Karli, India facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Karli
Karla
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town
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 Karli
Location in Maharashtra
Karli
Location in India
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| Country |  India |
| State | Maharashtra |
| District | Pune |
| Demonym(s) | Karlikar |
| Languages | |
| • Official | Marathi |
| Time zone | UTC+5:30 (IST) |
| Nearest city | Pune |
Karli (also known as Karla) is a town located in the Pune district of Maharashtra, India. It sits along the main highway that connects the cities of Pune and Mumbai. This area is important because it's on an old trade route that goes from the Arabian Sea into the Deccan Plateau. Karli is also special as it's in a region that divides North India from South India. The town covers an area of about 457 hectares.
Karli is most famous for its amazing Karla Caves. These are ancient Buddhist temples, called chaityas, carved right into the stone. They were made around the 1st century BC. The main cave is huge, about 40 meters long and 15 meters high. It's the largest stone-cut chaitya in all of India. Inside, the main hall has 37 pillars. Each pillar is topped with carvings of kneeling elephants.
The outside of the cave temple shows some wear and tear. Parts of the stone have broken, and detailed carvings have faded. These carvings were made to look like finished wood. A large arch shaped like a horseshoe is a key feature on the front. There's also a stone lion column and a damaged torana (a decorative gateway) nearby. On one side, you can find a temple dedicated to Shree Ekvira devi.
Karli was also a site of historical events. In 1779, during the First Anglo-Maratha War, a battle took place here. Forces from the Maratha Empire met British soldiers who were trying to reach Pune. The British commander, Captain Stewart, was killed during this fight.
How Karli is Governed
The village of Karli is managed by a sarpanch. This person is an elected leader who is in charge of the local village council, called a gram panchayat. According to the 2011 Census of India, Karli was a self-contained gram panchayat. This means it was the only village governed by that specific council.
Karli's Population
The 2011 Census of India counted 624 households in Karli. The total population was 2,748 people. Out of these, 1,439 were males and 1,309 were females.
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