Hindu Pilgrim centres in MAHARASHTRA

MUMBAI (BOMBAY) - Elephanta caves : a World heritage centre (caves of 700 AD, 1 hour/10 km by boat from Gateway of India), Mahalakshmi temple, VAJRESHWARI - Temple with hot springs at Ganeshpuri (35 km from Kalyan). Akolola hot springs (2 km) are nearby.

PUNE - Jejuri : Khandoba temple (38 km), Dehu (30 km) - pilgrim centre, Alandi - Pilgrim centre.

ASTAVINAYAK TEMPLES : Swayambhu figures of Sri Ganesh in Maharashtra. Madh (15 km from Khopoli), Pali (38 km from Khopoli), Theur (25 km from Pune), Moregaon (15 km from Jejuri, Pune), Ranjengaon (53 km from Pune), Leniyadri (90 km from Pune), Ojhar (75 km from Pune), Sidhatek (20 km from Daund).

GANAPATIPHULE - Ancient Ganapati temple, beach. 50 km from Ratnagiri.

KOLHAPUR - Mahalakshmi temple, Kopeswar temple at Khidrapur, Renkha Bhairav temple.

PANDHARPUR - Major Hindu pilgrim centre (August - October).

NASIK - Hindu pilgrim centre, Simhastha fair is held here once in 12 years, temples, Ramkund - the holy tank 27 m*12 m, Muktidham marble temple, Pandav leni - 24 Jain caves of 100 BC. Trimbakeshwar (35 km) - Jyotirlinga, temple, caves, Brahmagiri hill.

SHIRDI - Major pilgrim centre, Sai Baba temple. 85 km from Nasik.

ELLORA Caves (26 km from Aurangabad) - A world heritage centre. Dance festival in March. 34 caves consisting of Buddhist (1-12), Hindu (13-29), and Jain caves (30-34) of 500 to 1100 AD. Kailasha temple is the main attraction, which is carved out of a monolith, is the biggest cave temple : 84 m * 47 m. Grishneswar jyotirlinga temple.

AJANTA Caves (110 km from Aurangabad) - A world heritage centre of 200 BC. 29 caves containing numerous images of Buddha and painting on walls. The caves are located in the hills in horse shoe shape.

12 JYOTIRLINGAS : Bhimashankar (Pune), Grishneshwar (Aurangabad), Vajyanath (Parali/Bid), Nageswar/Aunda Nagnath (Nanded), Trikambeswar (Nashik), Viswanath(Varanasi), Mallikarjun (Srisailam, Andhra Pradesh), Mahakaleswar (Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh), Mamaleswar (Omkareswar, Indore), Somnath (Gujrat), Rameshwar (Tamil Nadu), Kedarnath (Uttaranchal).