India’s Rich and traditional heritage, A Journey through time changing identities of Raste Wada , A case of Wai, Pune

Abstract

Wai originated as a settlement of weavers, its name is an adaptation of the word vaya, which means ‘thread’ in Sanskrit. Even though one cannot accurately pinpoint the timelines of Wai’s origin, its current built heritage is witness to the style associated with the Marathas in the 1700’s. Situated at the foothills of the Western Ghats, Wai the Krishna River onto southern plains after its origin near Mahabaleshwar. Wai cannot be simply vilipend, as it has a lot of potential attract tourists with its lanes that would remind you of the renowned years of the Peshwas. At a distance of 35 km from the city of Satara, coupled with Krishna’s reverence in India, historically allowed Wai to thrive as a religious centre, with Seven Ghats, west to east: Gangapuri Aali, Madhali Aali, Ganpati Aali, Dharampuri Ghat, Brahmanshahi Ghat, Ramdoh Aali and Bhimkund Aali. It’s truly a pilgrim town with about 100 temples, which are constructed in Hemadpanthi style of Architecture; i.e. using huge stone slabs, without mortar. These layered relationships of the Ghats and the temples, resembling those of the Ganges in Varanasi, led to Wai being hailed as Dakshin Kashi or ‘The Benares of the South’. Wai was also known as Viraatnagari, as it was believed that the Pandavas stayed with King Viraat of Wai, when they were in exile. An important centre for business and commerce with traders heading towards Satara and Kolhapur or the port of Konkan.