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14 Best Places to Visit in Maharashtra for Honeymoon in 2020A description is unnecessary for the state of Maharashtra. Ranging from hill stations to bustling urban life, from historical monuments to vast beaches, Maharashtra has it all. Beyond any doubt, it’s perfect for a honeymoon. Some places which are must visit on your honeymoon are-Excellent Honeymoon Places In Maharashtra:1. Mumbai:Mumbai is the largest city and the capital of Maharashtra. Known as the Manhattan of India, this is one of the best honeymoon places in Maharashtra. Apart from being home to the Hindi film industry, popularly known as Bollywood, it is also filled with beautifully sculpted architectural monuments, like Gateway of India. With probably the best urban life in India, this is a treat to all those couples who want to experience the best of everything on their honeymoon.Romantic Things to Do: Visit the Gateway of India, spend evenings on beaches such as Juhu and Girgaum Chowpatty, have dinner at any 5-star restaurant with a beautiful view of the skyline.How to Reach: You can reach Mumbai, through roadways as well as Railways. The city is a metro and has an airport with both national and international flights.Best Time to visit for Honeymoon: Winters are the best time to visit Mumbai for honeymoon as the city has a very pleasant weather.Where to Stay: You can stay at any hotel that fits your budget in Bandra, Juhu or Colaba, there are several luxurious hotels such as Taj Lands End, Trident and etc.Other Attractions: There are several street side shopping areas as well as famous attractions such as Mount Mary Church, Bandra Bandstand, Marine Drive, Bandra Worli Sealink etc.2. Aurangabad:Named after the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb, this is a very beautiful honeymoon spot in Maharashtra. The city is famous for the amazing Ajanta and Ellora caves, and various other monuments built during the British era. Filled with various lakes and natural greenery, the mouthwatering cuisine there adds to the flavor of this beautiful place.Romantic Things to Do: Spend time camping at the lake or relax and spend some time in the natural lush greenery, or go sightseeing the historic caves.How to Reach: One can reach Aurangabad both by roadways and Railways, the nearest major cities are Mumbai and Pune.Best Time to visit for Honeymoon: December to February is the best time to visit Aurangabad for honeymoon.Where to Stay: Vivanta Aurangabad, Welcome Hotel Rama International- Member ITC hotel group are some of the top hotel to spend your honeymoon at Aurangabad.Other Attractions: Ajanta Caves, Ellora Caves, Bibi-Ka-Maqbara, Ghrishneshwar temple are some of the attractions of Aurangabad.3. Mahabaleshwar:Located at a height of approximately 1353 meters above sea level on the Western Ghats, it is probably the best place in Maharashtra for nature aficionados. The origin of Krishna River, the water originates from a spout which is shaped like the mouth of a cow and is situated in an ancient temple dedicated to Lord Shiva. The beautiful lakes, the lush greenery and the trekking hot spots make it a perfect destination for a honeymoon.Romantic Things to Do: One can enjoy the beautiful sightseeing of the place Mahabaleshwar at dense forest, waterfall, and hills.How to Reach: New Pune International Airport – 102 kms from Mahabaleshwar. The closest railway station to Mahabaleshwar is situated in Wathar which is at the distance of sixty kilometres from Mahabaleshwar.Best Time to visit for Honeymoon: October-June are advisable months if you’re planning a trip for honeymoon.Where to Stay: Le Meridien Mahabaleshwar Resort & Spa, Brightland Resort & Spa are some romantic places for honeymoon.Other Attractions: Elephant’s Head Point, Chinaman’s Fall, Dhobi Waterfall Venna Lake are some of the beautiful places in Mahabaleshwar.4. Matheran:Located at an elevation of about 800 meters above sea level, it is another hill station on the Western Ghats after Mahabaleshwar. If you want to enjoy a beautiful weather on a drive, the cool and less humid climate here is the thing for you. You can’t afford to miss the slow train ride to Matheran, which provides breathtaking natural views, giving you time to sink them in.Romantic Things to Do: As with any other hill station, Matheran is famous for its viewpoints.How to Reach: The nearest airport to Matheran is the Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport, Mumbai. Foot, Pulled rickshaw, Horse ride are the only means of transport within the cityBest Time to visit for Honeymoon: The best time to visit Matheran is Summer from March – June.Where to Stay: Hunjar, Food n Stay, Matheran Bungalow are some of the best places to spend your honeymoon.Other Attractions: It has a total of 36 viewpoints from where you can enjoy alluring views of the Sahyadri mountain range, the most popular of them being Echo Point, Alexander Louisa Point, Panorama Point and Porcupine Point.5. Khandala:Khandala is located between the Deccan Plateau and the Konkan region of Maharashtra, and is another beautiful honeymoon destination on the Western Ghats. The various trekking locations and viewpoints provide magnificent views of the entire valley and the Western Ghats. Karla and Bhaja, ancient caves with rock paintings on the edge of Bhushi Lake, are must visits.Famous for its rock formations, if you are in Mumbai, then this is a must visit for you.Romantic Things to Do: Its scenic valleys, grassy hills, serene lakes and misty waterfalls are worth seeing for couples.How to Reach: There is no direct flight connectivity to Khandala. Pune Airport is the nearest airport. You can hire a taxi from outside the airport which will take you directly to Khandala. It’s a small town and you can walk around this place.Best Time to visit for Honeymoon: The Monsoon season from July to September is an excellent time to witness its mesmerising beauty.Where to Stay: Data Resort by Della Adventures, Aquilla Villa, Seven Sands Ville are some of the beautiful places to stay on your honeymoon.Other Attractions: Rajmachi Fort, Visapur Fort, Bedsa caves and Lahagad fort are some of the beauty spots to visit.6. Lonavala:Located between Mumbai and Pune, Lonavala provides a unique blend of hills, history and adventure. A popular destination during monsoon, it is famous for its lush greenery forts, lookouts, lakes, dams, and waterfalls. The Karla caves are worth a visit as well. If you are a couple looking for some adventure, there’s paragliding as well in Kamshet, making your trip a truly memorable one.Romantic Things to Do: With lots of waterfalls, lakes and hills around, Lonavala is considered one of the best spot for newly married couples.How to Reach: Lonavala enjoys the proximity to two international airports- the Lohegaon Airport, Pune (70 km away) and Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport, Mumbai (90 km away).Best Time to visit for Honeymoon: Lonavala has something to offer all around the year.Where to Stay: Seven Sand Ville, Picaddle Resort by Maritas Lonavala are some of the great hotels to spend your honeymoon.Other Attractions: Tiger’s Leap, Bushi Dam, Lonavala Lake and Imagic Adlabs are some great attraction of Lonavala.7. Kolhapur:For all the couples interested in history, Kolhapur is the perfect honeymoon destination for you! Its magnificently crafted temples are the major attractions, with the Mahalaxmi Temple leading the list. The new palace of the Maharaja of Kolhapur, which is now the Shree Chhatrapati museum, has grandiose Indo-Saracenic architecture. You can shop for the world famous Kolhapuri chappals while on your trip as well!Romantic Things to Do: Kolhapur is situated on the banks of the river Panchaganga which probably can help you enjoy each other’s companyHow to Reach: The closest airport is in Pune. From there, you could hire a cab or take a bus to Kolhapur. Being a bustling city, state transport buses, rickshaws and taxis are readily available.Best Time to visit for Honeymoon: The months between June and February are the best time to visit.Where to Stay: @Green Apartment, Ved Home Stay, Hotel Pearl are some of the amazing place to stay for honeymoon.Other Attractions: Shri Chatrapati Shahu Museum, Jyotiba Temple, Mahalaxmi Temple, Rankala Lake are also good to visit.8. Alibag:Located in Raigad district,it is a wonderful place for relaxation while you are busy travelling on your honeymoon, mainly because of its proximity to the Arabian Sea. Alibag has vast beaches to cill and enjoy. Apart from that, there are historical monuments like forts and temples which can be covered while on a walk around the town.Romantic Things to Do: Alibag is also known as mini Goa and who would not love to spend their honeymoon chilling at the beaches.How to Reach: The nearest major airport is at Mumbai. From there, you can reach Alibaug via bus, car, cab or boat.Best Time to visit for Honeymoon: The months from November to July is the best time to visit Alibaug to enjoy the beachesWhere to Stay: Radisson Blu Resort and Spa, U Tropicana Alibaug are some of the beautiful hotels to spend honeymoon.Other Attractions: Waters sport, Kolaba Fort, Alibaug beach and Vrindavan Farm are good places in alibaug to go.9. Chaul:Located towards the south of Mumbai, Chaul is an old Portuguese settlement. Tourists can find majestic forts, ancient Buddhist caves, temples and the ruins of an old Portuguese palace here. This place is a mix of various cultures which is quite evident from the attractions here.Romantic Things to Do: The Chaulo Kadu Lighthouse is a beautiful to watch no couple should miss.How to Reach: Chaul is very well connected to all major cities via air, rail and road. You can hire a cab from Mumbai to easily reach Chaul.Best Time to visit for Honeymoon: All the months except December and January are ideal to explore Chaul.Where to Stay: The Fern Silvanus Resort at Alibaug, Ppmotel Farmhouses are some of the nice places to stay during your honeymoon.Other Attractions: Chaul Kadu lighthouse, Data Mandir, Korlai fort and revdanda are some of the great attractions of Chaul, Maharastra.10. Film City:Located in Aarey Colony, it’s away from all the urban hustle of Mumbai in a quite peaceful spot. The Film City is equipped with studios, recording room, a theatre, and has all the facilities necessary for an outdoor shoot. All the movie enthusiastic couples, you surely cannot afford to miss the experience of viewing way your favourite movies are brought to life!Romantic Things to Do: It offers one a clear idea of know-how about shooting films in India, so the couple can enjoy themselves as a celebrity by paying some entry fee.How to Reach: Board a local train to Western Line or Churchgate station to Goregaon station. From there take a rickshaw, you can also hire a cab to the film city.Best Time to visit for Honeymoon: Whole year is ideal for visiting film city Mumbai.Where to Stay: The Taj Mahal Palace, The Taj Mahal tower, The Oberoi and ST, Reis Mumbai are some of the top rated hotels for honeymoon.Other Attractions: Marine Drive, Gateway of India, Colaba Causeway, Juhu Beach are the world renowned attraction of Mumbai the Film city.11. Tamhini Ghat:Tamhini Ghat is a spot which defines nature at its best and is one of the most beautiful honeymoon places in Maharashtra, especially during monsoon. The hills turn verdant green, and moreover, couples can explore the Mulshi Dam and add some adventure by river rafting. A trip to a temple hidden amongst the shrubby vegetation, dedicated to goddess Vanjai, adds to the adventure further. This would be one of the most adventurous honeymoon trips ever!Romantic Things to Do: Couple can enjoy each other’s company and cherish the mother nature.How to Reach: The nearest airport to Kolad is the Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport. From here, you can take a cab, bus or train to Tamihi, Kolad. You can find auto rickshaws and taxis to commute within the city.Best Time to visit for Honeymoon: June to March is the best time to visit Tamihi, KoladWhere to Stay: Kundalika Rafting Camp, Nisarga Agro Resort Dome room are som of the great comfortable places for honeymoon.Other Attractions: The Kansai Waterfalls and hot springs at Uddhar are situated near this falls which are of great attraction.12. Amboli Hill Station:Called the ‘queen’ of Mahrashtra, the natural splendour of this hill station is unmatched. Its eerily calm and serene, bestowed with rich flora and fauna. Another beauty on the Western Ghats, it is a must visit during the monsoon when impromptu waterfalls start trickling in the hills. A few of the ‘must see’ include the Nangartas Waterfall, Hiranyakeshi, Sea View Point, and Mahadevgad. It’s a famous spot for bird watchers as well, drawing a huge variety of species towards its beauty. The dense fog during monsoon turns this place akin to paradise, providing an ‘out of the world’ feeling!Romantic Things to Do: It is the last hill station of Maharashtra before the plains of Goa beginHow to Reach: Amboli is closer to Goa. Hence the nearest airport is in DabolimBest Time to visit for Honeymoon: June to August are the best months to visit Amboli as the serene hills come to life with lush vegetationWhere to Stay: Dark Forest Retreat, Athav Resort is some of the beautiful places to spend your honeymoon.Other Attractions: AMboli Falls, Madhavgad Fort, Shrigaonkar Poin ar some of the attractive places to visit in Amboli.13. Nagpur:Located in the Deccan Plateau, it is known as the orange capital of India, because of the vast production of oranges here. A rich blend of modern times and history, there are numerous attractions including Gavilgad Fort, Dragon Palace Temple, Forts of Balapur, Adasa, Maharaj Baug, among others which will please the history buffs. Along with the bustling urban culture, it is a great shopping hub as well, a treat for all the ladies on their honeymoon!Romantic Things to Do: Couples can spend time at the Gavilgad Fort and Forts of Balapur, marvelling the history.How to Reach: From the city of Mumbai as well as Pune one can either travel to Nagpur by Roadways or Railways. The journey does not take more than 10-12 hoursBest Time to visit for Honeymoon: The months between June and February are the best time to visit.Where to Stay: @ Greens Apartment, Ved Home Stay, Hotel Peal are some of the best places to spend your honeymoon.Other Attractions: Shri Chatrapati Shahu Museum, Jyotiba Temple, Mahalaxmi Temple, Rankala Lake are also good to visit.14. Pune:Mainly famous for its economic and industrial importance, one cannot miss the artistic importance of Pune. A paradise for all the art loving couples, Pune is one of the best honeymoon destinations in Maharshtra for them. Located at the confluence of, the two rivers Mula and Mutha, the spectacular monuments and gardens like Shanivar Wada, Bund Garden, Saras Bagh make it a place of natural as well as historical importance. The place is also an absolute treat for foodies and you can enjoy the mouthwatering vada pav and sabudana vada, on a romantic evening with your better half in this beautiful city.Romantic Things to Do: Bund Garden, Saras Bagh are great places to spend some quality time in the lap of mother nature.How to Reach: Pune is at 5-6 hours distance from the city of Mumbai and is well connected through national highways as well as Railways and Airways.Best Time to visit for Honeymoon: Pune has very nice weather during the winters, that is from October until February.Where to Stay: Taj, Hyatt, Oberoi, are some of the many well-known 5-star hotels that are located here, there are moderate options available too.Other Attractions: There are several cafes and lounges that are spread across the city to hang out and chill.The state of Maharashtra has a lot to offer to you. So, grab its offers with both hands and enjoy its offerings to the fullest! Well after seeing a list of so many places within the state of Maharashtra you might get confused where to go and what to do. The decision rests upon your partner and you. No doubt all these places are beautiful but it has to match your demands. If you have any other places for honeymoon in mind then comment below so that even the others can grab some knowledge.for more detailed information pl contact +918527231212

List of cities I’ve lived in for more than a month, with a brief description. Note that my description relates to the period of time I lived there. What if I’ve lived in the same city more than once? Ok, let me see if I can recall them all….. well, I almost hate to even start off with my home town since it is currently in the news.Kenosha, WI. My home town which was the home of American Motors. A small, very industrially oriented city between Milwaukee and Chicago on the shores of Lake Michigan. I never had a good opinion of It and so never returned.San Antonio, TX. A large city famous for its River Walk tourist attraction area. A large Hispanic population sets the city mood and temperament offering many great Tex-Mex restaurants. Also, having a six flags over Texas and a sea world makes the city one that offers a lot of entertainment options.Colorado Springs, CO. A small upbeat city which hosts the Air Force Academy. I can’t say much about the place, I was not there long and spent all my time at the Academy.Da Nang Air Base, Vietnam. Although this was my duty station, I spent little time at the base. It was a bee hive of activity. But what I remember mostly is the seemingly constant rain of rocket attacks, and ducking for cover!Denver, CO. Denver was a great place at the time I lived there. It was not too large and had a youthful and rambunctious population. I made trips into the Rocky Mountains nearly every weekend falling in love with the city and state.Fort Worth, TX. The largest cow town in America. A clean city which hosts many large fairs and rodeos. I remember there seemed to be an endless supply of cute Texas lasses available to date, and their accent took my heart every time.Lake Worth, TX. A very small cit located not far west of Fort Worth. Nothing really of note, or that I can remember. Just small and quiet. This is where I bought my first house.Little Rock, AR. Although the capital, it seemed a medium sized city. I remember spending time enjoying several nice parks along the Arkansas River. I recall it was very scenic and It was colorful during the fall.Albuquerque, NM. Although not a large city, it is still by far the largest city in New Mexico. This is my favorite city, and the place I spent most time in. I loved the wide open spaces, the desert, the mountains, the clean air, the year round blue skies, and the southwest culture. I enjoyed living up against the Sandia mountains and having a great view of the city below me, with the majestic mountains to my back. I enjoyed a lot of wild life such as deer, quail, road runners, snakes, and even a couple visits by a mountain lion.Denver, CO. I returned to the mile high city, and was amazed to find it had changed drastically. It had grown a lot and the downtown area I use to enjoy no longer existed. It was disappointing.Adana, Turkey. This place was the arm pit of the world as far as I was concerned, which is a kind description compared to what many other Americans thought of the place. It was dirty and backwards and often we were without running water or electricity. The climate was terrible going from one extreme to another. Part of the year was hot and humid, and part cold, rainy, and damp. Still, I traveled often in the country because there is a huge amount of ancient ruins to explore through the region. And I was not far from the mediterranean sea with some good beaches.Madrid, Spain. Madrid was one of the most scenic cities Architectural I ever lived in. There seemed to be endless places to explore and small shops and restaurantes to visit. I did not spend much time there but the weather was perfect during the several months I was there.Wiesbaden, Germany. I remember it being a very clean and orderly place, and the people bright and happy. Of course I spent a great deal of time sampling the many brews in the many bars. The city also hosted some fantastic gardens.Cheyenne, WY. Well, I thought Cheyenne was the arm pit of America and is the only place where I lived that I hated and could not find any redeeming qualities. A small hick town situated on the bare open plains. The wind never ever stopped blowing. They saw severe storms often and a harsh winter. The city really did roll up the sidewalks at 5:00. If you needed something, likely you had to travel all the way to Boulder or Denver to get it. They had their Rodeo Days which was a big deal and drew national attention, but it was not something I enjoyed.mostly, the next several cities I lived in were the same, in the same place and pretty much all connected together in a mega cluster. Those were…. Tempe, Phoenix, Chandler, and Ahwatukee Arizona. All part of The Valley. Together, I spent a lot of years there. Arizona is a great state in the southwest with beautiful deserts and mountains and natural wonders galore. My alma mater, Arizona state university is located in Tempe. Tempe is very much the college town. Phoenix was not so huge when I lived there, but it sure grew quickly becoming a traffic nightmare. And to accommodate the growth the flavor of the city was tainted by development after development with carbon copy boxes sitting right next to one another. For the most part, the valley was a collection of modern cities with well laid out streets neat and clean.Taichung, Taiwan. I really enjoyed the year I spent living here. It was a large, modern city, with a very friendly populace. The city has restaurants and parks and gardens and Museums galore. The ladies were lovely and infatuated with western men. There was little in the way of seasons and the weather was usually very pleasant although they were hit by a hurricane while I was there.Cleveland, OH. This is an older, medium sized city. Nothing sticks in my mind as unique and special. I only spent a short time there although it was noteworthy because I got to work on a really awesome project with NASA. What else sticks in my mind is that it was not far to Ceder Point, which is a huge amusement park.Cincinnati, OH. Cincinnati was a little larger and more modern than Cleveland. There were some touristy areas along the Ohio River that were nice. Again, I only spent a few months living there luckily missing the winter or I might have a different opinion.Chandler, AZ. It was nice returning to Arizona, and the valley of the sun. Chandler has also grown rapidly but still was not too large nor crowded. It was quiet and very urban and was becoming very popular as the place to live away from the hassles of Phoenix.San Antonio, TX. Not much had changed during the many years between the times I had lived there. The city offers a good quality of life at reasonable cost, and as before there is plenty of things to see and do. The change that stood out in my mind was the invasion of fire ants. They had become a nasty problem and I got first hand experience with how they had gotten that name.Kaysville, Utah. Well, it sure was great returning to the mountains and this cute little city situated right on the Wausatch Front Mountain range. Located not far north of Salt Lake City, it is a very friendly, quaint, and lovely city. There were many small coffee/art shops to spend some time in. I was lucky enough to have a large home located right against a large national park, even having a small trout stream running through the middle of my lot which divided my yard into the kept maintained part and the natural part. Again, got to enjoy a lot of beautiful scenery as well as wild animals. Although the raccoons could be trouble at times.Albuquerque, NM. I had a choice between several cities for job offers and decided to return to Albuquerque. Nothing much had changed over the years and all the things I enjoyed were still there and in the state of New Mexico. Albuquerque is well laid out on a grid pattern with wide roads so it’s rapid and easy to get around, usually. It’s not a sophisticated City but it has a good variety of Native American museums and artifacts. It’s a decent city to raise a family, although there is a bad side of town to avoid. So here my adventures and travel had pretty much come to a halt except for my latest move.Bogota, Colombia. Bogota is a huge city, the capital of Colombia. It’s a nightmare to travel with virtually no freeway system and few major arteries. Many of the streets are in a terrible state, you need to be careful you don’t drive into or walk into a manhole with no cover. And some of the potholes are even larger, sometimes filled with old tires and concrete pieces or bricks. Small shops with apartments above dominate along the streets in most areas. So most everything you need is within walking distance. There are many large parks, so that’s a big attribute. Another plus is that there are many large, modern malls, although the offerings tend to be more expensive by far in those shops. The public transportation system is huge and a mixed bag of the ok and bad. The city can be scenic in places, but for the most part it’s an ugly and dirty unorganized city. Still, it is the heartbeat of the country with a huge share of the countries total population and business opportunities. Day after day tends to pass unnoticed because the weather here is the same day after day all year. There are no seasons, with day and night evenly split all year as well.Including returns, I think that’s about 27 places so far where I’ve lived. I don’t think I missed anyplace that I’ve lived for longer than a couple months. Of course, I’ve visited a whole lot of other places. Now, and last for now, very likely I will return to the USA by the end of the year to live. I’m thinking I would like to live in Tucson, Arizona. It’s a lot like Albuquerque in many ways, but it’s not Albuquerque. Big enough to have most everything, But not too big, Southwest with desert and mountains. And maybe you can see a trend here. Although I don’t enjoy the moving part much, that I do enjoy living in new places and exploring what is offered there. Maybe I’ll make it to 30 by time I’m done.

If you don’t believe in God do you go to hell?I could just say no and move on but what the hell let’s cover this a bit.-Theology: HellA great deal of ink has been spilled on the subject of Hell. Through Christianity’s history, the concept of Hell has changed a great deal — not only its nature, but who ends up in it, and the criteria for them going there. Even now many denominations disagree on this. But here, we’re talking about early Christianity and the origins of Hell theology. This requires a little linguistics and literary allusions.New Testament: Three WordsIn the New Testament, there are three words from the original Greek which have been translated into English as “Hell.” These are:γε‘εννα (gehenna): A Hellenized version of the Hebrew Hinnom, which is both a name and a place in the Levant. It was here that King Ahaz burnt his children in fire, and made other profane offerings, for which YHWH arranged his defeat (2 Ch 28:1-5). Often this valley is referred to as the valley of “the sons of Hinnom,” or Ben-Hinnom in Hebrew. References to Gehenna, then, generally allude to the fires of profane sacrificial practices. The implication is that someone who is burned in Gehenna is being offered up to some other God — or to no God. This is the word most commonly used in the New Testament as “hell.” Note that in ancient Judaism, even in the Hellenized Judaism of the 1st century, the crime of King Ahaz was still regarded with some horror — thus, the name of Gehenna was treated with trepidation and fear.‘αδης (hades): This is the name of the Greek god of the underworld, as well as the name of his underworld domain. Much of the time the god Hades was seen as the underworld equivalent of Zeus, who at least theoretically ruled aboveground. However, there appear to be portions of the underworld beyond his control, or with which he does not involve himself. In Hellenistic literature the word hades was used to mean a variety of things: a grave or tomb; the domain of the dead; the dead, collectively (e.g. one's ancestors or forefathers); or what it had originally meant, the place where dead spirits end up after dying. In terms of the New Testament, it appears to mean a grave, or more specifically, a “dead end” (no pun intended).ταρταρος (tartaros): This is a portion of the underworld in which those few dead who especially offended the gods during life, are trapped in eternal torment. Here one finds Tantalus, Sisyphus, and others enduring such fates. This word most assuredly refers to everlasting punishment, exactly as it did for the Greeks who told myths about Tantalus and the rest. As with the name Gehenna, Tartarus carried a rather horrific connotation, indicating as it did unending torture.Old Testament: One WordIn the Old Testament, there’s only one word which indicated anything close to Hell, and that is (in transliteration) sheol. It appears originally to have been the Hebrews’ version of the Sumerian and Babylonian Irkalla, or Netherworld, also referred to more poetically as “the House of Dust and Darkness.” For all the dead — good, bad, in-between — this was an unpleasant place, one where souls were left to dine only on dust and live in an unrelenting haze of ash. This was the prevailing view of the afterlife in the entire Near Eastern world. Only in Egypt did some few — the pharoahs and the very-highest of aristocrats — escape this fate, and they did so only through elaborate means: by being mummified, through long rituals leading up to and following death, and even then, they were eligible for this only due to divine connections (i.e. the pharaoh was considered a god-on-earth, and his officers and agents were sometimes also deified, or simply treated as if they had special divine favor due to their offices). The ancient Hebrews did not have a developed sense of the afterlife, at least not any more developed than other cultures in their milieux.Even now, Judaism does not have a well-developed afterlife concept. There is a presumption of life after death, as well as a possible resurrection during the Messianic Age, however, the nature of these is not disclosed in the Christian Old Testament, which is at issue here.Ancient TranslationsThe Septuagint, or Judaic scriptures rendered in Greek, translates sheol as hades. This strongly suggests that in the time when Christianity began, the two words were taken to mean the same thing, or at least, something close.Going to other ancient translations of scripture, the Targumim (Aramaic translations of Judaic scripture) and Peshitta (Aramaic translation of most New Testament books) renders the the four words for “Hell” almost always as ars’, which had a variety of meanings, but most especially “grave” or “bed,” or metaphorically, “resting-place.”In Coptic, Hades was translated as ameté, a name of Egyptian derivation which was the equivalent of Greek hades (having been used as such in other literature). Gehenna was translated into Coptic as ti-gehenn; essentially this was a carry-over of the name (the prefix is a grammatical device indicating a place); Tartarus was carried over the same way.In Latin, St Jerome translated Hades as infernus, the Roman name for the underworld and thus an exact cognate. He left Gehenna and Tartarus untranslated.Usages of the Greek Names of HellGehenna is found in 12 verses: Matthew 5:22, 29, 30; 10:28, 18:9, 23:15, 33; Mark 9:43, 45, 47; Luke 12:5; James 3:6. Hades is found in 10 verses: Matthew 11:23, 16:18; Luke 10:15; 16:23; Acts 2:27; 1 Corinthians 15:55; Revelation 1:18; 6:8; 20:13, 14. Tartarus is found only in one verse, 2 Peter 2:4.The verses in which Gehenna is found, speak of it as a punishment for wickedness or misconduct; for instance, the first three Matthew verses are:But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother shall be guilty before the court; and whoever says to his brother, “You good-for-nothing,” shall be guilty before the supreme court; and whoever says, “You fool,” shall be guilty enough to go into the fiery hell.... If your right eye makes you stumble, tear it out and throw it from you; for it is better for you to lose one of the parts of your body, than for your whole body to be thrown into hell.... If your right hand makes you stumble, cut it off and throw it from you; for it is better for you to lose one of the parts of your body, than for your whole body to go into hell. (Mt 5:22, 29, 30)The verses using Hades speak of it as an underworld place, and metaphorically to mean destruction; for instance, the Luke 10 verse:And you, Capernaum, will not be exalted to heaven, will you? You will be brought down to Hades! (Lk 10:15)Tartarus, as noted, is only in one verse, and that is as a place of eternal torment for the “sinful angels”:For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but cast them into hell and committed them to pits of darkness, reserved for judgment (2 Pt 2:4)We can safely say, then, that the word Tartarus was not intended to apply to human beings; Tartarus might, for all we know, be some place other than a Hell in which humans may end up.Special Case: RevelationRevelation uses Hades exclusively, but there, it is clearly used to mean a place of torment for the wicked (as Gehenna is in the other New Testament books). The problem with Revelation, however, is that it’s a highly figurative and stylized work. In many cases it cannot be taken at face value. This is quite obvious from the fact that it’s totally unlike the rest of the New Testament books. We might expect, then, that it would use a word such as Hades in a manner not used with the others.The “Bosom of Abraham”A complication is presented by Luke 16:23. The entire passage involved, a parable, is as follows:Now there was a rich man, and he habitually dressed in purple and fine linen, joyously living in splendor every day. And a poor man named Lazarus was laid at his gate, covered with sores, and longing to be fed with the crumbs which were falling from the rich man’s table; besides, even the dogs were coming and licking his sores. Now the poor man died and was carried away by the angels to Abraham’s bosom; and the rich man also died and was buried. In Hades [the rich man] lifted up his eyes, being in torment, and saw Abraham far away and Lazarus in his bosom. And he cried out and said, “Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus so that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool off my tongue, for I am in agony in this flame.” But Abraham said, “Child, remember that during your life you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus bad things; but now he is being comforted here, and you are in agony. And besides all this, between us and you there is a great chasm fixed, so that those who wish to come over from here to you will not be able, and that none may cross over from there to us.”What’s interesting about this, is that it introduces a two-tier afterlife or underworld; a pleasant one, the “bosom of Abraham,” and an unpleasant one, Hades, a place of torment. Jesus uses this tale to illustrate the value of compassion and that a lack of compassion will send a person to perdition. While this was an element of the verses in Matthew chapter 5, extolling virtue and condemning the unrighteous, the addition of the bosom of Abraham adds a wrinkle. The “bosom of Abraham” is perhaps the earliest mention of a paradisical (or semi-paradisical) afterlife for the virtuous, and contributed to the notion of “heaven” — along the lines of the older Hellenic “Elysian fields” — in Christianity. The use of Abraham as the sentinel of this pleasant afterlife was likely a way of hooking the the Hellenic Elysian fields in with Judaic tradition.Hell in the ApocryphaHell is mentioned in many of the books of the Apocrypha, in ways similar to the above. For instance, the Ascension of Isaiah, composed in Greek in the late 1st century, uses the word Sheol and speaks of it as an underworld similar to the Judaic view of that time. (Yes, even though it was in Greek, the name Sheol was preserved.) The Book of Enoch (also called 1 Enoch), written in the late 2nd century BCE in Aramaic, also used the word Sheol, but spoke of it not only as an underworld realm but as a place from which forces of destruction emanated. There is a bit of an apocalyptical element in it which compares with the usage in Revelation.Later WorksPerhaps the most spectacular early discussion of Hell is in the apocryphal Gospel of Nicodemus, which was actually a medieval document (from the 6th century or so). It was in Latin, but its first half was in Greek and was an older 2nd century work called the Acts of Pilate (Acta Pilati). Thus, most references to the Gospel of Nicodemus usually mention this work. The second half of this resurrection gospel, in Latin and written in the 6th century, includes a tour of Hell as seen by Christ after his crucifixion but prior to his resurrection. In Hell (called infernus in the original Latin, just as was in the Vulgate), Christ gathered Adam and other righteous souls, taking them to paradise and delivering them to the care of the archangel Michael. (Note that, just as John the Baptist had heralded Jesus’ arrival on earth, after his death, he heralded Jesus’ eventual arrival to deliver them from Hell.) While this gospel was never considered canon, and in fact was known by Church scholars as a late work and never taken as authoritative, it had a tremendous effect on medieval thought about Hell. It painted a vivid picture of Hades (the personification of Hell) as lamenting his own defeat at the moment of Christ’s arrival, and of Jesus gathering up the righteous to take them to paradise. Medieval artworks depict various elements of Jesus’ trip to Hell.Hell in Early ChristianityThe notion of Hell in early Christianity likely followed the lines of Greco-Roman thought; a very, very few righteous and favored souls came to a pleasant afterlife, similar to the Elysian fields, while the rest, the vast majority, lingered in a non-descript, shadowy, relatively unpleasant afterlife. The stories told of it being a punishment for the wicked, are found in two places: in Jesus’ stories extolling the virtue of compassion and selflessness, in which those who did not follow these rules ended up in torment; and in Revelation, something of an epic in which all of God’s enemies ended up in eternal perdition. Both cases, then, are illustrative in nature. Early Christians did not write extensively on Hell and appear not to have taken these as literally as many do, today.Later Hell TheologyThe theology of Hell actually grew probably starting in the 5th century, or perhaps later, in western Europe. The Gospel of Nicodemus, a grand early advanced vision of Hell, was in Latin and thus likely written in the central or western Empire. Many changes entered Christianity when it expanded westward, such as a greater emphasis on the priesthood and hierarchy. The great eastern Church Fathers, on the other hand, were relatively unconcerned with it. We see mention of Hell in works such as those of Tertullian (especially in De spectaculis), but we must remember he was a Carthaginian, or central-empire Christian, and not from the east as so many others were.-What happens after you die? If you were an ancient Greek, but not too deep-thinking a philosopher, the chances are you would have thought you went to Hades or the Greek Underworld.The Afterlife or Hereafter in the mythology of ancient Greece and Rome takes place in an area often referred to as the Underworld or Hades (although sometimes the location is described as a distant portion of the earth):The Underworld, because it is in the sunless regions under the earth.Hades' Realm (or Hades) because the Underworld was Hades' third of the cosmos, just as the sea was the god Poseidon's (Neptune, to the Romans) and the sky, the god Zeus' (Jupiter, to the Romans). Hades is sometimes referred to euphemistically as Pluto, which refers to his wealth, but the Lord of the Underworld had little in the way of a following.Underworld MythsPerhaps the most familiar story about the Underworld is that of Hades' taking an unwilling young goddess Persephone below the earth to live with him as his queen. While Persephone was allowed back to the land of the living, because she had eaten (pomegranate seeds) while with Hades, she had to return to Hades every year. Other stories include Theseus' being trapped on a throne in the Underworld and various heroic voyages to rescue people down below.NekuiaSeveral myths involve a voyage to the Underworld (nekuia*) to obtain information. These voyages are made by a living hero, usually, the son of a god, but in one case a fully mortal woman. Because of the details of these trips, even at such a great remove both in time and space, we know some details of ancient Greek visions of Hades' realm. For instance, access to the Underworld is somewhere in the west. We also have a literary idea of whom one might meet at the end of one's life, should this particular vision of the after-death happen to be valid."Life" in the UnderworldThe Underworld is not entirely unlike Heaven/Hell, but it's not the same, either. The Underworld has a glorious area known as the Elysian Fields, which is similar to Heaven. Some Romans tried to make the area around the burial site of prominent wealthy citizens resemble the Elysian Fields ["Burial Customs of the Romans," by John L. Heller; The Classical Weekly (1932), pp.193-197].The Underworld has the dark or murky, torturous area known as Tartarus, a pit beneath the earth, corresponding with Hell and also the home of Night (Nyx), according to Hesiod. The Underworld has special areas for various types of deaths and contains the Plain of Asphodel, which is the joyless realm of ghosts. This last is the main area for the souls of the dead in the Underworld -- neither torturous nor pleasant, but worse than life.Like the Christian Judgment Day and the ancient Egyptian system, which uses scales to weigh the soul to judge one's fate, which could be an afterlife better than the earthly one or an eternal end in the jaws of Ammit, the ancient Greek Underworld employs 3 (formerly mortal) judges.House of Hades and Hades' Realm HelpersHades, who is not the god of death, but of the dead, is Lord of the Underworld. He doesn't manage the limitless Underworld denizens on his own but has many helpers. Some led their earthly lives as mortals -- specifically, those selected as judges; others are gods.Hades sits on the Underworld throne, in his own "House of Hades", beside his wife, the queen of Hades' realm, Persephone.Near them is Persephone's assistant, a powerful goddess in her own right, Hecate.One of the attributes of the messenger and commerce god Hermes -- that of Hermes Psychopomp -- puts Hermes in contact with the Underworld on a regular basis.Personifications of various sorts reside in the Underworld and some of the creatures of death and the Afterlife appear to be on the periphery.Thus the boatman, Charon, who ferries the souls of the deceased across, might not actually be described as inhabiting the Underworld, but the area around it.We mention this because people argue over similar matters -- like whether Hercules went all the way to the Underworld when he rescued Alcestis from Death (Thanatos). For non-academic purposes, whatever the shady area in which Thanatos looms may be considered part of the Underworld complex.*You may see the word katabasis instead of nekuia. Katabasis refers to a descent and can refer to the walk down to the Underworld.Which Is Your Favorite Underworld Myth?Hades is Lord of the Underworld, but he doesn't manage the Underworld's limitless denizens on his own. Hades has many helpers. Here are 10 of the most important gods and goddesses of the Underworld:Hades- Lord of the Underworld. Combined with Plutus (Pluto) lord of wealth. Although there is another god who is the official god of death, sometimes Hades is considered to be Death. Parents: Cronus and RheaPersephone- (Kore) Wife of Hades and queen of the Underworld. Parents: Zeus and Demeter or Zeus and StyxHecate- A mysterious nature goddess associated with sorcery and witchcraft, who went with Demeter to the Underworld to fetch Persephone, but then stayed to assist Persephone. Parents: Perses (and Asteria) or Zeus and Asteria (a second-generation Titan) or Nyx (Night) or Aristaios or Demeter (see Theoi Hecate)Erinyes- (Furies) The Erinyes are goddesses of vengeance who pursue their victims even after death. Euripides lists three. These are Alecto, Tisiphone, and Megaera. Parents: Gaia and the blood from the castrated Uranus or Nyx (Night) or Darkness or Hades (and Persephone) or Poine (see Theoi Erinyes)Charon- The son of Erebus (also a region of the Underworld in which both the Elysian Fields and the Plain of Asphodel are found) and the Styx, Charon is the ferryman of the dead who takes an obol from the mouth of each dead person for each soul he ferries over to the Underworld. Parents: Erebus and NyxAlso, note the Etruscan god Charun.Thanatos- 'Death' [Latin: Mors]. A son of Night, Thanatos is the brother of Sleep (Somnus or Hypnos) who along with the gods of dreams seem to inhabit the Underworld. Parents: Erebus (and Nyx)Hermes- A conductor of dreams and a chthonian god, Hermes Psychopompous herds the dead towards the Underworld. He is shown in art conveying the dead to Charon. Parents: Zeus (and Maia) or Dionysus and AphroditeJudges: Rhadamanthus, Minos, and Aeacus.Rhadamanthus and Minos were brothers. Both Rhadamanthus and Aeacus were renowned for their justice. Minos gave laws to Crete. They were rewarded for their endeavors with the position of judge in the Underworld. Aeacus holds the keys to Hades. Parents: Aeacus: Zeus and Aegina; Rhadamanthus and Minos: Zeus and EuropaStyx- Styx lives at the entrance to Hades. Styx is also the river that flows around the Underworld. Her name is taken only for the most solemn oaths. Parents: Oceanus (and Tethys) or Erebus and NyxCerberus- Cerberus was the serpent-tailed 3- or 50-headed hell-hound Hercules was told to bring up to the land of the living as part of his labors. The task of Cerberus was to guard the gates of Hades' realm to make sure no ghosts escaped. Parents: Typhon and Echidna.-So no to an atheist the very idea of Hell is a nonstarter becuase we don’t believe in the being that made it. Also we don’t buy into the idea that we should seeing as sin isn’t a thing we deem as real.