3 DAYS TRIP FROM PUNE | SHIRDI, NASHIK & IGATPURI

About Shani Shingnapur Temple

At a distance of 44 Km from Ahmednagar, and 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 sites near Pune. The temple is regarded as a 'jagrut devasthan,' which translates to 'living temple,' indicating that the deity is believed to still inhabit the site. The villagers' faith in Lord Shani is so profound that none of the homes in this remarkable village are equipped with doors or locks, as they trust that Lord Shani safeguards their possessions from theft.

History & Mythology of Shani Shingnapur Temple

The village of Shani Shingnapur is unique in that none of its homes .....

About Shirdi Saibaba Temple

At a distance of 600 m from Shirdi Bus Stand, Sri Shirdi Sai Baba Temple is a prominent Hindu temple situated in the center of Shirdi town in Maharashtra. It is one of the most famous pilgrimage sites in India and among the prime place to include in your Shirdi tour packages. The Shirdi Temple is dedicated to Sri Sai Baba, who is revered as one of the greatest saints ever seen in India, endowed with unprecedented powers. 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.

History of Shirdi Saibaba Temple

Sai Baba is recognized to have been born into a Hindu Brahmin family before being taken in by a Sufi fakir. He is said to have arrived in the village of Shirdi at approximately 16 years of age, appearing .....

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 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 .....

About Ram Kund

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. Located on the banks of the Godavari River, this is one of the popular places to visit as part of the Nashik pilgrimage packages. Ram Kund is a holy site visited by people from all across the world. Devotees believe that a dip in this tank will fulfill their wishes and also free them from their sins.

History & Mythology of Ram Kund

Ram Kund was built by Chitrarao Khatarkar in 1696 AD, and was later restored by Gopikabai, the mother of the fourth Peshwa Madhavrao. 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 .....

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 .....

About Trimbakeshwar/Tryambakeswar Temple

At a distance of 28 Km from Nashik, Trimbakeshwar or Tryambakeswar is a small pilgrimage town situated along the banks of the Godavari River, at the base of the Brahmagiri Mountains in the Nasik district of Maharashtra. The town is renowned for the Trimbakeshwar Temple, one of the twelve Jyotirlinga temples dedicated to Lord Shiva, which carries significant religious and mythological importance. It is one of the popular places of pilgrimage sites in Maharashtra, and among the most famous places to visit near Nashik. The sacred Godavari River has its source in the vicinity of Trimbak.

History & Mythology of Trimbakeshwar/Tryambakeswar Temple

Trimbakeshwar Temple was constructed by Sri Nana Saheb Peshwa between 1755 and 1786 AD and is regarded as among the most sacred pilgrimage sites near Mumbai. This .....

At a distance of 2 km from Igatpuri Railway Station, the Vipassana International Academy is a renowned meditation center located in Igatpuri, Maharashtra. Also known as Dhammagiri Meditation Centre, it is considered as the world's largest meditation center and among the prime places to visit in Igatpuri.

Founded in 1976 AD by S. N. Goenka, Dhammagiri Meditation Centre is known to offer various courses on Vipassana, an ancient meditation technique which was rediscovered by Gautama Buddha around 2,500 years ago as a treatment for general illness. The founder of Vipassana International Academy, S N Goenka used to teach Vipassana meditation, which was taught by his teacher U Ba Khin, at this centre. The Vipassana meditation is the self-purification process, which starts with by concentrating your mind by observing your breathing pattern. The meditation will benefit your mind and body and you will start experiencing egolessness, mental purification and the truth of impermanence. The technique .....

At a distance of 5 km from Igatpuri Railway Station, Ghatandevi Temple is a Hindu temple situated on the outskirts of Igatpuri town in the Nashik district of Maharashtra. It is one of the popular places of pilgrimage in Igatpuri and among the must include Igatpuri tour packages.

The temple is devoted to Ghatandevi, who is believed to be the protector of the Ghats by the locals. Located in a gorgeous valley, the temple presents an eye-catching spectacle to the devotees. The majestic peaks of Harihar, Durvar Utvad, and Trimak form an imposing backdrop to this elegant shrine. It is one of the most important places to visit in Igatpuri.

A pretty shrine in a serene, tranquil atmosphere is definitely waking up the faith in divinity to anyone. People visit this temple to calm their minds and forget about the noise, pollution, and hustle-bustle of the .....

At a distance of 1 km from Bhatsa River Valley Point and 4 km from Igatpuri Railway Station, Camel Valley Viewpoint is a vantage point situated in Igatpuri. Located on Mumbai - Agra National Highway, it is one of the splendid viewpoints in Igatpuri and among the must include places during Igatpuri Tour.

Camel Valley is actually a deep valley and is one of the best kept secrets of the town. Situated near the picturesque Bhatsa River Valley, the valley got its name from the rocky cliff that looks like the head of a camel. From the view point, one can witness the breathtaking panorama of the valley and its surroundings. The major attraction of the valley is the roaring waterfall which cascades down from a height of about 1,000 feet.

Monsoon is the most preferable time to visit Camel Valley as the valley becomes greener and comes alive with many waterfalls. The lush green valley covered in the misty blanket is a sight to behold. It is an ideal place for photographers and nature .....

At a distance of 5 km from Igatpuri Railway Station, Bhatsa River Valley Viewpoint is a beautiful valley viewpoint situated at Igatpuri town in Nashik district of Maharashtra. Located on Mumbai - Nashik Highway, it is one of the popular viewpoints in Igatpuri and among the must visit Igatpuri Tourist Places.

Bhatsa River Valley Viewpoint is situated just ahead of famous Camel Valley Vantage point. This viewpoint offers a panoramic view of Bhatsa River winding through the valley, surrounding plains and hills. The location is a paradise during monsoon and almost every Vehicle heading towards Mumbai from Nasik take a stopover as the valley becomes greener and comes alive with many waterfalls. The lush green valley covered in the misty blanket is a sight to behold. It is an ideal place for photographers and nature lovers.

Situated in the basin of the majestic Bhatsa River at the end of the Thal Ghat, this place is rich in picturesque vegetation and beautiful rock formations. The .....

At a distance of 13.5 km from Igatpuri and 59 km from Nashik, Vihigaon waterfall is a seasonal waterfalls situated at Vihigaon village in Thane district of Maharashtra. This is one of the best natural waterfalls of Maharashtra and also a popular weekend getaway from Mumbai and Nashik.

Vihigaon Falls is a monsoon fed waterfall known for its natural vista. The falls is cascading down from a height of about 120 feet into a pool. Also known as Ashoka Waterfall, the Vihigaon Waterfall is located in deep forest. The waterfall is amazing and the way to waterfall consists of a small hiking through hilly forest and visitors may get a chance of bird watching.

The waterfall is an ideal spot for rappelling. In monsoon, this waterfall gives the adventurers an opportunity to rappel in the middle of the thick forest. The waterfall offers about 120 feet of rappelling height, which is covered in an average of 30 minutes by most people. This perfect adventure weekend getaway can take visitors .....