Flights to Nanded

  About Nanded

Nanded is a holy city located in Maharashtra. Nestled on the banks of the sacred Godavari river, Nanded has been called the Holy City because of its Sikh pilgrimage. It is believed that the city is of prime importance to the Sikhs as their tenth Sikh Guru, Guru Gobind Singh, made Nanded as his haven indefinitely. The city sees a multitude of Sikhs visiting from all over the globe. The Sikhs also believe that Nanded, which hosts the Sachkhand Gurudwara, is one of the Panj Takhts.

The city of Nanded was originally named Nandigram from the folklore with Lord Shiva and Nandi the Vahana. In fact, a Nandi Temple is also present in the city, about 60-70 km away from Nanded airport. Not just the Sikhs but the city also sees many tourists who plan on visiting the ancient temples of Lord Khandhoba, Parli Vaijnath, Lord Dattatreya and Renuka Devi. The city has impeccable educational institutions and is known to be an important hub for regional education in the Marathwada area.

Best time to visit

Nanded is close to the centre of India and falls in the hot zone. The central India faces tremendous heat and hot weather, especially during summers. Since the temperatures could reach up to 43 degrees Celsius, it is best to avoid visiting the city during summers. The scorching heat could come in the way of your pilgrimage and should best be avoided. While April to May is not ideal for tourism, the winters are perfect. The temperatures drop due to the monsoon and are rather cosy. You should carry necessary winter clothes when visiting the city because it can surprise you with a cold breeze. Winters in Nanded are from November to February.

Monsoon is again not a good time to visit Nanded. The rainfall is often heavy and affects the day-to-day lives too. The season begins with July and ends in September, but during this time, the rains can be slightly naughty and disrupt your travel plans. The flight tickets to Nanded during the off-season are cheap and affordable. However, it is best to check the weather properly before heading out.

Places to visit

The city of Nanded has been conferred with a status of 'Holi City' by the Maharashtra Government owing to the presence of the spiritual Sachkhand Gurudwara. The gurudwara is one of the Panj Takhts of the Sikh religion. The Sikhs believe that the five religious pilgrimages should be visited once in a lifetime. The Sachkand Gurudwara is known to have been the house of Guru Granth Sahib and also the leisure space of the last Sikh Guru, Guru Gobind Singh. After Amritsar's Harmandir Sahib Gurudwara (known popularly as Golden Temple), Nanded's Sachkhand Gurudwara is the second most holy and important religious institution for the Sikhs. The gurudwara's spiritual stature makes it Nanded's biggest tourist attraction. The gurudwara is only 8 km away from the Nanded airport. Every year, the city sees a throng of Sikh believers, who come to pay their visits to their guru and seek blessings at the gurudwara. While the gurudwara might be the centre of attraction at Nanded, there are many more places within the city that you should visit.

A little away from the city centre is Malegaon, a famous little town which is known for its carnival that celebrates Lord Khandoba. The fair is called Malegaon Yatra and takes place annually. Devotees flock over from around the country to engage in the fair. When you're in Nanded, you should also check out the Masjid of Biloli, a 330 years old stone monument that is located 65 km away from Nanded's city centre. For those who wish to go on an excursion and a little away from the city, you can check out the Kandhar Fort, which is located in the Kandhar town. It is 70 km away from Nanded but definitely worth a visit as the locals would take you through a tour of the place.

There are many temples located around Nanded and worth visiting. Although these temples are located a little away from the airport, if you're staying for a longer duration, then you can easily cover these temples and complete your pilgrimage. The Parli-Viajnath Temple, located about 130 km from the Nanded Airport, is a beautiful temple with one of the 12 Jyothir Lingas. It is said that the temple has been in the same spot for centuries now. Located close to 160 km away from the Nanded Airport is the Unkeshvar Temple. The temple has the shrine of Lord Shiva and is famous for its natural hot springs in the vicinity.

Things to do

Nanded is a Holi city with various temples, gurudwara and shrines. The only thing you can indulge in during your stay would be a pilgrimage. Not just the gurudwara but the Nandi Temple and Lord Shiva's shrine which is present in the outskirts of the city should be visited. You can also visit the Nanded Museum to learn more about the city's history and cultural significance. For those who have never tried Maharashtrian food and are invested in spicy food, then you should check out some of the restaurants in the area. They make mouth-watering thalis as well as lip-smacking fast food.

Food and restaurants

The most significant advantage in terms of food in Nanded is the fact that the Gurudwara has Langars served day and night. Since the Gurudwara's langars are already available, people don't step out to eat anywhere else. Due to this reason, the number of food joints and restaurants are also less in Nanded. However, that doesn't mean they don't exist because there are a few restaurants close to the city centre that have food different from the langar meals. By the junction of the gurudwara, you will find Gyan Vada Pav. Maharashtra's favourite fast food, vada pav, is a must-have and Gyan vada pav is where you can find it in Nanded. The place also serves some chat food so you can get some of that as well.

Aside from vada pav, Maharashtra's street food delights also include Pav Bhaji and Dabeli. You would be surprised by the cheap rates at which the fast-food stalls sell these dishes. It would be quite an experience as these dishes define the state and its capital, Mumbai. Sundar Hotel Dhaba in Nanded is famous as it has thalis, both vegetarian and non-vegetarian, served. Since the langar only serves vegetarian food, the dhaba becomes the next best place to find amazing Punjabi thalis. Then you've also got Durvankur Thali, which is located within the city limits. The food here is pure vegetarian, but it's definitely something you should try.

How to reach Nanded (Transportation)

By Air

Nanded does have a well-connected airport refurbished by Reliance Airport developers Pvt. Ltd. Going by the name Shri Guru Gobind Singh Ji Airport, the airport sees regular flights to Nanded from cities such as Mumbai, Vadodara, Amritsar, Kochi, Tirupati, Chennai and many cities. The airport's location is very favourable for traversing within the city as it is only 4 km away from the Nanded railway station. You can easily book a hotel in Nanded's city centre area and not worry about missing your flight. The closest neighbouring airports that one can travel to the city from are Latur Airport, Aurangabad Airport, Hyderabad Airport and Nagpur Airport. If you are taking international routes to reach the holy city, Hyderabad is your closest airport.

By Rail

Nanded's rail connectivity is brilliant as it enables people from Delhi, Amritsar, Bangalore, Patna and more cities to travel without any hassle. Nanded Railway Station sees trains from New Delhi, Mumbai, Punjab, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Rajasthan and Gujarat every day. Trains from Patna arrive in the city once every week. There are various express trains and mails that connect the holy city with major hubs. It is a convenient option as the railway station is in the city centre. You can directly reach the hotel room you booked in Nanded from the railway station, freshen up and then head to visit the city's highlights. It is essential to book tickets to Nanded in advance, especially during peak-seasons, as you might not get train reservations.

By Road

Thanks to the three national highways that pass through the outskirts of the city, the connectivity via roads are quite functional. NH22 is a popular route to Nanded from cities such as Mumbai, Pune and Aurangabad. If you're travelling from Hyderabad, you will have to take the state highway to reach the city. There are several bus facilities available for travellers. Regular bus services traverse from Mumbai, Pune, Surat, Nagpur, Amravati, Sholapur, Indore, Ahmednagar and more, to Nanded. These are government-run as well as private service providers. The best part is that these buses have various provisions such as sleeper, semi-sleeper, seater, AC, Non-AC, etc. which help give you the best travel experience. You can take the bus in the night and reach the city the next day, depending on where you're travelling from.