Kolhapur is situated on the banks of the river Panchganga and is the location of the Temple of Mahalakshmi, a Hindu goddess. Kolhapur is an ancient city, famous for its food, headwear, footwear, jewellery, wrestling and religious connections. According to legend it was settled by Kolhasur, a demon who was later killed by Mahalakshmi to relieve the local populace.
Jain temples in that region build in the next couple of century are called Gonka-Jinalya after him. During the reign of Bhoja I, a dynamic Acharya Maghanandi helped establish an institute at Rupanarayana-Basadi. Khidrapur The Kopeshwar (shiva) Temple, located in Kolhapur district, is one of most beautiful examples of temple architecture in India. It was built by Shilahara King Gandaraditya, Vijayaditya and Bhoj-II between 1109 and 1178 AD.