# Pravaranagar

Pravaranagar, or Loni, is a small town in the Ahmednagar district of North Maharashtra.

## Understand

Pravaranagar also known as Loni-pravara, is 25 km south of the Shirdi, Holy Shrine of Saint Sai Baba. It is also famous for having the first co-operative sugar factory in Asia.

## Get in
##### By bus

There are many buses connecting Pravaranagar to cities such as Mumbai (250 km), Pune (200 km.), Nasik (99 km). It takes around 5 hours from Mumbai to Pravaranagar. It takes around 4 hours to travel from Pune to Pravaranagar by bus.

##### By car

Pravaranagar is accessible via the Ahmednagar-Nasik Highway, approximately 65 km from Ahmednagar and 99 km from Nasik.

##### By train

Trains from all over India come in the vicinity of Pravaranagar (with distance to Pravaranagar):
* Shirdi Sai Nagar (27 km)
* Belapur (Shrirampur) (22 km)
* Kopargaon (42 km)
* Manmad (90 km)
* Nasik (90 km)
* Mumbai (250 km)
* Pune (200 km)
* Ahmednagar (65 km)

##### By air

The nearest airports are at Kakadi, Aurangabad, Nasik, Mumbai and Pune.
Shirdi Airport (SAG) at Kakadi, 22 km from Pravaranagar, receive Alliance Air flights from Hyderabad and Mumbai, and Spicejet flighrs from Delhi and Hyderabad.

## Get around

Pravaranagar is not a big town. So almost all major sights and sounds are all within range by car or autos.

## See

* Padmashri Dr. Viththalrao Vikhe Patil Sahakari Sakhar Karkhana: (formerly known as Pravara Sahakari Sakhar Karkhana)
Pravaranagar is the place where the first co-operative sugar factory of Asia was established in late 1950s. The seeds of co-operative movement were sown in the country with this development. The farmers of the nearby villages came together to establish their own co-operative sugar factory, which was the beginning of development of the 44 nearby villages. The evolution of cooperative sugar industry in Maharashtra has been a trend setter for all the cooperatives in India.
* Shri Kshetra Nizarneshwar: A temple of Hindu God Lord Shiva is 10 km far from Pravaranagar. It is believed that after their 12 years exile into forests, in the 13th year when Pandavas were spending their incognito time, they stayed at this place for a while.
* Lontek Temple: Lontek (short for Loni's Tekadi meaning Loni's Hill) is 1 km from central part of Pravaranagar. On a small hill situated is a very nice temple of Mata Bhavani (Hindu Goddess). From the peak of the hill very picturesque view of Loni can be seen. Navratri Utsav (Navratri Festival) in the month of October is celebrated here.
* Around the hill, a view of various educational institutes can be seen which include Medical, Dental, Engineering, Architecture, Management, Biotechnology, Physical Education Colleges and Pravara Rural Hospital. Thousands of students from all over the country and abroad get educated in these institutes every year.

## Do

Apart from visiting these places, there is precious little to do in Pravaranagar.
However, you can surely explore the farmer's life in this rural area of Maharashtra.

## Buy

Most places including hotels and local shops do not accept plastic currency, so please carry adequate cash for food, hotel room rent and miscellaneous expenses. However 3 ATMs are available in this village on walking distance.

## Eat

There are a number of eateries in Pravaranagar. You can find most of these in the main market and near Pravara Hospital. When you visit this place, you must try traditional village (home cooked style) fare at least once.
* Hotel Sai Chhatra (Very close to State Bank Of India Loni Branch). This is a small restaurant popular among the tourists and locals for its typical vegetarian dishes. The restaurant is famous for its Pav Bhaji. Chinese food is also served here.
* Hotel Swagat (On the way from Main market to Pravara Hospital). It offers vegetarian food with local flavour.
Apart from these there are numerous hotels and restaurants in the area.

## Drink

Sell of drinks is restricted in Pravaranagar. However you can drink in Babhaleshwar, 4 km from Pravaranagar.
* Hotel Maifil On the way to Shirdi.
* Hotel Varsha On the way to Shirdi.
* Hotel Prashant On the way to Shirdi.
And so many other small permit rooms and beer bars are around in Babhaleshwar.

## Sleep

There is not a single good hotel to stay in here, but at Babhaleshwar, 4 km from Pravaranagar and on the way to Shirdi there are a number of good hotels and resorts available.

## Go next

* Trimbakeshwar, one of the twelve Jyotirlingas of India, is 120 km from Pravaranagar and it is worth a visitable place.
* Shani Shingnapur, the most famous temple of Shani in India, is 45 km from Pravaranagar.
* Bhandardara, a calm lake surrounded by hills, waterfalls, dam, forts, valley, is 90 km from Pravaranagar.
* Aurangabad 120 km
* Mumbai 250 km
* Pune 200 km