[LongDrive lover]

Originally Posted by tortoiseNhare

@MX6: Thanks a lot for introducing Kaas to me. I thought places like this could be seen only in Bollywood song sequences.
@vrprabhu: Mind blowing pics, man.

+1 to those thoughts, and big big thanks to both of you . You know what, I am sort of getting envious of all you lucky guys who have jobs in BLR, Pune, Mumbai, etc! Reason? its simple, you are always a stone's throw away with such beautiful places like heaven! If we even think about them, 5 days are to be budgeted just for hectic To & fro driving!

I wonder whether next few years, all my plans are going to end up with western India/western ghats/ west coast only!

[MX6]

Originally Posted by vrprabhu

You got to be kidding, t'nH - sitting in Gauhati and enjoying Kaas!

But you hit the nail on the head - some pictures were shot here - a place called Wai is more known for picturesque scenes in songs in films.


+1 to that. Hey - anybody from Pune / Satara / Kolhapur listening? What about the big boss AP?

Well, every place in India has it's own claim to glory. So just like Guwahati looks beautiful for us, Kaas looks good to TNH.
Wai is the place where they shot the movie Swades. Wai is my first monsoon plan followed by Harihareshwar and diveagar. Waiting for the rains.
Yeah let's plan one over the monsoons.

Originally Posted by LongDrive lover

+1 to those thoughts, and big big thanks to both of you . You know what, I am sort of getting envious of all you lucky guys who have jobs in BLR, Pune, Mumbai, etc! Reason? its simple, you are always a stone's throw away with such beautiful places like heaven! If we even think about them, 5 days are to be budgeted just for hectic To & fro driving!

I wonder whether next few years, all my plans are going to end up with western India/western ghats/ west coast only!

LDL. SO are people from south who are envious of you guys who at the drop of a hat can motor up the great himalayas. You are always a stone's throw away too. And if we need ot do a leh circuit, it's 25 days off our calendar!

[laluks]

Wow, what a place.
Meet in September? I'm beginning to get some ideas already

[MX6]

@laluks. You can come only if you bring your doggy.

[ampere]

Prabhu,

Very nice snaps. Waiting for more.
Is this placed flocked during the weekend or there are hardly any folks.
Seems to be a nice quiet place to me.

[ASHISHPALLOD]

Originally Posted by vrprabhu

Hey - anybody from Pune / Satara / Kolhapur listening? What about the big boss AP?

I am in for this drive meet.

little OT----

Remember, at kaas lake, there is nothing to eat, no hotel , no tapri, nothing.
the drive should be one day family meet.
it should cover the the route of

satara-kaas lake-satara-sajjangad fort[ easy with all facilities]-thoseghar waterfall[ kids will enjoy]-chalkewadi[ wind mill farm]-satara.

this will be one day fun drive getting views of wonders of nature[ kaas and thoseghar], wonder of history[ 800 year old sajjangad fort], wonder of science[ wind mill farm].

@ vrprabhu,
you have posted the pic of small waterfall at thoseghar.
where is the pic of huge waterfall?

@mx6,
when you will go to wai, pm me, i will give you details of places at and around wai.

[vrprabhu]

Originally Posted by ampere

Is this placed flocked during the weekend or there are hardly any folks. Seems to be a nice quiet place to me.

Yes, it is very quiet. Hardly any people moving about. But that means you have to give up creature comforts - see AP's post below..

Originally Posted by ASHISHPALLOD

Remember, at kaas lake, there is nothing to eat, no hotel , no tapri, nothing.

@ vrprabhu,
you have posted the pic of small waterfall at thoseghar.
where is the pic of huge waterfall?

Yes - there is NOTHING. But that is exactly what keeps pulling me there - far far away from the maddening crowds!

Tosegar will come up in the next episode - this is a two part affair!!

Continued from where I left off yesterday...

It is difficult to keep going ahead - each spot has its own beauty and you just want to lie down there. Probably you'll catch sight of someone like this and be tempted to do the same!


or see some one like this and follow his steps!!


Just don't go green with envy - their lives are tough - much tougher than ours!

So get back to the job on hand - soak up what mother nature has in store for you.

You'll be so engrossed that you'll definitely forget to keep an eye on the clock - in which case you'll forced to take up the rest in double quick time.. (on one of our trips, we saw a guy who had pitched a tent there and camping - something worth emulating!)

(Note - Eagle eyed bhpians will note a difference in the pictures. Before I started getting showered with comments, let me explain! The picture in the middle was taken while we were going towards the Kaas plateau - the other two on our return - morning was pretty clear; but by afternoon - on our return - the clouds built up and it started raining - and boy, when it rains in Satara, it really RAINS - understood what exactly it means when they "clouds open up"! )

[aargee]

This place Kaas is simply superb. As LongDriver says, yeah, I'm getting envious of not being in Pune. But hey, I could enjoy the real long drive all way from Chennai to Pune if I were to drive to Kaas, which you people will miss.

@Prabhu - Man, you're doing justice with the pics. Simply mind blowing place. If it were calm & quiet just with the chirrups of birds, then that's the heaven on earth & give a look that this is somewhere outside India.

[sami316]

Wow!! The photos are just awesome. Thanks vprabhu for posting them. The greenery is really unbelievable and it is so soothing to the eyes.

[vrprabhu]

Originally Posted by aargee

Simply mind blowing place. If it were calm & quiet just with the chirrups of birds, then that's the heaven on earth & give a look that this is somewhere outside India.

Aargee, I ). Sorry, couldn't resist!! I was born and brought up in Chennai and the hills and greenery were totally alien to me. Thanks to my job and my transfers and my wife giving me a free hand to travel anywhere - anytime and to my traveholic friend Sitarama, I was able to visit places like these!

Originally Posted by sami316

Wow!! The photos are just awesome. Thanks vprabhu for posting them. The greenery is really unbelievable and it is so soothing to the eyes.

Yes, let the rains start in June - what is now black and brown becomes a riot of green. Visit this place between July and September, you'll want to do it every year!!

BTW, a ManU fan! Wait till my daughter hears of it - she's die hard Gunner!! And, to rub it on both of you, Chelsea walked away with EPL

[Abhay]

vrprabhu, great pics..I went to Kaas at the end of the last monsoon - I guess we really do need to do a trip/ride/drive there during this monsoon.

edit: oh yes Sitaram needs to come too so we can check out some Misal on the way

[ambivalent_98]

Originally Posted by sami316

Wow!! The photos are just awesome. Thanks vprabhu for posting them. The greenery is really unbelievable and it is so soothing to the eyes.

Agree completely. One of the best spots to visit during the time the monsoon is withdrawing. Everything is green and beautiful. One doesn't want to leave. Thanks for the pix vprabhu.

I do hope I can drive here once more. The last time I did it was all shrouded in mist. Waiting for the rains.

[vrprabhu]

Originally Posted by vrprabhu

Visit this place between July and September, you'll want to do it every year!!

That's what I did after my first visit in 2008 - went again in 2009. By this time the place was getting popular, and there were some visitors. Some enterprising(!) people had laid a kutcha road in between the plants and there was all sorts of litter - tried to clean up some of the litter, but it requires some dedicated effort to keep it pristine. I am only hoping things haven't turned worse this year... and also hope I will be in Pune during the monsoon.

Back to the story -

All the natural beauty is a bit too much for the mind to digest at one go - you have been programmed to lead a robotic life sitting in front of your monitor daily, so it takes time for the brain to adjust - and when the light finally dawns in some distant part of your brain, you just promise yourself you'll come back again .. and again...

Going ahead, you'll find the scenery changing - just bare table land. You'll start wondering whether there is really anything ahead?

Have patience, and you'll be rewarded - a first glimpse of the distant carpet of flowers will soon enrapture you!

[ASHISHPALLOD]

Originally Posted by ambivalent_98

One of the best spots to visit during the time the monsoon is withdrawing. Everything is green and beautiful. One doesn't want to leave.

Not only monsoon, the area has cool weather all round the year.

Govt of Maharashtra has taken initiative to develop this area as New Mahabaleshwar.[ for details, go to google babu].
After getting this info, lot of people including me and other Rajababues tried to purchase land in this area. We are still hunting the place in this area suitable for investment.
But, as Govt of India declared Koyna tiger project, the whole New Mahabaleshwar project has become standstill.


btw, the flowers named as KARVI in marathi[ don't know english name].

[vrprabhu]

Originally Posted by Abhay

oh yes Sitaram needs to come too so we can check out some Misal on the way

I can smell the steaming batata vadas already!! Hope the SUV materialises by then!

Originally Posted by ambivalent_98

I do hope I can drive here once more. The last time I did it was all shrouded in mist. Waiting for the rains.

We have friends in Satara, who give us an idea when the flowers are blooming - if I am in Pune during that period, I will remind you!