Ahmednagar

Ahmednagar is a city in Maharashtra which has assumed a lot of importance during the Nationalist Movement. Jawaharlal Nehru and other Indian Nationalists were housed in the Ahmednagar fort before independence. Nehru, during his confinement in 1944 authored the very famous book ‘The Discovery of India’. Ahmednagar is a relatively less developed town that is surrounded by more developed cities of Mumbai and Pune to the west. It is home to almost twenty sugar factories and often suffers from drought.

It has some less discovered places to offer, which makes special and exclusive in its own way. The Chand Bibi Palace, Meher Baba’s tomb, Hume Memorial Church are a few of them. The Cavalry Tank Museum there has an extensive collection of armored battle vehicles of the twentieth century.

Ahmednagar has a lot of temples too. Dedicated to Ganeshji, one must visit the Vishal Ganpati Mandir and Siddhatek Siddhivinayak. Not far from here is Sainagri or Shirdi. Kalbhairavnath’s temple attracts thousands of pilgrims every Sunday. Durga’s temple in Kedgaon is a huge magnet for devotees, especially during the Navrati festival.

For nature lovers, a visit to Rehekuri Blackbuck Sanctuary is a must. Villages in and around Ahmednagar have undertaken work for the betterment of environment- utilizing resources in a better fashion. For interested people, a look at the fieldwork is a personal recommendation.

Ahmednagar can make for a short and sweet trip with the family, especially to educate young children.