Shrivardhan
Encyclopedia
- For the fort in Satara see Shrivardhan fortShrivardhan fortShrivardhan fort is one of the two hill forts that constitute the Rajmachi fortification, the other being Manaranjan fort. It is located in Rajmachi village which 8.5 km from Lonavala in the Sahyadris mountain range. At 900 m above sea level it was the taller of the two peaks. Other than a...
Shrivardhan is a city and a municipal council
Municipal council
A municipal council is the local government of a municipality. Specifically the term can refer to the institutions of various countries that can be translated by this term...
in Raigad district
Raigad district
Raigad District , also known as Raigarh District, is a district in the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is located in the Konkan region. The district was renamed after Raigad, the fort which was the former capital of the Maratha leader Shivaji, and is located in the interior regions of the district,...
in the India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n state
States and territories of India
India is a federal union of states comprising twenty-eight states and seven union territories. The states and territories are further subdivided into districts and so on.-List of states and territories:...
of Maharashtra
Maharashtra
Maharashtra is a state located in India. It is the second most populous after Uttar Pradesh and third largest state by area in India...
. It has developed into a seaside resort, along with the nearby town of Harihareshwar
Harihareshwar
Harihareshwar is a town in Raigad district, in Maharashtra, India. It is surrounded by four hills named after lords Harihareshwar, Harshinachal, Bramhadri and Pushpadri. The river Savitri enters the Arabian Sea from the town of Harihareshwar. Towards the north of the town is the temple of Lord...
, which also has a Shiva
Shiva
Shiva is a major Hindu deity, and is the destroyer god or transformer among the Trimurti, the Hindu Trinity of the primary aspects of the divine. God Shiva is a yogi who has notice of everything that happens in the world and is the main aspect of life. Yet one with great power lives a life of a...
temple. Shrivardhan town itself does have many beaches (Its a Peninsula) - also there are other beautiful beach destinations nearby - like Diveagar Beach
Diveagar Beach
Diveagar is one of the best beachside villages along the Konkan coast in Raigad district of the state of Maharashtra, India….Diveagar Beach is located approximately 170 kilometers south of Mumbai. The beach is accessible from the Mumbai-Goa highway .Diveagar beach is or approximately six...
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Diveagar-Shrivardhan/109782895759592 and Kondivali beach. People from across Maharashtra
Maharashtra
Maharashtra is a state located in India. It is the second most populous after Uttar Pradesh and third largest state by area in India...
come to Shrivardhan and the nearby beaches all round the year.
Srivardhan (taluka) is an ancient place of historical importance and is mentioned as being visited by Arjuna Pandav in his pilgrimage. It is well known place for traders in the past. In sixteenth and seventeenth centuries under Ahmadnagar and afterwards under Bijapur shrivardhan was a port of consequence. It appears in the accounts of leading European travellers as Ziffardan. In 1538 Dom Joao de Castro described it as with little water in the pier at low tide but inside large and roomy. It is notable as the birth-place of Balaji Visvanath (attached monument in Srivardhan), the first Pesva (1713–1720) who was the Desmukh of the town. In 1713 Srivardhan was one of the sixteen fortified places in the Konkan ceded by Balaji Visvanath Pesva to Kanhoji Angre of Kolaba. Balaji was the first Peshwa of Maratha Empire appointed by Chattrapati Shahu, grandson of Chhatrapati Shivaji
History
Shrivardhan is one of the oldest towns in Maharashtra. It is a town of PeshwaPeshwa
A Peshwa is the titular equivalent of a modern Prime Minister. Emporer Shivaji created the Peshwa designation in order to more effectively delegate administrative duties during the growth of the Maratha Empire. Prior to 1749, Peshwas held office for 8-9 years and controlled the Maratha army...
s. The Bhat
Bhat
Bhat meaning a priest or scribe in Sanskrit, is a surname common in most parts of Nepal. A predominantly Hindu last name, it is found most commonly in the states of coastal areas of Karnataka, Jammu & Kashmir, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, Lalitpur district of Uttar Pradesh, is a...
s of Shrivardhan - later popularly known as Peshwas - witnessed the rise and fall of Maratha
Maratha
The Maratha are an Indian caste, predominantly in the state of Maharashtra. The term Marāthā has three related usages: within the Marathi speaking region it describes the dominant Maratha caste; outside Maharashtra it can refer to the entire regional population of Marathi-speaking people;...
s after Shivaji's period. Though the capital of Peshwas was Pune
Pune
Pune , is the eighth largest metropolis in India, the second largest in the state of Maharashtra after Mumbai, and the largest city in the Western Ghats. Once the centre of power of the Maratha Empire, it is situated 560 metres above sea level on the Deccan plateau at the confluence of the Mula ...
, the actual Peshwa (prime-ministership under a symbolic king) started here in 1713. Balaji Vishwanath
Balaji Vishwanath
Balaji Vishwanath Bhat , better known as Peshwa Balaji Vishwanath, was the first of a series of hereditary Peshwas hailing from the Brahmin family who gained effective control of the Maratha Empire during the 18th century...
(the First Peshwa) took the control of Peshwai which was continued till 1818. The Peshwas administered the Maratha
Maratha
The Maratha are an Indian caste, predominantly in the state of Maharashtra. The term Marāthā has three related usages: within the Marathi speaking region it describes the dominant Maratha caste; outside Maharashtra it can refer to the entire regional population of Marathi-speaking people;...
kingdom for more than 100 years. The third Peshwa Balaji Bajirao built a huge house here in 1750, which has been recently renovated. The statue of Balaji Vishwanath was also built here in 1988.
The temple in the town - Shri Laxminarayan Temple - is the main temple of Peshwas. The idol in the temple is quite old and said to be of Hoysala architecture
Hoysala architecture
Hoysala architecture is the building style developed under the rule of the Hoysala Empire between the 11th and 14th centuries, in the region known today as Karnataka, a state of India. Hoysala influence was at its peak in the 13th century, when it dominated the Southern Deccan Plateau region...
style. The other temples in the town are of Kusumdevi, Somjai, Bhairavnath and Jivaneshwar.
Geographic Location
Shrivardhan is located in Raigad District of State of Maharashtra.Coordinates 18°02′00″N 73°01′00″E / 18.0333°N 73.0167°E / 18.0333; 73.0167
Demographics
India censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
, Shrivardhan had a population of 15,187. Males constitute 49% of the population and females 51%. Shrivardhan has an average literacy rate of 74%, higher than the national average of 59.5%: male literacy is 80%, and female literacy is 68%. In Shrivardhan, 12% of the population is under 6 years of age.
View Map of Shrivardhan here: http://classic.mapmyindia.com/mappage.php?hgtry=sdfghjkl&location=Shrivardhan&city=Raigarh+Dist.&state=Maharashtra&address=&phone=&pin=&x_pan=200&PC=&y_pan=200&scr_x=258&scr_y=246&clicked=&sendmode=1&zoom=9&tool=1
Education
There are 130 Primary Schools in Shrivardhan Taluka and there are 3 schools in Shrivardhan City.There is routine chool Health Check up organized by National Rural Health Mission doctors to assess the Health status of school going children.
Schools in Shrivardhan Taluka are covered under the Mid Day Meal program, which assures good quality protein rich food to the school going children.
Languages
Alongside MarathiMarathi language
Marathi is an Indo-Aryan language spoken by the Marathi people of western and central India. It is the official language of the state of Maharashtra. There are over 68 million fluent speakers worldwide. Marathi has the fourth largest number of native speakers in India and is the fifteenth most...
there are around 4 languages and/or dialects spoken in the town. In addition to Marathi
Marathi language
Marathi is an Indo-Aryan language spoken by the Marathi people of western and central India. It is the official language of the state of Maharashtra. There are over 68 million fluent speakers worldwide. Marathi has the fourth largest number of native speakers in India and is the fifteenth most...
, few other languages are commonly spoken: Marathi
Marathi language
Marathi is an Indo-Aryan language spoken by the Marathi people of western and central India. It is the official language of the state of Maharashtra. There are over 68 million fluent speakers worldwide. Marathi has the fourth largest number of native speakers in India and is the fifteenth most...
is the preferred language of 99% of the town’s residents and Konkani which is part of Marathi literature
Konkani language
KonkaniKonkani is a name given to a group of several cognate dialects spoken along the narrow strip of land called Konkan, on the west coast of India. This is, however, somewhat an over-generalisation. Geographically, Konkan is defined roughly as the area between the river Damanganga to the north...
1%.
Places of Interest near Srivardhan
The distance between Srivardhan and HarihareshwarHarihareshwar
Harihareshwar is a town in Raigad district, in Maharashtra, India. It is surrounded by four hills named after lords Harihareshwar, Harshinachal, Bramhadri and Pushpadri. The river Savitri enters the Arabian Sea from the town of Harihareshwar. Towards the north of the town is the temple of Lord...
is 18 km only and they both can be considered as twin cities
Twin cities
Twin cities are a special case of two cities or urban centres which are founded in close geographic proximity and then grow into each other over time...
. Good accommodation is available at Harihareshwar.
Diveagar is a quieter place than both Srivardhan or Harihareshwar.Its a place which has come to notice just recently and slowly becoming a tourist attraction
Tourist attraction
A tourist attraction is a place of interest where tourists visit, typically for its inherent or exhibited cultural value, historical significance, natural or built beauty, or amusement opportunities....
.
Accommodation
- You will find many hotels / resorts in Shrivardhan, Harihareswar or Dive Agar.
- You can also search at MTDC website for MTDC accommodation at HarihareshwarHarihareshwarHarihareshwar is a town in Raigad district, in Maharashtra, India. It is surrounded by four hills named after lords Harihareshwar, Harshinachal, Bramhadri and Pushpadri. The river Savitri enters the Arabian Sea from the town of Harihareshwar. Towards the north of the town is the temple of Lord...
or Bed and Breakfast contacts. MTDC website
- Savli (The Village) Resort Shrivardhan, (Juneshwar Pakdhadi, Juna Road, Raigad), ☎ 9869315145/02147222080. Savli Resort Website
Transport
Rickshaws and Six Seaters are available for travel between Srivardhan and Harihareshwar. And also Maharashtra state transport buses available.Shrivardhan By Bus
Shrivardhan is well connected to all neighboring cities by Government owned buses. Buses connect Mumbai (185 km), Pune (163 km), Harihareshwar (20 km) and PanvelPanvel
Panvel is city and a municipal council in Raigad district in the state of Maharashtra. Panvel is also known as the gateway of Konkan region. It adjoins Navi Mumbai, and is just after the Thane district border. Panvel is located on the Yashwantrao Chavan Expressway about 21 kilometres from...
(125 km).
Shrivardhan By Train
Nearest railhead is MangaonMangaon
Mangaon is a town in district of Raigad in the Indian state of Maharashtra.It is located on Mumbai-Goa National Highway .Places to see near Mangaon are Raigad fort and Harihareshwar Shiv temple.-See also:...
, which is 45 km away from Shrivardhan and this railway station in Konkan rail is well connected to Pune and Mumbai.