A popular and favoured weekend getaway near Mumbai, Nashik is the largest city in Northern Maharashtra and the third largest district in the state. Located on the banks of the holy Godavari River, Nasik (or Nashik) gets its name from the episode in the Ramayana where Lakshmana, Rama’s brother, hacked off the nasika (nose) of Ravana’s sister.Today this large provincial city’s old quarter has some intriguing temples that reference the Hindu epic and some huge bathing ghats. It’s one of the most up-and-coming cities in Maharashtra with a vibrant culture and entertainment ethos.
Temples, wineries, orchids, industries… Nashik has all of these and then some. The city has become the center of attraction because of its beautiful surroundings and cool and pleasant climate. It also has bagged the title for being the Most Tourist Friendly City in India and hence attracts innumerable tourists from all over the country and the world. Nashik takes pride in its ancient heritage but has all the aspirations of a modern city.It’s increasingly urban but in a pastoral setting.
Every 12 years, Nasik plays host to the grand Kumbh Mela, the largest religious gathering on Earth (the last one was in 2015, the next one in 2027).Nashik not only has an ethereal and spiritual quality about it but is also a touch point for tourists who wish to explore its interesting forts and a unique centre that offers courses in ‘vipassana’. It is also home to one of the 12 holy Jyotirlinga’s in the country. There are several places of interest in Nashik. Some of them are lesser known destinations and hence are untouched by mass tourism. One such place is the stone museum or the Gargoti Museum. It is situated at a distance of 32 km from Nashik and has a large collection of zeolites that are similar to diamonds and other precious stones.The Coin Museum is another one of the popular tourist spot here. It is the only one of its kind in Asia and hence attracts a large number of people from all over the world.Also found in this verdant region is the cascading Durgawadi Fall. Nashik is also famous for its grapes and onions. This city is called the ‘Wine Capital of India’ due to its flourishing wine industry.Dubbed as the Napa Valley of India, this beautiful town surrounded by the Sayhadri Hills and the Western Ghats produces some of the finest wines in the country. As India’s best wines are produced locally, an afternoon touring the vineyards is another good reason to drop by.
Nashik has a personality of its own due to its mythological, historical, social and cultural importance. The city, vibrant and active, makes for an amazing weekend getaway.
Distance from Mumbai: 170kms
How to reach:
By Rail
There are many trains from Mumbai to Nasik. Superfast Trains take 3.5 hours to reach Nasik Road (12kms from Nasik City) thesuperfast trains are: Mumbai-Howrah Geetanjali Express
LokmanyaTilak Terminus-Varanasi KamayaniExpress, Mumbai-Firozpur Punjab Mail, Mumbai-Nagpur Vidharbha Express
By Road
Take the Mumbai-Nashik Expressway (NH 3). It takes around 4 hours from Mumbai to reach Nashik because there are 2 ghat sections. There are state transport buses as well as private buses plying between these cities.
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