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Maharashtra (महाराष्ट्ऱ) is India's third largest state in terms of area and second largest in terms of population after Uttar Pradesh. Maharashtra is bordered by the states of Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Goa and the Union territory of Dadra and Nagar Haveli. The Arabian Sea makes up the state's western coast. Mumbai (Bombay), India's largest city, is the capital of Maharashtra.

Origin of name

The precise origins of the word Maharashtra, which means "the land of the Marathi speaking people," remains unclear. The name appears to be derived from Maharashtri, an old form of Prakrit, an ancient Indian language. One version points to the derivation of the name from "land of the Mahars and the Rattas", natives of the region. Another possible derivation is believed to be the corruption of the term "Maha Kantara," which means "Great Forest".

Another possible derivation is from rathi, which means "chariot driver", obtained from the fact that Maharashtra at that time inhabited by builders and drivers of chariots who formed a maharathis or "fighting force"^{Govt. of India directory – A directory of websites of the Government of Maharashtra}

• Official site of the Maharashtra govt
• Maharashtra tourism official site
• Indtravel – An overview of the state.

References

1. Geographic Profile — Govt of Maharashtra
2. ^  Maharashtra tourism — Govt of Maharashtra (tourism)
3. History of Maharashtra
4. Mumbainet
5. History