Diveagar : A Beautiful Beach Town

Having delivered a couple of films, and a hectic round of pitching etc, we decided in November last year, to drive down to Diveagar and Harihareshwar. The drive itself was extremely scenic, and we booked ourselves at the MTDC ‘Exotica’ in Diveagar. We were very apprehensive about the quality of stay and food, (we always look for a clean, dry room with a non-smelly dry toilet, but it seems its too much to ask for in most places) but were pleasantly surprised. More so with the food. Not having much time on hand, we stayed only for a night at Diveagar, and left the next morning for Harihareshwar. We really wished we had spent another day at lovely Diveagar though. Its a tiny but beautiful sleepy little beach town, and we had one of the most amazing meals at a home stay kind of place called ‘Patil’s’.

The drive through coastal Maharashtra is divine, and I hope it never becomes too touristy.

We had the most amazing experience on the way back, via Pali (since we don’t like driving on NH17, we are always looking for alternate routes). The sun had set and the remaining light was fading fast. While driving, we saw a shadow fly past us and overtake our Skoda Yeti. We slowed the car to realise it was a Barn Owl, which had sighted a rodent on the road ahead. I stopped the car so as not to disturb the hunt, and also to get a better view. The Owl swept down and landed in a pool of light from my Yeti’s headlamps for its kill. A few seconds of chase, and the Owl flew away with its dinner. We were too mesmerised to even think of taking photos. Moments like these make such road trips unforgettable.

 

 

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Panoramic shot on the way. Frequent photo opportunities like these make the journey more fulfilling.

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Rajmachi : A Getaway Near Mumbai

Looking for a drive into the wilderness, I chose Rajmachi, being not too far from Mumbai. Mapping the co-ordinates, I realised I could easily make a day trip. From Lonavala I drove through tiny lanes and in between village homes. Moving on, I approached a dry river bed, which looked like it was used as a pathway going … Read more

Manor – Wada – Suryamal – Khodala – Igatpuri : Awesome Drive

Well, that’s pretty much the post. Coming to the beginning, we started from Andheri West, Mumbai, took the NH8 (Western Express Highway) to Manor – Wada – Suryamal – Vihigaon – Khodala – Igatpuri and back by the NH3. Most of the drive is through a picturesque route, almost without any place to stop and … Read more

Mumbai to Coorg by Road

The retreating rains call for one last time to cavort under the cloudy skies and misty winds. Just the right time when we decided to road trip to south of India, to Coorg, in the Western Ghats of Karnataka. The first stop of our journey was Belgaum as we wanted to drive through the Anshi National … Read more

Murud Janjira

Update: I had first visited Murud Janjira about 10 years ago. I had experienced a beautiful drive by the sea, which is now gone, and sadly the sea side has been bought over and converted into private properties. I am updating this articles with some new photos.

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The Nawab’s Palace at Murud Janjira.
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The beautiful seals at the palace gates.
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This beautiful corve of the road retains its excitement event after 10 years…
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One of the buildings inside the palace compounds. Probably was servant quarters or something like that.
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An old school inside the town of Murud Janjira.
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The Murud Janjira Court. This tiny town is packed with history and has plenty of architectural heritage. I need to make another trip, this time, with plenty of time.

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Matheran

Walking in Matheran

Matheran is another quaint little hill station of Maharashtra, best visited on a weekday to avoid the mad rush. It is also claimed to be the only automobile-free hill station in Asia. You can’t drive your car into the town. Which means the transport in the town is by foot or mules. Still haven’t found a great place to eat here, but some of the walking trails are beautiful. The views are amazing, Maharashtra being such a beautiful state. Its best to walk around and discover your own ‘view points’.

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The vew from Matheran in a poorly stitched panorama. The camera was an Olympus E20, one of the earliest DSLRs.
View from Matheran
Views from Matheran in the summer.
Walking in Matheran
One of the many walking trails in the Jungle at Matheran

Camera : An old Olympus E20.

From Wikipedia: Matheran is a Hill Station and a municipal council in the Raigad district in the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is a hill station in Karjat Tahsil and is also the smallest hill station in India. It is located on the Western Ghats range at an elevation of around 800 m (2,625 feet) above sea level. It is located around 90 km from Mumbai, and 120 km from Pune. Matheran’s proximity to many metropolitan cities makes it a popular weekend getaway for urban residents. Matheran, which means “forest on the forehead” (of the mountains) is an eco-sensitive region, declared by the Ministry of Environment and Forest, Government of India. It is Asia’s only automobile-free hill station.

[box type=”success” width=”100%” ]We have never stayed at Matheran, but ‘Neemrana’s Verandah In The Forest’ is an awesome place. Mumbai Office: Marathon Nextgen Innova 4th Floor, IT Park, Lower Parel, Mumbai-400013 Tel: +91 22 6146 3301, +91 90224 24054 Email: sales.mumbai@neemranahotels.com

There is also the ‘Fleetwood House’, built in 1871. Please call +91 9702851885 to inquire for rates or email reservations@fleetwoodhouse.com

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Kashid Beach, Maharashtra

A beautiful beach, now commercialised, it is a roughly 3-4 hour drive from Mumbai. The beach has white sand, and we loved it in the monsoons. Its always nice to explore the villages and areas around, and we discovered some beautiful plantations, streams and villages. Alibag and Murud-Janjira are nearby beaches. From Wikipedia:  Kashid is … Read more