Satara

Satara grew up around the Maratha empire, its hilltop Ajinkyatara Fort still overlooking the city center where the Bhonsle rulers once held court after Chhatrapati Shivaji's line split the kingdom. Sajjangad Fort, a few miles out, holds the samadhi of Samarth Ramdas, the saint who mentored Shivaji, and remains an active pilgrimage site. The Kaas Plateau, a UNESCO-listed grassland, erupts into a carpet of hundreds of wildflower species for a few weeks each September, drawing botanists and photographers from across the country. Satara also serves as the gateway to Mahabaleshwar and Panchgani, the hill stations where Mumbai and Pune escape the summer heat. Talent covering Satara lists here on a subscription basis, and the platform handles the booking and the payment.