Jawhar

Jawhar or Jawahar is a hill station situated in the Thane district of Maharashtra. Known as 'Mahabaleshwar of Thane district', Jawhar is famous for its scenic beauty and rich cultural heritage.

Jawhar is located at a distance of about 80 km from Nasik and 180 km from Mumbai. Jawhar shot to fame as it is the home to the Worli tribes, one of the tribal kingdoms in Maharashtra.

The past of Jawhar of Maharashtra is deeply rooted in tradition. The tribal way of living had in fact, fascinated the renowned Maratha hero Chathrapathi Shivaji and he chose to camp at Jawhar during his travels to Surat. Jawhar later became a princely state ruled by the Munke dynasty under the British Raj.

Jawhar has a thriving tourism industry today that has encouraged the infrastructure development in the area. There are a few water reservoirs and dams in Jawhar that are located at scenic places.  The serene surroundings of these water reservoirs and dams have become a major tourist destination.     

Though Jawhar is an important tourist destination, it retains its rustic habitat. The tribal surroundings of Jawhar are largely left untouched when compared to other tribal habitats. The natural beauty of the area remains unaffected by the developments in the modern world.  

There are several tourist attractions in and around Jawhar. The prominent among them are the ancient temples, Jai Vilas Palace, Bhupatghad Fort, the water falls of Dadar-Kopra and Palusa, the Hanuman and Sunset Points, Shirpamal, etc.

The Tribal Heritage tour is a popular activity among tourists who visit Jawhar. Jai Vilas also known as the Raj Bari, the ancestral home of the tribal kings, has become the gateway to explore the tribal way of living. Exploration of the hill station and trekking in the hills of Jawhar are other activities. From Jawhar, excursions can be made to nearby locations, Lonavla and Khandala, for picnics and trekking.

The Worli paintings of the Worli tribes of Jawhar has become world famous and has become the characteristic landmark of this place.  The Worli paints, made by rice paste, were initially used only to decorate their residences. The theme of Worli paintings is basically the rural life of the Worli tribe. The Worli paintings on canvas and paper have now become popular souvenirs of Jawhar.