Maharashtra is the third largest state in India both in area and population. The state is bounded by the Arabian Sea in the west, Gujarat in the north west, Madhya Pradesh in the north and the east, Andhra Pradesh in the south east and Karnataka and Goa in the south.
ARTS
Dance
Maharashtra has a lively tradition of song, dance, music and theatre. Vasudev, a dance form, is performed by people believed to be incarnation of Lord Krishna. Bedecked in the distinctive headgear of peacock feathers, performers sing Vasudev geets and with nimble, delicate dance steps, whirl around presenting anecdotes from Lord Krishna's life in exchange for alms. Soothing, melodious notes float through the villages, particularly near Jalgaon and Dhule. On auspicious occasions like the birth of a child, dancers might hold night- long performances called gondhals. Elsewhere, rustic actors could be narrating lively stories through the bharud, an enactment of the written musical compositions of poet- saints, and singers could be crooning powadas, inspiring ballads. The lavni performed by women, is sometimes called the queen of Marathi folk music and dance. It is incorporated in slapstik tamasha, and is perhaps one of the most popular folk forms. Marathi theatre itself has evolved over the years, and is now a mature form of communication which challenges norms and often embraces rebellious themes.
Crafts
Maharashtrian jewelers are busy at work, creating ornaments for villagers, dancers, business women and brides. Remains of old intricately carved woodwork can still be seen in palaces of yesterday, and in tiny shops in the bylanes of Nashik metal workers style utensils and vessels following age-old traditions. Paithan, which was once an important seat of learning, is famous for its beautiful silk saris which sport intricate gold borders. In Aurangabad, families weaves silk-like himru shawls and make silver bidri ware.
Chawk, the sacred pictograph of the Warlis was traditionally painted by women during wedding ceremonies. The technique involves the use of rice paste and straw which is smeared on the mud walls of their simple dwellings. The central figure here is of Palghat, the goddess of trees and plants, who symbolises creative energy. Today, young men have taken to painting their own experiences, using the typically decorative Warli motifs on paper.
FESTIVALS
Maharashtra is the centre of many religious and cultural traditions. In Maharashtrian villages, life revolves around fairs and festivals.
In early January people celebrate Makar Sankranti, the passing of the sun from Dhanu (Sagittarius) to Makar (Capricorn). The sky is ablaze with colourful kites. Sweets flavoured with sesame seed is an important item during this festival. In March, the festival of Holi is celebrated which is a winter harvest and the advent of spring. People throw coloured water over each other and have great fun on this occasion. This is an important festival celebrated all over north India.
Gudhi Padwa is the new year for the Maharashtrians. On this day people offer rituals, prayers, prasad of neem leaves, gram pulse and jagerry and they buy new clothes. Families erect a gudhi or bamboo staff, with a coloured silk cloth and a bright garlanded goblet is hung on top of it.
During April, Mahavir Jayanti is celebrated when thousands of Jains make pilgrimages to Bahubali, where two Jain temples have been constructed one for the Swetambara sect and another for the Digambara. Christians observe Good Friday and Easter Sunday around the same time.
Buddha Purnima is celebrated in May. Muslims celebrate Bakrid in the same month and Muharram is witnessed in June in remembrance of the Prophet Mohammed on his death anniversary.
The full moon of Shravana is celebrated around August as Shravani Purnima, Rakhi Purnima and Raksha Bandhan. In the coastal areas it is celebrated as Narli Purnima to appease the sea gods. Fisher folk worship the sea and decorate their boats, sing and dance, and make offerings of coconut. Raksha Bandhan is celebrated on the same day in different parts of the state.
The most important Mahrashtrian festival is Ganesh Chaturthi, in honour of Lord Ganesh. It is the birthday of Ganesh - the elephant headed son of Shiva and Parvathi. Ganesh is believed to be the harbinger of good luck who removes all obstacles to success. He brings prosperity and keeps natural calamities at bay in the lives of those who worship him. This ten day festival begins with the installation of the deity, who is then worshipped daily till the immersion on the final day. Small Ganesh idols are installed in homes. Idols can tower 10m high and weigh several tonnes. On the tenth day, serpentine processions fill the streets and with the accompaniment of drumbeats and music the image of Ganesh is immersed in the water. Devotees chant 'Ganapati Bappa Morya' which means Ganesh, Daddy, please come back soon next year.
TOURISM
AURANGABAD
The original name of Aurangabad was 'Khadke', founded in 1610 by Malik Ambar. It was later changed to Aurangabad in honour of Mughal ruler Aurangazeb. It has a number of tourist sites and the city boasts of Bibi-ka-Makbara, a tomb that has some resemblance to the Taj Mahal. The importance of Aurangabad is great, owing to its proximity with world heritage sites of Ajanta and Ellora. These sites have Buddhist, Jain and Hindu temples. Aurangabad is also famous for its silk and cotton textiles.It is 388 Km east of Bombay, 30 Km south east of Ellora and 100 Km southwest of Ajanta. Best time to visit Aurangabad is Novemeber to February. |
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Bibi-ka -Maqbara
It was built around 1657-1661, by the last of the six great Mughal Emperors, Aurangazeb, for his wife, Rabia Durrani. Aurangazeb's mausoleum is far less ornamental, than Taj Mahal. The mausoleum stands in a square of 1,37,00 sq. meters. The monument is an excellent example of Persian Architecture. It's more attractive at night, when it's floodlit. It's open from sunrise to 10pm.
Panchakki
It is an impressive pre-Mughal watermill harnessed to operate large grain-grinding stones. It was built in 1624 to commemorate the memory of the Sufi saint Baba Shah Musafir, whose tomb lies nearby. Panchakki takes its name from the mill which was considered a marvel of engineering at that time.
Aurangabad Caves
Lies 3 km north of Aurangabad. They were excavated out of a south facing hill side overlooking the town. These caves fall into two groups about 1.5km apart. These are 10 caves belong to the Buddhist era and were excavated between 3rd and 11th century. Caves 3, 6 and 7 are specially worth visiting. The Western group of caves comprises caves 1 to 5 and the eastern group has caves 6 to 10. Cave 2 has a shrine and columned hallways, with a large Buddha as Teacher in a seated position on a panel. In cave 3, there are superb carvings on the 12 pillars of the hall way, which illustrate the jataka stories. Cave 4, a chaitya is the oldest of the lot. Cave 6 has a large Buddha and a supporting figure of Ganesh. Cave 7 is regarded as the most interesting with its images of women like Hariti and the six goddesses, including Padmini. In the rear of the hall is a large Buddha in a preaching position. Open from sunrise to sunset, or 1800 hours, whichever is earlier.
Museums
History Museum of Marathwada University
Excavated material of Sathavahana dynasty. Sculpture from Marathwad region. Miniature paintings of Maratha, Rajput, Mughal and company paintings of East India Company periods. Decorative objects of Chinese and Japanese origin, China clay and gold embroidery etc, several manuscripts of 17th and 18th century AD in Persian and Arabic languages. Timings : 1030 to 1730. Closed on Sundays.
State Archaeology Museum, Sonehri Mahal
Sculpture and broken panels from archaeological sites in Paithan. Timings: 1030 hrs to 1730hrs. Closed on Sundays.
Places Around Aurangabad
Ellora
The world-heritage listed cave temple of Ellora, about 30km from Aurangabad, are the culmination of Deccan rock-cut architecture. There are 34 caves cut out of the sloping side of the low hill. Another 28 caves have been discovered later by the archeological Survey of India. The masterpiece of Ellora is the Kailash Temple. It is the world's largest monolithic sculpture, sculpted out of a rock by 7000 labourers over a 150 year period. The shrines are not exclusively Buddhist, but of Hindu and Jain faiths as well. Entry to Ellora is free.
Daulatbad
13 Km between Aurangabad and the Ellora caves is the magnificent hilltop fortress of Daulatbad. The fort built by Bhilam Raja of the Yadava dynasty in 1187 was earlier called Deogiri. This fort is considered as one of the oldest existing and impregnable forts of India. One of its attractions is the tower, Chand Minar.
Khuldabad
A walled town just 3km from Ellora. It is the holy shrine of Deccan Muslims. The austere tomb of Emperor Aurangazeb is situated here. There is also a Mughal garden nearby, called Bani Begum Ka Bagh.
Grihneshwar Temple
30 km from Aurangabad near the Ellora caves, it is one of the 12 Jyotirlinga shrines dedicated to Lord Shiva and sacred to Hindus. A fair is held here around March each year on Mahashivaratri day.
Paithan
56km (South of Aurangabad). The ancient city of Pratishthan, now known as Paithan, was the seat of the Satvahana dynasty who ruled from 2nd century BC to 2nd century AD. Situated on the banks of the sacred river Godavari, the little town is famous for its Shrine of 'Sant Eknath' which lends it special spiritual ambience. Every year on Nath Shastri which usually falls in the month of March, a big fair is held called 'Paithan Yatra' which last about 10 days. People from far and near come to pay their homage to Sant Eknath.
Paithan, which was once an important seat of learning, is also famous for its beautiful silk saris which sport intricately embroidered gold or silver borders called 'Paithani'.
Shirdi
130 km. Shrine of Sri Sai Baba of Shirdi. A place of pilgrimage for devotees of Sri Sai Baba. There is a special pooja ceremony on every Thursday.
Ajanta Caves
106km from Aurangabad. The 30 rock-cut Buddhist caves at Ajanta are of two basic designs called 'Chaitya grihas' and 'Viharas'. Five of the caves are Chaityas (Buddhist cathedrals) while the other 25 are Viharas (monasteries). Chaitya grihas were halls of worship - large, rectangular chambers separated by rows of pillars into a central nave, surrounded by aisles on three sides, for circumambulation during prayer, with a sanctuary opposite the entrance. The Chaityas are decorated with sculptures and murals depicting the many incarnations of Buddha. Viharas or monasteries are rectangular shaped halls with series of small cells attached on two sides. The side opposite the entrance contained an image of Buddha or a votive stupa.
The Ajanta caves include the epic in visual form, recalling the life of the Buddha and illustrating tales from Jatakas (Buddhist fables). Cave 1 has a most popular painting of Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara and Bodhisattva Padmapani (one with the lotus in his hand). Cave 2 is remarkable for its ceiling decorations and murals narrating the birth of Buddha. Cave 4 is the largest vihara in Ajanta and depicts a man and woman fleeing from a mad elephant and a man giving up his resistance to a tempting woman.
Cave 16 has 'the Dying Princess' painting, representing the Sundari, the wife of the Buddha's half brother, Nanda, who left her to become a monk. A number of unfinished caves were abandoned mysteriously. |
FORTS
There are around 175 Forts in Maharashtra. The most outstanding feature of the forts are their physical base. Almost all of them are sited on erosion lava landscape. Most of the prominent forts are concentrated along the Sahyadri and Satpura ranges. Their natural isolation strengthened by built up walls made them formidable in the days of land based armies. On the drier plateau the gaps in the hill ranges and the commercial routes passing through them induced construction of strategic forts.
Murud- Janjira
Along the coastline there is Murud- Janjira a walled Island detached from the shore lines. Situated 165 kilometers south of Mumbai, is one of the most remarkable island fortress in India. The fort belonged to the Siddis of Abyssinia. The Portuguese, British and the Marathas failed to conquer the fort in spite of several attempts.
Lakes and Hills
Thane the city of Lakes has around 30 lakes. The most beautiful of them is the Masunda Talao, also known as Talao Pali. The lake offers boating and water scooter facilities.
Some of the other popular lakes are Upvan Lake, Kacharali Talao, Makhamali Talao, Siddheshwar Talao, Bramhala Talao, Ghosale Talao, Railadevi Talao etc.
Yeoor Hills or Mama Bhanja Hills is a hill station of Thanaites. This naturally beautiful and pollution free area attracts lot of people. There is also a Math there.
Essel World
This amusement park is located at Gorai, at a distance from the hub of the city. The main attractions here are the 34 rides that comprise of roller coasters, rainbows, bumping cars. The complex houses many cafeterias and restaurants. Nearest Railway Stations: Malad or Borivali, from where the journey must be made by road and sea (Ferry). Also approachable by road via Bhayandar on Western Express Highway. Open: 1100 to 1900 (off season) 1000 to 2000 (April-June & October-December).
Water Kingdom is just next to Essel World and claims to have the largest wave pool in Asia. It has water slides and swimming pools for kids as well as elders.
Matheran
Matheran, 70 kms from Thane, is a hill station of natural beauty and pollution free environment. It is situated 750m up in the Sahyadri Ranges of the Western Ghats. Matheran is a 11 km hike by road from Neral and accessible from the foothills by a toy train. There are fine views from the top. Best season is November-February and April-June.
Nishiland is an amusement park located on the Mumbai - Poona Highway and is an hour and a half's drive from Thane. This is a water park, best during summers when one often needs to chill off. There are water slides, wave pools and splashes with lodging and food facilities.
Bassein (Vasai)
Bassein or Vasai was an ancient Portuguese settlement located about 48-km to the north of Mumbai, near the Thane creek. The Bassein Fort was constructed in 1532 by Bahadur Shah, Sultan of Gujarat. You can see ruins of the Fort and the Cathedral of St. Joseph and the Churches of St Antony and St. Paul. The city walls are still intact. There are also decorative gateways inscribed with coats of arms and Portuguese graves dating back to 1558.
Tansa wildlife sanctuary
This sanctuary is located 90km from Mumbai in Thane district. The sanctuary with an area of about 320sq.kms has around 54 species of animals and 200 species of birds in the sanctuary. Major wild animals are Panther, Barking deer, Mouse deer, Hyena, Wild boar etc. Tansa Lake flows through the sanctuary. Best time to visit is November -May.
Lonavla and Khandala
Lonavla and Khandala are two hill resorts 5kms apart at an altitude of around 600m in the western ghats. Khandala is a quite village overlooking a picturesque ravine and surrounded by wet season waterfalls. Located 106km from Mumbai, on the Mumbai-Pune railway line, Lonavla is a good base to visit the Karla and Bhaja caves and also the Rajmachi, Lohagen and Visapur Forts nearby. Karla and Bhaja are rock-cut-caves which are among the oldest and finest examples of Hinayana Buddhists rock temple art in India. The Walwan Dam at Lonavla was built in 1915 to supply hydroelectric power to Mumbai's textile mills. Best time to visit is during the monsoon.
Kashi Mira
Kashi and Mira are two villages in Thane Taluka located close to each other. The surroundings of the two villages abound in natural beauty and scenery. Just after leaving the check-post at Dahisar is an open surface with the backdrop of hills with zigzag paths leading up the hills. And it is this flushy background that has given these two villages the name "Kashimira".
Jawhar Palace
It is called the "Mahabaleshwar of Thane District", when compared in beauty and climate. And places to see are the majestic Dadara Kopra Falls, Jai Vilas, the palace of the tribal kings, the Hanuman and Sunset Points and the enthralling Shirpamal, where Shivaji chose to camp on his way to Surat. Jawhar also offers you the unique opportunity to expose and enlighten yourself with the tribal way of life especially with the Warli paintings. |
