Maharashtra Wild Trail

Named after the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb, the city is the haven for ancient history lovers. Today a modern Industrial town, Aurangabad is known for its Mughal Era architecture. One of the many famous sites is the UNESCO Heritage site, Ellora caves. The caves house various religious shrines of Hinduism, Jainism, and Buddhism. The origin of the painting can be dated back to 600-1000 AD. Believed to be an important site to trace the social and religious evolution, Ellora caves are a testament to numerous religion of different faiths coexisting together. The temples inside the cave have proved monumental in studying the religious practices of the medieval era.

More often than not, Central India gets neglected by tourist because of the little promotion over the region but the state of Madhya Pradesh is the haven of ecological National Parks. One of them is the Pench National Park in the Chhindwara district of Madhya Pradesh. The part of Pench Tiger Reserve lies in Maharashtra, making it first of its kind, sharing border with two states. Home to many exotic birds and animals, Pench National Park boasts of its Tiger population. The Pench National Park is named after the Pench river that flows through the park. Many species that inhabit the National Park are Indian Wolf, Porcupine, Striped Hyenas, Indian Leopard and many other. Park also witness flocks of the migratory bird every year. The Park is also one of the few places for river rafting in Central India.

Another jewel in the crown of Maharashtra Tourism is the Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve. Spread over the area of 650 sq km, the area includes Tadoba National Park and Andhari Wildlife Sanctuary. Named after the local tribal god Tadoba, Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve is one of the oldest Wildlife Sanctuary in India. There are various species of endangered Flora and Fauna that call this place home. Some of them are Bengal Tiger, Indian Leopard, Sloth bears, barking deer, Honey Badger etc. The Park is still home to 59 local tribes who still farm in these areas. It’s a perfect place to witness the balance of humanity and wildlife.

One of the oldest UNESCO World Heritage site in India, Ajanta Caves are one of the few remaining rock-cut Buddhist structures. The caves can be dated to 200 BCE to 650 BCE. Ajanta caves complex constitutes of Buddhist wall art, Buddhist monasteries and worshipping halls. Ajanta Caves have been a prime importance to the Buddhist scholars with caves being witness to some of the oldest and primitive Buddhist traditions. Guests can trace the evolution of the religion as well as the culture and people inhabiting the local lands. The sculptures of Ajanta cave arts still have a revolutionary impact on how we trace the progress of art and architecture throughout the history.

Known as the Wine city of India, Nashik, unknown to many, is one of the most religious Hindu destinations of India. Strolling on the banks of river Godavari, one can witness the divinity of the city with Hindu priests performing the traditional aarti.  The city is home to many Hindu pilgrim sites. At the same time, the city also hosts thousands of wine lovers visiting from all across the globe. The traditional processing of wine excites many wine fanatics who are critical of the manufacturing process. A visit to vineyard always ends in guests leaving with bottles of sparkling wine and red wine.