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TRAVEL MAHARASHTRA IN INDIA

Maharashtra, known as Rashtra in the Rig Veda, Rashtrik in Ashoka's inscriptions, and Maha rashtra afterwards, as attested by Huein-Tsang and other travellers, is a state located in the north centre of Peninsular India, with a command of the Arabian Sea through its port of Mumbai, Maharashtra has a remarkable physical homogeneity, enforced by its underlying geology. Hindus form the majority of Maharashtra population & the culture of Maharashtra reflects that. There are many temples in Maharashtra some of them being hundreds of years old constructed in a fusion of architectural styles borrowed from North and South India. The temples also blend themes from Hindu, Buddhist and Jain cultures. The temple of Vitthala at Pandharpur may be considered the most important to the Maharashtrian Hindu population. Many of the temples are tourist attractions with the most famous amongst them being the Ajanta and Ellora Caves near Aurangabad. A famous example of Mughal architecture is the tomb of the wife of Aurangzeb called Bibi Ka Maqbara also located at Aurangabad. The landscape of Maharashtra is dotted with many forts, like Raigad and Pratapgad which played an extremely important part in the establishment of the Maratha empire and also sea forts like the one at Sindhudurg.The folk music of Maharashtra is of various types viz. Gondhal, Lavani, Bharud, Powada, etc. and the religious songs called bhajans by saints like Dnyaneshwar, Tukaram, Namdev are very poular. One of the earliest instances of Marathi literature is by Dnyaneshwar with his Bhawarthadeepika (popularly known as Dnyaneshwari) and modern Marathi literature has its share of great poets and authors. P. L. Deshpande, Kusumagraj, Prahlad Keshav Atre, Vyankatesh Madgulkar being a few of them. Several wildlife sanctuaries, national parks and Project Tiger reserves have been created in Maharashtra, with the aim of conserving the rich bio-diversity of the region and Maharashtra's forests and consequently the wildlife are in Vidarbha region. These are the Gugamal National Park, also known as Melghat Tiger Reserve located in Vidarbha region in Amravati district, Navegaon National Park, home to many species of birds, deer, bears and leopards near Nagpur in Vidarbha region, Pench National Park, upgraded into a Tiger project in Nagpur district in Vidarbha, Sanjay Gandhi National Park, also known as Borivali National Park located in Mumbai and the world's largest national park within city limits and Tadoba Andhari Tiger Project, a prominent tiger reserve near Chandrapur in Vidarbha.

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MUMBAI IN MAHARASHTRA, INDIA

Mumbai, most populas city of India, is located on Salsette Island at the mouth of Ulhas River, off the west coast of Maharashtra in India. Mumbai is the financial and commercial capital of India. It has the largest proportion of taxpayers in India and its share markets transact almost 70 per cent of the country's stocks. Mumbai offers a lifestyle that is rich, cosmopolitan and diverse, with a variety of food, entertainment and nightlife available in a form and abundance comparable to that in world capitals. The entertainment industry is the other major employer in Mumbai. Most of India's major television and satellite networks as well as its major publishing houses are headquartered in Mumbai. The centre of the Hindi movie industry, Bollywood, is also located in Mumbai, along with its largest studios and movie production houses. Mumbai also boasts of large number of cinemas, including Asia's largest IMAX dome theatre, which feature mainstream Bollywood and Hollywood movies. Along with the rest of India, Mumbai, its commercial capital, has witnessed an economic boom since the liberalisation of 1991, the finance boom in the mid nineties and the IT, export, services and BPO boom in this decade. The middle class in Mumbai is the segment most impacted by this boom and is the driver behind the consequent consumer boom. Upward mobility among Mumbaikars has led to a direct increase in consumer spending. Gateway of India, Mumbai's most famous monument, is the starting point for most tourists who want to explore the city. It was built as a triumphal arch to commemorate the visit of King George V and Queen Mary, complete with four turrets and intricate latticework carved into the yellow basalt stone. Ironically, when the Raj ended in 1947, this colonial symbol also became a sort of epitaph: the last of the British ships that set sail for England left from the Gateway. Today this symbol of colonialism has got Indianised, drawing droves of local tourists and citizens. Behind the arch, there are steps leading down to the water. Here, you can get onto one of the bobbing little motor launches, for a short cruise through Mumbai's splendid natural harbour or the Elephanta caves. Hewn out of solid rock, the Elephanta Caves date back to 600 AD, and attract more visitors each year than the entire city of Mumbai. This place resonates with the spiritual energy of India and is a complex with a collection of shrines, courtyards, inner cells, grand halls and porticos arranged in the splendid symmetry of Indian rock-cut architecture, and filled with exquisite stone sculptures of Hindu Gods and Goddesses. At the entrance to the caves is the famous Trimurti, the celebrated trinity of Elephanta : there's Lord Brahma the Creator, Lord Vishnu, the preserver and Lord Shiva the Destroyer Unfortunately, many of the sculptures inside have been damaged by iconoclastic Portuguese rulers who took potshots at Hindu Gods with their rifles. And yet somehow, nothing has disturbed the sublime beauty of this place for centuries. Bombay's culture can also be seen at the Jahangir art gallery, just next to the Prince of Wales Museum, displays changing exhibits by well-known Indian artists. There's plenty of art to be seen outside as well, as the plaza in front of the building is full of artists offering their works for sale and their talents for commission assignments.
Chowpatty is Mumbai's most famous beach apart from Juhu in the suburbs. During the day, it is the hangout of the happily unemployed who snooze under the shade of its stunted trees. But in the evening the atmosphere is more like a carnival with the kids screaming on Ferris wheels or taking pony rides, wayside astrologers making a quick buck, monkey shows, and even the odd self -styled gymnast who will demonstrate amazing yogic postures for a small fee. At one end is a row of bhelpuri shops hawking Mumbai's most popular snack: crisp puffed rice and semolina doused in pungent chutneys, all scooped up with a flat, fried puri. You might even catch a film shoot or a street play. In short, for most tourists Chowpatty is where the action is.

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PUNE IN MAHARASHTRA, INDIA

Pune, second largest city in Maharashtra, and 7th largest in India, is the cultural capital of the state of Maharashtra in India with a population of 4.0 million. Pune, 170 km from Mumbai, was the bastion of the Maratha empire under the reign of the Peshwas when it blossomed into a centre of art and learning and several far-reaching revenue and judicial reforms were also initiated in the city. Shaniwarwada, Saras baug, Aga Khan Palace, Parvati Temple, Khadakwasla Dam, Sinhgad are the most visited places by tourists in Pune. 'Ganeshotsav', a festival of Lord Ganesh is selebrate in Pune with lot of enthusiasm and worship. Chitale Bandhu Mithaiwale's 'Bakar Wadi' and 'Amba Burfi' are famous all over the world. Pune is the birth place of Meher Baba as well as having been the home of Rajneesh, Rajneesh's Ashram helps attract an international crowd to the city. Situated amidst thick, rather impenetrable flora, the centre boasts of a huge meditation center and two beautiful gardens - Osho garden and Zen garden. These remain places of interest for many foreigners and people from elsewhere in the country.Chaturshrungi goddess is the reigning deity of the city of Pune. Her temple is situated on the slopes of a mountain in the northwest part of the city of Pune in the midst of nature's scenic beauty. This ninety feet high and one twenty five feet wide temple is looked after by Chatushringi Devasthan (Temple) trustees, with full dedication. In the month of September there is a huge procession for the Navaratris and people flock in to visit and receive blessings of the Goddess. Pune was also home to a considerable population of the Indian Jewish community, the Bene Israel. It is home to Asia's largest synagogue (outside Israel), The Ohel David Synagogue. Pune hosts the Sawai Gandharva Music Festival in the month of December dedicated to the classical Hindustani and Carnatic forms of music. Many renowned performers perform through 3 consecutive nights creating a hype unique to this city. It is one of the most eagerly awaited festivals in the city, and music lovers from Pune and other parts of Maharashtra and India view it as a great treat.

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AURANGABAD IN MAHARASHTRA, INDIA

Aurangabad, meaning "Built by the Throne" and named after Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb, is a city in Maharashtra, India. Malik Ambar, the Prime Minister of Murtaza Nizam Shah II, and the then ruler of the Deccan (central parts of Southern India), founded Aurangabad in 1610. The city is a tourist hub, surrounded with many historical and religious monuments of National importance including Ajanta and Ellora World heritage sites, Daulatabad (Deogiri Fort) and Bibi-Ka-Maqbara.

Ajanta Caves, located just outside the village of Ajin?ha in Aurangabad District and 106 km from Aurangabad city of Maharashtra in India, are rock-cut cave monuments dating back to the second century BCE containing 29 caves with paintings and sculpture considered to be masterpieces of both "Buddhist religious art and "universal pictorial art. The monastic Ajanta caves are in a wooded and rugged horseshoe-shaped ravine consisting of several viharas (monastic halls of residence) and chaitya-grihas (stupa monument halls) cut into the mountain scarp in two phases and its head is a waterfall that drops over the mountain rim in a series of seven steps to a pool far below - the Saptakund. The first phase is mistakenly called the Hinayana phase (referring to the Lesser Vehicle tradition of Buddhism, when the Buddha was revered symbolically) and the second phase of excavation started on the site after a lull of over three centuries is often inappropriately called the Mahayana phase (referring to the Greater Vehicle tradition of Buddhism, which is less strict and encourages direct depiction of the Buddha through paintings and carvings). Some prefer to call this phase the Vaka?aka phase after the ruling dynasty of the house of the Vaka?akas of the Vatsagulma branch. The royal patronage of ruling dynasties and professional artists helped Buddhist monks to create magnificent murals narrating the story of Buddha in his cycle of incarnations, while simultaneously creating a painted record of the panorama of life in ancient India The paintings in the Ajanta caves are everywhere except the floor and the painted narratives of the Jataka tales are depicted only on the walls, which demanded special attention of the devotee. They are didactic in nature meant to inform the community about the Buddha's teachings and life through successive births. Their placement on the walls required the devotee to walk through the aisles and 'read' the narratives depicted in various episodes. For a long period of time the paintings were erroneously referred to as frescoes but now we know that it is best to call them murals because the technique used, the medium, materials, and process is unlike the examples found in the art history of other civilizations, even within the history of South Asian art. The process of painting involved several stages in which the rock surface was chiseled rough at the first stage so that it could hold the plaster followed by the preparation of plaster using clay, hay, dung, lime, etc. While the plaster was still wet, the drawings were done, and the colors, earth or vegetable colours, applied since the wet plaster has the capacity to soak the color so that the color becomes a part of the surface and would not peel off or decay easily. Sculptures were often covered with stucco, which had the ingredients of lime and powdered sea-shell or conch, to give them a fine finish and lustrous polish resembling the surface of a glass, which astonishes the visitor today.The brush for painting was made of animal hairs and twigs of certain plants.

Ellora Caves, located 15 km from the Aurangabad city of Maharashtra in India, are the famous rock cut caves temples of Ellora extending over more than 2 km depicting the Hindu, Buddhist and Jain faiths constructed between the 5th and 8th centuries A.D. Ellora Caves in Maharashtra, India bring the civilization of ancient India to life and is a complex of unique artistic creation and a technological exploit with its sanctuaries devoted to Buddhism, Hinduism and Jainism illustrating the spirit of tolerance that was characteristic of ancient India. Particular amazing are the architectural marvel of the monolithic Kailasa temple, the Buddhist Vishvakarma chaitya and vihara, the famous Jain cave number 34 famous for a magnificent Yakshi statue and ceiling paintings. The caves all face west, so are best seen in the afternoon. The Buddhist caves are to your far right as you face the curve of the Charanadari Hill, then come the Hindu ones, and finally, the Jain cave temples to the far left. Every December, MTDC organises the Ellora festival of music and dance at the Kailasa Temple. The Ellora Caves have been declared a World Heritage site.

Daulatabad Fort, located 13 km from Aurangabad city of the state of Maharashtra in India, is one of the world's best preserved fort of medieval times, surviving virtually unaltered, displaying the character that made it invincible. Once known as 'Devgiri', this magnificent 12th century fortress was given the name Daulatabad, the 'city of fortune', by Muhammad Tughlaq, Sultan of Delhi. Initially a Yadav stronghold, it passed through the hands of several dynasties in the Deccan. Daulatabad is famous for its series of trick defences, secret escape routes; etc. and was conquered only by treachery. A series of secret, quizzical, subterranean passages lie coiled like a python amidst the fort. Here flaring torches were thrust upon an unwary enemy. Or hot oil poured down his path, as he deliberated in the labyrinth. Also the heat from a brazier was blown into the passage by a process of suction suffocating the entire garrison within. The Fort itself lies in the body of an isolated hill; the steep hill - sides at the base falling so sharply to the moat that no hostile troops could scale the height. The moat, 40 ft. deep with mechanical drawbridges teemed with crocodiles. A 5-kilometer sturdy wall, artificial scarping and a complicated series of defenses made Daulatabad impregnable. The 30-meter high Chand Minar (Tower) built much later with 3 circular galleries had a defensive and religious role in the fortress.

Khuldabad, known as the Valley of Saints, or the Abode of Eternity, is a holy village located around 14 km from the Aurangabad city of Maharashtra in India. This14th century town is famous as a home for the several Sufi saints of the Chishti order and is currently the abode of the dargah of Moinuddin Chishti, and the tomb of the last great Mughal emperor Aurangzeb. His simple tomb remains an eloquent testament to the staunch faith and spartan lifestyle of this pious Muslim ruler. As per his instructions, the tomb was built only with the few rupees he had earned by stitching cloth caps! On his tombstone is inscribed in elegant Persian calligraphy: "No marble sheets should shield me from the sky as I lie there one with the earth."

Ghrishneshwar Temple, located in Aurangabad city of the state of Maharashtra in India, was built in the 18th century of spotted red sandstone with decorative friezes and sculpture depicting a pantheon of Indian gods including Bhrama, Vishnu, Ganesh, the marriage of Shiva and Parvati, celestial beings, and even Maratha heroes. The Ghrishneshwar Temple is of great importance to the worshippers of Shiva since it enshrines a jyotirlinga which is a particular aspect of the god's luminous energy manifested in only 12 temples in India.The Grishneswar Temple was constructed by Ahilyabhai Holkar who also re-constructed the Kashi Viswanatha Temple at Varanasi and the Vishnu Paada Temple at Gaya. The Grishneshwar Temple is also known by several other names like Kusumeswarar, Ghushmeswara, Grushmeswara and Grishneswara. According to a legend in Shivapuran, on a mountain named Devagiri lived a Brahmin called Brahmavetta Sudharm along with his wife Sudeha who did not have a child. Sudeha prayed and tried all possible remedies but in vain. Frustrated of being childless, Sudeha got her husband married to her sister Ghushma who make 101 lingas, worship them and discharge them in the near by lake. With the blessings of Lord Shiva, Ghushma gave birth to a baby boy and became a proud mother which filled Sudeha with jealousy towards her sister. Out of jealousy, one night she killed Ghushma's son and threw him in the lake where Ghushma used to discharge the lingas. The following morning, Ghushmas and Sudharm got involved in daily prayers and ablutions. Sudeha too, got up and started performing her daily choirs. Ghushma's daughter-in-law, however, saw stains of blood on her husband's bed and parts of the body drenched in blood. Horrified, she narrated everything to mother-in-law Ghushma who was absorbed in worshipping Shiva. Ghushma did not deter. Even her husband Sudharma did not move an inch. Even when Ghushma saw the bed drenched in blood she did not break down and said he who has given me this child shall protect him and started reciting 'Shiva-Shiva'. Later, when she went to discharge the Shivalingas after prayers she saw her son coming. Seeing her son Ghushma was neither happy nor sad. At that time Lord Shiv appeared before her and said - I am pleased with your devotion. Your sister had killed your son. Ghushma told Lord to forgive Sudeh and emancipate her. Pleased with her generosity, Lord Shiva asked her another boon. Ghushma said that if he was really happy with her devotion then he should reside here eternally for the benefit of the multitudes in form of a Jyotirling and may you be known by my name. On her request, Lord Shiva manifested himself in the form of a Jyotirling and assumed the name Ghushmeshwar and the lake was named as Shivalaya thereafter.

Bibi Ka Maqbara, situated in Aurangabad city of the state of Maharashtra in India, was built by Prince Azam Shah, son of Emperor Aurangzeb, in the late 17th century as a loving tribute to his mother, Dilras Bano Begam. Bibi Ka Maqbara translates literally to 'Tomb of the Lady', and has earned popularity as the mini Taj of the Deccan or 'poor man's Taj' because of its resemblance to the Taj Mahal. The tomb stands in the middle of a spacious and formally planned Mughal garden with axial ponds, fountains, water channels, broad pathways and pavilions. Panchakki or the Water mill, located at Aurangabad city in the state of Maharashtra in India, was built in the early years of the 17th century by the Muslim Sufi Saint Baba Shah Musafir. The complex of Panchakki had been a place of external abode of the great Sufi Saints who flocked to India in 12th Cent A.D. The Panchakki, is a calm and peaceful place that visualizes the life that existed in the medieval period and is famous for its underground water channel which traverses more than 8 km to its source away in the mountains. The water flows down through clay pipes based on the Siphon system from the distance of 8 km. This marvelous water mill wax designated to generate energy to turn the large grinding stone, serving as a flour mill. The beauty of the mosque housed in the inner enclosure is enhanced by a series of 'dancing' water fountains.

Aurangabad Caves, nestled amidst the hills of Aurangabad in Maharashtra, India, are 12 Buddhist caves probably dating back to the 1 A.D. with the Tantric influences evident in the iconography and architectural designs of the caves. Some of the chaityas are constructed on a mandala plan for the circumambulation of the Buddha who is depicted here seated on an intricately carved throne. Aurangabad caves have a panoramic view of the city as well as the imposing Maqbara from this point.

Lonar, located 122 km from the Aurangabad city of the state of Maharashtra in India, is one of the world's 5 largest craters, formed by the impact of a meteorite nearly 50,000 years ago which has a surface diameter of nearly 1.75 km and depth of nearly 132m. The crater has formed into a beautiful lake over thousands of years by the perennial streams flowing into the crater. Mineral deposits (probably from the meteorite) make the lake water very salty while freshwater springs abound at the crater's edge. A unique ecosystem has evolved in the crater attracting numerous birds like flamingoes, moorhen, coot, peacocks and dabchicks. On the shores of the lake are temples built in the 12th - 13th century with their exquisite carvings as remnants of their glorious past.

Shani Shignapur, located 68 km from the Aurangabad city of the state of Maharashtra in India, is a village famed for its temple dedicated to Shani, the planet Saturn, and the fact that there are no locks on any of the doors in the village be it residential or commercial, including the bank. History proves the local legends that the village is 'protected' and no thief can cross its borders without dying since the village has remained theft free till date.

Pariyon ka Talab, located 60 km from the Aurangabad city of the state of Maharashtra in India and translated to mean 'Fairies' Lake', is a large lake with steps all along its western shore and a stage like platform which bears great resemblance to the ancient roman amphitheatre. One of the banks of Pariyon ka Talab also houses a temple of Lord Shiva with its own colourful history.

Pithalkora, located on the ancient trade route 78 km from the Aurangabad city of the state of Maharashtra in India, are 13 cave sanctuaries dating back to the 2nd century B.C., with additions in the 5th and 6th centuries. The relief work in Pithalkora is richer, more elaborate and the carving more precise than at early sites.

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KOLHAPUR IN MAHARASHTRA, INDIA

olhapur, located on the banks of the river Panchganga in southern part of the state of Maharashtra in India, is an ancient town known for its exquisite palaces and forts. As per the legend, Kolhapur was named after the KOLHASUR (DEMON), who then was troubling the local populace; so the deity Mahalakshmi came to the rescue, and killed him. In 1945, archaeological excavations close to a hill near Kolhapur revealed the existence of an ancient town dating back to the times of the Roman empire. Today, Kolhapur is a modern city with a population of about 0.419 million people and a thriving industrial infrastructure with the city having the highest number of Mercedes Benz automobiles, in the state of Maharashtra, after the capital Mumbai(Bombay). You can see super bikes and sports cars on the roads, frequently. Kolhapur is one of highest per capita income city of India. People are sporty and honour the art. Kolhapur is the main center of Marathi film industry. The city is also famous for training wrestlers and houses a national stadium for a form of wrestling known as Khasbag. It is also famous for making leather footware, popularly known as Kolhapuri Chappals
Kolhapur is popular for its Mahalaksmi temple where the legends say that no one counts the pillars of the Mahalakshmi temple; anyone who tries, is beckoning death. The other places of interest in Kolhapur are Rankala Lake, Panhala Fort, Bhavani Mandap, Jyotiba Temple and Maharaja's Palace.