Over the last few years, Nashik has emerged as a lifestyle destination for those seeking a quality and relaxed lifestyle. Unlike its previous small city avatar which mostly appealed to outsiders when looking for a holiday home, today it has evolved to become a preferred first-home destination for urban Indians.
Apart from the various commercial factors that have contributed to Nashik’s development and growth, the city’s vibrant cultural quotient too has added to its popularity. Here’s taking a look at the same:

1. Literary Pursuits

Nashik doesn’t just offer a pace of life that allows you to indulge in literary pursuits. It is also home to some thriving libraries. These include the Sarvajanik Vachanalaya and the Annasaheb Murkute Public Library and Study Hall.
The former is home an impressive collection of more than 1, 75,000 books. Unlike reading at home that comes with multiple distractions such as the smartphone, a library culture allows you to disconnect from everything else and immerse yourself completely into reading.

2. Musical Panoramas

Live music concerts and festivals are fast becoming an integral part of urban India’s cultural preferences. While Bangalore and Pune are considered leading destinations when it comes to hosting such music events, Nashik too is catching up.
The SulaFest, primarily a festival of music, wine, and food, has gone on to become an annual tradition. Another festival that has found a home in Nashik is Sunburn. For two consecutive years, a Sunburn Reload edition was hosted in the city.
Needless to say, these music events don’t just offer great live performances to aficionados. They offer unique cultural experiences in terms of food, art, and of course, community interactions.

3. Cosmopolitan Vibes

The city is gradually shedding its small, slow city image and beginning to attract a cosmopolitan crowd. This is especially evident from the nature of weekend events and workshops that are finding an audience in Nashik. From commercially-hosted Dandiya nights to Christmas decoration classes, the city is fast becoming home to multi-cultural activities.
This is only set to grow as more non-locals make Nashik their home. Last year, IT giant TCS set up a presence in the city, contributing to the trend. Further, the Nashik Industries & Manufacturers’ Association (NIMA) is also in the process of rebranding the city’s manufacturing potential in the context of ‘Make In India’, which will have a subsequent impact on the demographics in the near future. The four-laning of the Nashik-Pune stretch on NH50 is another factor that is set to add to the floating population and cosmopolitan appeal of this city.

4. Appetite For Art

Unlike several other cities that have evolved only in terms of infrastructure and commerce, Nashik is a city that has evolved on the cultural front as well.
Apart from being home to museums and art galleries, the city is also witnessing the birth of a contemporary art culture. Take for instance the Mitsura Art Festival. Its first edition, which took place last year, saw more than 5000 visitors turning up on the day of the launch.
The event was a celebration of visual and performing arts apart from literature. Then there are initiatives such as the Kala Kumbh, hosted by locals in association with the state tourism department to promote local art forms such as Warli among Kumbh Mela visitors.

5. Wine Escapades

Living in Nashik is like residing in the heart of a wine country. Beautifully located on the banks of river Godavari with rolling vineyards in every direction, it is no secret that Nashik is the biggest contributor in India when it comes to production of grapes and wine.
Irrespective of how big you are on wine, the ecosystem ensure you are close to varied cultural experiences from time to time. From tasting unique wines to connecting with people from different walks of life, it makes for one big cultural rendezvous.

To conclude, Nashik is increasingly becoming a preferred destination for urban Indians seeking a lifestyle that scores well on various fronts, including cultural experiences.