Spanning gloriously through the west-central India, Maharashtra is a state that boasts of its glitzy and glamorous Bollywood industry, and is house to a number of marvels, including the landmark Gateway of India, the iconic Taj Mahal Hotel, the engineer’s genius Bandra-Worli sealink, the quaint hill stations of Lonavala and Khandala, the vada paav, and a plethora of salubrious perspectives of its seashores. Apart from these, this state is also home to some of the most pristine temples in India, about which this section provides some insight. Have a look.
A lot has been said and praised about the pride of Maharashtra, the Bollywood. But often, the other gleaming aspects of this state remain unveiled, of which the temples of Maharashtra are a quintessential part. Here’s a rundown of the temples in Maharashtra that are worth a tour for their striking architecture and religious importance.
1. Pune
Pune, apart from being an important educational hub in India, also has some pretty unique and magnificent temples to its fame. Bhimashankar Temple, located 50 km from Pune is a Jyotirlinga shrine and is built in the Nagara style of architecture. The other prominent sanctuaries of god in Pune include the Bhuleshwar Temple and the Pataleshwar Cave Temple. Since the distance from Mumbai to Pune is hardly 150 km, one can travel from Mumbai to Pune by cab conveniently.
2. Mumbai
The Megacity of India, Mumbai is the prime centre of the most happening parties, events, and festivals in and around Maharashtra. Talking of temples, who can ever forget to mention the majestic Siddhi Vinayak Temple? This iconic sanctuary of Lord Ganesha is famous all over India and the number of devotees it sees throughout the year, is amazing. The other marvels of divinity in Mumbai are the Bana Ganga Siva Temple, Mahalakshmi Temple, Markandeshwar Shiva Temple, Mahalakshmi Temple, and Mumba Devi Temple.
3. Nagpur
Much famous for its oranges, a religious trip to Nagpur will refresh one thoroughly. There are two main temples in the city that have quite an alluring aura to them. The most famous Balaji Mandir in Nagpur is a temple where the deity of Lord Balaji is worshipped. The idol of Balaji in this temple is believed to have been found during an excavation in the year 1888. The 11 ft high idol is made of a single slab of black stone and is extremely gorgeous to look at. Another noteworthy temple in Nagpur is the Dragon Palace Temple, a buddhist sanctuary that looks like the lotus flower due to which the temple is often called the Lotus Temple of Nagpur.
4. Nashik
Being the fourth largest city in Maharashtra, Nashik has a number of iconic temples of which the most appealing and famous is the Trimbakeshwar Temple, an ancient Hindu temple located in the town of Trimbak, Nashik. The other prominent religious sanctuaries include names like Sundarnarayan Temple, Naroshankar Temple, and Panchavati Temple. The distance between Nashik and Mumbai is 165 km by road and one can opt for a Mumbai to Nashik cab to reach the city.
Have a wonderful holy trip!