Nashik and Trimbakeshwar

Nashik stands on the Godavari and is one of the four Kumbh Mela sites, with Ramkund the principal bathing tank in the old city, where ashes are also immersed. About thirty kilometres west at Trimbakeshwar, below Brahmagiri hill, stands one of the twelve jyotirlingas, its lingam unusually formed as three faces in a hollow; the Godavari rises on the hill above. The same district, at around six hundred metres with a long dry ripening season, has become the centre of Indian wine, with dozens of wineries around Nashik running tastings, and vineyards visible along the roads.

What to look for

• Ramkund - the bathing tank on the Godavari in the old city.
• Trimbakeshwar - the jyotirlinga with its three-faced lingam.
• Brahmagiri - the hill where the Godavari rises, climbed by steps.
• The wineries - vineyard estates and tasting rooms around Nashik.

When to go

November to February for mild weather; harvest at the wineries runs from January to March. The Kumbh comes roughly every twelve years and brings millions. Summer is hot.

Practical notes

Temple queues at Trimbakeshwar are long and certain rituals require booking and hereditary priests. Winery quality varies widely. The old city is congested and parking difficult.

Nearby

Shirdi lies southeast; Mumbai is southwest.