Kolhapur (pronunciationⓘ) is a city on the banks of the Panchganga River in the southern part of the Indian state of Maharashtra.

[5] Kolhapur is one of the most significant cities in South Maharashtra and has been a hub of historical, religious, and cultural activities for centuries.

The city is situated in the western part of Maharashtra and is often referred to as "Dakshin Kashi" or "Mahateerth".

[6] The region is known for the production of the famous handcrafted and braided leather slippers called Kolhapuri chappal, which received the Geographical Indication designation in 2019.

"[5] Before India became independent in 1947, Kolhapur was a princely state under the Bhosale Chhatrapati of the Maratha Confederacy.

[9] According to legend, the demon Kolhasur renounced asceticism after his sons were killed by the gods for harassing people.

He committed numerous crimes during this period until the goddess returned after the hundred years were over and killed him for his sins.

'[11] Stone inscriptions from the Shilahar kingdom, which ruled this region from 8–12 C.A.D., mention this area as 'kshullakpur' (the first stage of Jain monkhood) and 'Kalapuri,' a city with beautifully carved temples.

Their family deity was the goddess Ambabai, whose blessing they claimed to have secured in their copperplate grants (Mahalakshmi-labdha-vara-prasada).

Like their relatives of the northern branch of Konkan, the Shilaharas of Kolhapur claimed to be of the lineage of Vidyadhara Jimutavahana, a Jain scholar.

The first capital of the Shilaharas was probably at Karad during the reign of Jatiga II, as known from their copper plate grant of Miraj and 'Vikramankadevacharita' of Bilhana.

[12] Later, although the capital was shifted to Kolhapur, some of their grants mention Valavada and the hill fort of Pranalaka or Padmanala (Panhala) as the places of royal residence.

[13] An inscription at Terdal states that the king Gonka (1020 – 1050 CE) was bitten by a snake then healed by a Jain monk.

Around 1055 CE, during the reign of Bhoja I (Shilahara dynasty), a dynamic Acharya (spiritual guide) named Maghanandi (Kolapuriya) founded a religious institute at the Rupanarayana Jain temple (basadi).

In 1052 CE, following the Battle of Koppam, the victor, Rajendra Chola II, marched on to Kolhapur and erected a jayastambha (victory pillar).

[14] Between 1109 and 1178 CE, the Kopeshwar temple to Lord Shiva was built by Shilahara kings, Gandaraditya I, Vijayaditya, and Bhoja II in Khidrapur, Kolhapur.

Kolhapur is mentioned in the Devi Gita, the final chapter of the Devi-Bhagavata Purana, a text of Shaktism.

The city receives abundant rainfall from June to September, attributed to its proximity to the Western Ghats.

It has five tributaries which supply the city and surroundings – the Bhogavati, Tulsi, Kumbhi, Kasari and Dhamani rivers.

The city is divided into five wards, named with the letters A to E. The corporation provides services such as sewage treatment and free cremation for residents and has made a number of improvements, for example, the Kolhapur Road Project,[23] the Anti-Encroachment Drive to stop illegal building activity encroaching on the city's open spaces, and the Suvarna Jayanti Nagarotthan Project to improve roads and storm water management.

[31] Kolhapur is also an industrial city with approximately 300 foundries generating exports with a value of 15 billion rupees per year.

Shivaji Udyamnagar is an industrial area in the city with a rich entrepreneurial tradition of more than 100 years and specializing in oil engines.

The city is the home of Kolhapuri chappal, a handcrafted buffalo leather slipper that is locally tanned using vegetable dyes.

[33][34][35] Other handicrafts include hand block printing of textiles, silver, bead and paste jewellery crafting, pottery, wood carving and lacquerware, brass sheet work and oxidised silver artwork, and lace and embroidery making.

Pandhara Rassa, which can be loosely translated as white curry, is a soup-like dish made from mutton stock and coconut milk infused with spices like cinnamon, coriander, ginger, and garlic.

[43] Other Marathi language newspapers include Sakal, Loksatta, Lokmat, Kesari, Saamna, Tarun Bharat, and Punyanagari.

During this golden age, he built Akharas or Taleems (as they are colloquially called) all over Kolhapur and organized wrestling tournaments, inviting wrestlers from across the Indian sub-continent.

Nimbalkar (former Ranji cricketer), Suhas Khamkar (Mr. Asia, Winner), Virdhawal Khade (Indian Olympian in swimming), Tejaswini Sawant (Arjuna awardee, world championship gold medalist shooter), Rahi Sarnobat (Arjuna awardee, Asian Gold medalist in shooting), Rucha Pujari (chess – Woman International Master), Shahu Mane also belong to the city.

The Chhatrapati Shahu Maharaj Terminus links Kolhapur via rail to India's major cities with express services to miraj, Sangli, Pune, Mumbai, Bengaluru and New Delhi.

Kolhapur has educational institutions for engineering, medicine, management studies, pharmaceutical sciences and agriculture.