Nashik is a historically, mythologically, socially and culturally important city in the northern part of the state of Maharashtra in India. It is known for the temples on the banks of the Godavari and it has historically been one of the holy sites of the Hindu religion. It is one of the four cities that hosts the massive Sinhastha Kumbh Mela once every twelve years.
A historical perspective Nashik was known by different names in different Yugas. According to Hindu legends, It was known as "Padmanagar" during Satya Yuga, "Trikantak" during Treta Yuga, "Janasthana" during Dvapara Yuga, and ultimately "Navashikh" or "Nashik" during Kali Yuga. During the Mughal period it was known as "Gulshanabad", the city of roses. Nashik has mythological, historical, social and cultural importance. The city is situated on the banks of the Godavari River, making it one of the holiest places for Hindus all over the world. According to Hindu mythology, Lord Rama, the King of Ayodhya, made Nashik his abode during his 14 years in exile. At the same place Lord Laxman, by the wish of Lord Rama, cut the nose of "Shurpanakha" and thus this city was named as "Nasik" as the word Nasik means "nose" in Sanskrit.
After the fall of the Satavahana empire, the Abhiras or Ahirs ruled in the north east and the Chutus in Maharashtra and Kuntala. The Puranas state that ten Abhira tribes ruled for 67 years. The Nashik inscription speaks of king Madhuriputra Ishvarasena, the Abhir and a son of Shivadatla. This dynasty originated in 249–250 CE, an era called Kalachuri or Chedi in later times.
Classical Sanskrit poets like Valmiki, Kālidāsa and Bhavabhuti have paid rich tributes here. In 150 BCE Nashik was the country's largest market place. From 1487 CE, the province came under the rule of Mughals and its name was changed Gulshanabad (No such proofs for this name). It was also home of Emperor Akbar who wrote at length about Nashik in Ein-e-Akbari. It was also known as the 'Land of the Brave' during the regime of Maratha Emperor Shivaji.
The most important historical significance is that Kumbh Mela is conducted at Nashik once every twelve years, out of 4 places in India.
Ancient Nashik
Legend states that the name "Nashik" is derived from the Hindu epic Ramayana. During the exile of Lord Ram, Shoorpanakha, the sister of the demon king Raavan tried to seduce Ram. Angered, Ram ordered Lakshman to cut off Shoorpanakha's nose (nashika/naak). According to the Raamayan, Sita was abducted by Raavan from the area called Panchavati in the Western Ghats. Today, it is a popular religious destination within the city limits.
The city got its present name in 1818, when the Peshwas got control of the city. The Peshwa rule however, did not last long and the British captured Nashik in the very same year. In 1840, one of the first modern libraries of Maharashtra (then, the Presidency of Bombay) was founded at Nashik.
Mauryan Dynasty Nashik region was included in Mauryan Kingdom, as per inscription issued by Dharma Maha Matra of Ashoka found at Devtek in Chandrapur district. The inscription states capturing and killing of animals. Also rock-edicts of Ashoka mention the Rashtrika (Rashtrakuta dynasty)-Petenikas and the Bhoja-Petenikas. According to many scholars, Petenikas were inhabitants of Pratishthana, the Rashtrikas ruled as Maharathis, while the Bhojas held Vidarbha. This region was ruled by vassals of Mauryan Kingdom (Satvahan ancestors - regional chieftain of Mauryan Empire).
Satavahana Dynasty (207 BCE–199 CE) Just 50 years after king Ashoka's death, Satavahanas came into prominence in Western Maharashtra. Its founder was Simuka. Just after Simuka ended his rule, his brother Krishna took control of the throne. It was during reign of Krishna that Nashik region was included in the Satavahana Empire. Krishna left an inscription in the cave which he excavated for Buddhist monks near nashik. The next ruler of the dynasty was Satakarni I. After his death, his wife, Nayanika/Naganika Satakarni, took control of the throne on behalf her sons, Vedishri and Shaktishri. Naneghat inscription describes Vedishri as a very brave king, who was a unique warrior on the earth and was the lord of Dakshinapatha (Deccan). Many years after the vedishree reign, most of Satavahana territories like Malwa, Nashik, Kathiawar of maharashtra were conquered by Shaka Kshatrapas. Nahapana, a Shaka Kshatrapa probably appointed by the contemporary Kushana Emperor, was ruling over Konkan, Poona, Nasik and some other districts of Maharashtra as well as some portion of Central India as far north as Ajmer .
It was Nahapana who excavated pandav-leni. Several inscriptions of his son-in-law Ushavadata (Sanskrit, Rishabhadatta) have been incised in the Pandu-lena caves near Nasik. Ushavadata was the son of Dinika and had married Dakshamitra, the daughter of Nahapana. These records in the Nasik caves describe the charities and conquests of Ushavadata, who was evidently governing Northern Maharashtra and Konkan on behalf of his father-in-law. He got a cave excavated in the Trirashmi hill near Nasik and assigned it to the Buddhist monks. Later Gautamiputra Satakarni defeated Nahapana of shaka dynasty and regained the satavahana honour. He made a daring dash into Vidarbha and occupied Benakata (or the Wainganga district). Thereafter, he invaded Western Maharashtra and defeated Nahapana somewhere in the Nasik district. The Shaka king accepted Satavahana vassalage, which is shown by his inscription in one of the Nasik caves, wherein he is called Benakatakasvami or the lord of Benakata (Wainganga district). According to the inscription, the king's mother, Gautami Balsari, writes about her son as follows: '...who crushed the pride and conceit of the Kshatrapas. who destroyed the Shakas [Western Kshatrapas], Yavanas [Indo-Greeks] and Pahlavas [Indo-Parthians] who rooted out the Khakharata family [the Kshatrapas of Nahapana] After defeating Nahapana, Gautamiputra called back his silver coins and restruck them. The hoard discovered at Jogal Tembhi in the Nasik district contained more than 10,000 silver coins so restruck.
After Gautamiputra Satakarni most noteworthy successor was Yajnashri Satakari, who conquered all Maharashtra. This can be seen in inscriptions and coins that have been found over a large area. They show that he ruled over a large kingdom extending from Konkan in the west to Andhra desha in the east. He issued among other types the ship-type lead coins indicative of his rule on the maritime province of the Coromandel coast. Within fifty years after Yajnashri Satakarni the rule of the Satavahanas came to an end. By the mid-3rd century the Satavahana King dom fragmented into various parts, each having ruler who claims to be Satavahana descendent. The Satavahanas were liberal patrons of learning and religion. The early kings of the family performed Vedic sacrifices and lavished gifts on the Brahmanas. Krishna, Gautamiputra, Pulumavi and Yajnashri excavated caves and donated villages to provide for the maintenance, clothing and medicines of the Buddhist monks. During this period Nashik was very prosperous . It laid on trade route from Tagara and Pratishthana to Broach and was an important trading centre. The Nashik silk was so famous that so many European historian believe that the stylo of silk and gold brocade that Marco Polo (1290) found being woven at Baghdad and called nasich and nac originally came from Nashik. These silks were known in Europe in the 14th century as nac, nacquts, nachis, naciz, and nasis.
Abhira Dynasty (220–377 CE) After fall of Satavahana empire, Abhira dynasty came into prominence, the Abhiras ruled in the north east and the Chutus in Maharashtra and Kuntala. The Puranas state that ten Abhiras ruled for, 67 years. The Nashik inscription peaks of king Madhuriputra Ishvarasena, the Abhir and a son of Shivadatla. This dynasty originated in A. D. 249–50, an era called Kalachuri or Chedi in later times. During this time Nashik was called as Triashmi by some Sanskrit poets of Tribes. The founder of the Abhira dynasty was Rajan Ishvarasena, the son of Shivadatta, who has left an inscription in cave IX at Nasik. It records the investment of hundreds of Karshapanas in certain guilds at Nasik for providing medicines for the sick among the Buddhist mendicants residing in the Viharas of Trirashmi. Ishvarasena started an era commencing in 250 CE, which later became known as the Kalachuri-Chedi era. The earlier dates of this era come from Northern Maharashtra, Gujarat, Central India and Vidarbha. Judging by the expansion of this era, Ishvarasena and his descendants seem to have ruled a large territory comprising Gujarat, Konkan and Northern Maharashtra. Ishvarasena was followed by nine other kings of the family. They state that they ruled for 167 years.
Traikutakas (490 CE) The Traikutakas took their family name from the mountain Trikuta which borders the Nasik district on the west. The names of three Traikutaka kings, viz., Indradatta, Dahrasena and Vyaghrasena have become known from their inscriptions and coins found in the Nasik district and Gujarat. Dahrasena performed an Ashvamedha and was, therefore, an independent king. A copper-plate grant discovered at Pardi in the Surat district records the donation, by Dahrasena, of the village Kaniyas-Tadakasarika in the Antarmandali vishaya to a Brahmana residing at Kapura. Dahrasena was succeeded by his son Vyaghrasena who had to acknowledge the supremacy of the Vakataka king Harishena. His copper-plate grant, dated in the year 241 (490 CE) of the Abhira era was discovered at Surat and records the donation of the village Purohita-palIika.
Vishnukundins After the downfall of the Vakatakas in the beginning of the 6th century CE, Vidarbha was occupied for some time by the Vishnukundin king Madhavavarman I. He married a Vakataka princess who was probably a daughter or some other near relative of the last known Vakataka Emperor Harishena. He took advantage of the opportunity afforded by the downfall of the Vakatakas and extended his dominion far and Wide. He performed several Vedic sacrifices including eleven Ashvamedhas. That he had brought even Western Maharashtra under his rule is shown by his copper-plate grant discovered at Khanapur in the Satara district. His grandson Madhavavarman II describes himself as the lord of Trikuta and Malaya. So he may have ruled in Western Maharashtra for some time.
Kalachuris (550–573 CE) The Vishnukundins were, however, ousted from Maharashtra and Vidarbha by the Kalachuri king Krishnaraja, who rose to power in about 550 CE. He ruled from Mahishmati, modern Maheshvara, in the former Indore State. His coins have been found over a wide territory extending from Rajputana in the north to Maharashtra in the south in the village Devlana in the Baglan taluka of the Nasik district. The hoard comprised 82 coins. The coins were known as Krishnarajarupakas and have been mentioned in the Anjaneri plates dated in the year 461 of the Abhira era (corresponding to 710-711 CE). They were therefore in circulation for at least 150 years after the time of Krishnaraja. Krishnaraja was succeeded by his son Shankaragana, whose copper plate, grant has been discovered at Abhona in the Nasik District. It is dated in the year 347 of the Abhira era, corresponding to 597 CE. The grant shows that Shankaragana was, like his father, ruling over an extensive kingdom stretching from Malva in the north to at least the Nasik and Aurangabad districts in the south. Shankaragana was succeeded by his son Buddharaja, who was involved in a struggle with the Chalukya king Mangalesha on the southern frontier of his kingdom soon after his accession.
Chalukyas of Badami (543–754 CE)