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ETERNAL
INDIA
encyclopedia
A GREAT DESTINATION
was once a group of seven islands whose inhabitants, the Kalis,
have given the city its Indian name after their goddess Mother
Mumba (Mumba Aai)
Hanging Gardens:
Built on top of reservoirs which supply water
to the city, these are located atop Malabar Hill, the posh residen-
tial area. Their proper name is Perozeshah Mehta Gardens. The
hedges are shaped like animals. A good view of the city can be
had from here.
Towers of.Silence
: Near the Hanging Gardens. Place where the
Parsis dispose of their dead -to be picked clean by vultures.
Sightseers not allowed.
Mahalaxmi Temple
: Oldest in Bombay and dedicated to the
Goddess of Wealth.
AROUND BOMBAY
Elephanta caves
: The island of Elephanta 10 kms out in the sea
from Apollo Bunder h,as nine rock-cut cave Shiva temples dating
from 450-750 A.D. There are sculptured.panels featuring Shiva
and Parvati. The most impressive is the 18ft high three-headed
image of Shiva.
Krishnagiri Upavan National Park
: Contains a lion Safari Park.
Trips are made in a Safari vehicle.
Kanheri Caves
; Within the national park, these Buddhist caves
date jrom the 2nd - 9th century A.D.
Matheran
: Nearest hill station (800 metres) to Bombay. 164 kms
from Bombay, narrow gauge train from Neral.
Karla Caves
: Hinayana Buddhist cave temple dating from around
100B.C.
Bhaja caves
: 18 temple caves dating from around 200 B.C.
Lonavla
: Regarded as a hill station but its height, is only 625
metres.
Pune
: The cultural centre of Maharashtra, where the Maratha
leader Shivaji was raised and which became the capital of the
Peshwas. The Agha Khan Palace where Mahatma Gandhi,
Kasturba Gandhi and others were imprisoned during the freedom
struggle is located here. There is a Gandhi Museum. Sunwar-
wadha is the palace built by the Peshwas. Rajneesh Ashram in
Koregaon Park. Raja Kelkar Museum, containing the personal
collection of Dinkar Kelkar, is worth a visit.
Mahabaleshwar:
Popular hill station, (1372m or 4501 ft) was the
summer capital of the Bombay Government during the British Raj.
Many waterfalls. Veena Lake has boating and fishing facilities.
Pratapgarh fort
: Built by Shivaji in 1656. This was the scene of
Shivaji's encounter with the Bijapur General Afzal Khan which
ended in the latter's death.
Panchgani
: Hill station, (1334 metres) 102 kms from Pune.
Lovely spot . Covered with silver oak and firs. Lower in height
than Mahabaleshwar.
Satara
: 57 kms from Mahabaleshwar. The Shivaji Maharaj Mu-
seum contains the Maratha leader's apparel, swords and the tiger
claws with which he killed Afzal Khan.
Kolhapur
: Known as the Banares of the South. 9th C temple of
Mahalakshmi. There are also other temples;
Ahmednagar
: 82 kms from Pune. Emperor Aurangzeb died here
in 1707 at the age of 97.
Nasik
: On the river Godavari. Rama is supposed to have spent
part of his forest exile here. There are more than 300 temples in
this place of pilgrimage for Hindus. It was here that Ravana's
sister Surpanakha saw and wished to marry Lakshmana who was
enraged and cut off her nose (Nasika).
Shirdi
: 90 kms from Nasik. This was where Sai Baba lived for
most of his life. The Memorial Temple has his statue in white
marble.
Sevagram
: 5 kms south - east of Wardha, 77kms from Nagpur.
Mahatma Gandhi founded the ashram here in 1933.
Tadoba National Park
: Covers over 116 sq kilometres. Wild
animals include leopards, tigers, panthers etc.
Nagpur
: Situated on the river Nag. Famous for its oranges.
Ramtek
: So named because Lord Rama was here during his exile.
It is said the beauty of Ramtek inspired Kalidasa to write his
poem Meghdoot.
Aurangabad
: Named after Aurangzeb . The Bibi-ka-Maqbara
was built by Aurangzeb's son for Aurangzeb's wife. It is a poor
imitation of the Taj. Nearest railhead to Ajanta and Ellora.
Daulatabad
: On the way to Ellora from Aurangabad. The fortress
was built by Muhammed Bin Tughlaq, the 14th century ruler of
Delhi, who changed the name of the town from Devagiri ("Hill of
the Gods") to Daulatabad ("City of Fortune") and moved his cap-
ital there from Delhi. Many of his subjects died on the way. 17
years later he moved the capital back to Delhi. The fortress is
impressive and worth seeing.
Ellora caves
: 30 kms from Aurangabad. There are 34 cave temple
- 12 Buddhist, 17 Hindu and 5 Jain. The caves are cut into a
hillside. The gigantic Kailasa Temple is the central attraction. The
cave temples date between 600 and 1000 AD.
Ajanta
: The 29 caves here date from 200 B.C. to 650 A.D. They
are all Buddhist and unlike the Ellora caves which are sculptural
masterpieces, the Ajanta caves have paintings on the walls
depicting scenes from the life of Buddha. They were discovered in
1819 by a British hunting party.
Nanded
: 237 kms from Aurangabad. The 10th and last Sikh Guru
Govind Singh spent the last years of his life here. Maharajah
Ranjit Singh built a Gurudwara where his ashes were laid to rest
in 1837.
Rauza:
3 kms from Ellora. Also known as Khudabad, the "heav-
enly abode" Aurangzeb, the last great Mughal emperor is buried
here.
MANIPUR
One of India's border states. On its east lies Burma. The
Japanese occupied part of Manipur in the Second World War. The
Azad Hind Fauj organised by Subhas Chandra Bose occupied a
portion of Manipur. Manipuri dance is a classical dance of India.
Imphal is the capital of Manipur. The Imphal war cemetery contains
graves of British soldiers who died fighting the Japanese.