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| Marleshwar temple |
Day 1 (20-Dec-19): Home - Ratnagiri
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| View from Ratnadurg fort |
Boarded the 1450 Hrs train to Ratnagiri
Day 2: Ratnagiri
I had booked a hotel online well in advance as it would be a
busy weekend. For the sake of good order, I called up the hotel for
confirmation. The hotel replied that they do not accept online bookings! I had
already paid the money and I was not happy with Agoda.com, the online reservation
company. When I called their helpline, they apologised and accepted that there
was a goof up. To set things right, they told me to pay an additional amount
equal to 80% of the original booking amount so that I can get another room!! I
was also told that if I don’t pay the additional money immediately, there will
be another steep fare hike!! Thank you very much Agoda.com. I told them to cancel my
booking and refund the money. After reaching the Ratnagiri train station, I
took a rickshaw and decided to hunt around for a place to stay. I found a
decent place to stay near the bus station.
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| Breakwater visible from Ratnadurg fort |
In the
evening, I visited the historical Thiba Palace. During the days of the Raj, the
British defeated the Burmese army and the monarch, King Thiba, was exiled. The
British exiled him first to Chennai and then to Ratnagiri. The residence of King Thiba is now called as
Thiba Palace. The last king of Burma breathed his last in 1919 at Ratnagiri. King
Thiba never got a change to set foot in Burma again.
A short distance away from Tibba palace is the Ratnadurg fort.
There are magnificent views of the ocean below. There is a temple dedicated to
Devi/ Bhagawati inside the fort. There are a few hillocks beside the fort. Ideal place to
watch the sun setting into the ocean.
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| Taking a bath under Marleshwar waterfall |
Day 3: Ratnagiri – Marleshwar – Ratnagiri
Marleshwar
temple is approx 70 KM from Ratnagiri and is well off the beaten path. Getting there by public transport to Marleshwar is extremely difficult and I had to take a cab.
(Rs 2750/-). The road passes through scenic rural Maharashtra. The road to
Marleshwar temple ends at a large car park. From the car park, the temple is
about 550 steps away. Like most tourist spots of Maharashtra, the path to the
temple is completely lined with shops catering to the visitors. The main object
of devotion at Marleshwar temple the Swayambhoo Shiva Lingam. (Swayambhoo means
self-created, as opposed to man made.) To see this, one has to crouch into a
cave. The interior of the cave is large enough to accommodate a decent number
of people.
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| Bal Gangadhar Tilak's birth place |
A short walk beyond the temple is Marleshwar waterfall. In
monsoons, there is a lot more water in the falls. Took a refreshing bath in
this waterfall. This alone made the trip to Marleshwar worthwhile.
After returning to Ratnagiri, visited the house that was the
birthplace of Bal Gangadhar Tilak. There is a large statue outside the house.
It’s a bit disappointing that everything in the museum is written in Marathi.
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| Launching fishing boats: At Chivala beach |
Day 4: Ratnagiri – Malvan
Took
the 0800 Hrs bus to Malvan. The bus plies through the National Highway. Major
engineering work was in progress. Reached Malvan by 2 Pm. Took a rickshaw to
Anjali Lodge. This quiet family run
place is very close to Chivala beach. The rooms are clean and it offers value for
money.
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| Homeward bound after a days work |
In the
evening I went to Malvan beach. I saw the poster for scuba diving when I was on the
beach. I called the phone number and he picked me up in a scooter from the
beach itself. The dive center office is situated on the beach. He told me that
the dive costs Rs 1,000 per person. When I said that I wanted my dive book
stamped, he seemed unsure of what that was! I’m apprehensive. The diving boat
was anchored a little away from the coast. I was ferried to the diving boat in
a small boat.
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| Nothing beats a morning swim |
There are about 10 people on the dive boat awaiting their turn
and I am the only person in the whole group who has any diving experience. Most
can’t swim. Diving is done and unsafe and unprofessional manner. Even the basic
techniques like emergency underwater hand signals or techniques for
equalisation of pressure are not even mentioned. And there are no flippers for
the divers! The instructor gives you the BCD. Then he pulls you down and makes
you stand near a reef. He then squirts some pieces of bread from a bottle to
attract the fish. When the fish comes around, another guy shoots the video on a
GoPro. The whole dive takes only about 5 minutes. When I surfaced, I was told
the video costs extra.
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| Fishing boats at Malvan |
This is mass market tourism for the social media era.
When I was sulking about the dive, another person told me that whole
watersports package (diving + parasailing + speed boat+ banana boat) costs only
Rs. 1000! I went back to the dive center and told him that I needed my money’s
worth. He agreed and told me to come back tomorrow by 9:30 for the rest of the
‘watersports’ package. As a consolation, he offered me a full dive tomorrow,
that too with flippers!
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| Sindhudurg fort |
Day 5: Malvan By 9:30
I went to the watersports/diving center. I give my dive book and he’s unsure
how to fill it. He tells me that none of the divers have any professional
certification!! After a brief wait, I am ferried to the dive boat. When we get
there, I’m told that there is no BCD. It will be afternoon before they will
have one for me. I go back to the dive center and he reassures me that all will
be good in the afternoon. I get a feeling that it’s not an innocent mistake.
I’m not going to waste my time in the afternoon.
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| The temple inside Sindhudurg fort |
I go for the rest of the ‘watersports package’. The ride in
the water scooter takes lasts 2-3 min. Next is the banana boat ride that lasts
about 2-3 min. There is another additional charge of Rs 200 if one is to be
toppled into the water from the banana boat! This is followed by para sailing.
As expected, there are no instructions. Para-sailing lasts about 5 minutes.
Dipping in the water while reeling in the parachute will cost extra! One of the
participants hurts her elbow and she’s crying in pain. The instructors are
uninterested as they are busy finishing off the other participants. Finally,
they fish out an old pain relief spray and gives it to her. This is mass market
high volume watersports. Nothing more can be expected for Rs 1,000. But I wish
it was carried out in a safer manner, even it costs a bit more.
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| Inside is a deep well with fresh water. |
In the evening went to Sindudurg beach. This is more crowded
and dirtier. The ferry to Sindudurg fort departs from this beach. I have
arrived late and I catch one of the last boats departing for Sindudurg fort.
This fort in the sea was built by Chhatrapati Shivaji in 1664. A walk on the fort walls is necessary to
visualize the scale of the engineering masterpiece. The temple inside the fort
is small temple. There are a couple of deep wells that produce potable water (see pic on the right). these wells are enclosed with a concrete The last boat leaves by 06:30 PM and I’m forced to make a quick exit. Wish I
had come here earlier.
Day 6: Malvan- Bhagwati Mandir (Khalse) - Malvan
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| The nun reminds me it's Christmas day today! |
I went for a quiet walk in the morning. Beside Anjali lodge
is a church and nunnery. A nun was walking past and she wished me ‘Merry
Christmas’. I just realized that it’s Christmas today!!
The previous night, I had gone to a small local restaurant
for dinner. The food was so-so. But on the walls were the pictures of various
local destinations. The place that caught my eye was Bhagwati Mandir at Khalse
(Also known as Dhamapur). And that’s where I’m going today! I take the 09:30
local bus to Khalse. The conductor tells me that he will tell me when to
alight. The bus first goes over a hillock with sparse vegetation. As the bus
descends, the place is covered in lush greenery. The conductor forgets to
inform me when we pass Khalse. I get off at the next stop after Khalse. Now I
have to walk back about 1.5 KM.
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| Bhagwati Mandir Khalse |
Bhagwati Mandir (temple) is a situated near a manmade lake. There are only a handful of visitors. An air of
tranquility in surrounds this temple. It’s a world away from the tourist world
of Malvan. The banks of the lake
adjacent to this temple is thickly wooded. There is a walking trail around his
lake, but I do not venture out. Buses ply frequently between Khalse and Malvan.
I’m back in Malvan by 2 PM.
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| Bhagwati Mandir Khalse |
Went to the Chivala beach again in the evening. Fishermen were
setting out to sea. Watched the sun set into the ocean; wonder how many I’ve
seen so far! At 6:30, went to the rock garden. It’s a well maintained garden
with a play area for kids. The entrance is free and it remains open until late.
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| Rutuvihar homestay |
Day 7: Malvan – KudalChecked out from Anjali lodge and reached Malvan bus
station. While I was having breakfast in a small hotel outside the bus station,
I realised that it was time for the Solar eclipse. I rushed out to see the
solar eclipse. The eclipse was in progress but the sun was obscured by the
clouds.
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| Kudal Bhagwati temple |
Even though it’s not on the itinerary of most tourists,
today’s plan is to travel to Kudal. I took the same bus 9:30 that took me to
Bhagwati temple yesterday. The family run Rutuvihar homestay is walking
distance from Kudal bus station. This is perhaps the best homestay that I’ve
ever been to. The rooms are large and spacious. There is a large common lounge
with TV and satellite connection. A coffee machine, washing machine and Wifi
are available for the guests. And all this for Rs 500 per night! The husband
and wife doctor couple who run this place have taken great pains to do an
excellent job.
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| Savanthwadi palace |
The caretaker of Rutuvihar recommended a nearby hotel called
‘New Stakar’. The hotel has an old world charm to it. In the evening, I went to the ancient Kudal Bhagwati temple (Kudaleshwar temple).
Click here for Kudal and surrounding areas.
Day 8: Kudal – Savanthwadi – Kudal
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| Store selling wooden toys at Savanthwadi |
The bus ride to Sawanthwadi takes an hour. It’s the district
capital of Marathi kingdom of Sawanthwadi. It's a much bigger town than Kudal. From the bus station,
Sawanthwadi Palace is a short walk away. When I went to purchase the tickets, I
was told that the palace is closed to visitors until 4 PM. As I waited in the
palace garden and then a couple of buses arrived. The travelers in the bus were
greeted with traditional dance and music. These are the passengers from the
luxury train ‘Deccan Queen’. It’s unfortunate that the museum has to be closed
to the general public to pander to these high paying tourists.
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| Kali temple near Kudal |
Sawanthwadi town is famous for its wooden toys. The main
market for wooden toys is close to the palace. The shops selling wooden toys
are definitely worth a visit. I was back in Kudal by 3:30 PM. In the evening I
went back to experience the tranquility of Kudal Bhagwati temple. While walking
to the temple, I noticed a group construction workers standing on the edge of
the small road. Their colleague who was semi-conscious was lying beside the
road. In his hands were small rebar pieces. It appeared to me that he
recovering from an epileptic seizure. As he slowly came around, the others
around him lit two beedis and were trying to make him inhale the smoke. In
broken hindi, they told me that he’s a heavy smoker and that he loves beedis.
They were doing their best to make him comfortable! I had to tell them not to
do that. It’s sad that even basic first aid is not taught in our schools. But I
wonder if these construction laborers have had the opportunity to attend
schools.
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| Machendranath temple |
Day 9: Kudal – Savanthwadi – Amboli
As I was preparing to leave for Amboli, the people in the
adjacent rooms in Rituvihar told me about two nearby historical temples. I
delayed my departure and decided to visit these temples. It would have been a
real shame if I had missed these two temples. Machendranath temple is located
in a small hillock on the outskirts of Kudal. Apart from the temple caretaker,
I am the only person here. I try to understand the story of this ancient
temple, but he speaks only Marathi. We were not making much progress. There are
two boards in Marathi but I can’t read it.
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| Making Ganjifa cards at Savanthwadi palace |
An ancient Kali temple is situated in to the paddy fields
below the hillock. The location is picture perfect. This Kali temple and
Machendranath temple share a deep connection. In fact, both the temples are in
visible from one another. There is a small open
structure beside it called “Mulapurush Sthan” beside the Kali Devi temple. Not sure
what that’s meant to symbolise.
Click here for Kudal and nearby areas
The round trip to both temples in an autorikshaw took about
1.5 hours. I checked out from Rutuvihar and went to the bus station. Today’s
plan is to get to Amboli. Since direct buses to Amboli ply infrequently, I was
told to take a bus to Savanthwadi. On reaching Savanthwadi bus station, I
decided to try my luck again at Savanthwadi palace. Thankfully its open to
visitors today. In the main room there are a few artisans that do traditional
style paintings. This artists center was established by the erstwhile queen and
it’s done a good job of keeping traditional handicrafts alive. Handmade Ganjifa
playing cards are available for sale. An exquisitely hand painted wooden chess
board costs Rs.5000. There is another room in the palace that houses many old
photographs. It’s a glimpse into the past when the kings of Sawanthwadi, under
British patronage, ruled these areas.
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| Amboli Nagertas Waterfall |
The bus ride from Savanthwadi to Amboli takes about 1.5 Hrs.
in the evening I walked to the lookout point beside the main road.
Unfortunately, it was cloudy and foggy.
Day 10: Amboli
Amboli is best visited during the monsoon season. In
December there are hardly any tourists. To visit all the local spots, its best
to hire an autorikshaw for the day. The major tourist spots are Hiranyakeshi
temple, Raghaveshwar temple, Sirgaonkar point, Nagertas waterfall, Madhavghat
point and Amboli falls. Click here for Amboli.
The local temple in Amboli beside the highway is celebrating
a festival tonight. The festivities start by 7:30 pm and continues until early
morning. For this festival, the main highway that’s runs in front of this
temple was barricaded. Temporary shops sprang up on this road. All traffic on
the main highway was diverted through a small road that is barely wide enough
for one truck. I’m sure that the traffic jam on the main road is at least a few
kilometers long.
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| Rankala lake |
Day 11: Amboli – Kolhapur
I took the 10 AM bus to Kolhapur. Kolhapur is a very big
town. Checked into a small hotel near the railway station. Went to Mahalakshmi temple in
the evening. This earliest parts of this ancient temple were built in 7th century. Photography is not allowed
inside the temple. Today’s queue to the sanctum took only 30 minutes. During
festivals and auspicious days, be prepared to wait a lot longer.
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| Panhala fort |
The Rankala lake is a popular evening spot. There
is children’s park beside the lake. Watched the sunset here.
Day 12: Kolhapur – Panhala fort – Kolhapur – Narsobi Wadi –
Kopeshwar temple – Kolhapur
An colleague picked me up from the hotel and drove me to
Panhala fort. The fort was used by Shivaji in many occasions. The fort is so massive that it has a road running through
it. Entire communities live within the fort walls. The fort boasts of a school
and hospital within its ramparts. The guide we hired (Rs 300) proved
invaluable. As per out guide, the fort's chief designer was a Turkish architect. The first stop was the hidden well. In any siege the defenders need
access to water. What looks like a small watch tower conceals a massive water
tank below. The access into the hidden well is blocked nowadays. The royal
granary is equally impressive. Sadly, as in all other forts, the palace where
Shivaji used to stay was destroyed by the British. I spend about 3 hours in the
fort. After treating me to lunch at Kolhapur, my friend departed.
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| Kopeshwar temple |
I had arranged a cab to visit Narsobi Wadi and Kopeshwar
temple (Rs 2300). The first stop was Narsobi Wadi. This temple is situated at the confluence of the two rivers Panchganga and Krishna. It's a major pilgrimage spot for Shri Dattatrey devotees
The ancient Kopeshwar temple is situated in the small rural
village of Kopeshwar. The narrow road to Kopeshwar winds its way through
sugarcane fields. Annual flooding is a part of life in these parts. Kopeshwar
temple was originally built in as a jain temple. It later became a Hindu temple. The main deity nowadays is is Lord Shiva. the temple consists of 4 chambers. In the first chamber is a circular opening in the ceiling (See pic left). When the
Mughal army under Aurangzeb invaded these parts, they ransacked the temple. All
the statues both inside and outside the temple were broken. But it’s the modern
steel and concrete restoration that’s heartbreaking. In some places the steel
bars can be seen protruding out. The modern restoration has managed to do what
Aurangzeb couldn’t!
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| View from Sajjanghad fort |
Day 13: Kolhapur – Sattata- Sajjanghad fort – Mahabaleshwar
(01-Jan-2020)
I’m reminded that today is the first day on the new decade.
Took the morning bus to Sattara. The trip from Kolhapur to Sattara is very
comfortable as the bus plies through the main highway. From Sattara, I took a
cab to Sajjanghad fort.
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| Eating lunch at Sajjanghad fort |
Sajjanghad fort was also built by Shivaji. The fort temple
is very famous and there are a lot of devotees there. Free lunch is offered to
all the devotees. The first few batches of devotes can sit in the hall for
lunch. Latecomers like me are served lunch on paper plates outside the temple. The
lunch consisted only of rice and dal. In this fort is the tomb of Sadguru Shri Samarth Ramdas Swami. But the
highlight of this fort has to the awesome views of the reservoir below.
Continued the journey onwards to Mahabaleshwar. By 6 PM the cab had dropped me
at Mahabaleshwar. Bought freshly picked strawberries for Rs.200 a kilo.
Day 14: Mahabaleshwar (Pratapghad – Arthur Point – Panch
Ganga Temple – Venna lake)
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| Pratapghad fort |
Mahabaleshwar is popular tourist town. And today is among
the busiest days of the year. There are many tour options available for local
sightseeing. The cab to Prapghad, Arthur point and Panch Ganga temple costs Rs
1750.
Pratapghad fort was also built by Shivaji. This fort is
perhaps the only privately owned fort in Maharashtra. It’s advisable to take a
tour guide as most of the fort is not signposted. Beside Pratapghad fort is the
tomb of Afzal Khan. It is said that this fort is called Pratapghad
(Pratap-meaning fame) because Shivaji killed Afzal Khan here. Following
religious riots about a decade ago, the police permanently sealed off the tomb
of Afzal Khan. Click here for Pratapghad fort.
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| The story of Mahabaleshwar |
Went to Arthur point in the evening. There are magnificent
views of the mountains. The next stop was Panch Ganga temple. There are a
couple of small but interesting ancient temples here. Photography is not
permitted in the Panch Ganga temple. There is an interesting board that tells
the mythology story of Mahabaleshwar.
Venna lake was only a short walk away from my accommodation.
I went there in the evening. There was a huge queue for boating and I decided
to skip it. Horse riding is another popular activity at Venna lake. There is a
small amusement park besides the lake. Bought some fresh strawberries and
retired for the night.
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| The idol at Khed Ancient Buddhist cave |
Day 15: Mahabaleshwar – KhedTook the 1030 AM bus to Khed. The road winds its way down
from the Mahabaleshwar hills to the plains below. Khed is a very small town. I
spotted a hotel on the approach to Khed bus station. And that’s where I camped
for the next two days.
I wanted to arrange a car for the next day’s trip, but
everyone told me that there are no cabs in Khed. Finally, I was directed to a
small shop opposite the Khed bus station. The owner of the shop has a couple of
private cars that he rents out on daily basis. I struck a conversation with the
salesman of the shop and he asked me to visit a nearby Buddhist caves. These
caves are barely 5 minutes walking distance away from the bus station. Outside
the caves is a board that translates to “Ancient Buddhist cave”. I don’t
think this cave complex even has a name. There are a few caves carved into the
rock. The biggest one has been retrofitted with an iron grill. This has a stupa
inside. The statue of Buddha in this cave appears to be a recent addition. The
other caves are, sadly, rotting away. We have to learn to value, cherish and
preserve of our history.
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| Ekvira temple |
Ekvira is a small temple situated on the outskirts of town.
Its 15-20 minutes’ walk from Khed Bus station. Since I set out late, it had
become dark when I reached the temple. A person from the house adjacent to the
temple asked me where I was going. He then pointed to the temple priest’s
residence further down the road. I was told take the key of temple from the
priest and open the temple myself. I walked back to the priest’s house and he
immediately gave me the key. He told me to lock the temple and hand back the
keys whenever I’m finished! Trusting total strangers seems to be a way of life
here. Ekvira temple is situated in very tranquil surroundings. It has become
late and I’m forced to leave in a hurry. I wish I could spend more time here.
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| Hot water spring at Unahavare |
Day 16: Khed – Unhavare – Panhalekhaji caves – Keshavraj
temple – Khed
The owner of the small shop came with his car (Rs 3500) on
time. He turned out to be a very knowledgeable person. I am happy to have him
as my guide and chauffer. We started the trip at 0940 AM.
Unhavare: This is a very small village has natural hot water
springs. Unlike many other hot water springs that I’ve been to, the smell of
sulphur here is quite low. Natural hot water rising from the earth has been
channeled into three concrete ponds. One pond has been enclosed and is
exclusively for women. I took a bath in the open pool. The water was, as
expected, very hot. This village is off the beaten tourist path. I’m the only
tourist here.
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| Panhalekhaji caves |
Panhalekhaji caves: While my driver was waiting for me
beside the hot water spring, the villagers had told him about a recently
completed road to Panhalekhaji. This new road is not marked in Google maps. By
enquiring with a few people on the road, we located the new stone and dirt
road. The condition of the road was so pathetic that we doubted if our car
would survive this road!! But we decided to give it a try. After a kilometer or
two, the condition of the road turned out to be ‘bearable’. The road goes
through picturesque rural Maharashtra. Enroute, I stopped beside a beautiful
river and waded in it. The cool water of the river made quite a contrast to the
hot water of Unahavare. The best pleasures of life simple and unplanned!
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| Panhalekhaji caves |
Panhalekhaji caves are a group of ancient manmade caves
beside the Kodjai river. They were re-discovered only in 1972. The oldest caves
were built in 2 AD. Gradually over the course of time, it expanded into 29
caves. These caves were used by Buddhists, Jains and Hindus. Every culture has
left its mark on the cave. The best cave has to be the ‘Kailash’ cave; as it’s
called today. Lookout for the scenes from Mahabharatam are the carved on the
roof of this cave. Click here for Panhalekhaji caves
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| Keshavraj Temple |
Keshavraj Temple: This temple is located on a small hillock
near Dhapoli. The 15-minute walk to the temple is serene and picturesque. There
were a few families going up to the temple. A couple of really old women who
were being helped by younger family members. It’s their unwavering devotion to
the deity makes their pilgrimage to the mountain temple possible. The temple
is set in a thickly wooded area. Water from the mountain has been channeled
into a sprout in the temple. Am back in
Khed by 0615 PM.
Click here for Khed and nearby areas |
| The route to Ganapatiphule |
Day 17: Khed – Ratnagiri – Ganapatiphue
Train is fastest means of transport from Khed to Ratnagiri.
I took the 11’o clock train to Ratangiri. The rail section has some of the
longest tunnels in the entire Konkan railway division. From Ratnagiri, I took a
rickshaw (Rs.600) to Ganapatiphule. Spotted many small and pristine beaches
enroute.
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| Ganapati temple at Ganapatiphule beach |
Ganapatiphule is a fairly popular beach that gets a lot of
tourists. Went to the beach in the evening.
Day 18: Ganapatiphule
The Ganapati temple on besides the beach is quite popular.
Today, there are only few devotees here.
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| Paramotoring at Malgund beach |
The privately run ‘Prachin Konkan’ open air museum is only a
short walk away from Ganapatiphule beach. The walking tour is well designed.
Many native trees have been planted to give an excellent tree cover. A guide
accompanies each group of people on the tour and explains the meaning of the
statues and exhibits. There is a shell exhibition that doubles up as a sales
area.
In the evening, I went to Malgund beach. It takes about 20
min in a rickshaw to reach this small beach. The beach gets much fewer visitors
and is more pristine. Para-motoring is available at Malgund beach. A short
para-motoring trip costs Rs 3000. One more ticked off the bucket list.
Day 19: Ganapatiphule- Ratnagiri- Home
Took an autorikshaw to Ratnagiri. I had booked tickets for
the afternoon. The train was delayed by 2 hrs.
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| Flying over Malgund beach |
Day 20: Home
Arrived at my destination in the midst of an all India
strike. Buses and rickshaws are off the road. Thankfully the metro system is
operational. Took the metro to the nearest station and walked home.
Other blogs in the series
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| Amboli Kawalesad lookout point |
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| Amboli sunrise |
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| The lake beside Bhagwati Mandir, Khalse |
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| Bhagwati Mandir, Khalse |
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| Bhagwati Mandir, Khalse |
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| Bhagwati Mandir, Khalse |
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| Keshavraj Temple |
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| Ancient buddhist caves at Khed |
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| Some of the ancient buddhist caves at Khed are in bad condition |
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| This ancient buddhist caves at Khed is being maintained. |
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| Ancient buddhist caves at Khed |
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| Took a dip in this river. This is between Unhavare hot springs and Panhalekaji caves |
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| One of the bathing tanks at Unhavare hot springs, I took a bath in this enclosure. The water was quite warm |
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| Unhavare hot springs |
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| The entrance to Unhavare hot springs. I'm the only tourist here |
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| Flower seller near Mahalekshmi temple, Kolhapur |
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| Kopeshwar temple |
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| The statues of Kopeshwar temple were mutilated destroyed by the Mugal army |
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| Kopeshwar temple |
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| The partially destroyed staues don Kopeshwar temple |
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| The area around Kopeshwar temple is surrounded by surarcane fields |
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| Kopeshwar temple |
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| Kopeshwar village |
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| Kopeshwar temple |
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| Boatride beside Narsobawadi |
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| Ghats at Narsobawadi |
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| Inside the granary of Panhala fort |
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| Panhala fort |
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| Kali temple, Kudal |
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| Arthur point, Mahabaleshwar |
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| The tortoise on the floor and Nandi outside. Beside Panch gange temple, Mahabaleshwar |
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| Nandi sits outside the temple at Mahabaleshwar |
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| Temple at Mahabaleshwar |
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| Making fresh Bhakra at Pratapghad fort |
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| Pratapghad fort |
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| Pratapghad fort |
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| This path in Pratapghad fort was used exclusively used by Shivaji. This has been closed as there is nobody today worth enough to emulate Shivaji. |
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| Venna lake, Mahabaleshwar |
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| The accommodation beside Malvan beach |
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| Going to Sindhudurg fort, Malvan |
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| At Malvan beach |
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| Waterfall beside Marleshwar temple. Took a bath under the falls |
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| Panhalekhaji caves |
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| Panhalekhaji caves |
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| Panhalekhaji caves |
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| Panhalekhaji caves is situated in very rural settings |
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| Panhalekhaji caves |
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| Malvan beach |
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| Sunset at Ratnadurg fort (near Ratnagiri) |
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| Climbing the hillock near Ratnadurg fort |
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| Ratnadurg fort |
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| Bal Gangadhar Tilak's birthplace at Ratnagiri |
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| Sajjanghad fort |
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| New year celebrations at Sajjanghad fort |
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| Parts of Sajjanghad fort is overrun with trees |
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| Sajjanghad fort |
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| TIme has taken its toll in Sajjanghad fort |
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| The temple inside Sajjanghad fort |
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