Maharatshra – Yatripandit

YP Original || Thousands stars on the sand – Diveagar – By Abhimanyu

Photo of Thousands stars on the sand - Diveagar 1/2 by Abhimanyu - @yatripandit — *My Kid Brother*

I wrote this story about 4 years back and decided to post it without modifying because reading it again brought back so many memories.

My younger brother is a ‘CA in making’ and trust me guys he deserves a break after every exam he attempts. So, it was the month on November 2014 when we planned a family trip to rejuvenate and relax. My Mom, dad and bro flew down to Mumbai from Raipur, where I dwell, work and earn just to present myself a few Roadtrips every year.

Photo of Thousands stars on the sand - Diveagar 2/2 by Abhimanyu - @yatripandit

Diveagar Beach

We started off quite late as my mother was in no mood to hurry-up, keeping it lazy is her idea of a perfect holiday. The destination we embarked on was, Diveagar. It is a small Konkani coastal town in Raigad district of Maharashtra state. It is about 170 km from my place and it takes about 4 hours to reach.

The roads are well maintained except for a few rough patches. We halted at one of many restaurants on the highway to taste local maharastrian food like zunka bhakar, peethla, bhakri and matki and we were not disappointed by any of the dishes.

We reached Diveagar and had to struggle quite a bit to find a good stay as it was a long weekend when many Punekars and Mumbaikars had the same idea to unwind as ours. MTDC’s Exotica resort is right on the beach but it was a little out of budget so we took a U-turn and booked “naughty waves resort” which is located exactly 20 steps from exotica and is 1/4th the price.

After our evening tea and Konkani poha, we decided to hit the beach straight away.

Photo of Thousands stars on the sand - Diveagar by Abhimanyu - @yatripandit — *Ready to play with dolphins*

All 4 of us were full of zeal to be embraced by nature. While playing on the clean white sand beach, my father observed a white star shaped impression on the sand. Taking a closer look we found out to be a starfish. Yes, it was a starfish in my father’s hand. We were astonished to see a real starfish for the 1st time ever in our lives. It was dead though. There are not many exotic restaurants in the village but we enjoyed home-cooked egg-curry, roti and dal-chawal at a local mess called Patil Khanawal.

There were zillions of stars visible in the sky as there was no pollution like in metros.

Next morning we went on the beach at 8:00 am as we were told by a local that dolphins come close to the beach. Boasting our life jackets, in 15 minutes we were on a boat in the middle of Arabia sea expecting dolphins to jump out of water. And what that local said, happened so be true. Dolphins emerged; we were numb and awestruck by the naughty dolphins. They were playing, shouting and jumping out of water in regular intervals. The scene was mesmerizing and it felt as they came exclusively for us just to make our trip even more memorable.

Next moring we were on the beach again to bid adieu to the calm, clean and relaxing town of diveagar. While walking on the beach we observed hundreds white tiny star fishes which were pushed out of the water by the mighty waves. Many of them were alive and were trying to meet the water so that they can return back to there colourfull and altruistic world and of ocean.

Total Cost is about Rs 12000/- for 4 person, 2 nights and 3 days including lodging, fooding and travel.

Cheers !! 🙂

Abhimanyu Yatripandit

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YP Original || Matheran: A no-honking hill station by Abhimanyu

What can be a better escape on a rainy weekend from Mumbai or Pune than Matheran?

Matheran is the only hill station, where vehicles are banned and you can clearly listen the sound of breeze rustling leaves and the sound of the horse shoes. It is the one hill station that is so close by that one can visit it at the drop of a hat. One can commute and explore the hills either on foot or on horseback. This is a perfect place for Digital detoxification as one can call it, to enjoy in the lap of mother nature.

As far as travel to the hill station is concerned, Matheran can be reached by road from Mumbai or Pune via Road or Train with ease.

We stayed at very calm place and fits in budget. It is a heritage building and is about 100 years old. The rooms were very spacious, the washrooms were okay but the food was really good. Even though they do not serve any non vegetarian food or alcohol, still I would say that the quality of food and variety was good.The rent on a weekend for a single night was Rs 3000/- for a double occupancy room, inclusive of all meals.

As for tourist activities, Matheran has about 22 points which are listed below. These were all developed by Britishers.

Important points are Alexander Pt., Rambag Pt, Little Chowk Pt, Big Chowk Pt, One Tree Hill Pt, Belvedere Pt, Olympia Race Course, Lords Pt, Charlotte Lake,Celia Pt (a water fall mouth), Echo Pt., Porcupine Pt (Sun Set Pt), Panorama Point (Sun Rise Pt), Khandala Pt, Madhavji Garden & Point, Matheran Railway Station, Louisa Point, Mayra Point, Pisarnath Temple.

It takes about 3 days to cover all the points and since we had a time constraint we decided to visit only the important places. We decided to visit all the scenic points but if you are an adrenaline junkie, you can try Valley crossing from echo point. High on the hills, when you witness the fog snd feel the cold wind against your face nothing can taste better in that weather than hot maggie and corn. Its advisable to reach back your resort before it gets dark as the hill terrain is not equipped with street lights. So to reach in time, we decided to hire horsebacks with funny names such as hawa hawai. After sound night’s sleep and a delicious morning breakfast we left for Mumbai. Took a Toy train (15 mins journey) from Matheran to Aman Lodge, then shared taxi to Neral and then Local train to Thane and finally back home after experiencing a much needed Digital Detoxification.

It is a calm hill station, with no vehicles at all which makes it peaceful. One only has nature to enjoy and be as adventurous as one wants to be.

Story by – Abhimanyu

Trimbakeshwar & Sula vineyards

It was our 1st road trip in my new I-10. We started off early and straight hit the Nasik highway from Ghansoli. 1st hault taken after about an hour for breakfast (vada pav and Chai) on a roadside Tapri. The taste was good as the vada’s were served to our plates straight from kadhai.

While on the way to Trimbakeshwar temple near Nashik, we saw a huge water body and were fascinated to go there. It was Lake Vaitarna, serene and a landscape worth capturing.

We left for the ancient temple of lord Shiva again, which is of great mythological importance and 1 of the 12 Jyotirlingas. Kusavarta, a kunda (sacred pond) in the temple premises is the source of the Godavari River, the longest river in peninsular India. The current temple was built by Peshwa Balaji Baji Rao (Nanasaheb). Finding a parking space close to temple entrance was a tough task as it was a weekend. After reaching the temple gate we found out that the entry was closed as it was already too crowded. Then 1 of our hyper exited friend went on a pass search mission and came back victorious. There we were in the queue for darshan and came out in about hours time. The temple is made of black stones.

Our next destination was Sula vineyards in Nasik. After entering this place you will feel as if you have reached some vineyards in Switzerland. Widespread grape farms and breeze rustling through the leaves will leave you mesmerised. Hurry up and register for the next wine tasting tour, which allows you to see the wine manufacturing process and also taste some of the finest wines produced in the Indian sub-continent. White harvest and Dindori are must haves. Also they have an excellent restaurant serving stuff with cheese as a prime ingredient because as they say, wine tastes best with cheese.

Sula vineyard also provides staying options but being frugal we did not opt for it. Sula fest is an annual music fest and a must visit.

While returning back we had enjoyed a tasty Maharashtrian meal comprising of bhakri, pithla, dal, jwari, kadhi and bhaat.

Guhagar – with Sandy, White Sand and Serenity

We know you liked our last story, kuch khaas hai kaas on Kaas Plateau published in September 2017 and as promised here we are sharing the 2^nd phase of that amazing Road trip with Sandy. If you missed reading the preceding story, click here and then read the current one.

Here you go, After dumping the idea of quitting jobs and realizing that its getting dark, we hit the road again to reach our final destination- Guhagar. It was about 180 kms drive from Satara via karad and Chiplun. The roads were not in a good condition throughout the journey and there were some steep ghats, then we reached to the pre booked Nilambari Resort.

Abhimanyu

Utkasrh

Sandy

Where to STAY: It was a 3 bed non AC room with attached toilet and television. The resort owner is very friendly and we could bargain and get the fare down to Rs 1000/- from Rs.1500/-. After having typical Konkani poha and tea served at the Resort, we headed to the beach which is about a five minute walk from the resort.

What to EAT: While in Guhagar, one must try Konkani vegetarian food like ukdi chamodak, sol kadi, Bhaves, kokam sharbat and Thali-pith of Suruchi hotel is a must eat. Konkani sea food is globally recognized for its taste and while in this part of the sub-continent, one cannot afford to miss: kalva, mhakala, vaghal, bonbil, kolim, kombadi vade, mori mutton, Ghol, Rawas etc.

We were awestruck after feeling the smooth white sand on this virgin Guhagar beach. The water was clear and so was the beach. It felt as 3 of us were the only tourists. After having a dip in the Arabian sea, we headed towards the famous Gopalgarh fort which has great historic significance. It is believed to be built at the start of 16th Century by the Siddis. It was captured by Shivaji Maharah in 1660.

Being one of the most important lighthouses of India, Anjanvel Light house is a must visit. The lighthouse operator explained us the technicalities involved in signaling and controlling the ships. We halted at an unknown and unnamed venue on the hill and facing the mighty Arabian Sea for some time and did not realize when we ended up halting there for hours. The air was the freshest that we ever had inhaled and the breathtaking view was the best ever experience we could have captured in ours lens, eyes and hearts. The thought of quitting job was dwindling all over again. We enjoyed some late night drinks on the beach in the moonlight and under the sky full of twinkling stars.

Vyadeshwar and Velaneshwar temple: Both are temples of Lord Shiva and are the Kuladaivat of a lot of Kokanastha Brahmins.

Next morning we were all set to hit road and decided to take the road less traveled, where we had to cross Dabhol creek on a ferry along with our car, which was a superb experience to reach Ratnagiri. Visited an ancient Chandika Devi Temple to reach Pune via not so easy to drive Tamhini Ghat. The ghat is full of waterfalls and scenic beauty during the monsoon. We drove back to Mumbai with a lifetime experience, much improved bond of friendship and promises for the many more upcoming roadtrips.

Must carry stuff on a roadtrip: Aux cable, cigarette point charger, knife, water, jacket, extra pair of shoes, sunglasses, sunscreen, old newspapers, mat, bedsheet, nail cutter, mug, DSLR, football, snacks, beachwear (if the place you heading to has a beach)and hell lot of great music.

Do not miss to listen to the music what we love on roadtrip by clicking HERE

Story by: Abhimanyu

Pictures by: Utkarsh & Sandy

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Mumbai City of Dreams – Photolog

I was born in Mumbai and spent quite a some time there, for me its more of an emotion rather than a City.

During my stays I have collected quite a few photos

Best thing about Mumbai is Marine Drive

Largest World Heritage Site Fort Area

Citylife

City That Never Sleeps

PS: Please click on the ads which appear on the website and help us earn some money to travel. This blog is still very young and growing. If you like the story, do not shy away from reciprocating your love in form of likes comments and sharing on social media.

Photos and Story

Utkarsh

Matheran: A no-honking hill station

What can be a better escape on a rainy weekend from Mumbai or Pune than Matheran. Matheran is the only hill station in India, where vehicles are banned and you can clearly listen the sound of breeze rustling leaves and that of the horseshoes.

It is the one hill station that is so close by that one can visit it at the drop of a hat. One can commute and explore the hills either on foot or on horseback. This is a perfect place for Digital detoxification as one can call it, to enjoy in the lap of mother nature.

As far as travel to the hill station is concerned, Matheran can be reached by road from Mumbai or Pune via Road or Train with ease.

We stayed at Hotel Cecil which is a very calm place and fits in the budget. It is a heritage building and is about 100 years old. The rooms were very spacious, the washrooms were okay but the food was really good. Even though they do not serve any nonvegetarian food or alcohol, still I would say that the quality of food and variety was good.The rent on a weekend for a single night was Rs 3000/- for a double occupancy room, inclusive of all meals.

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As for tourist activities, Matheran has about 22 points which are listed below. These were all developed by Britishers.

Important points are Alexander Pt., Rambag Pt, Little Chowk Pt, Big Chowk Pt, One Tree Hill Pt, Belvedere Pt, Olympia Race Course, Lords Pt, Charlotte Lake,Celia Pt (a waterfall mouth), Echo Pt., Porcupine Pt (Sun Set Pt), Panorama Point (Sun Rise Pt), Khandala Pt, Madhavji Garden & Point, Matheran Railway Station, Louisa Point, Mayra Point, Pisarnath Temple.

It takes about 3 days to cover all the points and since we had a time constraint we decided to visit only the important places. We decided to visit all the scenic points but if you are an adrenaline junkie, you can try Valley crossing from echo point. High on the hills, when you witness the fog and feel the cold wind against your face nothing can taste better in that weather than hot maggie and corn. It’s advisable to reach back your resort before it gets dark as the hill terrain is not equipped with street lights. So to reach in time, we decided to hire horsebacks with funny names such as hawa hawai. After sound night’s sleep and a delicious morning breakfast, we left for Mumbai. Took a Toy train (15 mins journey) from Matheran to Aman Lodge, then shared taxi to Neral and then Local train to Thane and finally back home after experiencing a much needed Digital Detoxification.

Matheran says,”Horn NOT OK Please.”

Photo Courtesy: MTDC website and Abhimanyu

www.maharashtratourism.gov.in

Story By

Abhimanyu

Edited By

Utkarsh

Conquering Kundalika – River Rafting in Maharashtra | Yatripandit Original

Rafting is like romancing with a River. It expects respect, understanding and commitment as any other relationship.

We started off from Ghansoli, Navi Mumbai at 8 am, I know its a bit late for a summer road trip! This time we didn’t plan anything but the destination. We didn’t know what to eat, whom to book rafting with, where to stay or whether to stay overnight or return back the same day?

Reached Kolad by 12:30 noon and then the real task of finding a good stay begun. After a few phone calls and referring a number of websites, we found a place called “nature trails” (But didn’t book) which had luxury tents to offer but it was a bit out of budget as the tents were designed for 4 and we were only 2 of us. Nature trails can be booked from www.naturetrails.in . We failed in a couple of other places too as it was a weekday and most of the stays in Kolad operate only on weekends only.

Tired of hunger and burnt of heat, we decided to have lunch first, while having lunch I found a place called “Wilder West” which was very close by had good reviews on google.

We were there within minutes and got our cottage type room booked. Rent – 5900/- for 2 pax. 1-night stay, all meals and 4 adventure activities. The resort was situated right on the bank of the river and clear water was just a dive away.

4 Activities included – Kayaking, zipline, river crossing and WHITE WATER RAFTING.

pexels-photo-177155 — Kayaking in Kundalika River

zipline-168019_960_720 — Fun during Zipline

The 1st 3 activities were performed on the 1st day evening. Specially Kayaking is a must try. I enjoyed it and was able to learn it quickly.

The dinner was typical Maharashtrian cuisine and full of taste.

The next day morning was so pleasant besides the river that one can keep watching the water gush and listen to melodious birds humming for hours forgetting all worries, sorrows and griefs.

2nd Day, 8 am we left for the much-awaited adventure sport, white water rafting. The start point of the rafting is about 25 kms uphill from Wilder West resort. The rafting in Kundalika river depends on the release of water from Mulshi dam. Our rafting instructor Rajesh was pahadi, who hailed from Rishikesh.

Note: Listen to the instructions carefully before setting in for rafting, as this sport can be ferocious and life threatening.

White water rafting is a sport where your adrenaline will be on the highest level and there are a few rapids which will give you the desired thrill.

The river has a calm flow after the rapids, wherein you can jump into the water and just keep flowing with the current and your raft.

The duration of rafting is about 2.5 hours but you will surely remember this for the rest of your life.

PS: – Rafting in Kundalika is fabulous for 1st timers and it is the only place to experience rafting in Maharashtra.

Cheers,

Yatripandit

Credits

Story By

Abhimanyu

Edited by

Utkarsh

Camping by the lake side @ Pawana Lake INR 1300/-

You will agree that we all are fascinated when we see a traveler carry a tent in his/her back pack and always wish to do something of similar sort. Isn’t it?

Find a calm and clean place besides a water body, pitch our tent, cook some food, talk to ourselves, sing to the acoustic guitar and sleep peacefully under the sky full of stars.

But the next moment this wonderful dream breaks and we realize that we are corporate dogs who do not have the liberty to do all this. Leave this dream apart; we do not even own a bloody tent!! I know how bad it feels, but don’t you worry at all, Yatripandit has found out a fabulous midway. Read on!!

Do not own a tent but still be able to camp out in the nature’s lap!! Sounds fun right!!

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The crazy corporate employees in Pune / Mumbai surely have heard of Pawana lake. This amazing place is about a 70 KMs drive from Pune, off Pune-Mumbai old highway in Lonawala. You may follow google maps.

It’s better to reach the venue around 5pm so that you do not miss the beautiful sunset and the snacks served with tea by the property owner and organizer of Pawana camping, Mr. Vijay.

We suggest carrying booze and snacks along with you because there are no liquor shops nearby.

As the sun sets, you also may settle down, relax and unwind yourself in the natures lap.

Package details are listed below:-

Cost – Rs. 1300/- Per person
Evening snacks, dinner(veg and Non-veg – Must be informed beforehand), and next morning breakfast
Includes – Double/triple occupancy tents – Will be pitched by the us
Blankets, pillows and mattress inside the tents, to enjoy a cozy night
A table to dine and chairs
If you are a group of more than 20, you may also indulge in water-sports, but we suggest to ignore this and just enjoy peaceful camping experience
BONFIRE – Separate bonfire for every group shall be lit around 10 pm and will last for approx. 2 hrs
Neat and clean western/ Indian toilets
Barbecue can also be arranged on prior information on Per KG Rates i.e. Mix Veg Rs. 600/-, Paneer Rs. 800/- and Chicken Rs. 700/-

You may also carry Bluetooth speaker but do not blow it too loud to disturb the mountains and serene water in the lake.

Yatripandit is happy to help you plan this one of a kind camping experience.

You may call/whatsapp us on 9975712713 or fill the below form

This can be planned on any day of the week. Discounts on large groups on weekdays.:)

As Coldplay says, “Cause you’re a sky, ’cause you’re a sky full of stars, I wanna die in your arms”

By : Abhimanyu @yatripandit

NH-7 Weekender – I was there and Shall Always be !!!

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Have you been to tomorrow land? I asked a group of college students and they negated unanimously and cited a reason of not having enough money. I approached a young crowd (earning handsome salaries – I guess) and asked have you attended Ultra music fest? The answer was NO and the reason this time was, “we do not have time.” For all those who think that there is no good music fest in India, here is India’s answer to the global music fests.

I completed my B-tech from Pune in 2011 and immediately migrated to Mumbai to start my professional innings.

I came to know about NH7 Weekender from my roommate and colleague and immediately decided to join him for this fest. The month was November and the place was my favorite, Pune. We were excited to see some known and many unknown bands performing live. Weekender is a 3 day fest which imparts you many unforgettable memories for life time.

The crowd here is undoubtedly the hottest and happiest. There are 4, 5 and sometimes even 6 stages on which artist perform scintillating music from 4pm to 10 pm 3days in a row.

The genre varies from Rock to classical, death metal to folk, house to techno trance and what not. You can select you favorite genre or even hop between the arena.

Bacardi booze counters and set up in every arena to maximize your fun when “you are there.” Do not spill them.

Mosh pit is a common sight to watch in Wolves den arena.

Weekender surely gives you a chance to forget the worldly affairs for 3 days, let loose and connect to your soul via music. And if you are a night crawler and still couldn’t get enough of it, many after parties that follow at various locations in Pune are a must.

Weekender does not discriminate between age, color, sect, caste, religion or nationality. You will spot kids, teens, parents, grandparents, foreigners and even pets having fun. The feeling of speakers and woofers thumping loud cannot be expressed in words. It’s something which remains with you forever.

Trust me nothing can beat meeting an old friend suddenly, lying on the grass and listening to Indian Ocean performing live on Dewarist stage, which is my fav.

This year will be my 6^th Weekender in a row and I know this row will never end. All puneri roads will lead to NH7 weekender on 2nd to 4th Dec 2016

As they say, talk to strangers, make new friends.

I was there and shall always be.

As I say, music is my drug and weekender is the antidote.

–Love

Abhimanyu@yatripandit

Mulshi Surroundings – An Unexplored Hill

Needless to mention, Mulshi have been a second home for Punekars for years. We just can’t have enough of Mulshi for it’s alluring beauty. While some can afford a stay at Malhar Machi which is a five star resort on a serene hill near Mulshi dam, others prefer a short roadtrip that won’t take more than six hours(start to start). Just like we did. 😉 Those who can afford a stay in Malhar machi resort MUST NOT continue reading and the ones who can’t — MUST read through.. 🙂

Saturday monsoon, Pune weather, yatri pandit friends from Hyderabad and Mumbai and a car. What else do you need to plan a short road trip? We left from my place for Mulshi dam around 3 in the afternoon, we were just quarter way through and decided to detour from the usual crowded Mulshi to an unknown hill.

The decision shaped up perfectly, as we drove uphill through the clouds and drizzle to discover a small restaurant (name unknown) besides the road.

By then it already started drizzling, and we just couldn’t wait to get out of the car and behold the panoramic landscape which has the calm and alluring Mulshi lake, that lays in the middle of mighty mountains and clouds. The sound from a small pious stream flowing downhill was definitely a synonym to serenity.

Taking a deep breath we all must have felt, “we couldn’t have asked for more.”

The garma garam chai, pakode and omlette was a perfect icing on the cake.

Getting our tummies filled, we decided to walk and explore the place around. There was a Shiva temple right opposite the restaurant. We kept walking around the area to discover that the village’s name is Samvade. The place is beautiful and calm to the extremes. A must visit getaway from Pune during monsoon. To be honest, one can get used to this place! And, so did I.

Total distance traveled – 90 Kms

Duration (start to start) – 6 hours

Cost – 500 for snacks, fuel extra.

– Abhimanyu@yatripandit

Diveagar Beach

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