Nashik

Nashik is a city in Maharashtra, India. Nashik is located in the northwest of Maharashtra, 180 km from Mumbai and 202 km from Pune. Nashik is the administrative headquarters of Nashik district and Nashik Division. Nashik, which has been referred to as the "Wine Capital of India", or as India’s Napa Valley] is located in the Western Ghats, on the western edge of the Deccan peninsula on the banks of the Godavari. It is claimed to be the fastest growing city in Maharashtra. Nashik has prospered the most in the past 20 years. In addition to supplying the name to the famed Nassak Diamond. The city is known for its picturesque surroundings and pleasant climate. The Godavari River flows through Nashik from its source, which lies to the southwest of the city, in Trimbakeshwar . Nashik Urban Agglomeration (Nashik UA) has a (projected year 2008) population of 1,620,000 and a total area of 264.23 km² which makes it the fourth largest urban area in Maharashtra in terms of population. Nashik is the third most industrialized city in Maharashtra after Mumbai and Pune. Nashik is one of the world's holiest Hindu cities. Kumbh Mela is held here once in 12 years along with four other cities in India. Lord Rama along with Lakshmana and Sita spent 14 years of his exile at Tapovan near Nashik. The city came under the rule of Mughal in 16th century and was renamed Gulshanabad. It is also noted for its participation in freedom struggle. Freedom fighters like Veer Savarkar and Anant Kanhere were born in Nashik. Known for its beautiful and picturesque surroundings, flourishing valleys, Nashik is home to many vineyards and orchards. Today, Nashik is rated as one of India's fastest growing cities. The city saw a fast uplift of development from 2002 with malls, infrastructure, educational institutions etc. Nashik is known for its pleasant and cool climate, picturesque surroundings, high standard of living, greenery and well-developed infrastructure.
Hindu religion has it that Lord Rama, the King of Ayodhya, made Nashik his home during his 14 years in exile. At the same place Lord Laxman, by the blessing of Lord Rama, cut off the nose of Surpanakha and thus this place was named as "Nasik"(From Sanskrit word 'Nasika'). Several other references to the Ramayan era can be found in Nashik, which includes the Sita Gumpha caves, from where Sita, Lord Rama's wife, was abducted by Ravana. Nashik in 150 BC was believed to be the country's largest marketplace.

The city got its present name in 1818 when the Peshwas got control of the city. The Peshwa rule however, did not last long and the British captured Nashik in the very same year. In 1840, one of the first modern libraries of Maharashtra (then, the Presidency of Bombay) was founded at Nashik. Some of the major events in history of Nashik in the 1860s are-
 1862 : Nashik Road railway station was built.
1864 : Nashik Municipality formed
1869 : Nashik district formed.
Nashik also participated in the freedom struggle of India. On December 21, 1909, 17-year-old Anant Kanhere shot the Collector of Nashik, Jackson in a theatre named Vijayanand theatre, where he had gone to see a play Sharada. Jackson died on the spot. The people involved in the incident, Anant Laxman Kanhere, Krishnaji Gopal Karve and Vinayak Ramchandra Deshpande were sentenced to death by hanging and were hanged soon after.

In 1914, Karmveer Ravsaheb Thorat, Bhausaheb Hire, Annasaheb Murkute, founded the Nashik District Maratha Vidya Prasarak Samaj (NDMVP), prominent educational institute in Nashik. The founders name was later give to K.T.H.M. college. The K.R.T. Arts, B.H. Commerce & A.M. Science College, Nashik (Popularly known as KTHM College) was established in 1969. The College is situated on magnificent campus on the bank of river Godavari.

In 1930, the Nashik Satyagraha was launched under the leadership of Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar for the entry of Dalits in Kalaram temple. In 1931, a meeting of the Bombay Province Charmkar Parishad was organised at Nashik to work out the Chambhars' position with regard to the Second Round Table Conference in which Babasaheb was going to participate. In 1932, Babasaheb organized his temple entry movement for the abolition of untouchability in Nashik. On October 31, 1955, the Government of India inaugurated a press at Nashik for printing government stationery.