Some fast facts on Pune

• Pune is known as the cultural capital of Maharashtra.
• Pune is known to have existed as a town since 937 AD.
• Pune has more than a hundred educational institutes and nine universities, and has acquired a reputation as 'The Oxford of the East', with students from all over the world studying at the colleges of the University of Pune.
• Pune has more schools, colleges and universities than any other city in the world.
• Pune is the largest centre for Japanese learning in India.
• ILS Law College, established by the Indian Law Society is one of the top ten law schools in India
• Symbiosis International University, which operates 33 different colleges and institutions in the city, is one of India's largest private universities. The best institution within the Symbiosis Umbrella being SCMHRD (Symbiosis Center for Management and Human Resource Development) amongst others is ranked amongst the top management institutes in the country.
• Pune is also referred to as The Detroit of India owing to the many manufacturing companies, particularly automobile giants, having their base within the city's metropolitan area.
• Pune is the eighth largest city in India and second largest city in the state of Maharashtra
• Pune is the administrative capital of Pune district and the 7th Metro city of India.
• Pune International Airport shares its runways with the neighboring Indian Air Force base, the only one of its kind in the world.
• Pune has given many famous artists to the traditional Indian music world. Well known names are great vocalist Pandit Bhimsen Joshi and in earlier generation to gifted Sitarist Pandit Chandrakant Sardeshmukh.

About Mumbai | Mumbai Information | Mumbai Facts | Mumbai India | Mumbai History |

This post today is dedicated to the City of Dreams. Any guesses...? Well, its all about Mumbai today. We will be seeing some important information about Mumbai in this post. You will get to know much about this great city.

Mumbai, as we all know is the city of dreams for one and all here in India. Mumbai is located on the west coast of India. The city which is the financial capital of India was probably first recorded as the home of fisherfolk where a group of Buddhist monks established an outpost late during the Magadhan empire. The islands were tossed from one king to another emperor for two millenia, until the maritime trade empire of the British decided to develop the natural harbour into a city. In the four hundred years since then, the city has grown by a series of land reclamations which now link the original islands into one mass.

For the last hundred years, the city of Mumbai was called as Bombay. The name Bombay is believed to be derived from the phrase named "Bom Bahia" which is actually a Portuguese term meaning "good bay". In 1997, the name "Bombay" was changed and renamed to "Mumbai". It all happened by an act of the parliament in 1997. The reason for this change was that in two of the local languages, Marathi and Gujarati, the city has long been called Mumbai. It is believed that the name comes from the name of one of the old Koli goddesses, Mumba Devi, a temple to whom now stands in Bhuleshwar.

Mumbai has a population of over 15 million people and keeps on growing day by day. The core area called the "Island City" is known to be the most expensive real estates in all of India. And is one of the reasons why the city has grown far into the mainland both to the north and the east.

Mumbai is also known as the financial capital of India. The stock exchange of India is located here and also most large business houses have their corporate offices in this city. It is also the primary center for the arts and the entertainment industry. In India it is the city of gold, of dreams. Everyone comes here to make money, whether by selling chapatis on Chowpatti or stolen wallets and used dentures by the roadside. Whatever may be, Bombay does sleep at night, but usually rather late and very briefly.

Well, I hope you people came to know something about Mumbai. To tell you more, Mumbai has drawn global attention in recent times. And its just because it has rose as the hub of the Indian Film Industry. The Hindi Film Industry popularly known as the Bollywood is located here. Bollywood is the largest film producer in India and one of the largest in the world. The name is a portmanteau of Bombay (the former name for Mumbai) and Hollywood, the center of the American film industry. Lakhs of films are produced each year in the bollywood and with now global penetration, Bollywood seems to be rocking everywhere.

Some interesting facts on Mumbai -

• Mumbai singlehandedly handles about 25% of the domestic and 38% of the international air passenger traffic in the country.
• Mumbai's suburban rail systems carry a total of 2.2 billion passengers every year. Incidentally, the world's population is 6 billion.
• Mumbai's literacy rate is 85.6% (female: 82.7%, male: 90%) compared with India's overall literacy of 65.4%.
• Mumbai's per capita income is Rs 48,954. This is almost three times the national average!
• At the end of financial year 2002-03, Mumbai paid Rs 28,000 crore in taxes, 35% of India's collection of Rs 82,000 crore!
• The original Walkeshwar Temple was destroyed by the Portuguese, but was rebuilt by Rama Kamath in 1715.
• Bombay University was founded in 1857 at the Town Hall, and was shifted to the new complex near Oval Maidan in 1874.
• The Elphinstone College was originally built for the Government Central Press at a cost of Rs 7.5 lakh.
• The city's first church - the St Thomas Cathedral - was built at Horniman Circle in 1718.
• The first post office in Bombay was opened in 1832 at the residence of the junior magistrate of police at Byculla.
• The Stearns & Kittredge company was given permission in 1874 to start Bombay's first tram service with a fleet of 900 horses.
• The East India Company appointed Sir George Oxenden the first governor of Bombay in 1668.
• Until 1864, the city's highest ranking police officer was called Police Chief. Post 1864, the title was changed to Police Commissioner.
• The Hanging Gardens at Malabar Hill was built over three reservoirs which can store up to 300 lakh gallons of water.
• The first inter-city railway was built between Bombay and Surat, and was completed in 1864.
• The Great Indian Peninsular Railway laid the first rail tracks in India between Thane and Bombay.
• It took 60 years to merge the seven islands of Bombay into one landmass between 1784 and 1845.
• Bombay's highest population growth rate was between 1661 and 1675 when it rose six times from 10,000 to 60,000.
• The 2nd governor of Bombay, Gerald Aungier, was behind its development into a major centre of commerce.
• The name Bombay was derived from Bom Bahia (The Good Bay), a name given by Portuguese sailor Francis Almeida, in 1508.
• When a person travel towards Mumbai,one can see milestone stating Mumbai 35 Kms, but where is Mumbai Zero Kms, it is at Flora Fountain
• The railway tracks of the Churchgate Station originally extended beyond Azad Maidan in the direction of Afghan Church, which was later changed to a tar road.
• Former English cricket captain Douglas Jardine of Bodyline fame was born in Malabar Hill, Mumbai, in 1900.
• India’s first cricket club, Orient, was founded in Bombay in 1848.
• Mumbai orginally was a cluster of seven separate islands, and the southernmost island was called Old Woman’s Island.
• Nobel Laureate Rudyard Kipling who wrote Kim and The Jungle Book was born in Mumbai.
• There are 14 platforms inside the Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus, earlier called Victoria Terminus.
• Mumbai’s first ever meteorological observatory was built in Colaba in 1826.
• The wooden pole in the centre of the Banganga Tank in Mumbai signifies the centre of the earth. Legend has it that Lord Ram created the tank by piercing the earth with his arrow.
• The Lumiere brothers introduced Motion Pictures to India with six soundless short films at Bombay’s Watson’s Hotel in 1896.
• There is an original portrait of former US President Abraham Lincoln at the Prince of Wales Museum.
• Lord Elphinstone performed the opening ceremony after railway tracks were laid between Bombay and Thane in 1853.
• The railway line from Mumbai to Pune through Bhor Ghat was built by a woman named Alice Tredwell in 1863.
• The Quit India Movement was launched by Mahatma Gandhi in Mumbai in 1942 from Gowalia Tank. It is now called August Kranti Maidan.
• Mumbai industrialist Jamshetji Tata was the first Indian to own a car.

Resources -
http://blog.monsterindia.com/my/manojmehta78@gmail.com/Little-known-Facts-about-Mum-16699.html
http://theory.tifr.res.in/bombay/

Alibaug | Alibag | Alibaug Information | Alibag Information | Alibaug Travel | Alibag Travel | Alibaug Tourism | Alibag Tourism

Moving ahead with our new post, today we will be featuring yet another great place to visit in and around Mumbai. And the place is Alibaug. Alibag or Alibaug is a coastal town and a municipal council in Raigad District in the Konkan region of Maharashtra, India. It is headquarters of the Raigad district. The town and its surrounding villages are the historic hinterland of Bene Israeli Jews. There is a Synagogue in the "Israel Ali" area of the town.

Alibaug is a must visit place for nature lovers. Being located at the southern tip of Mumbai, Alibagh or Alibaug, is fringed with tall coconut trees and golden sandy beaches lapped by the ocean. Apart from the quaint village houses, it also has farm houses of Mumbai's affluent folk.

Nearly 300 years old, Alibaug was founded in the 17th century by Sarkhel Kanhoji Angre, a naval chief of Shivaji's kingdom. The Marathas made Alibagh a Taluka in 1852 and named it Shribag. Because Alibaug was not connected to the mainland by road at that time, the only way to get here was through the sea from Revas, Dharmtar or Mankule. However the construction of the Dharamtar Creek opened its doors to a wider public, connecting it to metros like Mumbai.

A weekend getaway and a popular business centre today, Alibaug is frequented by affluent Mumbaiites, mostly to enjoy the beauty of the sea. The town and its surrounding villages are the historic hinterland of the Bene Israeli Jews, who migrated to west Maharashtra in the 19th century from nearby Indian cities and parts of modern Pakistan.

The Kulaba Fort is the prime attraction of Alibaug. Encircled by the sea, it is best visited within an hour of the low tide and unless you leave before the high tide, you will be stranded there for the next 5-6 hours. The other places worth visiting here include Magnetic Observatory, Kanhoji Angre Samadhi, Vikram Vinakyak temple, various small churches and synagogues, and the tower of St. Barbara.

The sandy stretches of the nine beaches here are ideal for long walks and sunbathing. Some of the more popular beaches include Akshi, Revdanda, Kihim and Nandgaon. A little away from Alibaug is the Janjira Fort (about 4 km from Murud). Although in ruins now, it is interesting to know that there were people actually live in this fort till 1971.

Food is very local here with most of the restaurants serving 'thalis' with some lip smacking sea fish like pomphret and surmai.

The following are the main beaches in and around Alibag:

• Alibag beach - This is the main beach of the town.
• Varsoli Beach - Located about a mile from the main beach, home to a very large naval base.
• Akshi Beach - It is situated 5 km away from Alibag.
• Nagaon beach - It is situated about 7 km away from Alibag and is famous for coconuts and betel nuts.
• Kihim Beach - Kihim is a secluded place at a distance of 12 km from Alibag. The Kihim beach is famous for dense cover of Coconut trees. It is also famous for woods which are home to rare butterflies, birds and flowers.
• Awas - It is situated about 16 km away from Alibag.
• Saswane - It is situated about 18 km away from Alibag.
• Rewas - It is situated about 24 km away from Alibag.
• Chaul Revdanda - It is situated about 17 km away from Alibag.
• Mandawa - It is situated about 20 km north of Alibag. The catamaran/ferry services are available from Mumbai to the Mandawa jetty. Many Bollywood celebrities own bungalows here.
• Kashid Beach - It is situated about 30 km away from Alibag, on the Alibag-Murud highway, also this beach is possibly one of the cleanest and most beautiful beaches in the region with almost 'white' sand.

Other Attractions -

• Kolaba (or Kulaba) fort (Not to be confused with Colaba in Mumbai) - Is situated in the sea at a distance of 1-2 km from the Alibag shores. During low tide one can walk to the fort.
• Kanakeshwar temple - Is situated on a hill near Mapgaon village, about 12 km away from Alibag and falls on the way to Mandawa.
• Tower of St. Barbara
• Chaul - Is a historic town situated about 15 km away from Alibag. It is famous for its Portuguese ruins, an old church, a synagogue, Buddhist caves, the Hamam Khana and a temple.
• Vikram Vinayak Temple or Birla Temple, Salav - Is situated about 20 km away from Alibag, on the way to Janjira.
• Sagargarh
• Kanhoji Angre Samadhi
• Uma-Maheshwar temple
• Balaji temple
• Murud-Janjira - Janjira is the legendary fort situated not very far from Alibag.
• Datta Mandir - Situated at bhowale, 2 km away from chaul.
• Hingulja Mandir - Situated near datta mandir,historic temple built by pandwas.
• Magnetic Observatory - Established in 1904 by the Indian Institute of Geomagnetism.

Source -
http://www.holidayiq.com/destinations/Alibaug-Overview.html

Nashik Travel | Nashik City | Nashik Places | Nashik Information

We have seen in our previous posts that there are many places in Maharashtra that are worth visiting. Today in this post, I will let you know about another popular place - Nashik.

Nashik is one of the most rapidly developing places in Maharashtra. Being popularly known as the City of Grapes or the Wine Capital of India, Nashik is located at a close proximity to two major tourist destinations of India - Pune and Mumbai. Being close to both Mumbai and Pune and because of its pleasant climate, Nashik has brought horde of settlers from nearby towns and villages making it a realtor’s paradise.

Nashik's Picturesque Surroundings

The city is located on the banks of the holy River Godavari. The Deccan Peninsula on its Western edge marks a boundary for the city and the hills of Western ghats create a ring of protective hills around the city. The nine hills surrounding the city are Pathanpura, Jogwada, Pandav, Ganesh, Chitraganga, Durga, Dingerali, Konkani and Mahasarul. There are other peaks in the districts with names of Hindu Gods like Hanuman.

There are many man made lakes in Nasik, notably Wagad, Chanakapur, Gangapur and Darna lakes. These have been created by making dams across the two rivers flowing across Nashik. The Ramkund lake of the city has a pious and mythological relevance; it is believed that Lord Rama and bathed in the lake during his fourteen year exile.

Nashik's Natural Wealth

The district of Nashik with its geographical location and two major rivers, the Godavari and Girna flowing through it has a verdant ecosystem. The forests of Nashik are famous for the flora and fauna. The forests are abounding with teak and sisal trees. Apart from the wood there are numerous shrubs and herbs found in the area. The jungles also have many wild animals; wolves, hyenas, fox and gazelles are in plenty. The jungle trails are a paradise for ornithologists who have sighted rare species here.

Nashik's Climate

Nashik has a mild climate with plenty of sunshine all through the year. In summers May is the hottest month with maximum temperature reaching 100 degree Fahrenheit. The dry summer day, the heat is oppressive and not suited for any outdoor activity. Winters are generally mild with minimum temperature of 50 degree Fahrenheit in December, though sometimes the temperatures have dropped down to freezing point. The monsoon generally brings ample rains and the months of July – August are the hot and humid. The months of September to March are the best to visit Nashik and nearby areas.

Nashik's Economy

The agriculture was the main stay of Nashik and the city was fondly known as the backyard of Mumbai, supplying vegetables to the metropolis. Onions, pomegranate and grapes are the famous produce of Nashik and exported to the Middle East. The other crops grown are millet, rice, wheat and sugarcane. The advent of ITES and BPO in India has now entered the smaller cities. There are many IT industries in Nashik and generating employment for thousands.

The development is welcome but it is sad that the natural verdant forests have come under the axe of housing companies. Many new localities are being created to pander to the fancies of the growing upper middle class, who prefer holiday homes in natural surroundings. The effects of deforestation are already palpable; low and erratic rainfall, landslides, flash floods and rising temperatures. Hopefully the government will wake up sooner than later.

Source - http://www.nashik.net.in/

Shirdi Sai Mandir | Shirdi Sai Temple | Samadhi Mandir of Sai Baba | Travel to Shirdi

In one of the previous posts, we have seen how Ecabs provided better services to those who wished to travel to Shirdi. Continuing with the same series, today in this post we will see more about Shirdi.

As most of you must have come to know that Shirdi Sai Baba Temple is one of the most spiritual places in India to visit to. So, to let you know more about the activities taking place at Shirdi Sai Baba Mandir, let us know about the various events taking place inside Shirdi temple from morning till night. Shirdi Sai Temple is a very busy place and this is the reason why -

From morning 5 a.m till 10.00 pm in the night, these events go on continously. It is one of the primary reasons why Shirdi Temple is so crowded and the most busiest temples here in India.

Shirdi Sai Mandir or say Samadhi Mandir of Shri Sai Baba was actually owned by a millionaire from Nagpur and a famous Sai devotee Shreemant Gopalrao. He wanted to keep an idol of Murlidhar here. However, according to the legends, Baba himself became Murlidhar and the temple became the Samadhi Mandir of Baba. The Samadhi of Baba is built with white marble stones. The railings around it are full of ornamental decorations. The idol of Baba is a marvelous statue made up of Italian marble built by Late Balaji Vasant in 1954. The temple has an assembly hall for about 600 devotees. The assembly hall also houses a showcase having various items used by the sage. The first floor of the temple has the pictures depicting the life of the Saint.

The temple opens on 5 AM with morning prayers and close down at 10 PM with night prayers. Situated on the right side of the entrance of the Samadhi Mandir is Dwarkamai, a mosque. This was the place where the sage stayed until the end of his life. Main attraction of the site is the oil paintings of the sage.

The place from where Sai Baba first came to Shirdi in the form of a Bal Yogi (child ascetic) is known as Gurusthan. A temple has been constructed on this site. There is also a small shrine in Gurusthan.

At a short distance lies Baba's Chavadi. Baba used to sleep here every alternate day. The Chavadi is divided into two parts. One part of the Chavadi has a large portrait of Baba along with a wooden bed and a white chair belonging to him.

There is a cottage of Abdul Baba, an ardent devotee of Shri Sai Baba, in front of the Chavadi. Photos and various items that were handled by Sai Baba and Abdul Baba are there in the cottage. There is a Maruti Mandir located at some distance from the cottage of Abdul Baba. This mandir was visited by Baba for the sat-sang with Devidas, a Bal yogi, who lived at the Mandir ten to twelve years before Baba arrived.

There are also temples of village deities named Shani, Ganapati, and Shankar that are worth visiting.

At some distance from Gurusthan, there is the Lendi Baug. This garden was made and watered daily by Baba himself. It got its name from a nullah (a drain), which used to flow there. Baba used to come here every morning and afternoon and take rest under a neem tree. Baba dug a pit, 2 feet deep, under the neem tree and kept a deep (a lighting object) lit in that pit. An octagonal deepgriha (lighthouse) called Nanda Deep has been built in marble stone in memory of this place. It constantly burns in a glass box. On one side of the deepgriha is a pipal tree and on the other side is a neem tree.

Other sites to visit are Datta Mandir and Khandoba Mandir.

SITES NEARBY

Situated around 5 km from Shirdi is Sakori. The place is home to the Upasini Maharaj.
Shanisinghnapur is 70 km from Shirdi. A temple devoted to Shani is located here.

FAIRS AND FESTIVALS

The most important festivals and events that are celebrated in Shirdi are Guru Poornima, Dussehra, and Ram Navami. These are the only days when the Samadhi Mandir of Shirdi opens for the whole night. Every Thursday, a palakhi bearing a photograph of the sage is taken out from the temple.

WHERE TO STAY

Shirdi has accommodation available to every income group, starting from budget to high-end. STD facilities are available in most of the hotels.

WHAT TO EAT

The administrative body of Shirdi temple runs a prasadalaya to provide lunch and dinner to the devotees. Nearly one thousand devotees can take Baba's prasad at the same time. The kitchen of the prasadalaya is equipped with modern cooking machineries and is free of pollution. Food-packets are available to the devotees from 8:00 in the morning to 12:00 noon. There is a canteen service available to the devotees day and night.

HOW TO REACH

Nearest airports are Mumbai (260 km), Pune (185 km), and Aurangabad (125 km). Flights for all the major cities in India and abroad can be taken from Mumbai. The nearest railway station is Manmad (60 km) on the Central Railway, which is connected to many parts of the country with express trains. Most of the trains touching Nasik Road railway station also touch Manmad. Shirdi has railway reservation office for trains from Manmad. Taxis and buses are easily available at Manmad railway station for transfer to Shirdi. Regular taxi service also operates between Manmad railway station and bus stand. State Transport Corporation and private operators run coaches to Shirdi from Mumbai.

Where is Shirdi and How to get there?

Shirdi is located approximately 296 Kilometers from Mumbai (Bombay) City in India. The nearest railway station is Kopargaon 15 kilometers on Manmad-Daund section of Central Railways.

To get to Shirdi from outside India:

First, you have to travel to India. (Check with the Office of Consulate General of India in your region for visa and travel requirements.). You could either go by Sea or by Air. Presuming that you want to go by Air, the first choice of landing airport should be Mumbai (Bombay) . Alternatively you could land in any other city which has an international airport. After reaching India, you have many options to travel to Shirdi.

To get to Shirdi from within India:

From Mumbai (Bombay):

a. You could take a Cab, hire a private taxi or drive. (If you are an international tourist you may want to check the requirements for Driver's license and road regulations with the Maharashtra State Road Transport department.)
b. You could take a Maharashtra State Transport Bus.
c. You could take a Bus operated by Private operators.
d. You could take a Central Railway train of the Indian Railways from Mumbai (Bombay) V.T. station to Manmade station and then take a bus to Shirdi. State transport buses are available from Manmad to Shirdi.
For Fares, Schedules and other details contact your local travel agent, the Government of India Tourism Office, the Maharashtra State Tourism Board Office, the Central Railway booking office or the Maharashtra State Transport booking office.

From any other City within India:

a. You could first go to Mumbai by train, bus or an airplane and then follow the steps listed above.
b. You could take a train from the city of origin to Manmad. Not all trains go directly from point to point. You have to check if the train goes directly to Manmad or if you have to break your journey and change over trains. From Manmad you have to take a bus or cab to Shirdi.
c. You could drive, hire a cab or private taxi to take you directly to Shirdi. (If you are an international tourist you may want to check the requirements for Driver's license and road regulations with the Maharashtra State Road Transport department.)

For Fares, Schedules and other details contact your local travel agent, the Government of India Tourism Office, the Maharashtra State Tourism Board Office, the Central Railway booking office or the Maharashtra State Transport booking office.

Please note:

• Nearest airport is Aurangabad.
• Nearest railhead is Kopargaon, 15 Kms. on the Manmad-Daund section of central Railway.
• Mumbai-Shirdi,296 kms. (Mumbai-Nashik-Niphad-Yeola-Shirdi) Nashik-Shirdi 112 kms. Aurangabad-Shirdi 126 kms.(Aurangabad-Vaijapur Yeola-Kopargaon-Shirdi) Pune-Shirdi,183 kms. (Pune-Kalamba-sangmner-Talegaon-shirdi). State Transport buses ply regularly from Mumbai, Nashik, Ahmednagar, Aurangabad, Pune and kopargaon. MTDC runs a bi-weekly round trip bus service to Shirdi form Mumbai
  

Khandala - Must visit hill station in Maharashtra

Been to Maharashtra but not been to Khandala, means you have been to nowhere. Yes, located in the lap of Sahyadri mountains, Khandala is one of the most popular hill stations of Maharashtra. It is just 5 km. away from Lonavala, which is another very popular weekend destinations in Maharashtra. Khandala is a popular weekend escape for residents of Mumbai and Pune. Pleasant weather throughout the year, beautiful vistas of the western ghats, ancient cavesto explore, and myriad streams and waterfalls, all add to its attractions. This hilly region offers ample opportunities for trekking, hiking and other outdoor activities.

If you are planning to visit Khandala, then you won't find any problems related to accomodation. Khandala has many hotels that are ideally placed in close proximity to the scenic places like Duke's nose or the deep valley that overlook the village settlement below. These hotels provide state of the art accommodation, a fine dining experience and a host of other facilities at a reasonable rate. Incase you budget is limited, you can then go for many low budget hotels that offers you simple but clean and spacious living quarters at a reasonable rate. And if you are looking to spend more then you also have provision for Luxury Hotels that provides you with state of the art conference facilities, exclusive eateries, coffee shops, a host of recreation facilities and most importantly customer centric services.

Altogether, Kahandala is a must visit hill stations in Maharashtra. Come, see and feel the nature in its purest form.