The Maheshwar travel guide includes a brief history, a list of places to see and visit, travel tips, how to get there and more.

Recently, I travelled to Omkareshwar. While searching for nearby must-visit places, I came across Maheshwar, a small town on the banks of the Narmada River.

I stopped by Maheshwar en route to Omkareshwar. Travel to Maheshwar en route to or from Omakreshwar, Indore or Ujjain.

En route to Maheshwar, I took a detour to Gondeshwar temple. Read the Gondeshwar temple guide for details.

So, let’s begin the Maheshwar travel guide with a dive into a brief history lesson.

BRIEF HISTORY OF MAHESHWAR

Maheshwar is a small bustling town on the banks of the Narmada River.

According to history, Maheshwar is on the ancient city, Somvamshya Sahastrarjun Kshatriya, ruled by King Kartavirya Arjuna.

Maheshwar, or as was previously known, Mahishmati, was once ruled by a Heheya king.

During Ahilyabai Holkar’s reign, Maheshwarserved as the capital of Malwa until 1818. Malhar Rao Holkar III moved the capital to Indore.

Today, Maheshwar is known for Ahilya Devi’s palace, the beautiful temples and the ghats.

LEGEND OF MAHESHWAR

Maheshwar is an ancient city mentioned in Ramayan and Mahabharat as well.

Legend states that one fine day, the then-king and his 500 wives went for a picnic by the Narmada River.

The queens wanted a play area, so the king had his soldiers stop the water.

Ravan was flying overhead in his Pushpak viman when he saw the dry river and found it an ideal place for worship.

After building a sand Shiva linga, he prayed to Lord Shiva.

A while later, the queens finished playing, so the river was allowed to flow again, thus destroying the Shiva linga and disturbing Ravan’s prayers.

Ravan got angry and challenged the king, but the result was unexpected.

The king captured and tied Ravan to a pole above his son’s cradle with lamps on his head and hands until his release.

HOW TO GET THERE?

Self-driving, trains, flights, and buses are the different ways to reach Maheshwar from Pune.

BY ROAD

Maheshwar is 540 km from Pune by road.

There are two roads from Pune to Maheshwar- via Shirdi and Sinnar.

Maheshwar is 520 km (12 hours) via Shirdi and 540 km via Sinnar (11 hours).

NOTE:- The Sinnar route is longer, and the road conditions are better than the Shirdi road.

VIA SINNAR

Pune – Chakan – Rajgurunagar – Manchar – Alephata – Sangamner – Sinnar – Lasalgaon – Malegaon – Dhule – Nardana – Sendhwa – Khalghat – Maheshwar.

VIA SHIRDI

Pune – Chakan – Rajgurunagar – Manchar – Alephata – Sangamner – Shirdi – Kopargaon – Manmad – Malegaon – Dhule – Nardana – Sendhwa – Khalghat – Maheshwar.

BY TRAIN

Indore (90 km) and Marwaha (39 km) are the nearest train stations to Maheshwar.

NOTE:- The Indore train station is the better option because only a few trains stop at Marwaha.

BY BUS

From Pune, there are no direct buses to Maheshwar, but you can take a direct bus from Mumbai or Shirdi to Dhamnod, 14 km away.

BY FLIGHT

The nearest airport is in Indore.

PLACES TO SEE AND VISIT

In this section of the Maheshwar travel guide, discover places to see and visit.

Maheshwar is home to beautiful ghats, marvellous temples, palaces and loud waterfalls.

One or two days are ample to thoroughly explore Maheshwar because all the sites are next to each other.

MAHESHWAR FORT

Maharani Ahilyaba Holkar built the Maheshwar Fort and established Maheshwar as the seat of the Holkar dynasty.

The Maheshwar Fort is home to Ahilya Wada, Ahilya Devi’s residence, office, place of worship and beautiful temples.

In 2000, Prince Richard Holkar turned his residence in Ahilya Wada into a luxury hotel, the Ahilya Fort Hotel.

It takes 1-2 hours to explore the Maheshwar Fort.

The Maheshwar Fort is open all day long.

AHILYA WADA/RAJWADA

Ahilya Wada, or Rajwada, is the former residence of Maharani Ahilyabai. Inside the Maheshwar Fort, the Rajwada sits overlooking the Narmada river.

Ahilya Wada, or Rajwada, is a simple two-storey house with an open courtyard in the centre.

The ground floor was Ahilyabai’s office, and the top floor was the residence.

The royal residence is now a museum displaying Ahilyabai’s items, such as swords, shields, office and her throne.

Next to the Rajwada is Ahilya Devi’s place of worship, with Shiva lingas of varying sizes.

Ahilyabai was a devotee of Lord Shiva. Daily she prayed for the 1,11,000 people of Maheshwar.

During her reign, 111 Brahmins made 1,000 Shiva lingas each to represent the people of Maheshwar.

Then the lingas were presented to the Narmada river.

Today only 11 Brahmins perform the lingarchan puja at 8:30 to 9:30 am.

A few feet from the Rajwada is an enormous statue of Queen Ahilya Devi holding a Shiva linga.

NOTE:- Entry to the Rajwada is free. Ahilya Wada is open daily from 8 am to 5 pm. It takes 1O-15 minutes to explore the Rajwada.

AHILYESHWAR TEMPLE

Maheshwar Fort has several temples, but my favourite is the Ahilyeshwar temple near the Majeshwar Ghat.

Ahilyeshwar temple is one of the oldest Shiva temples in Maheshwar.

Maharani Ahilyabai Holkar built the Ahilyeshwar temple, which took 34 years to complete.

The temple is a mixture of Maratha and North Indian styles of architecture.

Beautiful and intricate carvings decorate the temple’s outer walls.

Ahilyeshwar is a Shiva temple, but one can find the Dashavatars of Vishnu and a shrine of Lord Ram.

The temple is open to the public daily from 7 am to 6:30 pm.

NOTE:- The aarti takes place at 8 am and 6 pm.

MAHESHWAR GHAT

Maheshwar Ghat, or Ahilya Ghat, was built by Maharani Ahilyabai during her reign.

The ghat is a combination of Maratha, Mughal and Rajput architectural styles.

An enormous and beautifully decorated doorway leads to the Maheshwar Ghat. Giant stairs lead to the Narmada River.

The ghat has several beautiful temples of different gods and goddesses.

Locals and tourists usually come here in the evenings to enjoy a boat ride on the river, watch the setting sun, or for a relaxing evening.

NOTE:- You can buy floating lamps or fish food for Rs. 10 each.

The Maheshwar Ghat has been featured in many Bollywood movies, for example, Pad man, Dabangg 3, Bajirao Mastani, etc.

BANESHWAR TEMPLE

Baneshwar temple is a small Shiva temple in the middle of the Narmada River.

It is an ancient temple and has been there since the Dwapura Yuga.

Legend states Banasura wished to build a sacred Shiva temple at the centre of the world and repent. Goddess Bhudevi helped him find the central point.

The temple is at the centre of the world.

Upon drawing a line from the North Pole to the South Pole, it passes through the Baneshwar temple.

Banasura spent years at the temple performing penance and repenting.

You can hire a boat from Maheshwar Ghat to the Baneshwar temple for Rs. 100 per person.

The Baneshwar temple is open from 8 am to 5 pm.

SAHASTRADHARA WATERFALLS

When thousands of streams flow and form a waterfall, it is known as Sahastradhara. The word Sahastra means thousand, and dhara means stream.

The sight of thousands of streams flowing over the rocky riverbed is breathtaking. However, the best time to visit the waterfall is after October. The waterfall has abundant water and is in its element. During summer, the waterfall is dry and has little water.

The Sahastradhara waterfall is a 15-minute boat ride from Maheshwar Ghat. You can also drive to the waterfall. But there is no proper road to the waterfall.

A boat ride from Maheshwar Ghat to Sahastradhara waterfall costs Rs. 1,200 per boat. A single craft accommodates 6-8 people.

WHERE TO STAY?

Maheshwar is a small town with simple accommodations. The Ahilya Fort Hotel is a luxury hotel on the Maheshwar Fort.

I stayed at Hotel Devraj. It is a simple hotel, a short distance from the Maheshwar Fort. It is a famous hotel visited by many celebrities.

The rooms were spacious and clean. The bathrooms were huge and had a geyser. So, hot water is available 24/7. The staff was kind, helpful and attentive. They have ample parking space, so don’t worry about your vehicles. Also, the breakfast options are limited. Don’t expect a fancy spread. Overall, it was a comfortable stay at Hotel Devraj.

Maheshwar has other hotels and lodging as well. Several hotels in Maheshwar are not registered online, so options seem few. But if you are travelling with family, Hotel Devraj is the best.

TRAVEL TIPS

• Visit the Maheshwar Fort, Rajwada and temples in the morning before it gets too hot. Visit the Maheshwar Ghat in the evening.
• Carry lots of water and wear comfortable shoes. The Maheshwar Fort is enormous and involves a lot of walking.
• Entry to the Maheshwar Fort, Rajwada, Ahilyeshwar temple and Maheshwar Ghat are free. Those interested in history n hire a guide. But negotiate the price before agreeing.
• Outside vehicles are not allowed inside the Maheshwar Fort. Only a few locals and hotel cars are allowed inside. Park your vehicles at the base for Rs. 50.
• Boat rides to Baneshwar temple (Rs. 100 per person), Sahastradhara waterfall (Rs. 1,200 per boat ), on the Narmada River (Rs. 50 per person) are available from the Maheshwar Ghat.
• There are a few good hotels in Maheshwar. So, pre-book your rooms before arriving.

CONCLUSION

It concludes the Maheshwar travel guide. I hope this post was helpful. If I missed anything, let me know in the comments.

Here’s a summary of what the Maheshwar travel guide includes- a brief history of Maheshwar, a list of places to see and visit, how to get there, travel tips and accommodations.

I hope this ignites your wanderlust.