Maharashtra is one of India's most populous and economically important states. It is a land befitting people with a long history of valour and artistic skill. Central Indian tableland merges with undulating hill ranges, which grow into the majestic Western Ghats before swooping down to palm-fringed beaches. Forts dominate the ranges and tell the history of warrior people. Caves and temples with artistic embellishments of unimaginable beauty mark the land and attest to the skill of cultured people.

Today, this agricultural land is one of the major industrial states of the country, boasting of Bombay, the First City of India, one of the world's truly great cosmopolitan metropolises. That paradox is also part of Maratha history. Its booming capital, Mumbai (Bombay), is also a major gateway for overseas visitors. From Mumbai most travelers head south to the beaches of Goa, south-east to Pune and its famous ashram, or north-east to the world-heritage cave temples of Ajanta and Ellora.

The jagged Western Ghats run parallel to the coast for the full length of state and are dotted with inviting hill stations such as Matheran and Mahabaleshwar.

Most of the state stands on the high Deccan plateau which stretches east some 800 km. from the Western Ghats. Historically, this was the main centre for the Maratha Empire, which defied the Mughals for so long, and which, under the fearless rule of Shivaji, carved out a large part of central India as its domain. Maharashtra's many inland and coastal forts are a legacy of Shivaji and, to a lesser extent, the Portuguese.