Latur: Explore The Best Places In Maharashtra’s Sugar Belt!

Latur is one of the largest cities of the Marathwada region in the state of Maharashtra. It is located around 500 kilometers from the state capital Mumbai. Latur is a green city and is known as the sugar belt of Maharashtra.

The administrative headquarters is Latur city and is the 16^th largest city in Maharashtra. There are more than eleven sugar factories in Latur which make it the highest sugar-producing district. Latur is also famous for trading soybean in India.

The city is a tourist hub that has historical monuments and wildlife. For tourists, there are many places to explore and experience. Below we have mentioned a few best places to visit in Latur.

Best Places To Visit In Latur  

Kharosa Caves

The Kharosa caves consist of 12 caves and are built around the 6^th century. It is located in the village of Kharosa at a distance of about 45 kilometers from Latur city. Further, the guests that come to the cave are welcomed by the sculpture of yaksha. The caves have a shilling in each of them along with sculptures of various deities. This is one of the best places to visit in Latur.

This includes images of Jain Tirthankara, buddha, and Lord Dutta. There is also an indication that Rama, Lakshmana, and Sita were living in these caves.

Moreover, the Kharosa caves have several Shiva- Parvathi, and Vishnu idols along with sculptures of Ravana, Karthikeya, and Narasimha. Kharosa caves can be conveniently visited during the winter months.        

Ausa Fort

Ausa fort is a historical place and its importance was featured during the fights between Delhi sultanates in the post-Bahamani era. This fort is located in a depression ground level and surrounded by high ground on all sides.

It is a unique design to watch out for armies at a greater distance while the main part of the fort is hidden.  This fort has a square form with a double rampart that is mounted with cannons over a semi-circular basis which is Turkish-engineered. Marked as one of the best places to visit in Latur.

The fort is in the center with ditches surrounding it to protect it from enemies. However, there have been modifications of its original form by Hindu and Muslim architects.

The surviving inscriptions are presently not readable as it dates back to 1529. Further, the weather is pleasant from October to February which is the best time to visit.  

Udgir Fort

The Udgir fort is of prime importance in the Maratha kingdom. It is built in the pre-bahamani age and was named after saint Udaygiri rishi. Tourists who visit this place can find inscriptions that are written in Arabic and Persian.

This fort was built around 800 years ago and is a complete fort.  The fort is built with a special white clay mix and at the front of the fort there are many outposts. Further, the main entrance has an arched door that is oriented to its top portion which is elegant and matches the art forms of Hindu.

Witness to the war between the Marathas and the Nizam of Hyderabad, the fort of Udgir stands in all its glory, speaking volumes about the Indian history and Indian culture.#VintageMaharashtra

Credit- the_curious_lens (Instagram) pic.twitter.com/k8IxwF7TCu

— Maharashtra Tourism (@maha_tourism) July 2, 2021

The fort is known for the battle between the Marathi leader Nizam and Bhau sadhashivaro that occurred in 1761.   

Nana Nani Park

Nana Nani Park is a wonderful park to relax in Latur, Maharashtra. It is also known as Vilsaro Deshmukh park and is a great place to have fun. There is abundant greenery, a jogging track, and numerous benches in this park to spend quality time.

Further, it is spacious for conducting community meetings and getting along with people. The activities that can be performed in this park are numerous and makes it a favorite place to visit even for tourists.    

Wadwal Nagnath Bet

Wadwal Nagnath Bet is a famous hill that produces rare species of Ayurvedic plants and bushes. The hill is situated at a height of around 700 feet from the ground and is 39 km away from Latur city.

Ayurvedic plants of rare species grow in the Uttara nakshatra and famous ayurvedic practitioners from various states visit this place. Moreover, a medicinal festival is conducted every year in the month of July and people from various places come together to study this area.

Ganj Golai

Ganj Golai was built in 1917 and is a temple of Goddess Jagdamba. It is an architectural magnificence which is situated at the center of Latur city. Further, it is designed by Faiyajuddin who was a city planner and it also consists of various shops.

This soon became a commercial marketplace for shopping for any kind of product. The interior of this structure resembles spirituality and admiration for such beautiful architecture.

Moreover, various roads connect Ganj Golai, and the marketplace houses all kinds of products which turns out to be the trade center of Latur. 

Shri Ashtavinayak Mandir

Shri Ashtavinayak mandir is built in the south Indian style and has gardens with an artificial fountain that makes it attractive. This is a beautiful structure and is a great place to visit. Further, there is a lord shiva statue that is 9 feet tall and catches the attention of the people.

There are different idols of Lord Ganesha on the walls including the one that is carved out of a marble stone and is around 4 feet tall.

Ashtavinayak means eight forms of lord Ganesha and these are installed on the walls of the temple. It is also known that Ganesha is the deity of unity, prosperity, and for removing obstacles.    

Hattibet Devarajan 

The Hattibet Devarajan is an elephant hill that is located 16 km away from Udgir city. It takes almost two hours to reach the destination from Latur city. This place has ancient temples, caves, sculptures, and carvings that make Latur proud.

The temple of Datta and samadhi of Gangaram Maharaj is located at elephant hill. There are also devotees visiting this place even from other villages and states. During Purnima, the programs of bhajan, sermons, and kirtan are conducted.

The power and will of people are exhibited at this location. It was once a deserted hill, but people transformed it into a green hill by planting trees and vegetation across the hill. Truly a perfect place to visit as the Hattibet Devarajan is an elephant hill with a unique story.    

Surat Shawali Dargah 

Surat shawali daragah is the tomb place of saint Saifullah shaha saradi. It was built in 1939 and is visited by Hindus and Muslims. Located at Patel chowk it is close to Chintamani Parshwanath Digambar Jain temple.

The Hindu community offers a bouquet of flowers and a green flag to the Dargah during the five-day festival. Further, the Muslim community also offers flowers and flags to the temple through the Shri Siddheshwar temple fair.

This five-day festival thus unites Hindus and Muslims that is normally held in the month of June or July.    

Siddheshwar Ratneshwar Temple 

The Siddheshwar Ratneshwar temple is located close to Latur city just 2 km away.  It was constructed by king Tamradwaj for his love and devotion to Lord Siddharameshwar of Solapur.

Further, Lord Siddharameshwar belonged to the Kulla kadigi community and was a renowned poet who is known for his work in the Kannada language during the 12^th century.

The temple also has intricate carvings of various mythological characters which are visited by devotees during Mahashivratri. The fair conducted each year is visited by many people across and outside of Latur city.      

Best Time To Visit Latur 

The best time to visit Latur is during the winter season. To be precise the months from November to February are a great time to spend for sightseeing in Latur. However, in the summer months starting from March to June, the weather is very hot and thus not recommended.

The monsoon Sets in from July and lasts up to October which also causes discomfort in sightseeing as the visitors may not be able to see all places. As such keeping in view of the local weather conditions the winter months are the ideal time to visit and enjoy a holiday at Latur.   

How To Reach Latur 

Latur is located in the Marathwada region of Maharashtra and is an elegant tourist spot. The city has an efficient road network. In order to reach Latur one can choose road, rail, or Air travel.   

By Road: As the city is well connected by road, there is regular bus service from the states of Nagpur, Sangli, Aurangabad, Pune, and Mumbai. The Latur municipal corporation provides bus services to different parts of the city and the industrial areas.

Further, private and state buses are also operated on this route and NH-204 connects other major cities as it runs from Latur. 

By Rail: The Latur railway station is located just 14 km away from the city. Trains from Mumbai, Hyderabad, and Pune pass through this station. There are also other frequent trains from many key places to this station.    

By Air: The Latur airport is located at a distance of 12 km from the city. All major airlines operate in Latur from key cities throughout the country.

Conclusion  

Latur is a magnificent place to visit and experience the culture, tradition, and architecture. The city not only has historical monuments but also wildlife. Further, the best places to visit give us a glimpse of the tourist interest in the city.

The ideal time to visit Latur is in the winter months of November to February. In addition, Latur is well connected by road, rail, and air networks. Thus, Latur is a top tourist destination for a mesmerizing experience.       

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