MHAISMAL

Mhaismal, a small and charming hill station, is 39 kilometers north of Aurangabad City is nearest from Khuldabad or Ellora Caves. It is at the height of 1067 meters in the Sahyadri ranges. Girija Bhavani Temple here is very famous and the devotees in thousands throng here regularly. A fair is held on every Chaitra Pournima.

Gorakhnath Cave in the vicinity of Mhaismal is known to be a holy place where Gorakhnath, one of the nine naths, had performed penance in this cave.

There are regular State Transport buses from Aurangabad for Mhaismal. Khuldabad is 12 kilometers away from Mhaismal while Ellora Caves and Ghrishneshwar Temple are 7 kilometers.

Climate

Cool Breezy

Best Time to Visit

During Monsoon (June to September)

Accommodation

Hotel Panchavati (0240-2328755)

Nearest Railway Station

Aurangabad Railway Station

Nearest Airport

Chikkalthana Airport (IXU)

Distance

Aurangabad City to Mhaismal – 39 Kilometers

Nearby Holy Places

Girija Bhavani Temple, Balaji Temple, Ghrishneshwar Temple, Gorakhnath Cave, Shri Bhadra Maruti Temple

Photos - Mhaismal

Girija Mata

Shri Bhadra Maruti

AUDUMBAR

Shree Dattatreya

Audumbar, a small village in Sangli District is famous for the shrine of Shree Dattatreya which is situated on the bank of the Krishna River. Shree Dattatreya, a universal Guru, is an avatar of the divine trinity Lord Brahma, Lord Vishnu and Lord Mahesh. Shree Dattatreya is worshipped by Hindus, is one of the oldest deities. The temple in Audumbar is said to have been erected in honor of Sri Narasimha Saraswati, who was a great saint and who is supposed to be the Fourth Avatar of Shree Dattatreya.

Travel Tips

Avoid visits this holy place during the rainy season when the River Krishna is in spate.

Accommodation

There are some dharamshalas (religious sanctuary) nearby temple wherein you can stay.

HOW TO REACH AUDUMBAR

Nearest Railway Station : Bhilwadi Station (Southern Railway)
Nearest Airport : Kolhapur Airport (KLH)

Distance

Bhilwadi Station to Audumbar – 5 Kilometers (By Road)
Kolhapur Airport to Audumbar - 58 Kilometers (By Road)

Nearby Holy Places

1] Temple of the Goddess Bhuvneshwari

The Temple of the Goddess Bhuvaneshwari is located in the Bhilwadi Village at Sangli District Maharashtra. The Divine Mother is the Queen of the earth realm. The Temple is situated across the Krishna River (Eastern Bank).



2] Shree Brahmanand Swami Math

Photo Gallery :-

Idol of
Shree Narsimha Saraswati
Shree Kshetra Audumbar

NIGHOJ (MOON LAND)

Nighoj

Nighoj, a village in Ahmednagar District of Maharashtra state, about 77 kilometers away from Pune City, is famous for Malganga Temple and the naturally created potholes (Kund) on the riverbed of river Kukadi. A lot of people, geologists, experts from all over the world come here every year to see / study the phenomenon of their formation. It is said that many years ago there was a huge amount of rainfall in this area and the River Ghod (Ghodnadi) flowed through this canyon with a great force forming huge holes in the rocks.

According to geologists the potholes (locally known as Ranjan Khalge) in Nighoj are supposed to be the largest in Asia.

Accommodation / Hotels

At present, there is no hotels nor accommodation available nearby Nighoj Area.

Best Time to Visit Nighoj

During Summer (February to May)

Nearby Attraction

Malganga Temple, Kapileshwar Dam, Morachi Chincholi

How to reach Nighoj

Nearest Railway Station : Pune
Nearest Airport : Lohegaon Airport (PNQ)

Distance

Pune to Nighoj – 77 Kilometers (By Road)

MORACHI CHINCHOLI

Morachi Chincholi

Morachi Chincholi, a village situated on Pune Ahmednagar Highway, is home of more than 2500 peacocks. This beautiful place is just 54 kilometers far from Pune City. The Village name Morachi Chincholi means Peacocks and Tamarind trees. Here in this village you can find lots of peacocks dancing under tamarind trees. This place is a really heaven for peacock watchers.

Best Time to Watch Peacocks

During Monsoon (June to September)
Morning 6 am to 8 am; evening 5 pm to 7 pm

Accommodation

Jaymalhar Krushi Paryatan Kendra - Contact No.91-20-6682 8624
(Min. Charges - Night Stay Rs.500/-; Food Rs.50/- per Thali)

Nearby Attractions

Nighoj, Jain Temple (Manibhadravir Maharaj), Ramling Mandir, Mallikarjun Temple

HOW TO REACH

Nearest Railway Station

Pune Railway Station

Nearest Airport

Pune Airport (PNQ / VAPO)

Distance

Pune Station to Morachi Chincholi – 54 Kilometers

Photo Gallery

PENCH NATIONAL PARK

Pench National Park

The Pench National Park is the joint project of Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh and is named after the river Pench. The Pench National Park is spread over an area of 76000 hectares wherein 28000 hectare area is the core area.

The Pench National Park abounds in wild animals, Sambar, Axis deers, blue bulls, langoor, macaque and even wild dogs.

There are 10 villages and out of 10 only one village named Fulzari is inside the Pench National Park.

Forest department has its rest houses at Totladoh (0712-2560748), Sillari (0712-2524624) etc.

Climate

Tropical monsoon

Best Time to Visit

January to April

Park Timings

Morning 6 am to 10.30 am; evening 3 pm to 6 pm
The Pench National Park remains closed during monsoon (July to September).

Nearby Attractions

Nagzira Sanctuary, Navegaon National Park

How to reach Pench National Park

Nearest Railway Station : Ramtek (Nagpur)
Nearest Airport : Dr. Ambedkar Intl. Airport, Nagpur (CODE : NAG)

Distance

Nagpur Airport to Pench National Park - 167 Kilometers (By Road)
Ramtek to Pench National Park – 120 Kilometers (By Road)
Mumbai to Ramtek – 890 Kilometers (By Road)

SHIVNERI

Shree Chhatrapati
Shivaji Maharaj Bhosale

By birth, as well as by domicile Shivaji was a fort dweller. He was born at Shivneri and breathed his last at fort Raigad. The fort Shivneri which comparatively well preserved fortification is situated five kilometers from Junnar in Pune district, on a hill scarped all around for a considerable depth from the summit. Strong curtain wall, surrounding the hill, rises from the escarpment. The ascent across Lendi steam by winding sinuous path is defended by seven gates, all fortified by arches, minarets, towers loop holed or musketry and adjoining guard rooms. The doors of the fifth gate are armored with anti-elephant spikes, which means such a steep rough path was then climbed by elephants. At the center of the triangular top, rises the central hilltop, about 250 feet high. The fort is amply provided with water by about 30 cisterns and rock-hewn ponds of which two large Ganga and Jamuna and few small are on the upper fort.

The hill has four groups of caves, two on the east i.e. Junnar face, one on the south i.e. the fortified face and one on the west i.e. Nane Valley face. There are in all 135 caves and numerous inscriptions in and around Shivneri, which shows that it was a Buddhist centre during the first three centuries AD. Sir Richard Timple wrote of Shivneri in his ‘Shivaji and the Rise of Marathas’, ‘You will see what a rugged precipitous place this is and what a fitting spot it was for a hero to be born in !’

Nearest Railway Station : Pune

Distance : Mumbai-Pune-177 Kilometers, Pune-Shivneri-93 Kilometers