Now this one is of a short jaunty we made to coastal Konkan strip. We as in my parents and me who were very much in need of a relaxed holiday for few days (esp. me to get over the office blues lurking over my head). Offlate I have made it a customary practice to hit some place over the year end! Our itinerary was of a three-day trip starting from Goa and ending in Ganpatipule. Intermediate halts were planned at Vengurla, Redi, Malvan.
We began our journey sharp at 6:30 a.m....too early by the standards but being early risers we could make it really...Somehow mornings have a nice ethereal feel to them... there is a chilling coldness in the air...light rays of the sun making their way slowly onto the earth and to add to it the slowly reviving activity of the people from the stupor of the night...We passed from Mapusa all the way to Terekhol where we had to take a ferry ride to reach the other end of the shore for entering Maharashtra. I must say this was an amazing ride... I have been to Terekhol several times before but this time the waters seemed an amazing azure blue..so mystical and enticing that absorbing it all in one gulp didn't seem enough...Once we started moving, the coastline was also equally alluring and I managed to capture a few snaps which will remain my personal favorites.
Once across, we reached a small dusty and rustic village called Redi. Its name finds less or no mention in travel sites but surprisingly has a lovely beachline...It is so pristine and serene; there was not a soul in sight...it wouldn't be an underestimation to say that it remains one of the undiscovered shores of this region; but when it gets known it would definetely catch the fancy of many a tourist. Crystal blue waters with coconut trees lined up made a pretty picture...My father was particularly keen of clicking a stonehenge jutting from the sea he had once seen during his working years as an archaeologist. To his dismay, we couldn't locate it but saw another one which I captured through my cam. Just next to the beach is a small defunct Ganesh temple. It is believed that this was a "Swayambhu" Ganesh who had self-manifested several years back! Moving on, we halted at a petit hotel near Shiroda bifurcation for a breakfast...the coffee there was too good... many times better that a five-star hotel can provide too ... LOL...thats how it always has been!
It was a short ride to Vengurla about 25 kms from there...Now Vengurla is a very small coastal hamlet...actually its just a swathe of land which can be covered in one day. nothing much to see... just a place to unwind practically doing nothing :) But I have a special emotional attachment to this place...it was here that my mom spend her formative years when my maternal grandfather, a well-known English professor as the first principal and founder member of Khardekar college. I have been hearing the stories of their stay there; the natural habitat with cashew plantations, countryside living and was very much inclined to see those stories come alive... We did visit the college and the grand cottage they lived (now turned into a Vidyan Bhavan). I felt quite a nostalgic tweak being there and my mom was all the more overwhelmed to revisit the place she once lived...She mentioned that nothing much has changed in the village...it still remains the small, sleepy hamlet it was 50 years before...with limited occupations and people living their own lives pretty much oblivious of whats happening elsewhere in the world...sometimes it feels good to be in such a place... non-cluttered, simple living...with no much stress. We also visited a famous Rameshwar temple here dedicated to Lord Shiva...People from far and near come here to pay their obeisance and so did we. Enjoyed a sumptuous fish curry rice meal later. In the evening, went for a stroll to the Vengurla port (bunder) where ships usually undock their catch. It was good to see the expanse of the sea with massive rocks and active shipping trawlers...There is another beachfront called as Sagareshwar beach wherein you have to walk in over a projection in the sea to reach a small shrine...Those been there vouch for it as as a must-see but needs some courage to pass over during the low tide. I wanted to attempt it but was unable to find the route reaching it and finally gave up!
In the evening, Mom and I went on a short soiree in the village, simply walking through the familiar(for her) and not so familiar (for me) places in the neighborhood. Some things do resist change and Vengurla falls in that category so to say! We stayed overnight at Vengurla. The next day we had a breakfast of Sannas and headed towards Malvan. We reached the town by mid-noon. Nothing much is to be seen in this quaint town. There is this famous Sindhudurga fort right in the middle of the sea. It was scorching hot and not possible to take a boat ride in the waters to reach the fort. So we left it at that! We just reached the harbour jetty and spent some time there. Water sports, snorkelling, rafting are popular here. Fishing nets could be seen at the other end being dismantled by the fisher folks...But the sea-front needs urgent attention in terms of cleaning, distilling and overall upkeep.We had a Malvani lunch with fish curry rice and typical chicken curry; though I must say that it doesn't match Goan cuisine at all. It was alright but didnt't have the "wow" factor that Goan fish curry has...Its simply uncomparable :)
With that we had to leave for Ganpatipule. This was the longest distance in the entire trip almost near to 200 kms and would take considerable time. The roads were fine but remote; again quintessential to this region, replete with coastlines, coconot trees, mud houses and ample wild vegetation. We reached near Hathkambhe, Ratnagiri by evening when the sun had mellowed down. Now, the distance to Ganapatipule from here was around 25 kms or so. Unfortunately, we took a longer route than the usual one and hit an altogether deserted road with small huts, isolated dwellings, rice fields et . For a split second, it looked as if we had lost our way. For it was not possible to have such an isolated route all the way upto such a famous tourist spot. But I must say this came as a blessing in disguise. On moving further ahead, a ghat kind of road started and we were at an elevated level. Go to see what! An amazing coastline, so vast and so pervasive that I was left speechless... This was one of the best moments which will remain etched in my mind for a long time...The sea was pristine blue, white sands and peaceful atmosphere all around. Also, being able to devour it from a top motorable road was sheer pleasure. Though we cursed the driver for taking this long-winded route, at the end it was worth it! Finally, when we reached Ganpatipule there were hordes of tourists who had arrived from the other familiar route. It was strange to see human population all of a sudden at the fag end of an desolate road!
Now, for the general interest of the reader, Ganpatipule is a popular beach destination-cum-temple town in Ratnagiri district. It is a tiny village but has gained prime importance due to the famous Ganesh temple right in the white sands of its beach; this unique combination adds its own charm to the place. This temple is dedicated to a Swayambhu Ganesh idol manifested years before. Now renovated and with intricate red sandstone architecture, it makes an impressive sight with the Deepastambhas in background. The twilight hours bring solace to this pilgrim town.
Next day, the first thing we did in the morning was visiting the temple. Two large stone elephants and a golden mouse welcomed us at the entrance. It is believed that whatever one speaks in the right ear of this mouse will be heard and granted. I tried my luck as well :) The morning atmosphere was divine; we stayed around for some time in the temple premises overlooking the sea. As usual, I was busy with my Kodak EasyShare capturing the vistas. Moving on to the adjacent beach, the waters were crystal blue, sands were of lighter shade and surrounded by an array of coconut trees. It was a very pleasant seashore. There were some nice shops nearby selling ethnic paraphernalia and handmade crafts. I also bought some terracotta accessories; prices were reasonable and of fairly good variety.
While leaving from Ganpatipule, we visited the Prachin Konkan Museum - a museum dedicated to all the special things that Konkan region has to offer; ranging from the exhibits of the occupations of the people, traditional living of the native folks, the planted flora typical of this region, photography exhibitions and various other sights that the enthusiastic onlooker can behold. Actually, they have made an entire area through thicket to be trodded by the visitor and in between are exhibits of occupational importance such as those of the traditional Dhangar, Sonar, Nhavi, Koli, Chambhar etc. There are trees such as Bakula, Kokam, Cashew planted all along the way; the scientific names of which along with medicinal uses has been transcribed on the barks. Old styles of huts and houses were lined along the way; with openings from top of the roof for ventilation. I took some snaps of the "jharokha"; I like these olden-kind houses very much, muddy huts with no much decoration, they are so cool unlike our high-rise buildings and bring peace to the mind. There were some photography and arborics exhibitions too highlighting the significant places in Konkan region. A guide assisted us along the way explaining the basics of the exhibits.
And with that our trip came to an end. We headed homewards on the same route that we had taken while coming. This time though the weariness of the travel was setting in and so we were eagerly awaiting the passage back home. On a whole, the trip was wonderful, and I will remember every bit of it for a long time to come...Hoping to do similar travels in future and appending to my travelogue!
P.S: Wanted to upload few pics here but couldn't do so due to blogger issues!
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