Akkalkot

Akkalkot is a city and a municipal council in Solapur district in the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is situated 40 km southeast of Solapur and very close to the border between Maharashtra and Karnataka states.Akkalkot was the home to Shri Swami Samarth Maharaj, a 19th-century saint who is believed by his devotees to be an incarnation of Lord Dattatreya. Akkalkot State during the British Raj, was a princely state ruled by the royal Bhonsale dynasty.GeographyAkkalkot taluka is bordered by Solapur District to the west and by Karnataka state on all other sides. The district covers an area of 1,407 km² and contains 138 villages, apart from the town. The total population of the taluka is approximately 290,000 (2001 census), giving a population density of 209 per km².Jowar, bajra and pulses are the main crops grown in the district. Akkalkot is routinely hit by drought as it falls in a rain shadow. No major river pass through this taluka. The soil is classified as 'medium to deep black' and is of rich quality.