The undiscovered coastline of DHABOL in MAHARASTRA

anilkhare · Dec 26th, 2006, 04:17

My ex collegue Santosh hails from a small village called KHATALWADI ( situated at the end of the plateau) in ANJANVEL ahead of the DHABOL POWER Corporation ( DPC was set up by ENRON).

He organized this trip for all five of us..all ex collegues. We weren’t sure whether we would really do this trip till the last day due to our hectic schedules, but we pulled it through inspite of an absentee and a last minute substitute.

22rd Dec’06 10.30 pm
So finally I, Santosh, Upendra, Sanjay, Prakash met up at the Bombay central BUS DEPOT and caught the 10.30 p.m. Semi-luxury bus to DHAPOLI. Every time we would just about catch some sleep the bus would stop at the BUS DEPOTS (nearly 3 or 4 outside Bombay suburban limits) the noise of the vendors would wake us up. We reached DHAPOLI at 4.30 am.

23rd Dec”06 4.30 am
We had to wait for another bus to go to DHABOL. It came in at 5.15 am and we boarded that after having our tea, we were going thru pitch dark conditions when all of sudden we could see a thousand lights illuminating the DPC like constellation of stars across the coastline.

We got off there and had to wait till 7.10 am when the first ferry would start sailing across. We sat in the small tea shop havin tea, bhagia and palying chess. We then walked to the jetty to see the natural beauty unfolding at sunrise like a newly wed bride taking off her veil …boy I was mesmerized with the coconut trees lining the coast on one side and the vast clean black sand beach on the other and the magnificient plateau housing the DPC with still a lot of its flora and fauna intact.. I was lost for metaphors.

We went across the DHABOL CREEK to VELDOOR on the deck of the ferry in a ride where very moment was bliss. The rickshaws were waiting to pick passengers, we hired a full rickshaw for RS. 70 and it took us across the long winding road and all round the RATNAGIRI GAS & POWER ( new name of DPC after a consortium of INDIAN PSU’s took over). There we saw a GHATGE PATIL bus dropping people at the ENRON GATE, it was from Bombay to GHUGHAR, we wished we knew that there was a direct bus now as it would have saved us all the trouble of changing buses and ferry ride in the cold winter. But on the hindsight we would have missed the views while waiting for the ferry. The rickshaw took us straight to our friends brothers house which was on the borders of the village with a small nice courtyard and back yard and surrounded with a lot of open space.

We went , freshened up, brushed and took some rest and then set out to walk to the coastline at the other side of the PLATEAU .We walked thru the village of around 30 houses and then took the steps to walk down the plateau, we saw the calm green blue sea caressing the skyline nearly blurring the horizion as if inspired by the KHAJURAO’s. It was a sight to behold and then we reached the bottom of the plateau with the help of steps which were nearly on a 90 degree decline. It was a rocky coastline and on the right was the DPC Jetty protruding in to the sea and the barge docking station in middle of the sea, we just relaxed on the huge rocks taking the cold breeze and getting soaked in this lovely atmosphere. Then the hunger pangs hit us but the thought of climbing the steps on a straight incline was very discouraging but we had no choice.. We made it to the top with few of us struggling and one of us stopping at regular intervals.

Then we went back to the house and had some really wholesome meal, instead of sleeping we played some cricket in the front yard. Then we had some chai and set off see the LIGHTHOUSE with the two nephews of my friend, who led us thru the small jungle, which was a revelation as the kids plucked few small fruits for us , the dense forest opened up to fields on the top of the mountain on which the TOLKESHWAR LIGHT HOUSE stood like a naval officer on high alert. Just next to it was a black stone SHIVA temple ( the myth is that PANDAVA’s built in one day) . We went into the Light house paying the entry fees of Rs.5 and were really spell bounded by the view from the top…breathtaking.

There was a small mountain coming of this LIGHTHOUSE mountain, which pierced into the sea with a very narrow top which slanted downwards sharply downwards. I and Santosh decided to walk that narrow top till the tip of the mountain out of sheer adventurous pursuit. We did manage to reach there with a lot of caution but coming back was an equally herculian task, but we did it.

It was a satisfying feeling.

We again walked back thru the jungle to the house and then I dozed off as I hadn’t sleep for a day. I woke up later to have my meals ( which was delicious) and then went off to sleep

24th Dec ’06 7.30am
The next morning we woke up early and were ready waiting for the JEEP which was gonna take us to the beaches. We went past the DPC hospital which was shut, the MODYS green house plot and down to GUHAGHAR.. it was a more developed town and as we were driving past we saw a guy cycling past with fresh NEERA ( a fresh secretion of the coconut trees collected in the pots tied to the cuts on top), we bought three bottles and drank it but it felt a bit fermented.

We then went and enquired about our return tickets the GHATGE PATIL ran buses only at night and the ST bus booking could be done at a bus center a bit away known as ADOOR. ADOOR was nearly 18kms from the village.

We went to ADOOR and booked our tickets and then we drove to a famous & highly revered GANESHA TEMPLE( The novelty is that the white GANESHA idol has ten arms) at HEDVI, the Prasad of different kinds was really delicious, u even get KOKAM JUICE. Then we went to the HEDVI beach which had a pretty small stretch of sand but most of the disciples were taking fancy to the rocky side for some unknown reason. After that few of the guys had opened their beer cans and were guzzling it down.

We then set out to the VELNESHWAR beach, it also had a HUGE SHIVA temple, but as SANJAY, UPEN and SANTOSH had already tasted the brewed barley we decided to skip it( according to hindu traditions it is considered a sin and inauspicious to enter a temple after taking alcohol)

There was a small restaurant where we had our meals and then set out to the beach and then we came across a lovely local guys bungalow with swings and hatched roof shelter to serve the guest .. UPEN sat down to drink beer along with SANJAY and we left our clothes there,

The beach was spotlessly clean and even the water was really clean.. it was a beach bummers paradise with hardly any tourist.
SANTOSH AND I went in to the sea … boy the water was so clear we could see our feet even knee deep in water. We swam for sometime and did a lot of catching practice with a rubber ball. Then we played some cricket and then packed up by 4.30 pm. UPEN and SANJAY mean while had savoured every sip of beer like celestial nectar.

We started walking back, I , UPEN and my friends brother were the last of the lot as we slowly strolled thru.. we went and had some coconut juice just then we saw a guy walk with a pot and chopper towards the coconut tree ..he was collecting the NEERA of f the trees. We had a bottle of that fresh NEERA, not a single hint of fermentation, so light, refreshing and soothing; worth every penny of that RS.20 he charged us for one bottle.

We then got in the JEEP and drove towards ADOOR, on the way at a spot MODKIAGHAR there was newly started boating facility where we decided to do some boating(Rs. 10 per person for half an hour) , unfortunately by the time our turn came the sun had nearly started setting, so we could hardly do boating for ten mins and we got back in to our jeep and then went back home.

There we refreshed and then again went to SANTOSH’s second brothers home for dinner.

The walk was really memorable with the moonlight sky and the stars guiding us in absence of any lights.

SANJAY, UPEN, SANTOSH, and his brother sat down to drink first..I and PRAKASH were so hungry that we stuffed our selves with the fried snacks while they drank.. SANJAY got high and kept on chatting nonstop, he refused to eat, but kept blabbering so we had to ask him to take a stroll in the outdoors. We had some delicious food and then walked back home and slept.

25th DEC’06 7 am

NEXT MORNI NG we set off early in a rickshaw which dropped us at MODKIAGHAR, there we went for some boating again and then came back to the bus shelter and caught our bus home at 8.45am.

We dozed off most of the journey except when the bus started climbing the steep and dangerous KASERI GHAT…the whole valley unfolding in front of us was a view to capture but we were out of camera rolls.

We reached Bombay by nearly six pm …but with the lovely memories still fresh in our mind we felt misfit in this concrete jungle after being in the real jungles.

Nick-H · Dec 26th, 2006, 09:24

Nice report --- a great way to spend the Christmas period

Photos to follow, I hope?

anilkhare · Dec 26th, 2006, 12:31

yeah may be in a day or so the photos would be developed and uploaded

anindya911 · Dec 26th, 2006, 15:42

Quote:

The undiscovered coastline of DHABOL in MAHARASTRA

Nice write up, Anil!

The Guhagar was almost a virgin beach till few years back. Nowdays a few travelers find their way to the beach on every weekend and there are few more on long weekends. Boating facility on waters of Modkagar is a new addition.

Katalwadi, Anjanvel, Lighthouse, Veldur,... all stir up fond memories of all my days spend in there.

Cheers

Anindya

anilkhare · Dec 26th, 2006, 21:59

http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/dealer...?.dir=/4c28scd

shahronakm · Dec 27th, 2006, 19:57

Nice snaps & also good trip report.
There are hidden gems in the konkan region. One of my friend had been to Harihareshwar last weekend along with his office collegues & he said it was very much unexplored / beautiful & their group was the only one at MTDC resort.

By the way when is the nezxt IM meet, would really like to me all your Mumbai IMers. I could not make it to any of the previous IM meet due to one or other reason.

Ronak.

anilkhare · Dec 27th, 2006, 20:59

I am no more actively involved with organising IM meets as I had to focuss on work...May be AADIL would be in a better position to guide u on future IM meet..

As for meeting me u can always drop in to my office at chira bazar,closeby away from your office.

Yeah harihareshwar and divyaghar are really good too.

anilkhare · Dec 28th, 2006, 13:34

I discovered that today others couldnt access the snap with out my login id hence I am sending the public access link to the snaps

http://photos.yahoo.com/dealer13no1

shahronakm · Dec 28th, 2006, 19:25

Quote:

Originally Posted by anilkhare

As for meeting me u can always drop in to my office at chira bazar,closeby away from your office.

Just PM me your address. What is your line of activity ?

Ronak.

Dec 26th, 2006, 04:17	#1
anilkhare Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: mumbai Posts: 405	The undiscovered coastline of DHABOL in MAHARASTRA My ex collegue Santosh hails from a small village called KHATALWADI ( situated at the end of the plateau) in ANJANVEL ahead of the DHABOL POWER Corporation ( DPC was set up by ENRON). He organized this trip for all five of us..all ex collegues. We weren’t sure whether we would really do this trip till the last day due to our hectic schedules, but we pulled it through inspite of an absentee and a last minute substitute. 22rd Dec’06 10.30 pm So finally I, Santosh, Upendra, Sanjay, Prakash met up at the Bombay central BUS DEPOT and caught the 10.30 p.m. Semi-luxury bus to DHAPOLI. Every time we would just about catch some sleep the bus would stop at the BUS DEPOTS (nearly 3 or 4 outside Bombay suburban limits) the noise of the vendors would wake us up. We reached DHAPOLI at 4.30 am. 23rd Dec”06 4.30 am We had to wait for another bus to go to DHABOL. It came in at 5.15 am and we boarded that after having our tea, we were going thru pitch dark conditions when all of sudden we could see a thousand lights illuminating the DPC like constellation of stars across the coastline. We got off there and had to wait till 7.10 am when the first ferry would start sailing across. We sat in the small tea shop havin tea, bhagia and palying chess. We then walked to the jetty to see the natural beauty unfolding at sunrise like a newly wed bride taking off her veil …boy I was mesmerized with the coconut trees lining the coast on one side and the vast clean black sand beach on the other and the magnificient plateau housing the DPC with still a lot of its flora and fauna intact.. I was lost for metaphors. We went across the DHABOL CREEK to VELDOOR on the deck of the ferry in a ride where very moment was bliss. The rickshaws were waiting to pick passengers, we hired a full rickshaw for RS. 70 and it took us across the long winding road and all round the RATNAGIRI GAS & POWER ( new name of DPC after a consortium of INDIAN PSU’s took over). There we saw a GHATGE PATIL bus dropping people at the ENRON GATE, it was from Bombay to GHUGHAR, we wished we knew that there was a direct bus now as it would have saved us all the trouble of changing buses and ferry ride in the cold winter. But on the hindsight we would have missed the views while waiting for the ferry. The rickshaw took us straight to our friends brothers house which was on the borders of the village with a small nice courtyard and back yard and surrounded with a lot of open space. We went , freshened up, brushed and took some rest and then set out to walk to the coastline at the other side of the PLATEAU .We walked thru the village of around 30 houses and then took the steps to walk down the plateau, we saw the calm green blue sea caressing the skyline nearly blurring the horizion as if inspired by the KHAJURAO’s. It was a sight to behold and then we reached the bottom of the plateau with the help of steps which were nearly on a 90 degree decline. It was a rocky coastline and on the right was the DPC Jetty protruding in to the sea and the barge docking station in middle of the sea, we just relaxed on the huge rocks taking the cold breeze and getting soaked in this lovely atmosphere. Then the hunger pangs hit us but the thought of climbing the steps on a straight incline was very discouraging but we had no choice.. We made it to the top with few of us struggling and one of us stopping at regular intervals. Then we went back to the house and had some really wholesome meal, instead of sleeping we played some cricket in the front yard. Then we had some chai and set off see the LIGHTHOUSE with the two nephews of my friend, who led us thru the small jungle, which was a revelation as the kids plucked few small fruits for us , the dense forest opened up to fields on the top of the mountain on which the TOLKESHWAR LIGHT HOUSE stood like a naval officer on high alert. Just next to it was a black stone SHIVA temple ( the myth is that PANDAVA’s built in one day) . We went into the Light house paying the entry fees of Rs.5 and were really spell bounded by the view from the top…breathtaking. There was a small mountain coming of this LIGHTHOUSE mountain, which pierced into the sea with a very narrow top which slanted downwards sharply downwards. I and Santosh decided to walk that narrow top till the tip of the mountain out of sheer adventurous pursuit. We did manage to reach there with a lot of caution but coming back was an equally herculian task, but we did it. It was a satisfying feeling. We again walked back thru the jungle to the house and then I dozed off as I hadn’t sleep for a day. I woke up later to have my meals ( which was delicious) and then went off to sleep 24th Dec ’06 7.30am The next morning we woke up early and were ready waiting for the JEEP which was gonna take us to the beaches. We went past the DPC hospital which was shut, the MODYS green house plot and down to GUHAGHAR.. it was a more developed town and as we were driving past we saw a guy cycling past with fresh NEERA ( a fresh secretion of the coconut trees collected in the pots tied to the cuts on top), we bought three bottles and drank it but it felt a bit fermented. We then went and enquired about our return tickets the GHATGE PATIL ran buses only at night and the ST bus booking could be done at a bus center a bit away known as ADOOR. ADOOR was nearly 18kms from the village. We went to ADOOR and booked our tickets and then we drove to a famous & highly revered GANESHA TEMPLE( The novelty is that the white GANESHA idol has ten arms) at HEDVI, the Prasad of different kinds was really delicious, u even get KOKAM JUICE. Then we went to the HEDVI beach which had a pretty small stretch of sand but most of the disciples were taking fancy to the rocky side for some unknown reason. After that few of the guys had opened their beer cans and were guzzling it down. We then set out to the VELNESHWAR beach, it also had a HUGE SHIVA temple, but as SANJAY, UPEN and SANTOSH had already tasted the brewed barley we decided to skip it( according to hindu traditions it is considered a sin and inauspicious to enter a temple after taking alcohol) There was a small restaurant where we had our meals and then set out to the beach and then we came across a lovely local guys bungalow with swings and hatched roof shelter to serve the guest .. UPEN sat down to drink beer along with SANJAY and we left our clothes there, The beach was spotlessly clean and even the water was really clean.. it was a beach bummers paradise with hardly any tourist. SANTOSH AND I went in to the sea … boy the water was so clear we could see our feet even knee deep in water. We swam for sometime and did a lot of catching practice with a rubber ball. Then we played some cricket and then packed up by 4.30 pm. UPEN and SANJAY mean while had savoured every sip of beer like celestial nectar. We started walking back, I , UPEN and my friends brother were the last of the lot as we slowly strolled thru.. we went and had some coconut juice just then we saw a guy walk with a pot and chopper towards the coconut tree ..he was collecting the NEERA of f the trees. We had a bottle of that fresh NEERA, not a single hint of fermentation, so light, refreshing and soothing; worth every penny of that RS.20 he charged us for one bottle. We then got in the JEEP and drove towards ADOOR, on the way at a spot MODKIAGHAR there was newly started boating facility where we decided to do some boating(Rs. 10 per person for half an hour) , unfortunately by the time our turn came the sun had nearly started setting, so we could hardly do boating for ten mins and we got back in to our jeep and then went back home. There we refreshed and then again went to SANTOSH’s second brothers home for dinner. The walk was really memorable with the moonlight sky and the stars guiding us in absence of any lights. SANJAY, UPEN, SANTOSH, and his brother sat down to drink first..I and PRAKASH were so hungry that we stuffed our selves with the fried snacks while they drank.. SANJAY got high and kept on chatting nonstop, he refused to eat, but kept blabbering so we had to ask him to take a stroll in the outdoors. We had some delicious food and then walked back home and slept. 25th DEC’06 7 am NEXT MORNI NG we set off early in a rickshaw which dropped us at MODKIAGHAR, there we went for some boating again and then came back to the bus shelter and caught our bus home at 8.45am. We dozed off most of the journey except when the bus started climbing the steep and dangerous KASERI GHAT…the whole valley unfolding in front of us was a view to capture but we were out of camera rolls. We reached Bombay by nearly six pm …but with the lovely memories still fresh in our mind we felt misfit in this concrete jungle after being in the real jungles.

Dec 26th, 2006, 09:24	#2
Nick-H Loud-mouthed, Noisy Bird Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Chennai, India Posts: 27,763	Nice report --- a great way to spend the Christmas period Photos to follow, I hope? __________________ . Just one member of the IndiaMike Mod Team

Dec 26th, 2006, 21:59	#5
anilkhare Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: mumbai Posts: 405	the snaps of the dhabol trip http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/dealer...?.dir=/4c28scd

Dec 27th, 2006, 19:57	#6
shahronakm Maha Guru Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Mumbai, India Posts: 1,525	Nice snaps & also good trip report. There are hidden gems in the konkan region. One of my friend had been to Harihareshwar last weekend along with his office collegues & he said it was very much unexplored / beautiful & their group was the only one at MTDC resort. By the way when is the nezxt IM meet, would really like to me all your Mumbai IMers. I could not make it to any of the previous IM meet due to one or other reason. Ronak. __________________ My Picture Gallery

Dec 27th, 2006, 20:59	#7
anilkhare Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: mumbai Posts: 405	Ronak bhai... thanks I am no more actively involved with organising IM meets as I had to focuss on work...May be AADIL would be in a better position to guide u on future IM meet.. As for meeting me u can always drop in to my office at chira bazar,closeby away from your office. Yeah harihareshwar and divyaghar are really good too.

Dec 26th, 2006, 12:31	#3
anilkhare Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: mumbai Posts: 405	yeah may be in a day or so the photos would be developed and uploaded

Dec 28th, 2006, 13:34	#8
anilkhare Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: mumbai Posts: 405	the photos of dhabol with public access I discovered that today others couldnt access the snap with out my login id hence I am sending the public access link to the snaps http://photos.yahoo.com/dealer13no1

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