Wednesday, August 19, 2015

Unsold Gems of Maharashtra

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)
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.
2. There is a beautiful Shiva Temple on the banks of Krishna river  near Baramotechi Vihir. We couldn’t go there because we had to rush back home because of some urgent work.




Tom & Jerry Flower


Gend (Ball in Hindi) Flower



Visit this map here : Kumudini Lake and Baramotechi Vihir




Kumudini (Water Lily) Flower
Step Well




Secrete Discussion Chamber in the well

Guide with the Chinchani Tree in the background


Add caption

Tutari (a traditional Maharashtrian Musical Instrument) Flower
Wild Mustard







Bhuleshwar
(Before your trip to Hampi or Konark)
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)


Parikrama Marg - Passage Surrounding the main temple

Look at the designs
Additional Read: yawat-bhuleshwar-temple


(Find this map at: Bhuleshwar Temple)

Sanctum Santorum


Nandi - look at the ferocity in his eyes


Tortoise it is

View of the planes at the foothills of the Temple Hill as seen from one of the Temple windows

Ruined statue of some Godess

That magnificent Bell




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