Wai Taluka

According to Tarkatirtha Lakshman Shastri Joshi, Wai was a settlement of weavers. According to researcher Dr. H.V. Sankalia, the name of this village in the eighth century A.D. was Wai, which eventually became Wai.

Wai City

Located on the banks of the Krishna River, Wai is known as the Southern Kashi. The city has many ghats and ancient temples. The grand statue of Dholya Ganpati carved from a single stone by Sardar Raste in 1762, Siddheshwar Temple with the live Samadhi of Siddhanath, Ganga Rameshwar, Kashi Vishwanath, Lakshmi Narayan, and the Rokedoba Hanuman Temple established by Samarth Ramdas Swami are notable temples. Swami Kevalanand established a scholarly school here, and the encyclopedia is published from here, with 16 volumes published so far. Two significant annual festivals are the Krishnamai Festival and the Vasant Lecture Series. Near Wai is the Samadhi of Sage Bhrigu. The Lok Tilak Library in Ganpati Alley received the Maharashtra State’s Best Public Library Award, Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Award, in 1990 and celebrated its diamond jubilee in 1991-92. The library has a collection of over 30,000 books. About 2 km from Wai in the Panchgani Ghat, there is a silk production center with mulberry cultivation over one acre, hosting silkworms.

Dholya Ganpati Temple

The fame of Wai has increased due to this temple. This is the largest and most grand temple in Wai, built in 1762 by Sardar Ganpatrao Bhikaji Raste on the Krishna Ghat in Ganpati Alley. The temple’s grand hall has arches on three sides, and inside is a seated stone statue of Ganpati, 6 feet tall and 7 feet long.

ढोल्या गणपती मंदिर

ढोल्या गणपती

Dholya Ganpati Temple

Raireshwar

On Raireshwar Hill, in the Raireshwar Temple, Shivaji Maharaj took an oath with his Mawlas to establish a Hindu/Hindavi Swarajya. From the fort, one can see the Wai and Bhor areas and the Savitri river valley in the Konkan region to the west.

रायरेश्वर

Raireshwar

Kaalubai Temple, Mandhardeo

Located in Mandhardeo village, atop Mandhardevi Hill, at an altitude of 4517 feet above sea level, this temple is devoted to Kaalubai, the family deity of millions of devotees, and is around 350 years old.

काळूबाई मंदिर, मांढरदेव

Kaalubai Temple, Mandhardeo

Menavali

Located on the banks of the Krishna River, this village has the palace of Nana Phadnavis, a prominent figure in the Peshwa era. The ghat and temples on the riverbank are notable. A large metal bell hangs in a small temple on the ghat, brought by Chimaji Appa as a victory sign from the Portuguese after the Battle of Vasai. The crescent-shaped ghat hosts the ancient Menavleshwar Temple.

Silk Centre

About 2 km from Wai, in the Panchgani Ghat, there is a silk production center where the silk thread is produced and the silk industry in the district is promoted. There is a guide appointed for tourists here. The center has mulberry cultivation over 8 acres, hosting silkworms. The silk thread is extracted from these worms’ cocoons, and the silk fabric is sold at affordable prices.

Pandavgad

This fort is located four miles northwest of Wai city. It has a square-shaped summit and was built around 1200 A.D. by Bhoja, the Shilahara king of Panhala. To reach the fort, one must climb the first mountain and then ascend the second higher mountain. There are wells on the way, and the path is narrow and dangerous. On the summit, there are many water tanks. In the middle of the ruined fort is the temple of Pandajai Devi and another smaller temple.

Vairatgad

Vairatgad is located 8 km southeast of Wai city. This fort was also built by the Shilahara king of Panhala. The path to the fort is narrow and rough. The flat part of the fort is somewhat wide, and there are temples of Shankar Datt and Matangi Devi on the fort. There are a few secret paths and caves on the fort used during emergencies. The fort has a unique underground cellar, an extensive subterranean passage over 200 feet long.