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Thane

geography Maturity 7-9 Next article →

Thane is a large, busy city in western India. It is located in the state of Maharashtra. The city sits on the north-east part of Salsette Island.

Thana district Places of Interest 1896 map
Thana district Places of Interest 1896 map

It is very close to Mumbai and is part of its metropolitan region. Thane serves as the headquarters for the Thane district. With 1,890,000 people, it is the 15th most populous city in India. Many different people live here. Most people speak Marathi, but many others use Hindi or Urdu.

Masunda Lake in Thane
Masunda Lake in Thane

The weather in Thane is warm and humid. It has a tropical monsoon climate. This means there are many days with high rainfall. Most of the rain falls between June and October. Temperatures usually stay between 22°C and 36°C. In the summer, it can reach 40°C at noon. In the winter, the night temperature can drop to 12°C. The air often feels wet because the humidity is high. This makes the city feel like a lush, tropical zone.

Thane has a very long and interesting history. It began growing as an urban area under the Shilahara dynasty. This group ruled the north Konkan region from 800 to 1265 CE. In those days, it was known by names like Sthánaka. The city was once a famous harbour for trade.

Upvan in Morning
Upvan in Morning

Many different groups ruled the area over the centuries. These included the Mughals, the Marathas, and the Portuguese. The Marathas captured the area from the Mughals in 1675. Later, the British took control of the area after a war in 1782.

Water is a very important part of the landscape. Thane is famous for having many beautiful lakes. Masunda Lake sits right in the heart of the city. It is surrounded by important places like temples and markets.

Masunda Lake in Thane
Masunda Lake in Thane

Another large lake is Upvan Lake. It sits at the foothills of Yeoor and has a statue of Lord Shiva in its middle. There are many other lakes too, like Kolshet Lake and Ulhas River marshlands. These lakes help define the look of the city.

Traveling is a big part of life in Thane. The city has a very special link to the history of trains. In 1853, Thane was the end of the first passenger train in all of Asia. That train was pulled by three locomotives named Sahib, Sindh, and Sultan.

Nmmtabc
Nmmtabc

Today, the railway station is one of the busiest in India. It handles about 654,000 passengers every single day. People also use buses and are even building a new metro network. This new ring metro project should open by 2029.

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🖼️ Images & Media (5)
File:Thana district Places of Interest 1896 map.jpg
Thana district Places of Interest 1896 map.jpg
File:Masunda Lake in Thane.jpg
Masunda Lake in Thane.jpg
File:Upvan in Morning.jpg
Upvan in Morning.jpg
File:Nmmtabc.jpg
Nmmtabc.jpg
File:Buses of Mira-Bhayandar Municipal Transport.jpg
Buses of Mira-Bhayandar Municipal Transport.jpg
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