Indijourneys

Nashik

Nashik

Rajshthan Sky Line

Nashik is an ancient holy city in Maharashtra, a state in western India. It’s known for its links to the “Ramayana” epic poem. On the Godavari River is Panchavati, a temple complex. Nearby, Lord Rama was thought to have bathed at Ram Kund water tank, today attended by Hindu devotees. Shri Kalaram Sansthan Mandir is an ancient shrine to Rama, while Rama and Sita are said to have worshipped at Sita Gufaa caves.

About

Nashik has a personality of its own, due to its mythological, historical, social and cultural importance. The city is situated on the banks of the Godavari River, making it one of the holiest places for Hindus all over the world. Nashik has a rich historical past, as the mythology has it that Lord Rama, the King of Ayodhya, made Nashik his adobe during his 14 years in exile. At the same place Lord Laxman, by the wish of Lord Rama, cut the nose of "Shurpnakha" and thus this city was named as "Nasik".
 
In Kritayuga, Nashik was 'Trikantak', 'Janasthana' in Dwaparyuga and later in Kuliyuga it became 'Navashikh' or 'Nashik'. Renowed poets like Valmiki, Kalidas and Bhavabhooti have paid rich tributes here. Nashik in 150 BC.was beleived to be the country's largets market place. From 1487 A.D, this province came under the rule of Mughals and was known as 'Gulchanabad'. It was also home of emperor Akbar and he has written at lenght about Nashik in 'Ein-e-Akbari'. It was also known as the 'Land of the brave' during the regime of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.

 
Ramayana Period 

No one knows when the city of Nashik came into existence. It is stated to have been present even in the stone age. Lord Ramchandra along with wife Sita and brother Laxman settled down in Nashik for the major time of their "Vanwasa". According to the mythology, Laxman cut the nose ("Nasika" in Sanskrita) of "Shurpanakha" and hence the city got the name 'Nashik'. Long ago, Brahmadeva had meditated in "Padmasana" here, so the city was also called "Padma-Aasana" for some time. It is also believed that, Lord Vishnu had defeated the three demons and thus city also had the name "Tri-Kantak" (Tri = Three). 

 During Peshwa's period 
In the recent past, the Moguls were fascinated by the beauty of the city and renamed it as "Gulshanabad" meaning the city of gardens. Beautiful fresh flowers were sent to Aurangazeb from Gulshanabad i.e. Nashik. But it was during the rule of the Peshwas, when the place was finally renamed as Nashik. During the Peshwas period, Raghobadada and his wife Anandibai settled down at 'Anandwalli' in Nashik. There re some remains of Anandibai's fort. There is also a temple called 'Navasha Ganapati' built by Anandibai. It was during the British rule in April 1818, when Nashik once again regained its importance. The British fell in love with the beauty of the city and developed it in various fields. The Golf course, developed by the British, was one of the largest in Asia. Nashik is surrounded by nine hills, namely: Durga, Ganesh, Chitraghanta, Pandav, DingerAli, Mhasarul, Jogwada, Pathanpura and Konkani. This beautiful city with hills surrounding it has lakes, adding to its beauty. 

 Rise & Growth Of National Movement 
In 1869 the region came to enjoy unbroken peace. In 1869 Nashik was made a full-fledged district with its present talukas. With the return of peace Nashik flourished into prosperity. Reasons, political, religious, as well as commercial led to its rapid development. With the construction of the railway, going from Bombay to north-east, from very near the city, religious minded devotees came to be attracted to The town in ever increasing numbers where they made their purchases of various artistic & useful articles. This made Nashik a great trade centre where artisans skilled in manufacturing utensils & smiths excelling in workmanship in silver & gold crowded to ply their trade. Already Nashik was a highly flourishing town even under later Maratha rule & some time during that period the sow car families like barves, Vaishampayans & Gadres of the locality started their financial activity. Under Maratha rule they advanced sums to finance military campaigns of feudal Sardars & in their later times their Pedhi's gradually began to finance the flourishing trade in metalware & fabrics as well as grapes & onions. By the middle of 19th century the British Rule was firmly established & the public life of Nashik began to pulsating with activities suited to the times. In 1840 was established a ' Native Library Nashik' . In 1861 an Anglo-vernacular school was started & 1864, The town came to have a municipality of its own. 

During these days there lived in Nashik a saintly person, known as Dev Mamaledar. His name was Yeshvant Mahadev Bhosekar. He began his career as an humble clerk in the revenue department & gradually rose to the position of Mamaledar. He always had a feeling for the poor & the suffering. During the period of his service as a Mamlatdar in Baglan Taluka which has its head quarter at Satana , A severe famine affected the area & Bhosekar generously helped the people to alleviate their sufferings. He always led a virtuous life & spent his spare moments in devout religious practices. In course of time he became so famous that princes & people began to respect him as a saint & called him Yeshvantrav Maharaj. Upon his death in 1887 people raised a small beautiful temple for his Samadhi on the bank of the river where his last funeral rites were performed. The paved floor around came to be known as Yeshvant Patangana which has now become a great centre of public assemblage & activity.


 Nashik's struggle for freedom 
21st December 1909. Anant Kanhere shot the collector Jackson in Vijayanand theater. The murder of Jackson challenged the British Rule. The people involved in the incidence, Anant LaxmanKanhere, Krishnaji Gopal Karve and Vinayak Ramchandra Deshpande were sentenced to death. It wasduring this time that 'Abhinav Bharat ' was formed. The young Nashikites were influenced by the speech of Lokmanya Tilak given on the 26th of August 1906. Veer Savarkar successfully organised underground movement against the rulers. 

The revolutionary activities at Nashik however continued. Although elaborately planned & very cautiously carried out they came to be suddenly interrupted on account of the hot-headed, intemperate & hasty on the part of a group of young men from Aurangabad, who involved some of the weaker members of the Mitra-Mela in their plan. Of these hot-headed persons one Anant Kanhere came to Nashik & on the night of 21st December 1909 suddenly fired at Mr. Jackson, the collector of Nashik when the latter had gone to see a drama 'Sharada' stagd by Kirlosker Natak Mandali in the local Vijayanand theater. The collector died on the spot. This set a whole chain of government inquiry into vigorous activity, the result of which was that all those connected with underground activities in the name of Mitra-Mela, including Savarkar, who at that time had been in India came to be arrested, tried & sentenced to severe punishments. The embers of revolution flared , in those days, into Marathi songs full of patriotic fervour written by various writers, prominent among whom was G.T. Darekar popularly called 'Govind Kavi' whose poems such as 'Who could ever win freedom without fight ?' or addressing his prayer to God Rama & saying 'When, O Rama, wilt thou be pleased to satisfy our burning desire for freedom, 

If Italy be free, why not India ? 
If Ireland be free, why not India ? 
If America be free, why not India ?' 

The tempo in singing such songs in congregation used to enliven the audience & strengthen their determination to face the struggle. Subsequently government banned all such songs & suppressed all undrground activities with a heavy hand. The government had become very sensitive & even an utterance here or there or a display of an objectionable picture led to extreme government action. A few examples would suffice. Shri Khare, a pleader in Nashik , was accused to havesaid the following a few days before the murder of Mr.Jackson : "Today 4 crores of people rule over 33 crores & they have destroyed Indian industries ." . "It is the businessof the white to ruin us black people". "europeans are like the demon ghost Putana, who was fair outside but poisonous within". " The time for action has come. How many of you ae ready to go to jail or to die?" & the like. Shri Khare was asked to submit a personal bond failing which the High Court recommended that his sanad should be suspended till such time that the order to furnish security continues in force Another interesting case was that of Shridhar Waman Nagarkar of Nashik who was sentenced to three years' rigorous imprisonment for drawing & publishing a picture containing a mythological representation of the slaying of demon Mahish by the Goddess Durga, framed with portrails of certain persons, notorious for sedition. The government took the view that the picture is likely to excite disaffection towards His Majesty or the government established by law in British India. Similar was the case against Devising Mohansing & Shankar Gir Hanumantgir of Nashik for publishing a seditious picture under the title "Rashtra Purusha". 

Nashik