Gateway of <strong>India</strong>, Mumbai Majestic Maharashtra Welcome to Maharashtra. A land whose sheer size and diversity will stun you. Enjoy its mountains that stretch out into the mists as far as the eye can see, innumerous forts that stand proud and strong and scores of temples, sculpted into and out of basalt rock. Its diverse and colourful cultures, woven into one gigantic quilt. Festivals that galvanise the sleepy thousands into fervent motion and miles of silver, white beaches, stretched out and inviting over the entire coast. Welcome to this vibrant and beautiful land. Located in the northern center of peninsular <strong>India</strong>, Maharashtra is surrounded by the Arabian sea in the west, Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh in the north and the east and Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh in the south. Nagpur Nashik Shirdi Aurangabad Mumbai Pune Kolhapur 34
Mumbai Welcome to the city that never sleeps! Pulsating, alive, on the move, vibrant, fun - this is Mumbai or as it is still frequently referred to Bombay. The most modern city in <strong>India</strong> that captures the spirit of the changing pace set by liberalization and modernization. Once a cluster of seven islands, Mumbai was presented to King Charles II in 1661 as part of the dowry when he married Princess Catherine de Braganza of Portugal. Over the years, as colonialism gave way to independence, Mumbai has transformed itself into an entity with thriving markets, business houses and many different communities reflecting a cosmopolitan and trendy atmosphere rarely seen elsewhere. On the surface, it represents the ever-changing face of today’s <strong>India</strong>. Nagpur The old capital of the Bhonsale rulers and of the former Central Provinces, Nagpur presents a fine blend of the old and new. The region around Nagpur traditionally known as Vidarbha, is noted for its antiquity. Nagpur, the second capital of Maharashtra, is a sprawling, seemingly infinite metropolis and is <strong>India</strong>’s primary transport hub with all the nation’s main highways intersecting there. And at the very centre of this national center is Zero Mile, marked by the stone obelisk that the British placed there, on whose surface is an engraved list of cities (spelt the old - fashioned way) with distances to each of them. Aurangabad The gateway to the World Heritage sites of Ajanta and Ellora, Aurangabad is named after the Mughal emperor, Aurangzeb. Lying along the right bank of the Kham river, the city is the district headquarters, which offers visitors all the modern comforts and amenities. Pune Queen of the Deccan, Oxford of the <strong>East</strong> and cultural capital of Maharashtra, Pune is a city with a future that promises to be as interesting as its history. Longstanding bastion of the Maratha empire and home to the legendary Raja Shivaji, the Pune district is marked by magnificent land and sea forts, testimony to its glorious past. Surrounded by verdant hills and beautiful lakes, Pune has a temperate climate and is among the greenest urban areas in the country. The narrow winding roads of old Pune offer an interesting contrast to the open, spacious new city. However, Pune retains the old-world charm and its many quaint characteristics, including the omnipresent cyclists, rickshaws and a daily siesta hour that is taken very seriously indeed. Nashik Proximity to many holy temples and sites including the famous pilgrimage centre of Shirdi and a long tryst with <strong>India</strong>’s sacred past, has made Nashik a confluence for the spiritually enlightened. Mythology has it that Rama, the king of Ayodhya, made Nashik his temporary abode during the 14 years of his exile. The poets Rishi Valmiki, Mahakavi Kalidas and Bhavabhooti have paid rich tributes to Nashik in many of their works. Today, Nashik is a bustling township with a blend of the ancient and the modern. Scattered across the city are numerous forts and majestic temples. It is part of the green belt and is renowned for the various fruits and vegetables it produces. In fact the yield of grapes, strawberries and onions in Nashik is amongst the highest in the country. Kolhapur Arts, aristocracy and graciousness. A legacy of valour combined with a culture steeped in spiritualism, education and modernism. Kolhapur with its myriad images emerges as a city with a multifaceted persona and a rich cultural, historical and mythical past. Ancient texts such as the Padmapurana and the Skandapurana speak in glowing terms of Karveer or Dakshin Kashi which is, in fact modern-day Kolhapur on the banks of river Panchaganga nestling among the Sahyadri ranges. Kolhapur combines its artistic past with dynamic present and is a modern, industrial city. Sindhudurg Ideal especially for beach tourism, Sindhudurg is well connected with various parts of the country by the Konkan Railway. Sprawling over an area of 5,207 Sq. Kms, Sindhudurg comprises of 7 provinces - Sawantwadi, Vaibhavwadi, Kudal, Vengurla, Kankavli, Devgad and Malvan. A beautifully developed coastline, Malvan is famous for the Sindhudurg Fort built by Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, Vengurla’s coastline is dotted with some of the most exotic and virgin beaches in Maharashtra. Kudal is a scenic town on the river side. Sawantwadi erstwhile the royal seat of the Bhonsale Dynasty, is famous for handicraft items. Tarkarli, situated at the confluence of the river Karli and the Arabian Sea, is a quiet scenic place. Amboli, engulfed by dense forests and steep valleys has a tranquil hill resort which is situated at an altitude of 690 meters in the ruggedly sculpted Sahyadris. Murud Janjira Call: 1800 209 3344 | www.sotc.in | 35
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