The city of lakes, Thane alias Thana is the headquarter of Thane district located in the north-west side of Maharashtra. It city was originally known as 'Sristhanaka' named after Lord Ganpati as the word means the residence of Lord Ganesh. It was an important Portuguese trading center until the Marathas captured it in 1739 and as the terminus of the first railway in India built from Mumbai in 1853. Surrounded by hills and around 30 lakes, Thane city is divided into two parts by Thane Creek which is a stream of water from the Ulhas river and Arabian Sea forming an estuary. These two parts are connected with two road bridges and one rail bridge. Initially, Thane was a residential suburb of Mumbai which has later developed into a booming industrial town with growth in trade, transport and construction activities. The city has numerous historical buildings, including a fort and several churches. Best season to visit the city is from November to March.