Maharashtra

STATE, INDIA
WRITTEN BY: 
 Sitanshu Mookerjee
 Sudhir Vyankatesh Wanmali
LAST UPDATED: Apr 30, 2020 See Article History

Maharashtra, state of India, occupying a substantial portion of

the Deccan plateau in the western peninsular part of the
subcontinent. Its shape roughly resembles a triangle, with the 450-
mile (725-km) western coastline forming the base and its interior
narrowing to a blunt apex some 500 miles (800 km) to the east.
Maharashtra is bounded by the Indian states of Gujarat to the
northwest, Madhya Pradesh to the north, Chhattisgarh to the
east, Telangana to the southeast, Karnataka to the south, and Goa to
the southwest and by the union territory of Dadra and Nagar
Haveli and the Arabian Sea to the west.

Ajanta CavesAjanta Caves in north-central Maharashtra state,

India.Art Resource, New York
 BRITANNICA QUIZ

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How far, in kilometers, is Sri Lanka from India?

Maharashtra’s capital, Mumbai (formerly Bombay), is an island city

on the western coast, connected to the mainland by roads and
railways. Aptly called the gateway of India, Maharashtra is one of
India’s biggest commercial and industrial centres, and it has played
a significant role in the country’s social and political life.
 Gateway of India at dusk, Mumbai, India.Photodisc/Thinkstock
Maharashtra is a leader among Indian states in terms of agricultural
and industrial production, trade and transport, and education. Its
ancient culture, at one stage considerably obscured by British
dominance, survives largely through the medium of a strong literary
heritage. A common literature in Marathi, the predominant
language of the state, has in fact played an important role in
nurturing a sense of unity among the Maharashtrians. Area 118,800
square miles (307,690 square km). Pop. (2011) 112,372,972.
Land
Relief, drainage, and soils
Maharashtra presents a complex range of physical diversity. To the
west is the narrow Konkan coastal lowland, which reaches its widest
extent near Mumbai. Numerous minor hills dominate the relief.
There are many small, swift, west-flowing streams, most of them
less than 50 miles (80 km) long. The biggest, the Ulhas, rising in the
Bhor Ghat, joins the sea after an 80-mile (130-km) course.
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 Western GhatsThe Western Ghats in Matheran, Maharashtra, India. Nicholas
Ghats along the Godavari River in Nashik, Maharashtra, India. © Ann & Bury Peerless Slide Resources & Picture
Library
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The Western Ghats (a mountain range at the western edge of the

Deccan plateau; ghat means “pass” in Marathi) run almost
continuously for 400 miles (640 km) north-south, with the foothills
reaching to within 4 miles (6.4 km) of the Arabian Sea. Elevations
increase northward to peaks of some 4,720 feet (1,440 metres).
There are a few passes through which roads and railroads link the
coast with the interior. The eastern slopes of the Ghats descend
gently to the Deccan plateau and are sculptured by the wide mature
valleys of the Krishna, Bhima, and Godavari rivers.

Between the Narmada River valley in the north, the Krishna basin

in the south, and the western coast to as far east as the city
of Nagpur, the Ghats and the triangular plateau inland are covered
with extensive lava outpourings called traps. They reach a
maximum thickness of some 10,000 feet (3,000 metres) near
Mumbai. The differential erosion of lava has resulted in
characteristic steppelike slopes, uniform crest lines, and a tabletop
appearance of many hills in Maharashtra.

Lava trap formations near Sātāra, Mahārāshtra.© Satish

Parashar/Dinodia Photo Library
Around Nagpur, the Deccan Traps give way to undulating uplands
(about 890 to 1,080 feet [270 to 330 metres] high) underlain by
ancient crystalline rocks. The Wardha-Wainganga valley, part of the
larger Godavari basin, trends southward and has many lakes.

A major part of Maharashtra is covered in black soils derived from

decomposed lava rocks that are commonly called
“black cotton soils” (because cotton often is grown in them). Drifts
along the slopes have eroded into medium brown and light-
coloured sandy soils. Saline soils in the river valleys are the results
of impeded soil drainage followed by intense evaporation.

Climate
The climate is subtropical to tropical (depending on elevation) and
characteristically monsoonal (i.e., wet-dry), with local variations.
India’s southwest monsoonal rains break on the Mumbai coast
usually in the first week of June and last until September, during
which period they account for about four-fifths of the annual
rainfall. Four seasons are normal: March–May (hot and dry), June–
September (hot and wet), October–November (warm and dry), and
December–February (cool and dry).

The Western Ghats and the ranges on the northern borders greatly

influence the climate and separate the wet Konkan Coast from the
dry interior upland, an area called the Desh. Rainfall is extremely
heavy in Konkan, averaging about 100 inches (2,540 mm), with
some of the wettest spots receiving up to 250 inches (6,350 mm),
but rapidly diminishes to one-fifth of that amount east of the Ghats.
Rainfall increases again in the eastern areas, reaching about 40 to
80 inches (1,000 to 2,000 mm) in the extreme east.

The coastal regions enjoy equable temperatures; monthly averages

at Mumbai are in the low 80s F (about 27–28 °C). A change of more
than about 13 °F (7 °C) between day and night temperatures is
unusual. Pune (Poona), higher up on the plateau, benefits from
cooler temperatures throughout the year. In the interior, average
summer temperatures reach into the low 100s F (about 38–41 °C),
and winter temperatures average in the low 70s F (about 21–23 °C).
Plant and animal life
Forests cover less than one-fifth of the state and are confined to the
Western Ghats, mainly their transverse ranges, the Satpura
Range in the north, and the Chandrapur region in the east. On the
coast and adjoining slopes, plant forms are rich with lofty trees,
variegated shrubs, and mango and coconut trees. The forests
yield teak, bamboo, myrobalan (for dyeing), and other woods.

MahabaleshwarLush mountain vegetation near Mahabaleshwar,

Maharashtra, India.Nichalp

Thorny savanna-like vegetation occurs in areas of lesser rainfall,

notably in upland Maharashtra. Subtropical vegetation is found on
higher plateaus that receive heavy rain and have milder
temperatures. Bamboo, chestnut, and magnolia are common. In the
semiarid tracts, wild dates are found. Mangrove vegetation occurs
in marshes and estuaries along the coast.

Wild animals include tigers, leopards, bison, and several species of

antelope. The striped hyena, wild hog, and sloth bear are common.
Monkeys and snakes occur in great variety, as do ducks and other
game birds. The peacock is indigenous. Many of those animals can
be viewed at the state’s national parks at Tadoba, Chikhaldara, and
Borivli. The state’s abundant marine life in the waters off the
western coast remains largely unexploited.