West India - Maharashtra

India’s western gateway is Mumbai, with a major international airport and harbour. The city’s rise from the dowry of a Portuguese queen to the country’s foremost sea port, commercial centre and producer of films has been nothing short of meteoric.Mumbai’s Gothic architecture is embodied in the Gateway of India, Bombay High Court, Old Secretariat, University Buildings and Victoria Terminus. Open spaces in this crowded city include Chowpatty Beach, Juhu Beach and Sanjay Gandhi National Park, the latter a fine wildlife park at Borivili. Bombay is the country’s premier cultural centre. Jehangir Art Gallery attracts regular art exhibitions; Prithvi Theatre is well known for its theatrical performances, and the National Centre for Performing Arts periodically hosts Indian and international concerts of music and dance. The city’s shopping embraces informal fashion and accessories at Colaba Causeway, antiques – and clever reproductions of antiques at Chor Bazar, gold and diamond jewellery at Jhaveri Bazar, high fashion at Kemps Corner, Bhulabhai Desai Road and the airconditioned shopping plaza at The Oberoi.

Bombay (Mumbai)

Gateway to India & capital of Maharashtra, Bombay was once a cluster of seven islands called Heptanasia by Plotemy in AD 150. The word Mumbai (locally called) however, is derived from Mumba Devi or Maha Amba Aai, the patron goddess of the kolis or fisherfolk, who have been its original inhabitants.

Altitude : Sea level.
Temperature (deg C): Summer- Max 33.3, Min 22.7; Winter- Max 29.5, Min- 19.4.
Rainfall : 212 cms (June to September).
Season : Throughout the year.

COMMUNICATION AND TRANSPORT :

Air : Bombay's International Airport is at Sahar (30 kms) and Domestic Airport at Santacruz, 26 km. Most of the International Airlines, Indian Airlines Vayudoot & many other private airlines touch Bombay and connect it with the major cities of India and the world.
Rail : Bombay is the headquarters for both western & Central Railways. Regular train services connect Bombay with all major towns and cities in India.
Road : Bombay is connected by good motorable road to Pune 163 km, Nasik 185 km, Mahabaleshwar 239 km, Shirdi 307 km, Aurangabad 392 km, Vadodara 432 km, Ahmedabad 545 kms, Panaji 597 kms, Hyderabad 711 kms, Bangalore 998 kms.
Local Transport : Metered black & yellow top taxies, Auto rickshaws, B.E.S.T. city buses, Electric trains are available.
Tourist Taxis & Coaches : AC & Non-AC Coaches, Mini-Coaches, Luxury & Ordinary Cars can be hired from bus operators & Car operators. For Approved List contact Government Tourist Offices.

CONDUCTED TOURS

City Tour :
Places Covered Timmings Fare & Starts from Reservation/Operators
Gateway of India 09.00 hrs Luxury Coach M.T.D.C Office
Jain Temple, to Rs.55/- Tel: 2026713/
Hanging Gardens, 13.00 hrs 2027762/2027784.
Kamla Nehru Park, and M.T.D.C Office,
Mani Bhawan, 14.00 hrs C.D.O Hutments,
Aquarium, Prince to Madam Cama Road, of Wales Museum. 18.00 hrs (Opp. LIC Office)
Nariman Point,(Except on Mondays) Bombay-21.

Suburban Tour :
Observation Point, 09.15 hrs Semi Luxury
Kanheri Caves, to Coach Rs.90/-
National Park, 18.15 hrs
*Lion Safari Park, M.T.D.C. Office, (Closed on Mondays), C.D.O. Hutments, Juhu Beach and Madam Cama Road, Hare Rama Hare Krishna Temple. (Opp. LIC Office)

Elephanta Tours : (Subject to weather conditions)
Launches leave Luxury Launch (with guide) Gateway Elephanta Jal every hour from 0900 Rs.50 (adult), 30 (child) Vahatuk Sahakari hrs to 1415 hrs. Ordinary Launch Sanstha Maryadit, (returns after (without guide) Apollo Bunder. every 4 hours) Rs.35 (adult), 20 (child) Bombay-39. Tel : 2026364/2023585.

Note: Ordinary launches suspended during monsoons.

Outstation Tour :
Aurangabad- Departs Rs.2405/- M.T.D.C
-Ajanta- 2100 hrs. (lodging & boarding at Tel: 2026713/ 7762/
-Ellora. Returns Ajanta Ambassador Hotel) 7784. 4th day Rs.1465/- 0730 hrs. (lodging & boarding at Aurangabad Ashok), Rs.770/- (lodging at Holiday Camp. without food) Rs.152/- one way fare. Nashik-Shirdi Dep. 8.00 p.m Rs. 247/- (On Wednesday) Returns next day (to & fro transport) at 10.00 p.m Rs.347/- (with accomodation) (On Saturday) Dep. 2.00 p.m Returns next day at 10.00 p.m

Others Tours :
M.T.D.C. operates luxury bus services from Maharashtra Tourist Office, Nariman Point to Ganpatipule (9 p.m, 11 hrs, Rs.175); Panchgani (6 a.m, 9 hrs, Rs.175) & Nashik (6 am, 6 hrs, Rs.125); Mahableshwar via Mahad (7 am, 7 hrs, Rs.160). Tickets for the above tours are available at the Govt.of India Tourist Office, 123, M. Karve Road, Churchgate, Bombay- 400 020.

PLACES OF INTEREST

Afghan Church (4.5 kms), Chowpatty Beach (4 kms), Gateway Of India (2.4 kms), Haji Ali Tomb (2.4 kms), Headquarters of Western Railway, High Court, Hutatma Chowk or Flora Fountain, (1 km), Kamala Nehru Park (5.6kms), Crawford Market (2 kms), Malabar Hill (5.6 kms), Mahalakshimi (7.2 kms), Municipal Corporation Building (12 kms), Marine Drive, Hanging Garden (6 kms), Race Course (7 kms), Rajabai Towers & Bombay University (1 km), Raudat Tehra Mosque & Mausoleum (3 kms), Town Hall (2 kms), Victoria Terminus (1 km), Weaver's Service Centre (2.4 kms), Nehru Planetarium [Daily show except Mondays at 3 p.m & 6 p.m (Eng) 4.30 p.m (Hindi), Saturdays & Sundays 3 p.m & 6.30 p.m (Eng), 4.30 p.m (Hindi) 1.30 p.m (Marathi), Charges Rs.10 (adult), Rs.4.50 (child), Tel: 4920510; Taraporewala Acquarium (3.2 kms), Timing: 1100-2000 hrs except Mondays. Fees Rs.2.50 (adult), Rs.1.00 (child); Jijamata Udyan Tel: 8725799.

Mani Bhavan (Gandhi Memorial) Tel : 3677864, 3.6 kms.
It houses a pictirial gallery and a library of books by and on Mahatma Gandhi.
Timings: 0930-1800 hrs. Entry Fee: Rs.3.50.

Nehru Science Centre Tel: 4932667, 8 kms.
The museum has permanent gallery called light and sight and a children's science park. There are also antique exhibits like railway engine, tramcar, supersonic aerolpane & steam lorry. Timings: 1200-1900 hrs. (Except Mondays)

Prince Of Wales Museum Tel: 24484/4519, 2 kms.
It is famous for its collection of miniature paintings.Timings: 1015-1800 hrs. (Except Mondays). Entry Fee: Rs.4 (Free on Tuesdays).

Dr. Bhau Daji Lad Museum. Tel: 3077121, 5.6 kms.
Timmings (Except Wed.): Mon. to Sat. 1030-1730 hrs, 0830-1645 hrs on Sundays.
Entry Fee: Re.0.50 (Adult); Re.0.25 (Child).

EXCURSIONS

Aarey Milk Colony (35 kms), Timing: 0900-1200 hrs; Ambarnath (74 kms); Bassein Fort (77 kms); Elephanta Caves (9 kms); Gorai Beach (59 kms); Juhu Beach (21 kms); Kanheri Caves (42 kms); Ghodbunder (43.2 kms); Karla Caves (100 km); Karnala Bird Sanctuary (61 kms), Madh, Marve & Manori Beaches (45, 38.4 & 40 kms respectively); Powai Lake (26.6 kms); Vihar Lake (28.6 kms); Tansa Lake (10.3 kms)); Tulsi Lake (32 kms); Uran Sea Side Resort (74 kms); Vaitarna Dam (122 kms); Vajreshwari (88 kms); Versova Beach (29 kms); National Park & Lion Safari Park (35 kms), Vehicle charges per trip Rs.15 (Adult), Rs.7.50 (child).

TOURIST INFORMATION

Government of India Tourist Office, 123 M.Karve Road, Churchgate, Bombay-400 020. Tel: 293144-5.
Government of India Tourist Office Counter, Domestic Airport, Tel: 6149200, 6116466 Extn. 278, 279 (Timing 0700 hrs till the last flight)
Government of India Tourist Office Counter, International Airport, Tel: 6325331, 6366700 Extn. 3253/3608 (round the clock)
Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation, CDO Hutments, Madam Cama Road, Nariman Point, Tel: 2026713, 2027762.
India Tourism Development Corporation, Nirmal Building, 11th Floor, Nariman Point, Tel: 2023343, 2026079.

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Pune (Poona)

Located in Sahyadri hills near the west coast of India, Pune is a fascinating city with a healthy climate all year around. Known until not so long ago as Poona, the city was the capital of the powerful Maratha empire and is closely associated with the great warrior king Shivaji. Today, Pune is distinctly divided into the spacious cantonment and the crowded old city, where locali-ties have been named after days in the week.

Altitude : 598 mtrs.
Temperature (deg C) : Summer- Max 40, Min 26; Winter- Max 29, Min 19.
Rainfall : 70 cms(June to September).
Season : Throughout the year.

TRANSPORT AND COMMUNICATION :

Air : Vayudoot Services, East-West Airlines and Continental Aviation connect Pune with Bombay.
Fare : Bombay-Pune Rs.528/- (Vayudoot) Rs.820/- (East-West & Continental)
Rail : Pune is linked by rail with Bangalore, Bombay, Delhi, Jammu-Tawi, Kanya Kumari, Madras, Nagpur, Secunderabad (Hyderabad), Trivandrum, Vasco-da-Gama (Goa) etc.
Fare : Calcutta-Pune Rs.1291/- (AC-2A), Rs.1082/- (I), Rs.318/- (II).
Road : Pune is connected by bus services to Bombay (170 kms), Shirdi (195 kms)
Nasik (202 kms), Aurangabad (226 kms), Sholapur, Nagpur, Bangalore etc.
Taxi services : Taxis ply between Bombay and Pune regularly on seat basis from
Dadar T.T. Fare : Rs.150/- per seat.

CONDUCTED TOURS

Places Covered Timings Fare Operator
Shaniwar Wada, Kasturba Smarak, 0800-1100 Rs.50/- M.T.D.C
Kelkar Museum, Shindes Chattri, & Pune Railway Station
Tribal Museum, Tilak Smarak, 1500-1800 Rs.50/- Pune Municipal Transport
Saras Baug, Pataleshwar Caves, (daily) Pune Railway Station Bund Garden.

PLACES OF INTEREST

Shaniwar Wada, Saras Baug, Parvati Hill, Raja Kelkar Museum, Shinde's Chhatri, Bund Garden, Kasturba Smarak (Inside Agha Khan Palace) etc.

EXCURSIONS

Alandi-22 kms, Dehu-29 kms, Karla-55 kms, Purandhar-40 kms, Sinhagad-25 kms, Panchgani-98 kms, Mahabaleshwar-120 kms, Shivneri Fort-94 kms, Bhima Shankar- 95 kms, Ashtavinayak Temples at Theur-20 kms, Ranjangaon-50 km, Morgaon-65 km, Madh-75 kms, Ojhar-75 kms, Pali-80 kms, Lenyadri-90 kms & Siddhatek-95 kms, Lonavala-64 kms, Bhatghar Dam-52 kms.

INFORMATION CENTRE :

Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation (MTDC) Central Office Bldg., Sassoon Hospital Road, Tel: 66697.

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Aurangabad

Aurangabad, 400 km from Bombay, is linked by Indian Airlines flights. Spectacular rock cut caves and cave paintings exist at two nearby places, Ajanta and Ellora. The most notable feature of these cave temples is that entire hillsides were cut away with the artisan’s chisel to produce some of the world’s most exquisite sculpture. Ellora’s 34 caves are over 10 centuries old and represent elaborate sculptures of Hindu, Buddhist and Jain faiths. The caves at Ajanta date back to the 5th century and contain paintings and sculptures of major events in the life of the Buddha.

Aurangabad is a convinent base for organising visits to the famous rock-cut temples of Ajanta & Ellora. The town is named after Aurangzeb, the last of the six great Mughal Emperors, who built a mausoleum here for his wife.

GENERAL INFORMATION

Altitude : 513 metres.
Temperature (deg C) : Summer- Max 39, Min 21.5; Winter- Max 31.3, Min 10.
Rainfall : 557 mms.
Best Season : Throughout the year.
STD Code : 02432 (0240 ?).

TRANSPORT AND COMMUNICATION :

Air : Aurangabad is connected by Indian Airlines flights with Bombay, Delhi, Jaipur and Udiapur.
Fare : Calcutta-Bombay-Aurangabad Rs.6155 (US$ 226). East-West & Continental Airways also operate flights between Bombay and Aurangabad.
Rail : Aurangabad is directly connected by rail with Bombay, Manmad, Nasik Road, Kalyan, Secunderabad (Hyderabad) and with other cities via Manmad.
Fare (approx) : Calcutta-Aurangabad Rs.2900 (AC-I), Rs.1700 (AC-2A), Rs.1400 (I), Rs.400 (Sleeper).
Road : Aurangabad is well connected by good motorable road with Ajanta 106 kms, Bombay 392 kms, Ellora 30 kms, Nanded 272 kms, Nasik 221 kms, Pune 229 kms Shirdi 136 kms and other important cities.

CONDUCTED TOUR

Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation Ltd (MTDC) and India Tourism Development Corporation (ITDC) conducts following tours :

1) Ellora & City Sightseeing (daily 0930-1730 hours) : Rs.100.
2) Ajanta Sightseeing (Daily 0800 to 1730 hours) : Rs.135.
3) Paithan Sightseeing (1400 to 2130 hours) : Rs.60. (1st & 3rd Friday and 2nd & 4th Sunday)

PLACES OF INTEREST

Aurangabad Caves, State Archaeological Museum, Nehru Udyan,

History Museum of Marathwada University, Bibi ka Maqbara, Panchakki, Siddharth Udyan.

EXCURSIONS

Daulatabad Fort (13 kms), Khuldabad (26 kms), Grishneshwar Temple (30 kms), Paithan (56 kms), Shirdi (136 kms), Pithalkhora Caves (78 kms), Aundha Nagnath (203 kms), Ajanta (106 kms), Ellora (30 kms)

INFORMATION CENTRES :

Government of India Tourist Office Krishna Vilas Station Road (West), Tel: 24-817.
Government of India Tourist Counter, Chikalthana Airport.
Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation, MTDC Holiday Resort, Station Road (East), Tel: 24-713.

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Ajanta

The thirty rock-hewn caves at ajanta which are cut into the scrap of a cliff are Chaityas (Chapels) & Viharas (Monastries). Most of these are carved so that a flood of natural light pours into them at any given time of the day. Both the facade & the inside of the chambers faithfully reproduce the structural patterns known to those ancient builders. On the walls are paintings, many still glowing with their original colours. The outer walls are covered with brilliantly executed sculpture. The caves are not numbered in chronological order. Cave nos. 9,10, 12, 13 are the earliest belonging to Hinayana sect of Buddhism. Cave no 1 to 8, 11 and 14 to 30 are of Mahayana sect among these Mahayana Caves nos. 19, 26 & 30 are the Chaityas and rest of them are Viharas. The most notable of all these caves are 1,2,9,10,16,17,19 and 26, here ancient Indian art attained the zenith of its development and revealed a dynamic rhythm of life.

TRANSPORT & COMMUNICATION :

Air : The nearest airport Aurangabad is 106 kms from Ajanata.
Fare : Calcutta-Bombay-Aurangabad Rs.6155 (US$ 226).
Rail : The nearest railhead Jalgaon is 60 kms from Ajanta, however Aurangabad (106 kms) is the most convenient railhead.
Fare (approx): Calcutta-Jalgaon Rs.
Road : Ajanta is connected to all major centres of the region by good roads.

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Ellora

There are 24 caves at Ellora, carved between 7th & 11th century AD. These cave temples represent 3 religious faiths. Carved in sickle shaped hill, spread north to south in a area of 3 kms, they were dug into the slope of a hill. Of these 12 are Buddhists, 17 are Hindus and 5 are Jains. The most remarkable of the carved shrines at Ellora is the Kailasa Temple. It is 50 metres in length, 33 metres wide & 30 metres high. The fantastic edifice has been chiselled out by hand from single rock with Gateway,Pavillion,Courtyard,Assembly Hall,Vestibule,Sanctum and Tower-hall those out of the same enormous rock.

TRANSPORT & COMMUNICATION :

Air : Nearest airport Aurangabad is 30 kms from Ellora.
Rail : Nearest railhead Aurangabad is 30 kms from Ellora.
Road : Bus services are available from Aurangabad.

SPECIAL PERMISSIONS REQUIRED :

Special Permission from Archaelogical Survey of India needed for use of Tripod & Artificial lights to take photographs of Archaelogical monuments.However video shooting from the exterior of the monuments is permitted by paying a nominal fee.

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Information provided by Department of Tourism. Ministry of Tourism and Culture. Government of India.