Nashik- A treat for traveller

Nashik, the Treasure Chest

Vipassana Research Institute-Igatpuri

Dhamma Giri, meaing 'Hill of Dhamma' is one of the world's largest Vipassana meditation centres. It is co-located with the Vipassana Research Institute Research Institute at Igatpuri in Maharastra, approximately one hour drive from Nashik. Igtapuri is located at a height of 1900 feet above sea level. The center offered its first course in 1976. Today tens of thousands of students study here every year. The center’s pagoda has over 400 cells for individual meditation. ‘Vipassana’ has made Igatpuri famous throughout the world.

Having attended a ten day course in Vipassana at the Kolhapur center, I always wanted to visit Igatpuri one day.

Gargoti- the mineral museum

Being a healer, I use crystals for healing. So my friend had advised that if I visit Nashik, I must go to Gargoti. And wasn’t my breath taken away by the amazing collection of Zeolites from all over the world! Zeolites are micro porous crystalline solids with well defined rich structures. They appear somewhat like diamonds or other precious stones. In fact some of the Zeolites are more precious than Diamonds. It is amazing that each mineral displayed is different from the other.

The Gargoti Museum is in Sinnar some 30-40km from Nashik. It is situated on the Nashik-Shirdi highway. Mr. Krishna Chandra Pandey is the man behind this mesmerizing museum. The museum has got two floors. On the first floor you can see some of the choosy collections, mostly from other parts of the world. The ground floor displays about 1700 rare specimens and intricate Zeolites. Each of these is very unique and oozes positive energy.

The Gargoti Museum has been appreciated through various awards like the “Pride of India”, “Sarswati Puraskar”, “Sinnar Gaurav ” Award. But the spell-bounding beauty and aura around the museum has to be seen to be believed.

Wineries

Pic below shows beautiful view from York winery

Following the forward-looking 'Grape Processing Industrial Policy' of the state government announced in 2001, a host of new wineries have come up in Maharashtra,. It all started with Sula -- the first winery in Nashik. The tour of the premises, with our host explaining the stages in wine making,was interesting. They allow tasting of wines for a small price.

SULA is now a brand recognised world over and they hold a musical-wine fest each year in month of FEB known as SULA FEST. YORK is another winery nearby and said to make wine for a brand in France. Nashik forms part of the Mumbai-Pune-Nasik industrial triangle, but it retains its status as one of Maharashtra's most holy and ancient cities.

If you are temple lover- Nashik is stated to be birth place of Lord Hanuman-place is called Anjneri, located 20 km away from Nasik, is the birth place of Lord Hanuman. You can visit this place enroute to Trimbakeshwar. Nashik is also a place where Sant Samarth Ramdas, who was Chatrapati Shivaji's guru, spent many years, . His ashram is about 7 km from Nashik in a village named Takli, here Sant Ramdas made Hanuman Mandir with his own hands. Today this place is not maintained well.

Deolali Camp is an important Indian military center. This is one of the oldest centers in India, is located 16 km away from Nashik. It is like a mini hill station and is a nice place to stay.
Bhagur is the birth place of the freedom fighter, Swatantrya Veer Savarkar and hence it has gained historical importance. There is also a beautiful temple of "Bhagur Devi". Bhagur is situated 3 km away from Deolali Camp.

Coin Museum

Coin Museum is one of the most popular tourist places in the Nashik city of Maharashtra. The museum was founded in 1980 at Anjneri Hills under the Indian Institute of Research in Numismatic Studies. It is a must place to visit for coin lovers, you can see full history and collection. .....BACK TO MAIN NASHIK PAGE
Table below gives all points of interest in and around Nashik and idea about distances

Distance From city point
Kalaram Mandir	3 km.	Trimbakeshwar	28 km.
Sita Gumpha	3 km.	Sula Wines	15 km.
Ramkunda	3 km.	Chamber Leni	7 km.
Tapovan	3 km.	Saptshrungi	65 km.
Bhaktidham	3 km.	Saputara	80 km.
Someshwar	7 km.	Shirdi	90 km.
Muktidham	8 km.	Shani Shingnapur	155 km.
Pandav Leni Caves	5 km.	Gargoti, Sinner	26 km.
Phalke Smarak	5 km.	Planetorium	2 km.
Bhandardara, Kalsubai M	70 km.	Nandur Madhmeshwar	55 km.
Anjneri	24 km.	Coin Museum	24 km.