Holy
Pilgrimage – Temples in Maharashtra State
Maharashtra
Maharashtra (Marathi: महाराष्ट्र , is a state in the western region of India. It is the second most populous state after Uttar Pradesh and third largest state by area in India. Maharashtra is the wealthiest state in India., contributing 15% of the country's industrial output and 13.3% of its GDP (2006–2007 figures).Maharashtra is bordered by the Arabian Sea to the west, Gujarat and the Union territory of Dadra and Nagar Haveli to the northwest, Madhya Pradesh to the north and northeast, Chhattisgarh to the east, Karnataka to the south, Andhra Pradesh to the southeast and Goa to the southwest. The state covers an area of 307,731 km2 (118,816 sq mi) or 9.84% of the total geographical area of India. Mumbai, the capital city of the state, is India's largest city and the financial capital of the nation. Nagpur is the second (Winter) capital of the state. Marathi is the state's official language.
Maharashtra is the world's second most populous first-level administrative country sub-division. Were it a nation in its own right, Maharashtra would be the world's tenth most populous country ahead of Mexico.
In the 17th century, the Marathas rose under the leadership of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj against the Mughals, who ruled a large part of India. By 1760, Maratha power had reached its zenith with a territory of over 250 million acres (1 million km²) or one-third of the Indian sub-continent. After the Third Anglo-Maratha War, the empire ended and most of Maharashtra became part of Bombay State under a British Raj. After Indian independence, Samyukta Maharashtra Samiti demanded unification of all Marathi-speaking regions under one state. At that time, Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar was of the opinion that linguistic reorganization of states should be done on a "One state – One language" principle and not on a "One language – One state" principle. He submitted a memorandum to the reorganization commission stating that a "single government can not administer such a huge state as United Maharashtra" The first state reorganization committee created the current Maharashtra state on 1 May 1960 (known as Maharashtra Day). The Marathi-speaking areas of Bombay State, Deccan states and Vidarbha (which was part of Central Provinces and Berar) united, under the agreement known as Nagpur Pact, to form the current state.
Etymology
The etymology of the word "Maharashtra" is uncertain. The various theories include:- Maha (Sanskrit for "great") + rashtra, derived from the name of a clan known as rashtrika (rāṣṭrika) mentioned in some of Ashoka's inscriptions. Rashtrika alludes to a people of the Deccan who were progenitors of the Marathi-speaking people; that the later "Maharashtri Prakrit" is associated with these people
- Maha ("great") + rashtra, derived from ratta, supposedly a corruption of Rashtrakuta (the name of a dynasty that held sway over the Deccan from the 8th to 10th centuries).
- Maha ("great") and rāṣhṭra ("nation", "dominion")
- Maha ("great") + Rathi or Ratha (charioteer).
- The word marathi is a corrupt pronunciation of the word "maharathi" who were an prolific warriors during times of Mahabharata. Along with maharathis, there were AtiRathis, atimaharathis,mahamaharathis.
Languages
Marathi is the official language of Maharashtra. According to the 2001 census, it is the native language of 68.89% of the population. Other languages that are the native language of more than one percent of the population.
Festivals
Aashadi Ekadashi is one of most important festivals celebrated across Maharashtra. It is also referred to as 'Wari' and people from all over Maharashtra, Karnataka and other parts of India walk to Pandharpur from their respective villages.Lord Ganesha's devotion is celebrated by Ganesh Chaturthi in August–September of every year. Town of Pen in Raigad district is famous for Ganesh Idols made of special Shadu Clay. Dagdusheth Halwai Ganpati, Lalbaugcha Raja, Shri Siddhivinayak Temple, Shri Ashtavinayaka's are the major holy places for Maharashtrians.
Popular forms of God are Shiva, Krishna and Ganesha. Lord Shiva's devotion is celebrated by taking part in Maha Shivaratri (Great Night of Shiva) festival. In modern times, the Elephanta island in Mumbai, Lord's Shiva island in local mythology, originated the Elephant Festival.
Lord Krishna's devotions are celebrated in the state-wide Gokul Ashtami (or Krishna Janmashtami, Krishna's birthday) whereby many devotees fast on the entire day until midnight. The Dahi-Handi is also observed on this day at many places. Lord Krishna's devotion are also celebrated at Kaartik Aamawasya (or Diwali) and at Narak Chaturdashi as the killing of the demon Narakasura.
The other festivals celebrated on a large scale are Vijayadashami or Dasara (Marathi: दसरा), Navaratri, Holi, Diwali, Eid (Ramzan Eid). Simollanghan is a ritual performed on Dasara or Viajaya Dashami day in Maharashtra. Simollanghan is crossing the border or frontier of a village or a place. In ancient times, kings used to cross the frontier of their kingdom to fight against their rivals or neighbor kingdoms. They used to perform Ayudha Puja on Dasara and begin the war season. On Dasara, people cross the borders of their places (Seemollanghan) and collect the leaves of Apta tree (आपट्याची पाने) and exchange among their friends and relatives as gold (सोने म्हणून आपट्याची पाने देतात).[50] People worship Shami tree and its leaves (शमीची पाने) on this day.
Saints (Sant)
Principal Urban Agglomerations
Maharashtra has one of the highest level of urbanization of all Indian states. The mountainous topography and soil are not as suitable for intensive agriculture as the plains of North India; therefore, the proportion of the urban population (42.4 per cent) contrasts starkly with the national average of developing metros and many large towns. Mumbai is the state capital with a population of approximately 15.2 million people. The other large cities are Navi Mumbai, Thane, Pune, Nagpur, Nashik, Aurangabad, Solapur, Amravati, Kolhapur, Sangli and Nanded.Transport
Maharashtra is well connected by Rail, Road and Air from all the major places in India.Culture
Marathi (मराठी Marāṭhī is a Indo-Aryan language spoken by the Marathi people. It is the official language of Maharashtra and Goa and is one of the 23 official languages of India. It is the 19th most spoken language in the world. There were 72 million speakers in 2001. Marathi has the fourth largest number of native speakers in India Marathi has some of the oldest literature of all modern Indo-European, Indic languages, dating from about 1000 AD. The major dialects of Marathi are called Standard Marathi and Warhadi Marathi. There are a few other sub-dialects like Ahirani, Dangi, Vadvali, Samavedi, Khandeshi, and Malwani. Standard Marathi is the official language of the State of Maharashtra.
Official status
Marathi is an official language of Maharashtra and co-official language in the union territories of Daman and Diu and Dadra and Nagar Haveli. In Goa, Konkani is the sole official language; however, Marathi may also be used for all official purposes. The Constitution of India recognizes Marathi as one of India's twenty-two official languages.In addition to all universities in Maharashtra, Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda (Gujarat), Osmania University (Andhra Pradesh), Gulbarga university (Karnataka), Devi Ahilya University of Indore and Goa University (Panaji) all have special departments for higher studies in Marathi linguistics. Jawaharlal Nehru University (New Delhi) has announced plans to establish a special department for Marathi
Maharashtrians take great pride in their language and history, particularly the Maratha Empire, its founder Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj is considered a folk hero across Maharashtra. About 60% of Maharashtrians are Hindu, and there are significant Muslim, Christian and Buddhist minorities. There are many temples in Maharashtra some of them being hundreds of years old. These temples are constructed in a fusion of architectural styles borrowed from North and South India. The temples also blend themes from Hindu, Buddhist and Jain cultures. A National Geographic[73] edition reads, "The flow between faiths was such that for hundreds of years, almost all Buddhist temples, including the ones at Ajanta, were built under the rule and patronage of Hindu kings." The temple of Vitthal at Pandharpur is the most important temple for the Varkari sect. Other important religious places are the Ashtavinayaka temples of Lord Ganesha, Bhimashankar which is one of the Jyotirling (12 important Shiva temples). Ajanta and Ellora caves near Aurangabad as well as Elephanta Caves near Mumbai are UNESCO World Heritage Sites and famous tourist attractions. Mughal architecture can be seen is the tomb of the wife of Aurangzeb called Bibi Ka Maqbara located at Aurangabad.
Maharashtra has a large number of hill, land and sea forts. Forts have played an important role in the history of Maharashtra since the time of the Peshwas. Some of the important forts in Maharashtra are Raigad, Vijaydurg, Sindhudurg, Pratapgad, Sinhagad. Majority of the forts in Maharashtra are found along the coastal region of Konkan.
Maharashtra, like other states of India, has its own folk music. The folk music viz. Gondhal Lavani, Bharud and Powada are popular especially in rural areas, while the common forms of music from the Hindi and Marathi film industry are favoured in urban areas.
The earliest instances of Marathi literature is by Sant Jnyaneshwar with his Bhawarthadeepika (popularly known as Jnyaneshwari). The compositions written during this period are spiritually inclined. The other compositions are by Sant Tukaram, Sant Namdev, and Sant Gora Kumbhar. The compositions are mostly in poetic form, which are called bhajans. These bhajans by saints are popular and part of day to day life. During same period of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, a great patriotic saint wandered in the soil of Maharashtra, Samarth Ramdas.He wrote many books such as Dasbodh, Atmaram, Manache shlok, and also enriched Marathi liturature by using almost all types of Vruttas like Karunashtake, sawaya, shatakas, ashtakas, manas, purvarambha, panchikarana etcThe modern Marathi literature has been enriched by famous poets and authors like P. L. Deshpande, Kusumagraj, Prahlad Keshav Atre and Vyankatesh Madgulkar. This literature has been passed on to the next generations through the medium of large numbers of books that are published every year in Marathi.
The world famous film industry Bollywood is in Maharashtra, located in the economic capital of India, Mumbai. The Marathi film industry was once placed in Kolhapur but now is spread out through Mumbai too.
The cricket craze can be seen throughout Maharashtra, as it is the most widely followed and played sport. Kabaddi and hockey are also played with fervor. Children’s games include Viti-Dandu (Gilli-danda in Hindi) and Pakada-pakadi (tag).
Hindus in Maharashtra follow the Shalivahana Saka era calendar. Gudi Padwa, Diwali, Rangapanchami, Gokulashtami and Ganeshotsav are some of the festivals that are celebrated in Maharashtra. Ganeshotsav is one of the biggest festival of Maharashtra which is celebrated with much reverence and festivity throughout the state and has since some time become popular all over the country. The festival which continues over ten days is in honour of Ganesha, the deva (like guardian angel ) of learning and knowledge under the one supreme lord . A large number of people walk hundreds of kilometers to Pandharpur for the annual pilgrimage in the month of Ashadh.
Tourism in Maharashtra
Maharashtra is one of the most industrialized states of india. Besides Mumbai, Pune, Nashik, Aurangabad and Nagpur complete the urban sprawl of the state. Marathi is the mother tongue of the people of the state, who are known as Marathis or Maharashtrians. English and Hindi are also widely spoken and understood.Maharashtra is the most visited state by foreign tourists in India and 4th most visited state by domestic tourists in country in 2010. Recently, Aurangabad was declared as Tourism Capital of Maharashtra.
Cities of Maharashtra
Mumbai
The eastern equivalent of New York City and Los Angeles and the financial capital and entertainment(Bollywood) capital of the country, is constantly abuzz with activities. It has a very active nightlife for those inclined towards urban modes of entertainment. Some places of interest to include on the must-watch list are: Gateway of India, The Bandra-Worli Sea Link, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya, Chatrapati Shivaji Terminus, a humongous architectural stone structure built by the British more than 200 years ago, Girgaon chowpati (beach), Downtown Mumbai - reminiscent of the 19th century British architecture. Some pristine beaches can be found towards the south of Mumbai, for e.g. Madh island beach. Elephanta Caves, carved out of a giant stone on an island are a short ferry away into the Arabian sea. Ferries can be rented from The Gateway of India. There is no dearth of luxury hotels that dot the city near all important tourist places. The city has one of the most active public transport system rivaling the best in the world in terms of density and reach.... Due to is cosmopolitan nature, Mumbai has proven a popular tourism desination for backpackers from around the world. A large English and Australian youth take a gap year to backpack around India, and often start in MumbaiPune
Undoubtedly the cultural capital of the state of Maharashtra, is said to be the educational center of India. Pune has forts dating back to the seventeenth century such as Sinhagad, Purandar, Shaniwar Wada (a weekend residence of the Peshwas) and Lal Mahal (the red palace), residence of Chhatrapati Shivaji maharaj. Pune also has educational institutes of repute such as Fergusson College, a 200-year old college built by the British.Pune has many beautiful temples which are visited by thousand of devotees. Amongst them are Parvati temples, Chaturshringi Temple, Pataleshwar and many temples of Lord Ganesh in the cross roads of the peths.
Lakshmi Road, the avenue for buying all things Maharashtrian. These are just some of the places that register high on the tourist's agenda.
Aurangabad
Main article: Aurangabad Tourism Capital of
Maharashtra
This city
lies in the central parts of Maharashtra and
is one of the most popular cities that figure on the international tourist map.
On the outskirts lie the caves of Ajanta
and Ellora.
Both are internationally renowned for their intricate carvings of Lord Buddha
in stone. Ancient Buddhist life has been depicted in delicate stonework. Guided
tours are readily available. Summers are not advisable for touring as
temperatures can reach up to and above 44 degrees C during the day.Nagpur
The winter capital of the state senate is a wonderful city. With a tradition of producing the best Oranges, this city would be a great place to visit during the winter. Summer along with Aurangabad, would not be a good time to visit with temperatures hovering in the low-to-mid 40s. Nagpur being in the heart of the country has a Zero Mile monument which is a milestone from which the distances of major cities were calculated. The city also has a beautiful stupa at Deekshabhoomi-the place where under the leadership of Dalit leader Dr B R Ambedkar thousands of dalits embraced Buddhism. Another important place to visit is Tekadi Ganesh mandir on Sitabuildi fort complex. The Orange city has other places of tourist importance such as Maharajbagh zoo, Futala lake chowpati, Raman science center, RSS headquarters and some premier research institutions such as NEERI, CICR, NBSSLUP.Nashik
This city is a holy pilgrim city. It is the place where Lord Rama spent 14 years of his exile. It is also a city of temples. It is known for its picturesque surrounding and a pleasant climate. It can be visited any time except in rainy season. Trimbakeshwar near Nashik is a jyotirling. Godavari river originates from here. In recent times, this city has developed a lot and is rapidly developing into a metro.The "Wine Capital of India", or the "Grape City", as it is popularly known in recent times, is located in the Western Ghats, on the western edge of the Deccan peninsula on the banks of the Godavari River. The city is known for its picturesque surroundings and pleasant climate. The Godavari River flows through Nashik from its source, which lies to the southwest of the city, in Trimbakeshwar. It is a rapidly developing city with a population close to 1.4 millionSatara
This city lies on western Maharashtra. City is well known for tourist places like Mahabaleshwar, Wai, Panchgani and rivers such as Koyna and Krishna. Mahabaleshwar and Panchgani are one of the famous tourist places of India. River Krishna rises at Mahabaleswar near the Jor village in the extreme north of Wai district. From here on it flows into Karnataka and joins the Bay of Bengal after traveling distance of 1400 km.Adventure tourism
Maharashtra offers the adventure lovers, over 45 adventures to choose from across its length and breadth. It has over 550 forts to visit including over 20 Sea Forts, 720 km of coastline, the incredible vistas of its western ghats that has superb wildlife and camping possibilities. From water to land to aero, there is a host of adventures to choose from- Paragliding
- Gliding
- Rock climbing
- Scuba diving
- Snorkeling
- Kayaking
- Canoeing
- Trekking
- Wildlife Safari
Nature tourism
Maharashtra has tremendous potential for Nature Tourism. Many private and public organisations have begun unique and innovative nature tourism. Some of them are Ecomantra, Nature Trails, Wild Escapes, Orchid Group etc.Hill stations
- Amboli
- Chikhaldara
- Igatpuri
- Jawhar
- Karjat
- Khandala
- Lavasa
- Lonavala
- Mahabaleshwar
- Matheran
- Panchgani
- Panhala
- Toranmal
Religious venues
Maharashtra boasts of a large number of popular and revered religious venues that are heavily frequented by locals as well as out-of-state visitors. Shirdi, near Nashik is the location of the temple of Sai Baba - a hugely revered God-like priest, Tuljabhavani temple at Tuljapur, Gajanan Maharaj temple at Shegaon, Mahalakshmi temple in south Mumbai, Hajiali, a popular mosque in the seas near the Mahalakshmi temple, Mount Mary church in the suburb of Bandra, Sarasbaugh Ganpati Mandir, a temple in a pond near Parvati in Pune, Dagdusheth Halwai Ganpati.Osho Asharam in the area of pune also one of the popular place which attracts number of devotiees , famous Gurdwar near Nanded, is also one of the tourist place in Maharashtra.The countryside
The countryside is equally engrossing. There is a lot to see and explore in the countryside. The famed Konkan region that lies between the west coast and along the foot of the Western ghats stretches from Maharastra down to Kerala. This part of the state is lush with greenery and tropical geography. It is the greenest part of the state. Dilapidated forts sitting atop the hills in the Western Ghats along the state coastline offer great climbs for the trek-oriented traveler along with a sense of history. Konkan Railways offer extensive train transport through this hilly terrain up to Goa and beyond.
Om Tat Sat
(Continued...)
(My
humble salutations to the great devotees
, wikisources and Pilgrimage tourist guide for the
collection )
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