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Nasik - The Abode
of Maha Kumbh Mela
Located around 183
km northeast of Mumbai, Nasik is situated on the banks of
River Godavari surrounded by nine hills. Nasik, also known as
the Grape wine capital of Maharashtra, is famous for the
greatest religious show on Earth, the Maha Kumbhmela. It
happens every 12 years and is abounded by over 3.5 million
devotees from around the world. Apart from this, it is home to
one of India's 12 Jyotirlingas from which the sacred river
Godavari originates. Other places of mythological importance
are the Panchavati, Ramkund and Tapovan. Accommodation is not
a problem as Nasik is full of hotels ranging from the
luxurious 5 stars to budget ones which cater to all basic
needs of travelers. Nasik has its own rail head and is well
connected to all the major cities of India. It also lies on
NH-3 and state transport buses ply to and from Nasik regularly
that makes it an easily accessible town even by road.
Shirdi - Famous
For Living Legend 'Sai Baba'
Shirdi is the abode
of Lord Sai Baba located 307 km of north east of Mumbai. It is
situated far north of Ahmednagar district, south east of Nasik.
Shirdi is famous as the site where Sai Baba spent most of
life. He was a saint of extraordinary powers who could treat
any ailment and used to solve the problems of his followers.
The places that you can visit in Shirdi are Dwarkamai( the
holy mosque), Samadhi Mandir, Lendi Baug(flower garden),
Gurusthan and the Kandoba Temple. Most of the hotels are
budget accommodations and are near the temples. To reach
Shirdi, you have to get down at Manmad, which is the nearest
railway station. From there you can catch State transport
buses or can hire a taxi to Shirdi.
Ashatavinayaka
Temples - Dedicated To Lord Ganesha
Ashtavinayaka
temples as the name suggests, is the group of 8 temples
dedicated to Lord Ganesha. These temples are situated at
different locations but most of them are at a drivable
distance from Pune. Each idol in all 8 temples is said to have
different history and mythology. The differentiating factor
between all these statues of Ganesha is the trunk direction
and the position of these idols. The name of the Eight temples
are as follows -
1. The Mayureshwar Temple, Moregaon
2. The Siddhivinayaka Temple, Siddhatek
3. The Balleshwar Temple, Pali
4. The varadavinayak Temple, Mahad
5. The chintamani Temple, Theur
6. The Girijatamek Temple, Lenyandari
7. The Vighnahar Temple, ozar
8. The Mahaganapati Temple, Ranjangaon
Haji Ali Shrine -
A Divine Mosque
Haji Ali Shrine was
built by the devotees of Haji Ali as a homage to him. The
mosque is situated in the middle of the sea, around 500 yards
into it, with only a narrow path joining it to the mainland.
The legend has it that Haji Ali, a wealthy Local businessman
renounced all his earthly possessions and went on a pilgrimage
to Mecca. It is said that he died during his pilgrimage and
spectacularly, his casket floated back to these shores. Under
the roof, the body of the saint is kept in a tomb inside an
exemplary silver frame inscribed with all the 99 names of
Allah. The tomb is covered with attractive glass work. The
shrine can be reached only during low tides because amidst
rough weather and high tides, the narrow path is almost non
negotiable. The lane gets submerged inside the water and it
seems as if the holy place is floating in the mid sea with
divine isolation. The shrine is very picturesque with a vast
courtyard and refreshment stalls. The mosque lies opposite to
Mahalakshmi Temple and can be accessed by Lala Lajpatrai Road.
Trimbakeshwar -
Dedicated To Lord Shiva
Tribakeshwar is
situated in the Trimbak village 36 km from Nasik. This temple
is the source of the holy River Godavari and enshrines one of
the 12 jyotirlingas dedicated to Lord Shiva. Legend has it
that Rishi Gautam performed a rigorous penance pleased with
which Lord Shiva granted his wish and brought down the three
sacred rivers Ganga , Godavari and Gautami from Heaven to
Earth. It is said that taking a dip in the holy waters of
Godavari will relieve you of all your sins and bring you
salvation. Monday is considered to be the main day and the
idol of Trimbakeshwar is carried on the shoulder by the
priests around the temple. The main attraction for the
devotees is the festival of Shivratri which is celebrated with
great zeal and attracts pilgrims from all over the World. This
is the place to visit if you are looking for an experience
which is greater than any in this world. Feel yourself being
touched by the divine presence and take the eternal plunge
into the depths of spirituality that will change your
perception of life towards life. So come to this land of
purity and remove all the trails of your past sins.
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