Mumbai is the largest metropolis in India and also its financial capital. Major sites in the city include the Gateway of India, Elephanta Island, Prince of Wales Museum, Flora Fountain, Haji Ali's Tomb, Kamla Nehru Park, Hanging Gardens, Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus or Victoria Terminus, Kalbadevi Temple, Bhuleshwar Temple, Jama Masjid, Mumbadevi Temple, Nehru Planetarium, Nehru Science Center, and its famous Marine Drive. Other places of interest are Taraporewala Aquarium, ISKCON temple, amusement parks like Essel World and Fantasy Land, beaches like Madh Island, Manori, Versova, Goral, Marue, and Juhu.

Pune is the second largest city of Maharashtra and was home for a long time to the Maratha leader, Shivaji. One of the city's most famous residents was the self-proclaimed guru, Bhagwan Rajneesh, later known as Osho. Other tourist spots in the city are the Shanwarawada Palace, Raja Kelkar Museum, Gandhi National Memorial, Samadhi, and Pataleshwar Temple.

The city of Aurangabad is known for its medieval monuments and cultural heritage. It was also the seat of the Mughal Empire for a short span. The city boasts of the Bibi-ka-Makbara, a tomb that has some resemblance to the Taj Mahal. The importance of Aurangabad is great, owing to its proximity to the world heritage sites of Ajanta and Ellora. These sites have Buddhist, Jain and Hindu temples. Aurangabad is also famous for it's silk and cotton textiles.

Fifteen kilometers from Aurangabad is one of Maharashtra's many impressive forts, Daulatabad. This is the same place where Mohammed Bin Tughlak built his capital only to return back to Delhi after some time.

The site of the Ajanta caves is located to the northeast of Aurangabad, with the caves a little way off the main road. The 29 caves are built in a horseshoe shaped curve of the steep rocky gorge that rises above the river Waghore. The caves date from about 200 BC to 650 AD, but soon after, the site was abandoned, at roughly the time that Ellora was built and the Ajanta caves were slowly forgotten. They remained unknown for centuries, till, in 1819, soldiers from a British hunting party re-discovered them.

The Ellora caves are about 30 kilometers northwest of Aurangabad, cut into the hillside, and are famed for their sculptures. The earliest caves are Buddhist, but the later ones are Hindu and Jain cave temples. It is difficult to say with any degree of absolute precision when the various groups of caves were built, but archeologists feel that some of the building was simultaneous, with the early Hindu temples being carved at the same time as the later Buddhist caves. There are 34 caves, of which 12 are Buddhist, 17 are Hindu and five Jain.

Overlooking the Krishna and Koyna valleys, Mahabaleshwar, at an altitude of 1372 meters, opens up a whole world of picturesque delight. With an air of unspoilt beauty, it is a paradise for nature explorers and peace lovers, as also for filmmakers. The summer capital of the erstwhile Bombay Presidency, Mahabaleshwar retains its quintessential old world charm, despite the increasing crowds that visit the town. Numerous majestic mansions built during the days of the British, still stand as monuments of the Raj.

Lonavala is a famous hill station and a popular getaway from the cities of Mumbai and Pune. A special candy made of peanut and jaggery is a specialty of this place and popular all over the country.

Events And Festivals

Held in September/October, Ganesh Chaturthi is a ten-day event akin to Durga Puja in Bengal, and is celebrated with as much zeal. For this is the time when the routine in the state comes to a grinding halt. Ganesh, the elephant-headed son of Shiva and Parvati, has a very special place in every Indian heart as he is the god propitiated before all other gods, and at the start of any new task, plan or project.

Gudi Padva (March/April) is significant as it marks the beginning of the Maharashtrian New Year. It is dedicated to Sahaliwan, the son of a humble potter who overthrew the reigning Guptas of Malwa to become an important monarch guiding the fortunes of a new dynasty. This day marks the beginning of the Hindu solar year.

Best observed from Mumbai's Chowpatty Beach, Nariel Purnima or the coconut day in August marks the end of the monsoons and is celebrated by Maharashtra's fisherfolk with much enthusiasm.

Pateti in August is the Parsee New Year, significant because it was on this day that the Shahenshahi Zoroastrian community landed in India while migrating from Persia. The Parsees celebrate at the agiary or fire temple, and the community bonds are strengthened through feasts and the meeting of friends and relatives.

Mount Mary's Feast is celebrated in Mumbai for a week beginning on the Sunday closest to the birthday of the Virgin Mary (September 8). Held in the predominantly Catholic area of Bandra in Mumbai, thousands throng to the Basilica. A fair is held with huge Ferris wheels, amusement rides, bands and shows.

In Mumbai, with a large Catholic population, Christmas is a fun event. Trees are decorated and lit in tropical city, midnight masses are held and huge amounts of Christmas pudding consumed. Enormous stars of colored paper are lit and suspended across streets. Miniature cribs are crafted for Jesus recreating the Nativity scene.

The Ellora Festival and the Elephanta Festival attract the country's finest talent to perform amidst a surrounding that must surely be fit for the gods alone. These illuminated cave sites are the appropriate muse for the rendition of classical music.

Mumbai lights its Holi bonfire at Chowpatty, pays obeisance at Shiva temples with bael leaves during Shivratri, and observes a unique event for Janmashtami. On this day, which is Lord Krishna's birthday, earthenware pots full of curds and coins are suspended on ropes across the streets of the city. Then young men form a pyramid and the man on the top breaks the pot while the crowd around cheers and applauds.