Sangli, popularly referred to as the 'City of Six Lanes', is a well-planned city in south-western
Maharashtra. Sangli and
Miraj form twin cities and are well known for their social, cultural and political activities. Located at the convergence of the
Krishna and Varna rivers, Sangli is 390 km from
Mumbai and 700 km from
Bangalore.
Sangli was the capital of the Chalukya Dynasty and the region around Sangli was then known as Kundal. During the pre-independence era, Sangli was a princely state ruled by Patwardhans, a royal family.
Turmeric trade forms the staple industry in the city. The largest sugar factory in Asia, Vasantdada Patil, is located here. Other commodities such as spices, cosmetics and engineering goods are exported from here on large scale. Sangli is also famous for its scrumptious grapes.
Sangli is a major center of learning and boasts of a good number of English medium schools, colleges and management institutes. A software technology park has been set up here. Apart from this, Sangli has some best health centers, hotels and telecommunication and entertainment facilities.
Sightseeing in and around Sangli includes dams, majestic waterfalls, historic forts, ancient shrines and wild life sanctuaries. Lord Ganesh Temple, noted for its area and grandeur, is worth seeing.
Sangli Railway Station is a major junction for Central, Northern, South Central, Western and Southern railways. The nearest airport is Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport. The National Highway 4 passes through Sangli.
