Maharashtra, the ‘great nation’, is indeed one of the great states of India. Not only is it a state larger in area and population than most countries of the world, but it is also one of the most industrially and commercially developed areas of India. Its chief city, Mumbai (formerly Bombay), is the commercial capital of the country and one of the world’s great metropolis.
But modern Maharashtra is not the bustle of industrial and agricultural activity or the frenzied pursuit of wealth and progress alone. Very much part of the everyday scene anywhere in the state are the signs of its great religious, cultural, historical and martial heritages. To be found here are hundreds of shrines of all faiths that are almost as old as the religions whose congregations they shelter. Everywhere in the state is to be found evidence of the artistic skills of a people whose culture goes back thousands of years. In song and dance, in painting and sculpture, in architecture and handicraft, Maharashtra displays a fascinating variety of brilliant achievement that is nowhere more evident than in its cave-temples and Hindu shrines. All over Maharashtra are the relics of the glorious history the great Chhatrapati Shivaji bequeathed the Maratha Empire. Massive forts on hill tops and historic battle sites all tell the story of a great nation rise from division to unity.
Apart from culture and history, Maharashtra offers a traveler idyllic bliss in a land blessed by nature. Quiet and beautiful hill stations nestling in the bosoms of rugged peaks secluded palm-shaded golden beaches lapped by the blue waters of the Arabian Sea, rushing rivers offering sport and recreation, placid lakes and warm springs that are balms that soothe, and dense monsoon forests where bird and game never fail the patient animal lover.. These are all parts of a land created, as it were, only for a relaxing holiday. But no holiday can be a success without the help of people. And the people of Maharashtra are the friendliest and most helpful a traveler can find. Smiling faces, an ever willingness to help and warm hospitality are the oldest traditions in Maharashtra. These are traditions that make holiday in Maharashtra are unforgettable experiences.
This state of saints and sages, reformists and nation-builders are an Indian experience with a difference. From here is infinite variety, from India’s Hollywood to the creations of ancient artists, from blooming commercialism to serene hideaways in the mountains or by the waters, from modern freeways to the jungle trails of teeming wildlife, from exotic flora to the most succulent of the fruit and the tastiest of foods.
All this and shopping too. There is no better shopping paradise in India than Mumbai. But almost every other Maharashtrian town too offers visitors good shopping, especially for travelers seeking textiles. Mumbai is famous for its cotton and synthetic textiles but Maharashtra offers the visitor a rich variety of handwoven cloth: Kosa silks from Nagpur, Himroo from Aurangabad, Paithanis from Paithan and colorful cottons from Bhiwandi. Woodwork, metalwork, inlay (bidri) work and jewelry are also part of the handicraft riches of Maharashtra.
To reach all this is easy. Getting around Maharashtra is no problem. Five cities are air-linked and every other part of the state is connected by rail and excellent roads. Many of the coastal towns are even linked by steamer or launch. And wherever you go, there is clean and comfortable accommodation, from the 7-star deluxe hotels in Mumbai to the tourist bungalows and holiday resorts of vacation destinations, from rest houses to “Indian Boarding and Lodging” establishments in the smallest of towns.
But modern Maharashtra is not the bustle of industrial and agricultural activity or the frenzied pursuit of wealth and progress alone. Very much part of the everyday scene anywhere in the state are the signs of its great religious, cultural, historical and martial heritages. To be found here are hundreds of shrines of all faiths that are almost as old as the religions whose congregations they shelter. Everywhere in the state is to be found evidence of the artistic skills of a people whose culture goes back thousands of years. In song and dance, in painting and sculpture, in architecture and handicraft, Maharashtra displays a fascinating variety of brilliant achievement that is nowhere more evident than in its cave-temples and Hindu shrines. All over Maharashtra are the relics of the glorious history the great Chhatrapati Shivaji bequeathed the Maratha Empire. Massive forts on hill tops and historic battle sites all tell the story of a great nation rise from division to unity.
Apart from culture and history, Maharashtra offers a traveler idyllic bliss in a land blessed by nature. Quiet and beautiful hill stations nestling in the bosoms of rugged peaks secluded palm-shaded golden beaches lapped by the blue waters of the Arabian Sea, rushing rivers offering sport and recreation, placid lakes and warm springs that are balms that soothe, and dense monsoon forests where bird and game never fail the patient animal lover.. These are all parts of a land created, as it were, only for a relaxing holiday. But no holiday can be a success without the help of people. And the people of Maharashtra are the friendliest and most helpful a traveler can find. Smiling faces, an ever willingness to help and warm hospitality are the oldest traditions in Maharashtra. These are traditions that make holiday in Maharashtra are unforgettable experiences.
This state of saints and sages, reformists and nation-builders are an Indian experience with a difference. From here is infinite variety, from India’s Hollywood to the creations of ancient artists, from blooming commercialism to serene hideaways in the mountains or by the waters, from modern freeways to the jungle trails of teeming wildlife, from exotic flora to the most succulent of the fruit and the tastiest of foods.
All this and shopping too. There is no better shopping paradise in India than Mumbai. But almost every other Maharashtrian town too offers visitors good shopping, especially for travelers seeking textiles. Mumbai is famous for its cotton and synthetic textiles but Maharashtra offers the visitor a rich variety of handwoven cloth: Kosa silks from Nagpur, Himroo from Aurangabad, Paithanis from Paithan and colorful cottons from Bhiwandi. Woodwork, metalwork, inlay (bidri) work and jewelry are also part of the handicraft riches of Maharashtra.
To reach all this is easy. Getting around Maharashtra is no problem. Five cities are air-linked and every other part of the state is connected by rail and excellent roads. Many of the coastal towns are even linked by steamer or launch. And wherever you go, there is clean and comfortable accommodation, from the 7-star deluxe hotels in Mumbai to the tourist bungalows and holiday resorts of vacation destinations, from rest houses to “Indian Boarding and Lodging” establishments in the smallest of towns.