Page 479 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - India

M AHAR ASHTR A  477

(see pp548–9) and Golconda
(see pp670–71). In 1636, the Festivals of
kingdom finally submitted Maharashtra
to Mughal rule. Janmashtami (Aug/Sep).
The rulers of the Nizam Shahi The birth of Lord Krishna is
dynasty were great builders, celebrated enthusiastically
and their style of architecture all over the state. Pots of
shows an unmistakeable Persian butter are strung high in
influence. The Ahmadnagar the streets, and human
Fort, 4 km (2 miles) northeast pyramids attempt to reach
of the station, was built in them, imitating the god’s
1490, though the impressive childhood pranks.
stone walls were added in
1563. Its palace, the only
surviving structure, consists
of a large hall with a series of
Intricate carved stonework seen in domes. In 1942 it housed an
Damri Mosque important political prisoner,
Jawaharlal Nehru, who wrote
9 Ahmadnagar his famous book, The Discovery
of India, here. The Jama Masjid
Ahmadnagar district. 120 km (75 miles)
NE of Pune. * 350,900. £ @ dates to the same period.
Nearby is the ornate Damri
The seat of a powerful Muslim Mosque. Built in 1568, it
kingdom in the 16th century, has a cut-out trefoil parapet
Ahmadnagar was founded and finials topped by
in 1490 by Ahmad Nizam miniature pavilions.
Shah Bahri, the son of a Hindu Emperor Aurangzeb died Janmashtami in Mumbai
convert. In 1599, the Mughals, in Ahmadnagar in 1707, and
led by Akbar, invaded the city his body rested briefly at the Naga Panchami (Jul/Aug).
after his favourite commander small Alamgir Dargah, near Snakes, considered powerful
Abu’l Fazl murdered the ruling the cantonment, before being creatures and revered across
sultan. However, the sultan’s interred at Khuldabad (see 479). India, are worshipped during
sister, Chand Bibi, ably defended To the west of the town this festival. After being fed
the kingdom. The succeeding lies Bagh Rauza, a walled cupfuls of milk, they are taken
years saw the rise of Malik garden complex. It contains out in colourful processions
and later released into
Ambar, a former African slave, the mausoleum of Ahmad the fields.
who fought successful battles Nizam Shah Bahri, which has
against neighbouring Bidar a lavishly decorated interior. Ganesha Chaturthi (Aug/
Sep). This is the most signif-
icant festival in Maharashtra,
Hiking in the Sahyadris celebrated with particular
fervour in Pune and Mumbai.
The Western Ghats, also known in Maharashtra as the Sahyadris, Clay idols of Lord Ganesha
run parallel to India’s west coast and stretch across the states of (see p471) are made and then
Maharashtra, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Kerala. Formed from volcanic worshipped over 10 days,
rock, the hills are a maze of ridges and valleys. In Maharashtra, the amidst lively festivities. After
many popular hill stations serve as excellent starting points for a this they are led in colourful
number of scenic walking trails. Mahabaleshwar and Panchgani processions to the closest
are particularly well marked with hiking routes that lead through water body and immersed.
lush forests and valleys. These hills also have a wealth of craggy rock- Kalidasa Festival (Nov),
faces perfect for climbing, and Lonavla is a favourite base for rock- Nagpur. Some of the most
climbing enthusiasts. Matheran has a much-trodden path known renowned exponents of
as Shivaji’s Ladder, which classical music and dance
leads from One Tree gather at this festival, orga nized
Hill down to the valley to honour the 4th-century
below. The Sahyadri Sanskrit dramatist and
Hills are particularly poet, Kalidasa.
beautiful in September
after the rains, when Elephant Caves Festival
the hills are carpeted (Feb/Mar), Mumbai. This
with wild flowers and festival pre sents a variety of
cascading waterfalls Indian classical music and
seem to appear at dance legends at a UNESCO
Rugged ranges of the Sahyadri Hills every turn. World Heritage site.

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