| The 7th century Mahalaxmi temple, made entirely of black stone, is an important religious destination and is always throbbing with life. |
| Just 20 km away from Kolhapur is the hill-station-cum-fort of Panhala, built by Siddi Johar Ibrahim Adil Shah in 1502, which came into Shivaji's hands in 1659. The view from 'saja kothi' where Shivaji's son Sambhaji was imprisoned is awe-inspiring. |
| In Kolhapur, you can shop for its famous footwear, walk around the pretty promenade around Rankala lake and indulge in some spicy Kolhapuri mutton and misal too. |
| Kolhapur is 400 km from Mumbai. Take the Expressway to Pune, and from there the NH4, passing through Satara to get to Kolhapur. There is plenty of decent accommodation available at Kolhapur, but indulge yourself at the Hotel Shalini Palace run by the Chougules of Chateau Indage, the only palace hotel in Maharashtra. Tel: 0231 2630401, double rooms start at Rs 1,400, while the suites are between Rs 2,400 and 3,000. |
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