Satara City
This article has been extracted from THE IMPERIAL GAZETTEER OF INDIA , 1908. OXFORD, AT THE CLARENDON PRESS. |
Note: National, provincial and district boundaries have changed considerably since 1908. Typically, old states, ‘divisions’ and districts have been broken into smaller units, and many tahsils upgraded to districts. Some units have since been renamed. Therefore, this article is being posted mainly for its historical value.
Satara City
Head-quarters of Satara District, Bombay, situated in 17 41' N. and 74 E., 10 miles from Satara Road station on the Southern Mahratta Railway, near the confluence of the Kistna and the Vena. The strong fort of Satara is perched on the summit of a small, steep, rocky hill. It takes its name from the seventeen (satara) walls, towers, and gates which it is supposed to have possessed. At the close of the war with the Peshwa in 1818, it fell, after a short resistance, into the hands of the British, but was restored with the adjacent territory to the representative of Sivajl's line, who, during the Peshwa's ascen- dancy, had lived there as a State prisoner. In 1848, on the death of the last Raja, the principality escheated to the British.
The town, lying at the foot of the hill fortress, consisted in 1820 of one long street of tiled houses, built partly of stone and partly of brick. After the breaking up of the Raja's court, the population considerably decreased. But Satara is still a large place, with a population in 1901 of 26,022, including 2,917 in suburban and 990 in cantonment limits. Hindus numbered 21,795, Muhammadans 3,275, Jains 253, and Christians 599. The municipality, established in 1853, had an average income during the decade ending 1901 of Rs. 69,000. In 1903-4 the income was Rs. 60,000. The suburban municipality, estab- lished in 1890, had an average income during the decade ending 1901 of Rs. 7,400. In 1903-4 the income was Rs. 8,000. Satara has few large or ornamental buildings, with the exception of the Raja's palace now used as the Judge's court. On account of its high position, 2,320 feet above sea-level, the climate is unusually pleasant. The water-supply is obtained by aqueducts and pipes from the Kas lake in the hills, 16 miles from the city. A civil hospital is situated here.
