Chasing the Monsoon....

I always dreamt of chasing the monsoon in Western ghats. Well all I can say now is that I really started that with a BANGGGG!... Hailing from hilly regions of karnataka, where in sahyadri ranges have always had a big influence on me, finally I got an opportunity to visit one of the most famous destinations in Sahyadri mountain ranges.

It all started on a gloomy Saturday morning. Being one of the lazy folks in our gang, the departure was delayed by an half an hour. Well I would say that was pretty good by my standards. Having rented a car, we hit the road around 6.30AM.
As we hit the most beautifully built/admired Mumbai-Pune express way, rain god was unleashing his power with full force. Well, it’s a real treat to go on a long drive, with monsoon in its full fury and a great express highway, the ghats/streams and the hairpin curves, and the scenic beauty of SAHYADRI for your company, the drive was simply AMAZING!!!. Initially we thought of going to LONAVALA by train, which is of course has its own pleasures, but then renting the car proved to be a good decision.

With plethora of streams around, we relaxed near a road side water fall after reaching Lonavala which was at its scenic best coz of monsoon. Then we went Lions point, at here the visibility was so low due to the mist we could hardly see each other. Then we went to Tiger falls, and the Bushi Dam. Here a guy was selling vadapav with an umbrella in his hand, in the midst of heavy down pour, and water every where near BUSHI dam… Now I really regret of not having taken a photograph of the gentleman (:-

Nevertheless, after having lunch and a brief halt at TATA POWER STATION (which was conceived and built by JRD Tata), we headed towards Karla Caves which also has a temple of goddess Ek Vira Devi. This Buddhist monastery is built around 160 BC and the amazing thing about this is there is 45 mts long and 15 mts high Chaitya which is carved out of the mountain. On our way back we had a glimpse of Khandala Ghat enroute Mumbai.

Having eaten most of CHIKKIs on our way pradeep gloats about the land of CHIKKIShere :-)))

Needless to say, MONSOON was our companion through out the day, and a thus beginning was made :-)

COMING SOON : SNAPS