A day in Sula Vineyard, Nashik

It was a much awaited trip to Sula Vineyard, Nashik, Maharashtra,  just 180 KM from Mumbai. This 30 acre campus has many attractions like a tasting room, coffee shop, souvenir shop, amphitheatre, restaurants, vineyards and winery. This is all about the story of Rajeev Samant who converted this 30 acre family estate into a winery.

Sula Vineyard, Nashik, Maharashtra,India

PLANT VISIT

We reached the place at around 9 AM and after taking some rest in the Green Room, we headed for plant visit.  Our guide was ready to take us to plant visit. We uncovered the mystery behind wine-making including step-by-step process,  the equipment used, type of grapes and maturity process.  We saw gigantic containers – separate ones for red and white wine – used to separate out the stem, seed and skin. And the walk ended up in  a room that stored barrels and barrels of wine.

WINE TASTING

Finally we reached wine tasting room which was the last part of the wine tour. We got an opportunity to taste 5 wines. I came to know the new wine tasting skills : Swirl - Sniff -  See - Sip.

DELICIOUS LUNCH

It was around 1 PM and we headed for lunch.

GRAPE-STOMPING

After having yummy lunch, we assembled near the grape-stomping area and they allowed 4-6 persons at a time for grape stomping for about 15 minutes.

Our plan was to leave at 5 PM to Mumbai so we had enough time for purchase and photography. This place is not only a picture perfect sight but also an ideal place to relax and enjoy for those who want to move away from the hustle and bustle of  city life.  Cheers !

For details to reach the place, please visit : http://sulawines.com/Visit/Directions-to-the-Sula-Winery-and-Beyond-Resort/6/
                        

Read More

Flamingos at Sewri, Mumbai

Nowadays bird watchers are travelling to places out of Mumbai. But I prefer popular bird watching spots in Mumbai. There are many reason for this. Mumbai provides a mixed habitat for migratory birds. No other Indian city attracts as many birds as Mumbai does. Sewri mudflats is one of such place in Mumbai for migratory birds.

Sewri is a neighborhood towards South Mumbai, has a jetty cum dock which is home to thousands of flamingos and other rare bird species. Every winter, thousands of greater and lesser flamingos flock to the mudflats of Sewri from Kutch in Gujarat. They arrive in November and the best time to see them is during January to March as these months sport the maximum number.

When I reached the place, there were flocks of flamingos. A vast expanse of mangroves stretches beyond their lines. And the row of pink legs march towards the mangroves and some lazy to walk,take flight, flapping their large wings.

It was terrific to watch the dance formations of pink feathered birds and they dip their beaks into shallow waters to hunt prey.

In addition to flamingos, visitors might also sight the heron, egret, ibis, gull, tern, sandpiper, and kingfisher.

How to reach Sewri Jetty:

To reach here, one must get off at the Sewri station on the Harbour Railway line. Cross the main road through railway crossing and take the Sewri Koliwada road. Jetty is approximately 1 km from Sewri east. 

Read More

Photo update:Standard Chartered Mumbai Marathon 2016

It was a cold Sunday morning, and with a lot of anxiety I reached CST to watch  the biggest annual marathon in south east Asia - 13th  edition of the Mumbai Marathon. It was the day when thousands of  Mumbaiites put on their running shoes braving the chill on Sunday.

When I reached CST around 8 AM, all roads were  blocked.  No cars were allowed to enter the route. The event had already started early morning from CST.  So I walked towards Church Gate and positioned there to click some photos.

The city roads usually full of traffic and honking seemed to be empty  making the runners feel special. Mumbai's spirit was visible everywhere and onlookers lined up at the sides to cheer the participants.

Around 9 am , the 6 km dream run from CST to Azad Maidan started.  It was the most vibrant as groups ran in solidarity with terror victims, cancer patients, the underprivileged and those battling ailments such as cancer, AIDS and hemophilia.

 I like the spirit of Mumbai and waiting for the same to see in the next year as well.

Read More