Nasik alias Nashik, situated in the northwestern region of Maharashtra on the banks of Godavari River at an altitude of 565 meter above the sea level, is a major Hindu pilgrimage center with rich culture and tradition. Well-known for its hundreds of temples and picturesque bathing ghats, the city is associated with stories from the Epic Ramayana and is referred to as 'Rambhumi'. According to the legend, it was at Nasik that Lord Rama along with Lakshmana and Sita spent 14 years of his exile. It was at the same place that Lakshmana, cut off the nose of Shurpnakha and thus this place was named as Nasik (derived from the Sanskrit word 'Nasika' which means nose). Nasik city has transformed from a small pilgrimage town to a modern mid-sized city in the last two decades and is the third most industrialized city in Maharashtra after Mumbai and Pune. The city is considered as a center of revolutionary activities and is famous for the Satyagraha organized by Dr. Ambedkar for the abolition of untouchability and a share of activities of non-cooperation movement founded by Mahatma Gandhi. It is the home town of several prominent personalities like Veer Savarkar (freedom fighter), Anant Kanhere (freedom fighter), Kusumagraj Shirvadkar (poet) and Dadasaheb Phalake (movie maker). The city, located 180kms from Mumbai and 220 km from Pune, is also renowned for the world famous fair named Maha Kumbh Mela, held once in every 12 years.