vadhavava" ”

translates as, "Bring as many people into Maratha domain as possible and grow the Maharashtra Nation".


Expansion of Maratha Influence under Shahu 1 rule

The death of Aurangzeb in 1707 after an exhausting 27 years of war against Marathas led to the swift decline of the Moghul empire. The Marathas, under the leadership the Bhat family of Peshwas , rapidly filled the power vacuum and occupied much of the subcontinent in the following decades.


Maharashtra under British rule and The Freedom Movement

The British East India Company slowly expanded areas under its rule during the 18th century. Their conquests of what is Maharashtra was completed in 1818 with the defeat of Peshwa Bajirao II in the Third Anglo- Maratha War.

Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar , the first Law Minister of India, an erudite scholar with a number of doctorates, and a Barrister, championed the cause of Depressed Classes of India, the lower caste population who were oppressed for centuries. Dr. Ambedkar disagreed with mainstream leaders like Gandhi on issues including untouchability, government system and Partition of India . This did not prevent him from struggling for the rights of his brethren among the lower castes of the country. His leadership of Dalit or Depressed Classes, lead to the Dalit movement that still endures. Dr. Ambedkar most importantly played the pivotal role in writing the constitution of India and hence he is considered as the father of the Indian Constitution .

Lokmanya Tilak played a major role in the Indian independence movement. He was widely recognised as a leader of national importance & a man of method. Being a person with an extremist attitude, he was instrumental in encouraging the Indian masses in participating in the freedom struggle.

“Swarajya ha majha janmasiddha hakka ahe, ।
ani toh mi milavnarach! ।।
Swaraj (self-rule) is my birthright & I will achieve it! ”

The ultimatum in 1942 to the British to " Quit India " was given in Mumbai, and culminated in the transfer of power and the independence of India in 1947. Raosaheb and Achutrao Patwardhan, Nanasaheb Gore, S.M. Joshi , Yeshwantrao Chavan, Swami Ramanand Bharti, Nana Patil, Dhulappa Navale, V.S. Page, Vasant Patil, Dhondiram Mali, Aruna Asif Ali , Ashfaqulla Khan and several others leaders from Maharashtra played a prominent role in this struggle. BG Kher was the first Chief Minister of the tri-lingual Bombay Presidency in 1937.

Other revolutionaries from Maharashtra: Vinayak Damodar Savarkar, Shivaram Rajguru , Vishwanath Vaishampayan, Ganesh Damodar Savarkar, Vasudev Balwant Phadke , and Chapekar brothers .

Introduction of Maharashtra

State : Maharashtra
Country : India
Region : Western India
Capital : Mumbai
Districts :35
Big City : Mumbai
Official Language : Marathi
Languages: Marathi, Hindi, English

Maharashtra is one of the most industrialized states of India, it occupies the western and central parts of the country and extends over the Sahyadri mountains; a vast stretch of 720 kilometers of the Arabian sea coast providing it a beautiful backdrop. The present state of Maharashtra was formed on May 1, 1960 on uni-lingual principle by carving it out of the erstwhile Mumbai state, which included the predominantly Marathi-speaking areas as the former princely state of Hyderabad as well as the Central Provinces and Berar.