554:) are tracked by their body marks in the soil. The ground is dug up carefully and the snakes are captured in such manner that they should not get hurt. A lot of care is taken so that snakes are not hurt as if they are hurt it is considered as a bad thing for that family. Hundreds of hours of searching produces seven or eight snakes per group if they are lucky. These snakes are then stored in a big circular earthen pot with a smaller circular earthen pot placed on the top opening. Finally a cloth is used to cover the top and is tied with a rope. These pots are usually hung outside house. Every morning till the actual festival, these snakes are taken out of their earthen pots and fed with a rat or frog. This feeding is called Dav Pajane or feeding dew to a snake.
406:
169:
742:
145:
24:
414:
238:
176:
398:
557:
On the day of festival, the snakes are displayed in a huge procession. The procession begins with the blessings of the village goddess Amba-bai. 70 to 80 groups and organisations take part in this procession. In the morning before the procession snakes are taken to few neighboring homes so that women
549:
In shirala, a day approximately two weeks before the festival, farmers clean their cows and bulls, decorate them and feed them with special food; villagers go snake-hunting, after getting kaul (permission) from
Goddess Amba Bai by placing a flower on her head. If the flower falls, voluntarily on left
499:
The major source of income for people in this town is from agriculture. Since this place is capital of tehsil or taluka, large numbers of people are employed in various government offices, schools, colleges, banks, hospitals and other service industry. A couple of agriculture-based industries
511:
Recently, a dozen of small-scale agro-industries have been set in
Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC) area near Shirala. With special economic concessions offered due to remoteness of the area, the MIDC has attracted number of investors in relatively short time.
507:
The town holds weekly farmers market on every Monday (aka "Monday Bajar"). Farmers and small vendors from the area put up temporary tents on small streets of town for the entire day. Fresh vegetables, meat, fish and other goods including clothing are sold in this market.
620:
During the Hindu festival of the snake god, farmers capture cobras from their fields and let villagers shower them with offerings. They believe it will bring good fortune for next year. Jeremy Grange joined some of them in
Shirala, in the Indian state of
504:
located 5 kilometres from town. The tehsil has large area under thick forests due to heavy monsoon rains. It provides patronage to variety of wild life in ‘Chandoli abhay-aranya', a national forest.
531:
Pune is connected to all major Indian cities through daily flights and trains. If you are visiting
Shirala for Naag Panchami (Snake festival) only, a day trip from Pune is possible.
1070:
565:) visited their place, he gave them permission and blessing to catch actual snake and worship it. Shirala has Gorkhnath Temple. Once in 12 years all the followers of Nath panti (
550:
side then that family is not allowed to catch snake that year. It is believed that only natives of
Shirala are allowed to catch the snakes. Snakes (including the venomous Indian
491:".The prefix ‘battis’ is the number thirty-two (32). It is said that thirty-two small villages surround this larger town. Historically, Battis Shirala has been major market.
576:. This 17th-century temple is located about 200 feet away from main bus station of the town and is visited by many devotees on Saturdays. The town has a fort build by great
539:
Recently court has banned catching of snakes due to animal (snake) abuse cases as rough handling of snakes can result in their death. Battis
Shirala is famous for its annual
678:
951:
1101:
926:
916:
558:
in those homes can worship the snakes. The snakes that were caught before the festival, are released at the same place from which they were caught.
1075:
200:
144:
168:
1014:
936:
671:
389:
892:
488:
476:
107:
907:
500:(sugar and starch) also contribute to the town’s economy. Water supply for drinking and agricultural purposes is available from
1106:
664:
250:
644:
1047:
863:
45:
946:
897:
858:
941:
931:
868:
88:
60:
347:
262:
405:
921:
853:
612:
67:
41:
1037:
34:
1032:
873:
74:
1052:
706:
319:
543:
56:
1024:
449:
327:
1080:
999:
817:
787:
766:
528:
is the nearest city, which is 60 km. away. Kolhapur is connected to Mumbai through daily trains.
501:
741:
569:) visit Shirala and leave one of them behind to take care of this temple for the next 12 years.
837:
561:
Myth is one of the families in
Shirala use to worship snake murti. When one of the Navnatha (
984:
802:
303:
989:
711:
687:
648:
566:
456:
429:
267:
600:
573:
1095:
832:
807:
761:
361:
81:
756:
731:
726:
721:
641:
540:
383:
1042:
797:
701:
472:
468:
453:
255:
23:
771:
716:
572:
Shirala is famous for one of the eleven Maruti temples built by
Marathi saint
562:
551:
215:
202:
1062:
883:
792:
372:
315:
310:
413:
524:. State transport and private buses daily run between Mumbai and Shirala.
979:
525:
437:
1009:
827:
581:
577:
397:
969:
961:
822:
521:
445:
441:
365:
459:. It is particularly known for its Hindu festival of the snake god.
994:
812:
656:
433:
412:
404:
396:
243:
584:. Currently, it is maintained by forest services office of town.
974:
660:
17:
1071:
Annasaheb Dange
College of Engineering & Technology
417:
King Cobra being worshiped during
Shirala Naag Panchami
546:, which is attended by hundreds of thousands people.
1061:
1023:
960:
906:
882:
846:
780:
749:
694:
382:
371:
356:
346:
338:
326:
309:
299:
294:
286:
281:
273:
261:
249:
231:
125:
48:. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.
672:
149:Republic day parade at Shirala Police Station
8:
471:, India's most prosperous state. During the
679:
665:
657:
122:
108:Learn how and when to remove this message
593:
409:Panoramic East Shirala on a Monsoon day
325:
308:
293:
280:
272:
230:
195:
161:
153:
141:
467:Shirala is a town located in western
381:
370:
355:
345:
337:
298:
285:
260:
248:
7:
46:adding citations to reliable sources
1102:Cities and towns in Sangli district
613:"Face to face with the holy cobras"
390:Shirala (Vidhan Sabha constituency)
14:
436:, away 60 kilometres west of the
740:
236:
174:
167:
143:
22:
1076:Walchand College of Engineering
475:period the region was ruled by
175:
33:needs additional citations for
1048:Sagareshwar Wildlife Sanctuary
864:Miraj Junction railway station
642:Jug Drums (Ghatams and Matkas)
520:Shirala is about 350 km. from
444:and about 350 kilometres from
188:Location in Maharashtra, India
1:
859:Kirloskarvadi railway station
1123:
623:. BBC News. 4 October 2007
601:Retrieved 9 September 2009
277:594 m (1,949 ft)
120:Town in Maharashtra, India
854:Bhilawadi railway station
738:
487:Shirala comes from word "
196:
162:
154:
142:
135:
952:Tasgaon-Kavathe Mahankal
428:is a town and tehsil in
401:Morana Dam near Shirala
216:16.984011°N 74.124151°E
1107:Talukas in Maharashtra
1033:Chandoli National Park
874:Sangli railway station
580:warrior, Chhatrapati
418:
410:
402:
1053:Shreekshetra Audumbar
535:Noted annual festival
479:. (from 765 to 1020)
416:
408:
400:
300: • Official
707:Sultanate of Bijapur
348:Vehicle registration
221:16.984011; 74.124151
42:improve this article
1025:Tourist attractions
212: /
1081:Willingdon College
647:2008-01-12 at the
502:Morna Dam, Shirala
419:
411:
403:
287: • Total
1089:
1088:
395:
394:
118:
117:
110:
92:
1114:
985:Kavathe-Mahankal
803:Kavathe-Mahankal
781:Cities and towns
744:
681:
674:
667:
658:
651:
639:
633:
632:
630:
628:
617:
609:
603:
598:
242:
240:
239:
227:
226:
224:
223:
222:
217:
213:
210:
209:
208:
205:
178:
177:
171:
147:
123:
113:
106:
102:
99:
93:
91:
50:
26:
18:
1122:
1121:
1117:
1116:
1115:
1113:
1112:
1111:
1092:
1091:
1090:
1085:
1057:
1019:
990:Khanapur (Vita)
956:
927:Khanapur-Atpadi
902:
878:
842:
776:
745:
736:
712:Daphlapur State
690:
688:Sangli District
685:
655:
654:
649:Wayback Machine
640:
636:
626:
624:
615:
611:
610:
606:
599:
595:
590:
567:Nath Sampradaya
537:
518:
497:
485:
465:
430:Sangli District
426:Battis Shirala
334:
237:
235:
220:
218:
214:
211:
206:
203:
201:
199:
198:
192:
191:
190:
189:
186:
185:
184:
183:
179:
158:
155:Nickname:
150:
138:
131:
128:
121:
114:
103:
97:
94:
51:
49:
39:
27:
12:
11:
5:
1120:
1118:
1110:
1109:
1104:
1094:
1093:
1087:
1086:
1084:
1083:
1078:
1073:
1067:
1065:
1059:
1058:
1056:
1055:
1050:
1045:
1040:
1038:Ganpati Temple
1035:
1029:
1027:
1021:
1020:
1018:
1017:
1012:
1007:
1002:
997:
992:
987:
982:
977:
972:
966:
964:
958:
957:
955:
954:
949:
944:
939:
937:Palus-Kadegaon
934:
929:
924:
919:
913:
911:
910:constituencies
904:
903:
901:
900:
895:
889:
887:
886:constituencies
880:
879:
877:
876:
871:
866:
861:
856:
850:
848:
844:
843:
841:
840:
835:
830:
825:
820:
815:
810:
805:
800:
795:
790:
784:
782:
778:
777:
775:
774:
769:
764:
759:
753:
751:
747:
746:
739:
737:
735:
734:
729:
724:
719:
714:
709:
704:
698:
696:
692:
691:
686:
684:
683:
676:
669:
661:
653:
652:
634:
604:
592:
591:
589:
586:
574:Samarth Ramdas
544:Snake festival
536:
533:
517:
516:Transportation
514:
496:
493:
484:
481:
464:
461:
440:headquarters,
393:
392:
387:
380:
379:
376:
369:
368:
358:
354:
353:
350:
344:
343:
340:
339:Telephone code
336:
335:
332:
330:
324:
323:
313:
307:
306:
301:
297:
296:
292:
291:
288:
284:
283:
279:
278:
275:
271:
270:
265:
259:
258:
253:
247:
246:
233:
229:
228:
194:
193:
187:
181:
180:
173:
172:
166:
165:
164:
163:
160:
159:
157:Battis Shirala
156:
152:
151:
148:
140:
139:
136:
133:
132:
130:Battis Shirala
129:
126:
119:
116:
115:
30:
28:
21:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1119:
1108:
1105:
1103:
1100:
1099:
1097:
1082:
1079:
1077:
1074:
1072:
1069:
1068:
1066:
1064:
1060:
1054:
1051:
1049:
1046:
1044:
1041:
1039:
1036:
1034:
1031:
1030:
1028:
1026:
1022:
1016:
1013:
1011:
1008:
1006:
1003:
1001:
998:
996:
993:
991:
988:
986:
983:
981:
978:
976:
973:
971:
968:
967:
965:
963:
959:
953:
950:
948:
945:
943:
940:
938:
935:
933:
930:
928:
925:
923:
920:
918:
915:
914:
912:
909:
905:
899:
896:
894:
891:
890:
888:
885:
881:
875:
872:
870:
867:
865:
862:
860:
857:
855:
852:
851:
849:
845:
839:
836:
834:
833:Uran Islampur
831:
829:
826:
824:
821:
819:
816:
814:
811:
809:
808:Kirloskarwadi
806:
804:
801:
799:
796:
794:
791:
789:
786:
785:
783:
779:
773:
770:
768:
765:
763:
762:Krishna River
760:
758:
755:
754:
752:
748:
743:
733:
730:
728:
725:
723:
720:
718:
715:
713:
710:
708:
705:
703:
700:
699:
697:
693:
689:
682:
677:
675:
670:
668:
663:
662:
659:
650:
646:
643:
638:
635:
622:
614:
608:
605:
602:
597:
594:
587:
585:
583:
579:
575:
570:
568:
564:
559:
555:
553:
547:
545:
542:
534:
532:
529:
527:
523:
515:
513:
509:
505:
503:
495:Local economy
494:
492:
490:
482:
480:
478:
474:
470:
462:
460:
458:
455:
451:
447:
443:
439:
435:
431:
427:
423:
415:
407:
399:
391:
388:
385:
377:
374:
367:
363:
362:Uran Islampur
359:
351:
349:
341:
331:
329:
321:
317:
314:
312:
305:
302:
289:
276:
269:
266:
264:
257:
254:
252:
245:
234:
225:
197:Coordinates:
170:
146:
134:
124:
112:
109:
101:
90:
87:
83:
80:
76:
73:
69:
66:
62:
59: –
58:
54:
53:Find sources:
47:
43:
37:
36:
31:This article
29:
25:
20:
19:
16:
1004:
908:Vidhan Sabha
757:Bhivargi Dam
732:Sangli State
727:Miraj Senior
722:Miraj Junior
637:
625:. Retrieved
619:
607:
596:
571:
560:
556:
548:
541:Nag Panchami
538:
530:
519:
510:
506:
498:
486:
466:
425:
424:also called
421:
420:
386:constituency
384:Vidhan Sabha
375:constituency
357:Nearest city
104:
98:January 2008
95:
85:
78:
71:
64:
52:
40:Please help
35:verification
32:
15:
1043:Narsobawadi
893:Hatkanangle
702:Aundh State
621:Maharashtra
473:Rashtrakuta
469:Maharashtra
454:Maharashtra
378:Hatkanangle
256:Maharashtra
219: /
1096:Categories
772:Yelavi Dam
717:Jath State
627:23 January
588:References
563:Gorakhnath
552:King Cobra
477:Shilaharas
360:Kolhapur,
282:Population
207:74°07′27″E
204:16°59′02″N
68:newspapers
1063:Education
884:Lok Sabha
847:Transport
793:Bhilawadi
767:Morna Dam
750:Geography
489:Shilahara
373:Lok Sabha
311:Time zone
295:Languages
274:Elevation
57:"Shirala"
980:Kadegaon
917:Islampur
645:Archived
526:Kolhapur
483:The name
438:district
316:UTC+5:30
263:District
1010:Tasgaon
1005:Shirala
947:Shirala
828:Tasgaon
695:History
582:Shivaji
578:Maratha
463:History
450:capital
422:Shirala
304:Marathi
232:Country
182:Shirala
127:Shirala
82:scholar
970:Atpadi
962:Tehsil
942:Sangli
898:Sangli
823:Sangli
522:Mumbai
446:Mumbai
442:Sangli
366:Sangli
333:415408
290:28,000
268:Sangli
241:
84:
77:
70:
63:
55:
1015:Walwa
1000:Palus
995:Miraj
932:Miraj
869:NH 48
818:Palus
813:Miraj
788:Ashta
616:(web)
457:state
434:India
352:MH 10
342:02345
251:State
244:India
89:JSTOR
75:books
975:Jath
838:Vita
629:2008
137:town
61:news
922:Jat
798:Jat
452:of
328:PIN
320:IST
44:by
1098::
618:.
448:,
432:,
364:,
680:e
673:t
666:v
631:.
322:)
318:(
111:)
105:(
100:)
96:(
86:·
79:·
72:·
65:·
38:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
