Kolhapur, the Dakshin Kashi
The city where Kalapuri began, and the home of the Kolhapuri chappal, the thushi and the saaj.
Kolhapur is called Dakshin Kashi, the Kashi of the south, for the Mahalakshmi temple at its heart. It is also the city that gave the Kolhapuri chappal its name.
कोल्हापूर · दक्षिण काशी
Ambabai, the heart of the city
The Mahalakshmi temple, known in Kolhapur as Ambabai, has drawn pilgrims for centuries and gives the city its name of Dakshin Kashi. The busy market lanes around it are where the city still shops, and our store in Laxmipuri is close by.
The city's own originals
The Kolhapuri chappal is cut and stitched by hand in leather, and carries a GI tag shared by makers in Kolhapur and neighbouring districts of Maharashtra and Karnataka.
Thushi and saaj are Kolhapur's own jewellery: the thushi a close-fitting choker of fine beads, the saaj a traditional necklace worn by brides.
Rajarshi Shahu Maharaj
Shahu Maharaj, who ruled Kolhapur from 1894 to 1922, is remembered as a reformer and a patron of the city's artisans and trades. The New Palace, home of Kolhapur's royal family, is now partly a museum and one of the city's landmarks.
A weekend in Kolhapur
- Mahalakshmi (Ambabai) temple, in the old city
- New Palace and its museum
- Rankala Lake, for an evening walk
- Panhala Fort, in the hills outside the city, with wide views of the valley
- Jyotiba temple, on a hilltop outside the city
And eat what Kolhapur is known for: spicy misal and tambda-pandhra rassa.
Visit Our Store
Our Emporium in Laxmipuri, close to the Mahalakshmi temple, has our full range of sandals, jewellery and baskets to see and try.
- Address
- Kalapuri, Gurukul Towers
Above Mamta Hospital, Near Uma Talkies
Laxmipuri, Kolhapur, Maharashtra 416002 - Opening hours
- Open all 7 days
10:30 am – 8:30 pm - Call
- +91 90660 87087
- Message us
