SaifurRahaman at 19:34, 18 February 2026

2026-02-18T19:34:07Z

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{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2019}}
{{Use Indian English|date=June 2018}}
{{travel guide|date=December 2025}}
{{Infobox settlement
| name = Karad
| other_name = Yashwantnagari
| nickname =
| settlement_type = City
| image_skyline = IMG Karad2.jpg
| image_alt =
| image_caption = Karad
| pushpin_map = India Maharashtra
| pushpin_label_position = right
| pushpin_map_alt =
| pushpin_map_caption = Location in Maharashtra, India
| coordinates = {{coord|17.285|N|74.184|E|display=inline,title}}
| subdivision_type = Country
| subdivision_name = {{flag|India}}
| subdivision_type1 = [[States and territories of India|State]]
| subdivision_name1 = [[Maharashtra]]
| subdivision_type2 = [[List of districts of India|District]]
| subdivision_name2 = [[Satara district|Satara]]
| established_title = 
| established_date =
| founder =
| named_for =
| government_type = Municipal Council
| governing_body = Karad Municipal Council
| unit_pref = Metric
| area_footnotes =
| area_rank =
| area_total_km2 =
| elevation_footnotes =
| elevation_m = 670
| population_total = 85,5 00(town + surrounding areas)<br>117,221 (including Malkapur)
| population_as_of = 2017
| population_rank =
| population_density_km2 = auto
| population_demonym = Karadkar
| population_footnotes =
| demographics_type1 =
| demographics1_title1 = Official
| demographics1_info1 = [[Marathi language|Marathi]]
| timezone1 = [[Indian Standard Time|IST]]
| utc_offset1 = +5:30
| postal_code_type = [[Postal Index Number|PIN]]
| postal_code = 415110
| area_code_type = Telephone code
| area_code = 2164
| registration_plate = MH-50
| blank_name_sec1 = [[Indian road network|Major Highways]]
| blank_info_sec1 = [[National Highway 48 (India)|NH-48]], [[National Highway 166E (India)|NH-166E]], [[National Highway 266 (India)|NH-266]]
| website =
| footnotes =
| official_name =
| leader_party = Bhartiya Janata Party
| leader_title = MP
| leader_name = [[Udayanraje Bhosale]]
}}

'''Karad''' is a city in [[Satara district]] of [[India]]n [[States and territories of India|state]] of [[Maharashtra]]. It is located 302 km (180.19 miles) from [[Mumbai]], 74 km from [[Sangli]] and 162 km from [[Pune]]. It lies at the confluence of the [[Koyna River]] and the [[Krishna River]] known as the "[[Pritisangam]]". The two rivers originate at [[Mahabaleshwar]], which is around 100 km from Karad. Karad is well known for [[sugar]] production and is known as the sugar bowl of Maharashtra owing to the presence of many sugar factories in and around Karad. It is considered an important educational hub in [[Western Maharashtra]] due to the presence of many prestigious educational institutes.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Swachh Survekshan-2019 |url=http://www.swachhbharaturban.gov.in/writereaddata/SS2019%20Final%20Report.pdf?id=1e4odkeypauppd12 |access-date=2024-02-20 |website=[[Swachh Survekshan]]}}</ref> Karad is resting place of the first chief minister of Maharashtra [[Yashwantrao Chavan]] situated at the confluence of the Krishna and Koyana rivers. It is ranked as the cleanest town in [[Swachh Survekshan]] 2020 in the category of population with less than 1 lakh.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2020-08-20 |title=Karad tops Swachh ranking among smaller towns; Saswad, Lonavla are second and third |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/cities/karad-tops-swachh-ranking-among-smaller-towns-saswad-lonavla-are-second-and-third/story-eYP5cRqpHYUitg5ZBIF8wN.html |access-date=2024-02-20 |website=Hindustan Times |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=President of India Announces Results of Swachh Survekshan 2022 |url=https://pib.gov.in/pib.gov.in/Pressreleaseshare.aspx?PRID=1864209 |access-date=2024-02-20 |website=pib.gov.in |language=en}}</ref> There is demand for formation of karad district along with neighbouring [[Walwa, Sangli|Walva]], [[Shirala]], [[Patan, Maharashtra|Patan]], [[Palus sangli|Palus]] and [[Kadegaon Maharashtra|Kadegaon]] talukas.

Karad has an adjoining small town named [[Malkapur, Karad]] which has its own municipal council and a population of 86,671. Karad was awarded a prize under "Sant Gadagebaba Gramswachhata Abhiyan" started by [[Indian Government]].

==History==

It was originally known as "'''Karhatak'''", meaning "'''Elephant Market'''". Karad is also a city of historical importance. According to [[Mahabharata]], [[Sahadeva]] one of the [[Pandavas]] lived in the city also known to be pious as [[Lord Rama]] stepped his feet on this land.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.mygola.com/karad-d1011495/hindu-temple|title=Hindu Temple in Karad, India|website=Mygola.com|language=en-US|access-date=2017-10-10|archive-date=26 August 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180826074331/http://www.mygola.com/karad-d1011495/hindu-temple|url-status=dead}}</ref> Located to the south west of Karad is [[Karad Caves]], also known as Aghashiv Caves.<ref>{{cite book|last=Ahir|first=D. C.|title=Buddhist sites and shrines in India : history, art, and architecture|year=2003|publisher=Sri Satguru Publ.|location=Delhi|isbn=8170307740|page=197|edition=1.}}</ref>

The first capital of the [[Shilahara#Shilaharas of Southern Maharashtra .28Kolhapur Branch.29|Shilaharas]] was probably at Karad during the reign of [[Jatiga II]] as known from their copper plate grant of [[Miraj]] and Vikramankadevacharita of Bilhana. Hence sometimes they are referred as 'Shilaharas of Karad'. The capital was later shifted to [[Kolhapur]]. Among the Shilaharas of Kolhapur who ruled over [[Satara (city)|Satara]] and [[Belgaum|Belagavi]] districts from 1000 to 1215 A. D., [[Gonka]] deserves mention here, as he is described as the Lord of Karhad (Karad), Mairifvja (Miraj) and [[Konkan]].<ref>[Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society, Vol. IV, p. 281, Sanskrit Transcript.]</ref>

==Geography==
[[File:Krishna Ghat.jpg|thumb|Krishna Ghat]]Karad is located at {{Coord|17.28|N|74.2|E|region:IN_type:city}}.<ref>[http://www.fallingrain.com/world/IN/16/Karad.html Falling Rain Genomics, Inc – Karad]</ref> It has an average elevation of 566 metres (1857 feet).

Five kilometres southwest of Karad are the [[Karad Caves]], which contain early Buddhist symbols.<ref name=AHIR>{{cite book|last=Ahir|first=D. C.|title=Buddhist sites and shrines in India: history, art, and architecture|year=2003|publisher=Sri Satguru Publ.|location=Delhi|isbn=8170307740|page=197|edition=1.}}</ref>

==Nearest Cities==
* [[Satara (city)|Satara]]: 51 km
* [[Pune]]: 162 km
* [[Sangli district|Sangli]] : 74 km
* [[Mumbai]] : 302 km
* [[Kolhapur]] : 64 km

==Tourism==

Tourist places in and around Karad are: (Distance in [[Kilometre|Km]])
*[[Pritisangam|Preeti Sangam]] (Krishna-Koyna Confluence) – 2 km
* Krishnamai Temple – 2 km
* [[Pritisangam|Pritisangam Udyan]] – 2 km
* Late Yashwantrao Chavan's Samadhi – 2 km
* Historical Monument 'Manore' (2 Minars) – 2 km
* Naktya Ravlyachi Vihir (Ancient Well) – 2 km [[File:Naktya Rawalchi Vihir.jpg |thumb|Naktya Rawalchi Vihir (Ancient Step Well)]]
* Masjid Built by Sultan Ali Adilshah (1557- 1580) – 2 km
* Sadashivgad – 5 km
* Khodashi Dam – 5 km
* [[Karad Caves|Agashiv Caves]] – 5 km
* Vasantgad – 15 km
* Talbeed (Ram Mandir) – 15 km
* Sar-Senapati [[Hambirrao Mohite]] Samadhi – 15 km
* Chauranginath Temple, Sonsal – 20 km
* Ramling Bet, Bahe – 30 km
* Shri [[Khandoba]] Devsthan, Pal – 30 km
* Ram Mandir Chaphal – 30 km
* Yamai Mandir, [[Aundh, Satara|Aundh]] – 35 km
* Uttarmand Dam – 35 km
* [[Sagareshwar Wildlife Sanctuary]] [[Palus, Maharashtra|Palus]] – 30 km
* [[Valmiki]] Temple – 45 km
* [[Chandoli National Park]] [[Shirala]] – 49 km
* Chandoli Dam Shirala – 50 km
*[[Koyna Dam]] – 60 km
* Nawja Waterfall – 65 km

==Cityscape==
The city has many important government offices and other institutions of significance. With the vision of great leader [[P. D. Patil]] the city was one of the few in India to have a well- planned underground [[Sewerage|drainage system]] well before in the 1960s. By end-2010, [[Malkapur, Karad]], on the outskirts of the city of Karad, is delivering water 24x7 to all its residents as a result of concrete steps taken by the Malkapur Nagar Panchayat (MNP) with support from the Maharashtra Jeevan Pradhikaran (MJP), a state government entity. This is the first of its kind by a public body in India. Major offices and institutions in Karad are as follows:

* Karad Court, Karad
* [[Diwani]] -Foujdari Court, Karad
* [[Doordarshan]] Kendra, Karad
* Fire- Brigade, Karad
* Division Office, Karad
* [[Tehsil]] Office, Karad
* Khashaba Chounk
* [[Panchayat Samiti]], Karad
* Government [[Rest House]], Karad
* City Police Station, Karad
* [[Taluka]] Police Station, Karad
* Head Post Office, Karad
* Railway Station, Karad
* Airport, Karad
* [[MSRTC]] Depot, Karad
* Cottage Hospital, Karad
* [[Regional Transport Office|RTO]] Office, Karad
* Taswade [[MIDC]], Karad
* [[Nagarpalika]], Karad
* Town Hall, Karad

==Demographics==

{{As of|2011}} India [[census]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.censusindia.net/results/town.php?stad=A&state5=999|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040616075334/http://www.censusindia.net/results/town.php?stad=A&state5=999|archive-date=16 June 2004|title= Census of India 2001: Data from the 2001 Census, including cities, villages and towns (Provisional)|access-date=1 November 2008|publisher= Census Commission of India}}</ref> Karad town and surrounding villages had total population of 74,355. Males constitute 52% of the population and females 48%. Karad has an average literacy rate of 76%, higher than the national average of 59.5%: male literacy is 80%, and female literacy is 72%. In Karad, 11% of the population is under 6 years of age. Vast majority of people belong to Hinduism and Speak Marathi language.

==Transportation==

===National Highways===
The [[National Highway 48 (India)|National Highway 48]] (formerly National Highway 4) goes through the Karad city. National Highway 48 (NH 48) is a major National Highway in Western and Southern India. NH 48 links four of the 10 most populous Indian cities - [[Mumbai]], [[Bengaluru]], [[Chennai]] and [[Pune]]. NH 48 also connects Karad to [[Uran Islampur]], [[Kolhapur]]. [[Pune]] is the largest metropolis near Karad and [[Kolhapur]], [[Sangli]] is an important trade centre and Karad is educational hub for [[Indian Institutes of Technology|IIT]] training and a tourist destination.

===Airport===

An [[Airstrip]] was constructed in the 1955 by the [[Public Works Department]] to facilitate the [[Koyna dam]] project. It is currently being used for [[General aviation]] and pilot training. The airport is spread on 65 acres and the acquisition of more than 100 acres has been proposed. Runway 10/28 is 1280 meters long and 30 meters wide with a 60 meter by 60 meter apron. No navigational aids nor night landing facilities are available on the airstrip.
The State run [[Maharashtra Airport Development Company]] (MADC) plans to extend the 1,250 meters airstrip by another 1,500 m and widen it by 150 m.
Besides this the nearest airports are [[Pune Airport]] and [[Kolhapur Airport]].

===Railways===

* Karad – 4 km from city

Karad has [[Karad railway station|railway station]] situated near ogalewadi about 04 km distance on the Karad Vita road from Karad Bus stand. Karad is on route from [[Mumbai]] to [[Miraj]], [[Sangli district|Sangli]], [[Kolhapur district|Kolhapur]], and [[Bengaluru|Benguluru]] (some trains).
You can reach Karad from Mumbai or Pune easily by road or rail (''[[Mahalaxmi Express]]'', ''[[Koyna Express]]'',"[[Goa Express]]", ''[[Sahyadri Express]]'', ''[[Sharavati Express]]'', ''[[Dadar–Puducherry Chalukya Express]]'' or ''[[Dadar–Tirunelveli Chalukya Express]]'').

Railway Minister [[Suresh Prabhu]] has allocated funds for a plan to build a new 112 km railway line between Karad and [[Chiplun]].

;Nearest railway junction

* [[Miraj]] – 72 km
All super-fast trains like the ''Karnataka Sampark Kranti'', ''Deekshaboomi Express'', ''Rani Chenama Express'', ''Haripriya Express'' and ''Miraj Hubli Express'' stop at Miraj Junction. You can take private cars or [[MSRTC]] buses from Miraj to Karad. Travel time from Miraj to Karad is approxroximately 1 hour 15 minutes.

[[File:Karadrailway.jpg|thumb|centre|850px|Karad Railway Station]]

;; Railway Time Table Karad

;Towards Miraj - Kolhapur - Hubli

{| class="wikitable sortable"

|-
!No.!! Train No.!! Train Name !! Train Type!!Day!! Departure time

|-
| 01 || 01023|| Pune – Kolhapur|| Pune - Kolhapur Special || Daily ||01.37 Am
|-
|02 || 11097|| Pune – Ernakulam || Poorna Express || Sun ||02.25 Am
|-
|03|| 17318 || Dadar - Hubli || Hubballi Express|| Daily ||03.35 Am
|-
|04|| 17411 ||Mumbai - Kolhapur || Mahalaxmi Express || Daily ||04.05 Am
|-
|05|| 11021 ||Dadar - Tirunelveli || Tirunelveli Express || Sun, Wed, Thu ||04.45 Am
|-
|06|| 11035 || Dadar – Mysore || Sharavati Express || Fri ||04.45 Am
|-
|07|| 11005 || Dadar - Puducherry || Puducherry Express || Mon, Tue, Sat ||04.45 Am
|-
|08|| 16209 ||Ajmer – Mysore || All Mysore Express|| Mon, Sat ||05.40 Am
|-
|09 || 16505 || Gandhidham – Bangalore || GIMB SBC Bangalore Express||Wed ||05.40 Am
|-
|10 || 16507 || Jodhpur – Bangalore || JU SBC Bangalore Express||Sun, Fri||05.40 Am
|-
|11|| 16531 || Ajmer – Bangalore || SBC Garib Nawaz Express || Tue ||05.40 Am
|-
|12|| 71441 ||Satara – Kolhapur || Demu || Daily ||06.25 Am
|-
|13|| 11040|| Gondia – Kolhapur|| Maharashtra Express || Daily||07.50 Am
|-
|14|| 12148 ||Nizamuddin – Kolhapur || Nizamuddin Express || Fri||10.15 Am
|-
|15|| 12782 ||Nizamuddin – Mysore ||Swarnajayani Express ||Tue||10.15 Am
|-
|16|| 20475 ||Bikaner – Miraj || Bikaner Express || Tue ||11.15 Am
|-
|17|| 51409 || Pune – Kolhapur || Demu || Daily ||03.56 Pm
|-
|18|| 11028 || Satara – Dadar ||Dadar Express (Pandharpur)|| Mon,Tue,Sat ||04.25 Pm
|-
|19|| 11029 || Mumbai – Kolhapur ||Koyna Express|| Daily ||05.10 Pm
|-
|20|| 20674 || Pune – Kolhapur ||Vande Bharat Express || Sun, Wed ,Fri ||05.20 Pm
|-
|21|| 12780 || Nizamuddin – Vasco||Goa Express || Daily ||08.45 Pm
|-
|22|| 12494 || Nizamuddin –Miraj ||Darshan Express || Sat ||10.40 Pm
|-

| || || || 11023 Sahyadri Express >> Discontinued || ||
|-
| || || || Information by ( Basargi) : updated In August 2025 || ||

|}

;Towards Satara - Pune - Mumbai

{| class="wikitable sortable"

|-
!No.!! Train No.!! Train Name !! Train Type!!Day!! Departure time

|-
| 01|| 01024|| Kolhapur – Pune|| Pune - Kolhapur Special || Daily ||02.10 Am
|-
|02|| 12493 || Miraj - Nizamuddin ||Darshan Express || Sun ||06.40 Am
|-
|03|| 11426 || Kolhapur – Pune || Demu || Daily ||07.52 Am
|-
| 04|| 20673|| Kolhapur – Pune|| Vande Bharat || Mon ,Thu ,Sat ||10.05 Am

|-
|05|| 11027 || Dadar - Satara || Satara Express ||Mon ,Tue, Sat|| 12.35 Pm
|-
|-
|06|| 11030 || Kolhapur – Mumbai||Koyna Express|| Daily ||10.50 Am
|-
|07|| 12147 ||Kolhapur – [[Hazrat Nizamuddin railway station|Nizamuddin]] || Nizamuddin Express || Tue ||11.40 Am
|-
|08|| 12781 ||Mysore – Nizamuddin ||Swarnajayani Express ||Sat||11.40 Am
|-
|09 || 16210 ||Mysore – Ajmer || Ajmer Express|| Wed, Fri ||02.10 Pm
|-
|10|| 16506 || [[Bangalore]] – Gandhidham || Gandhidham Express|| Sun ||02.10 Pm
|-
|11|| 16508 || Bangalore - Jodhpur|| Jodhpur Express||Tue, Thu||02.10 Pm
|-
|12 || 16532 || Bangalore – Ajmer || Garib Nawaz Express || Sat ||02.10 Pm
|-
|13|| 20476 || Miraj -Bikaner || Bikaner Express || Tue ||03.50 Pm
|-
|14|| 11039|| Kolhapur - Gondia || Maharashtra Express || Daily||05.35 Pm
|-
|15|| 11098|| Ernakulam – Pune || Poorna Express || Tue ||06.50 Pm
|-
|16|| 51442 ||Kolhapur – Satara || Demu Special || Daily ||08.16 Pm
|-
|17 || 11006 || Puducherry - Dadar || Puducherry-Chalukya Express|| Mon, Wed, Thu ||10.00 Pm
|-
|18 || 11022 || Tirunelveli - Dadar || Tirunelveli Express|| Tue, Fri, Sat ||10.00 Pm
|-
|19 || 11036 || Mysore – Dadar|| Sharavati Express || Sun ||10.00 Pm
|-
|20|| 17317 || Hubli - Dadar || Hubli Express|| Daily ||10.45 Pm
|-
|21|| 11012 || Kolhapur - Mumbai || Mahalaxmi Express || Daily ||11.15 Pm
|-
|22|| 12779 || [[Vasco da Gama, Goa|Vasco]] – Nizamuddin|| Goa Express || Daily ||11.58 Pm
|-

|-
| || || || 11024 Sahyadri Express >> Discontinued || ||
|-
| || || || Information by ( Basargi): Updated In August 2025 || ||

|}

==Culture==

===Performing arts===
The city has a major hall for cultural activities and exhibitions: [[Yashwantrao Chavan]] Memorial - Town Hall. Cultural events of various organizations and gatherings of schools are also held here. The "Venutai Chavan Hall" is used for classical concerts, conducting national and international seminars on topics like science, space, traditions, culture, spirituality, etc.

===Literature===
Karad has a tradition of literature lovers. The prestigious 76th [[Akhil Bharatiya Marathi Sahitya Sammelan]] was held at banks of Krishna river in Karad in 2003.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://divyamarathi.bhaskar.com/news/MAG-bhushan-deshmukh-artical-on-akhil-bhatiya-marathi-sahitya-sammelan-elaction-4487032-NOR.html|title=मुथा यांचे 'मराठी साहित्य संमेलनाची निवडणूक : एक दस्तऐवज' लवकरच|website=Divya Marathi|language=mr|access-date=2019-10-10}}</ref>

== Education ==
The [[Government College of Engineering, Karad]] (est. 1960) is one of India's oldest post-independence institutions awarding engineering graduate and post-graduate degrees.<ref>{{Cite web |title=History and journey, About, Government College of Engineering, Karad |url=https://gcekarad.ac.in/about/History-and-journey |access-date=2025-12-12 |website=gcekarad.ac.in}}</ref>

==Notable people==

* [[Gopal Ganesh Agarkar]] (1856–1895), social reformer and newspaper editor born in Tembhu.
* [[Khashaba Jadhav]] (15 January 1926 – 14 August 1984) Born in a very poor farming family at Goleshwar Tal. Karad, the only individual [[Olympic Games|Olympic]] Medal Winner for India until 2000. He won India's first individual Olympic medal by winning the Bronze medal on 23 July 1952, in the [[Helsinki Olympic Games|1952 Helsinki Olympic Games]] for wrestling in [[bantamweight]], which is the unbeaten record for India in wrestling until today. In 1993, Maharashtra State awarded him the Shiv Chhattrapati Award posthumously. In 2001, the Central Government also awarded him the [[Arjuna Award]] posthumously.<ref>[http://www.satara.nic.in/htmldocs/prominet_personalities2.htm "Prominent Personalities"] District Satara.Web</ref>
* [[Yashwantrao Chavan]] (12 March 1913 – 25 November 1984), an eminent [[Indian National Congress|Congress party]] politician, hailed from Karad. He was the first [[Chief Minister of Maharashtra]] and also served as the defence minister, finance minister, home minister, foreign affairs minister, and as the [[Deputy Prime Minister of India]] and became the first and only person from Maharashtra to hold this political post.
* [[Prithviraj Chavan]]: He was the 17th Chief Minister of Maharashtra. Chavan served as the Minister of State in the [[Prime Minister's Office (India)|Prime Minister's Office]] in the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs and Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances, and Pensions. Chavan was also General Secretary of the All-India Congress Committee (AICC), in-charge of many states, including Jammu and Kashmir, Karnataka, Haryana, Gujarat, Tripura, and Arunachal Pradesh.

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}

*[https://web.archive.org/web/20140516190446/http://satara.nic.in/ Satara district website]

{{Satara district topics}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Karad| ]]
[[Category:Cities and towns in Satara district]]
[[Category:Talukas in Maharashtra]]

Karad - Revision history

SaifurRahaman at 19:34, 18 February 2026