Wai, Maharashtra

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?Wai Maharashtra • India
Image:India-locator-map-blank.svg Image:Locator Dot.svg Wai
Coordinates: 17°56′N 73°54′E / 17.93, 73.9
Time zone	IST (UTC+5:30)
Area • Elevation	• 718 m (2,356 ft)
District(s)	Satara
Population	31,090 (2001)

Coordinates: 17°56′N 73°54′E / 17.93, 73.9

Wai also known as Virat Nagari or Dakshin Kashi is a city and a municipal council in Satara District in the Maharashtra state of India. It is situated near Pune, on the banks of the Krishna river. It is famous for its temples and ghats (banks) on the Krishna river. The famous Dholya Ganapati temple is situated on its Ganapati Ghat. Its STD code is 02167.

1 Geography
2 Demographics
3 Culture
4 Stampede
5 References
6 External links

[edit] Geography

Wai is located at 17.93° N 73.9° E^[1]. It has an average elevation of 718 metres (2355 feet).

[edit] Demographics

As of 2001 India census^[2], Wai had a population of 31,090. Males constitute 51% of the population and females 49%. Wai has an average literacy rate of 77%, higher than the national average of 59.5%: male literacy is 81% and female literacy is 73%. In Wai, 11% of the population is under 6 years of age.

[edit] Culture

"Pradnya Path Shala" and "Vishwakosh" (The Encycloaepdia)are famous cultural institutions of Wai. The work to bring the knowledge and books in different languages in Marathi is done in Vishvakosh.

Wai is also becoming popular as a film-shooting destination, with films like Omkara, Swades, and Gangajal being shot in the vicinity. It is surrounded by the mountainous region of the Sahyadris and a dam (Dhom-dam).

[edit] Krishnabai festival

Krishnabai is the main festival celebrated in Wai. When Chatrapati Shivaji went to meet Afazal Khan, Shende Shastri from Wai prayed to the river Krishna (personified as the goddess Krishnabai) for Shivaji's victory. The Krishnabai Utsav (festival) marks this incident. There are seven ghats where the utsav is celebrated each ranging from 4-8 days. Different shows are performed, which include performances by well known celebrities as well as talented local groups.

[edit] Education

"Pradnya path Shala" and "Vishwakosh"[[1]] have been doing the great work. The modern institutes of learning are

"Kisan Vir Mahavidyalaya"(Janata Shikshan Samstha)
"Dravid High School" (Deccan Education Society)
"Kanya Shala" ( Maharshi Karve Stree Shikshan Samstha)
"Maharshi Shinde VidyaMandir"( Swami Vivekanand Sanstha )
"Tarktirth LakshamanShastri Joshi Vidyalaya"( Yashavant Shikshan Sanstha )

[edit] Training Institutes

There is a training center for weaving silk garments run by the state governemnet on the way from Wai to Panchgani.

[edit] Industry

Tourism

As with many places in India the tourist potential remains largely unnoticed. The small distance from Pune and Mahabaleshwar in addition to moderate weather throughout the year,should have made the town a hit on tourist map. Especially the temples could be great attraction.

Engineering

A MIDC industrial zone near Bhuinj has seen some activities.

[edit] Stampede

Wai (Mandharadevi in Wai Taluk)was the site of a stampede at the Mandher Devi temple on 25 January, 2005 when some of the devotees, who had gathered on the auspicious occasion of Shakambhari Purnima (full moon), slipped and fell at the entrance of the sanctum sanctorum because of the excess oil near the Deepmaal (lamp tower) and coconut water on the floor. This created panic among the 2 lakh people present there. This was a result of the approach being made narrower by the presence of temporary stalls. Subsequently, gas cylinders in these stalls began exploding. Eyewitnesses reported that about 25 cylinders exploded covering the area in dense smoke.^[3]^[4]

Other sources state that an electrical short circuit and resultant explosion in a transformer with a loud bang caused panic among the devotees leading to the stampede. Impatient devotees broke into violence and torched nearby mandaps and pandals (temporary structures built at sites of occasions). At least 400 people, most of them women and children, were killed and over 450 injured in the stampede.^[3]