Wai

History

Wai has the epithetic name "Dakshin Kashi" (Kashi or Varanasi of the South) because of the city's more than 100 temples. Wai is known in Maharashtra for its ghats on the banks of the Krishna River and its temples, especially the Dholya ganapati temple on Ganapati Ghat. The 17th-century warlord Afzal Khan, representing Ali Adil Shah II of the Bijapur Sultanate, is said to have made his first halt here on his way to the fort Pratapgad of the Maratha ruler Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. A cache of 105 guns, swords and other weapons were found in Wai around 2005.

Geography

Wai is located at , approximately north of the city of Satara. It has an average elevation of . It is surrounded by the mountainous region of the Sahyādris. Dhom Dam, west of Wai, was completed in 1982. Waters held by Dhom and Balakwadi dams, west of Wai taluka, surround the region's remaining small villages. Most residents of small villages moved elsewhere when dams were built. Dhom, Daswadi, Chikhali, Tasgaon, Aasgaon, Wyahli, Dhawli, Dahyat, Jor, Golewadi, Golegaon and Ulumb are major villages which were moved partly and they still exist partly. Nearly from Wai is the village of Borgoan, between Dhom dam and Balkawdi dam, with four waterfalls. Borgoan's residents drink water from the falls year round. Boundaries of Wai taluka: East of Wai are talukas of Khandala and Koregaon. To the west lies the taluka of Mahabaleshwar. The northern border abuts the Pune district. The north-west border is shared with the Raigad district. South of Wai are talukas of Jawali and Satara. A taluka is an Indian sub-district, smaller than a district and larger than a village. Headquarters of Wai taluka is the city of Wai, populated by about 25,000 people. Wai is from Satara, from Pune, and from Mumbai. Situated on the Mahad-Pandharpur State Highway, Wai is a major city on the way to the hill stations of Mahabaleshwar and Panchgani. Wai taluka has seven ghats on the Krishna's banks: Gangapuri, Madhi Aali, Ganpati Aali, Dharmapuri, Brahmanshahi, Ramdoh Aali and Bhimkund Aali.

Most-observed species

• Red-vented Bulbul

  Pycnonotus cafer (Linnaeus, 1766) · Aves
  498
• Red-whiskered Bulbul

  Pycnonotus jocosus (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  464
• Jungle Babbler

  Turdoides striata (Dumont, 1823) · Aves
  311
• White-cheeked Barbet

  Psilopogon viridis (Boddaert, 1783) · Aves
  311
• Pied Bushchat

  Saxicola caprata (Linnaeus, 1766) · Aves
  299
• Large-billed Crow

  Corvus macrorhynchos Wagler, 1827 · Aves
  298
• Spotted Dove

  Spilopelia chinensis (Scopoli, 1786) · Aves
  275
• Indian Scimitar-Babbler

  Pomatorhinus horsfieldii Sykes, 1832 · Aves
  259

Most recent

• M 4.3 — 2019-06-20
  26 km S of Koynanagar, India
• M 4.4 — 2012-04-14
  11 km ESE of M?khjan, India
• M 4.2 — 2010-01-12
  22 km S of Koynanagar, India
• M 4.4 — 2009-12-12
  26 km SE of M?khjan, India
• M 4.8 — 2009-12-12
  29 km NW of Malk?pur, India
• M 4.8 — 2009-11-14
  21 km NNW of Malk?pur, India