Maharashtra
Pratapgad Fort, built by Shivaji in 1656 (and still owned by his descendants), straddles a high mountain ridge 24km northwest of the town of Mahabaleshwar…
Must-see attractions in Maharashtra
Nashik
Indian wine pioneers first produced juice with imported French vines at their Karnataka estate in 1982. Today it's easily India's most lauded winery (113…
Aurangabad
Architecturally speaking, the Aurangabad Caves aren’t a patch on Ellora or Ajanta, but they do shed light on early Buddhist architecture and make for a…
Nashik
Soma Vine Village, 17km west of the city centre, is one of Nashik's newer wineries and offers 45-minute tours that end in a sampling plucked from its 11…
Maharashtra
This group of interesting Hinayana Buddhist caves sit soaring above Lenyadri. Of the 27 caves, cave 7 is the most impressive and, interestingly, houses an…
Maharashtra
Shivneri Fort holds the distinction of being the birthplace of Shivaji. The most important structure is Shivkunj, the pavilion in which Shivaji was born…
Konkan Coast
A golden arc south of Malvan, this crescent-shaped sandy beach is a vision of tropical India, fringed by coconut palms and casuarina trees, plus the odd…
Konkan Coast
Built by Shivaji and dating from 1664, this monstrous fort lies on an offshore island and can be reached by frequent ferries (adult/child ₹90/50, 8am to 5…
Nashik
York Winery offers tours and wine-tasting sessions in a top-floor room that has scenic views of the lake and surrounding hills. Four reds, including its…
Maharashtra
Kolhapur is famed for the calibre of its Kushti wrestlers and at the Motibag Thalim you can watch young athletes train in an earthen pit. The akhara …
Maharashtra
On the other side of the expressway from Karla Caves in a lush setting 3km off the main road, Bhaja Caves is the greener and quieter of the region's caves…
Konkan Coast
There’s little to see and do in Ratnagiri apart from viewing the remnants of Thibaw Palace, where the last Burmese king, Thibaw, was interned under the…
Nashik
Nashik's newest winery is a world-class facility on meticulously manicured grounds that easily rank as Nashik's most peaceful and beautiful. Tastings…
Pune
The remains of this fortressed palace of the Peshwa rulers are located in the old part of the city. Built in 1732, Shaniwar Wada was destroyed by a fire…
Maharashtra
Dedicated to famed Marathi actor and artist Chandrakant Mandare (1913–2001), this well-maintained gallery houses stills of his movies as well as his fine…
Maharashtra
The large Cave 29, the Dumar Lena, is thought to be a transitional model between the simpler hollowed-out caves and the fully developed temples…
Maharashtra
Cave 9 is one of the earliest chaityas at Ajanta. Although it dates from the early Buddhist period, the two figures flanking the entrance door were…
Maharashtra
In the heart of the old town this palace was once the ruling Chatrapati’s main residence and is still occupied by some of the family. You can enter the…
Pune
You can peer into the room where the Mahatma Ghandi used to stay as well as gawk at photos and paintings representing moments in his extraordinary life at…
Maharashtra
Cave 6 is the only two-storey vihara at Ajanta, but parts of the lower storey have collapsed. Inside is a seated Buddha figure and an intricately carved…
Mahatma Ghandi Photo Art Gallery
Maharashtra
This once small museum across the street from Sevagram Ashram was undergoing a major renovation and expansion at time of writing and is expected to reopen…
Maharashtra
Cave 12, the huge Tin Thal (Three Storey) Cave, is entered through a courtyard. The locked shrine on the top floor contains a large Buddha figure flanked…
Maharashtra
Cave 30, the Chhota Kailasa (Little Kailasa), is a poor imitation of the great Kailasa Temple and stands by itself some distance from the other Jain…
Nashik
Sita is said to have hidden in this cave-like temple while being assailed by the evil Ravana. You’ll have to stoop and shuffle your way into the cave as…
Nashik
The city’s holiest shrine dates back to 1794 and contains unusual black stone representations of Rama, Sita and Lakshmana. Legend has it that it occupies…
Maharashtra
On the road to the temples you’ll pass the delightful Ambala Lake, lined with small Narsimha Temples in which mourners typically release the ashes of…
Maharashtra
Cave 11, the Do Thal (Two Storey) Cave, is entered through its third basement level (undiscovered until 1876). Like Cave 12, it possibly owes its size to…
Shrimat Chatrapati Shivaji Museum
Aurangabad
This simple museum is dedicated to the life of the Maratha hero Shivaji. Its collection includes a 500-year-old chain-mail suit and a copy of the Quran,…
Pune
The curious rock-cut Pataleshvara Cave Temple is a small and unfinished (though actively used) 8th-century temple, similar in style to the grander caves…
Maharashtra
Professional wrestling bouts are held sporadically between November and May in this small arena a short walk south of Motibag Thalim. It's behind the…
Maharashtra
The final temple, the small Cave 34, also has interesting sculptures. On the hilltop above the Jain temples, a 5m-high image of Parasnath looks down on…
Maharashtra
Cave 5 is the largest vihara in this group, at 18m wide and 36m long; the rows of stone benches hint that it may once have been an assembly hall.
Maharashtra
Cave 7 has an atypical design, with porches before the verandah leading directly to the four cells and the elaborately sculptured shrine.
Maharashtra
Cave 14, the Ravana-ki-Khai, is a Buddhist vihara converted to a temple dedicated to Shiva sometime in the 7th century.
Konkan Coast
This seaside Ganesh temple houses a monolithic Ganesh (painted a lurid reddish-orange), supposedly discovered 1600 years ago.
Pune
Adjacent to the Pataleshvara Cave Temple is the Jangali Maharaj Temple, dedicated to a Hindu ascetic who died here in 1818.
Maharashtra
Cave 2 is notable for its ornate pillars and the imposing seated Buddha, which faces the setting sun.
Maharashtra
Cave 33, the Jagannath Sabha, is similar in plan to 32 and has some well-preserved sculptures.
