Maharashtra - Mahan Rashtra
Maharashtra literally means Maha - Rashtra, A Great State.
Where to even begin trying to encompass the greatness of this beautiful, historical , religious, culturally rich , wonderful land of the great Maratha warrior King , Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, the birthplace of one of the greatest minds ever born in the world,the architect of our Indian Constitution, Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar, the revolutionary Sants like Namdeo, Dnyaneshwar, Tukaram, Ekanath , the birthplace of the Bhakti - movement by the Varkari sect , the rich cultural heritage of Abhangs, Powadas, Lavni, Tamashas, Bhajans, Keertans, the lush fields of Konkan, the Alphonso mango of Ratnagiri, the finest wines from Nashik, Oranges of Nagpur , Wada Pav of Mumbai , Puneri Misal Pav, the fervour of Ganeshotsav, the sky high Dahi Handis, the Christmas and New Year revelry….Sigh….Where to even begin….!!
Just the idea of tasting Chowpatty's Kala-khatta and Bhelpuri, catching sight of larger-than-life celebrities from the Film and TV world , a visit to the humongous Movie studios of the Hindi film industry , Bollywood, craning ones neck to see the Sky scrapers , getting a glimpse of the lifestyles of the multi - billionaire Industrials, going for a ride in ferries of the Gateway of India , gawking at endless treasures in the Prince of Wales Museum, catching a local train from the UNESCO certified cultural heritage CST, going for a safari in Lush green forests , enjoying the cool breezes on the endless beaches , the dizzying journeys through the heart-stopping western ghats, the mind boggling beauty of the Sahyadri mountain range, the vast plains of the Deccan plateau, the unmatched ambiance of the hill stations is an unparalleled experience that is bound to remain with the traveller no matter wherever in the world he may go.
Lying on the coast of the Arabian Sea, this land of pious Sants has innumerable pilgrimage places like Pandharpur, Shirdi , Ganpatipule.
For the history buffs, there are unparalleled historical caves of Ajanta , Elora , Elephanta ,Karla , hill and sea forts of the Great Maratha warrior kings like Raigad, Pratapgad, Rajgad, Sinhagad, unmatched treasures in the Prince of Wales museum , the Gateway of India , Cultural heritage sites of Flora fountain, CST.
The nature traveller looking for wildlife has a number of options for visiting Tadoba, Tansa , Koyna sanctuaries , just to name a few.
For a cosmopolitan traveller , there are world class shopping havens be it Bandra hill road , Breach Candy , Zaveri Bazaar, Chor Bazaar, Linking road ,fashion street , Colaba Causeway.
Tourists looking to enjoy the festivals may visit the huge , elaborate Ganpati pandals of Lalbagcha Raja ( Average waiting time in queue touches 12 - 15 hours ) the tallest murti of Khetwadicha Ganraj, Dagdu Maharaj in Pune.
Foodies can endlessly drool over cuisines ranging from local to international be it the road side stalls or the high end 5 - star hotels.
Ideal Visiting months for the State depend on the location as well.
Summer months are apt for visiting the various Hill-Stations like Matheran, Khandala, Amboli etc.
The monsoon provides many attractions in the form of waterfalls of Malshej-Ghat , Bhandardara, Mahabaleshwar,. Khandala, Alibag ,Amboli etc
Beach resorts attract the traveller who wishes to laze in the sun and sand and take a dip in the vast Arabian Sea
No matter the season ,the budget , the preference a visitor to the State of Maharashtra will find something up to his alley and will leave with lifelong memories to cherish.
