Maharashtra has been in the news for all the wrong reasons of late. Yes, I am referring to the Game of Thrones-esque coup for power that displaced Uddhav Thackeray from the chief minister’s chair, and placed Eknath Shinde in it.
Before that, it was an alleged drug bust involving the badshah of Bollywood, SRK’s son Aryan Khan. However, there is a lot more to the state than its Thackerays and Khans, I tell you. Let me take you through 10 things you wish you knew:
- Did you know that legal luminary and Dalit icon, BR Ambedkar, spent a significant amount of his schooling and working life in Mumbai? The city is honoured by the presence of Babasaheb’s house, Rajgruha, and his final resting place, Chaityabhoomi—sites of reverence for Ambedkarites, Dalits, Buddhists and others alike.
P.s. The city also gave birth to Dalit Panthers, an Ambedkarite organisation to combat caste.
- Have you heard of Ajanta caves? The UNESCO world heritage site in India is located in Aurangabad district. They are Buddhist cave monuments dating back to the 2nd century BCE. The rock-cut sculptures are considered to be one of the finest examples of ancient Indian art. You don’t want to miss out on this.
P.s. Ellora is a Hindu temple, cave complex dedicated to the god Shiva.
- If you’re looking to beat the heat, Maharashtra has many affordable yet beautiful hill stations like Lonavla, Khandala, Matheran, Panchgani, Mahabaleshwar, and more. Many city-dwellers head to these spots for much-needed breaks from the hustle and bustle of their lives, and a breath of fresh air.
- If you’re not a mountain person and prefer beaches instead, fret not! Maharashtra has something for you, too. The Konkan coast has many scenic beaches such as Ganpatipule, Tarkarli, Alibaug, Kashid, Murud and more. So, what are you waiting for? You know where to book your next beach vacation. And, no! NOT Goa this time.
- Given the state’s rich legacy of Maratha and Peshwa rule, it has many iconic forts you can visit—each with a story and history of its own. Lohagad, Daultabad, Raigad, Shaniwarwada, Sindhu Garh, Pratapgad, Sinhagad and Rajmachi fort are some of them. All the forts involve walking and climbing, so rest assured that they are a trekker’s paradise.
- If you are a foodie who enjoys gorging on non-vegetarian dishes, you should explore the Malvani cuisine. It is mainly fish-based and uses coconut (in many forms) liberally. The famed Malvani masala is said to be a combination of over 15 dry spices. Don’t forget to end your meal with a solkadhi, a refreshing and digestive, pink drink made from kokum and coconut milk.
- Maharashtra is a multicultural state. It has many local dance forms you may not be aware of. Lavani is one of them. It is a combination of song and dance performed to the rhythmic beats of a Dholki. It is performed by female artistes decked in Nauvari sarees. Another one you should know about is the Koli folk dance performed by the fishing community (Kolis).
- The town of Shirdi is famous for being the former home of spiritual leader, Sai Baba. It’s unclear whether the fakir was Hindu or Muslim, and he is known to be revered by people from both faiths. Shirdi Sai Baba practiced rituals from religions and used traditions from both of them, when teaching and preaching to his devotees.
- Located a couple of hours by road from Shirdi, is Shani Shingnapur. The town is most famous for its Shani (deification of Saturn) temple. However, what’s most interesting is that it is a town where the houses don’t have doors. This is because of a local belief that anyone who steals something will have to deal with the wrath of Shani maharaj, the village guardian.
- Add swimming in Lonar lake to your Maharashtra bucket list. You might be wondering: what’s so special about it? Well, it was a crater created by the impact of a meteor hitting the Earth. Sounds cool, right? It’s one of the four known craters anywhere in the world (the other three are in Brazil).
