NASHIK - SHIRDI - SHANISHIGNAPUR (FROM NASHIK)

At a distance of 9 km from Nashik Central Bus Station, Muktidham is a marble temple complex located at Deolali Gaon on the suburbs of Nashik. It is one of the popular tourist attractions in the city of Nashik.

Muktidham Temple complex was built by Late Sri JayramBhai Bytco in 1971. An abode of most of the gods and goddesses of the Hindu religion, this splendid shrine displays the replica of all the 12 Jyotirlingas of India. It is believed that a holy darshan of this shrine provides as much virtue as a visit to four holy places, which makes this magnificent shrine a crowded pilgrim center.

It is a magnificent piece of architecture, made with white marble from Makran in Rajasthan. There is a temple dedicated to Lord Krishna in the Muktidham complex. The walls of Krishna temple have paintings depicting scenes from life of Krishna and Mahabharata. These were painted by a noted painter Raghubir Mulgaonkar. Unique to this temple are eighteen chapters of Bhagavad-Gita written on the .....

At a distance of 2 km from Nashik Central Bus Station, Ramkund is the most important sacred bathing tank in the Panchavati area of Nashik City. This is one of the popular places to visit in Nashik during Kumbh Mela.

Ram Kund, measuring 27 x 12 sq. m was built by Chitrarao Khatarkar in 1696 AD. According to the legend, this sacred bathing tank on the bank of river Godavari is believed to be the spot where Lord Rama had taken his bath during their exile. It is also said that Lord Rama has performed his father's funeral rites in this Kund and hence Ram Kund is also known as Asthi Vilaya Tirtha (Bone Immersion Tank). This is one of the must-visit places as part
of Nashik tour packages.

Ram Kund is a holy place for Hindus. Devotees believe that a dip in this tank will fulfill their wishes and also free them from their sins. There is a popular belief .....

At a distance of 2.5 km from Nashik Central Bus Station, Sri Kalaram Temple is an old Hindu shrine situated in the Panchavati area of Nashik city in Maharashtra. It is probably the most important temple in Nasik, and among the must include places in Nashik tour packages.

Kalaram Temple is dedicated to Lord Rama, who has been enshrined inside the sanctum sanctorum in the form of a black stone idol. It is one of the important places to visit in Nashik. The temple was built by Sardar Rangarao Odhekar in 1790 AD. It was said that Odhekar had a dream that the statue of Rama in black color was in the Godavari River. Odhekar took the statue from the river and built the temple. The temple formed a pivotal role in the Dalit Movement in India. Dr. Ambedkar led a protest outside the temple on 2nd March 1930, to allowing Dalits into the temple.

The architectural .....

At a distance of 2.7 km from Nashik Central Bus Station, Sita Gumpha or Sita Gufaa is situated near Kalaram Temple in Panchavati area of Nashik. It is one of the top pilgrimage places to visit in Nashik.

Sita Gumpha is believed to be the place where Sita worshipped Lord Shiva during their exile. The cave, containing the idols of Lord Ram, Sita and Lakshmana, can be accessible only through the help of a narrow staircase. The ancient Shivlinga still exists in the cave and is visited by large number of devotees every day. Devotees believed to be the place where Ravana, the demon king of Lanka, abducted Sita.

Outside the cave is a large grove of 5 very old Banyan trees, after which the area is named, Panchavati means 'a garden of five banyan trees'. These trees are said to have been there during the exile of Lord Rama. There is a place called Tapovan where Lakshmana, the brother of Rama, cut off the nose of Surpanakha, the sister of Ravana. The entire Aranya Kanda of Ramayana is .....

At a distance of 28 km from Nashik, Trimbakeshwar or Tryambakeswar is a small pilgrimage town located on the banks of River Godavari at the foothills of Brahmagiri Mountains in Nasik district of Maharashtra. It is one of the popular places of pilgrimage in Maharashtra, and among the must-include places in Nashik packages.

Trimbakeshwar is famous for Trimbakeshwar Temple which is one of the 12 Jyotirlinga temples of Lord Shiva. It is one of the most famous places to visit near Nashik. Trimbakeshwar Temple is built by Sri Nana Saheb Peshwa in 1755-1786 AD. The presiding deity of the temple is Lord Shiva as Trimbakeshwar. The extraordinary feature of the Jyotirlinga located here is its three faces embodying Lord Brahma, Lord Vishnu, and Lord Rudra. A crown studded with precious stones rests on top of .....

At a distance of 30 km from Nashik, Sinnar is a town and a municipal council in Sinnar taluka of Nashik district in Maharashtra. Sinnar is mainly famous for Sri Gondeshwar Temple and Gargoti Museum. It is one of the famous places to visit near Nashik.

Gondeshwar Temple is situated about 2 km from Sinnar Bus Station and it represents the best example of the Hemadpanti style of architecture. The structure was constructed using the locally available black basalt stone and lime. The temple's origin dates back to 12 - 13th century during the Yadava dynasty. Some sources claim that Raj Govinda of the Yadava dynasty built this great temple. Yet another tradition assigns the building to Govindaraja, another Yadava king who ruled about the beginning of the twelfth century AD.

It is a Shaiva Panchayatan or a group of five temples within a large enclosure. The central shrine is dedicated to Lord Shiva and the remaining four .....

At a distance of 600 m from Shirdi Bus Stand, Sri Shirdi Sai Baba Temple is situated in the center of Shirdi town. It is one of the most famous shrines of pilgrimage in India and also prime place to include in your Shirdi Tour Packages.

The Shirdi Temple is dedicated to Sri Sai Baba and he is revered as one of the greatest saints ever seen in India, endowed with unprecedented powers, and is worshipped as an incarnation of God. Baba first made his appearance in Shirdi as a youth and remained there until he died in 1918. He transformed the lives of those who met him and continuously is doing so even after his Samadhi for those who pray him for his blessings. This is one of the popular places to visit in Shirdi.

The temple complex of Sri Shirdi Sai Baba is spread in approximately 200 square meters. Samadhi .....

At a distance of 72 km from Shirdi and 44 km from Ahmednagar, Shani Shingnapur or Sonai is a village in Nevasa taluka of Ahmednagar district in Maharashtra. The village is known for its popular temple of Shani Mahadev, the Hindu god associated with the planet (graha) Saturn. This is one of the most popular Shani temples in India and also among the famous pilgrimage places to visit near Pune.

The idol of Lord Shanidev at the Shingnapur temple is swayambhu and the temple is believed to be a jagrut devasthan, meaning that a deity still resides in the temple. The idol is personified in the form of a black stone that is five and a half feet high installed on an open-air platform. There is a Trishul alongside the stone as well as a Nandi on its south. In front are the small images of Shiva and Hanuman. An east-facing multi deity temple was built west of the Shani idol later. The premises also contain a tomb of Saint Udasi Baba .....