Sagareshwar Wildlife Sanctuary is an area protected in the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is on the borders of three Tehsils of Sangli District: Kadegaon, Walva and Palus. This wildlife sanctuary is
man-made; it is developed artificially without a continued provision of water, and the vast majority of the wildlife species were introduced artificially. It has a space of 10.87 KM² in total.

Districts/Region

Sangli district, Maharashtra, India.

History

The sanctuary gets its name from an ancient renowned Sagareshwar Shiva temple that attracts countless devotees. It comprises a huge sanctuary and a complex of 51 small temples, all from the Satvahana time frame. Originally, Sagareshwar Wildlife Sanctuary was declared as a forest park. In 1980, it became Sagaroba game reserve, and later in 1985, it became Sagareshwar Wildlife Sanctuary when approximately 52 animals were set free in the area. The animals found in the sanctuary include several types of deer (Sambar Deer, Blackbucks, Muntjac, Chital), wild boars and peacocks. Small carnivores like a hyena, fox, and porcupines too are seen in the area. The Sagareshwar sanctuary has been considered important from the religious, cultural, and archaeological perspective as it houses various temples dedicated to Lord Shiva. There is one more temple called Kamal Bhairao or Kal Bhairao, situated along a precarious bluff.

Geography

The Sagareshwar Wildlife Sanctuary is one of the most popular attractions of Sangli, situated at a distance of 47 KM from the city. It is a man-made sanctuary, built under a planned afforestation programme; and involves the local population of the three tehsils of Sangli District. This sanctuary covers total area of 10.87 sq KM and mostly comprises forest areas with grassy hill slopes. It is home to a total of 52 species of fauna, which includes animals like wild goats, wild cows, rabbits, deer, jackals, peacocks, blackbucks, cheetal, sambar, hyenas, foxes, barking deer and porcupines. It also has many species of insects, reptiles and birds.

Weather/Climate

The region has a hot-semi arid climate year-round with an average temperature ranging from 19-33 degrees Celsius. April and May are the hottest months when the temperaturereaches up to 42 degrees Celsius. Winters are extreme, and the temperature can go as low as 10 degrees Celsius at night, but the average daytime temperature is around 26 degrees Celsius. The annual rainfall in the region is around 763 mm. 

Things to do

ut 1.5 KM from the sanctuary is a temple complex of about 51 ancient temples, believed to be about 500-600 years old and of the Shilahara or Yadava period. The main temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva and named Sagareshwara. The other deities include Laksmi-Narayan and Vishnu. One can see stones and sculptures of sages, women, elephants, etc. Further, you can include a visit to Kole Nrusinhapur, about 16 KM from Sagareshwar and 21 KM from Karad. Of particular beauty here is the idol of Nrisinha carved out of black stone. The temple is also unique for its fortification wall with five bastions.

Nearest tourist places

Ganapati Temple – This is one of the most famous places to visit in Sangli. This temple was constructed by Thorle Chintamanrao Patwardhan in the year 1843. Dandoba Hills Forest Reserve – This forest reserve is rich in flora and fauna and one of those unexplored forests of India. Many
historical sites within the forest reserves are waiting to be explored. Sangmeshwar Temple - This temple of Sangmeshwar is dedicated to Lord Shiva The significance of the temple is exponentially
increased because it is located at the junction of the River Krishna and the River Warna.
Bahubali Hill Temple – This temple is located a little away from the main city of Sangli. The Bahubali hills are popularly known as Kumbhojgiri. It houses a 28 ft tall statue of the saint Bahubali.
It is believed that the sage Bahubali meditated here 400 years ago. Sangli Fort – Sangli Fort once constituted the beautiful Rajwada Palace and a brilliant museum of its time. Chandoli National Park – This is quite a large National park with a large variety of animals to see. The forest is a mix of the Malabar Coast moist forests and the North Western Ghats moist deciduous forests.
Gokak Waterfall – The Gokak waterfall is located a little away from the main city of Sangli. It occurs on the river Sangli. This beautiful waterfall is generally compared to Niagara Falls mainly for its height, shape and rapidity. The waterfalls to a depth of 17 metres

Special food speciality and hotel

When in Sagareshwar, do make sure you taste local delicacies. You would not like to miss tasting ‘Bhadang’ for instance. This local dish is made of puffed rice, peanut and garlic and is extremely popular and can leave you wanting for more. You can also indulge your palate with bhelpuri and panipuri, etc. Apart from local food, you will also find a lot of outlets which serve fast foods.

Accommodation facilities nearby & Hotel/ Hospital/Post Office/Police station

● There are various accommodation facilities found around
the sanctuary as per one's budget.
● Kurlap police station is the nearest police station. (36 KM)
● Sayali Hospital is the closest hospital. (8.1 KM)

Visiting Rule and Time, Best month to visit

The best time to visit the Sanctuary is from August to February. Timings: 8. 00 AM - 05.30 PM, Closed on Tuesday Entry: Rs. 55 for Person

Language spoken in area 

English, Hindi, Marathi.