Stand on the north bank of the Godavari at Old Nanded and the city shows you both of its faces at once: the ghats and old lanes on your side, New Nanded spreading away on the far bank. Nanded is a city where pilgrimage shapes the day, and where a river, a fort and a temple circuit sit within easy reach of each other.
It suits travellers who are in town for the Sikh shrines, for the ghats and temples along the Godavari, or for a slow day of markets and river views. This guide covers the places worth your time, in the order that makes best use of a visit, and closes with a plan for a single day.
Top things to do in Nanded
1. Takht Sachkhand Shri Hazur Abchalnagar Sahib
This gurdwara is part of Hazur Sahib, one of the Panj Takhts of Sikhi, and it stands on the site of Guru Gobind Singh's cremation. Maharaja Ranjit Singh commissioned its construction in about 1835 with the financial aid of Sikander Jah, the third Nizam of Hyderabad. Thousands of Sikhs from across the country come to Nanded each year to pay their respects here.
It is about ten minutes from the railway station, which makes it an easy first stop if you arrive by train. Dress and behave as you would at any major shrine, and allow time to sit rather than pass through.
2. Nanded Fort (Nandgiri Fort)
Nanded Fort, also known as Nandgiri Fort, sits on the banks of the Godavari River, which encircles it on three sides. The fort has been converted into a garden, and there is a water tank constructed within it.
Come for the river setting as much as the structure. Combine it with the ghats, since both sit along the same stretch of the Godavari.
3. The Godavari ghats: Urvashi Ghat, Ram Ghat and Govardhan Ghat
Vedic rituals are performed regularly on the ghats of the Godavari River, including Urvashi Ghat, Ram Ghat and Govardhan Ghat. This is where the city's religious life is most visible, and where the river is easiest to approach.
Early morning and evening are the times when the ghats are busiest with ritual activity. Treat the steps as a place of worship rather than a viewpoint, and keep to the edges of any ceremony.
4. Kaleshwar Mandir, Vishnupuri
Kaleshwar Mandir is a Shiva temple on the banks of the Godavari. It is in the village of Vishnupuri, on the outskirts of Nanded.
You can get a primitive boating experience here in a huge saucer-shaped vessel. Pair the temple with the river itself, and check locally before counting on a boat, as these depend on conditions on the day.
5. Shri Laxmi Narsimha Mandir, Old Mondha
This temple stands at Old Mondha, near the New Bridge, placing it in the older part of the city on the north bank of the Godavari.
It works well as part of a walk through Old Nanded, combined with the ghats and the fort, all of which lie in the same part of town.
6. Shani Mandir, Mondha
Shani Mandir is in Mondha, in Old Nanded. It is one of the city's established temples and sits close to the other old-city sites.
Visit it on the same outing as Shri Laxmi Narsimha Mandir, since both are in Mondha and need little travel between them.
7. Ganpati Mandir, Trikut
Ganpati Mandir is in Trikut. Trikut holds several temples, so it repays a single unhurried visit rather than a quick stop.
Group it with the other Trikut temples below to avoid covering the same ground twice.
8. Hanuman Mandir, Trikut
Hanuman Mandir is in Trikut, close to the other temples of the area.
Because the Trikut temples sit together, plan them as one circuit and leave time between them rather than rushing.
9. Datta Mandir, Trikut
Datta Mandir is in Trikut, completing the cluster of temples in this part of the city.
Finish your Trikut round here, then return towards the river or the old city for the rest of the day.
10. Yagyavalkya Vedpathshala Saraswati Mandir, Shree Nagar
This temple and vedpathshala is in Shree Nagar. It is a place of study as well as worship, which gives a visit a different character from the riverfront temples.
Go when you can observe quietly rather than during a busy hour, and combine it with the other in-city temples on your route.
11. Shri Yadav Ahir Samaj Mahamai Mata Mandir, Devinagar
This temple is in Devinagar, within the city's neighbourhoods rather than on the riverfront.
It is best fitted into a day when you are already moving between city temples, rather than treated as a separate trip.
12. Treasure Bazar
Treasure Bazar is the biggest mall in the city, and you can eat, shop and watch movies there. It also has a three-star restaurant.
This is the practical stop for a hot afternoon or a wet one, and a sensible place to end a day of temple visits.
13. Siddheshwar Mandir, Hottal
Siddheshwar Mandir at Hottal was built during the Chalukya era and is an example of Hemadpanti temple architecture. It lies outside the city, so it needs to be planned as its own outing.
Set aside a half day for it rather than trying to squeeze it between city sights, and confirm your travel arrangements locally before setting out.
14. Shri Kheshtra Renuka Mata Mandir, Mahurgarh
Shri Kheshtra Renuka Mata Mandir is at Mahurgarh, beyond Nanded itself. Like Hottal, it is a separate journey rather than a stop on a city walk.
If you intend to visit both Mahurgarh and Hottal, plan them on different days so neither is rushed.
If you only have one day
Morning: Start at Takht Sachkhand Shri Hazur Abchalnagar Sahib, which is about ten minutes from the railway station. From there, walk the Godavari ghats — Urvashi Ghat, Ram Ghat and Govardhan Ghat — while the ritual activity of the morning is under way.
Afternoon: Continue to Nanded Fort (Nandgiri Fort) on the riverbank and its garden. Then move through Old Nanded to Shri Laxmi Narsimha Mandir at Old Mondha and Shani Mandir at Mondha, both in the same part of the city.
Evening: Head to Treasure Bazar to eat, shop or watch a movie, and use its restaurant to close the day.
Frequently asked questions
How do I reach Nanded?
Hazur Sahib Nanded railway station is on the Secunderabad–Manmad line, and Maltekdi railway station also serves the city. By road, Nanded lies on NH 61, NH 361 and NH 161, with MSRTC buses connecting it to many cities in Maharashtra and TSRTC buses to some cities in Telangana. Shri Guru Gobind Singh Ji Airport operates flights to Delhi (Ghaziabad), Bangalore, Pune, Ahmedabad, Goa and Hyderabad.
Which part of the city should I stay in or base myself around?
Nanded has two parts. Old Nanded occupies the north bank of the Godavari river, and New Nanded lies to the south of the river and encompasses Waghala and its neighbourhoods. The gurdwara, the fort and the ghats are all on the river and the old-city side, so basing yourself there shortens your mornings.
When is the best time to visit the ghats and temples?
Vedic rituals are performed regularly on the ghats of the Godavari, including Urvashi Ghat, Ram Ghat and Govardhan Ghat. Plan your riverfront and temple visits around those ritual hours rather than the middle of the day, and keep the afternoon for indoor stops such as Treasure Bazar.
What is there to do beyond the temples and the river?
Treasure Bazar is the biggest mall in the city, with eating, shopping and cinemas, plus a three-star restaurant. Nanded Fort has been converted into a garden with a water tank inside it, and Kaleshwar Mandir at Vishnupuri offers a primitive boating experience in a huge saucer-shaped vessel.
Decide your dates, book your train or flight to Nanded, and build your days around the river, the gurdwara and the ghats.