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Thane - The Lake City

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Thane is known as the Lake City and lies in the state of Maharashtra. It covers an approximate area of about 150 sq km and has a population in excess of 2.4 million. Also known as Shri Sthanak, Thane is located in the northeastern part of Mumbai.

Situated on the Salsette Island, Thane has an elevation of seven metres above sea level and is surrounded by hills on all sides – mainly the Parsik Hill and the Yeoor Hill.

Going Back In History

Thane has left a significant mark on the pages of Indian history since several centuries. The earliest mention of Thane was made by Ptolemy, the illustrious Greek geographer, who called the place Chersonesus in his writings during the period from 135 AD to 150 AD.

Sometime between 1321 AD and 1324 AD, the greater traveller Friar Jordanus spoke of Thane being under the rule of a Muslim governor. Ibn Battuta and Abul Feda referred to Thane as Kukin Tana and spoke of how wonderful a port it was in those ages.

Finally, when the Portuguese arrived in 1530, they called Thane – Cacabe de Tana. The Marathas took over next and finally, Thane went into the hands of the British rule that referred to it as Tana. In 1863, Thane got its first Municipal Council.

Tourist Places In And Around Thane

Thane is known as the Lake City because of the umpteen lakes found there. There are about 30 lakes scattered across the entire region of this district. Of them all, the Masunda Talao stands out as the most beautiful lakes. Also locally referred as Talao Palli, this lake offers a wide variety of activities like boating and water scooter rides. Meanwhile, the Upvan Lake is yet another beautiful spot nestled between the Yeoor Hills on one side and the Neelkanth Heights on the other side.

The Yeoor Hills are also home to the Sanjay Gandhi National Park, an exciting site of nature for wildlife and nature enthusiasts. Kashimira is another panoramic destination that is close by. The Har Har Gange Fall found in Thane is credited to be India’s largest and biggest artificial waterfall.

The Ambreshwar Temple, also popularly known as the Ambarnath Temple, is an iconic religious site here which has its shrine structured in the Hemandpathi style of architecture.

History lovers and architecture buffs will be delighted in exploring the Bassein Fort (Vasai Fort) and the Jawahar Palace. Adrenaline junkies have activities, like rock climbing and trekking up the Naneghat Hills, at their disposal. Head to the Kelva Beach if you happen to be the kind of traveller who loves spending lazy evenings by the seashore with their family.

With a predominant Marathi culture, Thane organises Ganesh Chaturthi, Gokul Ashtami, Durga Puja and a host of other festivals each year. The celebrations that the locals indulge in are worth being a part of.

Thane Weather

The climate in Thane closely simulates Mumbai’s climate. With the conditions being majorly humid and tropical for most part of the year, it makes for an inviting weather that attracts tourists almost throughout the year. The summers here are intense, with the temperature soaring to a maximum 40 °C. The excellent geographical position of the district, however, prevents the land from getting too scorched. Next up, the monsoons are a pleasurable time to enjoy the many pretty lakes found here that now are filled to their brim because of the abundant rainfall.

Best Time To Visit Thane

Winter, in the end, wins the battle for the best season of the year! The temperatures are low, dipping to a cool 10 °C, making the travelling and exploring part of the visit extremely memorable.

How To Reach Thane

Given its proximity to Mumbai, Thane can be easily reached from anywhere in the entire world. By air, the landmark international airport in Mumbai is nothing short of a boon. By train as well, Thane is a major junction wherefrom plenty outstation trains commence and reach from different cities and towns within and outside Maharashtra. If you plan to drive down to Thane, you have the luxury of choosing from one of the any three national highways that cut through this spot.

Thane presently gets its cosmopolitan nature from its neighbour – the metro Mumbai. Thane has historically been home to several domestic and foreign cultures right from the Muslims and Marathas to the Portuguese and the British. Each rule that served their reign left behind a part of themselves here in Thane. Such a diverse amalgamation of culture can be found in very few places and Thane is one of them. Visit this city to get enamoured by the rich cultural history Thane was fortunate to be a part of.

Thane is Famous for

Thane Weather

Best Season / Best Time to Visit Thane

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How to Reach Thane

  • By Road
    Thane is well linked to many cities and towns via road. The three major national highways that pass through Thane are the Mumbai- Ahmedabad Highway, the Mumbai-Agra Highway, and the Mumbai- Bangalore Highway. There are regular private tour and state owned buses that ply between Thane and other cities and towns within and outside the state of Maharashtra.
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  • By Train
    The Thane Railway Station is a major railway junction that falls on the Central and Harbour Line. It can be reached from Dadar and Panvel by local trains. The Sahayadri Express, Koyna Express, Godavari Express, Sewagram Express, Kamayani Express, Kushinagar Express, Lokmanya Tilak-Coimbatore, Siddheshwar Express, Netravati Express and the Mahanagari Express are some of the trains that pass through this station. A little known fact is that Thane was credited as being the terminus for the first ever train in India in 1853.
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  • By Air
    The Chattrapati Shivaji International Airport is the nearest airport to Thane. It is about 35 km away and can be reached by a cab or a bus. Depending on the traffic and the time of the day, the journey takes close to an hour. There are several domestic and international flights that connect Mumbai to the rest of not only India, but the entire world.
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