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| Temples of Delhi |
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| About Delhi |
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| Travel Destinations Guide |
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| Adventure Tours India |
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Biking Tours |
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Paragliding |
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Skiing |
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Safari Tours |
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Water Rafting |
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Trekking Tours |
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Camel Safari |
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| Know more about Maharashtra |
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Capitalising a vernacular culture, it is obvious that Maharashtra caresses history on every pages of time. The best part of the Marathi terrain is that it has something for everyone. One can visit numerous forts built on steep precipitous hills of the Deccan plateau - Purandhar, Raigarh, Pratapgarh - standing in mute testimony to Shivaji's valorous exploits. Drive 20 km from Sinhgarh Fort to reach Pune, the second largest city in the state. Don't miss an evening at the Osho Commune at Koregaon Park, the ashram of Bhagwan Rajneesh, where you can savour divine euphoria and soothe your weary soul. Travel 195 km northeast of Mumbai to touch the sands of the holy city, Nashik. Embellished with pristine bathing ghats and sacred temples lining the Godavari river banks, Nashik is one of the four cities where the Kumbh Mela is held in every 12 years.
 GANESH CHATURTHI
 Lord Ganesh, the patron deity of Maharashtra, is the God of wisdom. Come August, preparations to celebrate Ganesh Chaturthi - the auspicious day when Lord Ganesh was born - begin with great enthusiasm all over the state. This festival is the most popular and exciting festival in Pune. The first public celebration of this annual ritual was initiated by Lokmanya Tilak as a means of uniting people for the Indian freedom struggle. Today it continues as a grand reaffirmation of the faith of thousands. The 11-day festival begins with the installation of beautifully sculpted Ganesh idols in homes and mandaps (large tents), colourfully decorated, depicting religious themes or current events. The Ganesh idols are worshipped with families and friends. Many cultural events are organized and people participate in them with keen interest. After ten exciting days comes the time to bid farewell to the beloved God. People take Ganesh idols in procession to the accompaniment of music and dance for immersion in the sea or nearby river or lake. Emotions run high as people chant 'Ganpati bappa moraya, pudhachya varshi lavkar ya' (Oh Lord Ganesh, please come back soon next year).
Maharashtra Culture
 As Maharashtra is a vast state, the people of this colourful state wears different types of costumes, take different cuisines, has different forms of dances and music according to the physical features of their locality. Generally, men wear dhoti and pheta in olden days, while women wear choli and saree. But with the change of time, young Maharashtrians too are fast attracting to the latest fashions imported from the western countries.
The mouth watering Konkan and Varadi cuisines would kill any visitor's appetite. Although, Maharashtrian cuisines are a bit strong in pepper and spice, but it is the speciality of the dishes of this state that world knows about. And everybody knows about the unbeatable taste of the Mumbai chaats.
The dance forms like Povada, Lavani and Koli with mesmerizing music and rhythmic movements entertain the Maharashtrians. Dhangri Gaja, Dindi, Kala and Tamasha are the folk dances that attach to the heart of the people of this state.
Maharashtra Wildlife
 The nature lovers, who come to India to explore its rich wildlife, must make a sojourn at Maharashtra also. The state is virtually a delight for those who love to visit wildlife sanctuaries and national parks and be a witness to nature's beauty.
Chikhaldara Wildlife Sanctuary :
Chikhaldara Wildlife Sanctuary is situated in the Amaravati district of Maharashtra and forms one of the popular excursions from the Amravati city. The sanctuary forms a part of the sole hill station of the Vidarbha region, characterized by beautiful lakes, serene lakes and cascading waterfalls.
Dajipur Bison Sanctuary :
Dajipur Bison Sanctuary is situated on the border shared by the Kolhapur and Sindhudurg districts of Maharashtra. The wildlife sanctuary derives its name from the splendid animal, Bison, which is found in abundance here. Situated at an altitude of approximately 1200 m above the sea level
Nagzira Wildlife Sanctuary :
Nagzira Wildlife Sanctuary is situated at the Tirora Range of Bhandara Forest Division, which comes under the Bhandara District of Maharashtra. It is approximately 130 km to the west of Nagpur and makes one of the popular excursions from the city.
Navegaon National Park :
Navegaon National Park is located in the Navegaon area of Maharashtra, at a distance of approximately 150 km from Nagpur city. It is one of the most popular forest reveres of the Vidarbha region of the state and was established in the 18th century.
Pench National Park :
Pench National Park lies nestled in the lower southern reaches of the Satpura hills, on the southern boundary of Madhya Pradesh. Earlier a wildlife sanctuary, Pench was given the status of a tiger reserve in the year 1992, when it was included under the umbrella of "Project Tiger".
Maharashtra Weather
Maharashtra is situated in the western part of India and this location has accorded the state with a tropical monsoon type of climate. Thus, the main season experienced by it comprise of hot, rainy and cold i.e. summer season, monsoon season and winter season. The tropical conditions that are prevalent all over Maharashtra have a similar effect on its hill stations also. Though they are colder than the other cities in the state, the winters there are not extremely cold (like the hill stations in northern part of India). In the following lines, we have provided complete information on the weather of Maharashtra.
Summers :
Summer season in Maharashtra sets somewhere around the month of March and till May, the temperatures are at their highest. However, the occasional thunderstorms are what bring relief from the scorching sun. During this time, the average temperature remains in the range of 22 deg C to 40 deg C.
Monsoon :
The areas in and around Maharashtra usually experience the onset of monsoon before the northern cities. By the first week of June, monsoon arrives in the city and starts retreating somewhere in the month of September. However, the maximum rainfall is received by the state in July, followed by August.
Winters :
In the month of October, the weather in Maharashtra is quite pleasant. It is around November that the chill starts setting in. Till February, the state experiences winter season, characterized by clear skies, gentle breezes and pleasant weather. The usual temperature around this time is somewhere between 12 deg C to 25 deg C.
Rainfall :
Maharashtra experiences a decent spell of rainfall every year. The maximum rain is received by Konkan, Sahyadrian and eastern Vidarbha region, while the central region receives less rainfall. For example - the annual average rainfall in Thane, Raigad, Ratnagiri and Sindhudurg districts is around 200cm. On the other hand, cities like Nasik, Pune, Ahmednagar, Dhule, Jalgaon, Satara, Sangli, Solapur and parts of Kolhapur receive less than 50 cm rainfall every year.
What to Wear in Maharashtra
Maharashtra experiences a tropical monsoon climate, in which there are three seasons - summers, winters and monsoons. If you want to known what clothes to wear in the state, the first thing that you will have to keep in mind is the weather. Thereafter, you will have to check out the particular city in Maharashtra that you will be visiting. Only after defining both the aspects will you able to decide how to dress up in Maharashtra.
In case you are going to Maharashtra in summers, remember that the mercury touches 40 deg C quite easily. Therefore, you are required to carry light cotton clothing with you. Synthetic and clingy fabrics are a strict no-no. By any chance if you happen to visit the state in monsoons, remember that most of the cities here experience high levels of humidity during this time. Thus, it is advisable to avoid figure hugging clothes and better to stick to loose cottons.
Winters in Maharashtra are chilly, but not freezing cold. However, you must carry light woolen clothing with you, including sweaters, shawls, socks, etc. Now, let's come to the place you are visiting. In bigger cities, like Mumbai and Pune, women can easily wear figure hugging and short, revealing clothes, especially while visiting pubs and discothèques. However, in small cities like Amravati, they should stick to a bit loose and completely covering clothes.
How to Reach Maharashtra
By Air :
There is basically one major international airport in Maharashtra i.e. the Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport of Mumbai. Apart from that, the city also has a domestic airport - Santa Cruz Domestic Airport. The airports at Nagpur and Pune also operate a few international flights, apart from the usual domestic ones. The cities of Kolhapur and Aurangabad also have a domestic airport of their own.
By Rail :
The largest as well as the most important railway station of Maharashtra is situated in Mumbai and is known as Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus. From there, you can get trains to almost every part of India. Apart from that, there are railway stations in Pune, Nashik, Nagpur, Kolhapur, Aurangabad, AMravati, etc. In short, Maharashtra is well connected with the other states via railways.
By Road :
There are a number of National Highways and State Highways crisscrossing Maharashtra, which make it easier for any visitor to visit the state by road. Infact, through these highways, you can easily approach the state from any and every part of the country. Apart from that, you can easily get buses and taxis from the numerous cities in Maharashtra to travel within as well as outside the state.
By Sea :
Since a number of cities in Maharashtra are situated on sea banks, you can also go there via ship from the neighboring countries. Apart from the international naval port at Mumbai, there are a number of other minor ports in the state. Thus, reaching Maharashtra by presents no problems for the tourists. |
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