Bhandardara.

Route:  Mumbai – Igatpuri – Ghoti – Bhandardara.

Distance from Mumbai:     163  kms.

Off we go:

Our trip began at 7am on a pleasant Saturday in March. Our destination was Bhandardara, a picturesque little village situated at the foothills of the mighty Sahyadris. As we stopped for fuel, we sat deciding the various route options available. One led through Ahmednagar, the other, along NH3, through Igatpuri, while the third cut through Shahpur, a village off the NH3.

After consulting the all-knowing, all-seeing blackberry with its ever famous Google maps, we settled on option three. And so began our pleasant, yet very long drive.

A very important bit of news for all those who think the BB never fails – well, it does. Not only did it take us off the NH3 and through Shahpur (where the roads are terribly narrow and ridden with pot-holes), it also led us through a couple of other villages with equally bad roads. We did stop at a little local stall for a fairly tasty and cheap breakfast of samosas, vadas, bread and coffee, before driving on for another 45 minutes or so. Then, we came to a checkpost where we were informed that the rest of the journey would have to be made on foot as vehicles were not permitted beyond that point. Since BB had no other route to offer, the helpful guard pointed us back the way we had come and asked us to cut through Kasara.

So, we turned back and, after asking a few villagers to guide us, we took another narrow, 26km long, rugged, deserted road leading to the village of Kasara. As luck would have it, the road led us back to NH3 (where we should have stayed, in the first place) We took the NH3 all the way through Kasara Ghat right up to Igatpuri. Once we crossed the Ghoti Toll Naka, we turned right towards the village of Ghoti. From here it’s another 25-26kms to Bhandardara. Don’t worry about getting lost - there are excellent markers pointing the way all along the highway.

The NH3 is the shortest and most comfortable route to follow if you plan to visit Bhandardara. The roads are of excellent quality, and you need only to stop at three toll nakas along the way, each charging Rs.30, 29 and 50. If you keep to this route, you can get from Mumbai to Bhandardara in a matter of around 3 hours.

Bhandardara:

From Ghoti, it’s another stretch of empty roads that snakes through fields and open plains, and winds around mountains before a sign by the road informs you that you are in Bhandardara.  You can look out for the mountains lined with wind mills. Once you spot them, you can rest assured that you’re on the right track. The village is located in the Ahmednagar district of the state of Maharashtra, about 163 kms from Mumbai.

Although there are a couple of boarding options, we had booked ourselves into the MTDC run resort which offers, by far, the most spacious accommodation…although the service isn’t much to speak of. We had chosen to spend our weekend in one of their lake-side cottages. Each of these cottages comprise of a large, clean bathroom, a fairly comfortable bedroom and a sitting room complete with a little fridge and TV. The hall opened out to a eucalyptus lined backyard that overlooked the beautiful Arthur Lake. Park benches are placed at the fringe of the yard so that visitors can enjoy the view of Arthur Lake in simple comfort.

(Although MTDC offers fairly good and comfortable accommodation, the restaurant and its service isn’t much to speak of. The waiters are extremely slow, half the items on the menu are not in the kitchen, and do remember to wipe your plate and glasses before using them.)

If you’re looking for a place to spend the weekend in peace and quiet relaxation, then Bhandardara is the place for you to head to. Bhandardara sits by the Pravara River, and is a blend of natural beauty, waterfalls, mountains, tranquility, greenery, invigorating air and pristine ambiance. The Bhandardara Lake and the Randha falls are major tourist attractions. Bhandardara is full of attractions – from Wilson Dam to Arthur Lake. As legend has it, Shri Agasti Rishi meditated here for a year, surviving only on water and air, pleased with this display of devotion, God came down to Earth and blessed Shri Agasti Rishi with a stream of the Ganga river, which is now known as the Pravara River.

Bhandardara is famous for Kalsubai (1646 m), the highest peak in Maharashtra. This little village is often visited by trekkers, but mostly during the monsoons. It is also the best time to enjoy the many waterfalls and scenic beauty of Bhandardara.

Apart from what this quiet village has to offer in terms of tourist attractions, there is something truly beautiful and heart-warming about the place.

I suppose it’s because of the quaintness of the narrow village streets lined on either side by little, brightly painted houses. Everywhere we looked, we could see the locals going about their business of living their simple yet seemingly happy lives.



WILSON DAM



Unfortunately for us, it is the beginning of summer, so didn’t see any waterfalls. Even the famous Wilson Dam was shut to visitors. Having very little time at our disposal, we skipped the tour of Bhandardara and made the most of what the village had to offer us.

The climate is extremely cool and pleasant at this time of the year and it’s a pleasure to sit by the lake and watch as the rising sun casts its rays on the water and lights up the surrounding mountains.

Returning:

The check-out time at the MTDC resort is 9am. We spent some time clicking snaps beside the lake and then, after a breakfast of omelette-pav, we began our drive back to Mumbai. This time we stuck to the NH3 and were back home in just 3 hours.