Destination : Elephanta Cave Mumbai

                                                  Image source : s7ap1.scene7.com

 

After a long time me and my family plan to go for travel. we decided to go historical or ancient places. In India a lot of monument famous, but rarely known about Elephanta cave. So we choose to go elephanta.

How to go Elephanta ?

Gateway of India is the popular place of Mumbai. The Caves closed on Monday.The ferry ticket counter found nearby and collect the ticket. The price of ticket is 120Rs of return ticket . they take 10 Rs. inside the boat to sit on the upper deck. The ferry leaves from gateway of india to elephanta first ferry at 9 AM and the last is at 2 PM and after every 30 minutes you will get boat. similarly the ferry timetable from elephanta the first return boat at 12 PM and last is at 5.30 PM and you will find after every 30 minute return boat in between.

The boat will reach you at the jetty. The cave is a kilometers’ walk from the jetty.There is a small toy train from the jetty to the base of the hill.The entry fee Rs.5. Instead of you need to climb the 120 steps to the hill. There is also chair car service available.

Elephanta is an island in Arabian Sea , be located in stark contrast with very busy Mumbai city.

The name was given by the Portuguese as there was a large elephant sculpture in the island, when it was held by them. This is also called as Gharapuri. The island is familiar for the 7th century caves with boldly executed allegorical themes.

The most authentic of the theories says that Elephanta caves were accomplished during the period 450 to 750 AD. The warrior king Pulakesin II of the Chalukyas of Badami dynasty, is attributed with commissioning of a significant portion of the caves.  

Elephant Island appeared down the authorization of at least half a dozen powers that ruled this region over the centuries.That include the Mauryas of Konkan, Trikutakas , Chalukyas of Badami, Silaharas, Rashtrakutas , Kalyani Chalukyas , Yadavas of Deogiri, Shahi dynasty of Gujarat , the Portuguese , the Marathas and also the British.

Festival : हरतालिका

 

Image source : static.punjabkesari.in

Hartalika festival is celebrate before one day of Ganesh Chaturthi. This festival celebrated to remember reunion of God Mahadev and Goddess Parvati. This festival also called as "Teej".

हरितालिका हे हिंदू धर्मातील महिलांसाठी आणि कुमारिकांसाठी सांगितलेले एक धार्मिक व्रत आहे. 'हरिता' म्हणजे 'जिला नेले ती' आणि 'लिका' म्हणजे 'सखी'. पार्वतीला शिवप्राप्तीसाठी सखी तपश्चर्येला घेऊन गेली म्हणून पार्वतीला 'हरितालिका' असे म्हणतात. हरितालिका कथा ही भविष्य पुराणातील हरगौरीसंवादात आली आहे.

For more information read here-

https://mr.wikipedia.org/wiki/हरितालिका

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Teej

Sanjay Gandhi National Park | Borivali National Park | Mumbai |

 

Entrance | Image Source : wikipedia.org

Sanjay Gandhi National Park, located in the northern part of Mumbai, is a remarkable wilderness area that offers a haven for nature enthusiasts within the bustling city. Here are some aspects and highlights of the park:

1. The park is renowned for having a wide range of plants and animals. Numerous mammal, bird, reptile, and butterfly species call it home. Draw attention to the wide variety of wildlife that may be found here, such as deer, macaques, langurs, leopards, and several bird species.

Kanheri Caves

1. Kanheri Caves: The historic Kanheri Caves, a collection of prehistoric rock-cut caves and monasteries that date to the first century BCE, are located within the park. These caverns were a significant hub for Buddhist study and have elaborate carvings and statues of Buddha.

2. 
   

3. Nature Trails: There are numerous hiking and nature trails in Sanjay Gandhi National Park that lead through thick woods, hills, and streams. Emphasize these routes and provide details about their degrees of difficulty, beautiful vistas, and wildlife sightings along the way.

Image source : wikipedia.org

Image source : wikipedia.org

1. 
   

Thane Destinations : Talao Pali

 

Talao Pali | Image Source : Wikipedia.org

The Picnic Spot Or Trekking place : Shivneri Fort Junnar

Panoramic View Of Shivneri Fort Junnar

Shahaji Chatrapati Shivaji's father worked in the army of the Adil Shah. He was bothered for the security of his wife Jijabai during her pregnancy as there was constant battle occurring. He for this reason shifted his family to Shivneri fort. Shivneri is a highly defendable place, with steep rocks on four sides and a strongly built fortification. The fort is about 85 kms away from north of Pune. 

Shivneri fort -Birthplace | Image Resource : flickr.com

Chhatrapati Shivaji was born at the fort on 19 February 1630, and expended his childhood there.He got his name SHIVBA . There Inside the fort is a tiny temple devoted to the goddess Shivai Devi, after whom Shivaji was named.

View From Fort

Shivneri fort located on a 300 metre high solitary hill. The Shivneri fort is built, has a long back to the Satavahanas.  There remains of rock caves on all the three faces of Shivneri, which show that it was a Buddhist centre during the first three centuries AD.  After the Satavahanas, the Shivneri for was occupied by the Shilaharas, the Yadavas, the Bahamanis and the Mughals.  In 1599 AD the hill fort was granted to Shivaji’s grandfather, Maloji Bhosale and passed down to Shahaji.  Though Shivaji was born here, he had to surrender the fort to the Mughals and could not take it back in his lifetime. 

The fort is triangular in shape . The wide base of the fort is towards the south and the narrow point is towards the north.  The go up path to the fort is guarded by seven gates, the fifth one being armoured with anti-elephant spikes. The name of doors is Hatti Darwaza, Parvangicha Darwaza, Peer Darwaza, Maha Darwaza, Phatak Darwaza, Shipai Darwaza and Kulambkat Darwaza. Maha darwaza is the first gate, and it is the biggest as the name suggests. There are two more doors at the top.

The fort has several rock-stroke reservoir and tanks, of which two large ones are known as Ganga and Jumuna.  Today, there are only a few structures remaining in the fort.  At one end there is a crushed set and at the other end mosque of the Mughal period. The home where Shivaji was born has been newly renewed and a temple with bronze of Shivaji and Jijabai called 'Shiva Kunja', has also been constructed.

The centre of the fort found  a water pond which is called 'Badami Talav'and South side of the  Talav' are the statues of Jijabai and a young Shivaji. In the fort there are two water bucks, called Ganges and Yamuna. From shivneri fort 2 km long very famous holy place located in caves called as Lenyadri caves. It is one of amongst Ashtavinayak temple in Maharastra. It has been declared as a protected monument.

Sir Richard Temple in his book Shivaji and the Rise Marathas’ wrote about Shivneri: “You will see what a rugged precipitous place this is and what a fitting spot it was for a hero to be born in!”