Trimbakeshwar Temple,Nashik

Travelling has been a essential part of my life. Its through that I find the divine peace of life where you are totally disconnected with professional and personal tasks.

Even though I have been part of Mumbai long back, I find the place as good as new when I shifted here second time. Everything has changed but the energy and vibe of the place still remains the same. I could see myself as a part of it. I have changed over the years , so as Mumbai. So where should I start ? You could see multiple options in Maharashtra.

So with advise of my friend Praveen, I decided to go to  Trimbakeshwar temple.

Triambakeshwar Temple,Nashik

As they say, serve god first and the almighty will take care of you.  My friend said it is one of the jyotirlingas mentioned in shivapuran.  It made me more curious to go and see the divine place.

So finally the day came, it was a refreshing as it can get. The weather was perfect and I was  excited as my first travel. With the help of my few friends, I was told to get a train from DADAR at 5.30. It was filled with people in the station and this is the sight you can never any where in India.

With the some essential things I boarded my journey to Nashik with the almighty Shiva in my mind. Nashik was kind of similar to me, it reminded me of the places of south India , I took a bus from Bus Depot near Station to CBS (Central Bus Stand) and got a connection bus to Trimabakeshwar.

Top of Trimbakeshwar Temple,Nashik

The place was beautiful with greenery and the mountains. I felt this as the divine kingdom of Lord.

Around 11 AM , I reached Trimbakeshwar. The Temple was at a walkable distance from the bus stop. When I reached the main entrance I felt more and more excited about seeing the Lord.

Entrance to the temple 

Things to remember:-

• Temple Timing is 5.30 Am - 9.00 PM. 
• Mobile and photography is not allowed inside the temple. So keep your bags in a nearby shop.
• The temple complex is very spacious and have a  good queue system . Once can also have special darshan by paying additional amount.

Even in standing on the queue, I was surprised to see the stellar Nagara style of architecture of the temple. The temple complex is spacious and it houses a small Shivalingam - Tryambaka. The entire structure is ornamented with sculptural work featuring running scrolls, floral designs, and figures of gods, yakshas, humans and animals.

Poojas:

• Poojas performed in the temple are Narayan Nagbali,  Kalsarpa Yog, Tripindi Shradhha and Rudra Abhishek..
• You can hire services of pandit for poojas
• You can sit inside the temple and see the pooja on the TV screen as well.
• You can see the jyotirlinga and puja through a mirror placed outside the main jyotirlinga temple place
  

After having darshan of the Lord of Lords, I came out of temple with blessings of Supreme Lord. Then I  walked  towards Kushavarta Teertha.       

                   

Kusavarta, near  Trimbakeshwar Temple is known as the source of the holy Godavari River

At the Kushavarta Teertha, devotees usually dip themselves into the waters and purify themselves of all sins.

We can have a Tika mark of Shiv Linga in  Forehead from outside of Temple

Shops in the market offer religious paraphernalia like statues, images, local snacks etc.

After having lunch from nearby hotel ,  started my return journey with spiritually fulfilling experience. One should visit this temple at least once in their lifetime.

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Kaas Plateau-Maharashtra's Valley of flowers

Kaas is a plateau of flowers, locally known as Kaas pathar in Marathi, is located 26 kms away from Satara city in Maharashtra, India. Kass -Maharashtra's own Valley of Flowers has recently gained the title of Biodiversity World Heritage Site by UNESCO.

A total 850 or more types species of flowers, 39 found only in Kaas. Apart from numerous varieties of wild flowers this biodiversity site also shelters many insects and beautiful birds. The orchids bloom here for a period of 3–4 weeks during the season.

We left Mumbai on Saturday night at around 11.30 pm and reached Satara early morning at around 7 AM which is around 30 kms away from Kaas Plateau. After refreshment and breakfast we proceeded for Kaas. There are no basic washroom and freshen-up facilities available on Kaas Plateau.

EXPLORING THE PLATEAU

You need to walk a little from the parking place to Kaas. The plateau, filled with flowers of different colors looked like nature having its own coloured carpet. The plateau gets covered with blanket of Yellow, Pink and  Violet shades.

From the main road, there are walkway paths with fencing constructed by forest department. You can choose any route and are free to explore the beauty of nature. Our guide explained the technical name of each flower and it’s difficult to remember those names. If one pays attention to the detail, you can see many beauties including carnivorous plants.

We spotted insectivorous plant known as Drosera indica. Here are some Photos taken during my Kaas visit.

Few flowers are so small in shape that you might have to use magnifying glass. There are few areas where people are allowed to go inside the green field but on mentioned narrow walkway paths.

White flower carpet



Pogostemon deccanensis

The Kaas Plateau is nothing short of paradise.

At Kaas

You can also explore the nearby area by walk, which has been beautifully managed by the Forest department. The walk was truly a thrilling experience.

After our nature trail, we decided to leave Kass. This is surly the best place for photographers and nature lovers.

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Cycle ride to Karla Caves, Lonavala, Maharashtra

This was my first cycling tour since I  had shifted to Mumbai. The ride was  12 km from Lonavala town to Karla Caves.

At 8.30 AM Sunday morning, as planned, I reached Lonavala railway station and collected my cycle from Cymour-provider of cycle for rent. There was a large group of cyclists ready to leave.  As all the members collected their cycles,  we left from the station for breakfast after a set of instructions which was given by the group coordinators.

After breakfast and the introduction session , we started riding towards Karla Caves.   It had been over twenty years since I had sat on one, so for the first few minutes I was a little jittery.  As I pedaled through the streets of Lonavala, familiarizing myself with the cycle balance and busy streets,  I talked with each of the members until, I eventually became good friends with this avid cyclic enthusiasts.

Then we started gradually climbing. The cycle was in condition but it did not make the relentless ride uphill any easier. We reached the caves at around 11.00 am., parked the cycles at the base and started to explore the caves. We had to climb many stairs to reach the cave complex.

There were few stalls on the way selling buttermilk, nimbupani and cucumber.

EXPLORING KARLA CAVES

Karla Caves are one of the ancient caves in Lonavala that follows the mixed Indian and Buddhists style of rock-carved caves architecture. These caves are some of the largest rock-cut Buddhist shrines in India.

Exterior of the cave complex

All around the cave complex, there are many chaitya's and vihara's. The chaitya at Karla is regarded as the biggest in India. The chaitya hall measures 124 feet in length, 45 feet in breadth and 48 feet in height. The wooden arches used in the construction of this chaitya hall have remained intact without suffering any ill effects of the weather.

Hall inside the Karla Caves

The hall has many beautifully decorated sculptures of men, women and animals. Some sculptures of elephants dressed up well with metal jewelries were placed there.

Just outside the main cave is the Ekvira Devi temple.  According to legends,  the temple was constructed by the Pandavas during their exile in the forest.  There were three shrines built in the same row. Maha-mandapa, varsha-mandapa and gopura are situated in front of these three shrines. The shrines are further surrounded by additional sixteen shrines..

We spent around two hours exploring the caves . After that we left the cave complex for lunch. Enroute we had group photo and some fun filled activities.  All of us had a common thread, we were looking to push ourselves in ways we hadn’t had before. We were people who liked to travel on bicycles.

The views from the top were spectacular. we picked up speed going downhill - like being a kid again!

Lunch was arranged in a hotel on the way to Lonavala.  Food was tasty especially after cycling for long distances. Then we rode towards a small mountain nearby.  By the time we reached the top, I had a big smile on my face. The area was full of yellow flowers.  All my tiredness evaporated into thin air. It had a terrific view of  Lonavala city and the cold breeze made it feel even more amazing. We spent some time there by talking and taking photos.

Soon we came back  to Lonavala and  returned the cycles to Cymour. It’s also a great way for me to meet new people and became friends.  At the begining of the tour, we were strangers. But everyone was friends with each other by the time we reached back to Lonavala. The tour concluded by around 06.00 pm with unforgettable memories. I would like to cycling to some of the more interesting parts of the Mumbai in future.

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Ganesh festival, visarjan day in Vashi, Navi Mumbai 2014

 

Vinayaka Chaturthi or Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations end with the Visarjan (immersion ) of clay Ganapati idol in sea. In Mumbai, it’s a day of long processions filled with pomp and splendour when the Ganesh idols are immersed in the sea there. I walk through the streets of Vashi in Navi Mumbai watching Ganpati immersion procession. Chants of  Ganpati Bappa Morya......... Mangal Murthy Morya .... reverberated through the air. 

The streets are filled with loud music, drumming, dancing, and fire crackers.

  

The Ganesh idols come in all shapes and sizes. Each one tells a story.

The Idols taken in cars, trucks or carried in hands for the immersion.

Leading the Ganesh idol to the water.

                                          

Immersion of Ganesha idols continues late in the night. Finally He departs to His Heavenly abode...  

‘Do come back early next year!

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Ratangad Trek

Being away from home and staying in a hotel in Mumbai, I had limited choice for Onam celebration, which fell on a Sunday !  The  only option we had in Mumbai was to reserve for 'Onam Sadya' arranged by  the hotels. I was planning to do something different which relaxed my mind and made my day memorable. I came to know of the  monsoon trek to Ratangad arranged by one of the groups and they named it as Flower trek because during monsoon, the fort and its surroundings will  be covered with yellow Sonki Flowers. When I checked in the internet, I saw pictures of Ratangad fort and its surroundings filled with yellow floweres which filled me with anxiety . Without any second thought I reserved my seat. As per our itinerary, our meeting point was at Pritam Hotel, Dadar (East) at 11 pm on 6th  September, Saturday night.

We reached Ratanwadi (the village at footstep of Ratangad) early morning at around 5 am. We took rest till 6 am. After freshening up, all of us had poha and tea from a village house. Then we visited  Amruteshwar temple, which is considered to be over 1,200 year old. History says that  the temple was constructed in the 9th century AD by the rulers of the Shilahara dynasty. The king of Jhang had built 12 temples dedicated to Lord Shiva and Amruteshwar Temple is said to be one of the 12 temples constructed by him.

When we entered the temple through the rear entrance, I could see  a sculpture of a Nandi placed in the compund facing sanctum. The temple has been constructed in Hemadpanthi architectural style with beautiful rock carvings on the main shrine. There is a mantapa with 12 pillars. And I noticed the ceiling, walls and the pillars, all are decorated with art forms, such as Gandharvas, Ganikas, Dancers with poses, snakes , flowers etc.  After descending few slippery steps, from where I stood, I could see Shivalinga that is half submerged in water. There are two sabha mandapas and garbhagriha is situated in between these sabha mandaps.  I felt happy that I could visit this ancient  Siva temple in my journey.

Amruteshwar temple, Ratanwadi

Adjoining the temple is the Jal-Kund (Water Tank) with steps of  black stone from all four sides and carvings in between various idols. The tank with its green colored water looked beautiful. After paying our respects to the Lord, we began walking in the direction of the hill.

THE TREK

Ratangad Fort is known to be more than 20 centuries old . It was initially ruled by the Mughals, was conquered by Shivaji Maharaj who loved it like a jewel.  The trail takes you through the vast expanse  of paddy fields, endless lush green grasslands and streams.

We walked  across the village along the paddy fields. There is a local dam and it was filled with water. We went parallel to the dam and it was overflowing. Ratangad is said to be the origin of Pravara/Amrutvahini river. The Bhandardara dam is constructed on this river. The route to Ratangad runs parallel and sometimes across the river Pravara. We went inside the water and clicked some pictures.

We walked through the deep forest enjoying the scenic beauty of nature and we could hear the sound of rushing water at a distance. We saw many waterfalls, small and big, during our hike.  Many times, I tried to get as close to the falls as I could, by climbing up the rocks which made it  a little challenging  as I tried not to fall in.

Soon we reached  a diversion, leading to our first plateau. There was a board-mark on a pole which directed us that the trail towards left would take us to Harishchandragad and the one to the right is towards Ratangad.

The Fort at the top is at a height of about 4500ft and the trek takes around 2hrs to reach to the top. After crossing 3-4 streams and an almost 2 hour trek up the hill, we were standing in the clouds. I was silently enjoying the beautiful scenery and silence of the forest.

It boasts of clear views of the Kalasubai peak and the Kokan-Kada (where the Sahyadris descend steeply into Konkan), thus becoming a trekker’s and photographer’s delight.

Soon we reached the first ladder. As per the photo I saw in the internet, this area was supposed to be filled with yellow Sonki Flowers. But due to  change in climate , the flowers were yet to bloom in full swing. Suddenly a fine mist surrouded us accompaned by a wind and we could not see anything around us.

After crossing the first ladder immediately there is the second ladder. We took extra caution as the path  become  slippery and visibility also reduced.  I packed my camera inside the bag as there was no chance of taking photos.

After crossing the ladder, we reached Ganesh  Darwaza which is the entrance  to  the fort. Right of the entrace there is   small  ladder and after that few steps which leads us to the top of the fort. On the top, we saw Ratnai Devi Mandir and then the caves.  Soon we entered the east south direction of the fort from the  Hanuman Darwaza. Then we reached  the plateau of Ratangad fort. On the right, there is a circular bastion. There is a small water cistern behind the bastion.

We continued our walk and  reached the Kokan side of the fort. On the way to Nedhe, there comes a small entrance of the fort  known as Chor Darwaza.  Moving further from the Chor Darwaza on the way we encountered a few  water tanks.

Finally reached the Nedhe or "needle hole"  which means a natural hole,  one of the main attraction in the fort. This is basically a Needle eye created by high speed winds. There is a very narrow route on the left of the nedhe, which  takes one to Trimbak Darwaza. Trimbak Darwaza is the third entrance of the Ratangad fort. One can reach Samrad village from Trimbak Darwaza.

After exploring the fort, we started our descend. Descending was quite easy. After crossing the forest, we reached the base village. When we reached  the village, lunch was awaiting  us. So, we freshened up quickly and wrapped ourselves in warm clothes. At the begining of the trek, we were strangers. But everyone was friends with each other by the time we reached back to the base village.

After a sumptious lunch,  we began our return journey to Mumbai. Return journey was filled with many 'wow' moments. I was sitting almost in the  front side of the bus. Antakshari  and singing songs  continued in the bus.  I craned my neck out of  the window to enjoy the scenary.  I could see peeks covered by fog and  gigantic waterfalls on the way.  All along, there was either heavy rain or drizling.

Overall, the trek was fun and memorable. But I was little sad as I could not take any photos from the top. I would definetely visit again to take more photos and with a clear view.

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