‘Jara Hatke’ - Korlai Fort

As summer offers very limited options for outing, I was looking for any offbeat destination this time. Suddenly I recollected one wonderful place which was showcased in ‘Discover Maharashtra’ serial by famous marathi actor Milind Gunaji. Recently I bought new CANON SX20IS camera and was excited to capture lovely seashores with it. So we finally decided to head towards Korlai fort on Saturday early morning. This fort is situated near Revdanda Village which is 21 kms from Alibag. One can also visit nearby places like Murud, Janjira, Kashid beach which are on the same way.
For Korlai we need to reach Alibag first. As the route goes through Pune-Mumbai express highway, travelling time is reduced considerably. At 10am we reached Nagaon beach which is 7 kms from Alibag and fortunately we got a beautiful cottage very close to beach. After enjoying delicious Konkani food in lunch, we took rest for sometime. At around 4pm we started for Korlai fort which is on the way to Murud. It did not take us long to reach Korlai and we were directed by the locals towards the correct path to the fort and the lighthouse. After seeing the superb location we really feel it ‘Jara Hatke’ !

The path towards the fort and lighthouse is a bit narrow and only one car can pass at a time. This way is really awesome. The sea on one side and a hill on another side topped by the Fort make for a pretty heady combination. There is no boundary wall on this stretch so one has to be expert in driving. After reaching the lighthouse, we were given a tour of the place by the guide there. He told us about the various characteristics of the lighthouse and what makes it different from others. Was quite a short but extremely insightful tour. We can imagine why the Portuguese must have selected this location. The tour was succeeded by a visit to the fort. The fort is situated in a good location and canons, rusted at that, dating back to the 16th century are still there. Fort is surrounded by sides by sea. This fort is not a big one. It takes hardly 30mts to reach the top. The view from there is spectacular. I enjoyed capturing beautiful images of seashore with new cam. Before heading for Pune, we spent sometime at lovely beach and started our return journey with memories of Korlai....

How to reach : By Pune-Mumbai expressway, reach Alibag which is 145 kms from Pune. From there proceed further for Revdanda village, which is 21 kms from Alibag. Just after that Korlai village and Korlai fort are situated.

Best time to visit : November to February.

Scenic Shivthar Ghal

Sahyadri is one of the toughest mountains in the world. You can enjoy it's beauty in monsoon at various places. Shivthar Ghal is one of such places. It is comparatively a small and rare place but must be seen and especially in the rainy season.
Shivtharghal is a cavern inside a cliff, in which saint Ramadas resided for 12 years, and created the famous manuscript “Das-bodh”. Shivthar Ghal is an area of silent beauty consists of lush green views of trees, mountains, a big waterfall and a river. It’s a place where you can enjoy the clam and quite nature. It took almost 12 years to complete Dasbodh as Ramdas Swami dictated it and Kalyan Swami wrote it down. Now a days, the place is maintained by Shri Samarth Seva Mandal' and 'Sundarmath Seva samiti'. Shivthar Ghal is a place worth to visit and enjoy the quite beauty of the nature and remember the famous saint in Maharashtra – Ramdas Swami and his Dasbodh.

Fascinating Spots : Ascending the steps we reach the building constructed by Shivthar Ghal Shree Sunder math Samiti. The organization has provided many facilities to all who come to this sacred place. They have maintained the sanctity of the place and keep it clean. In the main hall we see a portrait of Ramdas Swami. A small well-built path leads to the main cavern where Ramdas Swami used to meditate. This place is beyond our imagination. No words can describe its beauty. A waterfall outside the cavern adds to the beauty of the place. We can realize why Ramdas Swami chose this place to compose Dasbodha.From the plateau above the cavern, we can have a glimpse of Rajgad, Raigad, Pratapgad and Torna.

Accomodation : Lodging facilities are offered by Shivthar Ghal Shree Sunder math Samiti.

Ways to reach : Distances from major cities:Mumbai- 200 km, Pune-110 km, Mahad-30 km. The state transport buses are quite frequently available to Mahad from Mumbai, Pune and Kalyan. Further on, vehicles ought to lead till the foothills of Shivthar Ghal. Once the place is reached the endurance seems worth it. On the way to Shivtharghal, one can enjoy the beauty of ‘Varandha Ghat’.

Impregnable Madhe Ghat

Towering at the majestic height of 1700 ft. above sea level, Madhe Ghat situated in Pune District is one of the finest Ghat where you can see a combination of ghat, rivers, waterfalls, lush green nature and small villages surrounding them. Although many people even living in Pune wouldn’t be aware of this place which will make you stress free. Especially for people who need some change at weekends, it’s a place free from traffic, pollution, population and the city chaos.
This is the place from where Late Shivaji Maharaj secured his first win over the fort Torna. As you enter you would first come across this fort which is at a majestic height of about 1950 ft. in Taluka Velhe. If you start your journey in morning you could even enjoy the cool respite of the sun. As you head towards Madhe Ghat which is situated further from here you would pass through small villages situated on the hills and village people woking hard in their fields which are just adjacent to the roads. When you reach the peak sometimes you too can experience fog and may be you would have to even walk through feeling on top of the world. As you come near you will actually feel the cool breeze flowing through the great waterfall. This place also offers a view of the Konkan region and Rajgad on the other side. After this you can also visit the Lingana fort just at a close distance. Two small rivers pass by this fort.The Madhe ghat is known as after the late Tanaji Malusare, the great soldier who worked with Shivaji Maharaj and died a victory death. Breathtaking views of Sunset, Ghat, Waterfalls and the beautiful nature around you do not let one step out from this place of heaven.

The best season to visit : June to December. Preferably Monsoon.

How to get there:
It’s a 1 hr journey to the Nasrapur village on the Pune-Satara highway. After you reach this village head towards Velhe taluka from where you could hire a guide or ask for the further route. In next 20 mins you could reach to your destination. So enjoy your next weekend at Madhe Ghat in full lush greenary.

Weekend Gateway ~ Koyna Lake Resort

Koyna Dam, a new mini Hill Station 3,000 ft above Sea level in the Heart of the Sahyadries could be your next destination over the weekend! Koyna or Shivaji sagar as it is called, is one of the biggest dams in India, 70 Km long backwater running all the way to Mahabaleshwar (Tapola).
Located about 175 kms away from Pune, Spread over 6.5 acres and very scenic location, Koyana lake Resort provides a perfect family getaway for those who want refreshing holidays, away from their routine work. At Koyna lake Resort, you will find typical natural environment. Koyana lake Resort specializes itself in Vegetarian and non-vegetarian Food. Suites perfect for all family sizes. There are lots of things to entertain you. You can roam around on the farm and look at the crops that they grow, relax in hammocks or just sit listening to chirping music of birds. The major attraction is koyna dam & hydroelectric project. Koyna Lake Resort is situated on the hill top of Humabarli ( Koyananagar) and the site is 3200ft.above sea level and the weather is cool, misty and pleasant in all seasons. Especially, you should visit this place when there is full moon night.
Tourist Places around Koyna Dam
· Koyna Dam and Hydroelectric Plant at Pofli /elore - Though entry is prohibited due to security reasons after 9-11, You can visit them if you have contacts in any of the Govt. Agencies and obtaining pass for the same. Else, there are agents who takes you on the guided tour of the premises with help from local contact. It is one of the engineering marvels and must see place.
· Nehru Garden - Delight for couples, families with kids and nature lovers. It has water bodies, exhibition on Koyna dam, models, "Making of Koyna Dam" - Documentary screening at 11:00 am and 5:00 PM, landscaped garden, rose garden, restaurant and plenty of open space with good view of the dam. It is open till 8:00 PM in the night. Photography is strictly prohibited.
· Boating on the Koyna lake reservoir.
· Koyna Wild Life Sanctuary - The wild life sanctuary is a heaven for exotic flora and fauna. One can look and wonder at the treasures of the jungle.
· Sunrise from the Koyna Lake Resort on the backdrop of Koyna Dam
· Sunset and View Points at the Kumbharli Ghat (Road leading towards Chiplun)
· Ozarde Waterfall (during monsoon or post monsoon)
· Ram Madir established by Swami Samarth Ramdas at Chaphal
If you have additional days in your hand, you may also visit Coastal Konkan -> Chiplun (45 KMs from Koyna nagar), Guhagar Beach (45 KM from Chiplun), Shiva Temple and Beach at Velneshwar (10 Kms from Guhagar), Ganesh Temple at Hedvi (15 KMs from Guhagar), Shivshrusti at Dervan (30 Km from Chiplun).

How to reach:
Take NH4 (Mumbai - Bangalore Highway), cross Satara and get down off the highway at Umbraj village around 137 KMs from Pune. Join Karad - Chiplun State Highway after another 12 KMs and reach Koyna nagar . Take a narrow road which goes up-hill from the bus stand to the Humbarli Village and then to Koyna Lake Resort (3 KMs from Koyana Nagar).
Entire road is very good. It takes 3.5 - 4 hrs to reach this place from Pune with 1-2 breaks.

Famous Eating Hotspots on NH-4 :
(With parking facility, open space, good food and clean toilets)
· Joshi wadewale (NH4) -> snacks corner just after crossing the Katraj Tunnel on your right. Tasty food like Wadapav, Misalpav, Tea / Cofee, Wada Sambar etc. Provides lots of space.
· Hotel Natraj (NH4) -> near Khed Shivapur (on your left while traveling towards Satara). Good place for south Indian breakfast. UDUPI management.
· Vitthal Kamath Restaurant (NH4) - in the premises of "Company Operated HP Petrol Pump" on your left at village Kikwi before Shirval. Good food and lots of space. You will get only Pure Veg. south Indian / Punjabi / Chinese food.
· Milestone Food Plaza (NH4) - Between Satara & Umbraj (on your left while traveling towards Satara/Karad). This is similar to SMILESTONE Food Plaza on Pune - Nagar Road.
· Navami Food Plaza (NH4) - just before reaching Umbraj (on your left while traveling towards Satara) - UDUPI Management.

“ MORE JOURNYS….
MORE FUN……………………… “

Tapola – Mini Kashmir

Tapola famously called the mini Kashmir of the west is a rustic hamlet with a magnificent lake - Shivsagar. From Mahabaleshwar Tapola is just 25 kilometers away and the drive to Tapola is a picturesque one with vistas galore on either side of the road.
Jungle treks from Tapola is very popular with trekkers. There are many unknown forts in the dense forest around the lake in Tapola like Vasota and Jaygad. Though one cannot reach the forts easily, still the view of these forts and forest nearby is magnificent in itself.

Tapola is a great off beat destination where nature has been more than generous. The lake offers an unique option of travelling to different sightseeing options around Tapola by water way. There are numerous islands without a name in this 90 km long reservoir and exploring this vast water body in itself can make an amazing vacation plan!! Jungle treks especially the trek to Vasota fort also is gaining in popularity amongst tourists.

If you are a water sports enthusiast Tapola is the place to head to. Be it boating, water scooter rides, kayaking or swimming Tapola will certainly not make you feel confined. There are many strawberry farms and nurseries of Gerberra around Tapola. Apart from the Shivsagar boat club and the seasonal waterfalls around there many options of sightseeing if you take boating in Tapola lake. Bamnoli at the end of the Kas plateau on the shores of Shivsagar lake is a beautiful village by the lake. Ascend the ghats from Bamnoli and you are at the beautiful seasonal flower beds of Kas.
Around Tapola : The major sightseeing spots around Tapola apart from the obvious and popular options of Panchgani, Mahabaleshwar and Pratapgad is Bamnoli, Vasota, Kas Pathar, Thoseghar waterfalls and Chalkewadi windmill power plant. Thoseghar waterfalls and Chalkewadi windmill power plant is approximately 50 kms from Bamnoli. You will have to use local transport from Bamnoli to visit Thoseghar waterfalls and Chalkewadi windmill plant while traveling from Tapola.

Adventure Sports in Tapola : Tapola is an upcoming site for paragliding along with Panchgani. An ideal location for high flying the site will soon capture the imagination of flying enthusiasts.

How to reach : Approx Distance from Pune to Tapola is 140 kms.

Best Route : Pune - Wai - Mahabaleshwar - Tapola

Guhagar ~ Hedvi ~ Velneshwar

Travelling for me is not just about covering distance. Its all about knowing more & more places, people, cultures, history & amazing creations of almighty or even our ancestors. Its something which everybody should experience. So friends, pack your bags & keep exploring our amazing world....In this weekend gateway section, I am going to introduce 3 amazing costal destinations Guhagar , Hedvi and Velneshwar. Guhagar located at 42 Kms. from Chiplun is a typical Konkani town with a beautiful clean Beach where a lot of people come in the evenings to see the sunset. Picturesque Guhagar beach is a major attraction to the holidaymakers. With many street vendors, nice rural shopping facilities and restaurants, the beach is a weekend destination for locals as well as tourists. Guhagar beach is one of the cleanest and less polluted beaches in Maharashtra. It is located just within 200 metres from Guhagar S.T. Depot towards the western side. This beach is assumed to be very safe, with many venturing out to sea for a bath. Off late chat stalls and small food stalls have come up near the beach. Guhagar beach with its unspoiled white sand beach, offers all sanctity one looks in a secluded beach. It is a temple town in Ratnagiri district and in all regards with many outstanding temples in and around. Temples committed to various forms of Lord Shiva like Vyadeshwar, Talkeshwar, Udaleshwar, Velneshwar, Balkeshwar and a temple of Ufrata Ganapati are some of the significant temples here. Chandika Mandir is another well known temple close by. The famous Vashishti River flows near Guhagar.
Hedvi and Velneshwar set apart by 5 kilometers are very near to Guhagar. Both the beaches are fine examples of one-temple-one beach entity. Velneshwar is famous for an old Shiva Temple in the village centre, constructed in typically colourful Konkani folk tradition.
Hedvi an hour`s drive from Guhagar is also known for the Beach and a temple. Hedvi Beach is nice, clean and desolated. Coconut trees line the beach. On the beachfront you can relax on the shelters made of dried palm leaves. Finished with the beaches you can head for the famous temple of Lord Ganesh. The temple houses the idol of lord Ganesha with ten hands. That is why he is known here as the Dashbhuj Ganesh. In close proximity to the beach is the famous Baman Ghal. It is essentially big fissure in the rock. During high tides, the sea water gushes through it making huge splashes.

How to go : People travelling from Pune can reach Guhagar by traveling to Satara on NH4 and then to Patan, Koayana Nagar and then by descending Kumbharli Ghat to reach Chiplun and finally Guhagar.
Other route is Pune - Mulshi - Tamhini Ghat - Nizampur - Mangaon - Chiplun - Guhagar. Distance: Approx 280 kms.

Potholes in Riverbed ~ Magic In Asia

Ever since we heard about Nighoj, we had keen interest to see this wonder in Asia. Best part is, this moon-land is very close to Pune but not many people knows about this amazing place. This is famous for potholes in riverbed, one of its kind in Asia. We found out few more interesting places to see around Nighoj. It was summer weekend and we took up Pune-Nagar highway. This time we decided to go by Alto.
Our day began with sacred darshan of Mahaganapati of Ranjangaon. Ranjangaon Ganesh is one of the eight holy Ganapatis i.e. Asthavinayak. Ranjangaon temple is in Shirur district and on main highway at 52 Kms from Pune. There is beautiful garden developed outside the temple. We had a quick tea break here and then proceeded towards Nighoj. As road is widened now, the journey is more pleasant. Fianlly at 11am we reached Nighoj.
The entire bank of Kukdi River is turned into moon land of huge pot holes. The phenomenon behind its formation goes back to more than thousands of years. The river flow wears out the vesicular basalt’s upper layer and compact basalt layer of the rock. Then small hard pebbles vigorously swirl in these wear out areas due to flow of the water to create circular pot holes. There is huge gorge or canyon created in the river due to the whirl effect of stones for the ages. These are believed to be the largest natural pot holes in Asia. It is very amazing and interesting place. You just have to see this miracle with your eyes to believe it. There is small temple of “Malganga” on the bank on this river.
Best time to visit: Summer (March-April). May month will be extremely hot. Summer is best time to visit this place. As water level goes down, pot holes are easily visible. In monsoon, you merely can view gigantism of pot holes. It is said to be approx. 100 feet deep and 3 kms long. Besides, it can be very dangerous to experience their gigantism otherwise.
We took as many snaps as we could and also some live clippings of whirl effects for our folks. We started back and it was already time for food. We found a shady place and unwind mattresses. We enjoyed home made food and relaxed for some time. We had way to go……

How to reach Nighoj :
Approx Distance from Pune 85kms

Take Pune – Nagar Highway and drive upto “Ghodnadi” river bridge.
Take immediate left turn after crossing the bridge. This is “Nighoj Phata”.
Drive approx. 25 Kms to reach Nighoj village.
From village travel 3 Kms more to reach “Kukadi” river where you can see pot holes.

On the way one can also visit a famous place for Pickocks, called as 'Morachi Chincholi'.

Weekend Gateway - Bhuleshwar (An Ancient Place of Lord Shiva Temple)

As weekend was approaching, this time myself and Tushar decided to visit an ancient place near Pune, i.e Bhuleshwar, Famous for Lord Shiva Temple on hilltop. We started early morning by Alto. Weather was pleasant. On the way we took haut for breakfast at Urali Kanchan. This is the place famous for grapes. We purchased fresh grapes and started our journey onwards. There is a small ghat section on the way to Bhuleshwar Temple. The temple hilltop is huge and there is lot of parking space available for tourist vehicles. Bhuleshwar temple is built in 13th century and is dedicated to Lord Shiva. It was previously a fort called “Mangalgadh”. The devastated evidences show that this temple must have been ruined by invaders and reconstructed again. The entrance of temple is very interesting. It is called “Gaimukhi construction” which dates back to Shivaji Maharaj’s era. The walls of temple are decked with beautiful carvings right from entrance.
There is mythological story that after Lord Shiva and Devi Parvati had fight and angry Shiva came here to meditate. Devi Parvati, dressed as “Bhilla” woman danced to fascinate Shiva. Her beauty seduced him. They went to Kailas from here and got re-united. The place got its name from this story. “To sedate” means “bhul” in Marathi. As Shiva was seduced by Paravati, hence he is also called “Bhuleshwar”.
There was huge Nandi inside the temple along with Ganapati idol in woman form. It is believed to be only such idol of Ganesh. Also there is huge spectacular bell outside the temple. We climbed upstairs and the view was beautiful.
Bird watching is also popular in the mountains near Bhuleshwar. Tawny eagles and other migratory birds are often seen here during the winters. To reach the mountain valley for the bird watching site, one needs to drive on the Pune-Solapur road upto four kms ahead of Yavat where one must take a right turn and pass the Deccan Explosives factory to drive upto the mountain and see the valley on the left. This historic place in Maharashtra is also one of its most ignored. There are crowds here only during the month of Shravan or on the occasion of Mahashivaratri. However, Bhuleshwar is worth visiting any time of the year and a good place for a day’s trek. We had a wonderful time on hilltop and at around 4pm we started our back journey. It was truly a memorable outing.
To reach Bhuleshwar –

Take Pune – Solapur Highway and drive approx. 30-35 Kms.
2 Kms. before Yavat village, take right turn along eastern bank of canal.
You will see sign board “Bhuleshwar”.
Drive approx. 8-10 Kms to reach Bhuleshwar Temple. Regular buses are available from Swargate and Pune Station ST Stand to Yawat and PMT Buses from Pune Station, Poolgate and Swargate to Theur. As you begin, you will start getting view of Bhuleshwar temple located top on mountain. The road is in OK condition.
Caution: On this way, there is a ghat stretch on around 3-4 Kms. and the road is steep so make sure that vehicle break is in good condition. There is a very steep turn while climbing as you approach near the temple. You can see Jejuri on south and Purandar on south-west and Dhavaleshwar on West.

Trip to Tirupati

As in monsoon, we have covered all nearby trek places near Pune, this time we decided to visit any pilgrimage place. In company we have colleagues coming from different parts of India. You can say it’s a true reflection of national integrity. One can learn more about different cultures within our own country. One of our friends is from Tirupati, so we immediately decided to go for Lord Balaji darshan. So our destination was ‘Tirupati’.
As the things were moving smoothly we got leaves and also the confirmed tickets for Tirupati. Our friend Tiru already booked accommodation in ‘Srinivasam Complex’ which is run by TTD (Tirumala Tirupati Devastanam). On friday evening we gathered at Pune railway station. We came to know that train is late by 3 hours. So we had some snacks and also spent quality time in group photo session. Finally at 9 pm we headed for Tirupati. First time we, L&T Infoknites were going for a long trip so all were truly enjoying. Finally at 2pm on next day we reached Reniguntha station. This is the place from where we can get buses for going to Tirupati. For those who don’t know, Tirupati is a place where you get down in the bus and Tirumala is a place seven hills up where Lord Venkateshwara temple is in. After having lunch, at 3pm we reached at ‘‘Srinivasam Complex’ in Tirupati. We took rest for some time and in evening we covered nearby temples. ‘Eskon Temple’ is a place really worth to see. Our friend Tiru invited us for dinner at his home. His parents were very happy seeing all of us. Tiru’s family is very hospitable. We enjoyed typical south Indian food cooked by his mother. We never ate that much ‘rice’. On next day early morning we decided to go for Lord Balaji Darshan. Although buses were available from Tirupati to Tirumala, we decided to go by walk. We started early at 6am after having a cup of tea. People pray Lord Balaji that if you get my wish done, i will climb your seven hills by bare feet. So many people were walking along with us. Climbing the stairs was difficult because most of them are not inclined to 45 degree but are almost 60 degrees angled. So you can easily feel that your thighs are locked and they become so tight that you must take a break and sit beside. On the way we took breakfast. After 3 hours we reached at the top. From there we can see amazing view of Tirupati. We could see people from all over the world were coming there. We get peace of mind at such holy place. As were having passes, within 1 hour we got Lord Balaji Darshan. The tirupati laddoo is a very popular prashad. So yummy and tasty. Later we covered nearby temples and around 6pm we came back to Tiru’s home. Next day our train for Pune was at 2pm. Tiru’s father came with us to Reniguntha station to say bye. Those 2 days were truly memorable days in our life. We got lots of love, hospitability which we can never forget. On monday we reached Pune with sweet memories of Tirupati.

How to go : One can go by Mumbai – Chennai Express and get down at Reniguntha Railway station. From there buses are available to go Tirupati. Journey time is 30mts.
Another train which goes directly to Tirupati is Mumbai – Kanyakumari express. Advance booking needs to be done.

Best Season : Except September and October. These are the months when Tirupati is heavily crowded for ‘Brahmotsavam’.

Accommodation : Many hotels lodges are available near Tirupati bus stand. One can get accommodation in ‘Srinivasam Complex’ which is run by TTD (Tirumala Tirupati Devastanam). We can also do online booking.
For more information visit http://www.tirumala.org

Tamhini - Dongarwadi Monsoon Outing

Since long time, we frndz were planning to go to 'Tamhini-Dongarwadi' a pictersque spot near Pune. Finnally on friday we discussed and immediately planned to have Excersion to Tamhini. This time we decided to go on Bikes! All time favorite :-) We started off from Chandni Chowk on three bikes. Gangsters included (Tushar,Sarang, Bala, Prem, Tooshar and I). The climate was picture perfect for the getaway, drizzling rain and the good road made the drive a pleasure. With the weather getting more pleasant we were sure that there was something more in store. We headed straight to Mulshi. Mulshi lies to the west of Pune amidst the sprawling Sahayadris. It's approximately 30-35 kms from Pune and is a one of the major areas for electricity generation (Tata Power). Since all of us had explored Mulshi many times we were more curious to explore Tamhini. Meanwhile the cold weather made it necessary for us to have a cuppa chai :) we spotted a small shack that offered a perfect view of the backwaters of Mulshi Dam. After having our chais the shack owner informed us of Palshe Waterfall is just a few kms away. We immediately started towards Palshe and all of us looked impatient. I would call it an urge to find a serene, beautiful and calm place, where the rains played host to the perfect settings that otherwise made the places here go unnoticed. Palshe was more beautiful than we imagined. This sleepy and quiet village lay 10-12 kms from Mulshi and it's waterfalls attract people from all parts of Maharashtra. Palshe Waterfall lie nestled amidst the Sahayadris (they are at the center of Sahayadris). The entire area exudes divinity and is amazingly beautiful during the rains. As you climb up the hills the crowd lessens and you can enjoy nature at it's best. Crystal clear waterfalls and lush green vegetation beckons the nature lover and one cannot resist the temptation of capturing every moment in camera. Tushar and I were busy clicking all that appeared beautiful to our eyes. We spent close to three hours there. After meandering around for some time we finished with our (a)typical discussions and headed to the base. The breathtaking beauty we just witnessed goaded us to explore more of the region and we decided to drive down further towards Tamhini. Tamhini is 10 kms from Palshe, very similar to the latter and as we drove down I noticed a different Sahayadri that surrounded us, there was a strange dead silence that prevailed indicating that the mountains were in a more commanding position than anyone else there :). We stopped in Tamhini for sometime and headed back to find a place to eat (the very favourite kanda bhajis). En route Pune we found it, had another round of our talks and then headed back to Pune. It was simply amazing nature outing i ever done. You are welcome to leave the comments on this blog.

How to go : Start from 'Chandani Chow' located at Pune-Baangalore bypass. Move towards Pirangut-Mulshi Road. This road drives you straight to Tamhini Dongarwadi.

Best Season : Monsoon and only Monsoon !!!!

Baneshwar ~ Unexplored Kool Place Near Pune

Pune is surrounded on all sides by places worth visiting. These include forts, hills, temples and ancient and modern architectural wonders. Baneshwar, located approximately 35 kms to the south of Pune is one such spot that combines spirituality with entertainment. We did this little picnic cum trek in the first week of this June. We were 6 of us and none of us been to this place before so its a completly new and unknown place for us. We started our journey with just a name of this place and a lot of enthu ofcourse!!Baneshwar is a trek cum picnic location about 35KM away from Pune.There is Narasapur fata(junction) on Pune-Satara road. Infact Nasarapur village is a junction for Rajgadh(50 KM) andTorna (35KM away).Baneshwar is 2.5 Away from Narasapur.One can take a pleasent walk to Baneshwar temple which is surrounded by lush green hills and deep forest maintained by 'Baneshwar Temple's trust'. Baneshwar basically is a Shiv temple founded by first Peshwa 'Shreemant Balaji Bajirav' in 17th Century. At around a 1 KM from Temple, there is an amazing waterfall. One can get breathtaking view of waterfall from the 'Pagodas created at the topmost point near waterfall.The route towards waterfall is again very beautiful through green forest.Baneshwar is not so famous tourist place as of now(thankfully), so it has maintained the beauty and purity:)
How to Go : You can get a bus to Baneshwar from swargate bus stand , Pune. U can take a bus to velha , and get down at Narasapur fata (junction) . From there six seaters/ private jeeps are available to baneshwar which is 3 KM from narasapur fata. Baneshwar is just 35kms from Pune. So you can go on bikes also.

Best Period : Monsoon