The Godavari is India's second longest river after the Ganga river and drains into the third largest basin in India, covering about 10% of India's total geographical area. Its source is in Trimbakeshwar, Nashik, Maharashtra. It flows east for 1,465 kilometres (910 mi), draining the states of Maharashtra (48.6%), Telangana (18.8%), Andhra Pradesh (4.5%), Chhattisgarh (10.9%) and Odisha (5.7%). The river ultimately empties into the Bay of Bengal through an extensive network of distributaries. Measuring up to 312,812 km2 (120,777 sq mi), it forms one of the largest river basins in the Indian subcontinent, with only the Ganga and Indus rivers having a larger drainage basin. In terms of length, catchment area and discharge, the Godavari is the largest in peninsular India, and had been dubbed as the Dakshina Ganga.
The Western Ghats, also known as the Sahyadri mountain range, is a mountain range that covers an area of 160,000 km2 (62,000 sq mi) in a stretch of 1,600 km (990 mi) parallel to the western coast of the Indian peninsula, traversing the states of Gujarat, Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is one of the 36 biodiversity hotspots in the world. It is sometimes called the Great Escarpment of India. It contains a very large proportion of the country's flora and fauna, many of which are endemic to this region. The Western Ghats are older than the Himalayas. They influence Indian monsoon weather patterns by intercepting the rain-laden monsoon winds that sweep in from the south-west during late summer. The range runs north to south along the western edge of the Deccan Plateau and separates the plateau from a narrow coastal plain called the Western Coastal Plains along the Arabian Sea. A total of 39 areas in the Western Ghats, including national parks, wildlife sanctuaries and reserve forests, were designated as world heritage sites in 2012 – twenty in Kerala, ten in Karnataka, six in Tamil Nadu and four in Maharashtra.
Nashik is a city in the northern region of the Indian state of Maharashtra. Situated on the banks of the river Godavari, Nashik is the fourth largest city in Maharashtra after Mumbai, Pune and Nagpur. The district population of Nashik is around 80 lakhs. Nashik is located about 165 km north of the state capital Mumbai, and about 210 km from Pune. Mumbai - Pune - Nashik region is called the "Golden Triangle of Maharashtra". Nashik is a emerging fast growing city in India. With its high agricultural production Nashik is dubbed as Napa Valley of India. Nashik is well known for being one of the Hindu pilgrimage sites of the Kumbh Mela, which is held every 12 years. The city is called the "Wine Capital of India" as more than half of India's vineyards and wineries are located here. Around 90% of all Indian wine comes from the Nashik Valley.
Thane Creek is an inlet in the shoreline of the Arabian Sea that isolates the city of Mumbai (Bombay) from the Konkan region of the Indian mainland. It comprises the area between Mumbra Retibunder and the Mankhurd-Vashi Bridge. The creek is divided into two parts. The first part lies between Ghodbunder and Thane (Thana), a section from where the Ulhas river flows from the north of Mumbai Island to meet the Arabian Sea on the west. The second part of the waterway lies between the city of Thane and the Arabian Sea at Trombay / Uran, before the Gharapuri islands.
Nal Sarovar Bird Sanctuary, consisting primarily of a 120.82-square-kilometre (46.65 sq mi) lake and ambient marshes, is situated about 64 km to the west of Ahmedabad near Sanand Village, in the Gujarat state of India. Mainly inhabited by migratory birds in winter and spring, it is the largest wetland bird sanctuary in Gujarat, and one of the largest in India. It was declared a bird sanctuary in April 1969.
The Deccan thorn scrub forests are a xeric shrubland ecoregion of south India and northern Sri Lanka. Historically this area was covered by tropical dry deciduous forest, but this only remains in isolated fragments. The vegetation now consists of mainly of southern tropical thorn scrub type forests. These consist of open woodland with thorny trees with short trunks and low, branching crowns; spiny and xerophytic shrubs; and dry grassland. This is the habitat of the great Indian bustard and blackbuck, though these and other animals are declining in numbers; this area was at one time home to large numbers of elephants and tigers. Almost 350 species of bird have been recorded here. The remaining natural habitat is threatened by overgrazing and invasive weeds, but there are a number of small protected areas which provide a haven for the wildlife. Trees in these forests have adapted to not require much water.
Dipor Bil, also spelt Deepor Beel , is located to the south-west of Guwahati city, in Kamrup Metropolitan district of Assam, India. It is a permanent freshwater lake, in a former channel of the Brahmaputra River, to the south of the main river. In 1989 4.1 km² of the area was declared as a wildlife sanctuary by the Government of Assam. It is also called a wetland under the Ramsar Convention which has listed the lake in November 2002, as a Ramsar Site for undertaking conservation measures on the basis of its biological and environmental importance.
Radhanagari Wildlife Sanctuary is a wildlife sanctuary and natural World Heritage Site of category ix and x since 2012, located in Kolhapur district, Maharashtra State, India. It lies at the southern end of the Sahyadri hills in the Western Ghats. It is notable as the first declared wildlife sanctuary in Maharashtra, notified in 1958, as "Dajipur Wildlife Sanctuary" and is popularly known as the "Bison Sanctuary". Indian bison or gaur with a population around 1091 in 2014, is the flagship species of the area. It was notified as Radhanagari wildlife sanctuary vide notification No. WLP/1085/CR/588/ V/F-5, Dt.16.9.1985. The area around the Sanctuary was declared as Eco sensitive zone by Govt. of India on 15 October 2020
Saman Bird Sanctuary is in Mainpuri district, in western Uttar Pradesh. It has been designated as a protected Ramsar site since 2019.
The Kanwar Taal or Kabar Taal Lake or Kabartal Wetland located in Begusarai district of Bihar, India, is Asia's largest freshwater oxbow lake. It is approximately six times the size of the Bharatpur Sanctuary. In November 2020, the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) declared it the first Ramsar site in Bihar. There are a total of 75 Ramsar Sites in India till 2022.
Mayureswar Wildlife Sanctuary is located in Tehsil Baramati in Pune district in Maharashtra, India. It is 74 km from Pune and 35 km from Daund.
Vinchur is a big town in Nashik district, Maharashtra, India. Vinchur is located near to the Lasalgaon City and state highway Nashik to Aurangabad. One of the biggest MIDC is situated in vinchur near nashik city. Nearest Railway station Lasalgaon is only 5 km from Vinchur. Vinchur is known for grape, onion, sugarcane and vegetables the town is also good for residential and industrial area. Vinchur is primarily known for place of Sardar Vinchurkar who was one of the pillars of maratha empire.Vithal Shivdev started by working in stables of Ch Shahu Maharaj(Satara) and after 7 yrs -seeing his valour in warfare he was sent by Maharaj to Peshwa Bajirao I. Vinchur was capital of sardar vinchurkar with area ranging from yeola to nashik. Sardar vitthalrao vinchurkar was part of battle of panipat (1761) and was injured in that battle.He fought multiple battels alongside Peshwas till his death in 20/08.1767.Was close friend of Sardar Malharro Holkar.Had great respect and regards for Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj ,hence named his capable elder son Shivaji Vithal.Was honored by Padsha Alamgir II in Delhi for capsturing the dreaded Najib Khan Rohilla - who later stabbed Marathas in the back and was responsible for third Panipat battle.Later generations were honored by British with CBE,OBE titles and Sardar Madhavrao and Ganpatrao were in Bombay Legistlative council.Vinchur state had 48 villages saranjam along with few in Pune and Ahmednagar.The family built /restored multiple temples across India main - Trymbakeshwar inculding the beautiful Raath/Chariot lands in Trymbak and Vinchur were gifted to the trust,Saptashrungi devi Wani - original Sabahamandap ,multiple jewells,famous Narsimja temple entirely built by Vithal Shivdev abd Raghunathrao at Akluj- Neeranarsimpur,Narsimha temple Saykheda,Vinchoor,Krishna temple Vinchoor,temples at Nandur Madmeshwar,Kotamgaon.Kopargaon,Varanasi,Pryagraj etc.Madhavrao built a Bungalow in Nashik which was inaami land approx 12 acres in late 1000/early 1900.The stayed there after the Wadas in Vinchoor was sold.This house called Sardar Vinchurkar Bungalow still exits and is well maintained by current heir Dr Narayan Vinchurkar in approx 1 acre .Sardar Vithal Shivdev was first to capsure Gwalior fort and put the saffron Maratha flag on it.Few temples within the fort are probably built by nhi as is the Mahadev Mandir which is actually Chhatris of Vithal Shivdev!!
Parapsilorhynchus prateri, the Deolali minnow, is a critically endangered species of cyprinid fish currently only known from the Darna River near Deolali in Nashik District, Maharashtra, India. It is possibly extinct as it has not been recorded since 2004. Recently Nandur Madhameshwar declared a new Ramsar site in Maharashtra which provide sanctuary to the Deolali minnow.
National Highway 60 is a primary national highway in India, connecting Pune and Dhule in the state of Maharashtra. Previously this route was numbered as NH 3 and NH 50. The total length of NH 60 is 360.6 km (224.1 mi). Dhule to Nashik stretch of this route is part of Asian Highway 47.
Darna is a minor left-bank tributary of Godavari in the Nashik District, Maharashtra. Rising north of the Kalsubai range, it drains Igatpuri, Nashik and Niphad Talukas of Nashik District. The conjunction with Godavari is situated at Darnasangvi.
Kadva river is a minor but important tributary of Godavari in Nashik district, Maharashtra. It originates and flows through the Dindori Taluka of Nashik District.
Kolleru Bird Sanctuary is a sanctuary in Andhra Pradesh, India. It covers 673 square kilometers. It was established in November 1999, under the Wildlife Protection Act of 1972. The sanctuary protects part of the Kolleru Lake wetland, which gained Ramsar Convention for International importance in 2002.
Saykheda is a village in India in Niphad, Nashik district in the Indian state of Maharashtra.
Karikili Bird Sanctuary is a 61.21-hectare (151.3-acre) protected area located in the Chengalpattu District of the state of Tamil Nadu, India. The sanctuary is about 75 kilometres (47 mi) from Chennai, south of Chengalpattu. About 100 species were recorded from this sanctuary
