Page 480 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - India

478  SOUTHWESTERN INDIA

inscriptions above its after himself – that he
entrance. Cave 18, an early conquered the Deccan states.
chaitya griha (see p476), has The city’s most famous
a beautifully carved exterior. monument is the Bibi ka
Other fine caves include Maqbara. Located outside the
Caves 3 and 20. The sacred walled city, this imitation of
Trimbakeshwar Temple, the Taj was built in 1678 by
33 km (21 miles) west of Aurangzeb’s son, Azam Shah,
Nasik, is built on the site of in memory of his mother Rabia
one of Shiva’s 12 naturally Durrani. Standing in the middle
occurring jyotirlingas (lingas of a large Mughal garden, it has
of light). It is surrounded four disproportionately large
by a large paved platform minarets at the ends of its
and has a carved shikhara. raised platform. Like the Taj, it
Though the temple is uses white marble and stucco,
closed to non-Hindus, but there is none of the fine
visitors can still get a good pietra dura work that
view of the courtyard and distinguishes Shah Jahan’s
The holy tank of Ramkund, Nasik the shrine leading off it. creation (see pp176–9).
About 88 km (56 miles) Aurangzeb’s walled city
0 Nasik south of Nasik is Shirdi, the makes up the central part of the
temple complex of the first town, although a few structures
Nasik district. 187 km (116 miles) NE
of Mumbai. * 1,487,000. £ @ Sai Baba, Maharashtra’s most from Malik Ambar’s older city
n Maharashtra Tourism, (0253) 257 popular saint, who died in 1918. remain, including the Naukonda
0059. _ Kumbh Mela (every 12 years). Palace, or Naukhanda Palace,
(largely in ruins) and the Jama
The town of Nasik is one of India’s q Aurangabad Masjid. On the left bank of the
most holy sites. A bustling Aurangabad district. 337 km (210 Khan river is the Dargah of
temple town, built on both miles) NE of Mumbai. * 1,175,100. ~ Baba Shah Musafir, a Sufi saint
banks of the Godavari river, it 10 km (6 miles) E of town centre, then who was Aurangzeb’s spiritual
has almost 200 shrines. The taxi. £ @ n Maharashtra Tourism, guide. The complex contains a
ghats that line the river front are Station Rd East, (0240) 234 3169. small mosque, a madrasa
the venue for the spectacular (theological college), a law
Kumbh Mela (see p215). Legend The largest city in northern court, the zenana (women’s
says that Rama, hero of the Maharashtra, Aurangabad quarters) and a water mill
Ramayana (see p31), lived is the nearest air-link to (Panchakki), fed by a
here during his 14-year exile. the splendid caves at rectangular tank.
Ramkund, the centrally located Ellora and Ajanta (see Also within the
tank and the town’s focal point, pp480–85). It was old city, close to
is believed to mark the spot founded in 1610 by Zafar Gate, is the
where Rama and his wife Sita Malik Ambar, prime Himroo Factory.
bathed. The ashes of the dead minister of the Nizam Aurangabad is
are also immersed here. Shahi rulers of Detail of the entrance famed for its ancient
Most of Nasik’s temples date Ahmadnagar (see door, Bibi ka Maqbara art of weaving
to the 18th century. The Kala p477). In 1653 it brocade, using silk
Rama Temple, east of Ramkund, became the head quarters of and gold threads, known as
is built in black stone with a Aurangzeb, the last great kamkhab. When the city’s
25-m (82-ft) high shikhara. It Mughal emperor. It was from prosperity declined, the weavers
supposedly marks the spot this city – which he renamed began using less-expensive
where Sita was abducted by
Ravana. The Rameshwar Temple
has carvings on the roof of its
hall, while the Muktidham
Temple, close to the station,
carries inscriptions from the
Bhagavad Gita on its walls.
Environs
Pandu Lena, 8 km (5 miles)
south of Nasik, has 24 Buddhist
caves dating to the 1st and 2nd
centuries BC. The oldest is Cave
10, a vihara (monastery) which
has splendid sculptures and Aurangabad’s Bibi ka Maqbara, an imitation of Agra’s Taj Mahal
For hotels and restaurants in this region see pp700–701 and p715

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Date 12th July 2013
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