NEW DELHI: The geography of Nashik district is marked by mountain ranges and a large number of forts. It has 15 talukas, two municipal corporations - Nashik and Malegaon - and one Cantonment Board called Deolali. Nashik is situated on nine hills called 'navashikhara' named after Durga, Ganesh, Chitraghanta, Pandav,
Dinger Ali, Jogwada, Pathanpura and Konkani. In the medieval period, it came under Mughal rule. There are references to Nashik in the writings of Bhavabhooti, Valmiki and Kalidas.
Nashik city has ancient religious history. According to mythology, Lord Ram,
Sita and Lakshman lived here in exile at Tapovan. Lakshman is said to have cut
off the 'nasika' or nose of Ravana's sister Shurpanakha. Nashik is known as the
Banaras of western India due to the large number of temples.
