About Nagpur

Nagpur was the capital of Madhya Pradesh state till 1956 before it became a part of Maharashtra state. The best quality Teak plantations are the highlight of the flora in Nagpur. It is known as the ‘orange capital’ because it is a major cultivator and trade centre of oranges. This historically significant city was founded sometime during the 18th century by Gond King Bakht Buland after which it flourished much under the govern of subsequent rulers and became one of the most prosperous cities in Central India. This lovely city was established by Bhakt Buland in the year 1702, a Gond prince of the kingdom of Deogad in the Chhindwara district, Nagpur. In the latter half of the 18th century this city was ruled by the Bhonsles of the Maratha Confederacy who established their capital here. There are a number of tourist attractions in and around the city including Gavilgad Fort, Dragon Palace Temple, Forts of Balapur, Adasa, Maharaj Baug and Zoo. Gavilgad Fort, which is around 200-300 years old, lies close to the Chikhaldara hill station in Amravati district. It was originally built by the Hindu rulers at a height of about 370 ft above sea level. Nagpur experiences an extreme type of climate with temperatures touching high 40's during summers and shooting to freezing point in peak winters. Important Central & State Government offices and institutions are located in Nagpur. Industrial Development is existing along the fringe areas like Kamptee, Hingna, Wadi, Khapri, Butibori and Kalmeshwar.

Places to see:

Nagpur offers a lot options as far as tourist places is concerned. The scenic beauty teemed with beautiful forts and temples make Nagpur one of the most attractive travel destination. Nagpur extends its beauty and glory to the neighboring places also. These places are as lovely as the city of Nagpur itself.

Ambazari Lake :

Towards the western outskirts of Nagpur, Ambazari Lake and the surrounding lush garden is a popular tourist attraction. Row boats and self driven paddle boats make a good recreation activity while walking on the green grass is another favored pastime.

Nagzira :

Nagzira promises a feast for wildlife enthusiasts with its sprawling jungles that house a plethora of wild denizens in their natural domains. The mighty Indian gaur is the major wildlife attraction found in the area while other animals include sambar, deer and a number of rare bird species.

Sitabuldi Fort :

The Sitabuldi fort is an important landmark of Nagpur, located on top of a hill, right in the center of the city. This fort was built by a British officer in the year 1857. It is one of the oldest attractions of the city. One can view this park from the twin hills of Sitabuldi.

How to reach:

Nagpur is spread over a total area of 217.56 square km. It is at a distance of about 837 km from Mumbai. It is about 1094 km south of Delhi, 1092 km north of Chennai and 1140 km west of Calcutta.

Air :

The Sonegaon Airport is the nearest airport from Nagpur, situated around 8-km south of Nagpur City. It has regular flights connecting Mumbai, Kolkatta, Delhi, Hyderabad, Pune, Bhubaneswar, and Raipur.

Rail :

Nagpur is a major railway station connected to other Indian cities including Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai and Pune through a number of regular trains.

Bus :

The city enjoys healthy motorable roads linking it to different parts of the State and the country. Popular tourist destinations like Kanha, Bhopal, Aurangabad and Khajuraho are linked effectively by healthy road links.

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Varanasi – The Cultural Capital of India

Varanasi, the holy city of India, is also known by the name of Kashi and Benaras. Kashi, the city of Moksha for Hindus since centuries, is known for its fine-quality silks, 'paan' and Benares Hindu University and Avimukta of the ancient days, Varanasi is the most popular pilgrimage point for the Hindus. One of the seven holiest cities, Varanasi city is also one the Shakti Peethas and one of the twelve Jyotir Linga sites in India. In Hinduism it is believed that those who die and are cremated here get an instant gateway to liberation from the cycle of births and re-births.

Considered as the abode of Lord Shiva, Varanasi is situated on the banks of River Ganges, which is believed to have the power of washing away all of one's sins. As pundits here will tell you, whatever is sacrificed and chanted here or given in charity reaps its fruits thousand times more than those good deeds performed at other places because of the power of that place. It is believed that three nights of fasting in Varanasi city can reap you rewards of many thousands of lifetimes of asceticism!

Varanasi is the oldest city of the world. Varanasi is more than 3000 years old and is famous as the city of temples. In Varanasi, there are temples at every few paces. Looking at the number of temples in Varanasi, it is hard to believe that a large number of them were demolished during the medieval times. Jyotirlinga Visvanatha Temple or Golden Temple, rebuilt in 1776, is dedicated to Lord Shiva. The Jnana Vapi well (meaning 'Well of Wisdom) is believed to have been dug by Lord Shiva himself. It is believed that the majestic Alamgir mosque has replaced one of the most ancient shrines known as the temple of Bindu Madhava. The thirty-three hundred million shrines fill one with awe and wonder with sheer numbers.

The Ganga Ghats (river front) are the most popular pilgrimage spot of Varanasi and are centers of music and learning. There is a great tradition of Yatras in the holy city of Kashi and the most sacred path is that of Panchkoshi Parikrama, the fifty-mile path with a radius of five miles that cover 108 shrines along the way, with Panchakoshi Temple as its main shrine. Other popular pilgrimage route is Nagara Pradakshina, which covers seventy-two shrines along the way. Since time immemorial Varanasi is a great center of learning. The holy city has been a symbol of spiritualism, philosophy and mysticism for thousands of years and has produced great saints and personalities like Guatama Buddha, Mahavira, Kabir, Tulsi Das, Shankaracharaya, Ramanuja and Patanjali.

Places to Visit:

Being the oldest city of the world and an important Hindu pilgrimage center, Varanasi attracts a large number of people from all over the world. For centuries, Varanasi is famous for spiritualism, mysticism, Indian philosophy and Hinduism. All these are reflected in numerous sects, temples, Ashrams and Ghats. Varanasi is associated not only with Hinduism but also with Buddhism and Jainism. Besides numerous temples, Varanasi also boasts of Buddhist Stupas and Jain temples. Varanasi is also a mirror of the age-old Indian civilization. The archaeological museum at Sarnath houses numerous remains of the past, including the National emblem of India, the Ashoka pillar.

Since Varanasi is mainly associated with Hinduism, temples form the main attraction. The Ganga Ghats (river fronts) are the main center of religious activities and rituals and also form one of the main attractions of Varanasi. The Alamgir Mosque, blend of the Hindu and Mughal styles of the architecture, is another important attraction of Varanasi. Some of the most important temples of Varanasi are Durga temple, Vishwanath temple, Sankat Mochan temple, Tulsi Manas temple and the Bharat Mata temple. The Bharat Mata Temple houses a huge relief map of the whole of Indian subcontinent and Tibetan plateau. Other attractions of Varanasi are the Benaras Hindu University (BHU), the Archaeological Museum, Sarnath, Bharat Kala Bhavan and the Buddhist Stupas and temples at Sarnath.

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Mumbai to Shirdi – A Holy Weekend Getaway

Shirdi is a village north-east of Mumbai and has an extensive temple complex devoted to Shirdi Sai Baba. It is located by road on Ahmednagar-Manmad State Highway No.10 at 83 kilometers from Ahmednagar, and 15 kilometers from Kopargaon. The place is around 296 km (around 6 hours drive) from Mumbai. Sai Baba's shrine has been incorporated as one of the holy places in the world's map of pilgrimage.

Places to Visit:

Samadhi Mandir of Shri Sai Baba was actually owned by a millionaire from Nagpur and a famous Sai devotee Shreemant Gopalrao. He wanted to keep an idol of Murlidhar here. However, according to the legends, Baba himself became Murlidhar and the temple became the Samadhi Mandir of Baba. The Samadhi of Baba is built with white marble stones. The railings around it are full of ornamental decorations. The idol of Baba is a marvelous statue made up of Italian marble built by Late Balaji Vasant in 1954. The temple has an assembly hall for about 600 devotees. The assembly hall also houses a showcase having various items used by the sage. The first floor of the temple has the pictures depicting the life of the saint.

The temple opens on 5 AM with morning prayers and close down at 10 PM with night prayers. Situated on the right side of the entrance of the Samadhi Mandir is Dwarkamai, a mosque. This was the place where the sage stayed until the end of his life. Main attraction of the site is the oil paintings of the sage.

The place from where Sai Baba first came to Shirdi in the form of a Bal Yogi (child ascetic) is known as Gurusthan. A temple has been constructed on this site. There is also a small shrine in Gurusthan.

At a short distance lies Baba's Chavadi. Baba used to sleep here every alternate day. The Chavadi is divided into two parts. One part of the Chavadi has a large portrait of Baba along with a wooden bed and a white chair belonging to him.

There is a cottage of Abdul Baba, an ardent devotee of Shri Sai Baba, in front of the Chavadi. Photos and various items that were handled by Sai Baba and Abdul Baba are there in the cottage. There is a Maruti Mandir located at some distance from the cottage of Abdul Baba. This mandir was visited by Baba for the sat-sang with Devidas, a Bal yogi, who lived at the Mandir ten to twelve years before Baba arrived.

There are also temples of village deities named Shani, Ganapati, and Shankar that are worth visiting. At some distance from Gurusthan, there is the Lendi Baug. This garden was made and watered daily by Baba himself. It got its name from a nullah (a drain), which used to flow there. Baba used to come here every morning and afternoon and take rest under a neem tree. Baba dug a pit, 2 feet deep, under the neem tree and kept a deep (a lighting object) lit in that pit. An octagonal deepgriha (lighthouse) called Nanda Deep has been built in marble stone in memory of this place. It constantly burns in a glass box. On one side of the deepgriha is a pipal tree and on the other side is a neem tree. Other sites to visit are Datta Mandir and Khandoba Mandir.

Fairs and Festivals:

The most important festivals and events that are celebrated in Shirdi are Guru Poornima, Dussehra, and Ram Navami. These are the only days when the Samadhi Mandir of Shirdi opens for the whole night. Every Thursday, a palakhi bearing a photograph of the sage is taken out from the temple.

Mumbai to Shirdi by Bus:

You could take a Cab; hire a private taxi or drive. (If you are an international tourist you may want to check the requirements for Driver's license and road regulations with the Maharashtra State Road Transport department.). You could take a Maharashtra State Transport Bus. You could take a Bus operated by Private operators. For Fares, Schedules and other details contact your local travel agent, the Government of India Tourism Office, the Maharashtra State Tourism Board Office or the Maharashtra State Transport booking office.

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Aurangabad- Built by the Throne

Aurangabad means “Built by the Throne” is named after the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb. The city is a tourist hub, surrounded with many historical monuments, including the Ajanta Caves and Ellora Caves, which are UNESCO World Heritage Sites, as well as Bibi Ka Maqbara. The city is also one of the fastest growing cities in the world.

Aurangabad has been declared as Tourism Capital of Maharashtra. The Mauryans ushered Buddhism in this region of India, which is evident from the profusion of numerous Buddhist cave temples in and around Aurangabad. Temples built by Satvahanna and Rashtrakuta rulers are located here. The famous caves of Ajanta are a part of this Buddhist tradition. The heritage of Aurangabad is linked with different Muslim rulers and dynasties of India.

History:

1610- Aurangabad was founded, on the site of a village named Khirki, by a local Muslim noble Malik Ambar, the Prime Minister of Murtaza Nizam Shah of Ahmadnagar.

1626- Fateh Khan ruled Aurangabad and named the city as Fatehpur.

1633- With the capture of Daulatabad previously known as Devagiri by the imperial troops, the Nizam Shahi dominions, including Fatehnagar, came under the possession of the Moghals.

1653- Prince Aurangzeb was appointed the viceroy of the Deccan for the second time, he made Fatehnagar his capital and renamed it Aurangabad. Aurangabad is sometimes referred to as Khujista Bunyad by the Chroniclers of Aurangzeb's reign.

1660- Bibi Ka Maqbara was built by Aurangzeb’s son, Azam Shah, as a loving tribute to his mother, Dilras Bano Begam.

1720- Nizam-ul-Mulk Asif Jah, a distinguished General of Aurangzeb with the intention of founding his own dynasty in the Deccan, arrived at Aurangabad and made it his capital.

1723- Nizam-ul-Mulk Asif Jah paid a visit to Delhi, but returned in 1724.

1763- Nizam Ali Khan Asaf Jah II transferred his capital from Aurangabad to Hyderabad.

Aurangabad was a part of Nizam’s princely Hyderabad State until its annexation into Indian Union and thereafter a part of Hyderabad state of India until 1956. In 1956 it became a part of newly formed bilingual Bombay state and in 1960 it became a part of Maharashtra state.

The climate of Aurangabad is Temperate Climate with low relative humidity and diverse but not extreme weather conditions.

Summer is observed from March to May. Nights are usually pleasant and cooler during the entire summer. Winter is seen from November to February which is the most comfortable time to visit Aurangabad. Monsoon which ranges from June to October receives moderate rainfall.

Places to Visit:

• Aurangabad Caves
• Bibi Ka Maqbara
• Himroo Factory
• Panchakki
• Khuldabad
• Paithan
• Pan Chakki
• Ghrishneshwar Temple
• Bani Begum Gardens
• Daulatabad
• Pithalkora

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