Barsi Town, Barshi: Location, Connectivity and Nearby Areas

Barsi Town, Barshi, gives its name to one of the most influential railway lines in Indian history. In 1897 a narrow-gauge line opened from this Solapur district town, designed by the British engineer Everard Calthrop, and it is widely credited with changing how narrow-gauge railways were built across the subcontinent. The station is still called “Barsi Town,” even though the town is now officially spelled Barshi.

Today Barshi is a busy market town known for lentil mills, powerlooms and one of Maharashtra’s most unusual Vishnu temples. Here’s where it is, how to reach it, and what’s nearby.

Barshi: Quick Facts

Population figures vary widely. Wikipedia gives 1,87,000 for 2011, an older version of the same page lists 2,18,722, and a projection for 2017 suggests about 3 lakh. The differences likely come down to whether the town, the wider urban area or projections are being counted.

The Station 35 km From Town

There’s a curious detail in Barshi’s railway history. The original station called “Barsi Road” wasn’t in Barshi at all. It was on the main GIPR line 35 km away, at the place now called Kurduvadi.

Here’s how Barshi finally got its own railway:

• 1859–60: The main Pune–Solapur line reached “Barsi Road,” which later became Kurduvadi.
• 1862: A bullock-drawn tramway was proposed to link Barshi town with Barsi Road station. The earthworks, cuttings and bridges were completed by 1870, but the tramway never opened.
• 1887: Calthrop began negotiating to build a light railway on top of that unused roadbed.
• 1895: The Barsi Light Railway Company was formed in London.
• 1 March 1897: The first 34.75 km section opened from Barsi Road to Barsi Town, crossing the Seena River on a ten-arch masonry bridge.
• 1927: The line reached its full length of 325 km after extensions to Pandharpur, Miraj and Latur.
• October 2008: The Barshi–Kurduvadi section reopened as broad gauge.

Why Railway Historians Know This Town

Calthrop kept each axle’s load to a strict five tons, which kept construction cheap, while building the rolling stock as large as possible. He also introduced rail inclination, tilting the rails slightly to reduce wear. This idea is now used on railways of every gauge.

Sources disagree on one detail. The Latur–Miraj line page says the route was converted to metre gauge in 1929–31, while the Kurduvadi page says the line stayed narrow gauge until 2008. The Barsi Light Railway’s own records describe a narrow-gauge line throughout, so the metre-gauge claim may be mistaken.

Bhagwant Mandir: The Heart of the Town

Barshi’s nickname, Bhagwant Nagari, comes from its main temple. Key details from the Solapur Police tourism page:

• A unique name: It’s described as the only Vishnu temple in India where Vishnu is worshipped as “Bhagwant.”
• Built in 1245: The temple is in the Hemadpanthi style, a stone style common in medieval Maharashtra.
• Four entrances: The temple has entrances on all four sides, with the main one facing east.
• The idol: The black-stone image holds a conch, discus and mace. King Ambarish, a devotee, is depicted below the right hand, with Lakshmi behind the idol and the marks of sage Bhrigu’s feet on the chest.
• Historic grants: Records show grants from Nanasaheb Peshwa (1760), the British government (1784) and the East India Company (1823).

Getting to Barsi Town

By Rail

Barsi Town station is on the Kurduvadi–Latur broad-gauge line. Useful points:

• Kurduvadi Junction: About 35 km away by rail. It’s where you’ll usually change for trains to Pune, Mumbai and Solapur.
• Electrification: The Kurduvadi–Latur–Latur Road line was fully electrified in 2023.
• Zone: The route is managed by the Solapur division of Central Railway.
• Towards Latur: The broad-gauge line to Latur passes through Dharashiv (formerly Osmanabad), which wasn’t on the original narrow-gauge route.

By Road

Barshi is well connected by road to Solapur, Pune and the Marathwada region. Straight-line distances give a rough idea (actual road distances will be longer):

• Solapur: About 67 km.
• Aurangabad (Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar): About 186 km.
• Pune: About 197 km.

MSRTC buses connect Barshi with all these cities and the nearby taluka towns.

By Air

The nearest airport is in Solapur, but services there have been patchy:

• Flights started: Fly91 launched Goa–Solapur flights on 9 June 2025, after the state resolved funding approvals. A sugar mill chimney in the approach path was also demolished before the airport was recertified.
• Monsoon suspension: In July 2026, Fly91 suspended its Solapur–Goa and Solapur–Hyderabad flights for the monsoon, citing bad weather and the lack of night-landing facilities at Solapur. Services were expected to resume in August or September.
• Our note: We couldn’t confirm whether flights have resumed as of late September 2026. Check with the airline before booking.
• Larger airports: Pune has far more flight options and is reachable by train via Kurduvadi.

Barshi’s Local Economy

Barshi is more than a temple town. It’s a regional market centre, and its economy is built on:

• Lentil (dal) mills: A large number of dal-processing units operate here.
• Textiles: Barshi is known for its powerloom and handloom industries.
• Saturday market: A weekly market, which also doubles as a cattle market, is held every Saturday.
• Regional services: It serves as a medical, educational and agricultural market centre for villages from the nearby Marathwada region, which is why it’s often called the “entrance to Marathwada.”

Water supply is a long-standing issue. The town relies on wells and a tank, and drinking water shortages are common, especially in summer.

Nearby Areas and Places to Visit

Kurduvadi

Kurduvadi is the original “Barsi Road” station and is still Barshi’s link to the main railway line. Its workshop was set up in 1930 to repair narrow-gauge locomotives and now repairs broad-gauge wagons.

Pandharpur

Pandharpur, home to the famous Vithoba temple, is on the old Barsi Light Railway route to Miraj. It’s one of Maharashtra’s most important pilgrimage towns, especially during the Ashadhi Ekadashi wari.

Tuljapur

Tuljapur’s Bhavani temple, just across the district border in Dharashiv, is another important pilgrimage site. It’s often combined with a visit to Barshi.

Dharashiv (Osmanabad) and Latur

Both are further east along the railway line. The broad-gauge route now connects them directly with Barshi, making day trips straightforward.

Solapur

Solapur is the district headquarters and the main city for government offices, larger hospitals and shopping. It’s also where Barshi residents go for flights when they’re running.

FAQs

Q1. Is Barsi the same as Barshi?

A. Yes. Barshi is the official town name, while “Barsi” was used historically and is still the railway station’s name (Barsi Town). Both refer to the same town in Solapur district.

Q2. What is Barshi famous for?

A. The Bhagwant Mandir, built in 1245, is its best-known landmark. The town is also known for lentil mills, powerloom and handloom textiles, and its links to the historic Barsi Light Railway.

Q3. How do I reach Barshi by train?

A. Take a train to Kurduvadi Junction on the Pune–Solapur line, then connect to Barsi Town station on the Kurduvadi–Latur line, about 35 km away.

Q4. Which is the nearest airport to Barshi?

A. Solapur Airport is nearest, but Fly91 suspended flights there during the 2026 monsoon. Pune airport has more reliable options and is reachable by train via Kurduvadi.