REPORT ON THE SANITARY CONDITION OF THE TOWN
OF KOLHA'PUR.
Inspected in July 1876.
Kolhápur, the Capital of the Native State of that name, is situated in latitude
16° 41' N. and longitude 74° 17' E., at an elevation of about 1,790 feet above the
level of the sea, from which it is distant as the crow flies about 64 miles, and is 76
miles south of Satara, and 66 north of Belgaum. This ancient town occupies a
position on rising ground about half a mile above the right or southern bank of one
of the tributaries of the Krishna called the Panchganga, which rises between the
spurs of the Western Gháts, the nearest point of these being about 28 miles distant.
2. The country immediately surrounding the town is open, and during the
rains is covered with green grass; but I am informed this soon gets burnt up and
the surface presents an arid appearance during the remainder of the year. The
land rises gradually from the river over undulating ground to a range of low hills
on the south, the drainage of which is carried off by the Jiti Nalah, which runs from
the south along the eastern front of the town skirting Pet Raveewar, at a distance
from the fort of about 300 yards. It then changes its direction and flows towards
the north below Pet Somvar and old Budhwar until it joins the river at Bhr
á - m á p u r i . O n t h e s o u t h - w e s t a n d a b o v e t h e s u b u r b s o f t h e t o w n i s t h e l a r g e
Rankála tank which presents to view a fine sheet of water some 5 or 600 acres
in extent, whilst the Padmála Tank is on the south-east, and at an higher
elevation than the town. The land on the bank of the Jiti Nalah is cultivated
on the north-east, east and south, whilst between the Rankála Tank and the river
on the west the fields have been rendered marshy from causes that will be here
- a f t e r a l l u d e d t o . T h e R e s i d e n c y a n d M i l i t a r y C a n t o n m e n t a r e o n r i s i n g g r o u n d ,
at a distance of about a mile from the town. The valley of the Panchganga
gradually rises on its left, or northern bank, and at about 10 miles distant there
is a range of lofty hills, among which the celebrated fortress of Panála towers
pre-eminent, as the hill on which it is built rises to a height of 2,500 feet; whilst
at a somewhat lower elevation, but contiguous to it, is the high hill sacred to
Jotiba, an incarnation of Shiva and the tutelary god of Scindia's family, who
has been worshipped from time immemorial at this place.
3. The rock on which the town stands consists of moorum, overlying the
trap which is found at a depth varying from a few inches to 3 or 4 feet, and
which furnish building material in abundance, but which, as it requires blasting,
is not now much used for that purpose by private house-owners.
4. The climate of Kolhápur is said to be extremely salubrious, and has been
very favourably reported upon by the Civil Surgeon, Honorary Surgeon Sinclair
(who has resided here for many years), to whom I am indebted for the following
statement showing the direction of the prevailing wind and the average number
of days for the last 5 years on which it blew from the undermentioned points of
the compass:—
N. E. E. S.E.
S. S.W. W.
N.W. N.
Calm.
Remarks.
1871
. . . 72
10
. . .
. . .
90 110
72
7
4
From June to October the S.W. wind
or sea breeze blows freely through-
out the day and night, From Novem-
ber to February the prevailing wind
is northerly and easterly. Heavy fogs
frequently hang in the valleys and
over the rivers during the cold season.
During the months of March, April
and May hot dry easterly winds
prevail.
1872
. . . 37
32
30
. . . 100 127
20
14
6
1873
. . . 23
24 10
. . . 121 130
37
12
8
1874
. . . 12
82
8
. . . 136
90
14
16
7
1875
. . . 48
62
10
1 110 80
15
26
13
9
Mean
. . . 38
42
1 1 . . . 111 107
31
15
279— a