Nashik
City of pilgrimages

Lush greenery, cool climes and spiritual energy abound at Anjaneri, named after Anjana Devi, said to be the mother of Pavanputra Hanuman. Locals believe that the cave on top of the most hill is where Anjana Devi gave birth to Lord Hanuman. A temple, referred to as Anjana Mata, is where she prayed for a toddler , before Lord Shiva seemed to bless her with the gift of life, as legend has it.

The best thanks to discover Anjaneri is to trek up Capitol Hill . The tiring but rewarding trek will take you past the cave to which Lord Pawan Dev brought Lord Hanuman as a toddler when he was hit by the ‘vajra’ of Lord Indra. Another cave on the route will show you inscriptions which will be dated back to almost 1,000 years.

This place is legendary for the well-renowned Indian Institute of Research in Numismatic Studies. It also boasts variety of Jain and Hindu temples. aside from all this, it offers a splendid view of the country charm of the village to its visitors.

Devlali, colloquially pronounced as Deolali, is situated on the outskirts of Nashik, and houses the Deolali Camp, which is one among the oldest and most vital military centres in India. In fact, the Devlali Cantonment may be a very significant base within the country. this is often where the Air Force Station, the varsity of Artillery of the Indian Army and other such establishments were once located.

The camp was established by British in 1861 as a military mental hospital . At the time of British occupation, it also had one among the most important golf courses in India. The camp is surrounded by large playgrounds and garden. Other places of interest include the Temple Hill, Khandobachi Tekadi and Deolali Market, which is sort of fashionable younger tourists.

The town is sort of beautiful, with green landscapes and pleasant weather. It makes for the perfect weekend getaway, with a pleasant blend of recent amenities, exciting activities, and pollution-free environs. you’ll also find the Pandav Leni Caves, also because the Muktidham Temple in close proximity to Devlali.

One of the foremost important spiritual gatherings of Hindus, the Kumbh Mela rotates between four major pilgrim centres of the country, namely Prayagraj, Haridwar, Ujjain and Nashik. The festival is held at Trimbakeshwar in Nashik and attended my quite three million pilgrims!

In tune with Hindu traditions, holy men draw decorative patterns on their foreheads with sandalwood paste and other coloured powders. They believe that sandalwood paste not only keeps the body cool but when smeared on the forehead, alludes to Lord Shiva’s pineal eye . they’re also seen wearing one or several Rudraksha Mala (a garland strung from the fruit seed of Rudraksha, which is taken into account sacred by Hindus).

Not only devotees, but thousands of saints visit Kumbh Mela to witness an air of spirituality and devotion. They take dips within the holy waters of the Ramkund and Kushavarta reservoirs; this act is claimed to absolve the soul of all impurities and sins. Other religious activities that are a neighborhood of this festival include discussions, devotional singing, mass feeding of holy men and ladies and therefore the poor, and non secular assemblies for debates on Holy Scriptures and topics.

Situated on the Left Bank of the holy Godavari river, Panchvati may be a spiritually significant site for travellers. The name ‘Panchavati’ comes from Hindi words ‘panch’ meaning five and ‘vati’ meaning a banyan . In mythology, Panchvati was the place where Lord Rama, Lord Lakshman and Goddess Sita spent a couple of years of their 14 years of exile.

For devotees of Lord Rama, Panchvati may be a pilgrimage site that they hold quite dear, given how the god, his divine consort, and his brother found solace and luxury in its deep jungles.

Panchvati houses a number of the foremost sacred and famous temples of the state and hence has earned Nashik the title of the Benaras of Western India. a number of the temples which will be found within the area include Sitas Cave, where Goddess Sita is claimed to possess been staying when Ravana kidnapped her. the road that Lord Lakshman drew for her protection, famously referred to as Lakshman Rekha, is found a stones throw from the cave.

Kalaram temple , Kapaleshwar temple, Ganga Godavari Temple, Sunder Narayan Temple, Talkuteshwar Temple, Neelkantheshwar Goraram Mandir, Murlidhar Mandir, Tilbhandeshwar Mandir etc., are another religious shrines you’ll visit in Panchvati.

Located on the outskirts of Nashik, the traditional Trimbakeshwar Temple was constructed by the third Peshwa Balaji Bajirao (1740-1760) at the location of a good older temple. It sits at the foot of the Brahmagiri Hill and is flanked by the hills of Nilagiri and Kalagiri.

Made entirely of black stone, it’s a gorgeous pilgrimage center for Hindus, dedicated to Lord Shiva. it’s located near the town of Trimbak, from where River Godavari originates. Kusavarta, a pond within the temple premises, represents the origin point of the holy river.

The temple is among the foremost important within the region because it houses one among the 12 jyotirlingas. The focus of the shivling here is that the incontrovertible fact that it’s a three-faced linga embodying Lord Brahma, Lord Vishnu and Lord Shiva. The linga is adorned by a crown made from diamonds, emeralds and other precious stones. The crown is displayed every Monday for an hour within the evening.

Within the temple, you’ll also encounter images of other gods and goddesses like Goddess Gangadevi, Lord Jaleswara, Lord Rameswara, Lord Gautameswara, Lord Kedarnath, Lord Rama, Lord Krishna, Lord Parasurama and Lord Lakshmi Narayana.

While youre here, you’ll also explore the impressive Brahmagiri Fort, and Gangadwar, located in close vicinity to the temple.

Often called the wine capital of India, Nashik has quite 30 functioning wineries that produce a number of the richest and most generally consumed wines within the country.

Tourists can visit various tasting rooms and check out different sorts of wine, while learning about the painstaking process that precedes their creation.

The wineries of Nashik are clustered in three main areas round the main city - Sanjegaon district (45 minutes from Nashik), Dindori district (an hour north of Nashik), and Gangapur Dam (20 minutes west of Nashik). the foremost popular and frequented of the various wineries are Sula, Soma, and York, all located at the Gangapur Dam.

If you would like to delve deep into the history and production of wine, head to the Wine Information Center in Vinchur, an hour to the east of the town . It offers an in depth tour of the sprawling fragrant vineyards, and allows you to glimpse one among the best collections of wine in India.

Grab a glass of chilled Chenin Blanc and make your way through the stunning vineyards.