If you want to experience complete peace and serenity, Akkalkot is the place to go to. Surrounded with temples and ashrams, it is usually flocked with devotees. Situated on the border of Maharashtra and Karnataka, Akkalkot is home to Shree Swami Samarth Maharaj. It is the kind of city in which you will see a temple, ashram or samadhi at almost every corner, thereby giving the whole city a spiritual environment. The trees play two roles in Akkalkot—they add greenery and also serve as shade to all the devotees.
Along with its religious nature, Akkalkot was also a princely state under the rule of the Bhosale Dynasty during the British reign. People in this town speak Marathi and Kannada and are warm and helpful. The town, in general, is quiet at night and busy through the day, as people wake up early to go serve at the temple. Akkalkot is a city that will leave you feeling energetic and feeling positive.
The Swami Samarth Samadhi Devasthan, the temple where Shree Swami Samarth Maharaj’s shrine and Samadhi rest, is the main tourist attraction of this city. Shree Swami Samarth was a reincarnation of Lord Dattatreya. The best time to visit is between 2 pm and 5 pm, but should you wish to perform any rituals, visiting before 11.30 am would be ideal.
Akkalkot also has a number of other ashrams and samadhis of Swami Samarth’s devotees who were scattered all over town, but they aren’t as famous as the main temple. Nonetheless, a visit would surely be a pleasant experience.
Akkalkot also has a palace which has now been converted into a museum. The museum houses many weapons—guns, firearms, rifles, daggers and knives. There is also a collection of car models and a collection of various kinds of dogs.
Around two kilometers from Akkalkot is yet another pilgrimage spot, the Shivpuri ashram; it is a legacy of Swami Samarth’s disciple, Shree Gajanan Maharaj, and his father, Shree Yogindra Maharaj. They were responsible for maintaining the sacred fire.
Travelling in the city is rather easy; rickshaws, taxis and buses are available everywhere. Using an auto-rickshaw would be best as the driver could double up as a tour guide.
On a daily basis there are approximately 273 flights that operate at Begumpet Airport.IndiGo, SpiceJet and Air India are the most popular airline brands that fly frequently to this airport.
Besides flying you can also reach Akkalkot through train.Akalkot Roadis one of the most popular train stations in Akkalkot.
By road Akkalkot is surrounded by Solapur, Aland, Indi which are 21.2 km, 23.79 km, 29.6 km away respectively. These places are ideal spots for people to plan their short weekend break.