Nagpur is a Major City, located in the eastern part of Maharashtra. It is located in Vidharba region of the same state. It is Second Capital (also known as Winter Capital) of Maharashtra, after Mumbai. Nagpur is closer to central part of India and is near to the neighboring states of Madhya Pradesh and Chattisgarh. It is the Largest and Most Populated City in Central India.
Nagpur gets its name from "Nag" river that flows across the city. "Nag" combined with "Pur" (meaning City in Marathi) gives the city its name. Nagpur is popularly known as "Orange City" because the district is well known for its Oranges, that are cultivated and sold to various parts of India and also abroad.
The most popular landmark in Nagpur to visit is Deekshabhoomi, which is a large Stupa - a place of worship for Buddhists. Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar, Chief Architect of Indian Constituition and Independent India's first Law Minister, embraced Buddhism at this same location on 14th October 1956, since he was deeply inspired by the principles and teachings of Lord Gautama Buddha. Along with him, nearly 4 Lakh followers, who were mostly from underprivileged and downtrodden sections of Indian Society, converted to Buddhism and decided to adopt the Buddhist way of life. Construction of the Stupa started in 1978 and was completed in 2001.
Dr. Ambedkar played a significant role in the revival of Buddhism in India, and inspired many such mass conversions to Buddhism. Deekshabhoomi is famous for its architectural beauty and historical importance. It is one of the main centers of tourism in India.
Nagpur has few other Landmarks also that are worth watching. There is Zero Milestone, located in the Heart of the City. It was built during British Raj in 1907. The Zero Mile Stone consists of a pillar made up of Sandstone and four stucco horses that were added later. The height of the Pillar is 310 Metres (1020 Feet) above the sea level. It is called Zero Mile because it lies geographically in the center of India, while almost equally distant from All the Four Metros - Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata and Chennai.
Other places worth sightseeing are Maharaj Bagh Zoo and Floating Garden. Maharaj Bagh Zoo is home to a variety of exotic animals and birds. The Floating Garden is located on an island within Gandhi Sagar Lake and hence, it get its name. Both are placed closed to Nagpur Metro railway route and hence, easily accessible via Metro rail.
Government of Maharashtra has invested a lot in Nagpur to make it a Gateway Hub for Trade and Transport. MIHAN (Multi-modal International Cargo Hub and Airport, Nagpur) is a big Economical Development project that aims to exploit the central location of Nagpur and convert the present Airport into a Major Cargo hub with integrated Road and Rail connectivity. Nagpur has its own Metro Network, having 2 Lines - Orange and Aqua. Both lines cross each other in a "X" formation, intersecting at Sitabuldi, located in the heart of Nagpur.
Nagpur is very accessible by Road, Rail and Air. It is 771 KM (10 Hours) from Mumbai and 500 KM (9 Hours) from Hyderabad. India's 2 Major National Highways - NH 44 and NH 53 pass through the city. MSRTC (State Transport Bus) and Private Operators operate from Nagpur to other cities in Maharashtra and the neighboring states. The Airport, named after Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar, has good connectivity to major Indian cities like Mumbai, Delhi, Bengaluru, Hyderabad etc. It is also connected to the Middle East via Sharjah and Doha.
No comments:
Post a Comment