4th December 2009, 19:41
| #16 | |||
| BHPian  Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Mumbai
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 ). There is a MTDC resort in Lonar, which can be booked online or through their office/agents. There are about 8 rooms I think and it is literally on the rim of the crater. Decent place to stay with decent food. Best time to go is winter and end of monsoon. In the summers it is baking hot think 40C plus and more.Quote:
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6th December 2009, 07:01
| #17 |
| BHPian Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Mumbai
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| Settling down at the MTDC we quickly coordinated a meeting with a young college student called Anand Mishra, young student contactable through the MTDC office, who acts as a guide but is so knowledgeable that he also helps out visiting global scientists and researchers (from NASA etc). After a nice meal and lounging on the balcony of the MTDC restaurant listening to crickets chirp and thousands of stars light up the sky, we retired to our room in anticipation of the next day. Bright and early at 6 am the next day, Anand shows up  And we begin our descent into the crater  Which is also home to many abandoned temples (and a few living ones), dating back to the times of emperor Ashoka, and the Chalukyas. The style of temple architecture is called Hemadpanthi architecture  The temples have beautiful carvings on them  Anand explained the nuances of each ( How many legs do these three men have?)  along with a very interesting dance routine which showed off how a shadow could have seven reflections, including one on the sanctum sanctorum  Continuing the descent we came across some more deserted temples,  including one which housed a zillion bats whom we flirted with for a bit  And another one with a beautiful idol of Rama which was a sight to behold  We continued down the wooded paths  Making some friends along the way  And finally came to the strange green waterfront of Lonar lake  which was truly a sight to behold... |
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6th December 2009, 07:33
| #18 |
| BHPian Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Mumbai
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| Lonar lake is more than a km in diameter and close to 5 kms in circumference.  In order to complete the trip before the blazing sun came up, we started the walk along its perimeter but not before stopping to admire the myriad shades of green  and some really spooky mushrooms  The path led towards the main temple which is a living one  Anand (who never ceased to surprise us) whipped out a chemistry kit  And showed us the highly acidic nature of the water  We stopped for occasional photos of the green shaded water which is home to living algae  And finally came to the tower of the main temple  where we would rest for a bit... |
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6th December 2009, 18:43
| #19 |
| BHPian  Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: San Antonio
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6th December 2009, 19:52
| #20 |
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6th December 2009, 19:56
| #21 |
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7th December 2009, 05:35
| #22 | |
| BHPian Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Mumbai
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Would even more highly recommend engaging Anand (his contact details are m:+ 91 9850499792 or anandguide1 at rediffmail.com). The guy is amazing. Scientists from Nasa who he helps for 2 to 3 months in a year send him research books, posters etc to help him keep learning about geological nuances. They come here to research the geological properties of the crater since some of it is supposed to have characteristics similar to the moon. Anand is completely self taught, very humble, full of life and took the trip to another level. Very hard to believe that he grew up in the one horse, small town of Lonar. It was a pleasure just to get to know him. | |
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7th December 2009, 06:56
| #23 | |
| BHPian Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Mumbai
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 chewing on the sour leaves, while taking photos from a newly discovered vantage point  seeing charms that people had tied to the tree for wishes  getting glimpses of a feathered friend who was taking a glimpse of us  before moving on towards the temple structure  to see a tiger (which is incredibly similar to one in Ranikhet (the bell temple on the way to Choubhatia orchards if anyone remembers)  And some incredibly crazy magnetic phenomenon on the rock outside the temple (the two photos are taken less than 4 inches from each other but see the magnetic orientation)   before continuing our way down a narrow eerie path where the trees seemed completely bent out of shape  as watchful eyes monitored our progress  and ruined structures added a mystical twist  reminding us how easily something grand can be reduced to a heap of stone  We emerged from the thicket onto the narrower side of the lake where the algae was stronger  and the earth very different  which told us that we had emerged into a whole different ecosystem of the lake... | |
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7th December 2009, 10:52
| #24 | |
| BHPian Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Mumbai
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 Going closer we came to a banana plantation  Where we got talking to the owner and learnt that everything comes up and down by foot since there is no mechanized transport into the crater  Spent some time in the banana plantation   Photographed some birds  And a family chilling in the cold water  Under the watchful eyes of elders  Moved back towards the rim, and came to a small temple  Where we were blessed by seeing a squirrel at Lord Rama's feet (sudev: This is for you ) Before toiling up the steep path back  And surfacing for a final look at the crater  After a quick lunch and freshen up at the MTDC ( a 4 hour walk takes it toll), it was time to check out and discover some other secrets of Lonar... | |
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10th December 2009, 07:25
| #25 | |
| BHPian Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Mumbai
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 We arrived at a deserted temple, where some children were playing on the ruins  They initially ran away when we approached  But later warmed upto us  Going closer, we realised that the slightly shoddily repaired front of the Daitya Sudan (dating back to the 6th century)  Took away from the majesty of its side view  And the amazing back portion  And was done to preserve its former glory, after it was excavated from under the earth (where it had been buried to hide it from invaders)  Examining it closer, we found a beautiful layered architecture  With exquisitely carved pillars  Decorated with erotic carvings similar to Khajuraho  Ganeshas  And other gods  Being Independence Day, we got a Jai Hind out of the kids  before proceeding further to discover another magical place from which came a fountain of life... | |
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10th December 2009, 08:03
| #26 |
| Senior - BHPian  Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Gurgaon
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10th December 2009, 09:33
| #27 | |
| BHPian  | Great narrative! We are inspired enough to head down there again! Quote:
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10th December 2009, 10:15
| #28 |
| Distinguished - BHPian   Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Gurgaon
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10th December 2009, 12:34
| #29 |
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10th December 2009, 12:50
| #30 |
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