Namita SawantJunnar Maharashtra is declared as the first tourism taluka in the Pune district, of course as it is unique and blessed with abundance. If you ask me if there’s one place that, has it all,
- Temples
- Caves
- Backwaters
- Forts
- Farms & fields
- Fresh air
- Cattles
- Even Hills
I will say yes, I have recently been to a place that had this diverse landscape, its Junnar. Popularly famous as the birthplace of the great Maratha king – Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, I am in awe of its beauty and diversity. Here’s my experience of exploring Junnar.
What makes Junnar in Maharashtra unique?
Of course, its diverse landscape comprising of religious, mythological, and historical places. Its location is easily accessible from Mumbai, Pune, and Nashik. The fresh air apparently made it the best place to set up World’s largest radio telescope, GMRT or Giant Meter Wave Radio Telescope. And the list goes on and on.
From ancient temples to a tahsil housing the highest number of dams, from prosperous history to a place with the highest number of caves in Maharashtra, Junnar is bound to become the hottest tourist destination in times to come.
Where to stay in Junnar Maharashtra?
HmmBrr Agro resort at Junnar is the best resort to plan your stay. Located at Nimgaon, this resort is excellently designed to bestow upon guests a stay that’s close to nature. The beautiful fruit-laden trees of mango and Chiku reminds you of the simplicity of life. The rule of patience, the essence, and sweetness of life. Close to our resort were several farms and I simply enjoyed visiting the Bajra and sunflower fields.
Every moment in this resort was peaceful and blissful. The rooms were clean and had all the essential amenities for a relaxing stay. My favorite spot was the veranda outside the room. One look at these beautiful mango trees was all that was needed to relax the mind.
My daughter’s favorite part was the cowshed. She enjoyed visiting the cows and feeding them leaves. We had so much fun at the resort. I will try to share a detailed review of the HmmBrr Agro resort and the food in the upcoming blog.
The resort package included stay and food. We relished fresh homemade food prepared from vegetables from the adjoining farms. The food was delicious and healthy.
Places to visit in Junnar Maharashtra
Amba Ambika Caves
Before visiting Junnar, I had no clue that this place has the largest number of rock-cut caves in India. More than 200 caves spread across four hills. The Amba Ambika caves are situated on the Manmodi hills. Naturally, we had to trek for a few minutes to reach the caves.
Our day one started early at 7 am as our guide Mr. Akshay, from the resort accompanied us to the peaceful hills, leading to Amba Ambika Laney. The caves are not in great shape, apart from a few that has a temple within. Still, the view from atop is remarkable and it makes the trek worthwhile.
Lenyadari temple
Lenyadri is an Ashtavinayaka temple situated on the mountain. 283 steps were built in stone for the devotees to reach the top and seek the blessings of lord Ganesha. This is the only Ashtavinayak temple located in a cave, up in the mountains. While the walk up the mountains is easy, given the well-maintained premises, it’s advisable to beware of monkeys. They are in huge numbers and they snatch anything that’s in your hands. So, the best is to keep everything in a closed bag and keep your hands free.
Manikdoh dam
Manikdoh dam is a beautiful place to spend some quiet time amid nature. The view is so breathtaking, it feels like you are seeing a scenic wallpaper. Located about 11km from Lenyadari, you might want to take a short rest after the temple visit before heading to Manikdoh backwaters. Serene and calm don’t miss basking in the backwaters feel.
Ozar Ganpati temple
Another Ashtavinayak Temple located in Junnar, Ozar is a Vigneshvar temple. Several devotees come to Ozar to seek blessings of the left-trunked god residing in the temple. The Swayambhu idol is worshipped to defeat obstacles.
Giant Metrewave Radio Telescope (GMRT) Junnar Maharashtra
Giant Metrewave Radio Telescope (GMRT) is a one of its kind versatile instrument that helps investigate a variety of radio astrophysical problems, in the Solar system. Set up by the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR), GMRT is located near Narayangaon and features approximately thirty fully steerable parabolic radio telescopes.
Shivneri Fort Junnar Maharashtra
Shivneri Fort is the birthplace of Great Emperor Shivaji Maharaja, who is the founder of the Maratha Empire. It is declared a UNESCO World Heritage site. Be prepared to trek the beautiful Shivneri fort lined by Gulmohar trees all around. Around 2 km of a walk and you can rest at the temple and carry on your trek till the top of the fort.
Conclusion
Choose Junnar Maharashtra as your weekend Getaway near Pune or Mumbai and enjoy being close to the nature. In the pandemic times when lives have become more stressful, a simple getaway close to mother nature could be a healing trip. Here are some more pics of the farms and fields that we visited.
Thank You for reading the blog.
For a perfect getaway near Mumbai, do read this blog: Karjat – A perfect short getaway for Mumbaikars – Best of India Travels
