Maharashtra Voyage Tips and guide

Maharashtra (Marathi: महाराष्ट्र Mahārāṣṭra) in Western India is the third-largest state of India by size and the second-largest by population. It stretches from the west coast to the interior regions with a variable climate. Maharashtra contains India's most industrialised region, the Mumbai-Pune belt. Agriculturally, too, the state is one of India's more advanced and well-irrigated.

The Western Ghats divide Maharashtra into two parts: the lower Konkan coast at the west, and the upper Deccan Plateau at the east.

Maharashtra regions - Color-coded map — switch to static map

Mumbai The "City of Dreams", the capital and the largest city of the state, and the financial capital of India. It is the home of the Indian film industry, Bollywood. A vibrant coastal region known for its fast-paced urban energy, rich cultural diversity and historic landmarks.

North Konkan A scenic coastal region in western Maharashtra known for its lush greenery, pristine beaches, vibrant seafood traditions, and a rich cultural blend shaped by centuries of maritime history and diverse communities.

Raigad a historically rich coastal district in known for its majestic forts, lush green landscapes, vibrant Konkani culture, and a strong connection to Maratha heritage, making it one of the state’s most significant and scenic regions.

South Konkan South Konkan is a picturesque coastal region in Maharashtra known for its serene beaches, dense coconut groves, rich seafood traditions, and a deeply rooted Konkani culture shaped by centuries of maritime history and natural beauty.

Here are nine of the most notable cities.

• 19.07583372.87751 Mumbai — the "City of Dreams", the capital and the largest city of the state, and the financial capital of India
• 19.08333374.7333332 Ahmednagar (Ahilyanagar) — more than 500 years of history, with traces of Nizamshahi, Shah Jahan and Peshwas
• 20.93333377.753 Amravati — educational hub in east Maharashtra, the home of Goddess Ambadevi
• 19.8875.324 Aurangabad (Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar) — the city of 52 doors, famous for its Mughal monuments and Ajanta caves
• 16.774.2333335 Kolhapur — the home of Goddess Ambabai
• 21.14972279.0805566 Nagpur — the city of oranges, at the geographical centre of India
• 19.1577.3333337 Nanded — a holy city of Sikh Religion
• 2073.7833338 Nashik — the city of pilgrimage - The Grape city
• 18.51957473.8552879 Pune — the cultural capital of Maharashtra, known as the Oxford of the East with old town, museum and excellent restaurants

• 20.533375.751 Ashtavinayak — eight Temples of Lord Ganesha

• 20.533375.752 Bhimashankar — one of the 12 Jyotirlinga in India

• 17.1666173.771323 Chandoli National Park — formerly a wildlife sanctuary, this park forms part of Sahyadri Tiger Reserve with Koyna Wildlife Sanctuary. This area is home to the Bengal Tiger and Indian leopards, sloth bears and bison. Sambar deer and blackbuck are also present. There are also several species of amphibians, reptiles and birds as well.

• 20.0238275.161834 Ellora — world famous for its caves of three religions, a total of 30 caves are divided into Buddhist, Hindu and Jain caves. Ellora is also the abode of Grishneshwar, the 12th Jyotirlinga in India

• 21.24277.08555 Gugamal National Park — part of the Meighat Tiger Reserve, this park has a large variety of mammals, fish and butterflies. The water crocodile was reintroduced into the Gagda and Dolar rivers

• 19.984876.522356 Lonar — has Earth's only meteor crater in basaltic rock

• 20.9755780.165197 Navegaon National Park — popular forest resort with a lake found in the Navegaon hills with a diverse variety of mammals, fish and birds. Opportunities exist for a jungle safari, sailing on the lake or staying in a tree-top house.

• 20.7349978.662578 Sevagram — Mahatma Gandhi's "village of service"

• 20.2484779.425389 Tadoba National Park — the largest national park in Maharashtra designated as a tiger reserve. Besides tigers, one may see Indian leopards, sambar deer, Indian python, and Indian cobra. With nearby Tadoba Lake, a large diversity of birds can be appreciated by the avid bird-watcher. A variety of butterflies and insects are also found here. For visitors, jungle safari trips via gypsy vehicles and buses with local guides can be arranged

Maharashtra is one of the most industrialised states in India. It is the richest state in India by GDP. The state's capital, Mumbai, is India's financial and commercial capital.

The state is home to seven UNESCO World Heritage Sites: Ajanta Caves, Ellora Caves, Elephanta Caves, Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus (formerly Victoria Terminus), the Victorian Gothic and Art Deco Ensembles of Mumbai, the Maratha Military Landscapes of India (shared with Tamil Nadu) and the Western Ghats, a heritage site made up of 39 individual properties of which four are in Maharashtra.

Maharashtra experiences a tropical wet and dry climate with hot, rainy, and cold weather seasons. Some areas more inland experience a hot semi arid climate, due to a rain shadow effect caused by the Western Ghats. The month of March marks the beginning of the summer and the temperature rises steadily until June. In the central plains, summer temperatures rise to between 40 °C (104 °F) and 45 °C (113 °F). May is usually the warmest and January the coldest month of the year. The winter season lasts until February with lower temperatures occurring in December and January. On the Deccan plateau that lies on eastern side of the Sahyadri mountains, the climate is drier, however, dew and hail often occur, depending on seasonal weather.

It is advised to check with local forecasts before checking out Maharashtra particularly during the heavy monsoon rains.

• Maharashtra state government website is very helpful for tourism information

• Marathi is the official and most widely spoken language in Maharashtra, and it is especially dominant outside major cities.
• In urban centres such as Mumbai and Pune, Hindi and English are commonly understood, making communication easy for most travellers.
• Mumbai is notably multilingual, with large communities speaking Marathi, Hindi, Gujarati, and several South Indian languages.
• Along the Konkan coast—particularly in Sindhudurg and parts of Ratnagiri—Konkani is also spoken, though the local dialects differ from the Goan variety and are heavily influenced by Marathi. Most Konkani speakers in Maharashtra are bilingual, and Marathi remains the primary language for signage, transport, and official use.
• In rural areas, English is less common, so Marathi or Hindi will be more useful for everyday interactions. Signboards on highways and public transport are usually in Marathi, Hindi, and English, though local buses in smaller districts may display only Marathi. Travellers generally find locals friendly and helpful, and even simple attempts to speak Marathi are warmly appreciated.

All the cities of Maharastra all well connected by rail, air and road.

Maharashtra has the following important airports:

1. Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport, Mumbai (BOM ^IATA): The main air hub of the state and the country. It has excellent service to all major cities of the world as well as most Indian cities. International non-stop flights are available from London, Paris, Frankfurt, Seoul, Bangkok, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Atlanta and other cities. Domestic flights connect to Delhi, Bangalore, Goa, Ahmedabad, Kolkata, Chennai, Nagpur and many other cities in India.

1. Pune International Airport (Lohagao Airport), Pune (PNQ ^IATA): Connected mainly to other Indian airports (Delhi, Goa, Bangalore).

1. Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar International Airport, Nagpur (NAG ^IATA): Well connected to other Indian cities. Some international flights are available.

There are other, smaller airports in the cities of Aurangabad, Nashik, Kolhapur, Nanded and Shirdi. Except for Aurangabad Airport (IXU ^IATA), which has regular flights scheduled, other airports have only occasional flights. If you do intend to fly to these cities anyway, make sure you have good knowledge of your flight details because flights are rare. It is much easier to reach these cities by road or railway.

Maharashtra is also well connected with other parts of India by rail. Maharashtra is served by Western Railway (WR), Central Railway (CR), Konkan Railway (KR) and South East Central Railway (SECR) zones.

Rail travel is quite cheap compared to travelling by road. Trains in India, although faster than cars/buses, are quite slow due to the terrain and also due their sheer length (it is not unusual for a train to have up to 24 coaches). Travelling a distance of about 600 km takes about 10-12 hours.

Mumbai is served by both WR and CR. Trains to Mumbai from other parts of India are abundant and you should have no difficulty to find one which suits you if you check the Indian Railways timetable. If you intend to travel through the coastal region (Konkan) to Mumbai, it is highly recommended to take one of the several trains on the Konkan Railway line. The journey is full of beautiful scenery, from sea coasts and rivers to mighty waterfalls and green forests amidst farming villages and towns. The line also has the highest railway viaduct in Asia and the longest railway tunnel in India. Unless you take the Vande Bharat Express along the way, the journey from Madgaon in Goa to Mumbai CSMT takes about 12 hours. However, do not make this journey during the monsoons (June–September) as landslides are frequent and the railway tracks frequently sink in the soft, wet ground.

Pune is an important railway junction on the Central Railways and receives trains from all parts of India. It is also an important terminus for trains leaving to many cities.

Nagpur is another important junction of both CR and SECR. Being close to the geographical centre of India, trains travelling north–south as well as east–west pass through Nagpur and stop there. Therefore, Nagpur is pretty much reachable directly by train from most of the major cities of India.

Most other major cities in Maharashtra also have direct rail connectivity with other parts of India, but trains may be fewer in number. An alternative is to change trains from one of the major junctions/termini in Maharashtra, from where there are many trains to other parts of Maharashtra. Major railway junctions are Manmad, Bhusawal, Wardha, Purna and Kurduvadi, apart from the cities mentioned above.

Seven national highways connect Maharashtra to other parts of India.

1. NH 48 connects Delhi and Chennai. Passes through Mumbai, Pune, Satara, Kolhapur (and Sangli via junction).
2. NH 53 connects Hajira (Gujarat) and Paradeep (Odisha). Passes through Dhule, Jalgaon, Akola, Amravati, Nagpur, Bhandara.
3. NH 44 connects Srinagar (Jammu and Kashmir) and Kanniyakumari (Tamil Nadu). Passes through Nagpur.
4. NH 65 connects Pune and Machilipatnam (Andhra Pradesh). Passes through Solapur.
5. NH 50 connects Solapur and Mangalore (Karnataka).
6. NH 63 connects Nizamabad (Telangana) and Jagdalpur (Chhattisgarh). A tiny length passes through Sironcha on the eastern tip of Maharashtra.
7. NH 66 connects Panvel and Kanniyakumari. Passes through Mahad, Chiplun, Sawantwadi.

There are numerous other roads but the national highways are the best maintained of all. Some highways may require you to pay tolls at the state border. Many highways have a police checkpost at the state border, although they will not stop you if you don't arouse their suspicions.

Bus services are provided by state transport corporations as well as by private bus companies.

Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC^{[dead link]}) runs a comprehensive network of buses, popularly known as ST buses, within and outside the state. There are 3 classes of buses. The commonly seen red buses are inexpensive, non-AC buses intended for cheap travel. They run between various cities in Maharashtra and adjacent states. Particularly, they connect all the capitals of adjacent states (Gandhinagar/Ahmadabad, Bhopal, Raipur, Hyderabad, Bangalore, Panaji) to at least one city in Maharashtra. But these buses are not very comfortable, especially for long-distance travel as they stop at many villages en route. Another class is of semi-luxury, non-AC buses having separate cushioned seats per passenger. These are popularly known as 'Asiad' buses and have a green or purple top.

The new fleet of luxury buses (Shivneri and Ashwamedh) provide more comfortable, air-conditioned travel at slightly higher prices, although the price is lesser compared to private buses. Look for blue coloured (Shivneri) or orange-brown coloured (Ashwamedh) buses bearing the MSRTC logo. (Some buses may have 'M.S.R.T.C.' written on the front windshield.) Typically, semi-luxury and luxury buses will stop only at a few places indicated on the route information in the front.

Tickets can be purchased on boarding the bus, but it is more convenient to reserve a ticket in advance (at a bus depot, authorised agent or online) to save the trouble of finding a seat for yourself.

The state owned bus companies of some adjacent states (GSRTC, MPSRTC, APSRTC, KSRTC, KTC) also provide similar types of bus services to Maharashtra.

Many private buses also ply between major cities of Maharashtra and adjacent states. The service offered is quite similar to state-owned semi-luxury and luxury buses, but at higher (typically about double, or more during tourist season) prices. Seats in such buses can be booked from one of the numerous bus agents like Redbus, Abhibus, and MyTicketBuddy^{[dead link]} that run small agencies in any medium-sized (or larger) city.

• Indian Railways remains the backbone of long‑distance travel, with major junctions such as Mumbai CST, Mumbai Central, Pune, Nashik Road, Nagpur, Aurangabad, and Kolhapur offering frequent express and passenger trains to both intra‑state and national destinations.
• State‑run MSRTC buses provide reliable coverage, ranging from basic red ST buses to more comfortable Shivneri and Ashwamedh air‑conditioned coaches on popular routes like Mumbai–Pune, Pune–Nashik, and Mumbai–Aurangabad. Private bus operators also run overnight sleeper services connecting major cities with smaller towns.
• Road travel is efficient on major corridors such as the Mumbai–Pune Expressway, NH48, and the Nagpur–Mumbai Samruddhi Mahamarg, though rural roads can be narrow and winding, especially in the Western Ghats.
• In Mumbai, there is suburban railway, Metro, Monorail, BEST buses, auto‑rickshaws, black‑and‑yellow taxis, and app‑based cabs form a dense urban network
• Pune relies heavily on PMPML buses, auto‑rickshaws, and its growing Metro system
• Cities like Nashik, Nagpur, Kolhapur and Aurangabad offer a mix of buses, autos, and taxis.
• In smaller towns and villages, shared jeeps, tempos, and six‑seater rickshaws are common for short‑distance travel, though they may not follow fixed schedules. Car rentals and chauffeur‑driven taxis are widely available in major cities and are useful for exploring remote forts, vineyards, and coastal stretches where public transport is infrequent.
• Air travel between Mumbai, Pune, Nagpur, Aurangabad, and smaller airports like Kolhapur and Shirdi provides a faster option for covering long distances.
• Ferries also operate seasonally along the Konkan coast and across Mumbai Harbour, offering scenic alternatives to road travel.

Coastal Maharashtra (Konkan) has some of very beautiful beaches. With a 720 km coast line, there are beautiful beach destinations almost every 50-100 km, starting from Dahanu in the Northern part of the State to Sindhudurg, at the Southern tip.

Some popular beaches are:

• Bordi
• Gorai-Madh
• Juhu
• Girgaon Beach (Chowpaty)
• Alibag
• Nagaon, Alibaug
• Kashid
• Murud-Janjira
• Harihareshwar
• Ganpatipule
• Tarkarli
• Vengurla
• Terekhol
• Devgad beach
• Taramumbari
• kunkeshwar beach
• Pirvadi Beach (Uran)

While the beaches in Bordi, Gorai, Juhu, Alibag, Kashid and Murud-Janjira are well-developed, with multiple accommodation choices, the rest remain still off the tourist circuit. The primary reason is lack of good accommodation choices. At most of the other beaches, the only decent stay options are properties owne and managed by the Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation (MTDC), a govt. organisation. These MTDC resorts have amazing location with great views, but being govt. run, these are not among the best in service, activities and food.

Popular hill stations in Maharashtra are -

• Matheran
• Mahabaleshwar
• Panchgani
• Chikhaldara
• Bhandardara
• Amboli
• Raigad
• Lonavala

• National Parks at Mumbai
• Meteor Crater at Lonar
• Prince of Wales Museum, Mumbai
• Astavinayak yatra
• Shirdi
• Windmills at Chalalewadi

• Trek the Sahyadris — Popular routes include Rajmachi, Harishchandragad, Torna, Sinhagad, Kalsubai, and the forts of Shivaji’s era.
• Explore the Western Ghats — Waterfalls, dense forests, and monsoon landscapes around Lonavala, Matheran, Mahabaleshwar, and Amboli.
• Visit wildlife sanctuaries — Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve, Pench (Maharashtra side), Navegaon-Nagzira, and Karnala Bird Sanctuary
• Relax on Konkan beaches — Tarkarli, Ganpatipule, Diveagar, Harihareshwar, and Vengurla offer quieter alternatives to Goa.
• Tour ancient cave complexes — Ajanta, Ellora, Elephanta, and Karla–Bhaja caves.
• Visit historic forts — Raigad, Pratapgad, Sindhudurg, Daulatabad, Panhala and Murud-Janjira.
• Experience pilgrimage sites — Shirdi, Pandharpur, Trimbakeshwar, Bhimashankar, and the Ashtavinayak temples.
• Explore colonial-era architecture — South Mumbai’s Victorian buildings, Pune’s old cantonment, and Nagpur’s heritage quarters.
• Enjoy Mumbai’s cultural scene — Marine Drive, Gateway of India, museums, theatres, street food, and nightlife.
• Explore Pune’s youthful vibe — Cafés, music venues, Osho Ashram, and historical sites like Shaniwar Wada.
• Tour Nashik’s wine country — Vineyards like Sula, York, and Soma offer tastings and tours.
• Scuba diving and snorkelling — Tarkarli and Malvan offer clear waters and coral patches.
• Paragliding — Kamshet is one of India’s top paragliding hubs.
• Boating — Venna Lake (Mahabaleshwar), Rankala Lake (Kolhapur), and backwaters in Konkan.
• Camping — Pawna Lake, Bhandardara, and coastal campsites.

• Ganesh Chaturthi — Late August to mid‑September (10‑day festival). Maharashtra’s most iconic festival, celebrated with enormous enthusiasm, especially in Mumbai, Pune, and the Konkan region. Public “mandals” (community groups) build elaborate themed pandals housing large Ganesh idols, often accompanied by music, dance, and social events. The final immersion day, Anant Chaturdashi, sees massive processions carrying idols to the sea or rivers. Travellers should expect heavy crowds, traffic restrictions, and a vibrant, electric atmosphere.
• Gudi Padwa- Late March or early April (Hindu New Year). The Maharashtrian New Year, marking the start of spring. Homes are decorated with rangoli, families raise a traditional gudi (a bright cloth tied to a bamboo pole topped with a pot), and special dishes like puran poli are prepared. Cities like Pune and Mumbai host cultural processions showcasing traditional attire, folk dances, and dhol‑tasha performances.
• Koli festivals — Celebrated by the Koli fishing communities along the Mumbai and Konkan coast. Events often include traditional dances, seafood feasts, and rituals honouring the sea. These festivals offer a glimpse into the coastal culture that predates Mumbai’s urbanisation.
• Ellora Ajanta Festival — Usually February (dates vary by year). A cultural festival held near the Ellora Caves, featuring classical dance, music, and art performances against the dramatic backdrop of ancient rock‑cut temples. It attracts artists from across India and offers a unique blend of heritage and performing arts.
• Pandharpur Wari — June–July (Ashadhi Ekadashi is the main day). One of Maharashtra’s most significant pilgrimage events, where thousands of devotees walk for weeks to the Vithoba temple in Pandharpur. The procession, known as the wari, is deeply spiritual and culturally rich, with traditional chants, music, and community meals. Travellers can observe parts of the procession along the route.
• Nag Panchami — Late July or early August. Particularly important in rural Maharashtra, where devotees worship snakes (symbolically or through images) as protectors of the harvest. Some towns host fairs, folk performances, and traditional games.
• Makar Sankranti — 14 January (fixed date). Known for kite flying in cities like Mumbai and Pune. Rooftops fill with families competing to cut each other’s kite strings, and sweets made of sesame and jaggery are exchanged with the phrase “Tilgul ghya, goad goad bola” (“Take this sweet, speak sweetly”).
• Shiv Jayanti — 19 February (widely observed date, though some follow lunar date in March). Celebrates the birth anniversary of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. Events include processions, cultural programs, and historical reenactments, especially in Pune, Raigad, and coastal Konkan where Shivaji’s legacy is strongest.
• National Holidays also apply, Diwali and Holi as well. For more information on Diwali and Holi please see the India article.

There are lots of snack and side dishes in Maharashtrian cuisine. Some quintessentially Maharashtrian dishes are:

• Vada pav: Popular Maharashtrian dish consisting of fried mashed-potato dumpling (vada), eaten sandwiched in a bun (pav). This is referred to as Indian version of burger and is almost always accompanied with the famous red chutney made from garlic and chillies, and fried green chilles. Interestingly rarly vada pav are home made. Very famous in Mumbai.
• Chivda: Spiced flattened rice. It is also known as Bombay mix in Foreign countries especially Great Britain.
• Kande Bhaje: Very famous dish made of cut onions & 'besan'. Specially demanden in rainy season.
• Pohe: pohe or poha is a snack made from flattened rice. It is most likely served with tea and is probably the most likely dish that a Maharashtrian will offer his guest. During arranged marriages in Maharashtra, Kanda Pohe (literal translation, pohe prepared with onion) is most likely the dish served when the two families meet. Its so common that sometimes arranged marriage itself is referred colloquially as "kanda-pohay". Other variants on the recipe are batata pohe (where diced potatoes are used instead of onion shreds). Other famous recipes made with Pohe (flattened rice) are dadpe pohe, a mixture of raw Pohe with shredded fresh coconut, green chillies, ginger and lemon juice; and kachche pohe, raw pohe with minimal embellishments of oil, red chili powder, salt and unsauteed onion shreds.
• Upma or sanja or upeeth: This snack is similar to the south Indian upma. It is a thick porridge made of semolina perked up with green chillies, onions and other spices.

Surali Wadi: Chick pea flour rolls with a garnishing of coconut, coriander leaves and mustard. Lots of items actually..further delicacies can be obtained in any typical maharastrian home.

• Matar-usal- pav' :It is a dish made of green peas in a curry with onions, green chillies and sometimes garlic. Its eaten with a western style leavened bun or pav. Another form of Matar usal is made in konkan areas or by brahmins especially in Pune - this has a gravy of coconut, coriander, ginger-garlic and green chilly ground together and then fried into a Phodni. Some water and green peas are added and boiled till the peas are cooked and have absorbed the taste of all the condiments.
• Misal Pav:Quintessentially from Kolhapur. This is made from a mix of curried sprouted lentils, topped with batata-bhaji, pohay, Chivda, farsaan, raw chopped onions and tomato. Also some times eaten with yogurt. Bread is a must.

Pav bhaji: This speciality dish from lanes of Mumbai has mashed steamed mixed vegetables (mainly potatoes, peas, tomatoes, onions and green pepper) cooked in spices and table butter. The vegetable mix is served with soft bun shallow fried in table butter and chopped onion. Sometimes cheese, paneer (cottage cheese) are added.

• Kothimbir vadi': Coriander (Cilantro) mixed with chick pea flour and Maharashtrian spices. There are plenty of variants of this dishes some deep fried, some stir fried and some steamed.

Saoji curry is special gravy mainly used in preparing non-vegetarian (chicken and mutton dish); But can also be used to prepare vegetarian dish (Potato, Paneer or Soya Chunk). Saoji chicken or Mutton is famous for its spicy taste and is highly recommended to all the spicy food lovers. Nagpur is famous for 'Saoji chicken'.

Soups

• Solkadhi - prepared from coconut milk and Kokam
• Tomato saar - Maharashtrian spicy tomato soup
• Kokam saar - Soup prepared from dried fruit of Garcinia indica
• Varan - plain non-spicy or lightly spiced daal lentil with split Pigeon pea (Toor dal)
• Katachi Aamti - Sweet, hot and sour soup prepared from Chana or Chickpea dal

Pickles

• Ambyache lonche (mango pickle)
• Limbache lonche (lemon pickle)
• Awlyache lonche/Murabba' (amla pickle)
• Mohoriche lonche (mustard pickle)
• Ambe-haladiche lonache (fresh turmeric pickle)
• Mirachiche lonache (Chilly Pickle)
• Sakhar amba (Sweet Pickle of Mango)

Sweets

• Puran Poli: It is one of the most popular sweet item in the Maharashtrian cuisine. It is made from jaggery (molasses or gur), yellow gram (chana) dal, pain flour, cardamom powder and ghee (clarified butter). It is made at almost all festivals. A meal containing puran poli is considered "heavy" by Marathi people.
• Gulachi Poli : Made specially on Makar Sankranti in typical Brahmin households, the Gulachi poli is a heavy meal similar to the Puran Poli. It is made with a stuffing of soft/shredded Jaggery mixed with toasted, ground Til (white sesame seeds) and some gram flour which has been toasted to golden in plenty of pure Ghee. The dish is made like a paratha i.e. the stuffed roti is fried on Pure ghee till crisp on both side. Tastes heavenly when eaten slightly warm with loads of ghee.
• Modak: is a Maharashtrian sweet typically steamed (ukdiche modak). Modak is prepared during the Ganesha festival around August, when it is often given as an offering to lord Ganesha, the elephant-headed God, as it is reportedly his favorite sweet.
• Karanji: is a deep fried dumpling with a filling of grated coconut sweetened with jaggery and flavoured with powdered cardamom seeds. It is also known as Kanavale. It is one of the popular sweets prepared for Diwali celebrations.
• Gulab Jaam: are balls made of dense milk (Mava/Khava) and bleached wheat flour fried in ghee (clarified butter) and then dipped in sugar syrup.
• Shevaya chi Kheer: is prepared by cooking shevaya (vermicelli) in milk. The preparation is sweetened with jaggery or sugar, flavoured with powdered cardamom seeds and finally garnished with chopped nuts. Kheer is also made of Rice, Semolina, and Dudhi (white gourd).
• Anarsa : It is made from soaked powdered rice, jaggery or sugar.

Also Khava (Mava of Nandura. District - Buldhana.)

Maharashtra’s beverage culture is a fascinating blend of coastal freshness, rural simplicity, and urban innovation. Along the Konkan belt, drinks like kokum sherbet and solkadhi are deeply rooted in daily life. Kokum sherbet, with its tangy-sweet profile, is a natural coolant cherished during the humid summers, while solkadhi — a soothing mix of coconut milk and kokum — is enjoyed both as a digestive and a refreshing drink. These beverages reflect the region’s reliance on local produce and its long-standing culinary traditions.

Moving inland, the state’s heartland embraces drinks that are rustic, nourishing, and tied to agricultural life. Taak (plain buttermilk) and mattha (spiced buttermilk) are staples in households, especially during scorching afternoons when hydration and cooling become essential. Festivals and special occasions often feature piyush, a thick, sweetened drink made from shrikhand and milk, or masala doodh, infused with saffron, cardamom, and nuts. These beverages highlight the Maharashtrian love for dairy-based flavours and comforting sweetness.

Urban centres like Mumbai, Pune, and Nagpur add a modern twist to the state’s beverage landscape. Street vendors serve sugarcane juice, nimbu pani, and falooda, while cafés and juice bars offer everything from cold coffee to exotic fruit blends. The cosmopolitan nature of these cities has encouraged experimentation, blending traditional tastes with contemporary preferences. As a result, Maharashtra’s beverage scene today is a vibrant mix of heritage and modernity, offering something refreshing for every palate.

Alcohol in Maharashtra is regulated by state laws, with a legal drinking age of 25 and sales allowed only through licensed shops, bars, and restaurants.

The state is also one of India’s major wine hubs, especially around Nashik and Sangli, where numerous vineyards and wineries offer tastings and tours.

• Nashik is the heart of India’s wine industry and home to the largest concentration of vineyards and wineries in the country. It is known for premium vineyards, wine tourism, tasting rooms, and scenic winery resorts. It also produces signature wines such as Sauvignon Blanc, Chenin Blanc, Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon.
• Sangli is the second major wine region in the state and is especially known for its large grape production. It is known for bulk wine production, table grapes, and emerging boutique wineries. It produces signature wines mainly red varietals, especially Shiraz and Cabernet blends.

Availability of alcohol varies by district, and certain areas may observe dry days during elections or religious events. Tourists should carry valid ID when purchasing alcohol, avoid public drinking—which is prohibited—and be aware that rules may differ slightly across cities and rural regions.

	WARNING: Naxalite (Maoist or Left Wing Extremism) insurgents target police officers, paramilitary forces and government officials leading to injuries and deaths, particularly in the districts of Gadchiroli, Chandrapur, Nagpur, Yavatmal and Nanded
	(Information last updated 16 Dec 2025)

Pickpocketing:

Pickpocketing can occur in busy spaces, so keeping valuables secure, using anti‑theft bags, and avoiding displaying expensive items openly can go a long way in preventing trouble. It’s also wise to carry only what you need for the day and leave important documents, like passports, safely stored at your accommodation.

Food and drink safety:

Food and water safety is another important consideration. While street food can be delicious, choosing vendors with good hygiene practices is essential. Drinking bottled or filtered water is generally safer than tap water in many destinations. Tourists should also be cautious about trying unfamiliar foods too quickly, especially if they have sensitive stomachs.

Weather and the monsoon rains:

Staying aware of local weather conditions and seasonal changes can prevent unexpected issues. Some regions may experience extreme heat, heavy monsoon rains, or sudden storms, so packing appropriate clothing and checking forecasts regularly is important. Keeping emergency contacts handy, including local authorities and your country’s embassy or consulate, adds an extra layer of preparedness.

Goa- A seaside, popular touristy state next to Maharashtra, famous for it's beaches.

Gujarat- A destination famous for its vibrant culture

Delhi/New Delhi- Capital City of India