Ajara, India

 

Ajara, India

Ajara is a census town and the administrative headquarters of Ajara Taluka in the Kolhapur district of Maharashtra, India. It lies at an elevation of 660 meters (2,170 ft) and is located approximately 84 km from Kolhapur and 33 km from the Amboli Hill Station. The town is known for its scenic, green landscape and is situated on the banks of the Chitra and Hiranyakeshi rivers.

Ajara is renowned for Ajara Ghansal Tandul, a premium variety of rice that received the Geographical Indication (GI) tag on March 31, 2016, becoming the first rice variety from Maharashtra to earn this recognition.

 The town has a Nagar Panchayat (municipal council) and a population of around 18,000 (as of 2011), with a literacy rate of 75%. Marathi is the predominant language spoken.

A notable religious site in Ajara is Ramtirth, believed to be a stopover for Lord Rama, Lakshmana, and Sita during their 14-year exile.

 The nearest major city is Gadhinglaj, and the town's PIN code is 416505.