The predominantly Hindu state of Mahārāṣṭra encompasses a 500 km long coastal strip along the Arabian Sea, as well as parts of the Western Ghats and the Deccan plateau. There are numerous small villages and towns, as well as hundreds of forts and temples many of which are built in caves.
Some of the most notable forts include Shivaneri, Rajgad, Sinhagad, Raigad and Pratapgad. Important temples include Trimbakeshwar, Bhavani of Tuljapur, Shani Shingnapur, Jyotiba Temple, the Ashtavinayaka Ganapati temples.
One of Mahārāṣṭra's most visited cities is the state capital of Mumbai, which is predominantly Marathi. Mumbai lies on an island off the coast and 150 years of separation have attributed to a totally different world from the rest of the province.
The city of Nagpur serves as the winter capital and the Godavari and Krishna are the two major rivers in the state. There are 6 UNESCO world heritage sites in Mahārāṣṭra: the Ajanta Caves, Ellora Caves, Elephanta Caves, Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus (formerly Victoria Terminus), The Victorian Gothic and Art Deco Ensembles of Mumbai and the Western Ghats.
The city of Pune is known for the Pune festival which coincides with the Hindu Ganeshotsav festival.
Popular tourist destinations include the colonial hill stations of Mahabaleshwar, Lonavala, Matheran, Chikhaldara, Lord Pandurang temple at Pandharpur, Khandoba temple of God Khandoba at Jejuri and the Saibaba temple at Shirdi.
The area around Aurangabad features numerous ancient and medieval sites, including the Ajanta and Ellora caves, the Daulatabad Fort and the Bibi Ka Maqbara.
There are many nature parks in Mahārāṣṭra, especially in the Vidarbha region. Some of the most interesting parks include the Melghat Tiger Reserve in Amravati district, the Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve in the Chandrapur district, the Umred Karhandla Wildlife Sanctuary in the Nagpur district, the Nagzira wildlife sanctuary and the Navegaon National Park, which is a bird sanctuary in the Gondia District.
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