Maharashtra is the third largest state and the second most populous state in India situated at the western region of India bordered by the Arabian sea. It's a neighboring state of Madhya Pradesh where i live. This Indian state is brimming with an array of colorful shrines; a remarkable collection of caves; golden beaches lined with swaying palm trees; historic hotspots with strong past connection; and oodles of emerald hill stations under the canopy of lush western ghats. Along with its stronghold on commercialism, Maharashtra is a winner in the category of tourism too. There are some irresistible holiday destinations that are not only meant for the nature lovers but also for the religiously inclined travelers.
Going to Shirdi
My journey in this beautiful Indian state started from Shirdi- the hometown of the revered Sai baba. This small town is very well connected to Indore & with other cities of India by bus, rail & air networks. A no. of well-maintained sleeper AC & Non-AC buses are available from Indore to Shirdi with economic fare at regular time intervals. I knew that Shirdi is usually heavily crowded with tourists throughout the year & i was traveling alone with my mother; so to avoid any kind of inconvenience after reaching the place I'd already booked the accommodation in advance for 3days through online mode. Being a solo traveler i always keep security on topmost priority in my travel checklist, so I'd preferred to stay in the bhakt niwas run by the Shirdi Saibaba Sansthan Trust instead of choosing any private hotel. The official website of the trust is https://www.sai.org.in. I opened the accommodation page on the website, explored all the accommodation options & chose "Dwarawati Bhaktniwas" for my stay. Here you can enjoy a comfortable stay in a homely environment available in your budget.
Accommodation
It was my first visit to Shirdi in the year2015. I always prefer sleeper bus departing from Indore at late evening that takes overnight to arrive at Shirdi. I reached there at dawn. I took a glimpse of the temple complex from the bus. Shirdi is a town that never sleeps due to the continuous movement of pilgrims coming from far away corners of India. We get off from the bus, had our morning tea in a roadside stall & headed towards Dwarawati bhaktniwas which was on a 2-minutes walking distance from the bus stand. We entered in a large properly cleaned campus of the hotel comprising of a multi-storey hotel building & a beautiful big garden in front of the building.
Our luggage was scanned at the entrance of the building, then we went to the reception counter for check-in. Here good thing is that all the accommodations provided by the trust provide 24*7 check-in facility. As soon as we entered into the hotel lounge, we got our very first live darshan of Saibaba on the LED screen installed there. It was the time of morning Kakada Aarti. Here the miracle happened as unfortunately on this trip I forgot to keep the identity card with me, but by the grace of Saibaba the trust staff were kind enough (unlike the TTD staff in Tirupati) to allow us for the stay at that time & said that we can arrange photo of any of the i-cards afterwards if possible.
We went inside the room which was quite big & spacious. The room along with the washroom was properly cleaned, bed sheets were changed before our check-in. Hot water was available in the room throughout the day. Then we had a nap, got up & as we opened the curtains of the window, there was a beautiful view of the garden where several locals were jogging in the morning. We had the shower & got ready to go out to the famous Saibaba mandir which was on a walkable distance from the hotel. We got down in the hotel premise where there was a small canteen run by the trust which was offering tea, coffee, milk & glucose biscuits in a very nominal rate(less than 5Rs).
Mystic SaiBaba
Sai temple at Shirdi is one of the most holiest places in India. The place is full of devotees across the year who come to view the samadhi of Sai Baba & to take Blessings from the deity. Sai Baba was one of the most famous saints in India. He was an spiritual leader dear to Hindu and Muslim devotees throughout India. The name Sai Baba comes from sai, a Persian word used by Muslims to denote a holy person, and baba,Hindi for father. Sai Baba’s early years are a mystery. Most accounts mention his birth as a Hindu Brahman and his subsequent adoption by a Sufi fakir or mendicant. Sai Baba arrived in Shirdi, about 1858 and remained there until his death in 1918.At first denounced by the villagers of Shirdi as a madman, by the turn of the century Sai Baba had a considerable following of Hindus and Muslims. He attracted so many devotees through his mystic miracles. He served the patients who were ill and removed their sufferings. He wore a Muslim cap and for the better part of his life lived in an abandoned mosque in Shirdi, where he daily kept a fire burning, a practice reminiscent of some Sufi orders. Yet he named that mosque Dvarakamai, a decidedly Hindu name, and is said to have had substantial knowledge of the Puranas, the Bhagvadgita, and various branches of Hindu thought. He doesn't belong to one particular religion. He showed the path of humanity, compassion, and love. He preached that God is there in with every living being. He advised to develop devotion (Shraddha) and patience (Saburi).
Saibaba Temple
The temple was located on the main road, at walking distance from Roadways bus stop. Gate1 was for free darshan & gate no.2 for special darshan. If you want to save your time from the long queue you can buy VIP pass in 200INR and get direct entry. Whole surrounding of the temple complex is filled with touts and fake guides / agents, so beware of them. It was a clean and well maintained campus despite being extremely crowded. The arrangements were really quite impressive. In the queue, if you feel tired after standing for a long while then you can sit on the chairs placed alongside the queue; facilities of drinking water, big coolers for Summer season, washrooms & feeding rooms are also available at frequent intervals in the queue. There were several Marathi slogans written on the walls like "कचरा कुंडित टाका" means Put the garbage in the bin or "थुन्कू नाका" that means Don't spit. After crossing several floors of the temple in the queue, we finally reached near to the idol. The most loved statue of Baba was installed there. I don't know how but here i felt like Baba’s eyes were literally talking to me lovingly. It was so divine and bliss to have the darshan. You will find a peace when you visit the temple.
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| Photo source: Google.com |
Don't forget to collect the Bhabhuti (sacred ash) emerged from the everlasting burning fire at the Dhundi. Many of the Sai devotees collect this ash in large quantity so that it could last at their homes till their next trip to Shirdi. After darshan, i went to the donation counter to submit the Chunari which I'd bought to offer to Saibaba. Then i went to a counter situated in the temple complex to purchase the fragrant incense sticks made of the flowers offered to the idol. There is a small garden in the temple premises called "Lendi Baugh" which was taken care by baba by planting the seeds & watering the plants.
History of the Temple
-- Read more: https://www.ixigo.com/what-are-the-items-that-shirdi-is-famous-for-fq-1000427
-- Read more: https://www.ixigo.com/what-are-the-items-that-shirdi-is-famous-for-fq-1000427
-- Read more: https://www.ixigo.com/what-are-the-items-that-shirdi-is-famous-for-fq-1000427 After darshan, i went to the donation counter to submit the Chunari which I'd bought to offer to Saibaba. Then i went to a counter situated in the temple complex to purchase the fragrant incense sticks made of the flowers offered to the idol.
Baba of Shirdi promised before His Mahasamadhi, “I shall be active and vigorous even from the tomb”. The statue was installed thirty
six years after his Mahasamadhi on 7 October 1954, on Vijayadasami day, which has an interesting history. Once, a high quality Italian
marble arrived at Mumbai dock, which no one claimed as theirs. Therefore
it was auctioned and the buyer donated it to Baba’s temple. The temple
authorities commissioned the task of carving Baba’s statue to
a sculptor from Bombay named Balaji Vasant Talim. When he was
struggling to grasp the face of Baba from an old ruined picture of Baba,
Baba appeared in his dream and showed his face from multiple angles
enabling him make the statue meticulously.
Since this first visit to Shirdi, i have been there multiple times now which is itself a wonder as every time i don't pre-plan for the trip rather it seems like my trips to Shirdi are organized by the Baba himself. No matter what's the reason but anyhow i just reach there every year to get his blessings and it's always rejuvenating to go to the temple. He has done several miracles in my life. I will surely suggest you guys to visit Shirdi whenever you get a chance.
Shirdi Town
Outside the temple you can visit Dwarkamai,Chavdi,Maruti mandir & Khandoba mandir. There is a big market near the temple. In fact, the whole town is heavily commercialized with a plenty of shops, hotels, restaurants & travel agents' offices located everywhere. Shirdi has markets with the largest collection of Sai Baba effigies and pictures. Rows of shops line up the streets that lead to the temple serving as great places to also shop for gifts. Starting from marble and fiber statues, you can find laminated portraits, key rings, rosaries, garlands made with fresh flowers and with plastic/cloth flowers, all kinds of dry fruits, etc. These shops sell a wide variety of sweets from laddoos to pedas. The Sai Complex Mall is at a walking distance from the temple for shoppers not into religious shopping. Here you can buy the authentic Paithani and Bandhani Sarees. They are 100% handloom and you will get the original one. Almost in every shop, you can get a plenty of the famous Kolhapuri Chappals. I just love the atmosphere in Shirdi.
Prasadalaya
After darshan, we went to Sai Prasadalaya which starts lunch prasad services from 10AM. It is billed to be Asia's biggest Prasadalaya, a Dining Hall with a seating capacity of 5,500, making it possible to feed more than 100,000 devotees daily. Approximately 1 Crore Sai Devotees are taking the Prasad Bhojan every year. A gigantic hall has been constructed on the ground floor, which can seat 3,500 devotees. Two separate halls have been constructed on the first floor with a seating capacity of 1,000 each. Special Sai Prasad Bhojan at Rs.50/- for Adults and Rs.30/- for Children is being served in the two big halls constructed on the first floor for those devotees who would like to have Prasad Bhojan leisurely. The devotees can have unlimited prasad bhojan here. For pilgrims who cannot afford to pay, there is another hall called “Annadaan Kaksha”, which has a capacity of 150 people and the trust serves food for free. Considering the Quality of food, Facilites & Cleanliness provided by Sai Prasadalay, ISO certification was given to Sai Prasadalay in the year 2010 which is being renewed time-to-time. To promote the use of non-conventional energy sources, the trust has installed the Solar Heating Cooking System in this Prasadalaya which has been identified as the World’s largest solar heating cooking system. The Prasadalaya is open from 10 am to 10 pm. The food is first offered to Sai Baba and then served to the devotees. Shri Sai Baba Sansthan has provided to and fro bus service to the devotees from Temple Complex and the Sansthan Residential buildings to Shri Sai Prasadalaya. The food served was delicious. It was a nice memorable experience overall.
Auspicious trip to Shingnapur
After having rest in the hotel room, we left from Shirdi for Shingnapur, a nearby village well known for the famous temple of Lord Shanidev. Numerous transportation means are easily & frequently available for Shingnapur at Shirdi like local buses, small tourist buses, jeep & taxi etc. We boarded the local taxi which we got from outside the Sai baba temple, which will cost you around Rs150 per head. It took us around 2 hours to reach Shingnapur because Road from shirdi is good for about 50km and then 20-25 km of bad road where road construction is in process. You've been heard a phrase "कोल्हू का बैल", here i saw that practically when we halted in between to enjoy a few glasses of sugarcane juice extracted from a crusher driven by the bull. All the shops enroute had rope swings & were decorated with colorful ballons. This entire area is the sugarcane belt so you'll witness sugarcane fields across the road.
Shani Mandir
When you get down outside the temple, you will be surrounded by touts and shopkeepers who will try to dominate you and make you purchase very expensive pooja thali and oil. Please do not rush and ask firmly for all the rates because they quote only the highest rates. I've purchased the cheapest pooja thali of 151 Rs which had flowers and a set of shani pooja items. You have to wash your feet and hand in a running holy tap near the parking entrance. You don’t have to take bath these days as earlier. After reaching near by shanidev shila we saw that they have designed a tunnel through which you can flow the entire Oil directly to the idol without dropping it else where..This provides cleanliness to the temple. It was very beautiful. Photography is not allowed but if you can manage then you can click a picture. After then we went to a shop within temple premises and purchased the delicious coconut barfi. Despite the crowd, there was no pushing. So, putting the oil and the ‘Darshan’ was fine and smooth! The temple is neat & clean and well maintained as well. Everyone in the temple is courteous.
History
The personification of the planet Saturn is worshiped here with utmost reverence and devotion by multitudes of people from all over the country. The spectacle of the deity in black stone is overwhelming. A unique aspect of this place is that no temple structure houses Shanidev. There is only a simple roofless platform on which stands the swayambhu idol, in black stone. Legend has it that years ago, after a bout of rain and flooding, a heavy black slab of rock was found washed up on the shores of the Panasnala River, which once flowed through the village. When locals touched that with a stick, blood started oozing out of it. Later that night, Shani appeared in the dreams of the village head, revealing that the slab was his own idol. The deity ordered that the slab should be kept in the village, where he would reside from here on. But Shani had one condition: the rock and its colossal powers must not be sheltered as he needed to be able to oversee the village without hindrance. Lord Shani then blessed the leader and promised to protect the village from danger.
No Locks, No Doors
After the villagers installed the huge slab on a roofless platform in the heart of town, they decided to discard all doors and locks. They didn't need them anymore, not with the Lord to watch over them. This tradition has continued for generations. Locals occasionally lean wooden panels against their front door frames to keep stray dogs out – but they have no permanent doors, firmly believing that their holy guardian will protect them from any mishap. Even the public toilets in the village square just have a thin curtain at the entrance for privacy. New constructions have to honor these protocols, too. The UCO Bank opened India’s first “lockless” branch in Shani Shingnapur in 2011, installing a glass entrance in the spirit of transparency and a barely visible remote-controlled electromagnetic lock in respect of the villagers’ beliefs. Locals don’t even ask their neighbors to watch over their house while they are out of town. They believe that thieves will immediately be punished with blindness, and anyone dishonest will face seven-and-a-half years of bad luck. The people here believe that it is the benediction of the god that no crime ever occurs in this village where homes have no front doors, shops are always left unlocked and locals never feel unsafe because of their undying faith in Lord Shani who is considered the guardian of the village.
After darshan we board our taxi and returned back to shirdi. Now we had dinner in a restaurant. There are multiple restaurants running which offer quality food & the best thing is that a variety of food is easily available here whether it's South Indian, Punjabi, Gujarati or Rajasthani along with the local Maharashtrian food. So here no need to worry about what to eat because here you can get anything you want.
Way to Triambakeshwar
Next day we'd planned to visit the sacred Triambakeshwar jyotirling temple. We woke up at dawn as we wanted to reach there as early as possible because we were supposed to do a puja in the temple. Triambak, as Triambakeshwar is often called, is a small town located on the foothill of Brahmagiri hills, from where river Godavari originates. I thought that it's going to be a 2hrs30min long boring journey but it was just opposite. The morning was possibly the most beautiful morning I had ever witnessed. As we were moving upwards, the clouds were actually descending the landscape and wrapping up the mountains. The peaceful atmosphere combined with a pleasant climate makes Triambakeshwar an ideal for nature lovers and those looking for a spiritual getaway. I would suggest everyone to visit this place once and explore the serenity around .
The Jyotirlinga
Triambakeshwar is one of the 12 Jyotirlinga places in India. The importance of the temple is mentioned in the powerful “Maha Mrityunjaya Mantra” that bestows immortality and longevity. In the main temple there are three 'Swayambhu lingas', representing Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva. They do not rise above the ground but lie in a lower-level aperture. Trimbakeshwar thus gets its name from the holy trinity or ‘tri’. Trimbak also means ‘three eyes’, which Shiva alone possesses. According to a legend, the great Sage Gautama meditated at Trimbak and was blessed with the Varuna, a never-ending supply of foodgrains. Other rishis, jealous of his good fortune, sent a cow to his granary. Gautama tried to chase the cow away with blades of grass but she died of wounds inflicted by some of the blades. Gautama prayed to Lord Shiva that the Ganga may be sent down to Trimbak, so that he could be purified of his sin. The river appeared as Godavari (or Gautami, from Rishi Gautama), and Shiva too began residing here as Trimbakeshwar.
The Holy Pond
After reaching the town, first we went to the holy "Kushavarta kund" situated in the temple premise that hosts the Kumbh Mela held once in 12 years. It is one of the four places where drops of heavenly 'Amrit' fell. The Godavari River descends from its origin in the Brahmagiri Hill and merges into the Kushavarta Tirtha. The Kedareshwar Temple is at one end of this holy pond. This temple has some exquisite carvings depicting the forms of Lord Shiva. Despite the water was not so clean, we took a holy dip in the pond before going for the puja.
Then we performed a special puja in guidance of Panditji. The Puja at Triambakeshwar temple was highly rewarding. This temple is highly renowned for the Kaalsarp shanti & Pitra dosh nivaran Puja. You need to book the pandits if you wish to perform the same.
The Temple
Then we went ahead for darshan.This temple is always heavily crowded by devotees and you need to stand in queue for long time or you can buy VIP pass for Rs 200/- per person to bypass the queue, then also you need to wait for almost an hour. After entering the temple, it was the divine feel everywhere. To have darshan of Linga, mirrors are placed above it on the back of wall to enable devotees to see the deity clearly. The construction of the temple was done in the Nagar style of architecture. It is a very old structure built entirely with black stones. It is surrounded by a massive stone wall and adorned with many sculptures. The structure today is a result of reconstruction done during the 18th century by the Peshwa Balaji Bajirao. The sanctum tower is crowned with a golden kalasha. It can only be an amazing experience of Life; to have the darshan of Lord Shiva as Jyotirlinga. You feel divine after visiting this place.
This area gets its name from the panch (five) banyan vatis (trees) that grow by the Godavari. It is also believed that Panchavati was once part of the Dandakaranya Forest, the abode of the exiled trio from the Ramayana for a while, more precisely the site of the abduction of Sita by Ravana.
Near Panchvati is the Sita Gufa, said to be the spot from where Sita was kidnapped by Ravana. A narrow staircase leads to the caves. The caves house idols of Lord Ram, Sita and Lakshman as well as a Shivling, said to be the one Sita worshipped.
Ramkund
The name is derived from the belief that Lord Rama used to bathe in the sacred kund (a large pond), along the course of the Godavari in the Panchavati area. Rama is also said to have performed the funeral rites for his father, Dashratha, the king of Ayodhya, here before immersing the ashes in the kund.
One of the most significant religious centers of the city, this one derives its name from the black statue of Lord Rama. Also find inside the temple a black statue of Lord hanuman and statues of Maa Sita and Lakshman. The temple is built in hard black stone with beautiful carvings in the stones.
Muktidham Temple is abode to numerous Hindu gods and is made from authentic Rajasthani marble. It's a beautiful temple which houses replicas of all the 12 Jyotirlingams. There is also a Lord Krishna temple, which depicts his life and eighteen chapters of Geeta on the walls.
Sundarnarayan Temple
It is a shrine of Lord Vishnu. The legend goes that being cursed by the enraged wife of a sage, Lord Vishnu turned charcoal black and regained his beautiful form of Sundarnarayanan bathing in the waters of Godavari here. The temple attracts a large crowd on the day of spring equinox(21st March), when the rising sun's first rays fall directly on the idols of Lord Vishnu, Goddess Lakshmi and Goddess Saraswati.
Someshwar Temple
Located in the suburbs on the banks of River Godavari, Someshwar temple is one of the oldest Shiva temples in Nashik. The soothing greenery around gives the temple a beautiful ambience. There is an attached boating club by the river and a children's park for recreation.
After this well spent day at Nasik, we returned back to Shirdi. As I've mentioned earlier that a no. of tours & travel agents offices were there all around the city, they were offering sightseeing tours of nearby travel destinations. So for upcoming days of our vacation, I booked the tours for Aurangabad & Mumbai.
Aurangabad-A Surprise Destination
Next day early morning, we boarded on our shared tourist vehicle(25-seater Force Traveller). There were families from Bengal, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Karnataka, Bihar & from Maharashtra as well in our tourist group. They all were very co-operative with others & it was a fun spending a whole day with the people of different cultures. It took approx. 3hrs to reach Aurangabad.
Named after the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb, Aurangabad is a tourist hub
of Maharashtra mainly due to the UNESCO World Heritage Sites, Ajanta and Ellora caves. Bibi ka Maqbara, which bears resemblance to the Taj Mahal is an important historical monument in Aurangabad. One of the 12Jyotirlings, the Ghushmeshwar Jyotirling is also nestled nearby the city. For the Mughals, Aurangabad was an important town since it served as
a strategic point to suppress the rising power of Shivaji. Aurangabad
was taken over by the Nizam of Hyderabad after the death of Aurangazeb. Aurangabad is the perfect city to cherish the rich history of
Maharashtra. The city’s winsome land is also dotted with palaces,
tombs, and parks, making it a must visit tourist spot for history and
architecture buffs.
Bibi ka Maqbara
This was the first destination of our Aurangabad trip, the most impressive monument of Aurangabad - Bibi Ka Maqbara, which bears a strong resemblance to the iconic Taj Mahal in Agra.
It is mainly a mausoleum marking the burial ground of Aurangzeb's wife, Rabia Durrani.
Aurangzeb started constructing the Bibi Ka Maqbara, but it was his son Prince Azam Shah who completed its construction. One of the most perfectly proportioned and captivating Mughal mausoleums, the structure of Bibi Ka Maqbara, which brings together Persian and Mughal elements, was designed and erected by Ata-ullah, an architect, and Hanspat Rai, an engineer respectively. Ata-ullah was the son of Ustad Ahmad Lahauri, the main designer of the Taj Mahal.
Like Taj Mahal, Bibi Ka Maqbara too is located amidst a manicured garden with axial ponds, fountains, and water channels, and lined with broad pathways. The garden is further enclosed by high crenelated walls with fortress set at intervals, and open pavilions on three sides. The mausoleum is built in a Charbagh style on a raised platform to be reached by a fleet of stairs.
The gardens around are a delight to explore, with the Deccan hills providing a scenic backdrop.
There was also a small mosque with finely worked cusped arches and corner minarets. There was the Sunehri Mahal, which was easily noticeable for its goldwork.
This place holds a colossal beauty to explore. I had not seen such a glorious big historic monument before. I was clicking pictures from all the angels to capture the place with my phone's camera. It was so magnificent from each side. Outside the premise, you can enjoy juicy pineapple cut in short pieces which is being sold by the locals in several stalls available beside the road.
Bhadra Maruti Temple
Then we reached to the Bhadra maruti temple. This place catches attention of everyone due to its uniqueness because this is the place where Lord hanuman can be seen lying on ground in horizontal position. Long years ago at the time of Satayug, a huge river used to run here known as "Bhadravati River" and this place is previously known as "Bhadravati Nagri". In Tratayug when Lord Shri Ram returned to Ayodhya from Srilanka. His Resolution was to do the Ashwamedh Yajna, for that purpose a special type of Horse is required known as "ShyamKarna Horse". At that time King Bhadrasen,King of Bhadravati Nagri was having this type of Horse. He was very kind,pious and follower of Lord Shri Ram.
Lord Shri Ram sent Hanuman ji to bring the Horse. When Lord Hanumanji reached here, he saw that the King is singing very sweet Bhajan in praise of Lord Shri Ram. Hanumanji decided to not disturb the King so he fell asleep on the Ground while listening the captivating Music of bhadrasen. After a long time Lord Hanumanji woke up,he saw that King Bhadrasen was still singing Bhajan. Lord Hanumanji was so pleased by the devotion of King Bhadrasen that he granted him a Wish. The King Bhadrasen desired that the Lord Hanumanji would stay there forever and fulfill the desires of all his devotess. Lord Hanuman granted the wish and disappeared,much later an idol of Lord Hanuman in a sleeping posture was found that's how the name "Bhadra Maruti" or "Sleeping Hanuman".
Ellora Caves
After that we reached to the UNESCO World Heritage site, the Ellora caves. This majestic rock-cut temple caves exhibit artwork and monuments of Jainism, Buddhism and Hinduism of the period of 600-1000C.E. The conglomeration of the Ellora caves has a total of 100 caves, out of which only 34 caves are for the public. This group comprises of 5 Jain caves, 17 Hindu caves and 12 Buddhist caves. These caves reflect the religious sentiments of the people of that era. These caves served manifold purposes like abode for praying, resting place for the pilgrims and monasteries for the monks.
While all the caves at Ellora are worth visiting, the Kailasha temple- simply designated as Cave no.16 is by far the most magnificent & imposing.
The Kailasha Temple of this group of monastery cave temples is an exemplary artwork which is considered the largest monolithic single rock excavation in the world. There is one more reason to make this temple a world-class wonder that it was carved vertically into the tough basalt of Sahyadri hills with little more than hammers & chisels, more than 1200yrs ago.
The temple has four levels or stories. It contains elaborately carved monoliths and halls with stairs, doorways, windows, and numerous fixed sculptures. At the second-story level, there are life-size sculptures of elephants and other animals.
Erotic representations of Hindu divinities and mythological figures also grace the temple.
Some features have been damaged or destroyed over the centuries, such as a rock-hewn footbridge that once joined two upper-story thresholds. It is said that king Aurangzeb tried to demolish this temple too similarly many other temples, so he sent his 1000soldiers to destroy the temple.
This whole area is stretched over 2km & you have to walk going from one cave to another.
It will take hours to cover all of them if you minutely observe each & every fine details of every cave. You can see heaps of ancient rocks & stones scattered in all over the premise.
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| Cave no.11 |
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| Cave no.10 |
There is an picturesque spot where you can see a small waterfall flowing from top of the cave & going to the deep valley beneath. This area is covered with fence to avoid any mishappening, here you can click some amazing pictures.
Since it was a rainy season so it started drizzling that time. It was so wonderful to just walk through the wet roads in that large premise, rain drops were falling on me & i was watching the pristine architectural marvels placed at one side of the road.
The other side of the road was fully covered with serene green lawns & gardens which give a perfect view through the caves located at heights.
I have been to many of the holy shrines, captivating natural places & legendary historic monuments, but these caves are something else which take you to an another world which is beyond the expectation.
The only bad experience which I'd gone through here was lost of my money which i realized when i opened my purse after coming out of the premise. I used to keep all the amount in the back pocket of my purse so that i can easily take it out anytime without delay, so it would have been more convenient for the pickpocketers to loot my money. Another reason is that there is no arrangement of lights inside the caves. I went back to find out the money but it was too late by then. So don't forget to keep your money or any other valuable items carefully while going inside the dark caves.
Ghushmeshwar Jyotirling
Our last destination was the Ghushmeshwar Jyotirling located about 2 km away from the Ellora Caves, it is the 12th and the last Jyotirlinga. It is an ancient shrine that finds mention in the Shiva Purana, one of the sacred scriptures in Hinduism. While no historical record specifies its actual date of construction, it is generally believed that the temple has it's origins before 13th century, which was repeatedly destroyed and rebuilt during the reign of the Mughals, and was rebuilt in its present form by Rani Ahilyabai Holkar of Indore in the 18th century after the downfall of the Mughal Empire. While anyone can enter the inner chambers of the temple to seek blessings from the deity, tradition requires that men enter the sanctum sanctorum bare-chested.
The elaborate temple structure draws the attention of visitors with its intricately designed five-tier shikhara. The court hall supported by 24 pillars, each of which is carved with images from mythological stories associated with Lord Shiva. The unique fact of this temple is that no yajnas or ritual sacrifices are performed in this temple since it represents Agni Tattva, one of the five fundamental forces of nature as per Hinduism. According to the Skand Puran, once Lord Shiva came to this temple after getting upset with Devi Parvati. So, she too came to this temple in the form of a tribal girl to worship the Lord.
According to the Shiv Puran, a great scholar Brahmin Sudhama used to live here with his beautiful, devout wife called Sudeha. They had no children. They were very unhappy because of this. They were harassed and tortured by the sly remarks of their neighbors. One day, Sudeha told his husband to marry her sister Ghushma, so that they have children. Both the sisters promised that there would be no jealousy between them. After sometime, Ghushma gave birth to a son. Both Sudhama and Ghushma were nice to Sudeha. But jealousy did get the better of Sudeha. Once she picked up Ghushma's son who was sleeping by her side and killed him. She threw the body into the lake near by. In the morning there was a big hue and cry. Ghushma's grief had no bounds. Even then, she went to the river to do her routine worship. She made her usual hundred Lingas and began worship, then suddenly she saw her son standing near the lake. Lord Shiva was pleased with her worship and revealed the truth about. But Ghushma asked Lord Shiva for forgiveness of Sudeha's sin. She requested Shiva to remain there itself for the welfare of the humanity. Shiva acceded to her request and remained there with the name of Ghushmesha. The serene ambiance of the historical Ghushmeshwar temple makes it a favorite with nirvana seekers and tourists alike. My only bad memory associated with the place is the quarrel between my mother & a Maharashtrian lady who was just pushing my mom & trying to go ahead out of the queue despite that there was no long queue & we were able to have darshan within an hour.
Back to Shirdi
After this tiring day, we reached back to our hotel at Shirdi. But there was no time to rest because we had to catch our bus going to Mumbai which I'd already booked the day before. It was a 1-day Mumbai sightseeing tour package including to & fro bus fare of the overnight journey. We left our luggage in our hotel room at Shirdi which I've already booked for next 2days. We only took a pair of clothes & some essential makeup items with us to freshen up in the morning after reaching Mumbai. We boarded in to the bus, though it was a luxury sleeper bus but i couldn't sleep all night because i was too excited that i was going to Mumbai. By then I'd been to Delhi 2times, I'd already seen the big & complicated architectural buildings in Noida & Gurugram (then Gudgaon) but Mumbai is something else. We had been listening stories of this city from our childhood, after all it's the commercial capital of the country. So let's begin the journey....
Overnight Journey to Mumbai
It was the dawn when our bus entered into the vicinity of Mumbai & we were already awakened. But suddenly when the majestic sky-scrappers started coming in front of the window, then we actually realized that Yes,we've reached to the city of dreams. It was the Suburb area of Mumbai called Chembur. I had to take my head up to see the tip of those buildings, it was seeming like they were ready to penetrate the sky. I was just counting their floors, each of them were bright logged with colorful lights. Me & my mom were just talking that how do the people living in these buildings feel living in the sky? Although i live in Indore which is called 'Mini Mumbai' but suddenly i started feeling like a villager over there. We were about to reach Dadar where we supposed to drop off from the bus, but at that time the thrill had converted into the fear; all at once that dazzling city was appearing so scary to me. Though our sightseeing tour was already fixed & all the things were pre-planned despite that I was so afraid & thinking that how i am going to survive in this big city for a complete day! Finally the moment had come & we stepped out from the bus at around 5am.
Teaser of Mumbai
It was still dark. The travel agent office was closed as we were already been told that office will be opened by 7am, so no need to be panic. During this time we went to a public washroom where we changed our clothes & got ready to explore the city. Meanwhile we started roaming on the roads, had our breakfast. We were waiting outside the travel booking office beside the main road where the city buses in dark Maroon color operated by "BEST(BrihanMumbai Electric Supply & Transport )" were coming frequently in the nearby city bus stop. A no. of people including men & women, girls & boys, alone & in groups from every religion & class (as visible from their wearings) waiting for those fully occupied buses. Many of them had to rush to their offices on time. I was continuously starring them & they were not bothered about it. The agent finally came at 7:30am, then checked our booking in his system. There was a beautiful aquarium inside his office which was full of colorful big fish. Our tourist bus with a guide & a mike arrived there up to 8am. We got into the bus, now the thrill reached to the extreme level as we were all set to explore the city.
Our bus started crawling among the heavy traffic that too in the early morning. However the city was not so clean but i observed that one of our fellow traveler from Uttar Pradesh had to pay the fine of 1000Rs to the BMC staff (as told by those 2men wearing civil dress); the reason was that the co-traveler had spitted on the road. There was no official vehicle of the municipality with them, i don't know that they were actually the officers or some con men. The fellow denied to pay the penalty then they restricted that guy to board in to the bus. Our guide & driver also started to insist him to pay the amount. At one point i doubted that what if the guide & driver are also involved with those 2men! at the end he had to pay. That time an old Bollywood song just popped in to my mind.. "ई है बंबई नगरिया तू देख बबुआ".
Parsi Colony
Well! now we were crossing by some eminent single-screen theaters of Mumbai like Maratha Mandir & our cheerful guide started the sightseeing commentary over the mic. He was telling about the history of Mumbai and what makes it different from others along with it's journey to getting various names like Bambai, Bombay & now back to it's original name Mumbai. Meanwhile our bus was passing by Parsi colony of Mumbai-world's largest Zoroastrian enclave, who fled Iran in the 10th century to escape religious persecution by the new Muslim rulers of Persia. ‘Parsi’ literally means Persian. When the refugees from Persia landed, so the tale goes, the Hindu king of Gujarat produced a full glass of milk, to signal that there was no space for new arrivals. The Persians stirred a spoonful of sugar into the milk without spilling any, to show they would sweeten the kingdom without disturbing it. The guide told us that Parsi funeral rites are unique: the dead are laid out on open-air platforms to be picked over by vultures. The most renowned of these, the 'Tower of Silence', is located in Malabar Hill, yet screened by trees and hidden from public view. The Mumbai Parsi community is extremely influential and successful, with a 98.6% literacy rate (the highest in the city). Famous Parsis include the Tata family (India’s foremost industrialists), author Rohinton Mistry and Freddie Mercury. Take a walk in this quiet neighborhood and you will forget that this is Mumbai. you can really enjoy the old heritage buildings and quite roads. Taking a walk down the empty roads which are flanked by the trees, old villas, and buildings is a must. The place is a perfect representation of the city's architectural beauty and the hidden peace.
Sightseeing
Our bus was moving ahead in South Mumbai and now our guide showed us the luxurious & 27-storey tall building "Antilia", which is the residence of the richest Asian businessman Mr. Mukesh Ambani who holds the rank 10th in the list of world's richest billionairs. It is considered the 2nd most luxurious house in the world after Buckinghum palace in Britain. Mumbai is home to many historic buildings, each one a reminder of the city’s rich and complicated history. Here you can find some spectacular buildings constructed during the British rule in India. One of them is the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj terminus (CST). This is not just a UNESCO World Heritage site, but also the country’s most famous railway station and Mumbai’s most iconic landmark. Designed by British architect Frederick William Stevens, construction on this grand structure began in 1878 and was completed ten years later. The impressive building is a display of striking High Victorian Gothic and Indian architectural styles, featuring turrets, pointed arches and a high central dome, atop which stands a gigantic female figure, holding a torch pointing upwards in her right hand and a spoked wheel in the other. We just got a glimpse of this building from the bus.
Bhaucha Dhakka
Now we arrived at our first destination in Mumbai which was a dockside Ferry Wharf terminal "Bhaucha dhakka", where anyone can have ferry ride on the sea in Mumbai. This is also a port for the local fishermen who go to the sea on daily basis for catching fish and bring those at this terminal.
After getting down from the bus, we had to go a short distance by feet to reach the passenger terminal at Bhaucha Dhakka. There is a waiting shed & counter for the passengers and tourists. After crossing the gate (by showing ticket to the ticket collector), we were boarded into the ferry(double-decked big motor-boat). It was creating goosebumps in my whole body as I'd never seen any ocean before that & now i was going to sail on the giant Arabian sea.😱
You may choose the roof-seating of the ferry boat, so that you can fully enjoy the sea and the surroundings as well as the Mumbai city from the sea without any obstruction or disturbance. It was one & half hour ferry-ride in the Arabian Sea towards the lighthouse and fort also. There were lots of ships floating on the sea.
Overall the surrounding was very amazing. View of the city from the sea was also awesome like watching Gateway of India, Hotel Taj Palace, chain of big buildings and some tallest buildings from the Arabian Sea.
At the same time, the guide on the boat was telling about the various characteristics of the lighthouse, fort, floating ships, sea link etc. Here you can collect a number of good photographs of the surroundings on the sea. In the meantime, if you feel hungry and dehydrated as already spent more than hours roaming around the sea, you may choose idli/dosa/cold drinks/samosa/water-bottle from a hawker on the same ferry. Sea view from the ferry was so amazing that you may not understand how the total time passed in the sea and feel the ride time definitely short.
Splendid Colonial Architecture
Gateway of India
After this thrilling experience of boating into the sea, we reached to the next spot "Gateway of India". Renowned as one of the most iconic structures of India, this massive structure represents a commemorate memorial.
It was constructed in honour of King George V and his wife Queen Mary when they were on their tour to India. Once a grandeur of the British settlement, this famous tourist spot today pulls food stallers, vendors, nature lovers, and photographers to adore its charm. Gateway of India portrays Indo-Saracenic architectural style.
Well-known for sightseeing and photography activities, you will always see heaps of tourists bubbling in. Most of the people visiting here are either engaged in enjoying the sea breeze, eating street foods, clicking pictures or embracing the charm of Taj Mahal Palace Hotel situated in front of it.
Siddhivinayak Temple
Our 1-day Mumbai sightseeing tour would have been incomplete without recieving blessings of Lord Ganesha in Siddhivinayak Temple, which is inarguably one of the most revered
shrines dedicated to Lord Ganesha in India. Laxman Vithu and Deubai Patil built
this temple in the year 1801. Since the couple did not have any children of their own, they made
this temple with the noble idea of the kind God granting the wishes of
infertile couples and blessing them with children. It is also one of the
wealthiest temples in India where devotees shower the idol with gold,
money and expensive jewelry. Inside the Siddhivinayak Temple stands the idol of Shri Ganesha. The
idol is only about two and a half feet wide and made out of a whole piece of
black stone. Since the deity has four arms, he is also known as
‘Chaturbhuj’. It was very crowded inside the temple but we had a lovely experience to be there.
Bandra
After that we reached to Bandra where several Bollywood celebrities reside. We caught a glimpse of some of the most beautifully designed homes belonging to B-town celebs like Shahrukh Khan's house 'Mannat'.
Apart from this, Bandra Bandstand is a beautiful promenade located in the suburbs of Bandra. The bandstand is visited by joggers, yoga enthusiasts and is also a hangout spot for the youth. Lined with eateries and juice bars, people visit Bandra Bandstand throughout the day. From the promenade, you can enjoy a mesmerizing view of the Arabian Sea, the impressive Mumbai skyline & Bandra-Worli sealink bridge.
Marine Drive
On the way to the famous Chowpatty Beach, our bus was moving ahead beside Marine Drive. It is an arc-shaped boulevard that is almost a kilometer long and is sure to mesmerize you on the Mumbai sightseeing tour package. Lining the coast of South Mumbai, the Marine Drive starts from the southern end of Nariman Point and ends at the Chowpatty beach. The buildings lining the Marine Drive are a real estate dream, and some of the property along this route is the costliest in the world! The Marine Drive is also known as the Queen’s Necklace at night. The sound of the waves, the view of the Mumbai skyline and the starry sky also make Marine Drive one of the most beautiful destinations in Mumbai.
Chowpatty Beach
This was going to be our last destination in Mumbai. Adjoining Marine Drive, Chowpatty Beach is one of the most famous beaches in Mumbai. It is a favourite evening spot for courting couples, families and anyone out to enjoy the fresh air & the glorious sunset.
It was my first experience of witnessing the roaring waves of the almighty sea.
The water tides were running towards me to touch my feet. Although i got off my footwear at a safer distance from the sea, but every time the waves were touching the shore some meters ahead from it's previous mark making my sandals wet. I was jumping over there joyfully. The sun rays were creating a golden reflection on the water. The sea had no edge & i was watching the sun setting in the horizon, but it was looking like that the sun is going to sink in the deep sea. It was an splendid evening.
The only disappointing thing was that the water was very dirty because the beach itself was covered with a lot of garbage here & there. I think the tourists as well as the locals along with the administrative bodies must be concerned about the hygiene of the beach. After being indulged in this charming evening, you can enjoy lip smacking snacks that are served here like Bhelpuri, pao bhaji, batata puri, sev puri, ice cream, fresh green tender coconuts, Chaat and many more.
After this short & fun-day spent in Mumbai, we returned back to Shirdi after an overnight journey. We reached at our hotel room early morning & slept till the noon. Then we boarded the bus going back to Indore in the evening.
City of Dreams
This was my first trip to Mumbai. I was fortunate enough to get a chance to be here once again after a couple of years. The destiny brought me back in the city of dreams when i was chasing my dream; it was for the shooting of popular TV show "Kaun Banega Crorepati" hosted by the Millenium star Mr. Amitabh Bachchan. By the grace of Saibaba i could reach to the hotseat & won a handsome amount in the game. It was like a dream come true incident for me & yes, the Mumbai city gives you that one chance to live your dreams in the real world.
The thing about this metropolitan city is that attracts people from all walks of life is its rich cultural, social and economic diversity. The rich and the poor, tall skyscrapers and even the world’s biggest slum, malls, and street bazaars, all amicably exist together in perfect harmony. This fact-paced city has always something to steal your heart away.
The Diversified State
Plan
a
holiday in Maharashtra to witness the dazzling range of experience,
beautiful landscapes and years of history. It is the birthplace of the warrior king Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj who is the flag bearer of Maratha pride. He founded a large Maratha empire that shook Delhi-based Mughal rule to its foundations. Maharashtra’s religious diversity reflects that of India
as a whole. Hindus predominate, followed by Muslims and Buddhists.
There are many Christians in the metropolitan areas. Jewish and Parsi groups have settled
mostly in urban areas.
Other religious minorities include Jainas and Sikhs, whose small communities are widespread.
Isn't Maharashtra fascinating enough to go for a holiday or a weekend getaway?
Om SaiRam!
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