Caves in Maharashtra

Dating back to the 2nd BC and artistically built over a few centuries, the Caves of Maharashtra have an extraordinary appeal and aura. Nestled in the formidable Sahayadri Mountain Range, these caves have been home to monks of different religions.

Be it the paintings in the Ajanta caves or the sculpture of the Ellora caves, or the divine presence in the Elephanta caves, the visitors have always and will always continue to be spellbound. These caves offer a visit that is truly unforgettable. A visit that will induce a sense of discovery, a discovery of the self, and of the divine.

Ajanta Caves
Ajanta Caves, Way back in1819, a party of British army officers on a tiger hunt in the forest of western Deccan, suddenly spotted their prey, on the far side of a loop in the Waghora river. High up on the horseshoe- shaped cliff, the hunting party saw the tiger, silhouetted against the carved facade of a cave.

Ellora Caves
Ellora Caves, Nestled in the crook of the Charanadari hill in Deccan is a series of ancient temples and monasteries hewn out of the moutainside. Situated on the ancient north- south trade route or the dakshinapatha, the tiny mountain village of Verul – mutated today to Ellora -was a well- known stopover for traders, priests and pilgrims who plied the route to the western ports.

Elephanta Caves

Elephanta Island was known in ancient times as “Gharapuri” or The Place of Caves. The Portuguese took possession of the island and named it Elephanta after the great statue which they found on the seashore. There are seven caves of which the most important is the Mahesha-Murti Cave. The main body of the cave, excluding the porticoes on the three open sides and the back aisle, is 27 m square and is supported by rows of six columns. The gigantic figures of Dvarapalas, or doorkeepers are very impressive.

Aurangabad Caves
Aurangabad Caves are artificial caves, dug out of the rather soft rock during the 6th and 7th century. This caves are found on two separate locations, called Western Group Caves (caves 1-5) and Eastern Group Caves (caves 6-10), about 1km from each other.

Caves in Maharashtra

Dating back to the 2nd BC and artistically built over a few centuries, the Caves of Maharashtra have an extraordinary appeal and aura. Nestled in the formidable Sahayadri Mountain Range, these caves have been home to monks of different religions.

Be it the paintings in the Ajanta caves or the sculpture of the Ellora caves, or the divine presence in the Elephanta caves, the visitors have always and will always continue to be spellbound. These caves offer a visit that is truly unforgettable. A visit that will induce a sense of discovery, a discovery of the self, and of the divine.

Ajanta Caves
Ajanta Caves, Way back in1819, a party of British army officers on a tiger hunt in the forest of western Deccan, suddenly spotted their prey, on the far side of a loop in the Waghora river. High up on the horseshoe- shaped cliff, the hunting party saw the tiger, silhouetted against the carved facade of a cave.

Ellora Caves
Ellora Caves, Nestled in the crook of the Charanadari hill in Deccan is a series of ancient temples and monasteries hewn out of the moutainside. Situated on the ancient north- south trade route or the dakshinapatha, the tiny mountain village of Verul – mutated today to Ellora -was a well- known stopover for traders, priests and pilgrims who plied the route to the western ports.

Elephanta Caves

Elephanta Island was known in ancient times as “Gharapuri” or The Place of Caves. The Portuguese took possession of the island and named it Elephanta after the great statue which they found on the seashore. There are seven caves of which the most important is the Mahesha-Murti Cave. The main body of the cave, excluding the porticoes on the three open sides and the back aisle, is 27 m square and is supported by rows of six columns. The gigantic figures of Dvarapalas, or doorkeepers are very impressive.

Aurangabad Caves
Aurangabad Caves are artificial caves, dug out of the rather soft rock during the 6th and 7th century. This caves are found on two separate locations, called Western Group Caves (caves 1-5) and Eastern Group Caves (caves 6-10), about 1km from each other.

Shopping in Maharashtra

Maharashtra offers diverse varieties for Shopping here . As Maharashtra is a vast state, every region and every district has its own specialty. Mumbai offers wide ranges of shopping to visitors. There are marketplaces, which can be suited to every type of pockets. Chor Bazaar, Mutton Street and Zaveri Bazar are some of the important areas, where shoppers enjoy with delight.

The shopping arcades of five-star hotels like Oberoi and Taj Mahal offer a good variety of up-market shops. In central and suburban Mumbai, the Dadar, Bandra-Linking Road, and Juhu Road areas are good spots for shopping. Colaba and Flora Fountain (Hutatama Chowk) has full of shopping items like ethnic artifacts and departmental stores.

State emporiums at the World Trade Centre, at Cuffe Parade are a perfect for buying souvenir, a rare artifact or textiles. The prices at the Central Cottage Industries Emporium (Apollo Bunder) and Khadi Village Industries Emporium (D.N.Road) are fixed. But the quality is genuine.

When we talk of shopping in Aurangabad, himroo shawls, mashroo and kimkhab weaves click on one’s mind. We can’t also forget the well-known fine paithani silk sarees. The silver inlay craft of Bidri ware too is world famous.

Shopping in Pune too is like that of Mumbai. Jewellery, Maharashtrian traditional wares, pearl nose ring, necklace and the nine-yard sarees are readily available at Tulsi Baug. Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar or Deccan Gymkhana is another place for good shopping, while Mahatma Gandhi Road is a place with big stores.

Kolhapur is popular for its cotton textiles, in particular Kolhapuri sarees. This city is also popular for its jewellery and leather sandals or Kolhapuri chappals. Kolhapur is also famous for its special type of necklace called Kolhapur saaj.

Museums in Maharashtra

The State Maharashtra has as many as around 13 famous Museums, which preserve different types of antique items and works of art. Having a look at the Tribal Museum in Pune would enable the visitors why the tribal life is unique and colourful. A visit at the Coin Museum in Nashik offers a vast idea of Indian coinage from the earliest period to the modern times with the help of coins, moulds, dyes, replicas, photographs, and brief write-ups.

Prince of Wales Museum in Mumabi offers items of natural history, Indian miniature painting, decorative art and Tibetan and Nepali art, European painting, armoury and textile galleries. It is like experiencing a bunch of 5,000 years of Indian art. The Jehangir Art Gallery, Mani Bhavan Mahatma Gandhi Museum, National Maritime Museum, Taraporewala Aquarium and the Veermata Jeejamata Museum are all located in Mumbai.

Raja Dinkar Kelkar Museum, Tribal Museum and Museum of Arthropoda in Pune and Shahaji Chhatrapati Museum in Kolhapur are the other famous museums of Maharashtra.

Bombay Natural History Society
This private institution was established in 1883, A unique centre, its activities are manifold and involve publications like the Journal of Bombay Natural History Society, regular newsletters and books on Indian animals, birds and nature. The exhibits include replicas and specimens of vertebrates and insects, mammals, birds, reptiles amphibians and fishes, all from the Indian subcontinent. However, the BNHS is not open to public and interested visitors should seek prior permission for admission.

Heras Institute of Indian History and Culture
Displayed at the Heras Institute arc collections of Mesopotamian antiquities like cylindrical seals and terracotta objects. The Indian antiquities include prehisto’ric pottery, sculpture from Gandhara, Mathura and the Gupta schools. There are Hindu, Jain and Buddhist icons. However the most interesting section is on Christian ivories from Gba. On view are images of saints, the Virgin Mary and Jesus Christ.

Prince of Wales Museum of Western India
Prince of Wales Museum of Western India, Bombay The Prince of Wales Museum was established to commemorate the Crown Prince’s visit to Bombay in 1905. The future George V laid the foundation stone and work began on the building which was designed and built to represent the ancient and medieval architectural styles of western India. The basalt stone structure with its large central dome inspired by the Bijapur domes and beautiful gardens are set in a crescent shaped piece of land.

Nehru Science Center
Nehru Science Centre exhibits actively involve the visitor in discovering information through participation in the demonstration process. A huge sprawling four storeyed building houses the nine galleries.

The hexagonal gallery, Science for Children, has an assortment of exhibits where children play with soap bubbles, primary colours, geometrical shapes and forms, tricky, puzzles, all of which make science learning a tun thing. Sound and Hearing and Light and Sight are specialised galleries and explain how sound is produced and heard, what resonance is, interference, echo, musical notes, the properties of Ught and colour, use of lenses, complexity of the human eye.

Jehangir Nicholson Museum of Modern Art
This private museum, established in 1976, displays a superb collection of contemporary Indian art. Almost all the well known artists have their works exhibited. Also on view is a collection of photographs.

Beaches of Maharashtra

Beaches of Maharashtra: Long affair with the Arabian Sea Maharashtra extends from Dahanu and Bordi in the north up to Goa procssding Southwards. If you’ve got a penchant for send, sea and surf, this State has a great many interesting option in store. You could arrange fun day – trips or get away on a weekend. Indulge in adventurous water sports or daydream on secluded, golden sands. If you happen to have a special interest in forts and their history.

Maharastra is the perfect place to start on an enlightening tour. No other coasting India offers you such a vast choice of majestic forts like khanderi, Undheri, Malvani, Goa, Murud, Sindhudurg and Suvarnadurg. Discover the real Maharastra while you soak up the soft sands. Or explore intriguing sights. There’s so much you can do.

Study temple and churches. Stroll through whispering coconut groves. Hill and valleys. Look for tiny, picturesque villages. Acquaint yourself with different people … and their lifestyle. Sample authentic Konken cuisine …. Solkadhi, bangda, pomfret, curry, modak, rice, chapattis, dishes with jackfruit, kokam sherbet and, of course, the world famous Devgad alphonso.

Any place you choose is conveniently linked to Mumbai- a good starting point. And all these places are well-connected buses. The coastal climate of Maharastra makes traveling pleasant all round the year. Sea are rough only during the monsoon which strikes between June and September – Depending on the kind of holiday you plan you can be positive that is no ordinary holiday. Because Maharastra is no ordinary place!

Bassein

Bassein used to be a place for ship-building in the beginning of the seventeenth century . it was here that the Marathas besieged the Portuguese in 1739.

Dahanu Bordi
Dahanu, a quite seaside town with a sprawling, uncluttered beach, is situated in Thane district.

Ganpatipule
Visit the vast strech of unpolluted silver sands on the western cost of Maharastra, Bathed in the golden sunshine and silver moonlight, Lapped by gentle foam-flecked waves from the expanse of the arabian sea, Laced with the unforgettable aroma of fruits, flowers and mangroves, Carrying the timid wispers of saying coconut trees.