Unsold Gems of Maharashtra
Maharashtra is the most industrially developed state in India but its
travel and tourism industry is pretty underdeveloped. In fact, may be because of the strong Industrial base The Government of Maharashtra didn’t feel the need to generate the revenue through
tourism.
Thus, this series will attempt to put some light on few not-so-popular tourist
attractions in Maharashtra in reverse chronological order which deserve a
greater fan following.
Baramotechi Vihir & Kumudini
Lake
(Before your trip to Step Wells of
Gujrat / Rajasthan & Valley of flowers)
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Date of
Visit:
1st
of October 2015
Route:
Swargate – Sinhagad
Road – Ambegaon – Shirur – Right Turn at Vanvaswadi (Leave Satara Road before
Satara at Vanvaswadi) – Kas Platue – Kumudini Lake – Take a right turn at
Limb (Limb Phata) – Bara Motechi Vihir (2 Tolls mostly)
Distance:
Approx 130
– 140 kms
Approx 3.5
hrs by Car
Know it:
Kumudini
Lake:
1. Kumudini
Lake is a part of Kas Plateau (Kas Pathar). Though not as famous as Valley of
Flowers in Kashmir, Kas attracts fare no of tourists every year and is well
marketed destination these days. Thus I won’t be elaborating on it in this
blog.
2. But a
kilometer and half walk on the Kas Plateau along the chain link fencing will
take you to a beautiful lake covered entirely with tiny white flowers called
Kumudini (Water Lily).
3. If I
remember my Sanskrit lessons during school, Lotuses are of two types – one
which blossom during day time are called ‘Kamal’ (Lotus in English) and those
which blossom during night time are called ‘Kumud’.
4. Thus
this shallow lake of around 2 hectors is entirely covered with white carpet
of these Kumud flowers and their green leaves.
5. As these
are night blossoming lotuses, you need to reach the site as early in the
morning as possible and definitely before 12 pm otherwise you will miss this
marvelous site of white floating flowers.
6. As like
Kas you have to visit the lake at the end of Monsoons (September – October).
Baramotechi
Vihir:
1. On your
way back to Pune, look out for a right turn at Limb Phata.
2. Once in
Limb village, ask for bara motechi vihir. Please be prepared to ask 4 -5
people as even here in Limb you will find lot of people who don’t know about
this structure from Maratha history.
3. Vihir
means Well in Marathi, Bara is Twelve, Mot is an arrangement to fetch water
from the well.
4. Thus,
Bara Motechi Vihir literally means A well from which you can fetch the water
from 12 different points.
5. This
well was built by the Shahu Maharaj - Grand Son of Great Maratha King
Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and Son of his eldest son Chatrapati Sambhaji
Maharaj.
6. You will
easily find the resemblance of this well with the famous step wells of
Gujarat, Delhi or Rajasthan with steps descending down the well, meeting
place hidden in the complex step structure, stone carvings etc.
7. But
unlike step wells of north which were constructed to give some work to
draught affected citizens, this well was constructed with the sole purpose of
watering the huge Aamrai (Marathi word for Mango farm) which was once
covering this site.
8. Though
this well is not as beautiful as the step wells up north, Maratha history
associated with this well and 12 places to fetch the water (only 6
operational as of now) make it a grand site.
Attractions:
Kumudini
Lake:
1. Kas Plateau
– itself is a huge attraction. Thousands of endemic wild flowers of different
colour, texture and pattern blossoming just for a month or two at the end of
Monsoons on the plateau of ‘Western Ghats’ is a sure crowd puller. But please
don’t pluck the flowers, don’t litter, walk only on the walkways dedicated to
tourists and help protect this eco sensitive world heritage site.
2. You will
also be able to see different birds, butterflies and insects on your way to
the lake. So keep your eyes and camera open.
Bara
Motechi Vihir
1. Guide –
Just adjacent to the well there is a hut with the board ‘Guide Milel’ (i.e.
‘Guide Here’). Please do take his services and indulge in the in-depth
history of this place which he describes so passionately. This history after
the assassination of Sambhaji Maharaj is not taut in our history books but it’s
worth every minute you spend listening to it here along with his description
of the reason behind each and every stone carving and mural on the walls of
the well.
2. He won’t
ask for his fees unless and until you offer him something because he does
this for his sheer love of the past. We paid him some 300 bucks.
3. ‘Chinchani’ch
Zad – Just opposite the well, there is a couple of centuries old tree which
is cross of Chinch i.e. Tamarind and Wad i.e. Banyan tree and thus the name
(I hope I am correct about the details). This off course is a rare phenomenon
and neither guide nor Google could give us more details about it.
Downside:
There are
no road signages / direction boards to reach the well and you have to rely on
the villagers to find the route.
Tips:
1. Respect
nature and follow rules at Kas.
2. Take the
benefit of online registration facility http://www.kas.ind.in/
to visit Kas to avoid disappointment due to heavy rush on weekends.
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Bhuleshwar
(Before your
trip to Hampi or Konark)
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Date of Visit:
7th of June 2015
Route:
Swargate – Solapur Road – Hadapsar – Theur – Small
Right Turn after approx 10 Kms at Bhuleshwar Gaon – Bhuleshwar Temple (2
Tolls mostly)
Distance:
Approx 50 – 55 kms (from Sarasbaug)
Approx 2 hrs
by Car
Know it:
A 13th
Century Shiva Temple, in black basalt with beautiful cravings. It was invaded
and partly destroyed by Mughals.
Attractions:
1. Carvings - Carvings on a temple in Maharashtra is
a rarest of the rare sight (Generally you see them in South India and
Central India). This entire temple complex is full of intricate carvings of
the stories from Ramayana, Mahabharata and other Puranas
2. A huge Nandi - (-the Bull, mount of Lord Shiva) True
to the story he is looking away from the sanctum Santorum so as not to
disturb the privacy of Lord Shiva and Lady Parvati (his consort)
3. A huge bell at the entrance
4. A flat – elongated tortoise
5. Heat resistant basalt rock maintains the cool
temperature inside the temple even if it’s soaring outside.
6. At the entrance on the top we could see some paintings
in worn out colors. But can’t be sure if they are as old as the temple or
have been done-up recently.
Downside:
Even though this monument is a protected monument,
they have started painting it with some yellow color. This color of our era
will rob the monument of its old beauty. Painting it can never be a way of
protecting it. How come ASI (Archeological Survey of India) is allowing this to
happen is a big question? (Now I can imagine how beautiful Meenakshi temple
at Madurai would have looked before painting it in numerous colors)
Tips:
1. This temple is situated on a Hill top and you
have to drive on a narrow single lane steep road to reach it. A trained
driver is a must.
2. Camera is a must. Unfortunately we didn’t take our
camera thinking it just any other temple in Maharashtra. (The poor quality images here have been clicked on my Micromax Canvas Knight A350)
3. Avoid going there on any day / festival related
with Lord Shiva such as Mahashivaratri & / or Shravani Somavar (Mondays of the
Hindu month – Shravan) so that you can quietly indulge in appreciating its
beauty.
Wikifo:
1. It was a fort which was called as 'Mangalgadh'.
It is said that Parvati danced
for Shiva and from here they went to Kailash and
got married.
2. The temple is also known for the folk-tale about it;
when a bowl of sweet (pedhas) is offered to the Shiva Ling,
one or more of the sweets disappear. Actor-travel writer Milind
Gunaji writes about his experience with this in his book Mystical,
Magical Maharashtra.
3. The temple also has an idol of Ganesha in
female attire. It is popular as Ganeshwari
or Lambodari or Ganeshyani. (We couldn’t find it in our visit)
Additional Read: yawat-bhuleshwar-temple
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(Find this map at: Bhuleshwar Temple)
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