Colva – Sernabatim Benaulim Beach in Goa

Colva is located just 6km from Margao, is a busy little town with a multitude of hotels, restaurants and chic stores. It is the typical Indian beach, crowded with families and extremely noisy. The tourist here are mostly Indian too, ones who are here for their honeymoons, families with infants, children running wild on the beach and the grandparents flopped about. One can also find many young men, whooping and screaming and playing volley ball. Colva is the best beach of Goa and is famous for its water sports. I tried parasailing, water scooter ride, banana boat ride also there are speed boat rides and motorboat rides. Depending upon the rides they will cost you the money. It cost me Rs 400 only. And the best time to try the rides is the late afternoon and early evening as one can watch the sun go down while hanging from a parachute attached to a zigzagging speedboat. I still remember my ride it was breathtaking. However what I didn’t like was there are no beach huts in Colva, but there are hotels close to beach. The cheaper option was the Vailankanni Cottages with plain but clean rooms. The road leading to the beach had many restaurants; most of them had live bands and overflowing with patrons. I preferred to eat at the beach shacks. The sea food in Goa was fresh and the Goan fish curry with rice was damn good, I can still taste it.

Colva, Sernabatim and Benaulim are together really a single long stretched beach with three separate entry points. The Taj Exotica is at the southern end of Benaulim and the main stretch of beach has few shacks. I had my lunch at the famous Pedro’s and Johncy’s restaurants. Pedro also organized a boat ride for me. Sernabatim, in the middle is the most quiet of the three. There are no beach shakes, only one tea shop with a Kannadiga making Malabari parottas for breakfast.

Find driving directions from Mumbai to to Margao

Arts Reverie charming haveli in Ahmedabad

Arts Reverie is set in Dhal Ni Pol, one of the several pols that line the wall city of the Ahemdabad, weekend destination from Mumbai. Its one belongs to the Jain jeweler but has been brought up by Ahemdabad based author and art critic. It was 11 pm when I reached the pol house with my colleagues; we went for a workshop and heard about it. The two storied white havelis with green and blue windows, carved pillars and white walls, in some parts with red is easy to spot. However it was recently restored as the paint was fresh and it was the only building in the pol with a large white sculpture of two warriors on their horses, located on the roof and there was one emblem of the power that jeweler’s family once wielded. The walled city is the perfect place for any artist looking to history and ancient architecture for inspiration. The buildings around may be decaying but they were telling the stories when Ahemdabad was controlled by the traders and merchants, who constructed many of these embellished and carved havelis.

Unlike other hotels, it has no lobby. From the courtyard, I took the wooden staircase with a trap door, which has to be pushed open to enter the first level. A veranda was converted into a functional lounge or a common meeting space. Then there was a white wall with jeweled pattern of neckpiece, which was drawn by an American artist, forms the backdrop for a small library filled with books on art, travel and architecture. The furniture was basic a long table with wooden stools, topped by cushions. This is where we had dinner and watched television along.

It had three floors, on the ground level was the office and the kitchen and on the first was three rooms and the second had mosaic floored terrace, bedroom and an exhibition space for artists. The bathroom, a large all white space is common to all the rooms. Well ventilated, the havelis had 25 windows, some opening to the courtyard and others to the road side. My room was in soothing blue and white. Everything about the hotel was heritage as there were large teakwood cupboards, the wooden beds, the mosaic patterned flooring and the jharokhas that hide either a wardrobe or another door behind them. Oil lamps were lit every evening when the sun sets. We were able to view the other homes from the terrace. Meals were simple but varied my dinner consisted of rice, dal three kinds of vegetable some salad and a delicious khajur raita. In breakfast there were fresh juices, toast, butter and jam, poha or upma, slicers of fresh fruit and the dhokla. It is a strict vegetarian cuisine as the havelis is located in Jain cluster. The havelis also had world space radio and a WI fi environment.

Evenings are the best spent at arts Reverie, that’s when Dhal Ni Pol comes alive to the sounds of boisterous kids playing gali cricket and aunties gossiping on street corners.

Art Reverie is an art residency a retreat for artists, arts critics, filmmakers and writers, where they can stay for weeks or months.

Look for Driving Directions for Arts Reverie.

Aurangabad, At the Heart of History

I went to Aurangabad to inspect the fabulous heritage of the Buddhist caves at Ajanta and Ellora. It was a rough journey across the forbidding mountains on India’s frontier was made I suppose 600 years ago by Zahiruddin Babur who had descended from two ferocious Asian conquerors, Timur and the Genghis Khan. I also found the man who brought the dynasty to an end Aurangzeb buried here. Like all the other Mughal spots it is two faced one shows the bygone era and the old city.

We went to the India’s most important sites of heritage and natural wealth. The Ellora Road leads west out of the city, taking us to the Daulatabad Fort and the Buddhist caves of Ajanta and Ellora and Pitalkhora. The Paithan Road, south of the Aurangabad station leads past Bidkingaon and Dhorkingaon to ancient Paithan on the banks of the Godavari. Bibi ka Maqbara, which the locals proudly also call the Twin of Taj Mahal and outsiders call Poor Man’s Taj, was built by Aurangzeb’s son. It was quite a trek, well preserved and retaining the luminosity of all Mughal structures. It has the marble’s shade and geometric designs still survive despite the intermittent vandalism of the decades. Then there was Panchakki, a water wheel with a healthy ecology of its own, and large khol of fish glide gracefully in a tank that as part of a snazzy engineering marvel in those days, built by the slave- king Malik Amber. Water drawn from a reservoir some km away, again drawn into a tank and ceramic pipes and an iron fan churned the water to create energy used by the flour mill to grind grain for pilgrims. In its ordinary red marble structure it shares the memory of Aurangzeb himself.

Then we visited few masjids and Dargahs. Jama Masjid was our first choice which was between the market and The Shah Ganj Masjid, and the famous of all where the emperor’s tutor lies buried in Dargah of Pir Ismail in the north of the city. Then Bani Begum Gardens, about 24kms from Aurangabad is the house tomb of Bani Begum, the consort of one of Aurangzeb’s sons. It is built in various styles with massive domes, fountains and pillars, these gardens were a fine specimen of Deccan influenced Mughal architecture.

For shopping there are good fabrics available to buy like Himroo, Paithan and many to go. We stayed at Quality Inn the Meadows; however the best is the Taj Residency along with Ambassador Ajanta and many more.

Find Travel Directions to Aurangabad Here….

Garhmukteshwar, Mini Banaras

I read about Garhmukteshwar in an article and looked for its map. It wasn’t very far plus what my guidebook suggested it was the closet to Delhi where the sacred Ganga flows. It was enough for me to get into my car and head off down the Delhi Lucknow highway on Saturday morning to hit the closest weekend getaway from Delhi.

Two hours later, at a fork on the road, a series of stalls, all selling modhas in various shapes, sizes and colours appeared and where they ended the Ganges showed up almost suddenly at a place called Brijghat.
Garhmukteshwar is like mini Banaras. The main attraction is the Ganges and the bathing ghat along it. The Ganges here can be seen flowing water as far as the eyes can see. The river here was of the colour of cold coffee, but unlike how she is at Haridwar and Rishikesh; the Ganga is much cleaner here. As there are no pieces of legs or length of arms that suddenly appears out of water, and there is no creepy feelings when you stick your legs in the water.

Along the left bank is a large marble platform that overlooks the river. In the middle of this is a walk away, I walked to its edge and stood looking at the scene around me. At the water’s edge was a line of small boats bobbing up and down. And in a break between two boats, a few pilgrims were taking a dip in the river. Next to the walkway, a series of flights of steps or ghats led to the river. And from its edge few boys were diving into the water from a mud flat to gather the coins which pilgrim’s offers to the river.

I went boating for Rs.100 and crossed the bathing ghat to the farms on the other shore. The ride took half an hour, but since it had rained recently, the river was full.
Then the Ganga Devi temple is on the road that goes to Garhmukteshwar, the village near the Ganga is quite old and famous. From this temple the road twists and turns through the sleepy town of Garhmukteshwar.

Follow the twists for five minutes and you will reach a gate with an archway and a large bell hanging at its centre. Inside is a complex of temples, surrounding a central courtyard: Jarkandeshwar Temple in the north, a Shiva temple in the centre, a Kali temple in the left and a Hanuman temple at the entrance. In front is the well that gives the name to the place as Nakka Kuan.

After the temples I went to view the chattris of local Gurudwara. It is said that at Garhmukteshwar the Sikh Guru Teg Bahadur has said to release Raja Nakh from the curse of the celestial being Rambha, who had turned him into snake.

There is no hotel in Garhmukteshwar to stay however towards Amroha side and 10kms from Garhmukteshwar is the Vasant Continental hotel and Midway Mortal approx 15 km.

Hurry Up !!! Avail your Free tickets at Makemytrip.com

Makemytrip.com has introduced new offer where you can reimberse your train tickets price if you book a hotel through makemytrip.com. For further details check the link below:

http://www.makemytrip.co.in/makemytrip/static/irctc.jsp?Camp=SMM&attrib=blogger/trainpromo

Saputara, dispatch from the dangs

Saputara is the only hill station in Gujarat. Saputara was names by the Dangs tribal of the Gujarat districts for they came here during festivals like Holi and Nag Panchmi worship the snake on the bank of nearby Sarpganga River. The air is chilly and the mists fall over the town in the evenings. Plenty of walking is possible and if it’s just a quite getaway one is looking for, Saputara is ideal, and streets ahead of the Lonavalas, Igatpuris that populate Mumbai’s imagination. Saputara overlooks the green valley as there are no auto rickshaws or taxis here as it is so small.

It is a vacation spot for trekking or taking leisurely walks around the lake and the hills. There are quite a few gardens like Rose garden, Step garden and Lake Garden if walking gets too much. There are also few points worth a visit like Echo point and Town view point if you want to gaze at hills. Then there are tribal villages of Bhils, Warlis and Gamits close enough to trek to. Then there are also Hatgadh fort and Pandava Caves to explore all on foot. And the legend goes that Ram spent his 11 years of his 14 years in exile walking about in the forests here. You can also go through the rope way if you are not interested in the treks which will give you the rides and the views. The placid lake is one of the Saputara main attractions and the paddleboats here operate throughout the year.

The Saputara Museum is small, just a couple of rooms which showcase the life and arts of the Dangs tribal. Then we also have the Brahma Kumari establishment here. The local Dang tribal are famous for bamboo handicrafts like pen stands, key chains, jewellery and masks. The town also has an artist’s village and a centre for honey.

Saputara has plenty of places to stay in like Toran Hill resort, Vaity ropeway Resort, Hotel Anando and many more.

Malshej Ghat, up where you belong

When we reached Malshej ghat we did not required the sign board. We entered a short regular tunnel, little expecting the light at the end of it to fall on waterfalls cascading down as if the set designer of the ghats was suddenly overcome with recklessness and decided to see how much beauty one place could handle.

The drive up was beautiful enough, but when we got the first view of the backwaters of Pimpalgaon Joga dam, the picture has the kind of ethereal quality that marked our breath catch in our throat.

Malshej Ghat is a wildly beautiful haven of towering peaks and bottomless valleys, home to a hundred different kind of flora and fauna, and mountain air so fragment and pure, I wished I could pack some to take back home.

Perched on the very edge of a plateau, the MTDC hotel, managed by a private party, is gifted with the best location. But just 160- odd ft from its restaurant, in the hotel’s very backyard is lands end. A gentle rain blows in a tired breeze as we walked to the edge. As we looked down to the valley, the drizzle changes its route; it begins to rain upwards, from downwards. As we trekked up the hills we saw again a giant waterfall that rises up into the air instead of falling down into the valley, such is the force of the winds in these ghats. Malshej what I discovered is for long walks down twisting mountain trails, for plucking wild flowers for your beloved, for shouting something into the valleys and waiting for affirmation.

In the monsoon, Malshej has series of waterfalls. One or two falls generously right on the state highway taking a bath and having hot pakoras is a ultimate start away for a weekend in a Malshej ghat. Right at the point where the falls makes a mess of narrow curving state highway is what the government calls the Nature spot. While on one side of the road water gushes out from the hilltops, the other side is a huge empty expansion of white mist and bright green. Malshej is very wet in monsoon as it rains from all sides here, even from below as we have seen.
We stayed as the Flamingo Hill resort, and then there is Sushant Holiday resort

Igatpuri, more than just a junction

Igatpuri has been a railway junction in my mind and mostly in everybody’s mind. But Igatpuri according to me has all the trappings of a convincing weekend getaway from Mumbai. Its cooler than Khandala at a height of 2000 ft all round the year, guarded by tall green hills that occasionally hide behinds lazy mists. I went in the monsoons and at that time its hills and deep river valleys burst into many shades of green.

Igatpuri gave me two choices either I can have a massage, watch others swim and eat or I can walk down curious valleys and fall a few times on the bright green grass, search for unnamed waterfalls and get wet.

On my way to Igatpuri from Mumbai is the Bhatsa River Valley less than 3 km from Manas Resort which is a stunning depth of extremely happy vegetation and rocks that run down a slope off the road, only to rise again majestically far away as proud hills. A river far down was cutting the curve into two to represent a perfect view of a beautiful valley.

After a few hundred feet before I reached Manas Resort there was Ghatandevi Mandir, dedicated to the goddess of the ghats. It was left as I came from and to the right of the highway was the most spectacular sights in this region- Camel Valley. I would have missed it out if the locals have not told me as I had to walk over and look down to find a slope that falls over 1000 ft. During the monsoons a waterfall cuts through the rocks in a violent descent. There were few mini plateaus that I walked up to, and which offered their own unique points of view. However in rains, Camel valley is full of waterfalls. Some are big and hard to miss, some have to be searched for. There was a railway track also.

About 6km from Manas Resort is Tringalwadi Fort that has attracted trekkers during the rains. In the monsoon, the farmers of Tringalwadi grow their crops over what is essentially a rough motorway that leads to the base of the fort. So in the rains vehicles cannot travel the last 3 or 4 km towards the ancient fort. However there was narrow pathway for a nice, long, wet walk, down to the calm Tringalwadi lake that looks more beautiful from the fort. A few kilometers away from Tringalwadi lake is Talegaon Lake, created by the small Talegoan Dam. Its worth the trip only if you really adore water bodies and the accompanying sound and smells and sights.

There are many options to stay like Manas Resort, Golden Resort, Hotel Ashwin etc.

Bordi, Chilling out in chikoo country

Bordi has suffered from an identity crisis long ago. There was heavy rush of tourist at Dahanu, Daman and Umergoan near to it. Bordi is famous for its chikoo shake. People used to stop at Bordi to drink its chikoo milkshake on their way to Daman. However now Bordi is famous for its lean white beaches, the quite response and the calm beauty of the place. It is still a self-contained big village that became a town. It has a long stretch of nice beach scattering of Parsis who have floated downstream from Sanjan and Udvada and lush orchards of juicy chikoos.

There is only one place to visit in Bordi, which is the beach. The 17 km of virtually unspoilt beach is Bordi’s mainstay and the reason tourists come here. Most of the beach is canopied by casuarinas trees and on the other side of the road behind the beach; chikoo orchards make a scenic backdrop. Here you can safely lie on your towel and turn the pages of your novel without a balloon seller or a candyfloss man in sight. There are no lifeguards but the stretch is relatively safe and accidents are extremely rare.

Asavli Check Dam, has formed a green lake surrounded by mountains and on other side, near the spillway are fields. It was manually built much in the manner of the Great Pyramids of Egypt. It is also a great place to picnic. There are mountains that contain Bahrot caves. Then we drove down to Depchari Dam and reservoir, which is a tranquil lake, much bigger than the lake at Asavli. It was also peaceful and quite with no soul around as Asavli.
We also visited the Kalpataru Botanical Gardens in Umergoan, which is 10 km from Bordi. The famous Vrindavan studios are also in Umergoan, where much of the TV epic Ramayana was shot.

After sight seeing we went for exploring its markets. We buyed fresh vegetables and chikoo as it grows some of the best chikoos in Maharashtra. We also picked up chikoo products such as chips, vadis, chikoo powder and pickle from there.

Bordi has few places to stay like Tapovan Retreat, Anand Resort, and Gool Khush Reosrt, which are near to beach and many more.

We visited Bordi post monsoons so we were able to get some seafood. The surmai was the best, the also had pomfret and Bombay duck washed down with cold sol kadi.

Durshet, Tale of two beauties

Durshet, a part of a forest full of mahua trees, falls within the enclosure of Nature Trails forest Lodge and the Amba River flows right past. There’s not a soul in sight as you dip in the river or take a romantic walk through the forest. It is between two holy Ashtavinayakas, by the Amba River near Khopoli on the old Mumbai- Pune Highway. At Kalote, Lake Placid Retreat is on the shores of the extensive Lake Kalote, which unlike the Amba River doesn’t lose much of its water in the winter.

We stayed at the Nature Trails Forest Lodge and from there we went to the temples, the rivers, the lakes and towards the ghats for trekking. We stroll through the extensive plantations of fruit trees, casuarinas and acacias within the forested expanse of Nature Trails Lodge. There were wild boar, barking deer and monkeys.

The best time to visit this place would be when its raining as the river is full and the huge natural waterfalls within the forest are their best. You can trek to those falls through the mahua, mango and teak tree. There are many species of birds available here as the calls of drongos, doves, parakeets, shrikes, bulbuls and warblers fill the air. At the cultivated lands adjoining the resort was very good place where we found lapwings nests. Within the resort’s flower garden, we saw number of butterflies getting drunk on nectar or laying eggs on their favorite plants. We recognize some of them like Mormon and plain tiger butterflies. There were a range of activities for which we were not able to spare time like rock climbing, rappelling and river crossing.

For staying at Durshet there are only two options the one is the Nature Trail Lodge where we stayed and the second one is the Deccan Retreat, which is on the highway.