Grishneshwar Temple and Jyotirlinga Aurangabad

Grishneshwar temple, sometimes referred to as the Ghrushmeshwar Jyotirlinga (linga of light) or Dhushmeshwar temple, is one of the 12 Jyotirlinga shrines mentioned in the Shiva Purana. This is the smallest Jyotirlinga temple in India. Ghrishneshwar Temple is one out of five Jyotirlingas situated in the state of Maharashtra. This pilgrimage site is located in Ellora (also called Verul), less than a kilometer from Ellora Caves – a UNESCO World Heritage site. It is about 30 km from the city of Aurangabad, about 250 km from Pune and about 300 km from Mumbai. Enjoy the drive from whatever way you are reaching Aurangabad. 

We got up at early morning 5:30 AM since we had to reach Aurangabad as per plan, and first in the list was to visit Grishneshwar Jyotirlinga temple visit with Tanuj and maa. Tanuj also had fun while driving our new Dzire. Here we reached entrance of Grishneshwar temple at around 12 at noon. This temple is presently an important and active pilgrimage site of the Hindus and attracts long lines of devotees daily. Anyone can enter the temple premises and its inner chambers, but to enter the sanctum sanctorum core (garbha-ghrya) of the temple, the local Hindu tradition demands that men must go bare chested. We were quite surprise to see it, and respected that. One can touch the jyotirlinga here and perform abhishek through Pandits/Purohits.

The Grishneshwar Temple was constructed by Ahilyabhai Holkar who also re-constructed the Kashi Vishwanath Temple at Varanasi, UP and the Vishnu Paada Temple at Gaya Bihar. There is a court hall inside which is built on 24 pillars. We watched few carvings summarizing various legends and mythologies of Shiva on these pillars. The feeling inside the Garbhagriha is simply amazing. The temple was quite peaceful and calm with very less crowd. As we visited on a weekday, so we had ample time inside Garbhagriha. There is a Nandikeshwara (Nandi bull) in the court hall. The temple houses carvings and sculptures of many Hindu gods and goddesses. 

The temple is made up of Red stone and looks artistic. Photography is not allowed inside temple premises, so we took few photographs from back side and outside areas. You need to keep all your belongings outside only. Better keep your mobile/cameras in your hotel room or vehicle or deposit in the locker which is at the side of the temple gates. We also had a glance at Shahaji Raje Samadhi which is located just besides the Temple. There is small market outside which sells items for worship and handicrafts at very nominal costs. It was one of most peaceful and less crowded jyotirlinga I have ever seen and know. After that we headed for Daulatabad Fort and then Bibi ka Makbara (Mini Tajmahal).

Near by places of interest: 

Ellora Caves, Aurangabad

Ajanta Caves, Aurangabad

Sai Baba temple, Shirdi

Daulatabad Fort, Aurangzeb Tomb, 

Bibika Makbara (Mini Tajmahal)

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Yamai Devi Temple Kanhersar near Rajgurunagar

If you are visiting Bhimashankar temple or Natural Potholes near Takali Haji or Lenyadri caves at Junnar or Ozar Astivinayak temples or Shivneri fort or Ramling Temple at Shirur, You can also include visiting Yamai Devi Temple at Kanhersar (Kanersar) near Rajgurunagar. 

If you are coming from Aundh, Wakad, Pimpri Chinchwad or Hinjawadi side, you have to reach Rajgurunagar via Chakan first, then take the turn which goes to Shirur. You will see Yamai Devi Temple at road-side only at Kanhersar. [60 KM] 

If you are coming from Wagholi or Lonikand side, take turn at Koregaon Bhima which leads to Chouphula and then Kendur, after few KM you will reach Yamai Devi Temple at Kanhersar. [36 KM] 

The temple is quite clean and you will for sure get peace of mind here. It has Main gate and Mangal office gate which leads inside temple. Compound has a small beautiful garden, Sabhamandap, temple gallery. Inside the temple, There is quite unique old water-well point, where people used to draw water from multi-pulley system. 

Once you are in the temple, I am sure you will love the place. There are many beautiful paintings in the temple. We had taken few photographs at the temple, and stayed there for 25-30 minutes, then we moved towards Bhimashankar. 

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An Ancient Temple, Karneshwar - Sangmeshwar

We have traveled many places across Konkan in Maharashtra - Arabian Sea cost from Mumbai to Goa -

Mumbai - Alibag - Kashid and Murud - Shrivardhan and Harihareshwar - Harnai - Dapoli - Velneshwar - Ganpatipule - Ratnagiri - Goa.

After exploring some of the fascinating places in Ratnagiri, Ganpatipule and Velneshwar, we visited Karneshwar temple in Sangmeshwar, on our way back to Pune. 

We took our lunch at Sangmeshwar while returning back from Ganpatipule. Sangameshwar is also a base point to visit Marleshwar Shiva Temple, a cave temple located at 17 kms from Devrukh and 44 kms from Sangameshwar Station. This railway station is also on Mumbai - Ratnagiri train track. Sangameshwar is connected to Mumbai by train also. Many travellers club these temples - Karneshwar Temple and Marleshwar Temple, while visiting from nearby places.

Sangameshwar is a taluka in Ratnagiri district of Maharashtra. The meaning of Sangama in Marathi is 'confluence', and so the name "Sangmeshwar". In Sangmeshwar the two rivers Sonavi and Shastri flow together. As far as history is concerned, this is the place where Sambhaji Raje, son of Chhtrapati Shivaji was captured by Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb. Sambhaji was tortured and executed in Tulapur.

Karneshwar Temple, Kasaba, Sangameshwar

Sangameshwar is a coastal hamlet on NH-17. Above map will help you to reach there. This was not in our plan. But while coming back from Ganpatipule to Pune, we decided to visit this place. Karneshwar temple is 1600 years old Lord Shiva temple at 4 kms from Sangameshwar. It can be reached following a narrow street off the NH-17 road approx 1 KM. You can reach this place asking about Kasaba.

Address: Kasaba, Sangameshwar, Maharashtra

This was approx the end point of the road, where you can see some vehicles. It seems there is no designated parking area. Inside the temple premise huge trees shadow the temple from all sides. The statues and carvings of Hindu Deities can be seen on the temple walls.  The Shiv Temple is location at the center of the premises. An idol of Karna is located near the entrance of the temple. We got amazed to see this olden-golden temple. The place is full of visitors during weekends and Mondays (Shiv worship day).

We were just roaming around this temple, when we met the priest got him to narrate a few stories related to the place. As per our discussion with priest, once upon a time, there were more than 300 temples in this taluka, and this temple was build by "The Pandavas". It was named after 'Karna' the sixth son of Kunti as per Mahabharat epic.

Nivali Waterfall: A Seasonal waterfall on Mumbai - Goa Coastal highway at Nivali and popular stopover for guests travelling on the highway during monsoon season. 

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Velneshwar Temple and Beach in Konkan

Quote of the Post: "If you are crazy sea side lover then Velneshwar is the destination. It has all that you can expect, the views will take you to heaven with shimmering water, coconut trees swaying madly in the breeze on the bank of the sun kissed beaches." - Quote about 'Velneshwar' by Sachin Kumar Gupta 

If you are looking to enjoy best sea views in Konkan area, you've reached the right place. It is highly recommended to follow below map for best time utilization and for viewing most amazing sea-side views of Konkan. Just keep following seaside roads. The narrow winding roads show you the glimpses of what is in store at the end of the journey. 

Velneshwar - Konkan Map

We have traveled many places across west-side of India - Arabian Sea cost from Mumbai to Goa: Mumbai - Alibag - Kashid - Murud - Shrivardhan - Harihareshwar - Harnai - Dapoli. Now it was time to explore Velneshwar - Jaigad - Ganpatipule - Ratnagiri range. After visiting some of the fascinating places in Ratnagiri and Ganpatipule, We started for Velneshwar next morning following Jaigad - Tasval Ferry Boat route. 

Jaigad fort is approx 15 kms further ahead of Ganpatipule. We couldn't visit the fort as we had to reach Velneshwar, so we took ferry route further. 

Jaigad - Tasval Ferry Boat: It is a short 15 minutes journey. The ferry also carry 6-10 four wheeler along-with some 2-wheeler. If you are coming from Ganpatipule, a ferry across the Jaigad creek gets you to Tavsal from where you could visit Hedvi and Velneshwar. This ferry journey gives a feel of Kerela region at times. 

On the way to Velneshwar, Our driver stopped at Hedvi. There is a famous temple of Dashbhuj Laxmi Ganesh Prasanna. This Laxmi Ganesh Temple is not only ancient but also rare. The 3 feet high idol is carved in white stone with ten hands, hence the name 'Dashabhuja Ganapati'. A grand ceremony along with a grand procession held between Shukla Chaturthi to Shashthi in Magh (Hindi month) every year to celebrate the birth of Ganpati. We spent 15-20 minutes at this place and was quite pleasant. 

Velneshwar - Shree Dev Maha Vishnu Devshthan: We kept following the mesmerizing seaside route of Arabian sea views, and reached Velneshwar. We parked ourselves at the temple of Shree Dev Maha Vishnu. The temple is quite colorful, you will love to see this. There is a "well" inside the temple, where one can try drawing some water. The whole temple area is surrounded by walls and coconut trees shadowing in the back. There is an old Shiva temple near Velneshwar which is frequently visited by pilgrims.  

After visiting the temple, we had our much needed tea for the day near sea-side. Its adjoining beach is calm, clean and is ornamented with a row of coconut trees at its beach side. It is possible to swim there as the beach is free from rocks. A small stretch of beach with very few tourists at Velneshwar, is the beach destination in Konkan that you need to head to if you are looking for some time away from everything.

Sunset at Velneshwar: There are quite different rocks if you just walk 200 meters beach-side, this could be an unique place to enjoy sunset. We stayed at this place for long and had my tripod installed first time. We took some wonderful sunset snaps.

A small cove with a pristine stretch of soft white sand beach laced with lush green coconut trees, Velneshwar is yet to feature in the tourist map of Maharashtra. Velneshwar is just emerging as promising tourist destination in the long stretch of Konkan beaches. 

Enjoy other nearby places in Konkan Maharashtra: Ratnagiri, Ganpatipule, Dapoli, Harihareshwar, Shrivardhan.

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Mountain of Jewels - Ratnagiri

Quote of the Post: "A paradise that offers numerous sightseeing options which are mix of natural beauty, beaches, art, cultures, and history in Konkan." - Quote about 'Ratnagiri' in Konkan, Maharashtra - Sachin Kumar Gupta

In our endeavor to explore the coastal belt of Arabian Sea, we traveled Mumbai - Alibag - Kashid - Murud - Shrivardhan - Harihareshwar - Harnai - Dapoli, and now was the time to move to the next destination:

Velneshwar - Jaigad - Ganpatipule - Ratnagiri. 

While coming from Pune, we first reached Ratnagiri, which is in between Raigad and Sindhudurg district. This region is considered to be one of best region in Konkan. Ratnagiri is well connected by road and railways, and also has a small sea port. It is highly recommended to follow below path to enjoy most amazing sea-side views of Konkan.

Ratnagiri - Konkan Map

You can explore the landscape, art, culture and history of this magnificent land. Ratnagiri is well known for its natural beauty, and there are many places to visit in and near Ratnagiri that attracts visitors, Some prime attaractions in Ratnagiri:

Velas Beach

Bhatye Beach: For Indian Chat Lovers.

Madavi beach: This is a black sand beach. 

Thiba (Thibaw) Palace:

Ratnagiri has a palace named Thiba, where the last king and queen of Burma (Myanmar) stay in exile. This palace has their tombs and now converted into a regional museum. We were fortunate to reach the place during their Annual 3-day festival, which had series of events including Art Exhibitions, Cultural Performances by well-known celebrities and local students. I must mention, every piece of art work exhibited here was a masterpiece in itself and we were surprised to know that these were painted by students from Class V to X. The very next day, event was around the flute performance by Pandit HariPrasad Chourasia. There is scenic Thibaw Point, where you can enjoy Sunset, But I will recommend to watch sunset at Aare beach. [See image below] 

Some of the famous Indians were born in Ratnagiri. One of them is Lokmanya Tilak, an active leader in India's freedom movement. We also get the chance to visit Lokmanya (Bal Gangadhar) Tilak Smarak, and his birthplace. The house has been preserved as it is. After a long time we walked barefoot on the cowdung smeared natural flooring. Some of his personal belongings are also on display within the museum. It is sad that, many localites don't even know this place, though it's at the heart of the town. 

Ratna Durga Fort: Ratnadurga is the primary attraction of Ratnagiri apart from the beaches. The fort has the shape of a horseshoe, with a length of 1.3 KM and a width of 1 KM; with its walls standing against the vast sea on three sides, fourth being connected to land. The place is a treat to photographers, every step forward shows a different, unique, soothing and a wonderful view. We spent about an hour here, and viewed all four sides of this fort from its circumference. On one of the sea-facing sides, part of the cliff has collapsed which leads to a cave. One of the fort's bastions, the 'Siddha Buruj', still has a lighthouse. A picturesque temple of The Goddess Bhagwati is one of the important places of worship in the area of the fort. A well near the temple has steps leading down. One small temple of Hanumanji is at the entrance of the fort. After crossing the first entrance gate there is a door with ancient structure. We have to cross both of these gates while coming from the city of Ratnagiri. From the door itself we could view the entire area of the fort. At the upper fort, on the left hand side we have one Lord Ganesh deity and a deity of Hanumanji on right side. In front of this there is a beautiful temple of Goddess Bhagawati. Due to this Goddess, the fort is also named as “Bhagawati Durga”. Many localities visit this place frequently, and named it as "Bhagwati Killa". Some of the photos of this post could have been greener, had it been the monsoon season.

Nivali Waterfall: This can only be seen during monsoon season. Good luck next time. It is located between the beautiful valleys of Nivali ghats.

Jaigad: Jaigad fort is located on a cliff at the entrance of the Sangameshwar river. We couldn't visit this place, but we had Jaigad - Tasval Ferry Boat to reach Velneshwar. The jetty offers a short trip and splendid views of the sea. At some places, you may feel like you are in Kerala.

Aare Ware Beach:

The views across seaside is amazing, and you will love the drive following the sea all the times. This route is highly recommended. Seaside Ratnagiri - Ganpatipule route passes through the twin beaches of Aare and Waare and the Aare sunset point. It is the best place to enjoy splendid sunsets, pulsating palms and wonderful waves in Ratnagiri ranges. We followed the same majestic views alongwith sunset at Aare, and reached Ganpatipule. Many celebrities own land properties near to this beach. Certainly this beach will be a star attraction for tourist in near future.

Adventurous travelers, holiday makers and nature lovers are drawn to this beautiful paradise. Ratnagiri district is a paradise in India.

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Tirth Raj Pushkar in Ajmer, Rajasthan

Quote of the Post: "Witness the holy pilgrim place, its colour, lake, temples, ghats and magical fairs, hosted at time to time." - Quote about "Tirth Raj Pushkar, Ajmer" by Sachin Kumar Gupta

The holy town Pushkar is situated in Ajmer district in the Indian state of Rajasthan. Pushkar is one of the oldest existing cities of India. Pushkar has become a place of Hindu pilgrimage because of its holy Pushkar lake. Pushkar in Sanskrit means blue lotus flower. Hindus believe that the gods released a swan with a lotus in its beak and let it fall on earth where Brahma would perform a grand yagna. The place where the lotus fell was called Pushkar. It is derived from word 'Pushpa' means flower and 'Kar' means hand. It is often called "Tirth Raj" – the king of pilgrimage sites – and has in recent years become a popular destination for foreign tourists as well.

It is 14 km away from Ajmer and 140 km from Jaipur. It is one of the five sacred dhams (pilgrimage site) for devout Hindus. Most of the people visiting Jaipur, take one day trip to Ajmer and Pushkar, so did we. It was quite a smooth drive from Jaipur via Kishangarh. It was a bit cloudy when we reached Pushkar. Once we reach there, our guide explained two stories about this place:

First, According to Hindu theology, it was formed by the tears of Lord Shiva which is believed to have shed after the death of his wife, Sati. The story goes that when Sati died, Lord Shiva cried so much and for so long, that his tears created two holy ponds – one at Pushkara in Ajmer in India and the other at Ketaksha, which literally means raining eyes, in Sanskrit. 

Second, The story goes that Brahma wanted to perform the yagna at the most auspicious time but his consort Savitri whose presence at the yagna was vital for its performance kept him waiting. Irritated by this Brahma married Gayatri, a milkmaid. Savitri on seeing someone else in her place was infuriated and cursed Brahma that he would be forgotten by people on earth and never worshiped. She relented on pleas from other gods that he could only be worshipped in Pushkar; hence there are very rare Brahma temples elsewhere in the world. 

Based on this story, you can see many framed photos of lord Brahma, being sold at this place. The most famous among all 1000+ temples, is the Brahma Temple, built during the 14th century CE. Very few temples to Lord Brahma exist anywhere in the world. 

As per wiki info: Other temples of Brahma include Bithoor in Uttar Pradesh, India; Khedbrahma in Gujarat, India; village Asotra near Balotra city of Barmer district in Rajasthan; Uttamar Kovil (one of the Divya Desams) near Srirangam, Tamil Nadu; Mother Temple of Besakih in Bali, Indonesia; and Prambanan in Yogyakarta, Indonesia. 

Lakes and Ghats: It is famous for its ghats at Pushkar Sarovar (Pushkar Lake). One must take a dip in this holy lake. Legend has it, that this lake was dedicated to Lord Brahma, the creator of the universe when a lotus dropped from his hand into the vale and a lake emerged in that place. Pushkar Lake which is considered sacred, has 52 ghats where pilgrims descend to the lake to bathe in the sacred waters. There we saw many pigeons flying from one temple to another temple, and relaxing in the shadow and some enjoying the 'food' offered to them. 

Important Note: 

• Photography of bathing pilgrims in holy lake is strictly prohibited.
• Footwear has to be removed 30 feet away from bathing Ghats of the holy lake, no footwear at the stairs.
• Take care of your camera, valuables and goods.

*Places to see in Pushkar: Pushkar has many temples. Most of the temples are very old and some of them were rebuilt. 

Jagat Pitta Shri Brahma Temple: The most important temple in Pushkar is the Temple of Lord Brahma, one of the holy trinity of Hinduism. The temple enshrines a life-size idol of Lord Brahma.

Savitri Temple: This temple that is located at the top of the Ratnagiri hill, which is dedicated to Savitri, the wife of Lord Brahma. The temple houses a statue of Goddess Savitri. It takes 1 hr 30 mins to walk from Brahma Temple. It gives a panoramic view of the lake and surrounding sand dunes.

Varaha Temple or Shri Nrisingh Temple: This temple is to God Vishnu. It is one of the most visited temples in Pushkar city. It is said that Lord Vishnu gave a visit to this area to kill an atrocious demon Hirnayaksha.

Temple of Rangji (New and Old) or Shri Vaikunthnathji

Gurudwara Singh Sabha 

Mandir Shri Chaar Bhuja Ji: From the front, you can see peepal's leaves. 

Apteshwar Mahadev temple

The Sri Sawai Bhoj Temple

Man Mahal

Fairs and Festivals in Pushkar:

• Pushkar Camel Fair (November)
• Nagaur Fair
• Tejaji fair
• Blue Lotus Festival (February)

Enjoy the wonderful camel ride tour: Camel ride is very famous here, People come here during festive season to roam around the country side.

A visit to Ajmer and Pushkar town from Jaipur by an Indica or Ambassador taxi would cost about Rs 2,500. Expect rates to go up considerably in the high season. In the market area, you can see enjoy many colorful shops and purchase souvenirs. Ajmer is the nearest tourist attraction that lies outside the city boundaries of Pushkar.

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Jaipur in two days

Quote of the Post: "A historic and beautiful Pink City Jaipur is the world-wide admiration place to visit for all ages and groups." - Quote about Jaipur by Sachin Kumar Gupta

For us it was nice time with family as we reach Jaipur city by train, and stayed near Railway station next to Polo Victory Mall in Golden Hotel. We spend there 4 days including visit to Ajmer and Pushkar. This is quite different post of mine, that will help Jaipur visitors to plan better. If you just have one day to visit Jaipur, Click here.

If you have 2 days to visit Jaipur, enjoy below in following order [This is as per our 4 days experience in Jaipur]:

One day inside the city, the other day just outside the city.

$$ Take composite ticket in advance if you are planning to visit Jaipur for two days, that includes entry fees for:

[A] Amber Palace and Fort

[B] Nahargarh Fort

[C] Albert Hall

[D] Hawa Mahal

[E] Jantar Mantar

Jaipur Visit First Day

***** Day1- Enjoy the lovely palaces and places to visit inside the city.

It is not compulsory to book the taxi for the whole day as most of the places are nearby. Catch-up auto-rickshaw, horse cart or sometimes cover the distance by foot. Keep putting +/- 10-15 minutes as per group's freedom as per below timings.

1- 9:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.

Visit the City Palace of Jaipur. Leave from your place so that you reach City Palace by 9:00 after breakfast.

2- 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

$$ Jantar Mantar [Evening light and sound show 7:30 p.m. English and 8:30 p.m. Hindi; only if you are interested.]

3- 12:30 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. lunch timings

$$ Hawa Mahal observatory 10 mins or 30 mins to go till top floor of Hawamahal and enjoy the cool winds. [Preferred if you have taken composite ticket.]

4- 2:00 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.

Govind Devji Temple specially during Janmastmi or festive times, else skip this and directly go to Albert Hall Museum.

5- 2:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.

$$ Albert Hall Museum and Doll's Museum inside that. Most of the amazing views are from all corners from outside. Go inside if interested to visit Museum or old preserved things, else enjoy the beautiful views from outside with flying pigeons all around.

6- 3:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Birla Planetarium which includes 45 minutes show timings. [4:00 p.m. to 4:45 p.m.]

7- 5:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. with evening snacks.

Enjoy the market Bapu Bazaar, Nehru market and more and purchase some stuff like famous 100 gm rajai (blanket), and some other souvenirs.

8- 6:30 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.

Birla Temple and 7:30 to 8:00 Drive to Jantar Mantar and light and sound show at 8:30. Go for dinner after that.

or

6:30 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.

Drive to Choki Dhani that includes drive and 3 hrs entertainment with Rajasthani dance and dinner.

or 

Watch the latest movie in the famous and royal "Raj Mandir Cinema" and have a photo in front of that. 

Jaipur Visit Second Day

***** Day2- Enjoy the lovely forts, palaces and places to visit outside the city

Book the taxi (or car) for the day and leave by 8 a.m. after breakfast. (as most of the places open by 9 a.m.) Keep putting +/- 10-15 minutes as per group's freedom as per below timings that includes travel timings.

1- 8:15 a.m. to 9:00 a.m.

Jaipur to Amer village drive.

2- 9:00 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. Gaitor visit

3- 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. visit the Amber fort and palace.

$$ Amber (Amer) Fort for morning elephant ride, you may have to book this in advance in peak season. Beautiful palace adds values to it. There is famous Shila Devi Temple as well.

4- 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. visit the Jaigarh fort including lunch at the restaurent there. Jaigarh Fort for the world's largest canon on wheels and the views of Amer and Nahargarh fort from here.

5- 2:30 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.

$$ Visit the Nahargarh Fort and enjoy the views of the Jaipur city and many more from the roof of Nahargarh Fort.

6- 4:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Visit Kanak Vatika

7- 5:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.

Jalmahal Obervatory visit with stay upto 10-15 minutes.

8- Check what you have missed to do on Day-1(8)

5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

Birla Temple and Jantar Mantar light and sound show at 7:30. Go for dinner after that.

or

5:30 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.

Drive to Choki Dhani that includes drive and 3 hrs entertainment with Rajasthani dance and dinner.

or 

Watch the latest movie in the famous and royal "Raj Mandir Cinema" and have a photo in front of that.

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