It is said that the name Maharashtra is originated from rathi, which means, “chariot driver”. Maharashtra is the third largest states in India, both in terms of population and area with its booming capital Mumbai situated in the western part of India and bordered by the states of Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Goa and the Union Territory of Dadra and Nagar Haveli.
The state boasts of a great religious, cultural, historical and martial heritage. The world famous Film industry Bollywood is in Maharashtra located in the economic capital of India Mumbai. Maharashtra has a large number of hill, land and sea forts, caves, shrines, beaches, hill stations, sanctuaries, leisure places etc. Some of the tourist attractive caves of Maharashtra are Ajanta, Ellora, Elephanta, Pitalkhora etc. which have an extra-ordinary appeal and aura. Maharashtra has many religious shrines and temples, encompassing different faiths, some famous religious places are Jyotirlingas, Ashta Vinayak, Mahalaxmi (Kohapur), Nashik, Nanded, Shirdi, Bibi Ka Maqbara, Ganapati Temple, Osho Ashram, Shri Hazur Sahib etc. Maharashtra has 720 km long affair with the Arabian Sea extends from Dahanu and Bordi in the north up to Goa proceeding southwards.
Famous beaches are Dahanu-Bordi, Ganapatipule, Mandwa and Kihim, Marve, Manori & Gorai, Shriwardhan-Harihareshwar, Tarkarli, Velneshwar, Vengurla – Malvan etc. It is also famous for hill stations like Amboli, Bhandardara, Chikhaldara Hills, Jawhar, Khandala, Mahabaleshwar, Panhala, Toranmal etc. Maharashtra is a home to large number of animal and bird species including the tiger, crocodile, bison, gawa, neelgai, wild deer, sambars and rare migratory birds.
