The Beaches, The Forts and the One Day Trip @ Alibaug, Raigad, Maharashtra
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| Beautiful view of the fort from Alibaug Beach |
Alibaug (Alibag) is a famous beach destination in close
proximity to Mumbai and Pune. It is merely 145 kms. from Pune and 30 kms. from
South Mumbai via. Sea route and 114 kms. by road. There are several beaches in
and around Alibaug; Alibaug beach, Thal Beach, Varsoli Beach, Akshi Beach,
Nagaon Beach, Kashid Beach, Korlai Beach to name a few. Beautiful Sea, a Fort
that gets surrounded by sea water, a few temples and a lot of fun. Alibaug is
the ideal place for a one day return trip. Alibaug is 145 kms away from Pune
and 30km to the south of Mumbai. There are some stunning beaches here along
with forts and temples! The Kolaba/Kulaba fort lies 2 kms inside the sea.
Kulaba fort gets surrounded by sea water at the time of tide. There are the Uma
Maheshwar and Balaji temples in Alibaug too.
Alibaug was developed in 17th Century by Sarkhel Kanhoji
Aangre the naval chief of King Shivaji’s Kingdom. Bene Israelite Ali was a rich
man in the city and owned many plantations of mangoes, coconuts in his gardens.
So the local people called the place Alicha bagh (Gardens of Ali) which became
in due course, Alibaug. Alibaug is the seat of District Administration of
Raigad (formerly Kolaba) district since 1852. The name Kolaba is attributed to
a Sea Fort Kolaba built by Shivaji the great Maratha Ruler, in 1680 to fight
the mighty naval prowess of the Siddis’ (Abyssenians) of Janjira and the
British of Mumbai. Kolaba fort is famous for many battles, between Siddis and
Kanhoji Angre, the British and the Portugese.
Korlai Beach: It
is a quiet serene beach with alternate white and black sands, along a serene
stretch of the Arabian coastline, adjacent to a village of Korlai Creole
Portuguese speaking Indians. Just across the bridge, to the right there is
Korlai fort within the sea and attached to the mainland by a narrow land strip
through the Korlai fort through the Korlai Village. It is supposed to have been
built by the Portuguese in 1521. The main gate has an inscription which means
‘no entry without a fight’. The fort has seven gates, a sweet water well, a
church in disuse, a Hindu temple and a Lighthouse.
You can easily plan for additional excursions because of the
proximity of beaches and forts from Korlai. The beautiful beach of Kashid is
only 12.5 km from Korlai while the famous sea fort of Janjira is 30 km to the
south of Korlai, near Murud. The Karnala Bird Sanctuary is roughly 70 km away,
towards Panvel. White water rafting on the river Kundalika is another major
attraction. Visiting the Korlai fort today was a remarkable experience. The
fort looks devoid of maintenance and gave deserted looks. However, the view from
the fort was spectacular and offered a divine view of the sea and the shore.
Korlai Fort is a Nizamshahi-Portuguese fortification and was
built on a rocky ridge, ‘O Morro de Chaul’. In its heyday, the fort protected
the Revdanda Creek while also guarding its age-old companion Revdanda Fort on
the opposite side of the Kundalika River. Though the fort owes its origin
primarily to the Ahmednagar Sultanate, vestiges of the Portuguese occupation
are manifested in the distinct dialect of the Korlai villages’ inhabitants
which is Portuguese Creole. The fort had eight bastions and four entrances.
Inside, the architectural arrangement was unique with the fortification being
compartmentalized into eight quarters of irregular size, each with its own
arched entrance built in European style with steps and equipped with guns.
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| Magnificient View from the Korlai Fort |
Korlai village is at a distance of 25 kms from Alibaug.
State transport buses and private six-seater rickshaws regularly run from
Alibag to Korlai. A good motorable road from Alibaug en route to Murud takes a
visitor to Korlai, where the fort still stands in its full majesty because the
remains have been well preserved. Visitors can climb up to the fort in about 20
minutes via steps from two sides - the east and the west. The western approach
starts from a modern lighthouse. The eastern approach has a good view of the
river Kundalika and the Revdanda Fort.
Mandawa: It is
situated about 20 km north of Alibaug. The catamaran/ferry services are
available from Mumbai to the Mandawa jetty. Many Bollywood celebrities own
bungalows here.
Kaneshwar Mandir:
It is situated about 17 km away from Alibaug to Karlekhind – Chondi road.13 km
from Alibaug in Northeast direction is this very famous Shiv temple on a 900
ft. high hill. It is a 5000 ft. long climb on well paved stairs, which takes
around one hour. Landmarks along the route are tombs of MohanGiri and Balgiri,
Nagoba Rest, Jambhali Plateau, God’s stair, Gaymandi etc. It comprises various
small temples of Sri Paleshwar, Sri Hanuman, Sri Balram Krishna and Lord Shiv.
Kashid Beach: It
is 36 km away from Alibaug, on the Alibag-Murud highway, also this beach is
possibly one of the cleanest and most beautiful beaches in the region with
almost ‘white’ sand. There are many cottages and resorts available ranging from
around RS:1500 to RS:20,000. Prakruti resort is the luxury and the costliest of
all. One can find water sports facility and number of small shops for snacks.
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| Alibaug Beach |
The Everlasting Impression of the Elephant Show in Pattaya, Thailand
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| The Elephant Show at Pattaya, Thailand: Beauty and the Beast |
The elephant show at the Noong Nooch Village was a
spectacular experience while at Pattaya. Our rendezvous with these mighty
creatures at this show really made us believe that elephants are not any less
brainy and skillful than human beings. The show started with a bang as a trail
of elephants walked in the arena all arranged in a systematic queue arranged by
ascending order of their sizes. It was such a great fun to watch how their
sizes went up from the baby elephant to the mightiest one. Each of the elephant was holding the
tail of his predecessor by his truck. That was a warm welcome to the huge crowd
which had gathered to enjoy this beautiful show.
It is quite common to watch elephants in circuses performing
usual but marvelous skills like throwing a ball, batting, riding a bicycle and
bowing down at the crowd. These elephants were pretty much acquainted with
these usual skills. What really caught my attention was that some of these
elephants were real state of the art Painters. They were so skillful in gently holding
the paint brushes in their trunks and placing them artistically on the paper.
The paintings were truly remarkable. Such paintings would otherwise be
difficult for most of the men and women around. These brainy elephants managed
to complete the painting the T-shirts with oil paint so efficiently that the
owners of the show we easily able to make some money out of these
elephant-painted T-shirts. The was a corner beside the show arena where they
sold these T-shirts at premium rates.
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| A Warm Welcome by the Elephants |
Another thrilling part of the show was asking the volunteers
amongst the crowd to lay on the ground and few of these elephants enacting to
crush them up. Well, this really does not sound funny but this rather blew up
my mind. Interestingly, there were few crazy volunteers who came forward and
bravely laid down with full faith and confidence on these super mighty animals.
It was real scary to watch them walking over the human volunteers,
intermittently holding their one leg up over the chest of the volunteer. These
elephants were smart enough to play the game, ensuring none of their guests get
injured, rather getting killed.
This show left an everlasting impression on my mind about
this species of mammals. Elephants indeed are thoughtful animals. Lord Ganesha
is hence idolized not only in India but also across Thailand and other parts of
Asia and the world. The elephant god stands as an epitome of wisdom and
knowledge.
'Pani-Puri' and the Visit to Mauritius
It was not too difficult for me to establish a friendly
relationship with Asim, my chauffeur during my business visits to Mauritius. With
his honest and friendly nature, it was too easy for me to mingle with him in
conversations which helped me to explore the new country, its culture, places,
landmarks and his personal life too. He was a man who was born in Mauritius,
stayed for his entire life on this island and humbly stated, “I have never ever traveled
outside Mauritius”. He lived with his wife and a two year old daughter who
shared similar past. It was a wonderful experience for me to get to know his
family during one of my visits to this island. The family spoke the local
language Creole. French is widely spoken across Mauritius for official and
casual purposes.
I got to know more about Asim and his family when they
joined us during our sightseeing tour one fine Sunday morning. Just like most
of the other Mauritian locals, the couple were a great fan of the Bollywood
movies. More importantly, Salmaan Khan. Asim’s wife proudly flaunted her
experiences when she publicly kissed the actor while he was on a shoot in Mauritius.
It was then when I complimented Asim for being such an open hearted husband.
Why should I feel bad about she kissing Salmaan, he said as he reiterated that
he himself is Salmaan’s greatest fan. This couple indeed depicted the
simplicity and innocence of an unadulterated human mind living on a beautiful
island. Movies was one of the biggest topic amongst the family even at home.
One of the questions which Asim asked me during most of our
conversations really touched me. “How does it look in India?”, he asked as he
stared at me for a satisfying answer in return. I was unable to understand his
question in the first shot. “Does everything in India seem the way it seems in
Mauritius?”, he asked as he clarified his earlier question. Well, it took a bit
of time and explanation for me to make him realize that Indian cities are bigger
than Port Louis and more polluted and corrupted than his innocent mind.
Everything else looks the same, the sun, the cars, the buildings, the trees and
the sky too, I tried to explain him in better words. I invited him to India and
offered him to stay at my place if he ever planned to visit. But, it seemed
like a dream to him, a dream of which a poor chauffeur like him was unsure of
its realization. “Yes, I will”, he mumbled.
That Sunday, when I was about to get dropped at the Guest
House where I was resided, I heard Asim’s wife and Asim murmuring something amongst
themselves. I was about to travel back to India the other day and Asim was
pretty much aware that I was scheduled to travel back to Port Louis a week
later. Probably, he had shared this information with his wife too. I realized
that there was something Asim’s wife was trying to instruct him on. When I
interrogated, Asim opened up. “Can you please get Pani-Puri for us from India?”,
he asked hesitantly. We have watched Bollywood actresses craving for it in the
movies. We really wonder how it really tastes there in India. I was flabbergasted
by their simplicity. Spontaneously I promised them that I will bring it next
week.
Carrying a bunch of Pani-Puri without breaking them in the
check-in baggage was quite a challenge. I was not sure if carrying a water
bottle filled with the sweet and spicy Pani (water) was a good idea. I must
thank my smart wife who suggested me to carry the water concentrate which gave
the same effect. It was too difficult for me to resist carrying a few other
Indian sweets which would really amaze Asim and his wife.
It was such a wonderful feeling when I handed over the
Pani-puri to Asim during my next visit to Port Louis. He was very much amazed
to see me keeping my promise. “My wife will be very happy to taste this!”, he
spoke as he was overwhelmed. When I started back to India after the business
visit was over, Asim came to drop me at the airport. This time he was with his
wife and little daughter. Initially, I thought that they were just along but
later Asim clarified that they had been with him to accompany me to the
airport.
“Hi, Good Uncle”, said the three year old as she smiled at
me.
“Aapki wajah se mera barson ka Pani-Puri khane ka sapna poora
hua”, Asim’s wife said as she thanked me from the bottom of her heart. I had
never imagined that eating Pani-Puri, for someone in Mauritius, would be such a
big dream. I was mesmerized by the impact I had unknowingly left on their
minds.
“We have come just to see you off to the airport and we are
not sure if we could ever meet you again”,
Asim’s wife said as she handed over a soft toy to me. “This is for your little baby!”,
she said. I accepted the gift after she insisted. I left the island for one
last time with a very heavy heart.
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Asim and his family
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Experiencing the Reign of the Peshwa Rulers at Modern Pune, Maharashtra
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| The fortified palace of Shaniwar Wada that once stood strong is today just a remains |
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| The pathway from within the palace to the fortified wall which even today stands firm |
The Shaniwar Wada, built in 1732 CE is one of the greatest
identity of modern Pune which embarks the glorious past of the Peshwas, the rulers
of the Maratha empire in 18th century. The monument today stands
still despite the trauma it has suffered in the past. The palace was constructed by Bajirao I in the 1730. One of
the buildings in the Shaniwar Wada was 7 storied. There is a story told about
why this place was chosen for the construction. The Thorale (Elder) Bajirao once
saw a rabbit chasing a dog at this place. Inspired from this Shaniwar Wada was
built, a place which would never see defeat. It used to be the headquarters of
the Peshwas and it symbolizes Pune's culture even today. Looking at the
construction one understands how the structure was built giving highest priority
to the security. The main entrance is known as 'Delhi Darwaja', others have
named like Ganesh, Mastani, Jambhal, Khidki. There is a statue of Bajijrao I riding a horse in front of Shaniwar Wada. This statue is prominently seen from the main street as well. Inside the Shaniwar Wada, one can see the Ganesh
Mahal, Rang Mahal, Aarsa (Mirror) Mahal, Hasti Dant (Elephant Tusk) Mahal,
Diwan Khana, Fountains. Currently renovated and also have a light & music
show. The main part left is Nagarkhana which gives glorious inside view.
This is an expansive palace with its impressive fountains and gardens. The
palace was the seat of the Peshwa power which was later destroyed by a fire in
1828. Today’s remains of this great monument are the walls that fortified this
palace, with their sturdy doors, studded with spikes for added protection.
Nearby is a street where the Peshwas unleashed elephants to trample dissidents
to death. This palace is
today managed by the Archaeological Survey of India and the tourist visiting
hours are between 8 am to 5 pm. I had visited the Shaniwar Wada earlier at an
entry fee of Rs. 5/- but now the visit fees have been increased to Rs. 15/- and
that made my total spend for the day to Rs. 35/-. Kids below the age of fourteen are allowed free of cost.
The visit to the historic Shaniwar Wada brought be closer to the era of the Peshwas. Reading through information scribbled about the palace, it really brought be closer to these historic men and women. I spent some time at the Mastani Darwaza (door) which was the door meant for the beautiful second wife of the Bajirao Peshwa I. My thoughts wandered and imaginations went on and on. It was a divine feeling to experience standing on the land where these rulers of the past once stood and stayed.
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| View of the Bajirao I Statue from the Delhi Darwaza depicting the glorious history of the Peshwas |
Later, I spent some time at the Saras Baug. Watching the fish inside the beautiful pond in this garden is a very serene experience. There is a beautiful Ganesh temple right in the center of the garden. Beside the temple there is a small museum which has a beautiful collection of various antique Ganesh Idols. This museum has no entry fee.
Reaching the top of the Parvati Temple from Saras Baug was a bit tiring experience. I managed to reach the Parvati temple without a halt which gave me a sense of accomplishment but really made me feel hungry. To my amazement there was a small canteen on the top of the Parvati temple which came to my rescue. I grabbed a couple of Wada Paav (famous Indian Burger - Rs. 12 each) and a bottle of water - Rs. 20/- which made my spending for the day to Rs. 99/-
Besides the Parvati temple, there is a beautiful Peshwa Museum. This palace where this museum is built in was originally built by Shrimant Peshwa in 1795 CE. Part
of the same has been converted into Peshwa Museum. Being a lover of antiques and being a numismatist myself, I visit this museum every time I visit Parvati temple. It is a great collection of Peshwa Paintings, old coins, weapons, toys, clothes, utensils and documents. The entry fee to this museum is presently, Rs. 10/- per adult. Near the museum is situated the Samadhi Sthaan of Shrimant
Nanasaheb Peshwa, who died here due to the intense grief experienced by him
when his son Vishwasrao and elder
brother Bhausaheb lost their lives in the historic war of Panipat. The Peshwa Museum has been built using part of the Peshwa's
Mansion, using many old carved wooden pieces and displays a collection of items
belonging to the Peshwa Era. The museum contains paintings of all Peshwas, Maratha
Sardars, their family members along with the arms, articles and coins which
were in use in Peshwa era. The entire palace of Sardar Bhuskute of Burahanpur
(M.P.) has been installed in the museum. The rare collection is displayed in
the museum and hence treated to be the most important museum connected with the
history of Pune and Peshwa Raj. Samadhi
Sthan of Shrimant Nanasaheb Peshwa is now renovated and converted into sabha
mandap where the paintings relating to various battles fought by Marathas are on
display. Some of the beautiful paintings of Peshwas are also displayed in the
hall.
The Majestic Matheran, Raigad Is a Perfect Weekend Destination
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| A Majestic View from the Alexander Point in Matheran |
In city life we stay & travel in cement jungle. We can not experience true nature and its love. We always think for go to outstation to relax, to stay from busy & hectic life. But it’s not always possible to get away from city within two-three days of time. Where Matheran is really such amazing place where nature is playing active role with you and where you can enjoy every breath with nature within in the weekend time.
Matheran is a most famous and coolest Hill Station situated in Karjat Tahsil, Raigad District of Maharashtra, India. Matheran is the smallest hill station of India. It is located on the range of Western Ghats at height of 800 m (2625 Feet) above sea level. The name Matheran means either ‘Forest on Top’ or ‘Woodland overhead’.
Matheran is located around 90 km from Mumbai, 120 km from Pune and about 320 km from Surat.
Matheran is awesome place for to spend weekend.
Matheran as a Hill Station was discovered by a British, Mr. Huge Mallet, the then Collector of Thane, in 1850.
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| A local Matheran Villager heading back home |
Matheran is an eco-sensitive region, declared by the Ministry of Environment and Forest, Government of India. It is one of the few places in the world where vehicles are not allowed, which makes the place different from others. Matheran takes you over a hundred years back in time when there were no vehicles. Because of vehicles being banned in Matheran, the place is quite peaceful despite the thousands of lakhs coming to visit throughout the year.
There are lots of lookout points that provide spectacular views of the surrounding hills and valleys. Matheran has a reasonably dense forest cover.
Matheran was discovered by Hugh Poyntz Malet, the then district collector of Thane district in May 1850. Lord Elphinstone, the then Governor of Bombay laid the foundations of the development as a future hill station. The British developed Matheran as a popular resort to beat the summer heat in the region.
Matheran is connected to the town of Neral which lies at the base of the hills. A tar road connects Neral to Dasturi Naka which is 9 km (5.8 miles) from Matheran. In order to maintain Matheran's uniqueness,no vehicles are allowed beyond this point. The other mode of transport is a 2 ft (610 mm) gauge narrow gauge railway, which links the town to Neral. Neral also has a broad gauge station which is on the busy Mumbai-Pune route. Neral is well connected by railway line with Karjat being the nearest Junction. The Matheran Hill Railway was built in 1907 by Sir Adamjee Peerbhoy and covers a distance of 20 km (12.4 miles), over large swathes of forest territory. The Matheran hill railway had been inspected by UNESCO world heritage site officials in the last week of October 2009. The official declaration of its status as UNESCO world heritage site like other hill railways of India like Kalka-Shimla, Darjeeling hill railway & Nilgiri mountain railway will be declared by July 2010. The railway officials are very hopeful of getting the UNESCO world heritage status from the views expressed by the inspecting officials. The heritage status will boost the tourist activities in the area.
In the floods of July 2005, around 70% of the railway lines were damaged and did not reopen until April 2007 after repairs at a cost of Rs 2-2.5 crore.
Matheran has been declared an ecosensitive region by the Union Environment Ministry and can be called a Health Sanatorium in itself. The only form of automobile allowed in Matheran is an ambulance operated by the Municipality. No private automobiles are allowed. Within Matheran transport facilities available are horses and hand-pulled rickshaws.
Matheran is one of the popular getaway for people from Mumbai and Pune, it is a quiet hill station located on the Sahyadri range. Matheran, Meaning 'forest on top', was discovered in 1850, by a district collector of Thane, Hugh Poyntz Malet, and the foundations for its development was laid down by Lord Elphinstone, the then Governor of Mumbai. Matheran has been listed by the Union Environment Ministry as an eco-sensitive region and is connected to the closest town of Neral by a narrow gauge railway, operating since 1907. As no vehicles are allowed in Matheran, one has to drive up to Dasturi Point, 11 km ahead of Matheran, from where you could reach the main bazaar either by foot or on pony.
Matheran lies in an elevated region, enjoys a cooler and less humid climate which makes it popular during the summer months. Temperatures range from 32 °C (90 °F) to 16 °C (61 °F). Matheran has a huge number of medicinal plants and herbs. The town also has a large monkey population, including Bonnet Macaques and Hanuman Langurs. The nearby Lake Charlotte is the main source of Matheran's drinking water.
Languages spoken include Marathi, Hindi, and English. There are a lot of Parsi bungalows. Beautiful old British-style architecture is preserved in Matheran. The roads are not metalled and are made of red laterite earth. There are many "points" (viewpoints) in Matheran which give a panoramic view of the plains below. On clear nights, the lights of Mumbai are claimed to be visible.The Baal Dhamaal Experience Made Me A Better Parent
The Sunday of January 10, 2016 was a big day for me and the school students of the
various Government Schools of Pune who participated in the unique event called “Baal
Dhamaal” organized by the Indian Sponsorship Committee (ISC). The committee has
been arranging this event for several years for now. My participation as
volunteer in this event has taught me newer lessons of Humanity and a better
sense of Parenting our kids. With nearly 650 kids participating from the age
groups ranging from six to fourteen years, the event seemed like a herculean task
without the support of the Volunteers who volunteered from several Corporates
in Pune viz. Zensar Technologies, AXA, Tech Mahindra and Symbiosis . This was
my first activity being a Zensar volunteer and as an active member of our
Corporate Social Responsibility team. Undoubtedly, after this day long event I
walked away as a different, changed and a very improved person. What a way to
start the year!
Zensar has been consistently providing financial and
volunteer support to ISC for several years in order to arrange and execute this
event. This year we had been looking after the kids of 9 and 11 years of age
group. Specifically, I was looking after the 11 years group right since their
buses off-boarded them at the venue, the Loyola School Grounds, Pashan. Almost
all of these kids hailed from the economical weaker sections of the Society.
Their parents toiled hard under the sun as laborers at the brick building
workshops. The fact these poor parents managed to send their children to School
was a great thing in itself. I was informed that during the past few years, these
School kids participated in the Baal Dhamaal event, played games without footwear
or shoes. This year, the main sponsor of the event had sponsored Sport Shoes
for all the kids which was one of the best gifts a Corporate can donate in the
context.
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| Inaugural Briefing at the Baal Dhamaal 2016 |
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| Zensar Volunteers for Baal Dhamaal 2016 |
After the breakfast and inaugural speech, the kids were
really excited to exibit their spirit of Sportsmanship with the games that we
had arranged for them. The day continued on the sunny playground and we managed
to conclude the toughtest task for the day – finalizing the list of winners.
With all the energy these kids brought up on the table, it was a very difficult
task to choose only a few winners. But, this is what the spirit of
Sportsmanship is all about, isn’t it? The kids had a great learning and their
faces were filled with delight which spoke it all.
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| Drenched in the same color |
After the lunch and prize distribution ceremony, it was hard
to bid a good bye to these awesome little kids. A few of these kids managed to
build up a very special bonding with me and several other volunteers. I am sure
they would remember me for a few days as an “Uncle” who served me food, a “Sir”
who took us to the toilet and brought us back to the group or as that “someone”
who tied up their shoe lace. Whether or not these kids would remember me, I am
sure to remember this act of humanity for the rest of my life.
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