Sangli, a very cheerful and lively city located in western Maharashtra near the Karnataka border, is the place of my first posting in my current job. Having spent my early life in a small town like Gonda near Ayodhya in Uttar Pradesh, I do not enjoy the hustle and bustle of big metro cities.
So, when I came to a city like Sangli, it felt as if I had returned to my own town. There are very few cities that make outsiders feel at home so quickly with their soulful behavior. Sangli city is just like that. My few lines about Sangli express my feelings about this city:
Dil ke bade hi nek hain andaaz makhmali,
Angoor aur haldi ka bazaar changli,
Pratikool havaon mein bhi befikr ye shehar,
Krishna nadi ki god mein aabaad Sangli.
“Changli” in Marathi means “very good.” Be it floods or the times of the Corona pandemic, I have seen this city face every situation bravely. Sangli has many places to visit and its trade is also well-organized.
Here, I am expressing some of the special features of Sangli city in my own words:
➥Sangli’s Turmeric Business
Turmeric is used in our kitchen as a spice and as an ancient Indian Ayurvedic medicine. Its benefits are well-known to both common people and the elite. In Sangli, turmeric is produced on a very large scale, and the market here is one of the largest in the country. Turmeric from Sangli is also exported abroad. Sangli’s turmeric has been granted a Geographical Indicator (GI Tag), which is given to products that have a specific geographical origin and possess good quality.
➥Sangli’s Grapes & Raisin
The grapes grown in Sangli are also very delicious. Generally, both green and black varieties of grapes are cultivated here. You can easily see grape vineyards along the roadside in Sangli. The harvest season is from January to March. There is a high demand for these grapes abroad, and thus, a large quantity of grapes from here is exported overseas.
I have had the opportunity to visit these vineyards several times, and believe me, there is nothing like the experience of eating fresh grapes right from the vineyards. Due to the large-scale grape production, raisins are also produced here in significant quantities. The high-quality raisins from Sangli are sent across the country as well as exported abroad.
➥Ganapati Temple
The Ganpati Temple in Sangli is a major attraction of the city. Located on the banks of the Krishna River, this is a very ancient temple, and I really like its structure made of black stone. The entrance of this temple is very large and attractive. The environment here is very peaceful. Besides the main temple, there are four other temples in the courtyard. There is a lot of greenery inside the temple, and the pairs of large stone elephants enhance the temple’s grandeur.
➥Krishna River Ghat
I consider the Krishna River, which flows through the city, to be the lifeline of Sangli. The agriculture, trade, and prosperity of Sangli today are directly or indirectly due to the Krishna River. A very beautiful ghat has been constructed on the Krishna River near the Ganpati Temple. In the morning, you can see people swimming here, while in the evening, people can be seen sitting on the steps of the ghat enjoying the beautiful sunset view.
You can also enjoy boating here. During the Ganpati Festival, a large crowd gathers for the idol immersion, making the atmosphere even more lively. There is also a beautiful garden near the Krishna River ghat.
➥Narsinh Wadi
Geographically, Narsinh Wadi is located in Kolhapur district, but it is quite close to Sangli city, approximately 22 kilometers away. It is also known as Narsoba Wadi. Here, the Krishna River and the Panchganga River converge. The place is named Narsinh Wadi because of the temple of Shri Narsinh Saraswati, who is considered an incarnation of Lord Dattatray. There is a small market near the temple where you can have tea and snacks. In the evening, sitting on the ghat and watching the confluence of the two rivers is a pleasant experience.
➥Dandoba Hills
Located just 32 kilometers from Sangli city, Dandoba Hills becomes a very picturesque site during the monsoon season. The greenery and weather here provide great peace to the mind. You can reach here either by car or by trekking. The sounds of peacocks resonate in the area. I also saw the nests of baya weaver birds on the trees here. There is an ancient temple on top of Dandoba Hill. If you visit Sangli during the rainy season, be sure to visit Dandoba Hills.
➥Chandoli National Park and Sahayadri Tiger Reserve
Located in the Shirala tehsil of Sangli, Chandoli National Park and Sahyadri Tiger Reserve is my favorite place. This place becomes extremely beautiful during the monsoon rains. I really enjoyed visiting here. Seeing the green terraced rice fields on the hills was a wonderful experience.
There are many waterfalls to see here. The entire area around Chandoli National Park is worth exploring. If you visit Sangli, be sure to come here during the monsoon season. To see tigers in the Sahyadri Tiger Reserve, visit after September when it opens to tourists.
➥Haripur
Located about 5 kilometers from Sangli city, Haripur is where the Krishna River and Warna River converge. Here, you can also enjoy boating. There are concrete steps built on the ghats of the confluence where people sit and watch the beautiful sunset in the evening. A temple dedicated to Goddess Krishna Mai has been built on the banks of the river. Near the confluence, there is also the Sangameshwar Temple dedicated to Lord Shiva. Many local children can be seen playing cricket near the confluence.
➥Miraj’s Musical Instruments & Health Tourism
Sangli and Miraj are twin cities located just 8 kilometers apart. Miraj is renowned nationally and internationally for the musical instruments produced here. Primarily, sitars, sarods, and tanpuras are manufactured here. In addition to this, Miraj is home to many government, semi-government, and private hospitals where people from Maharashtra as well as from Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, and other parts of the country come for medical treatment.
➥Sangli’s Sugarcane Production & Sugar Factories
A notable aspect of Western Maharashtra is the extensive cultivation of sugarcane. Situated amidst the Krishna, Warna, and Panchganga rivers, Sangli is a highly fertile region. Due to well-organized irrigation and abundant monsoon rains, sugarcane crops thrive here.
Walking around the fields here, I feel like I am wandering near the fields of my hometown in Eastern Uttar Pradesh. With a significant sugarcane belt, Sangli boasts more than 10 sugar factories. I’ve also had the opportunity to visit several of these sugar factories. Therefore, it can be said that these sugar factories contribute significantly to the economy and revenue of Sangli.
Apart from all these features, Sangli also has other attractions such as the Ganpati Temple in Tasgaon, the Ambrai Club, flower fields in Palus, and more. So whenever you visit the western part of Maharashtra, be sure to visit Sangli.
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➜ Don’t forget to do these in Sangli: Visit the Ganpati Temple, see the grape gardens, visit Krishna Ghat, explore Chandoli during the monsoon, go to Dandoba Hills, and visit Narsinh Wadi.
➜ How to reach Sangli: The nearest airport is in Kolhapur, about 45 kilometers away, and the nearest railway station is in Miraj, which is well-connected to cities like Pune, Mumbai, and Delhi by trains. Sangli can also be easily reached by road from Pune, Belgaum, Kolhapur, and other major cities.
➜ Best time to visit Sangli: Although Sangli can be visited throughout the year, the best time to see the grape gardens is between January and March, Chandoli is best during the monsoon, and visiting during the Ganpati Festival is also recommended.
➜ Ideal duration for a visit to Sangli: 2 days / 1 night
Information Source: Authentic information sources available on internet, Various Articles and books on the subject & Interaction with local public.
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