Hingoli

Hingoli is an administrative district situated to the north of Marathwada in the state of Maharashtra. The district is bordered by Akola and Yavatmal towards the north, Parbhani on the western side and Nanded in the south-east.

Hingoli district is segregated into two sub-divisions, namely Hingoli and Basmath that are further divided into five talukas. Hingoli is the headquarters of Hingoli district, which is a part of both Marathwada and Aurangabad division.

Initially, Hingoli was the taluka of Parbhani district in Marathwada, and was under the regime of the Nizams. Sharing its borders with Vidarbha, Hingoli was then used as a military base and thus held great importance in the state of Hyderabad. The military troops, hospitals and veterinary hospital were all operational in Hingoli.
This former taluka had witnessed two big wars during early times, between Tipu Sultan and the Marathas in 1803 and between Nagpurkar and Bhosale in 1857.

During the reconstruction of states after independence, Marathwada was attached to the Mumbai State in 1956. In 1960, Hingoli was made a part of the Parbhani district in the state of Maharashtra. By the division of Parbhani district, Hingoli was carved out as a district on 1 May, 1999. Natives of the district normally converse either in Marathi or in Hindi.

Owing to the rich history of Hingoli, the region is home to a number of monuments and temples that are particularly of religious importance. Primarily a pilgrim destination, Hingoli is most famous for housing one of the twelve Jyotirlinga shrines, the Aundha Nagnath.

Built in the Hemadpanthi style of architecture, this Lord Shiva temple is crowded with devotees, especially during the time of Maha Shivratri. Another place of interest in Hingoli district is the Mallinath Digamber Jain Temple.

Travelling to Hingoli is easy, as buses from many cities and towns situated in the vicinity, such as Pune, Mumbai, Nagpur, Karanja, Sholapur, Wasim and Amravati, ply to the region.

Trains can also be taken to the nearby railway station of Parbhani that links the district to Delhi, Hyderabad, Mumbai and other major cities. The nearest air gateway to the district is located at a distance of 230 km, in Aurangabad. The best months to visit Hingoli are from October through March.