My Maharashtra Tour.....

Hi All,

From last few years I was planning to travel Maharashtra by car but due to unavoidable circumstances the plan was regularly postponed.  After my son’s birth, a wish came to my mind to visit Ashtavinayak and finally I have made a plan to travel all important holly places of Maharashtra in Diwali vacation.  I have checked out all routes, places to visits, places to stay (this is more important if the family is with you).

My car is Indica Vista, I though it is better to make sure the car is fine tuned for travel so I have given it for servicing and overall check. We have decided to start the tour on 26/10/2014 but I have to pick my mother in law and sister in law from Sakoli so I slightly changed the plan and we started from Gondia on Saturday 25/10/2014 to save 2-3 morning hours.

Planned rout was as given below:

Gondia-Sakoli-Nagpur-Amravati-Karanja-Mehkar-Jalna-Aurangabad-Ahmednagar-Mehrabad-Siddhtek-Morgaon-Pali-Mahad-Lonavla-Lenyandri-Ozar-Ranjangaon-Theur-Siddhtek-Ahmednagar-ShaniShignapur-Shirdi-Nashik-Verul-Aurangabad-Ajanta-Shegaon-Akola-Nagpur-Sakoli-Gondia

Total Km travelled 2850.

Total Days: 8

Day 1

Gondia – Sakoli – Bhandara – Nagppur – Badnera- Karanja – Mehkar – Jalna – Aurangabad –Ahmednagar – Mehrabad.

 So finally I’ve started from Gondia with my wife, son & driver at 7:30 pm and reached Sakoli before 9:00 pm. I was quite exited for the tour but still tried to sleep early as possible. Next day we started sharply on 6:15 am and crossed Nagpur at 7:30 am due to low traffic NH6. Taken a short break near Mozri village and started again for further journey. Zoomed till Badnera bypass so quickly and NH6 with potholes started after bypass. We have left NH6 at Karanja phata to keep on Karanja-Mehkar-Jalna road. After removing tolls, the road was partially very bad in shape which gradually slowed down our average speed. We have found one good place to eat so took lunch there and resume the boring journey. After Jalna bypass finally we were back on 4 lane good shape road and moved to Aurangabad and then Nagar quickly. At 8:00 pm we reached our first destination Mehrabad. I’ve already booked accommodation there so they were waiting for us. Got fresh and took a dinner at ashram’s canteen. I was feeling so peaceful and relaxed at that atmosphere. Went to bed near 10 pm and soon got deep sleep.

Day 2

Mehrabad – Daund – Sidhatek –  – Daund – Kedagoan – Morgaon – Jejuri – Saswad – Pune – Lonavala – Pali - Mahad

We got ready at 6:30 morning and went for Darshan at Samadhi of Avatar Meher Baba. I became so emotional in the divine atmosphere of that holy place. I’ve visited earlier almost 25 years ago when I was 4-5 years old. After that we began for first temple of Ashtavinayak, Sidhatek. Ahmadnagar to Daund road was in very bad condition and it took too much time to reach Daund. We reached Sidhatek at 10 am and did darshan quickly. Within an hour, we moved from there to Moreshwar temple Morgaon. Moreshwar temple was so crowded and took some time for darshan. We took darshan and headed for further journey from Morgaon on 12:30pm. We took root Jejuri - Saswad - Pune - Lonavala – Pali and reached 7:30 pm at Pali. Jejuri – Saswad – Pune road was in very bad shape and in under construction which caused us a lot of time. Darshan done very quickly and we headed again for Mahad. Reached Mahad at 9:00 pm and took darshan. There were no rooms available at Mahad so we had to leave Mahad to search good accommodation. Due to Diwali season and Imagica Theme Park it took us so much time to find a good place. Finally we got a good room at Khopoli.

Day 3

Khopoli – Lonavala – Rajgurunagar – Narayangaon – Junner – Lenyandri - Ozar  – Narayangaon – Pargaon – Kavathe – Malthan – Ranjangaon – Theur.

At 8:00 am we left the hotel and headed for Lonavala. It’s was my third time at Lonavala and surprisingly it was worst to see Lonavala in winter morning. It was looking very desolate so we have wrapped up our visit early and headed towards Lenyandri by old Pune Mumbai highway. The road till Lenyandri was good enough to make confortavle journey. At 2:00 pm we reached Lenyandri, and it was very exhausting to climb stairs in the hot and direct Sun. I took my son on my lap and started climbing. We came down nearly at 3:00 pm and took a lunch there and move ahead for Ozar. We reached Ozar at 4:30 and took a darshan quickly. After Ozar, we headed for Ranjangaon because as per the plan we have to complete Ashtavinayak darshan today. We took shortest route but it was very narrow road and crossed all over thorugh villages. Bad descison to take shortest route. We reached Ranjangaon at 7 pm and it was very crowded so took some time for darshan. We left the Ranjangaon at 8:30 and headed for Theur. Reached Theur at 9:30 pm and fortunately temple was open so we have took the darshan as well. After darshan we book a room there, took a dinner and stayed for the night.

Day 4

Theur – Shidhatek – Ahmadnagar – Shani Shingnapur – Shirdi - Nashik

At 8:30 am, we have staretd for Sidhatek again as I was want to complete circle as per the pilgrim rule of Ashtavinayak yatra. Reached 10:30 am at Sidhatek, took darshan and headed for Shani Shignapur. The road was ok (Except the Daund – Nagar section). We left from Shanishignapur on 3pm and headed for Shirdi. However, meanwhile suddenly my son has high fever so we headed first to the Sansthan hospital for Pediatric Doctor. It was very bad experience for me. The doctors weren’t listing at all properly from any parent that, what was happened to their wards. I didn’t take those medicine and called my son’s regular doctor and he prescribed some medicine over phone. Shirdi was very crowded and shop kippers were forcing to take prashad and the rates of prashad were very high. We took a darshan and headed for Nashik to meet my paternal aunty (Buwaji). Shani /shinganapur – Shirdi – Kopargaon – Nashik road was in good condition. We reached Nashik at 10 pm and my son was quite comfortable now.

Day 5

I only visited a Pediatric Doctor for my son’s checkup with my uncle and rest all day at Nashik.

Day 6

Nashik - Ellora - Ghrishmeshwar - Aurangabad - Ajanta

After taking breakfast, headed for Ellora caves. After Vaijapur, the road was mixed with some good patch but most of the road was not ok. Visited Ellora and seen the fascinating and beautiful sculptures of ancient era. After that we moved for Ghrishmeshwar jyotirling. Ellora - Ghrishmeshwar – Aurangbad road was in very bad condition. We reached Aurangabad almost in the evening and hurried towards Bibi Ka Maqbara. Luckily we manage to see it in good enough time and headed further for Ajanta. At 8pm we reached Ajanta and stayed at MPRDS resort. The road was ok.

Day 7

Ajanta - Shegaon

In the morning after taking breakfast we headed for Ajanta caves. Parked the car and took AC battery bus for caves as private vehicle is not allowed there. Once again seen the fascinating and beautiful sculptures of ancient era and returned back for further journey. Ajanta to Shegaon road was ok in condition. Reached Shegaon at 4:00 pm, took tickets of Anand Sagar and visited the beautiful garden, lake and all the places. Anand sagar and the accommodation facilities of Sansthan had been already booked so we have headed toward Shri Gajanan temple for darshan. After that, we moved for Akola and booked a hotel there for night stay.

Day 8

Akola - Nagpur - Sakoli - Gondia

Departed from Akola early in the morning and reached Nagpur and did some shopping there. At 2pm we reached Sakoli and took rest all the after completion of this tour successfully. Next day morning reached Gondia.

This was my longest journey by car I ever travelled so far. Lots of memories and a wonderful experience of traveling almost districts in Maharashtra state by car. I hope you enjoyed reading tis blog and I wish my experience will be helpful to more travelers.

Thanks,

Tushar Harinkhede.