Maharashtra Shrines
India is the country that is deeply steeped into spirituality, faith, and worship. Infinite numbers of temples are dedicated to god, goddesses and saints. People from all walks of life visit religious Destinations in Maharashtra. These destinations have been evident of the teachings advocated by various saints in the past. Shirdi, Ashta Vinayak, Nanded, Ghrishneshwar, Mahalaxmi Kolhapur and Nashik are major religious centers to pilgrimage.
Shirdi: Hallowed by the presence of Sai Baba, this religious sanctorum receives large numbers of vacationers from every nook and corner of the world. It is said Baba in his astral form listens to all prayers and answers them with the time.
Ashtavinayaka: Lord Ganesh is the protector of his devotees. Eight (Astha) naturally-formed sculpted stone statues have been housed in old temples at the places where these statues were first found. The Ashta Vinayak temples are within the range of 20 to 110 kms of each other.
Nanded: Nanded is the abode of Sikh Guru, Guru Gobind singh. It is said that Guru Gobind Singh took his last breathe here. The famous Shri Huzur Abchalnagar Sachkhand Gurudwara situated here is visited by the pilgrims in huge numbers.
Ghrishneshwar: Nestled half a kilometer from the Ellora caves is Ghrishneshwar temple which is enshrined with Jyotirlinga. It is also amongst the 12 famous Jyotirlingas in India. The walls of these Jyotirlingas are inscribed with the Vedic verses which depicts meaning from the circle of life.
Mahalxmi Kolhapur: In the seventh century AD, the Chalukya ruler, Karandev initiated the construction of this temple and later on in the ninth century, the Shilahara Yadavas beautified it further. The sanctum sanctorum houses the revered idol of the goddess weighing 40 kgs. The idol has not been fashioned by any human being but exists in its natural form -- a primeval monolith of uncut diamonds and precious stones. This is known as Swayambhu.
Nashik: Nashik is crowded town braced by the blend of ancient and modern culture. Sharing its proximity with the past, Nashik is mentioned as the abode of Shri Rama. During the 14 years of his exile, Lord Rama made Nashik as his sojourn. Leading experts believe that it was the world’s largest market place in 150 BC. The pilgrims here can further notice age old temples, forts and ashrams.
