Maharashtra-The land of rugged mountains and the calm sea is one of the largest states of India. With its capital being Bombay (now Mumbai), Maharashtra has become the economic and commercial hub of India. The long Arabian Sea coastline on the west and the great Sahyadri Mountains and valleys, form the natural beauty of the state.

Maharashtra is a distinct cultural region with rich historical background. Forts that dominate the ranges tell the unending history of valour. The legendary places of worship of various faiths, add to its intrinsic beauty. Its artistic and cultural heritage is best manifested in numerous temples, mosques, churches and the ancient cave paintings of Ajanta and Ellora, which attract tourists from all over the world.

Maharashtra is one of the most industrialized states of the country. With Mumbai being its capital it has become the commercial capital. With other businesses that Mumbai has, it also boasts of producing most films than any other country in the world.

Places to visit

Lonavala-Khandala-Karla

 Situated along the Mumbai-Pune highway these three hill stations are just a hop away from each other.

Khandala, is about 2 hours from Mumbai by road or rail. Its clean crisp air greets you, as you wind your way up the steep ghats, leaving the humidity, heat and dust behind. Both Lonavala and Khandala offer breathtaking views of cascading waterfalls during the monsoon, and the surrounding mountains of the plains spread out to the horizon far below.

Karla-12 km. from Lonavala boasts of one of the best preserved caves dating back to 160 B.C. The excavation of this cave temple started during the Hinayana period of Buddhism. A short trek away from Karla is the Bhaja caves, excavated in the 2nd century B.C. The caves are set among green hills with a waterfall and a view of Lohagad and Visapur Forts at a distance.

Karla and Bhaja are easily reached from Malavli station (on the Mumbai-Pune rail route) or by taxi and autorickshaw from Lonavala.

Matheran

 This is one of the hill stations close to Mumbai (111 km). Travelling to Matheran by a tiny narrow-guage toy train from Neral (26 km. route) is an experience by itself. Taxis are available from Neral to Dastoori car park. No vehicles are allowed inside Matheran. One should not miss the majestic Panorama Point, Porcupine and Louise Points, Charlotte Lake with Panthers Caves and Paymaster Park which is of special interest to children.

Mahabaleshwar

Mahabaleshwar, the summer capital of Mumbai Presidency during the days of the British, is a mountain top plateau often covered with a light morning mist.

Elphinstone, Babbington, Mumbai, Kate's and numerous other points offer panoramic views of the plains below.

A short distance away are waterfalls worth seeing-Chinaman's (2.5 km) Dhobi (3 km) and Lingamala (6 km).

Venna Lake, the focal point of Mahabaleshwar has boating and fishing facilities.

24 Km. away is the historic Pratapgad Fort where the great battle between Maratha Chief Chhatrapati Shivaji and General Afzal Khan, the Commander-in-Chief of the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb, took place.

Panchgani

Panchgani or "Five Hills" is on the way to Mahabaleshwar. It has the `Raj' stamp, evident in the architecture of the old British buildings, the Parsi bungalows and the boarding schools that have been around for over a century.

It is a delight to walk through thickly wooded walkways (there are numerous stables in Panchgani) to explore the area, catching a glimpse of the River Krishna winding its way through the ravines, hundreds of metres below.

Kamalgad Fort is easily reached by foot or on horseback.  

Ajanta & Ellora  Caves

Ajanta

The 30 caves of Ajanta , some unfinished, span a period of 800 years and contain numerous images of Buddha. The sculptures in cave 26 are elaborate and beautiful: highlights here are the panel of the temptation of Buddha and the Parinirvana depicting the breaking of earthly ties and Buddha's passing into nirvana -- a wonderful recumbent figure amid people in attitudes of mourning and sorrow.

The arched chaitya window set into the elegantly simple facade of cave 9 (first century B.C.) is repeated in the elaborate frontage of cave 19 (fifth century), which has figures of Buddha on the portico. This is a fully developed chaitya with a stupa enclosing a standing Buddha at the far end. Of particular note here is a sculpture of a seated Nagaraja with his consort and female attendant. Cave 16 is an elegant vihara with an inscription that mentions the king and his minister who built this cave. The shrine has a towering figure of Buddha preaching, flanked by attendants.

Although tucked away deep within the folds of the hills, the sanctuaries are illuminated by natural light for some part of the day. Using metal mirrors to reflect sunlight into the inner recesses, monks and artists painted the wonderful frescoes that glow on these walls. These were in a fairly good state when the caves were first discovered but have deteriorated over the years with dampness and exposure to ever increasing numbers of tourists every year.

Ajanta is a protected monument under the Archaeological Survey of India and has been included in the World Heritage list of monuments.

The Boddhisatvas who figure prominently in the Ajanta paintings are celestial beings, often personifications of the virtues of Buddha, who visit the world of men. In later Buddhist philosophy, the time when these rock shrines were hewn out of the hill side, the Boddhisatvas were beings who had renounced the attainment of nirvana to attend to human needs. The Boddhisatva Padmapani (cave 1) is a wonderful portrayal of the tender compassion that infuses his ministry to suffering mankind -- gentle eyes, delicate lips about to speak words of consolation and a lotus held in a beautifully drawn hand. In the same cave you see the golden figure of Avalokiteswara with an elaborate crown hung with looped strands of pearls; pearl necklaces adorn his handsome body and a gold girdle fastens his striped garment.

 Under the royal patronage of ruling dynasties, professional artists helped the monks and left a record of contemporary life in palaces along with tales of piety and faith. Narrative panels in the caves illustrate stories from the Jatakas - the large collection of tales of the previous birth of Buddha and his increasing strength and moral stature through one incarnation after another. Symbolic of the soul's long journey through many births, these tales for the benefit and instruction of people are depicted here in artistic detail.

The nymphs, princesses and attendants of Ajanta are women of exquisite elegance and charm, hair dressed in intricate styles and jewels highlighting slender necks and waists.

The flying aprasa (cave 17, fifth century) in a fashionable embroidered turban are a reminder of the splendid jewellery worn by high born women; the pearl tassels of her necklace and turban swing delicately with her aerial movement. Row upon row of Buddha figures 'The thousand Buddhas', intrigue the observer in cave 2. Queen Maya's dream of the white elephant are in cave 2. Queen Maya's dream of the white elephant, interpreted by royal astrologers to mean the birth of an illustrious son, is a detailed panel in cave 2. Look for the dark princess and the lively panel of a dancing girl and musicians (cave 1). Eloquent and moving is the Buddha with a begging bowl asking alms from his wife and son in cave 19.

A court scene (cave 1) featuring a bearded man in fur trimmed hat and boots, surrounded by attendants is believed to depict the reception of a Persian embassy at the Chalukya court.

 In their range of time and treatment the paintings at Ajanta are a panorama of life in ancient India and could well be studied for a description of the culture of those times - the architectural details of buildings, the variety of textiles used for the different purposes, hair styles, ornaments and jewellery, family life, court scenes, street scenes, musicians and their instruments and many beasts and birds and flowers. Grace, lightness and movement infuse these paintings which never seem still -- a swirling many-splendoured pageantry of life.

Before you leave, climb up to the flat top of the hill opposite the caves for a wonderful sweeping view of the horseshoe shaped gorge of Ajanta.  

Ellora

Even more impressive in terms of architectural splendour are the cave temples of Ellora, about 20 km. from Aurangabad. Here are some 34 caves, carved out in a curve on the slopes of low hills; 16 of them are Hindu, 13 Buddhist and five of the Jain faith. And yet no signs of religious hostility disturb the tranquil atmosphere of Ellora. These rock temples and monasteries were constructed between the fifth and eighth centuries A.D.

The Kailasa temple, dedicated to Shiva, is unquestionably the most glorious achievement here. Transcending the earlier concept of a cave temple hollowed out of rock, the whole splendid structure of Kailasa is "an enormous monolithic rock carving in architectural form" Three great trenches were cut down into the rock and beginning from the top of the cliff, work progressed down to the base. Massive blocks had to be left intact to fashion the inner sanctuary, the porch, the two free standing pillars, the life sized elephant in the courtyard, lesser shrines and cloisters. The main shrine was placed on a high podium which was carved in a continuous frieze of lions and elephants that seem to carry the massive structure effortlessly on their backs as they march in slow procession.  

 The deep relief of the Shaivite themes that so profusely ornament the Kailasa temple make them appear almost like free standing sculptures. The Kailasa temple alone would absorb all your time in Ellora.  

The impressive double-storied Visvakarma (cave 10) has a trefoil window in the facade of the upper level, set off by beautifully grouped flying figures. This is both chaitya and vihara with a seated Buddha in the stupa. There are dwarfs dancing and playing musical instruments in bands of frieze above the pillars. Next to this is a three storied monastery (cave 11). Exquisitely carved bracket figures of river goddesses adorn the entrance to Ramesvara (cave 21) which has a low parapet wall with a long frieze of elephants.

Dumar Lena (cave 29) is dedicated to Shiva and is similar in plan and style to the great cave shrine at Elephanta.

The most interesting of the Jain caves is cave 32 with a beautiful lotus carved on the ceiling of the shrine and a magnificent yakshi seated on her lion under a mango tree laden with fruit. This is a double-storied cave with paintings in a fair state of preservation on the ceilings.

 Aurangabad Caves

Hidden in the hills just outside of the city are a cluster of caves probably excavated in the early sixth century. There are Tantric influences evident in the iconography and architectural designs of the caves. Some of the chaitya halls here are constructed on a mandala plan for the circumambulating of the Buddha who is depicted here seated on an intricately carved throne.

Ganapatipule

Land of the 400-year old Swayambhu Ganapati. Set along the western coast of Maharashtra, is a small little village, called Ganapatipule. It is known for its serene, sedate beach. Unlike most beaches which are spoilt by tourist traffic, the Ganapatipule beach is still a natural haven. Even today, the waters are blue and the sands, white.

Travelling to Ganapatipule by road is a vacation in itself. The entire 'konkan' region is paradise - for miles. There is something new to discover, in which ever direction you go: narrow roads, red soil, roofed houses, clean courtyards, innumerable fruit-bearing trees (including mango, betelnut, banana, jackfruit, etc.) and casuarinas lining the coast are a common sight. Meeting the ever-friendly and hospitable 'konkanis' and chatting with them could unearth innumerable delights of holidaying in this naturally gifted countryside.

Besides the beach, Ganapatipule is an important pilgrimage centre. The temple of the'Swayambhu Ganapati' is known for its unique idol of Lord Ganapati and its magnificent temple (Swayambhu' or self-originated, not man-made, 'Ganapati' or the lord of the ganas' or army. Pule' or sand dune. That's how the name Ganapatipule). The temple is 400 years old and is at the foot of a hillock. Most pilgrims believe in taking a 'pradakshina' around the hill instead of just the temple. (Pradakshina is a form of showing obeisance wherein devotees walk in a circle around the idol of the deity or around the temple in which the idol is housed).  

Climate
 The coastal areas of Maharashtra receive heavy rainfall during the monsoon. The temperature here in monsoon varies between 26 to 32 degree centigrade. The interior Maharashtra is hot with maximum of 30 to 40 degree centigrade in the summers and 15 to 28 degree centigrade during winters.

General Information

Area:  3, 07,713 Sq. Km   

Language:  Marathi, English, Hindi. 

Best Time to Visit:  September to March. 

Airports:  Mumbai, Pune, Aurangabad, Nagpur