Gangapur

Nashik is one of the world's holiest Hindu cities. Kumbhmela is held here once in 12 years along with four other cities in India. Lord Rama along with Lakshmana and Sita spent 14 years of his exile at Tapovan near Nashik. The city came under the rule of Mughal in 16th century and was renamed Gulshanabad. Then it comes under the Peshwa of the Maratha Empire in 1818. The city is also noted for its participation in freedom struggle. Freedom fighters like Veer Savarkar and Anant Laxman Kanhere were born in Nashik. For a long time, the name of the city has changed according to different rulers. Some believe the name "Nashik" was derived after the incident in Ramayana when Lakshmana (Sri Rama's brother) chopped off the nose of Surpanakha (Ravana's sister). Another school of thought states that Nashik is a combination of nava shikha - nine summits. It was also named as Gulshnabad by Muslim rulers which was immediately disputed by the residents.