Major Travel Attraction in Maharashtra
Ajanta
Ellora- A World Heritage Site: The Ajanta caves
are located to the northeast of Aurangabad and are a
little way off the main road. There are about 29 caves,
built in a horseshoe shaped curve of the steep rocky
gorge that emerges above the river Waghore. These caves
date back to about 200 BC to 650 AD. Just after the
Ellora caves were built, the site of Ajanta caves was
abandoned and were slowly forgotten. In 1819 soldiers
from a British hunting party re-discovered these caves,
which remained unknown for centuries.
Situated about 30 kms from the northeast of Aurangabad
lies the famous Ellora caves. They are cut into the
hillside and are famed for their sculptures. The earliest
caves are Buddhist, but the later ones are Hindu and
Jain cave temples. The origination time of the caves
is not confirmed. But the archaeologists believe that
some of the later Buddhist caves were built at the same
time when the early Hindu temples were being carved
. There are 34 caves, of which 12 are Buddhist, 17 are
Hindu and five Jain.
Mumbai - The Capital City of Maharashtra:
Taj Mahal Hotel - MumbaiThe capital of Mahahrashtra,
Mumbai is the largest metropolis in India and also its
financial capital. It is one of the most vibrant cities,
with an alive nightlife. The city is also the center
of glamor and glitz due to the presence of Indian film
industry. Mumbai is also a historical city having many
attractions to offer to a visitor. Major travel attractions
of this enticing city include the Gateway of India,
Prince of Wales Museum, Haji Ali's Tomb, Chhatrapati
Shivaji Terminus or Victoria Terminus, Mumbadevi Temple
and the famous Marine Drive. Apart from these, the Chowpaty
and the Juhu beach are major highlights of the city,
where tourists and local people gather to enjoy themselves.
Pune Attractions: The second
largest city of Maharashtra, Pune, is the place which
was home to the Maratha leader, Shivaji for a long time.
This calm city was also resided by the self-proclaimed
guru, Bhagwan Rajneesh, also known as Osho. Pune has
many tourist spots, including, Shanwarawada Palace,
Raja Kelkar Museum, Gandhi National Memorial, Samadhi,
and Pataleshwar Temple.
Aurangabad - The City of World Heritage
Site: Known for its medieval monuments and cultural
heritage, the city of Aurangabad was the seat of the
Mughal Empire for a short span. The Bibi-ka-Makbara,
a tomb that has some resemblance to the Taj Mahal is
the highlight of the city. Auranagbad is world famous
city due to the presence of the Ajanta and Ellora caves
regarded as the world heritage sites. These sites have
Buddhist, Jain and Hindu temples. Aurangabad is also
famous for it's silk and cotton textiles.
Dulatabad Fort: The impressive
Daultabad fort is situated about 15 kms from Aurangabad.
At this place Mohammed Bin Tughlak built his capital,
but soon returned back to Delhi. It was finally captured
by Allauddin Khilji. The scenic views, located to the
right of the Daulatabad fort are mesmerizing. Today,
the fort is not in a very good condition. But some of
the parts of the fort like the scary "Bhool Bhulaiya"
is still in a better condition.
Mahabaleshwar- A Pristine Hill Resort:
Mahabaleshwar, the mesmerizing hill station, overlooks
the Krishna and Koyna valleys. It is situated at an
altitude of 1372 meters and presents many picture prefect
views. This untouched natural paradise is loved by people
who admire nature and want to explore it. Specially,
the filmmakers adore this place because it provides
plenty of beautiful scenes for their films. Mahabaleshwar
was the summer capital of the erstwhile Bombay Presidency.
Mahabaleshwar is a lovely destination to visit, which
has not lost its old charm, despite the increasing crowds
that visit the town. There are many mighty mansions
built during the days of the British, reminding of the
of the British Raj.
Lonavala Hill Station: Lonavala
is another famous hill station, providing an enjoyable
getaway from the cities of Mumbai and Pune. The specialty
of this place is a special candy made of peanut and
jaggery which is popular all over the country.
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