The 'Koyna Daulat Dongri Mahotsav', which is set to conclude tomorrow, has been underway since April 15 at Marli in Patan taluka. The three-day festival was inaugurated by five ordinary farmers along with their wives, underscoring the community-centric focus of the event.
It witnessed the presence of several dignitaries, including District Collector Santosh Patil, Chief Executive Officer Yashni Nagarajan, Superintendent of Police Sameer Sheikh, Additional Superintendent of Police Vaishali Kadukar, Additional Chief Executive Vishwas Sid, Divisional Forest Officer HS Waghmode, District Agriculture Superintendent Bhagyashree Farande, and Balasaheb Desai Cooperative Sugar Factory Chairman Yashraj Desai. Officers from various departments and a large number of farmers also attended the event.
Speaking at the inauguration, Guardian Minister Shambhuraj Desai said that the event is aimed at citizens from the hilly region who are often unable to access similar opportunities in urban areas. “This is the first Dongri Mahotsav in Western Maharashtra,” he said, noting that stalls at the event feature products made by women’s self-help groups (SHGs). Activities such as animal and bird exhibitions, horse riding, water sports, electric buggy rides, and paragliding have also been arranged for the public.
Minister Desai also announced that the Mahabaleshwar Mahaparyatan Utsav will take place from May 2 to 4. The upcoming tourism festival will feature stalls by SHGs and entrepreneurs, helicopter rides, a weapons exhibition, cultural programs, and a grand procession from the Mahabaleshwar marketplace. He further stated that the Mahaparyatan Utsav will become an annual event under the revenue department.
Encouraging the participation of women, he said, “We have brought experiences usually found only in big cities to people in remote areas—at very low cost.” He highlighted the agricultural exhibition and announced the upcoming opening of the first SHG mall in Satara district, at Panchgani, to give local women entrepreneurs access to a bigger market. “Many international tourists visit Panchgani, and this initiative will boost the visibility of SHG products,” he added. Instructions have also been given to replicate this model across all districts, starting with Satara. “Women are very creative, and I will support all your innovative ideas as the district’s guardian minister,” he assured.
Thematic stalls set up
As part of the festival, several thematic stalls have been installed, including a replica of Dhumalwadi—Maharashtra’s first fruit village—bamboo plantation initiatives under the Mahatma Gandhi Employment Guarantee Scheme, sugarcane digestate management, the importance of food-nutritious cereals, and integrated fruit production techniques. Government schemes like MahaDBT, Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Krishi Swalamban Yojana, and the National Biogas and Organic Management programme are also being showcased.
In addition, departments such as the Directorate of Tourism, Agricultural Science Center, food processing industry, fisheries, rice production, Khadi and Village Industries, and sericulture are presenting various agricultural and livelihood options. The Agriculture Department is providing guidance on modern and sustainable farming practices through expert-led demonstrations and displays.
Stalls selling agricultural equipment, farming-related vehicles, and SHG-made products are also part of the festival, offering both information and economic opportunity to the local farming community. According to government officials, the festival has seen enthusiastic participation from farmers and visitors alike.
