MAHARASHTRA

• Mumbai

  

  Mumbai (formerly called Bombay) is a densely populated city on India’s west coast. A financial center, it's India's largest city. On the Mumbai Harbour waterfront stands the iconic Gateway of India stone arch, built by the British Raj in 1924. Offshore, nearby Elephanta Island holds ancient cave temples dedicated to the Hindu god Shiva. The city's also famous as the heart of the Bollywood film industry.

• Aurangabad

  

  Aurangabad is a city in Maharashtra state, in India. It’s known for the 17th-century marble Bibi ka Maqbara shrine, styled on the Taj Mahal. The nearby Shivaji Maharaj Museum, dedicated to the Maratha king Shivaji, displays war weapons and a coin collection. North of the city, the Aurangabad Caves comprise ancient, rock-cut Buddhist shrines. West of the city, battlements surround the medieval Daulatabad Fort.

• Kolhapur

  

  Kolhapur, also spelled Colapore, kolhapur is a city in the Panchganga River Basin in the western Indian state of Maharashtra. It is the district headquarters of Kolhapur district. Kolhapur came under the administration of Bombay Presidency prior to Indian Independence and was a nineteen gun salute, princely state ruled by the Bhosale Chhatrapati (Bhosale royal clan) of the Maratha Empire.

• Mahabaleshwar

  

  Mahabaleshwar is a hill station in India's forested Western Ghats range, south of Mumbai. It features several elevated viewing points, such as Arthur’s Seat. West of here is centuries-old Pratapgad Fort, perched atop a mountain spur. East, Lingmala Waterfall tumbles off a sheer cliff. Colorful boats dot Venna Lake, while 5 rivers meet at Panch Ganga Temple to the north.

• Solapur

  

  Solapur is a city located in the south-eastern region of Indian state of Maharashtra. Solapur is located on major road and rail routes between Mumbai and Hyderabad, with a branch line to the cities of Bijapur (now known as Vijayapur) and Gadag in the neighbouring state of Karnataka.It is classified as a 2 Tier and B-2 class city by House Rent Allowance classification by the Government of India.It is 49th-most-populous city in India and 43rd-largest urban agglomeration.

• Matheran

  

  Matheran is a hill station and a municipal council in the Raigad district in the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is a hill station in Karjat Tahsil and is also the smallest hill station in India. It is located on the Western Ghats range at an elevation of around 800 m (2,625 feet) above sea level. It is located around 90 km from Mumbai, and 120 km from Pune. Matheran's proximity to many metropolitan cities makes it a popular weekend getaway for urban residents. Matheran, which means "forest on the forehead" (of the mountains) is an eco-sensitive region, declared by the Ministry of Environment and Forest, Government of India. It is Asia's only automobile-free hill station.

• Alibag

  

  Alibag was developed in the 17th century by Sarkhel Kanhoji Aangre the naval chief of King Shivaji's Kingdom. Alibag is a coastal town and municipal council in Raigad district of Maharashtra, India. It is the headquarters of the Raigad district. Raigad's first name was "Kulaba". Today's Ramnath was the main village. A Bene Israelite named Ali used to live there at that time. He was a rich man and owned many plantations of mangoes and coconuts in his gardens. Hence the locals used to call the place "Alichi Bagh" (Marathi for "Gardens of Ali"), or simply "Alibag", and the name stuck. Revdanda, Chaul, Nagaon, Akshi, Varsoli, Thal, Kihim and Aawas villages were known as "Ashtagare".

• Nashik

  

  Nashik is an ancient holy city in Maharashtra, a state in western India. It’s known for its links to the “Ramayana” epic poem. On the Godavari River is Panchavati, a temple complex. Nearby, Lord Rama was thought to have bathed at Ram Kund water tank, today attended by Hindu devotees. Shri Kalaram Sansthan Mandir is an ancient shrine to Rama, while Rama and Sita are said to have worshipped at Sita Gufaa caves.

• Ratnagiri

  

  Ratn?giri is a port city on the Arabian Sea coast in Ratnagiri District in the southwestern part of Maharashtra, India. The district is a part of Konkan division of Maharashtra.