Maharashtra

Maharashtra is one of India's largest and most economically important states. Located in western India, it has an extraordinary range of places to explore, from the crowded streets and colonial landmarks of Mumbai to the Maratha heritage of Pune, ancient rock-cut caves, temples, beaches and hill destinations.

Mumbai, the state capital, naturally dominates many travel itineraries. But Maharashtra goes far beyond Mumbai. Pune has its own collection of historic wadas, temples and monuments, while the state as a whole has Buddhist caves, forts, pilgrimage centres, a long Arabian Sea coastline and landscapes that change considerably as one travels inland.

My explorations of Maharashtra have so far concentrated mainly on Mumbai, Pune and Lavasa. This page brings together those articles in one place.

More destinations will be added as I continue travelling across the state.

Destinations by City and Town

Mumbai (Bombay)

Mumbai is India's financial capital, but for a traveller it offers much more than skyscrapers and commerce. Colonial buildings, old markets, temples, beaches, docks and busy shopping streets reveal very different sides of the city.

Pune

Pune has strong connections with Maratha history, particularly the Peshwa period. Old wadas, temples and historic neighbourhoods survive alongside the rapidly expanding modern city.

Lavasa

Lavasa is a planned hill city near Pune, built around the hills and waterfront of the Western Ghats. Its colourful buildings and lakeside setting give it an appearance quite different from Maharashtra's historic towns.

Places of Worship

Mumbai

Mahalakshmi Temple
One of Mumbai's best-known temples, with Mahalakshmi, Mahakali and Mahasaraswati enshrined together.

Parleshwar Temple
A Shiva temple in the Vile Parle locality of Mumbai.

Siddhi Vinayak Temple
One of Mumbai's most prominent Ganesha temples and an important pilgrimage destination in the city.

Pune

Chaturshringi Temple
A hill temple dedicated to Goddess Chaturshringi.

Dagdu Seth Ganapati Temple
One of Pune's most celebrated Ganesha temples.

Parvati Hills
The hill has an important group of historic temples as well as views across Pune.

Pataleshwar Temple
An ancient rock-cut Shiva temple that survives in the middle of modern Pune.

Sarasbaug Ganapati Temple
A popular Ganesha temple located within the landscaped Sarasbaug.

Buddhist Heritage

Kanheri Caves, Mumbai

Hidden within the greenery of Sanjay Gandhi National Park is an extensive group of ancient Buddhist rock-cut caves.

Kanheri was much more than a collection of isolated caves. Monastic cells, prayer halls, stupas, sculptures, inscriptions and an impressive ancient water-management system reveal the scale of the Buddhist establishment that once flourished here.

Heritage and Architecture

Gateway of India

One of Mumbai's most recognisable monuments, standing beside the Arabian Sea at Apollo Bunder.

Sassoon Dock

A surviving piece of Mumbai's nineteenth-century commercial history, with its heritage gateway and clock tower leading today into one of the city's busy fish markets.

Shanivar Wada

The historic seat of the Peshwas remains one of Pune's most important monuments associated with Maratha history.

The Statues of Church Gate

Mumbai's streets contain several statues and memorials that are easy to pass without noticing. This article explores some of those around Churchgate.

Vishrambaag Wada

A beautiful Peshwa-era mansion in Pune, particularly interesting for its wooden architecture, balconies and elaborate façade.

Beaches and Waterfronts

Juhu Beach

One of Mumbai's best-known beaches, where the sea, crowds and street food together create a very Mumbai experience.

Marine Drive

The sweeping promenade along Back Bay is one of the most familiar views of Mumbai and becomes particularly lively towards evening.

Shopping

Mumbai can offer two completely different shopping experiences within a few kilometres: bargaining at a crowded pavement market or walking through a large modern mall.

Colaba Causeway

A busy South Mumbai shopping street filled with pavement stalls, shops, cafes and plenty of opportunities to bargain.

Fashion Street

Hundreds of stalls near Azad Maidan sell inexpensive clothes, footwear and accessories. Bargaining is very much part of the experience.

Growels Mall - 101

A Kandivali shopping mall whose European-inspired façades, arches and open plazas make the architecture as interesting as the shopping.

Phoenix Market City

One of Mumbai's large modern shopping and entertainment destinations.

R City Mall

A major shopping mall in Ghatkopar with retail, dining and entertainment options.

This is only the beginning of my Maharashtra collection.

There are still forts, caves, temples, old towns, coastal settlements and many other corners of the state waiting to be explored.