Atpadi (आटपाडी)
—  town  —
Atpadi (आटपाडी) Location of Atpadi (आटपाडी) in Maharashtra and India
Coordinates	17°15′N 74°34′E / 17.25°N 74.57°E / 17.25; 74.57Coordinates: 17°15′N 74°34′E / 17.25°N 74.57°E / 17.25; 74.57
Country	India
State	Maharashtra
District(s)	Sangali
Sarpanch of Atpadi Grampanchayat	Not known
MLA, Khanapur-Atpadi constituency	Sadashiv Patil
Population	25,000 (2007[update])
Time zone	IST (UTC+05:30)
Codes • Pincode • 415301 • Telephone • +912343 • Vehicle • MH 10

Atpadi (Marathi: आटपाडी) is an administrative town of the Atpadi Taluka township of Sangli District in the Indian state of Maharashtra. Atpadi is located north-east of Sangli District and shares borders with the adjacent Solapur and Satara Districts. The town has a taluka administrative office (that is, a Panchayat samiti local government body), a courthouse, a police station, a government-run primary hospital, various schools and colleges and a theater. Atpadi's economy is based on the cultivation and sale of agricultural products, with pomegranates and cotton constituting the core of the industry^{[citation needed]}. The town is also home to the Manganga Sahakari Sugar factory, a Pomegranate auction center and various small scale industries in fields such as manufacturing, processing, servicing and repairs.^[1]

The town can also lay claim to a literary connection, with four prominent Marathi authors originating from Atpadi.

History [link]

The history of Atpadi before the 15th/16th century is not documented. Some editions of the Stahala Purana mention the town Atpade(अटपडे), but the date of the writing is undocumented. In historic times, Atpadi was part of the Manank yadav kingdom of Mandesh, ruled from the nearby village of Devapur. In the 16th century Atapdi was part of the Adilshahi kingdom of Bijapur. Later in the 19th century it became part of the princely state of Aundh as well as a palace city, hence it was called Atpadi Mahal. After Indian independence and the merging of Aundh into the Republic of India, Atpadi was in Khanapur Taluka in the Satara district till the new district, Sangali, was formed. After the formation of the new district, Atpadi was separated from Khanapur Taluka and made an administrative division (Taluka). Prominent Marathi writers like the late G.D.Madgulkar, the late G.D. Madgulkar, the late Shankar Rao Kharat, the late N.S. Inamdar, the late Arun Kamble and the former petroleum minister of India, Ram Naik were from Atpadi.

Geography [link]

Town [link]

Atpadi is located at Latitude: 17° 25' 0 N, Longitude: 74° 57' 0 E with a population of approximately 25000. The language of the town is Marathi. A natural water canal divides Atpadi into south and north portions. The northern area of Atpadi has government administration office, a Government Hospital, Courthouse, Police station, Electricity Board office, colleges and newly formed colonies. Major developments of the new Atpadi area is on the north side of town while the south side of town is old and more populated. the southern part serves as a commercial center and as the downtown area of Atpadi. It has the MSRTC bus stand, and the old government hospital. The old Atpadi town has a market place for the weekly bazaar (vegetable, fruit, cattle market), a designated road for shops known as Peth. The residential areas in old town is dominated by families from the caste/with the surname Galli.

• Galli is noted in the surnames Wani Galli, Brahman Galli, Navhi Galli, Kosthi Galli, Kasar Galli, Deshmukh Galli, Kumbhar Galli, Parit Galli. Other newly formed residential colonies are Choundeshwari colony, Vidya Nagar, Sathe Nagar, Phule Nagar, Vithal Sampat nagar.

Surrounding area and villages [link]

Atpadi is surrounded by small farming hamlets from all directions of town known as 'Waadi'. These places hold houses of farmers further grouped into communities. They lack commercial markets or higher education schools. The surrounding areas depend on the Atpadi town for trading agricultural produce and for education. Their proximity to the town area, the expansion of the town with a growing population, infrastructural needs and well connected roads are making surrounding areas become part of the town.

• Bhingewadi: Bhingewadi is a small Grampanchat Village located 3 kilometers to the north-west of the Atpadi Town. Bhingewadi is populated mostly by farmers whose surname is Bhinge, thus the name Bhingewadi. Bhingewadi is a small village of 2000 people with much farmland. Wheat, Jowar, Bajara, and pomegranate are the main produce from the farmlands. It is adjacent to Swatantrapur.
• Deshmukhwaadi: Situated to the east of Atpadi.
• Yamaji Patalachi Wadi: Located on the Atpadi-Sangola road.
• Mapate Mala: Located on the Atpad-Nimbawade road to the north-west.
• Sonarsiddhnagar: Located on the Atpadi-Kauthuli road. It has the industrial colony of Manganga Sugar Factory.
• Swatantrapur: Located between Atpadi lake and Bhingewadi. It is a free custodian colony built in 1939. The Hindi cinema, 'Do ankhe baraah haath' is based in Swatantrapur.
• Gondira mala: Gondira mala is small village.

• Location of Atpadi with respect to surrounding area and other major towns.

	Mhaswad of Satara District	Dighanchi, Karad-Pandharpur Road, MS Highway 76	Pandharpur of Solapur District
	Kharsundi		Sangola of Solapur District
		Atpadi    East
	Tasgaon	Bhingewadi, Atpadi-Sangli Road, MS Highway 76

Season [link]

Summer, mansoon rain and winter are the main three seasons year-round. The region falls under the rain-shadow area resulting in less rain.

Water resources [link]

Atapdi has a lake which is used as a source for providing drinking water. The Shukra Odha and Manganga River flow near to Atpadi. Various water canals were projected into the Atpadi Taluka under Khrishna Khore Vikas Mahamandal.

Forest Area [link]

Atpadi has a forest office near Swatantrapur. Dubai Kuran (डबई कुरण) is a reserved forest area. It has a plantation of Babool trees. Initially this area was created as grazing ground for cattle in summer time. Cattle grazing is no longer allowed as it is a reserved forest area. Wild animals like wolves, jackals, foxes and wild hares can be seen here.

Political and Judiciary system [link]

The Atpadi town has a gram panchayat for the administration of the town, while the Panchayat Samiti is to administer the entire Taluka. Atpadi is part of the Atpadi-Khanapur constituency of Vidhan Sabha and the Maharashtra State Sangli constituency of Loksabha. The Atpadi Magistrate's Court oversees criminal proceedings while the Civil Court is presided over by the Junior Division of the court. The Atpadi Police station maintains law and order. The old building of Atpadi Grampanchayat was renovated though the original design of the building remained unchanged.

Industry [link]

Atpadi's industry is based on agriculture and dairy products as well as secondary industries. Industries are located around the Atpadi town. Industries have created jobs and business for people living around Atpadi. The sugar factory is the largest of all industries in Atpadi. A program called Khadi gramodyog was started by the Government of India to promote rural employment for woman.

• Sugar Factory: Manganga Sugar Factory
• Cotton Mill: Babasaheb Deshmukh Shetkari Sahakari Sutgirani
• Dairy milk: Packaged milk under the brand "Family No. 1" (previously 'Sakaal')
• Domestic industry of woolen blankets (Gongade/Kambal घोंगडे /कंबळ)
• Khadi Gramodyog
• Food packaging: Pomegranates
• Zep Soap Company (Zep Trade Tech)
• Garment factory on Atpadi-Dighanchi road
• An oil mill on Atpadi-Dighanchi road

[edit] Travel, Stay and Entertainment

Atpadi is connected by road and falls on the state highway between Solapur and Karad. It can be accessed from Solapur, Sangli, Kolhapur, Karad, Pune and Mumbai and adjacent towns through state transport buses as well as private buses. Atpadi has a MSRTC bus stand and depot. The MSRTC bus is a preferred mode of transport by most people. Atpadi has a few lodges and a number of hotels and road-side joints. Siddhanath Chitrmandir is the only functioning cinema/theater, offering Marathi and Hindi movies. Shreeram Talkies, a pavilion based cinema screen became defunct in the 1990s.

[edit] What to See

[edit] Education

Atpadi has schools and colleges. Bachelors degrees are offered in Science, Arts, Commerce, Education and Engineering.

• Colleges:

1. Atpadi College, Atpadi ( Arts, Science and Commerce),
2. Kala Vidnyan Mahavidyalay affiliated to Shivaji University, Kolhapur.

• Schools :

1. Shree Bhavani High School, Atpadi
2. S.V.D.D. Girl's High School, Atpadi
3. Rajaram Bapu Highschool, Atpadi. All high schools are affiliated to the SSC/HSC board, Kolhapur.

Professional courses:

1. Industrial Training Institute, Atpadi (ITI college); Various D.Ed. Colleges and Agriculture Diploma College, Bhingewadi.
2. Sriram society's Engineering and Diploma college
3. D.Ed and B.Ed college

[edit] Banks and Financial Institutions

Atpadi has various nationalized, co-op and private banks and ATM facilities.

ATM Facilities

• Bank Of India (Atpadi)
• ICICI Bank (Atpadi)
• ICICI Bank (Dighanchi)

[edit] Hospitals

• Government Primary Hospital located on Atpadi-Nimbavade Road is the biggest hospital.
• Dr. Jayant Bapat Hospital.
• Sawant Hospital
• Shinde Hospital, Chaundeshwary Colony
• Padalkar Hospital, Nimbavade Road.
• Shinde Hospital, Fule Nagar
• Patki Hospital, Atpadi Main road.
• Krishna Homoeopathic Clinic, Main Road
• Kadam Hospital, Main Road

[edit] Art and culture

[edit] Literature

Atpadi has produced four presidents of Marathi Sahitya Sammelan. The great Marathi author and legendary poet & adhunik walmiki, popularly known as GaDiMa (गदिमा) the late G. D. Madgulkar is from the nearby village, Madgule. His younger brother, Venkatesh Madgulkar as well as Shankar Rao Kharat and N. S. Inamdar are three other authors from Atpadi. The late Prof. Arun Kamble, a prominent Marathi writer, was born in Atpadi Taluka. The Marathi book, 'Mandeshi Manase' (People of Mandesh), written by Venkatesh Madgulkar, is based on characters in Atpadi and is set in Atpadi and its surrounding areas. The autobiography of Shankar Rao Kharat Taral-Antaral has a detailed chapter on Atpadi before the independence of India.

• MaanDarshan: A magazine published from Atpadi.

[edit] Folk dance, songs and sports

Folk dance and songs, known as 'Gaji' and 'Dhangari Owi' respectively, are hallmarks of the Maandesh culture. Rural sports like soil wrestling and Kabaddi are held annually at various annual fairs. Modern sports like cricket and volleyball are other popular sports. Namdev Wadare, a Shivchhatrapati State award winning wrestler started a wrestling institute in Atpadi where the western style of wrestling is taught.

[edit] Agriculture and Cattles

• Agriculture: Jowar, maize, wheat, cotton, sugarcane, bajari and pomegranate are the main agricultural produce in Atpadi. Pomegranate plantations are quite new and modern irrigation techniques, like drip irrigation, have helped local farmers to grow pomegranate fields. Being an export product to Middle-East and Arab nations, pomegranate has given higher yields to farmers than traditional crop-based farming. The low monsoon rainfall is advantageous to farmers as the pomegranate is a desert tree.
• Khillari bull (Atpadi Mahal)- The breed is well adapted to the tropical and drought prone conditions present in this part of the world and are favoured by the local farming community due to their ability to handle the hardships of farming pretty well. In spite of this, the breed is showing a steady decline in numbers, mostly due to the low milk yield which usually forms an alternate stream of income for the farming community. The Khillari is between 4½ to 5½ feet tall and weighs between 800 and 1000 lbs.
• Buffalo, sheep and goat are also raised.

[edit] Temples and Festivals

The Atpadi town as well as the Atpadi Taluka has various temples. Uttareshwar is a patron god of the Atpadi town and a three-day fair is held in Atpadi for Uttareshwar. The pulling of a wooden chariot by men is one of the rituals of the fair. Kharsundi, a place in the Atpadi Taluka, is the highest seat of Lord Siddhanath. Apart from the Hindu temples, Atpadi has a Mosque. Atpadi has a unique temple dedicated to Yoga and suryanamaskar called 'Suryopasana Mandir', though this is not a religious place. Syryopasana Mandir serves as a community hall for people who wish to practice yoga and exercise suryanamaskar.

List of temples in Atpadi

List of other temples from Atpadi taluka

[edit] Festivals

Diwali, the main festival of Hindus, other festivals like Ganesh Chaturthi and the Muslim festival, Muharram, are celebrated publicly. Apart from religious festivals, a town fair devoted to the patron god of Atpadi, Uttareshwar, is held after Diwali for 3 days.

• Uttareshwar jatra – Atpadi. Major fair of the area starting from Kartik Pornima and lasting the next 15 days.
• Akhand Harinam Saptha(Jotiba Mandir) – Madgule. Held every April
• Paravarcha Melava (G. D. Madgulkar Janma divas 1 October ) - Shetphale.
• Ashtami Yatra – Shetphale. Chaitra Vadya Ashtami
• Khandoba Jatra – Madgule
• Yallama devi yatra,Jotiba yatra - GOMEWADI
• Marimi Aai Yatra – Tadawale
• Marimata Jatra – Avalai
• Paush yatra – Kharsundi. This festival is famous for its khillari cattle trade in Maharashtra, Karnataka and Andhra.
• Chaitra yatra – Kharsundi (Saasan/Shaasan Kaathi)
• Jakai yatra – Nelkaranji
• Masoba Jatra – Banpuri. This festival starts from Shalivahan Shak, the Hindu new year (Gudhipadava), and lasts for 5 days.
• Hanuman Jatra – Pimpri Budruk
• Hanuman Sidhanath jatra at Shuknagar. (Hivtad)

[edit] Miscellaneous

• Gruha Nirman Sanstha: Siddharth Magaswargiya Gruha Nirman Sanshta is a project of the Maharashtra Government Social Welfare Departments. It is one of best projects for poor people.
• Bachatdham: Public Hall

[edit] Other villages in Atpadi Taluka

• Shetphale: 12 km from the Atpadi town, birthplace of G. D. Madgulkar, renowned Marathi poet.
• Dighanchi: 13 km from the Atpadi town
• Madgule: 6 km
• Nimbavade: 10 km
• Viththalapur: 6 km
• Karagani: 18 km
• Kouthuli: 5 km
• Balewadi:
• Kharsundi: Place of Lord Siddhanath. 20 km from Atpadi.
• Banpuri: 10 km from the Atpadi town
• Tadawale: 10 km
• Gomewadi: 23 km
• NelKaranji: 27 km
• Shukachari: Hill, believed to be the place of the epic sage Shuka or Shukamuni. 47 km from Atpadi.
• Hiwatad: 12 km
• Valvan: 26 km
• Gharniki: 25 km
• Kamat
• Avalai: 8 km from the Atpadi town (Pisewadi, Gandhinagar etc.)
• Zare: 25 km from Atpadi
• Rajewadi
• Pimpri Budruk: 22 km
• Complete List of grampanchat villages in Atpadi taluka can be found here.

[edit] Distance from major cities

• Sangli - 90 km
• Kolhapur - 135 km
• Pune - 240 km
• Hyderabad - 450 km
• Solapur - 120 km
• Pandharpur - 60 km
• Karad - 100 km
• Satara - 120 km

[edit] References

External links [link]

• Sriram society's Engineering and Diploma college
• Atpadi Education Society
• Maharashtra Pomegranate Growers research Association