Popularly known as the 'Orange City', Nagpur in Maharashtra is home to one of the juiciest varieties of Oranges that are grown in its several orchards in and around the city. Nagpur literally means 'The place of the serpent God Nag' and is named after the River Nag that flows through a serpentine path through the city. Being the centre of India, Nagpur is identified with the 'Zero Mile' marker.

A sprawling metropolis with colourful festivals, handicraft exhibitions, tribal dances and folk-art programmes, Nagpur is renowned for its culture, heritage and an illustrious history. The official spoken language is Marathi and the city has its own distinctive traditional cuisine distinguished by its spicy taste. Famous for its education centres and universities, Nagpur is known to add an elite group of scholars to its list of credits. Today Nagpur thrives on industrial developments and agriculture with the major crops including cotton, sugarcane and jowar.

Best time to visit:

Nagpur climate is relatively dry and mildly humid all through the year. The best season to visit the place is from October to March.

Top five places to see:

Dhamma Chakra Stupa (Diksha Bhumi) – The mammoth Dhamma Chakra Stupa, also known as Diksha Bhumi, is an important religious Buddhist monument located in Nagpur. The Stupa is made out of Dhaulpur sandstones, marbles, granites and the attractive dome has a height of 120 feet.

Ambazari Lake – This Lake is a picnic spot that offers an enjoyable boat ride, the highlight here being a giant dinosaur at the entrance and the musical fountain which rises and drops, creating a beautiful symphony of music and water. Children can enjoy a ride on the mini train, swing with the Columbus boat amongst others.

Maharaj Bagh / Botanical Garden – A garden of abundant natural beauty, the Maharaj Bagh attracts thousands of tourists each year and encloses a picturesque botanical garden and a zoo that house a rare collections of birds and animals.

Ramtek Fort Temple – Assumed to be the sacred place where Lord Rama took rest before leaving to conquer Lanka, the Ramtek Fort temple is a regularly visited place by the locals and is centuries old with its main deity as Lord Rama.

Musical Garden – This garden is also referred to as the Lata Mangeshkar Musical Garden and has a pleasant ambience and beautifully landscaped lawns with attractive musical fountains. There is also an open air theatre that can accommodate about 2,500 people where musical concerts are held.