Bhandardara – The Water Beauty of Maharasthra

Have you ever heard of journey virus? I bet you haven’t. But I have and I am the victim and I proudly proclaim I am happy to be ailing with the journey virus. Yes, I have got into the habit of visiting a place and writing about it. Whether people read it or not, whether they like it or not, entirely depends on the feedback I get. For which I request the readers to please surely put in a word or two regarding whatever I write so that I could improve it and I could give them what they want. What say? Anyway all that later as now I am going to share my journey to Bhandardara. The virus has corrupted my system again and the whole functioning would be restored only if I visit that place and write about it.!

Jokes apart, I am really intrigued by the kind of places that India has, and by the amount of site seeing that we can do in our spare time. All that we need is the drive, the inclination, the money and the time. Since I was able to have the inspiration to go and the time to spare, money became the last priority and I decided to go to Maharashtra and have a tour of the hill stations here. I decided to start with the place where I would get a hotel booking. I had the choice of going to Khandala and Bhandardara. I chose Bhandardara as Khandala was due in my itinerary for the wedding of a friends’ son.

So Bhandardara calling Rossy boy and I left for Mumbai from Mussoorie. Again the same car that Rohan used to lend me to go to Delhi and then this time I flew down from Delhi to Mumbai. This time, I just thought splurging a little more than usual. At Santa Cruz Domestic Airport and I went to a nearby lodge which gave me the chance to refresh, have a shower, some light snacks. I located a private car agency and hired a car to go to Bhandardara. I love to go in this manner. No planning, no hassle, no tension. I knew that Bhandardara was a good 4 hour drive from Mumbai. So I left at around 2 p.m and the driver took the road via Thane, Ghodbunder and then the Agra Road. One thing about Mumbai suburbs, they have lot of greenery. We passed the Thane toll naka. I fail to understand why so many flyovers and so many tolls. We could do away with them can’t we? Well, I thought to myself that is for the Government to decide. Instead, I enjoyed the greenery around and the whiff of freshness that suddenly seeped into the surroundings. The drive via Ghodbunder road was like we were in a vast countryside or something like that. We went about – the driver and I. The car had some lilting Bihari music on, which I didn’t mind. For me any kind of music was good enough. Finally we reached a place called Shahapur. Here we had a good meal which was provided by a local inn there. Somehow the taste when you go out on a journey is really something different.

My wife was out with her friends in Shimla for a wedding and I was here enjoying the pristine surroundings of the drive up to Bhandardara. At around 4 in the evening we reached a place called Ghoti. We had tea here and then into a village where the road really became narrow. There was a railway crossing there. A train passed through and then we started our journey up to Bhandardara. The scenery was just an intimation of what was to follow. I told myself that the beginning was so good so the place has got to be ecstatic.

I took a lot of breaks and halts as I needed to record every bit of new thing that I saw on my camera. I wanted to keep it for keepsakes. We had to ask a little bit of directions as I was always worried we shouldn’t lose our way. In spite of the driver assuring me he knew the way round, I preferred asking around.

Finally destination Bhandardara achieved and we booked ourselves in a government lodge which was having vacant rooms. I left my bags there and then also booked a tent by the lake. It was my ardent desire to live in a tent. So exciting. The open air, the smell of the moisture in the mud on the ground, the twinkling stars, the mosquito biting and the fact that when we get up we won’t have a washroom. The whole thing looked very adventurous for me. There were many of them who were reluctant to go into the tent as there was no wash facility. But who cared! We always live in comfort, for a change there was nothing wrong in trying out a little bit of discomfort. Right? Well, so the room and the tent booked and I decided to go around the place. I picked up some stuff I would need like biscuits, canned juice a story book etc in the local store there.

After the bumpy ride on the road I needed to rest a little before setting out to visit the place. The fog had set in and so the climate had turned chilly. I liked it and also liked the walk that I had around the place.

The entire area was so tranquil and calm that it looked like a green carpet amidst the backdrop of mountains. There was a huge lake there and this was the main attraction here. As I walked up with my bag three or four guys came and encircled me and begged me to make them their guide. I just spoke tone of them and he, Panchal, said he would take me around the next morning.

I settled down with a can of apple juice, some chips and fruit bread and my dinner was done. I pulled a cap over my ears and went to sleep getting ready for the day to follow.

The next day early morning, I had Panchal knocking at my door as planned. I got ready fast, had a quick breakfast and then we went to Konkan Kada. I had the car which I had hired from Mumbai. This drive of 21kms gave me the opportunity to have a look at the beautiful flora in Bhandardara. We also passed the dam that was built with the help of the Bank of Japan. When we reached Konkan Kada, I was struck and awed by the sheer beauty of the place. The expanse of greenery and the beauty of the ambience around was enough to keep our hearts beating fast and our pulse racing with excitement. The dam was seen from the top of Konkan Kada. I could see how the water enters a tunnel there and the turbines were driven by the force of water. This was a magnificent sight.

I enjoyed coming here and as we walked down to the car I had another tea and some bread. We then went to the temple nearby. This temple had the presiding deity as Lord Shiva. This temple is more than 1200 years old. This place was a very serene place and the ambience is soothing to frayed nerves.

As we drove down, there were small trickles of water falling and in between I also saw a huge waterfall. We drove on for a long distance and saw the Randha Falls. It was raining also slightly and the flow of the Randha falls was strong. My friend who had come here during summer season said that he didn’t see any waterfall when he visited Bhandardara. One has to visit such places during the rainy season to see the full glory of the waterfall. These falls were used to generate hydroelectricity.

The route went on and on and soon we reached the Wilson dam. I was hypnotized with the amazing sights that the Wilson dam offered. It was built over the River Pravara in 1910.

The Lake Arthur was alongside. The dam water was held up with huge gates. The lake was so full of water that the water was till the eye level. The lake was formed when the River Pravara was held with a dam. The Sahyadri mountains surrounded the lake. The picturesque surroundings and the idyllic atmosphere gave the feeling of being in a garden of Eden. Actually the driver said that the gates if raised let out the entire water which flows across the roadway and stylishly flows over to the other side. I got the full glory of the lake because I had visited the place at the right time.

We walked a little further ahead and saw another waterfall. This was the umbrella fall. This was best visible when we the gates of the dam were opened up .This umbrella falls lay very close to the Wilson Dam and the beauty of this dam is seen to be believed. Since it was monsoon season, the falls was at its best. Panchal said that at other times of the year the dam is dry.

After getting drenched with the spray of water from the falls, I got into the car and we drove further ahead. We came across the Ratangadh fort. This was the fort that was given as a gift to Chhatrapati Shivaji by his soldiers. We went to the top of the fort and got a good panoramic view of the entire place. I took a lot of good pictures from the top. Today, these pictures are a reminder of the wonderful place I had been to.

I then saw a terrain where there were many tourists who were trekking up. This was the best place for an adventure lover. He would go berserk in the green surroundings and the rich ambience. I desired to climb the highest peak in Maharasthra, Mt. Kalsubai. At a height of 1646m, this peak was majestic and if not for my age, I would surely have gone up.

The driver asked me if I wanted to do boating in the lake. There were two three people who were headed towards the boating side. I also went on, got the tickets and went round the lake in a boat. The slight drizzle enhanced the pleasure and the beautiful horizon seemed even more beautiful as it darkened.

As we drove down, Panchal the driver told me the story of Bhandardara. He said, “Sage Agastya was a saint who once came here wandering. He meditated here for a year. He lived only on air and water. God was happy with Sage Agastya, and blessed him. At this point of time, a stream was created from Ganga and this was the River Pravara. This is how the place was created.”

“Wow” I said “Panchal, you are really an encyclopedia.” Amazed at the conviction with which Panchal told the story, we went driving back to the hotel. The day had been fruitful. I took my bedding and went to the tent. Panchal also joined me. We took some stuff to eat and had a small campfire and he had lots of tales to relate. Soon enough we saw many more like us who had booked a tent and very soon it was big group which was singing and dancing. The night inside the tent was horrible but I enjoyed it. I knew it wasn’t a five star hotel I had rented. The tent stay was the most exciting thing in the whole trip.

Armed with a lot to write and many pictures to upload, I came back to Mussoorie very happy, very fulfilled and saw my wife ready with puri and halwa. I regaled my son and wife with my experience and then wrote this entire blog. Readers do tell me if you liked it and if you didn’t then tell me why.

Rossaying: Go have a blast with water, go to Bhandardhara.