3rd November 2022, 21:41
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3rd November 2022, 22:36
| #2 |
| BHPian Join Date: Oct 2020 Location: Poone, Mumbay
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| Day one (October 15)  The route map we followed The plan was to head out by 9am. This turned out to be just a bit optimistic, considering the advanced age of the travelers. We were finally on our way at 11am. Our route took us on the Pune-Ahmednagar road (NH753F), turning off at Kesnand towards Theur. We were at the Theur Chintamani Temple by noon. As can be seen, the temple was not crowded, and we were able to get a good darshan, without being jostled or asked to move on in 5 seconds.   The Chintamani Theur Temple  Interesting (and kind of appropriate) family name of the priests The stainless steel barriers arranged to allow a long snaking queue give an indication of how crowded it gets during peak periods. All the temples are equipped with some version of these, except Lenyadri, which is in a cave, and where the steep stairs leading to the temple probably act as a natural queue. The temple has staying arrangements for pilgrims onsite, as do all the others except Lenyadri (see above for reason).  Stainless steel barriers for managing long queues Since it was lunchtime, we treated ourselves to a very nice and simple traditional vegetarian lunch served in a lunch hall on the temple premises. Meal consisted of chapati, rice, dal and 1 vegetable, with sheera as the sweet. You sit in a row (the traditional “pangat” except on chairs) and are served by the all-volunteer staff. Unlimited portions were provided for those desirous of stuffing themselves, all for the princely sum of Rs. 50. Truly a blessing to be able to eat such food. The Shree Mayureshewar temple in Morgaon was next, via an hour drive on NH65 and the Shirur-Satara road. It had a similar vibe as Theur, and was nice and quiet.  Temple Entrance  The Mayureshwar Morgaon Temple  Corridor with tiled roof running along the temple periphery   Marathi Map of the Ashtavinayak Temples  View from the other side  Heavy wooden door at entrance. Note the metal detector to whose beeps no one responds, such a common sight in India From Morgaon, we set out towards the third (and final) destination of the day, retracing our route till the town of Supe, and then joining the Daund-Patas Road. This highway (concessionaire-run) was an awesome drive thanks to the long stretches of smooth tarmac (not concrete). The road crosses the Bhima river towards the end, following which it is a 2 minute drive to the temple.  Highway to Siddhatek  Bhima river The Siddhatek Siddhivinayak temple has a nice calm vibe, helped by it being further away from urbanity than the first 2 places. After the Darshan, a pick-me-up was called for, and was provided by a nice jaggery tea, of which we had 2 (tiny) cups each.  The Siddhatek Siddhivinayak Temple, with the SO and yours truly  Temple Entrance  Temple Door  Ganpati's ride (no review on TBHP yet)  Can get it in any color as long as it is grey Now that the day’s agenda was done, we headed over to our planned nightly stay, at the Aranyagiri countryside resort, retracing our path till Daund, following which we turned off on to Ahmednagar-Daund road (NH160). This road was also in decent shape, till we reached the turnoff for Belwandi Sugar Road, where craters started to be encountered. We were also stuck in a heavy traffic jam, thanks to the road ahead being closed for repair work.  Interesting sky during sundown Taking this opportunity to call the resort and reconfirm our arrival time, we discovered to our surprise that they had not received our AirBnB booking, and were sold out for the night. Now we were truly in a soup, not to mention me losing face in front of SO, who was very understanding though. We managed to find a room in the Marvel Inn, in the town of Shirur, and The Aranyagiri people were kind enough to get us a free suite upgrade. Now we had to drive sloooowly in the dark on a narrow single lane road (Maharashtra SH50), with tractors, dump trucks and other vehicles periodically forcing us close to (and sometimes into) the bushes on the roadside, leaving clouds of dust in their wake like the chariots in Ben-Hur. In around 2 hours we reached the Pune-Ahmednagar highway which took us safely to the hotel. The Marvel Inn was decent enough for a last minute stay, and even had dedicated parking in an empty bungalow plot, if you were ok with having snakes draped across your car in the morning. We took our chances on street parking, taking care not to park next to the local bungalows, the residents of which have unofficial claim to such spaces, enforcing it by deflating the tires of those who encroach. Pro Tip: Call the hotels directly and check their rates before booking through online portals. In this case we paid 2/3 of what Makemytrip was quoting. Last edited by Mustang Sammy : 13th November 2022 at 13:19. |
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3rd November 2022, 23:15
| #3 |
| BHPian Join Date: Oct 2020 Location: Poone, Mumbay
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| Day 1 videos (missed adding them in time) Drive to Morgaon Drive to Siddhatek, Yesudas's divine invocation to Ganapati playing in the background  Route from Siddhatek to our final destination Last edited by Mustang Sammy : 3rd November 2022 at 23:29. |
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4th November 2022, 00:33
| #4 |
| BHPian Join Date: Oct 2020 Location: Poone, Mumbay
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| Day 2 (October 16)  The Itinerary After a good night’s rest, we set out to grab a quick bite before heading to the next temple at Ranjangaon. Had nice freshly made poha and chai for breakfast at a local joint in Shirur. The poha was served with a side of “Tari”, which was a very forgettable watery sweet-spicy gravy. The SO decided to live on the wild side, and ordered a medu wada, which was not only cold and possibly from Shivaji’s time, but came soaked in the same Tari as the poha. With that unfortunate end to the breakfast, we headed out of town, and were at Ranjangaon in 40 min, arriving via the Ahmednagar-Pune highway NH753F. The Ranjangaon Mahaganapati temple is in a bustling area, but was uncrowded that day. The campus is large, with many murals along a cool stone passage running around the courtyard. These describe the religious story behind the temple and the history behind its construction. There is also a large pilgrim residence facility with eating and washing facilities. The outer campus includes a children’s play area as well, which is currently off limits due to Covid (!!).   Mahaganapati Temple with large courtyard  Corridor with rooms running around the temple     Murals on the walls of the corridor  Garden outside temple Post Ranjangaon Darshan we headed to Ozar, again following Google’s lead. The road towards Sone Sangvi was terrible for the first 3-4 km, but then improved dramatically, and the rest of the drive to Malthan and beyond on the Narayangaon-Junnar-Ozar road was smooth sailing (is that a mixed metaphor?) and were there within 2 hours, crossing the Kukadi river towards the end of the journey. Fresh fish were being sold right next to the bridge, and quite a few anglers were trying their luck with multiple lines. We debated on picking some up but decided against it considering we were (a) going to a temple (b) lacked cooking equipment (c) neither one knows how to clean and prepare a whole fish.  Smooth roads for the most part. Pleasure to drive  An old fort of some kind, no signage whatsoever. So much history, but so hard to access or learn about   Kukadi river, dammed downstream  Fresh fish, anyone? The Vighneshwar temple in Ozar was probably the high point of the Ashtavinayak darshans. The temple complex is quite isolated, and has an amazingly calm and peaceful vibe. The campus is located next to the river, which is quite peaceful since it is dammed a few km downstream. There’s also a well maintained park outside the temple, which is accessible through a paywall (a pay person more like), charges are very reasonable.   The beautiful Vighnahar Temple, with the park next to it  Temple entrance  Ganpati Darshan from far away  Temple campus, with the newer infrastructure in line with an industrial aesthetic After Ganpati puja, Tummy puja was next, which was performed at an eatery next to the temple. We both had a thali each, with Bhakri and a side of cola. Post khaana stimulation was needed, so we waddled over to a chai shop and had possibly the worst lemongrass (gawati in Marathi) chai ever. The taste was so bad that it drove away any post prandial sluggishness, so the tea did its job in a way. After chai we walked around the riverfront for a bit, and then hopped back into our faithful steed towards Lenyadri, which was a 25 min drive, on the same Narayangaon-Junnar-Ozar road, which continued to wow us with its drivability. This highway also is concessionaire-run at least in some parts. The drive to Lenyadri was the easy part, though, as this temple is in a cave, with is part of an ancient Buddhist cave complex carved into the hillside, and reachable via a short but steep climb. It was exactly the exercises our creaking joints needed. Once we reached the top, we said a quick hello to the rhesus monkeys and headed straight to the the Girijatmaj Ganpati temple, which has a cave of its own, with individual prayer/meditation rooms carved into the walls of the cave. These were closed off. The large cave was very quiet, restful and soothing to the senses, not to mention letting us cool off after our unfit bodies had made the climb. Post Darshan we checked out a Buddhist cave with some spectacular stone carvings, scrambled around a bit to see other caves (which were disappointingly empty) and then headed down, not trying to keep up with the explorations of the younger folk around us.  The beautiful Lenyadri Caves as seen from the road  The approach, with the standard shops selling flowers, puja items, sweets and souvenirs  Le view during le climb  Just a few more steps, my dear  Finally there   The caves close up   Girijatmaj Ganpati from a respectful distance  Some spectacular Buddhist carvings |
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4th November 2022, 00:47
| #5 |
| BHPian Join Date: Oct 2020 Location: Poone, Mumbay
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| Day 2 (October 16) Contd. After another fulfilling day, it was now time to head to our sleep destination, which was the MTDC resort in Malshej. Our route was the Junnar-Kalyan road, which was heavily potholed in patches. These sections were perfect for the State Transport buses to overtake more delicate vehicles, and they rumbled part us effortlessly, while giving their passengers a bone-jarring and stomach-churning experience.  Leaving Lenyadri  Pretty sunset  A not-so-good section of the road, close to destination Lower ghats in the ghats Sunset, closer to destination After around 45 minutes of driving, it was completely dark by the time we were close to our destination. In the absence of a cellular connection, we of course drove past the entrance to the resort, which was helpfully marked 500m before its location, but not at the actual turnoff, staying true to the mysterious government ways of working. We did figure out soon enough that we needed to turn around, and this time we did get to our destination. The place looked kinda eerie at night, as it was mostly unoccupied, and was giving vibes of Ramsay brothers movies (1980s horror flicks for the post Gen X readers). The staff were friendly enough though, and they escorted us to our very large room/cottage, which was fully functional except for the hot water geyser, which tripped every 10 minutes. We were too tired to care, so had a quick shower, followed by a surprisingly decent dinner of dal, bhindi sabzi and rice at the restaurant. It being too dark to check out the surroundings, we quickly navigated past the local friendly Indie dogs and called it a night. To be continued....... Last edited by Mustang Sammy : 4th November 2022 at 00:48. Reason: To be continued... |
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9th November 2022, 23:06
| #6 |
| BHPian Join Date: Oct 2020 Location: Poone, Mumbay
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| Day 3 (October 17) Today we took a break from temple Darshan, and spent time exploring our surroundings. Once we stepped out of our room we realized that the place needed a major do-over, as the paint was peeling off the outside walls, which also had large patches of black mold on them. Putting aside the depressing thought of having slept in a mushroom farm, we headed for breakfast, which was a decent portion of eggs, toast and coffee. To mix things up, we then changed to a different room, which had a different mold pattern on the outside walls as compared to our check-in place, and also had a functioning geyser. Interestingly, from the staff conversations, it seems the trippy geyser from last night had been acting this way for the past month, which makes one wonder why that room is even given to guests, considering the freaking resort is almost completely unoccupied. Oh yes, don’t apply logic to government institutions. The area was spectacularly beautiful though, with the views of the verdant valley and hills around us more than made up for the room, and you could see why MTDC could get away with such ill-maintained places, considering they have snagged the best possible location in the area, on a flat tabletop with a large walking expanse. The Junnar-Kalyan highway can be seen snaking around the hills, and will be our route to get to the Konkan temples.  What a Joy, the Blue and Wide Open Sky  Wildflowers Couldn't have asked for a better location in this area Portrait mode The place is also teeming with critters, from dragonflies to crabs to huge ants and (we heard) leopards. Don't mess with me The main agenda for the day was to explore the Shivneri fort, the birthplace of the great Maratha warrior Shivaji, or CSM as he is known in Mumbai.  En route to Shivneri After a 45 min drive, we started the hike up the fort. While steep in patches, it took us less than an hour to get to the top. The views of the surrounding area were nice too, and the place is relatively well-maintained thanks to its historical importance. There are drinking water facilities and even 1 toilet (not very clean) en route.  Ze author at ze beginning of ze climb  Ze SO taking ze picture, wis one of ze gates in ze background  The Walls of Shivneri  Posing a la model The actual building where Shivaji was born is nicely maintained, with a cradle (provenance not described) and a commemorative bust in one of the rooms, securely behind bars to guard it against the depredations of latter-day Huns and Mongols aka tourists.  Birthplace of the great King  View from one of the windows  Which hands rocked this cradle?  Bust of CSM  Separate Shivaji memorial Amidst all this beauty and history, the water tanks and wells in the fort are unfortunately in bad shape, overgrown with algae in some cases, and clogged with debris and junk thrown by visitors. When will we learn???  Green is not always good  These bottles are most likely not from Shivaji's time After the descent, we indulged ourselves with some lime juice and bhel, which provided enough fuel to take us back to the resort. En route was this tiny eatery run by a local, where we had delicious pithala bhakri, and some of the tastiest batata Vadas ever. We forgot to note the name of the place or take a picture, but it was a real treat. Evening was again walking and picture taking against the setting sun. We were able to capture some stunning vistas, as can be seen below.  Two sentinels on the plateau. Did I say how nice it is to see an open and clear sky?  Spectacular sunset pattern We were planning to head out for a local mutton thali dinner, but the weather played spoilsport, laying down such a thick blanket of fog that we could not see more than 6 inches ahead. WWe decided to save our blessings from Ganpati for another time, turned around and were back to the resort for a quick bite and a well earned rest.  Ze Fog |
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13th November 2022, 13:15
| #7 |
| BHPian Join Date: Oct 2020 Location: Poone, Mumbay
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| Day 4 (Malshej to Mahad and then to Karvanda farms)  Route for the Day Next morning there was barely time for another short hike, where we were lucky enough to be accompanied and escorted by a bunch of the extremely friendly indie dogs of the resort. T’was a joy to watch them galloping and playing in the grass and bushes. Managed to get the SO upset when I trotted off behind them onto a somewhat isolated trail, leaving her to figure out what to do by herself. No permanent damage done though (I think). Vista with friendly bodyguards Bleat... The joy of youth Post check out, we were off to the Konkan, and to the Varadavinayak temple in Mahad. We headed off on the Kalyan Road (NH61) for around 62km, along some of the most beautiful roads of the trip. Weather was nice and cool, allowing us to drive with the windows down and enjoy the clean air. Also gave a lift to a bunch of very noisy children who were hitchhiking to school along that winding highway. Had no idea that Chetak could accommodate 5 kids (or was it 7) and 1 grownup guardian in the back.  One last view of MTDC Nature at her finest, refreshed and scrubbed down by the rains  En route thru the ghat, spectacular views all around  Bumpy but beautiful  Concrete section of highway We then turned off onto Karjat-Murbad Road (NH548A), and the weather then started rapidly warming up as we descended into the plains and got closer to the coast. It took us 3 hours to get to Mahad. The temple is located next to a small lake, and was quiet and peaceful, thanks to it being the middle of the week and off season. There is a reasonably clean lake next to the temple, keeping the Konkan heat somewhat in check.  Approach to the temple  Shree Varadavinayak Temple  Ganpati from a respectful distance  Shree Dutt temple in the same campus  Lake next to the temple Post Darshan we headed off to our stay, which was booked at Karvanda farms, a countryside resort with wooden cottages. We headed back down Hwy 548A, and then turned off down a single lane road, which took us through a few villages, and past a few resorts and vacation homes. The resort is almost brand new, launched in 2020 right before Covid struck. The cottages look and are hardly used, with fully functioning amenities. There is a small pool, a play room with carrom, table tennis and badminton racquets (an outdoor net) along with bicycles. A local family maintains the place and cooks delicious food for the guests, and the facility is managed by Tejas, who is efficient, attentive and customer-centric. It also helped that we were the only guests  Getting close to the farm  The final stretch  Peacock's eye view of the resort from viewing deck (see below)  Recreation room on the left, kitchen (converted shipping container) with viewing deck on the right  Comfortable and well maintained room (cottage)  Inviting pool, which was fully enjoyed in the evening  Chetak enjoying a well-earned rest  Yummy dinner Orientation to the resort, set to music of crickets  Quiet time before zzz |
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13th November 2022, 14:39
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| BHPian Join Date: Oct 2020 Location: Poone, Mumbay
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| Day 5 (October 19) - Chilling in Karvanda farms A nice relaxing stay at the resort for the next 1.5 days, reading, chilling in and around the pool, taking short walks, and hanging out with the local domesticated canine and feline denizens. The area around the farm is starting to get "developed", so we can expect to see a lot more resorts and vacation bungalows in the future, with the concomitant loss in peace and quiet. Oh yes we indulged in eating, lots of eating. The food was YUM. One of the breakfast items was a Konkani dosa-like item called a "ghavan" (see below) made from rice flour, served with a tangy and spicy chutney. It was fabulous. The chapatis, bhakris were also soft and thin, providing a perfect vehicle to slurp down the delicious sabjis and curries. We attempted a short bike ride, but the condition of the bicycles in the resort left a bit to be desired, so it was a short excursion. A Suzuki ASS in the neighborhood might help. Farm grounds in the morning  Morning walk outside the farm campus The (as yet) undeveloped area around the farm  Can you see the original big daddy (in blue) hiding in the grass?  Yummy Ghavan  Apropos to this trip, a small and beautiful Ganpati temple in the farm |
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13th November 2022, 15:11
| #9 |
| BHPian Join Date: Oct 2020 Location: Poone, Mumbay
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| Day 6 (Pali and back to Pune)  Route to Pali and back It was time to leave the comfy cottage and quiet fairgrounds, with a filling breakfast of sabudana khichdi settling into our growing bellies (thanks Ganpati Bappa). After saying bye to our gracious hosts, we headed over to the final temple of our itinerary, which was the Ballaleshwar temple in Pali. Taking the trusty NH548A (Khopoli-Pali road) it took us around 45 min to get to the temple. This place requires all pilgrims to first visit the Dhundivinayak temple located right outside the main shrine. After the darshan we were fortunate enough to run into a friendly priest who explained some of the fascinating history behind the construction of the temple. Too bad there is no information easily accessible for those who are not fortunate enough to meet knowledgeable locals. India is overflowing with history, natural beauty and culture, just needs a lot better management and preservation.  Crane posing on the treetop at the farm  Prerequisite to enter main temple  Shree Ballaleshwar Temple entrance. The SBI ATM is somewhat incongruous yet color matched to the surroundings  Beautiful temple architecture. These 2 seemed keen to stay in the camera field of view, so we captured them for posterity  Wooden pillars and railings. Note the CCTV streaming on the TV screen for those looking for a darshan during busy periods. This was a common feature in almost all the temples we saw  Shree Ballaleshwar Once we finished the Darshan, picked up some (low sugar) pedhas for the family and chugged fresh buttermilk at a friendly local homestay to fortify ourselves, it was back to Pune. We retraced our path and then some on NH548A, joining the Mumbai-Pune expressway shortly after the Imagica theme park. From there it was the same ol’ route till we were back at home sweet home, completing the loop we started 6 days back. All in all, a wonderful trip, with some wonderful memories of spirituality, hospitality and natural beauty. Thanks for reading and watching the narrative, folks. |
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13th November 2022, 15:58
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13th November 2022, 19:28
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| BHPian Join Date: May 2022 Location: Chennai
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14th November 2022, 15:05
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14th November 2022, 15:28
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14th November 2022, 21:07
| #14 | |||
| BHPian Join Date: Oct 2020 Location: Poone, Mumbay
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| Re: Ashtavinayak from Pune, after the Monsoons Quote:
Quote:
Will DM you contact for Karvanda farms. The road is easily accessible by sedan. Don’t worry. Quote:
We did visit Mahad temple on a Tuesday (noon) and it wasn’t crowded. Can’t speak for evenings though. | |||
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17th November 2022, 03:04
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