[vrprabhu]

Originally Posted by ghodlur

scary part was returning from the fort when you need to board the boat with no jetty like facility. It was more like a jump and with people not understanding the boat dynamics.....

Very true! But, hey, you stole my lines....

The landing (I know, I know - a boat needs to be berthed! but, as ghodlur said there is no jetty / pier - you have to jump off the boat and land on to the steps leading to the entrance of the fort) wasn't scary, as there are plenty of helpers / volunteers do assist you in this act.

However, since the entire process of offloading the passengers takes quite some time, a 'queue' is built up, due to which you will be forced to wait till it is your boats turn to approach the steps - in the not sun with no protection (cover) whatsoever it is best to grin and bear it.





But, take a look at the gigantic size and the magnificent structure rising from the sea - it is awesome...

Originally Posted by ghodlur

.. a glorious structure rotting away due to sheer negligence ...

Exactly - I don't want to stoke a controversy here, but there has to a good reason as to why it isn't being taken care of, isn't it?

I will just post some of the pictures (later) showing the present condition, which speaks for itself....

[sukiwa]

It's monsoon season, time to visit Tamhini area for watching waterfalls.



Water streams show up at many places


Watch how water dances in front of you




life begins in hard conditions


Curvy roads entice bus drivers as well and not just local VR46/MM93



Some waterfalls are just next to road & you can literally walk beneath it for a view like this


Come, let's walk towards waterfalls


and freeze those moments just like these droplets




Photo credits: My friend Nitin & myself
These photos were clicked a year back on a weekday, processed few days back as rains are in full swing now.

[vrprabhu]

Originally Posted by sukiwa

It's monsoon season, time to visit Tamhini area for watching waterfalls.

Curvy roads entice bus drivers as well and not just local VR46/MM93

Thanks, Sukiwa! The waterfalls and greenery is really a sight for sore eyes. Not to forget the wet and glistening roads! Hope it still remains as a road with sparse traffic and surrounded by forests.

Sheer nostalgia for me ... every time I ride a curvy road, Tamhini, Veranda and Kumbharli ghats always spring in the back of my head...

There aren't any words to express how much I miss Pune, rains and the ghats...

BTW, that is a Mangaon - Pandharpur bus, which says "kille Mangad" - so, add the forts to something else which I miss :-(

[vivek95]

Mystical Maharashtra in monsoons ! I drove to Bhandardara about 4 days back from Mumbai ( where I currently live ). This was my second visit here, previous one being last year mid-September but always wanted to drive here in the peak of monsoons and thus headed there on Tuesday, the 17th of July 2018. It was a 12 hour round trip that included 4.5 hours in the core Bhandardara area ( approx 55 kms circumference ). Some pics from the drive -

[jkrishnakj]

Beautiful scenes, that are very inviting. Are there good places to stay in and around Bhandardara ?

[vivek95]

Originally Posted by jkrishnakj

Beautiful scenes, that are very inviting. Are there good places to stay in and around Bhandardara ?

Yes, there are a couple of resorts in Bhandardara and staying over there for 2 days could be the best way to relish the beauty of this region. There was a Govt. MTDC resort that I spotted ( Maharashtra tourism development corporation ) apart from some private ones. You may get details on MTDC website. Trust me, this region is way way way beautiful than it appears in the pics. I really felt like I was in heaven for those 4.5 hours. God is great and his creation is just incredible

[vrprabhu]

Originally Posted by vivek95

... drove to Bhandardara about 4 days back from Mumbai.... the peak of monsoons .... core Bhandardara area

Beautiful. You chose the right time and place. Did you go to Ratanwadi (base of Ratangad?). There is an old Shiva temple there - Amruteshwar.

Originally Posted by vivek95

...Trust me, this region is way way way beautiful than it appears in the pics. I really felt like I was in heaven for those 4.5 hours. God is great and his creation is just incredible

I was residing in that heaven for nearly four years - between 1993 & 1997 - was located pretty close to Randha waterfalls (once we have actually ridden a bicycle to that place, just to test our stamina!) - don't know if it exists today, because of the electricity generation plant which they were building those days, and water was to be diverted through a channel.....

[vivek95]

Originally Posted by vrprabhu

Beautiful. You chose the right time and place. Did you go to Ratanwadi (base of Ratangad?). There is an old Shiva temple there - Amruteshwar.




I was residing in that heaven for nearly four years - between 1993 & 1997 - was located pretty close to Randha waterfalls (once we have actually ridden a bicycle to that place, just to test our stamina!) - don't know if it exists today, because of the electricity generation plant which they were building those days, and water was to be diverted through a channel.....

Wow !! Great to know you lived there for 4 long years Yes, I did visit Amruteshwar Shiva temple and it was indeed beautiful. The Shiva idol ( Shiva Linga ) was completely under water though due to heavy rains.

[ruzbehxyz]

Amruteshwar mandir is actually the base /start point for the fort of Ratangad or Jewel fort. It's a fascinating trek in the monsoons as well as the dry season.

[pixantz]

Originally Posted by jkrishnakj

Beautiful scenes, that are very inviting. Are there good places to stay in and around Bhandardara ?

Yes. Very scenic natural beauty. I also want to visit Bhandardara soon. I have heard that Anandvan Resort is a good place to go to. Look it up in TripAdvisor, etc.

But a word of caution, travelling around in Maharashtra during Monsoons though very beautiful and scenic with extremely beautiful nature all around, there lurks grave danger along the roads which one must watch out for and be very careful. As per the accidents happening year after year every year on the roads, it's more than a bit scary. I would suggest keeping all imaginable safety equipments in the vehicle like torches, puncture kits, rope, etc and also food stuffs if traveling with family. And as far as possible avoid traveling at night time. Can't trust the roads, bridges, furious (at times) nature and natural calamities. Nature has gotten pretty rough lately. Resulting traffic hold ups also is a reality especially enroute until you get to the hills. Not to be negative but all I'm saying is we have to be aware of the dangers involved in roaming around in the rains. Expect the best and be prepared for the worst. Drive safe people :thumbup:

[vrprabhu]

Originally Posted by vivek95

.... visit Amruteshwar Shiva temple and it was indeed beautiful. The Shiva idol ( Shiva Linga ) was completely under water .....

Actually when it rain, it pours - there were a few years, when we had experienced continuous rainfall for three - four days, without seeing the sun at all!

Originally Posted by ruzbehxyz

It's a fascinating trek in the monsoons as well as the dry season.

Yes! Had done the trek in rains as well as in winter. One of the difficult ones. And easy to get lost, because the routes are not well demarcated (in those days) and in rains it is easy to loose our sense of bearings / directions. We had a local villager on both our trips, and he helped us quite a bit.

Originally Posted by pixantz

.... there lurks grave danger along the roads which one must watch out for and be very careful....

... traffic hold ups also is a reality especially enroute until you get to the hills ...

Actually, between 1993 & 1997 (when I was there) there wasn't a single incident. Only between 2013-17, there was a landslip in Malshej ghat.

What is actually worsening is the number of vehicles on the road and the manner in which people go about 'enjoying' the monsoon....

[comfortablynumb]

Went on a 1 day trip to Lohagad last Saturday, to introduce my 5 year old daughter to trekking Weather was beautiful, and the greenery was a sight for sore eyes.











Planning to make at least 2 such trips every month - let's see how it works out.

Cheers,
Vikram

[comfortablynumb]

With it raining cats & dogs for the past few days, it was time for a 1 day trip again. Plan was to visit Thoseghar waterfall near Satara. However, just 10-12 kms before Thoseghar, a big tree had fallen across the road barely 5 min before we reached that spot. Traffic on both sides was blocked, making us alter our plans.

After that, we did a U turn and visited Khinditla Ganpati & Kuraneshwar Shiva temple (both in the same temple complex), about 1 km from the junction where the road splits for Thoseghar, Kaas and Satara city.

From there, we went to Bamnoli, then Mahabaleshwar (using a route which goes from Bamnoli directly to Mahabaleshwar) and back to Pune. Some photos from the trip:































Cheers,
Vikram

[Sawyer]

The last photo of waterfalls brings to mind an even more spectacular view that has falls in a spread that exceeds 180 degrees - a couple of kilometres before reaching Shivtharghal in the foothills after getting down Varandha ghat. As good as the best of Switzerland, in the Pune neighbourhood at this time of the year, with the river in full flow alongside.

It is worth coping with the atrocious Bhor to Varandha road for the experience.

[Axe77]

Wow! This is a treasure trove of itineraries to drive within MH. Definitely tracking this thread for routes and itineraries. Lets see if I can manage Kaas perhaps this year.