A Dream
For several years, B and I have talked about a visit to the Ajanta and Ellora caves someday. After our move to Pune, these architectural wonders were much closer to home. It didn’t take us long to plan a trip to the Ellora caves.
Ellora caves, also known as Verul Leni, is a marvellous complex of rock-cut temples and monasteries. This UNESCO world heritage site is located approximately 30 kilometers from Aurangabad in Maharashtra.
It was time for a change of scenery. And so, we packed our bags and headed to the beach! For Junior, B, and me, a beach vacation is a default choice (when we don’t want to think too much!). Just like masala dosa is the fallback option when I am too weary to exercise my mind at the restaurant.
This time, we chose to head to Diveagar, a small town along the Arabian Sea.
Baneshwar, the site of an old Shiva temple, is located about 40 km from Pune.
We headed to Baneshwar on a Saturday morning. The small charming temple is surrounded by a forest, and hence the name ‘Baneshwar’. In the temple premises, Junior was drawn to a couple of tanks and their inhabitants (turtles and fish).
Outside the temple, several walking paths trace routes through the green environs; one of these paths leads to a waterfall.
About an hour’s journey beyond the popular hill station, Mahabaleshwar, lies a piece of paradise – Tapola. The tranquil backwaters of the Koyna dam, the majestic mountains around, the small quaint villages, and the incessant chirping of birds welcomed us to Tapola.
We pitched our tent at Sakha Niwas Tapola, an agrotourism center, in the little hamlet of Harchandi. Well, to be honest, we chose the room over the tent option :).
Maharashtra is blessed with a beautiful coastline dotted with many sandy beaches.
This winter, we spent a few days at Karde beach (near Dapoli) in Ratnagiri district of Maharashtra. Our daily routine included morning swims in the blue sea, long walks on the beach to greet sandpipers and plovers, building complex structures in the sand, and watching the sun set over the Arabian sea.
The Journey:
It took us approximately five hours to reach Karde from Pune by road.