Kolhapur
Kolhapur is a city situated in the southwest part of Maharashtra. Kolhapur serves as the headquarters of the Kolhapur district. Before Independence, it was a 19 gun zalute princely state ruled by the Bhosale Chhatrapatis of the Maratha Empire. Kolhapur assumes a place amongst the cities having highest per capita income in the country and it's one of the fastest growing cities in Maharashtra.The survey conducted in 2011-12 clearly showed that kolhapur district has per capita income (yearly) of Rs.1,01,044 which is 5 th highest in Maharashtra state and there has been an increase of Rs.17,000 as compared to the earlier survey conducted in year 2010-11. 'Kolhapur' is the fourth city in the Maharashtra state after Mumbai, Pune and Nashik where Maharashtra State government has allowed to construct high rise buildings up to 35 meters taking into consideration the rapid urbanization and tremendous growth of this city. Kolhapur is known as 'dakshin (south) kashi', 'historical capital of maharashtra state', 'door of konkan' as well as 'city of wrestlers ' and 'city of arts'. It is also known as a 'city of palaces and temples'. Kolhapur is situated on the banks of the river Panchganga and is the location of the Temple of Mahalakshmi, a Hindu goddess.
According to Hindu mythology, Kolhapura was settled by Kolhasura, a demon who was later killed by Mahalakshmi to relieve the local populace. However, honouring the demon's dying wish, the city was named after him. Kolhapur finds mentions in Devi Gita, the final and most important chapter of the Srimad Devi Bhagawatam, as one the important places of Shakti "Kollamma" worship, "Devi spoke:..."O King of Mountains! Still I am now telling something out of My affection to My Bhaktas. Hear. There is a great place of pilgrimage named Kollapura in the southern country. Here the Devi Laksmi always dwells...."
During 940-1212 CE, it was the capital of the Shilahara dynasty of Kolhapur. An inscription at Teradal mentions that king Gonka was healed from snakebite by a Jain monk and Gonka built a temple of Lord Neminath. Many Jain temples in this region build in the next few centuries are called Gonka-Jinalya after him. During the reign of Bhoja I, a dynamic Acharya Maghanandi helped establish an institute at Rupanarayana-Basadi. Several kings and nobles of the dynasty were disciples of Maghanandi. Maghanandi is often called Siddhanta-chakravarti i.e. the great master of the scriptures, Gandaraditya I was his disciple. He is sometimes called "Kolapuriya" or walyaa to distinguish him from many other Acharyas with the name Maghanandi.
Kolhapur was the site of intense confrontation between the Western Chalukyas and the Chola kings Rajadhiraja Chola and his younger brother Rajendra Chola II. Following the Battle of Koppam in 1052, Rajendra Chola II marched on to Kolhapur and erected a jayastambha or victory pillar in the city.
The Kopeshwar Shiva Temple
The Kopeshwar (Shiva) Temple, located in Kolhapur district, was built by Shilahara King Gandaraditya, Vijayaditya and Bhoj-II between 1109 and 1178 AD. Kolhapur, historically had a major influence and connections with the prevalent kingdoms of Greece/Rome.
Kolhapur Train Timings
| Train name | Train no. | Arrives | Departs | Starting Station | End Station |
| Rajkot - Secunderabad Special | 718 | 22:25 | 22:30 | Rajkot Junction | Secunderabad Junction |
| Coimbatore - LTT Express | 1014 | 10:35 | 10:45 | Coimbatore Junction | Lokmanyatilak T |
| Chalukya Express | 1018 | 02:15 | 02:20 | Yesvantpur Junction | Dadar |
| Konark Express | 1019 | 19:00 | 19:10 | Mumbai CST | Bhubaneshwar |
| Chennai - Mumbai Mail | 1028 | 23:20 | 23:30 | Chennai Central | Mumbai CST |
| Chennai - Mumbai Express | 1042 | 09:35 | 09:45 | Chennai Central | Mumbai CST |
| LTT-Madurai Express | 1043 | 03:55 | 04:05 | Lokmanyatilak T | Madurai Junction |
| Chennai - Dadar Express | 2164 | 21:35 | 21:45 | Chennai Central | Dadar |
| Samparkranti Express | 2629 | 07:50 | 08:00 | Yesvantpur Junction | H Nizamuddin |
| Hussain Sagar Express | 2701 | 01:20 | 01:30 | Mumbai CST | Hyderabad Junction |
| Ajmer Express | 6210 | 18:30 | 18:40 | Mysore Junction | |
| Trivandrum - Mumbai CST Express | 6332 | 16:30 | 16:40 | Trivandrum Cntl | Mumbai CST |
| CSTM - NCJ Express | 6339 | 15:50 | 16:00 | Mumbai CST | Nagarcoil Junction |
| CSTM - NCJ Express | 6351 | 15:50 | 16:00 | Mumbai CST | Nagarcoil Junction |
| NCJ - CSTM Express | 6352 | 16:30 | 16:40 | Nagarcoil Junction | Mumbai CST |
| CAPE - CSTM Express | 6382 | 00:40 | 00:50 | Kanyakumari | Mumbai CST |
| Ghandhidham Express | 6506 | 18:30 | 18:40 | Bangalore Cy Junction | Gandhidham Junction |
| Jodhpur Express | 6508 | 18:30 | 18:40 | Bangalore Cy Junction | Jodhpur Junction |
| Udyan Express | 6530 | 15:45 | 15:50 | Bangalore Cy Junction | Mumbai CST |
| Garib Nawaz Express | 6532 | 18:30 | 18:40 | Yesvantpur Junction | Ajmer Junction |
| Coimbatore - Rajkot Express | 6614 | 02:05 | 02:10 | Coimbatore Junction | Rajkot Junction |
| RJT - SC Express | 7017 | 22:25 | 22:30 | Rajkot Junction | Secunderabad Junction |
| Hyderabad Express | 7031 | 16:30 | 16:40 | Mumbai CST | Hyderabad Junction |
| BVC - Kakinada Express | 7203 | 22:25 | 22:30 | Bhavnagar Trmus | Kakinada Town |
