Spice November ipad pdf

4
SCENIC
VINEYARDS
Rows of vines growing along plain,
gently undulating or sloping land is a
soothing sight. And the taste of sweet
juicy grapes in the winter is nature’s treat.
Acres of vineyards are located in different parts
of the state especially in and around Nashik as
well as Baramati, Pune, Latur, Sangli and
Solapur. Nashik is known as India’s grape and
wine capital; an estimated area of around 1.75
lakh acres in this region is cultivated with
grape vines. A range of grape varieties is grown
for wines. A visit to a vineyard and a winery —
there are over 30 wineries in the state — and a
meal at a spot overlooking the vineyards makes
for an enjoyable experience.
STATES
ATTRACTIONS
3
DAZZLING
WEAVE
They say eons ago, Goddess Parvati
remarked to a companion that she did not
have a special attire to wear for a
wedding. Overhearing her words, her husband Lord
Shiva asked his weavers to create an exceptional
garment for his beloved consort. Creatively putting
their thoughts and skills to the loom, the weavers
wove a patterned textile of gold and silk yarns. But
instead of the usual process of embellishing a silk
ground with motifs of supplementary metal yarn as
they had done, they skilfully reversed the concept
and wove the body of the textile with pure gold
thread embellishing it with exquisite motifs of silk!
Thus, was born the Paithani weave! It is woven at
Aurangabad, Yeola and the pilgrim town of Paithan,
and is much sought-after, especially by brides.
5
A PLATEAU OF FLOWERS
Maharashtra is at its best during the
monsoons when the land is
transformed into soothing shades of
green, the sunlight is mellow, the breeze cool,
mountains lush, waterfalls alive, and dams
and rivers full of water. A special surprise
during this season is Kaas Plateau near Satara
that comes alive with grasses, herbs,
medicinal plants, orchids and thousands of
flowers of a variety of species. From unique
solitary flowers to clusters of certain flower
unique to the region to stunning flower
carpets, the beauty of the plateau takes the
breath away as the rains set off mass flowering
on the thin laterite soil of the plateau. Kaas
Plateau is a UNESCO World Heritage Site
under the natural heritage criteria.
SHUTTERSTOCK/ ALAMY
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NOVEMBER 2017