The chants of “Ganapati Bappa Moraya!” are booming all around. The atmosphere is filled with the goodness of divine breeze. This is one of my favorite festivals of the year. Ganesh Chaturthi symbolizes the birth anniversary of our beloved elephant god. This festival is celebrated for eleven days with great zest. The maximum grandeur of the fest is observed in the Konkan region and Mumbai. Today I am going to talk about the celebrations in Konkan (my native place). I’ve mentioned in my previous blog too. But, this time my experience is quite different. Keep on reading to know more 😉

Day 1

We started our journey at 5 AM on the 1st of September. As it was raining very heavily, we decided to skip the Mumbai-Goa highway route, since the roads were damaged. So, we planned to commute via Pune-Kolhapur highway.

As the car was moving forward and forward the cool rainy breeze touched my face and gave me a big bliss. The patches of greens, layers of red soil and the crazy downpours made me spellbound. After crossing Kolhapur, we arrived in a heavenly ghat. Yes, it was indeed heaven! It was Ganganbavda Ghat. Loads of fog had occupied their place everywhere, which made our journey much more exciting.

 

Our car was marching along the zig-zag roads of Gaganbavda ghat amid the lush green surroundings. Then, we took a halt at one of the beautiful spots and planned to drink chai. Gulping down the piping hot tea at such a beautiful location was one of the best experiences of my journey.

My dad and brother took out the shutterbugs and started clicking. This mesmerizing ghat revealed the obscure photographer in my father.

After reaching the end of Ganganbavda ghat, we started our journey towards Sindhudurg district. We reached our native place at 8.00 PM.

We were all excited for the next day (Ganesh Chathurthi).

Day 2

We all woke up early in the morning and got ready to bring Bappa in our house. The decorations were all set and we all were prepped up to welcome our beloved god.

My father and brother brought a beautiful Bappa home by chanting Ganapati Bappa Moraya. The entire house was filled with devotion and everyone’s eyes were pleased after the arrival of Bappa. My brother performed all the required Pooja and then we did aarti (prayers) altogether.

 

 

We then decided to go for a visit to some of the temples in our village. While walking for the temple darshan we passed by the green patches of paddy fields. The smell of paddy crops dominated the air.

 

 

This is a famous bridge in our village. In Malvani language it is called Sakav. Loads of water flowing down the bridge amidst the tall green trees left us spellbound.

We then entered the premises of a beautiful temple. Its entrance gave us the real feel of monsoon picnic.

It was a tiny temple of Lord Shiva in a dense green forest. Enchanting one!

After taking the blessings of Lord Shiva we came back home and did pet puja with luscious food items prepared especially for the fest.

Day 3

Our journey began at 10 AM to Walaval. Firstly, we visited Mauli temple and then Rameshwar. See pictures below.

Finally, our car arrived at Laxminarayan temple which is our family god. We offered prayers and then approached the nearby lake. It’s a beautiful little lake populated with different varied species of fish.

My father offered them some biscuits. The fish arrived in their groups to eat. It was a funny scene to watch.

After doing Walaval darshan, we came back home. It was the time for Ganapati Visarjan. The chants of “Ganapati Bappa Moraya, Pudhcya Varshi Laukar Ya” filled the surroundings. Everyone was taking out the Bappa out for visarjan. This was a very emotional moment for me. My father and other villagers did the Visarjan will full devotion.

 

 

Day 4

The day started with a plan to visit a seashore and marketplace. My brother drove the car to the beautiful Vengurla beach. It was a paradise on earth!

The beach was so beautiful that we didn’t stop clicking the photographs a moment. This place was indeed one of the best spots in my travel history.

After soaking our minds and hearts in the magical breeze of the alluring beach we began our travel towards Vengurla market.

 

 

We shopped some fresh green veggies and Poha (my favorite).

Then, we came back home and began to pack our bags, as it was the time to go back to Mumbai.

Day 5

We all sat in our car with bags stuffed all around and began our journey for Mumbai at 7 in the morning. The downpour had accompanied us all the way.

We then entered yet another mesmerizing ghat – Amboli Ghat. The ghat was occupied with the crowds of fog from start to end. The driving was quite challenging for my brother as it was difficult to see anything beyond.

The pitter-patter raindrops fell on my face as I opened the windows panes of the car, and the breeze so chilly that my mind began to sing the melody of rain.

We then passed across a ravishing waterfall. It was one among the kingdom of magical waterfalls.

 

 

 

The milky white water gushing down the hill and hitting the huge rocks filled my mind with extreme happiness. It was indeed an out of the world spot for me. Loved it!

After gazing at the stunning milky waterfall our minds were filled with freshness and we began our journey further towards Mumbai.

Due to heavy rains and a pool of traffic we reached home quite late. But, overall my journey was very exciting and worth visiting.

 

 

 

 

The holy chants of “Ganpati Bappa Moraya” were booming all over the streets in the past few days. Long drawn celebrations and festivities are a part of the social and cultural fabric of India. Among the many religious and social customs that mark the diverse festive calendar of Indians, is a very important religious occasion – Ganesha Chaturthi celebration is about the birth of the Elephant-headed god, Ganesha. It is celebrated with much enthusiasm in Maharashtra, especially at my native place i.e. Konkan!

I would like to take you through my experience of Ganapati celebrations in Konkan. So here we go…

Almost every festival in Maharastrian calendar has been celebrated in Konkan with wide and extreme level. In that Dusshera, Holi, Gudipadwa and Ganapati festival are prime attractions of Konkan region. Each and every family heads towards Konkan during the festive season of September-October.

During this period, all the zealous Konkani devotees come together to deck the village for ten days. As a result of this, all railways, Government buses, private travelers are full and if you chose to travel via road, then get ready to experience the long hours of traffic jams. At the time of Ganapati festival, if you are able to book a Konkan Kanya train ticket, then you will be treated as a lucky lottery winner. I would rather say, if you are able to get any confirmed railway ticket, then you will feel like King… ;-p

In villages, each family invites lord Ganesha for 1 & half days, 5 days or 11 days as per the rituals. In these 11 days, we pamper Bappa with delicious food & modaks (Bappa’s fave dish ;)) It also constitutes of varied holy programs like Aartis & Bhajans to keep lord Ganesha happy.
There are more superstitions and believes in Konkan regarding festivals and lords so we fulfill all required beliefs during this. After five days some families bring Gauri to their home who is Ganpati’s mother some families bring Riddhi & Siddhi as Bappa’s brides.

The inception of Ganapati festival is marked by the onset of heavy downpour & full grown paddy fields. Just imagine sitting amidst the lush green paddy crops accompanied by cool breeze & having your grubs. Wonderful feeling, isn’t it?

After the festival is over we say god bye to bappa and send him to his next journey by immersing the idol in a water body.
Ganpati Bappa Morya Pudhachya Varshi Laukar Ya! (Come back soon next year)

We have been enjoying Ganesh Festival every year at my native place.. If you also want to enjoy these festive moments, then start planning about backpacking to the residence of god – Konkan 🙂

See you in our Beautiful & Evergreen Konkan with my Bappa next year….. 😉

Never been able to visit the seven wonders across the globe? Not to worry! You can now witness all of them in a single go. Wonders Park in Nerul comprises of all the Seven Wonders of the World. Yes, you’ve read it right! The main attractions at this wonderful park are the beautiful miniature replicas of the seven wonders of the world. These include Taj Mahal, Great Pyramid, Eiffel Tower, Leaning Tower, Christ the Redeemer of Brazil, Colosseum, and Statue of Liberty.

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The Wonders Park is a well-manicured and clean garden with bright botanicals. Kids are seen running and hopping in the lush green garden while adults are seen sitting, chatting, and relaxing in the open area. The park includes a well-equipped play zone for the kids with the convenience of rubber flooring.

The park houses some of the best amusement rides. There is a toy train for kids and adults which is one of the most thrilling attractions at the park. The toy train station looks no less than a real railway station.

Other perks in the park are a jogging track, cycling space, an open air amphitheater with the seating capacity of around 1000 people. The huge real chess board on the ground will catch your attention. You may also find the horse-cart for a quick and exciting ride. For nature lovers, there is a Khandoli Lake, the Lazy River and its foot over bridge. There are some other stunning sculptures like hands holding the tennis ball in the blue pond and watermelon miniature to provide a picturesque sight.

Cameras are allowed in the park so that happy moments can be captured. Also, facilities such as food stalls with delicious food at a nominal rate, lockers, and washrooms are offered to the general public. It is best to visit the park in the evening.

It has become a famous tourist spot and attracts thousands of visitors from all over the city. People flock to the park to enjoy a lovely picnic with friends and family.

All things considered, my view is that this park at Nerul is definitely worth a visit. It’s undoubtedly one of the most bewitching public places in Navi Mumbai, which casts a spell on the travellers with its cheery aura.

Knowledge facts about Wonders Park in Nerul:

• The Wonders Park at Nerul in Navi Mumbai was inaugurated on Saturday, 15-Dec-2012 by Union Agriculture Minister Mr. Sharad Pawar.
• The park is spread over 30 acres of open space, and has several attractions for children and grown-ups alike. Entry fees is Rs. 35 per person.
• The total project cost incurred by the Navi Mumbai Muncipal Corporation for the development of the Wonders Park at Nerul, as reported by the newspapers, has been around Rs.44 crores.
• The park is gaining in popularity and a large number of people are flocking to Wonders Park to enjoy the toy train and other rides and to see replicas of the seven wonders of the world, that have bestowed the park its name.

Kaas was a khaas (special) trip for me. Why you may ask? Well, back in September 2016 it was my first trip with my brand new cam- my Nikon. I was extremely thrilled about the idea of driving down to a place which has 700+ species of FLOWERING plants!

There are some places in Maharashtra, where you will feel blessed. One such place is Kaas Plateau, Satara. This “Out of the world” place deserves to be visited every year in the month of September to witness not only the amazing carpets & diversity of wild flowers, but also the serene atmosphere that mesmerizes one’s soul…..

We left Mumbai on Saturday evening and reached Pune and stayed overnight at Pune. On Sunday morning, we left early (7 am) and reached Kas by 10:30 or so. The drive is relatively straightforward on NH4 towards Satara from Pune. As you approach Kas (about 5-7 kms before actual Kas plateau), you will start finding patches of yellow and purple wild flowers. The flowers bloom in so much profusion that, if you are a first time visitor, you might mistake these plateaus as the actual Kas plateau! Everywhere you look, the green grass is topped with the blankets of flowers. To be honest, it would be wise to soak in the fresh air and click some snaps of the flower beds spread in front of you right here.

For the Kas plateau itself, when in full bloom, words are inadequate to explain the beauty, and I would rather let the pictures do the talking! Unlike any flower garden you might have seen, the beauty of Kas lies in its completely natural. Nobody plants these flowering plants…mother nature hides them most of the year, and then tends them to flourishing in the few weeks of Aug to early Sep every year. The best part is that, every weekend you visit Kas in the blooming season, you will find a riot of different colors since new species of flowers bloom every week while the ones that were in bloom the previous weeks, wilt away! How neat!

Tips to take care of :

The Kas plateau is heavenly when in bloom, but even a single visitor/observer to visit the place would impact negatively the quality of what is there to see. Nature hasn’t made paved walkways for you to move around its garden of wildflowers. It’s impossible to walk a few steps without trampling on some flowers. Besides, since the blooming season is peak monsoon, the whole plateau is slippery and slushy and you need to be careful to not trip and fall on a flower bed!

The Sparkling Kaas Lake

It was already getting a little late when we decided to head back to the plateau, but go visit the lake close-by, quite predictably named Kaas lake. Many more rare plants were waiting to be discovered as we walked from the bus parking to the lake and I was simply mesmerised by it all! I have never been as interested in plants before and I can give all the credits to our amazing mother nature for this.
We were hoping to find more rare plants at the lake, but unfortunately the water level was a bit high and the plants had submerged.

Anyway it was a bit dark when we walked back to the car parking and had a cup of hot chai and pakodas, the perfect combination on a rainy day. The return journey was nice as well, as we broke down into groups and played antakshari through the entire distance.

My recommendation is to simply just go and enjoy whatever nature has planned for you, you won’t come back disappointed 🙂

VISIT IT WHILE IT LASTS!!!! 🙂

Travel Trivia

Did you know?

• Kaas has one of the largest concentration of endemic flowering plants and that has also given it the status of UNSECO Natural World Heritage Site!