Maharashtra
Maharashtra (; Marathi: [məharaːʂʈɾə] (listen), abbr. MH or Maha) is a state in the western and central peninsular region of India occupying a substantial portion of the Deccan Plateau. Maharashtra is the second-most populous state in India and the second-most populous country subdivision globally. It was formed on 1 May 1960 by splitting the bilingual Bombay State, which had existed since 1956, into majority Marathi-speaking Maharashtra and Gujarati-speaking Gujarat as a result of nationwide organization of states on the basis of language. Maharashtra is divided into 6 divisions and 36 districts, with the state capital being Mumbai, the most populous urban area in India, and Nagpur serving as the winter capital, also hosts the winter session of the state legislature. Godavari and Krishna are the two major rivers in the state. Marathi is the most widely spoken language and is the state's only official language. The forest constitutes 16.47% of the state's geographical area. Out of the total cultivable land in the state, about 60% is used for grain crops in the Deccan region, rice in coastal Konkan and other high rainfall areas.
Spread over 307,713 km2 (118,809 sq mi), Maharashtra is the third-largest state by area in India. It is bordered by the Arabian Sea to the west, the Indian states of Karnataka and Goa to the south, Telangana to the southeast and Chhattisgarh to the east, Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh to the north, and the Indian union territory of Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu to the northwest. The state has three international airports, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (Mumbai), Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar International Airport (Nagpur), and Pune Airport. The state is home to three railways headquarters viz. Central Railway (Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus), Konkan Railway (CBD Belapur) and Western Railway (Churchgate). The High Court of the state viz. Bombay High Court is located in Mumbai. The state contributes 48 seats and 19 seats to the lower house Lok Sabha and the upper house Rajya Sabha, respectively. Maharashtra has been subject to President's rule three times since its formation for a total of 156 days for different reasons. More than three-fourths of the population practise Hinduism, which is followed by Islam and Buddhism. The predominant ethnolinguistic group of Maharashtra is the Marathi people, who speak Marathi language. The state is home to four UNESCO World Heritage Sites: Ajanta, Ellora and Elephanta caves and the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (formerly Victoria Terminus).
Maharashtra is one of the most industrialised in India. The state's capital, Mumbai is India's financial and commercial capital. India's largest stock exchange Bombay Stock Exchange, the oldest in Asia, is also located in the city. The state has played a significant role in the country's social and political life and is widely considered a leader in terms of agricultural and industrial production, trade and transport, and education. Maharashtra is among the most developed Indian states and continues to be the single largest contributor to the national economy with a share of 14 per cent in all-India nominal GDP. The economy of Maharashtra is the largest in India, with a gross state domestic product (GSDP) of ₹31.97 trillion (US$420 billion) and GSDP per capita of ₹225,073 (US$3,000). The service sector dominates state's economy, accounting for 69.3 per cent of the value of the output of the country. Although agriculture accounts for 12% of the state GDP, it provides employment for nearly half the population of the state. Maharashtra is the fifteenth-highest ranking among Indian states in the human development index.
Prior to Indian independence, the state was ruled by most of the mainstream political entities that have existed in ancient and medieval India including the Satavahana dynasty, Rashtrakuta dynasty, Western Chalukyas, Deccan sultanates, Mughals, Maratha Empire and the British. The 18th century Maratha Empire was based in Maharashtra. The state has huge influence of the 17th-century, Shivaji, the founder of the Maratha Empire and his concept of Hindavi Swarajya which translates to self-rule of people. At the time of Indian independence movement in the early 20th century, many princely states in the present day Maharashtra region. The erstwhile Hyderabad state was the largest and extended over many modern Indian states. Others under Deccan States Agency include Kolhapur, Miraj, Sangli, Aundh, Bhor, and Sawantwadi. Ruins, monuments, tombs, forts, and places of worship left by these rulers are dotted around the state. The state has a long history of Marathi saints of Varakari religious movement, such as Dnyaneshwar, Namdev, Chokhamela, Eknath and Tukaram which forms the one of bases of the culture of Maharashtra or Marathi culture.
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