Place to Visit in Maharastra-Daulatabad Fort

Daulatabad is situated around 13 kms away from Aurangabad. This place is known for its majestic fortress which was build in 12th century on top of a hill. The Daulatabad fort emerges dramatically over 600 ft above the Deccan plain. It is one of the world's best preserved forts of medieval times and also one of the few impregnable forts in Maharashtra with excellent architecture. The city was named Daulatabad 'The city of fortune', by Mohammed bin Tughluq, the sultan of Delhi.



¤ History of The Fort

Almost 800 years ago, Daulatabad, then called 'Devigiri' was a thriving city. It was founded by Bhillamraja of the Yadava dynasty in 1187 AD. Later, the fort of Daulatabad passed through the hands of several dynasties in the Deccan. Less than 150 years after the Yadava dynasty, Daulatabad also became the capital of India for a short period during the reign of Sultan Muhammad-bin-Tughluq, who gave the city its present name. But very soon the charm of this ancient city faded.


¤ The Fort

The Daulatabad fort is situated on top of a high hill, encircled by thick walls, spiked gates, steep slide ways and a deep trench. The fort has a coiled network of secret, quizzical and subsurface passages.

Situated on a hill and surrounded by a 40 ft. deep trench with mechanical drawbridges and crocodiles, this fascinating fort becomes impossible for intruders to approach. Along with these, a strong 5 kms long wall and complex series of defenses makes Daulatabad fort one the most secure forts.

The defense system of this fort was absolutely full proof with double and even triple rows of massive walls. This fortress was like a maze where the intruders were trapped. There was no way of conquering this majestic fort. The impregnable fort of Daulatabad was only conquered by treachery.


¤ Significant Structures Within The Fort

Daulatabad fort has some outstanding structures like the Chand Minar, Jami Masjid and royal palaces. The royal palaces within the fort consists of spacious halls, pavilions and courtyards.

The Chand Minar within the fort is a 30-metre high tower. It was a tower of victory build by Ala-ud-din Bahmani to commemorate his conquest of the fort in 1435. The Minar is divided into four storeys having glazed tiles and carved motifs. The Minar is supposed to be used as a prayer hall or a victory monument in its time.

The blue tiled Chini Mahal is located a little higher than the Chand Minar. It is where the last king of Golcunda, Abdul Hasan Tana Shah was imprisoned in 1687. He was captivated here for thirteen years until his death, by the Moghul emperor Aurangzeb.

The Jami Masjid within the fort was a mosque built by the Khilji ruler of Delhi, Qutub-ud-din Mubarak in 1318. This mosque is a well-preserved monument, comprising of 106 pillars ransacked from the Hindu and Jain temples, which previously stood on the site. Lately, the Masjid has been converted into a Bharatmata temple, causing dissatisfaction amongst the local Muslims.

There is a large stone-lined Elephant tank in the nearby area. It was once a major part of the fort's extensive water-supply system. There are two giant terracotta pipes, which are the source of channeled water from the hills falling into Deogiri's ( Daulatabad) legendary fruit and vegetable gardens.

There is also an awesome ram-headed Kila Shikan ("Fort Breaker") cannon inscribed with its name in Persian. It lies on a stone platform nearby. From this spot, a series of gruesome traps start, waiting for the incautious intruder.


¤ Things To Keep In Mind

The Daulatabad fort remains open till 6 pm.


¤ Reach Daulatabad Fort

By Air : The nearest airport from Daulatabad is the Aurangabad airport, located around 10 kms east of the Aurangabad town. This airport is directly linked to Mumbai, Delhi, Jaipur and Udaipur.

By Rail : Aurangabad is well connected to Mumbai and other cities of the country. There are two trains that depart daily from Mumbai. The Tapovan Express leaves Mumbai early morning arriving in Aurangabad by late afternoon, while the Devgiri Express is an overnight train.

By Road : Daulatabad Fort is a part of the MTDC tour to Ellora from Aurangabad. It can also be reached by private taxi or by the local bus that runs between Aurangabad and Ellora.

Place to Visit in Maharastra-Elephanta Caves

One of the major attractions of Maharashtra, the Elephanta Caves are situated near the metropolitan city of Mumbai. The Elephanta island is located 10 km away from the Gateway of India. There are various rock cut temples present in these caves, which are as old as 5th century.

The Elephanta island was named by the Portuguese, after the statue of an elephant near the landing area of the island.


¤ Construction of The Caves

The rock cut temples in Elephanta caves are carved out of rock. There are columns, internal spaces and images within these temples. The entire temple is related to a large sculpture. In fact one can walk through the corridors and chambers of this sculptured temple. Created through a process of rock removal, the entire complex is an interesting monument. Some of the rock surfaces here are finely finished whereas some are unfinished bare rock.

The Elephanta rock caves are sprawled over a large area of about 60000 square feet. These temple caves consist of a main chamber, courtyards and several subsidiary shrines. There is also a mass of natural rock, above the temple.

There are three entrances to the temple. The eastern and the western entrances mark the axis of the temple. There is a 20 pillared hall that lines the axis, and on its western end is a cell in which a Shivalingam enshrined.


¤ The Mystical Images

The magnificent image of Sadasiva, a manifestation of Shiva, is carved in relief at the end of the north south axis. The stupendous 20 feet high image of the three headed Shiva, known as Trimurthy is a magnificent one. It is regarded as a masterpiece of Indian art. This huge image represents Panchamukha Shiva, whose only three faces are carved into the wall. It attracts your attention just as you enter the temple through the northern entrance.

Along with this image there are grand sculptured images of Kalyanasundara, Gangadhara, Ardhanariswara and Uma Maheswara on the southern wall. Other sculptured images of Nataraja and andhakaasuravadamoorthy are to the west of the northern entrance and the images of Yogiswara and Ravanaanugrahamurthy are to its east.


¤ Reach Elephanta Caves

The Elephanta Island can be reached only by boat. Ferry rides are available from the Gateway of India and it takes just 15 minutes to reach the Elephanta Island. It is one of the most adventurous ride as the boat cruise up and down the wavy sea making it a life time experience.

Place to Visit in Maharastra-Gateway of India

Gateway of India

The majestic Gateway of India is a glorious historical memorial built during British rule. This magnificent monument has been built in Indo-Sarcenic style to commemorate the visit of King George V and Queen Mary to Bombay. Gateway of India is one of the finest example of colonial architectural heritage in India. This grand structure stands at the Apollo Bunder, a popular meeting place in Mumbai. The gateway of India was designed by the British architect George Wittet and was opened for general public in the year 1924.

¤ Structure

The foundation stone of the Gateway of India was laid down by the then Governor of Bombay (Mumbai) on March 31st 1913. The total cost of building the arch was around 21 Lakhs. The Gateway of India is 26 meters high and is coupled with four turrets. There are beautiful and complex latticework carved on stones. The mark of Gujarati architecture can also be seen on the monument. It is said that this awesome structure is a blend of the Arc de Triomphe in Paris and a Moorish palace.


¤ Historical Significance

In the year 1947, when the British rule came to an end, this colonial building became a symbol of the British Raj. The last British troop that left India, First Battalion of the Somerset Light Infantry passed through the Gateway of India on 28 February 1948. Thus , it became a notable historical monument.


¤ Recreation facilities

You can enjoy yourself by hiring one of the little motor launches available at the gateway of India. These launches provide short cruises around the active city of Mumbai. Views from these cruises are beautiful and stunning, offering unforgettable memories that stay for a long time with you.

The Gateway of India is surrounded by some of the most reputed hotels in India like the Taj Mahal Hotel, one of the most famous and luxurious hotels in India. The statues of the Maratha leader Shivaji and Swami Vivekananda, stand here adding to the appeal of this monument.

Place to Visit in Maharastra-Allora Caves

Ellora Caves

The famous Ellora caves are located in the lap of the Chamadari hills. These historical caves are regarded as world heritage and are situated 18 miles northwest of Aurangabad. The Ellora Caves are as old as 300 years. At first sight, the Ellora appears to the visitors as an asymmetrical ridge of rock, emerging vertically from the ground.

¤ History

A wonderful example of cave temple architecture, the world heritage Ellora caves own elaborate facades and intricately carved interiors. These carved structures on the inner walls of the caves reflect the three faiths of Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism. These exotic caves were carved during 350 AD to 700 AD period.

The Chalukya - Rashtrakuta rulers (7th - 10th cnetury) were the main patrons of the cave temples of Ellora. Many kings and Merchants donated huge sums of money for the construction of these cave temples. Some religious beliefs and ethical codes forced the rulers to encourage the buliding of these temples. Building of these temples was supposed to give salvation and religious excellance to the kings.

The enchanting cave shrines of Ellora are an added value to the great Indian Heritage.


¤ Caves and Temples

At Ellora, there are in total 34 famous temples carved out of stone. The cave temples of Ellora can be divided into three groups, mostly belonging to three periods: Buddhist, Hindu and Jain. Out of 34 cave temples only 12 of the temples belong to the Buddhist period. Infact even these temples also include the Hindu and Jain theme. This represents the slow decline of Buddhism.

Ellora cave temples were completed after five centuries and were carved by the Hindu, Buddhist and Jain monks. These historical monasteries, temples, and chapels reflect the outstanding imagination and detail work of art . These caves are spread from the North to South and look absolutely stunning in the late afternoon when the golden sunrays fall on them.


¤ Highlights of Ellora Caves

The exquisite carvings and paintings found in Ellora are its major highlights. These carvings have marks of Hindu, Jain and Buddhsim expressions. The wooden beams, graceful angles, steps and the mystical figures of gods and goddesses are absolutely spellbinding. They exhibit the creative excellence of the artist of that time.


¤ Paintings

The famous wall paintings in Ellora are found in 5 caves, but these paintings are preserved only in Kailasa temple. These paintings were painted in two series, first, at the time of carving the caves and second, after many centuries later. The paintings of the first series show Lord Vishnu and Goddess Lakshmi. In the later series the main composition is that of a procession of Shaiva holy men. The paintings also show gracefully flying 'Apsaras'. Sadly, very few such murals in the Jain temples are well preserved.


¤ Festival

The MTDC organizes the famous Ellora Festival of classical dance and music at these caves every year in the third week of March.


¤ Reach Ellora Caves

By Air : The nearest airport from these caves is situated in Aurangabad (15 kms). It is a domestic airport.

By Rail : Aurangabad is the nearest railway station on South Central Railway Line. Mumbai - Aurangabad via Manmad is 388-km and via Pune it is 400-km.

By Road : Aurangabad is a major city of Maharashtra, therefore it is well connected by road. To reach Ellora Caves tourists should take a taxi from Aurangabad. State buses run from Mumbai, Pune, Ahmednagar, Jalgaon, Shirdi, Nasik, Dhule, Ahmedabad, Hyderabad, Indore and Bijapur to Aurangabad.

Place to Visit in Maharastra-Ajanta Caves

Ajanta Caves

The famous Ajanta caves are situated about 99-kms away from Aurangabad district in the state of Maharashtra. These caves are regarded as a world heritage site and were carved out from the 2nd century BC to 6th century AD. They are placed in a horseshoe shape about 3.5 m away from the village. The river Wagura, a mountain stream flows along the bottom of the ravine. This river falls from a height of 200 ft, thus making a series of waterfalls. The sound of the waterfalls can be heard in the caves also.

The intriguing Ajanta Caves are carved out of large rocks and are 30 in number. These caves are dedicated to Lord Buddha. The followers and students of Buddhism resided here to study this religion. They have decorated these caves with the help of their excellent architectural skills and artistic paintings.

The carvings and the paintings in the caves depict the life stories of Lord Buddha. Along with this, several types of human and animal figures are also carved out of the rocks.


¤ Depiction of Contemporary Society

The carvings and the murals in the Ajanta depicted the contemporary society of that period. These artistic pieces showed all kinds of people from kings to slaves, women, men and children interwoven with flowers, plants, fruits, birds and beasts. There are also figures related to the people of that time, some of them are 'Yakshas', 'Kinneras' (half human and half bird) 'Gandharvas' (divine musicians) and 'Apsaras' (heavenly dancers).

Discovery The enchanting Ajanta caves were discovered accidentally by a company of British soldiers in the 19th century. Before the excavation of these caves they were hidden under the thick vegetation for a long time.


¤ The Caves

The incredible caves of Ajanta are dedicated exclusively to Buddhism. There are around 30 caves here and are divided into 'Chaitya-Grihas' (stupa halls) and 'Viharas' (dwelling halls). Around five of these caves (9, 10, 19, 26 and 29) are 'Chaitya-Grihas'. The rest of the caves are 'Sangharamas' or Viharas (monasteries). The caves 1, 2, 16 and 17 are important from the art point of view. They are great pieces of art compared to the contemporary art world.

These caves have exotic paintings illustrating the life and incarnations of Buddha. The carvings and the paintings of the Ajanta caves tell us about the imagination and creativity of the artist. The murals on the walls of these caves are still in a good condition, maintaining the freshness of the color and spreading vibrancy in the atmosphere. Visitors will definitely enjoy watching these great historical pieces of art.


¤ The Viharas

The Ajanta caves were divided into several viharas (dwelling halls) and chaitya-grihas (stupa halls), scooped out of the sloping rocks in the fifth century CE. The viharas consisted of a broad verandah. The roof of this verandah was supported by pillars and giving towards the interior on to a hall averaging in size about 35 ft. by 20 ft. Also there are dormitories to the left, right and back , opening on to this hall. The number of dormitories varied according to the size of the hall, and in the larger ones pillars supported the roof on all three sides, forming a sort of religious residence running round the hall.

There is also a shrine of lord Buddha in a niche facing the entrance and sometimes facing the subsidiary shrines to the right or left of the entrance. With the help of carvings, the facades of the viharas were decorated and the paintings adorned the walls and ceilings.


¤ The Chaityas

The chaitya-grihas are greater than the viharas. The largest chaitya-grihas being 94 1/2 ft. from the verandah to the back and 41 1/4 ft. across, including the cloister. Earlier, the chaitya-grihas at Ajanta had stupas, but later they had a standing or seated image of the Buddha in front of them.

One of the signs of changing patterns of worship is the bodhisattva cult that was practiced at Ajanta. The Bodhisattvas are heavenly beings on the brink to Buddhahood. It is said that they chose to remain in the world to help others towards salvation. The figures off these bodhisattvas are carved at the entrance of a vihara or chaitya-griha or are painted on walls.


¤ The Wall-Paintings

The Ajanta caves are divided into three groups. The oldest group is believed to belong to the period between 200 BCE to CE 200, the second group is believed to belong to the sixth and the third group to the seventh century. Almost all the interior walls and ceilings of the caves are covered with murals.

At the time of discovery (1817), these paintings were in a better condition than now. But fortunately, the school of art in Bombay has the copied versions of the paintings which have now disappeared from the caves. These copies are the major evidence of pictorial art in India before the rise of Hinduism. Thus, they are valuable and need preservation.


¤ Reach Ajanta

By Air : The nearest airport from Ajanta caves is the Aurangabad domestic airport (99 kms). Aurangabad is directly linked to Delhi, Udaipur, Jaipur, and Mumbai.

By Rail : Aurangabad is directly linked to Mumbai and Pune by rail. Jalgaon, a railhead on the Central Railways line, is 59 kilometres from Ajanta. Two trains Tapovan Express and Devgiri Express depart daily from Mumbai to Aurangabad.

By Road : Ajanta Caves are connected to a network of excellent roadways with Mumbai, Pune, Ahmednagar, Jalgaon, Shirdi, Nasik, Dhule, Ahmedabad, Hyderabad, Indore, Bijapur, and Aurangabad. One can easily get a bus ply for Ajanta from Aurangabad.

Beautiful Beaches of Mumbai

Mumbai, the capital of Maharashtra is a beautiful city filled with many enchanting beaches, having shimmering sand, sun and surf. These beaches are like the soul of this city of dreams, where people enjoy their evenings. Some of these wonderful beaches of Mumbai are given below.


¤ Marine Drive, The Jewel of Mumbai

Marine Drive is located in the central Mumbai. It was built in the 1920s and 1930s on land rescued from the sea. It is Mumbai's most famous pathway, where people walk and sit in the evenings. It is also known as "Queen's Necklace" because of the dramatic line of street lamps lit up at night that surround the beach. Recently it's name has been changed to "Netaji Subhashchandra Bose Road". Marine Drive is a fun place to be, here you can enjoy yourself by watching children playing with sand and vendors selling toys and food. Truly, a colorful beach.


¤ Chowpatty Beach

Chowpatty beach is situated at the top end of Marine Drive. It is the only beach in the central part of Mumbai. This beach is the venue where many Hindu religious ceremonies can be witnessed like the annual thread-tying ceremony initiating young boys into the Brahmin caste. Another festival 'Nariel Purnima' is celebrated towards the end of the monsoons. Here the idols of Ganesha are immersed on the last day of 'Ganesh Chaturthi'.

At the beach there are statues of Lokmanya Tilak and Vithalbhai Patel. The beach is also famous for a huge line of stalls, selling 'Bhelpuri', 'Kulfi' and 'Paan'. Other attractions at the beach are shooting galleries, snake charmers, monkey trainers, balloon sellers and masseurs. Recently, a "Nana-Nani Park" has been added to the beach, specially for elderly people.


¤ Juhu Beach

Juhu beach is one of the largest and frequently visited beaches of India. It is located 18 km north of the city center. This beach is one of the most exotic beaches on the shores of Arabian Sea. Areas near Juhu beach are one of the posh localities of Mumbai where bungalows of the famous film personalities are located. It is also the venue of many film shootings. Juhu beach is a famous hangout zone of Mumbai. The southern end of the Juhu beach is surrounded many Luxury hotels and apartments.

Juhu beach has many stalls selling the famous snack of Mumbai, Bhelpuri, which people enjoy eating while visiting the beach. A popular weekend spot, Juhu, also offers horse and donkey rides. Here you can enjoy yourself by watching dancing monkeys, acrobats, cricket matches, toy sellers and other type of Indian beach entertainment. Versova Beach is towards north of Juhu, which is a home to Mumbai's largest Koli fishing community.


¤ Marve and Manori Beach

The Marve and Manori beaches are located approximately 19 miles from Mumbai. These attractive beaches are pleasant for bathing. At Marve there is a 5-star resort hotel to spend a refreshing weekend. On the way to these lovely beaches lies the Madh Beach, another favorite picnic spot.

Madhya Pradesh-heart of India

Madhya Pradesh occupies perhaps the oldest part of the subcontinent - called the Gondwana - the home of the Gonds. Close to Bhopal at Bhimbetka are the prehistoric caves that preserve some fascinating paintings dating back to paleolithic times. Experts have concluded that these are at least as old as the specimen at Pyrnees. This was perhaps one of the earliest dwellings of human beings. In fact, the excavations here have revealed a cultural sequence right from the late stone age to the early historical period. Madhya Pradesh is the richest state in the country in respect of painted rock-shelters, the majority of which have been found in the districts of Sehore, Bhopal, Raisen, Hoshangabad and Sagar.

During the ascendency of the Guptas, the whole region came under the domain of the imperial Guptas and subsequently formed a part of of Harshavardhan's empire. With the decline in imperial power, the province was broken up into small principalities contending forever to establish their supremacy over one another. Chandelas were one such dynasty claiming descent from the moon, who carved out a strong prosperous kingdom for themselves after the decline of the great empire. There was a short spell of inspired construction activity under the Chandela in the 10th to 11th centuries. They are the ones who have left behind the cluster of matchless temples at Khajuraho, now a World Heritage Site.
Chandelas were followed by Pratihara and Gaharwar Rajput dynasties claiming mythical origins relating their scions to the gods or heroes in the epics.
They lived and died by a difficult code of chivalry, wasted away scarce resources in an expensive feudal life style and could not ultimately keep at bay the expanding Muslim Power. Rulers of Malwa fought a running battle with the subedars of Gujarat or the commanders of the Sultan of Delhi throughout the sultanate period.
The grand Moghul Akbar succeeded in subdoing most of them and his sterner grandson Aurangazeb broke through the last pockets of resistance in this region.
Many of the smaller kingdoms trace their origins to the lands granted by the emperor at Delhi to those who had served him well.
Bir Singh Deo of Orchha was for instance installed on his throne by Jehangir who felt obliged to the Bundela chieftain for having removed a painful thorn Abdul Fazal, from his side. Abdul Fazal one of the nine Jewels of Akbar's court was murdered at his behest near Gwalior.
Some other principalities came into being with branching of families, internecine quarrels and the munificence of the Marathas who were indominable with the decline of the Moghuls. Rulers of Ratlam and Sitamau claim close relationship with the ruling house of Jodhpur in Rajasthan.
In course of time, the Marathas were replaced by the British who entered into treaty relationships with these princely states and established paramountey over them. This was the Raj period when the Central Provinces were left for the large part outside developments in British India. The Maharajas were free to indulge in their expensive whims much to the chagrin of their poor populace. This is the world evoked by Kipling in his Jungle Book and chronicled by F.M. Forster in the Hill of Devi. Jhabua, Nagod, Alirajpur, Sarguja Dewas Senior and Junior were quaint names of exotic places where eccentric Englishmen could strive to carve out a career or amass a fortune or simply drop de.
These were the destinations where the Prince of Wales or the Viceroy could be taken out for the treat of his life a tiger shoot, or to savour the extravagant life style of the Maharajas. Most of these blue-blooded gentry were content to be renowned for their prowess with a heavy gun or patronage of arts and crafts.
The stirrings of the national movement were slow in this region as most of the area was not directly ruled by the British. Undaunted freedom fighters carried Mahatma Gandhi's message to the masses and exhorted them to take up the battle against colonialism.
Independence of India in 1947 was followed by the merger of hundreds of princely states into the union and the Indian Republic was born on 26th January 1950. Soon afterwards the boundaries were rationalized with re - organization of the States with Madhya Pradesh becoming the largest one, covering a total area of 4,43,406 sq. kms. until 1st November 2000 when the new State of Chhattisgarh with a total area of 71,35,224 sq. km. was carved out of it.