Route : Bangalore Kolhapur Ganapatipule Ratnagiri Mahabaleshwar Panchgani Nashik Shirdi Ellora Aurangabad Ahmednagar Kolhapur Bangalore Places we visited:
New Palace Shree Chhatrapati Shahu Museum
Mahalaxmi Temple
Bhavani Mandap
Rankala Lake
Panhala Fort
Jyotiba Temple
Aare and Ware Beach
Ganapati Temple at Ganapatipule
Ganapatipule Beach
Thiba Palace
Thiba View Point
Ratnadurga Fort
Bhagwati Temple
Bhatye Beach
Nivali Waterfall
Pratapgadh Fort
Kate's Point/Echo Point/Needle Hole Point
Venna Lake
Parsi Point
Sydney Point
Mapro Garden
Trimbakeshwar Shiva Temple
Samadhi Mandir, Gurusthan, Dwarkamai, Chawadi, Abdul Baba's Cottage at Shirdi
Ellora Caves
Bibi Ka Maqbara
Shri Shani Shingnapur
Ahmednagar Cavalry Tank Museum
Gokak Waterfalls
The plan to visit Maharashtra was made sometime in May 2010 when my wife expressed her desire to visit Shirdi. I initially thought of just visiting Shirdi, travelling by train along with few other places. But as days progressed, I thought why not try and explore Maharashtra as this was one state which I have never ventured into all my life. Just a brief drive through Sawanthwadi while returning back from Goa about couple of years back. The long distance from Bangalore always held me back from travelling this far and most of my road trips always limited to the southern states of India. I always knew I could manage driving long distances but wifey could never be convinced.
I quickly made a plan which covered most of what Maharashtra had to offer: Temples, Forts, Beaches, Caves, Hills, Museums, Palaces and Tombs. I made a rough plan of the places I wanted to visit enroute Shirdi and back. My wifes birthday was also fast approaching and decided to celebrate her birthday at Mahabaleshwar, a very beautiful hill station. Wifey got convinced to the plan and I opened a new thread on TBHP with my initial plan at
http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/route-...ml#post2021232 and lots of helpful comments poured in. I had planned my return through NH13 which was changed later after suggestions from HVK sir. MX6 and AP sir helped me with their suggestions and the plan was finally made. So
Recce into Maharashtra for us non-military people means to explore and find facts about an area of interest. And through this travelogue I am going to try and achieve this. First week of September was decided as the time we travel when its green all around in Maharashtra. So in my trusted 3yr old Swift D again, me and wifey attempt to explore part of Maharashtra!!
Preparation:
My Swift D having completed about 35,000kms and also its 3rd birthday end of August. The brake pads were scheduled to be changed at 35,000kms as suggested by my service advisor. The front tyres were left with little tread. Just the previous week before the road trip had been to Madhus to get the wheels aligned and balanced. Got the rear tyres swapped to the front as they were in much better shape. I had somehow missed wheel rotation for a very long time. I decided to get the brake pads replaced after the trip as I did not find issues with the brake and also the tyres changed once I am back from my road trip. IOC regular diesel filled to the brim the previous evening after a complete body wash. The Swift D is all set to be driven flat out.
I also picked up a Marumi 46mm UV filter for my Panasonic FZ35 off eBay as I wanted some kind of protection for the lens from dust and water and also picked up a decent tripod for the camera.
Regarding the trip plan, I had a printout of the city/town I intend to visit and places to see at that city/town. Route of each day with distance and also some additional info like bypassing Pune City. Also a list of budget hotels with their phone numbers gathered from the internet. I had already called up some hotels and had rooms booked. I also bought a big foldable road map of Maharashtra.
The previous evening returned home early in the evening to get all the bags packed and hit the bed early so that we can wake up by 3:00AM for our 4:00AM departure from Bangalore.
Day 1 (03rd September, 2010): Bangalore Tumkur Sira Hiriyur Chitradurga Davangere Harihar Ranebennur Haveri Hubli Dharwad Belgaum Kolhapur Trip Meter 0 kms to 667kms
Its still dark outside and I am woken up by my alarm clock playing Yellow by Coldplay at 3:00AM. I jump eagerly out of the bed unlike other mornings. I will finally be starting my road trip today after months of planning. I love the feeling of driving very long distances, especially the beginning part. With last minute packing and a quick bath, I have the entire luggage loaded into the car. After some toasted bread with Apple jelly and nice hot cup of coffee we leave our house at Jayanagar at 4:30AM.
Inviting empty road early in the morning.
Swift D waiting to be driven out of Bangalore.
With almost empty streets wet from the nights rain I make my way towards Kanakapura Road to join the NICE road. I pay toll and make our way towards Tumkur Road. By 5:00PM I join Tumkur Road and make my way through the truck traffic. But the drive this time till Nelamangala was much faster due to the newly constructed expressway which is almost done. We decide to stop for breakfast at Davangere around 8:30AM which is about 270kms from Bangalore. I always enjoyed eating Davangere Benne Dosa at Bangalore and the plan of having
Benne (Butter)
Dosa at Davangere was a brilliant plan in the making.
Once after Nelamangala Toll Booth, I get into the Highway drive mode. Cruising at 100-110kmph the Swift D munches miles in style. Bangalore to Tumkur is done in little time but the Tumkur Bypass is still a pain. Even at 6:00AM, truck traffic on this 2 lane potholed bypass is pain to overtake. After the Tumkur bypass NH4 is butter smooth all the way about 20kms before Davangere. Just after Tumkur I am taking a curve at about 90kmph when I see a big private bus making a U turn even though he knew there is an oncoming car. Just braked in time and I am more alert looking out for similar stunts which is usually more common early mornings on highways.
Wifey goes to sleep as she could manage only about 4-5hrs of sleep the previous night. Day breaks when I am driving somewhere after Tumkur. Long straights with almost nil traffic, I take the Swift D up to 160kmph on 4-5 occasions for a short period and get back on cruising speed at 100kmph. I wake up my wife after an hour to look at the windmills in Chitradurga.
Windmills in the distance at Chitradurga.
Super smooth NH4 before Davangere.
By 8:00AM, I am on the outskirts of Davangere when I call my friend to enquire about where to have the best
Benne Dosa at Davangere. I am promptly directed to Shree Guru Kottureshwara Benne Dosa Hotel in front of Bapuji Dental College entrance at Davangere. We navigate through Davangere town to Shree Guru Kottureshwara Benne Dosa Hotel after asking our way around. I see the place crowded at around 8:00AM. We wait for our turn and I can personally vouch that it was the best
Benne Dosa I have ever had in my life. The lip smacking
Benne Dosa is made by roasting the Dosa with generous quantity of white butter on a tawa heated with fire wood. After this wonderful breakfast, we drive out of Davangere and rejoin NH4 by 9:00AM.
The heavenly
Benne (Butter)
Dosa at Davangere.
Shree Guru Kottureshwara Benne Dosa Hotel in front of Bapuji Dental College entrance at Davangere.
The NH4 about 35kms before and 35kms after Davangere is full of deviations and 2 lanes at most of the places. Only closer to Haveri does the NH4 become butter smooth again and I am able to cruise at 100kmph for longer times. Little after 11:00AM, we enter the beautiful 2 lane stretch of NH4 between Hubli and Dharwad. Right from Hubli and Dharwad you can make out Marathi influence on this side of the state. The accent, dressing habits of the people makes you think you are much closer to Maharashtra. But Maharashtra border is at least another 180kms away.
View on the way - NH4
A railway crossing somewhere near Haveri.
Kolhapur
ab door nahi!!
The beautiful stretch after Dharwad to Belgaum is done in less than an hour and after Belgaum the NH twists and turns offering breathtaking views at every turn. We stop at some places to take photographs of the beautiful landscape which is covered with different shades of green during this time of the year.
The beautiful 2 lane stretch between Hubli and Dharwad.
The super smooth road ahead - NH4
A small lake next to NH4 after Dharwad.
A small break on this long journey!!
Swift D - NH4
A milestone on the way.
We are pretty far away from Bangalore now.
Stretch after Belgaum.
Lovely greenery all around.
Curve waiting to be taken flat out!!
Nearing Kolhapur.
Welcome to Maharashtra!!!
By 1:00PM we drive into Maharashtra on the bridge over River DudhGanga which demarcates MH-KA border.
Continued....