The Gurudev Sidha Peeth also famously remembered as Shri Gurudev Ashram is a tribute to his Guru (Teacher/ Guide) by Swami Muktanand in 1949. The Guru had attained Mahasamadhi. This is a spiritual institute where people from all walks of life and countries arrive to seek solace in the divine atmosphere. The Ashram is spread over an area of 70 acres.
The institute was founded by Swami Muktanand in 1949 and the credit for turning this place into a full time spiritual center also goes to him for it was he who decided to settle down and take care of the ashram. However, only few areas are available to common public for visit. The Ashram has also been instrumental in developing the area surrounding it through generation of local employment. Now the settlements around the Ashram consist of populace from tribes coming from nearby forests.
The Vajreshwari temple and the place owe a lot to the existence of the Akloli springs in the vicinity. There exist several hot springs, rich in minerals and sulphur, which owe their existence to the violent volcanic activities in the area in the past. The water from such springs has been tapped and brought to some tiled tubs near the temple. This is a running water tub and though utilized by thousands the chances of catching infection are negligible due to high temperature and chemicals present in the running water.
A word of caution here, the water may sometimes be pretty hot and it is advised to check the temperature before a comfy dip. The dip is a must for any visitor to the temple.
Akloli Kund, situated near the Vajreshwari Temple, is one of the famous hot springs, which is rich in sulphur and minerals. It comprises seven hot springs within 5 ft deep cement tanks. Local inhabitants believe that these hot springs have medicinal properties and can cure many disease
A charming hill station, placed at an altitude of 700 meter above the sea level, Malshej Ghat is a fascinating tourist destination with a rejuvenating climate. Famous for its numerous lakes, cascading waterfalls, and charming mountains, this hill station is a favourite tourist destination of hikers, trekkers, adventurers and nature lovers. A typical woody countryside, Malshej Ghat is distinguished for its rich flora and fauna, historic forts landed on rocky mountains, enthralling rivers, meandering waterfalls, resorts and sanctuaries. Though Malshej Ghat is a year round tourist destination, monsoon brings amazing charm to this beautiful hill station. The verdant valleys and woody forests of Malshej react to the call of the Monsoon by displaying the beauty of its lakes and dancing waterfalls, and the misty at its zenith. The beauty and charm of this marvelous hill station is more visible when it is under heavy fog and dark clouds. But what makes Malshej Ghat so illustrious is the large folk of migratory birds coming from Siberia. The mating dance of the pink-legged Flemingo birds is an eye-catching spectacle. Flemingo Hill Resort and sanctuary is a prime location in Malshej Ghat wherein tourists gather to see the luxurious greenery, and glittering lakes amidst of the rugged mountain. This hilly resort exhibits the beauty of the nature in its full grandeur.
The Parshuram mandir in the area is another example of profound impact ancient history has upon the place. The Brahmin sage had vowed to cleanse the Kshatriya (Warrior Clan) Community from earth’s surface and even succeeded in doing so. Parshuram is believed to have performed a mahayadnya at Vajreshwari which lead to formation of volcanic ash hills in the area as residue. This association of Parshurama leads us and explains the mystery of worship of Renuka (mother of Parshurama).
The temple is made in the Hemadpanthi style, constructed from stones the temple has the unmistakable aura of any ancient Indian temple
t is very easy to forget visits to obscure places when you travel as a 6 yr old during the Christmas vacations. However, the memories etched on my mind of Vajreshwari, especially the hot springs never quite faded and kept on urging me for another trip to this beautiful place. If every winter morning made me long for the hot springs of Vajreshwari then every chaotic scene in the office made me long for the serenity of the temples and the peace and calm existing throughout the region with a violent volcanic past. The existence of 3 rivers Tejsa, Tansa and Surya in the vicinity adds to the tourism value of the place.
Vajreshwari finds a proud mention even in the ancient "Puran" (Hindu holy books) for being consecrated by the presence of Rama as well as Parshuram. Vadvali as it was known earlier, the place was renamed after reincarnation of Vajrayogini. There is also another story of the place being named after Vajreshwari when she swallowed the vajra (thunderbolt / power bolt) of Lord Indra when he hurled the same at the wise sage Muni Vashishtha..
Vajreshwari is mostly inhabited by the local Marathi community. Easygoing and docile the locals are always eager to help and even find time to accompany you to the places you are looking for. Typical Maharashtrian food as well as South Indian Fare is available at the local hotels. The specialty of the place, a frosty glass of Sugarcane juice is also recommended for the sheer energy that it seems to provide while entering the gut.
Located at the convergence of beautiful rivers Krishna and Yenna, Mahuli, a tiny locale in the Thane district of Maharashtra is also called as Sangam Mahuli. This town is famous for the fabulous temples, ancient forts, and of course for its mountainous terrain.
Mahuli is one among the challenging regions of the majestic Sahyadris, and it is the highest point in the Thane district. Adorned with fabulous hill forts and peaks, Mahuli is one among the favourite place of trekkers. Like all other hilly areas of Sahyadris, Mahuli is also surrounded by luxurious thick forest, and the forest around this hilly place is declared as a national reserve.
Thane is a city in Maharashtra, India, part of the Mumbai Metropolitan Region, which is the northeastern suburb of Mumbai at the head of the Thane Creek. It is the administrative headquarters of Thane district. On 16 April 1853, the G.I.P. Railway’s first train ever to run in India rolled out from "Boree Bunder" (now the Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus) to "Thane" (then Tannah), 34 kilometers away. This marked the dawn of the Railway Age in Asia. It covers an area of 147 km2 and has a population more than 2.4 million according to the 2011 census.
History : The History of Thane district can be divided into four major periods, The Early Hindu period partly mythic and partly historic, coming down to about AD 1300 and properly called Ancient period;
The Muslim period lasting from 1300 to 1660 the Maratha period from 1660 to 1800; and the British period since 1880. The chief interest in the history of Thane district is that, with comparatively few and short breaks, some of its ports, Sopara, Kalyan, Thane or Sanjan, has from pre-historic times, taken a leading part in the foreign commerce of Western India. From pre-historic times the Thane coast has had relation with land beyond the Indian Ocean.
