Happy New Year!

Happy New Year to all

Jai at work

Veeru at work

Pollution Solution for 2015

Wow it moved!

Come ride with us in new year!

Long drive to Delhi - 37: On lonely roads in Dang, Gujrat - iii of iii

From Nashik we proceeded towards Surat passing through Dang district. The landscape & green forests of Dang were a pleasant surprise.

Dang is least populated district of Gujrat. It is spread over 1764 sq km & has a population of 2.30 lacs majority being Adivasis. It is located in Sahyadri mountain range & has large portion under dense green jungle. Climate is cool & breezy throughout the year. It is 150 km from Surat & 250 km from Mumbai.

Dang is also known as The Dangs as various places in the district are named with prefix Dang. For example Dang Pimpri, Dang Amla, Dang Wasurna & so on. It is one of the most backward district of India but historical one. Dandak or Dandkaranya or Dakaranya finds mention in Ramayana. Pandavas are also believed to have stayed here. Some photos:

Rest a while at a bus stop 

A little exchange of news & views

Green highway

Unspoilt nature

Quite flows the Ambika

Lush green everywhere

There were several small check dams on the river Ambika

Long drive to Delhi - 36: On lonely roads of Dang, Gujrat ii of iii

From Nashik we proceeded towards Surat passing through Dang district. The landscape & green forests of Dang were a pleasant surprise.

Dang is least populated district of Gujrat. It is spread over 1764 sq km & has a population of 2.30 lacs majority being Adivasis. It is located in Sahyadri mountain range & has large portion under dense green jungle. Climate is cool & breezy throughout the year. It is 150 km from Surat & 250 km from Mumbai.

Dang is also known as The Dangs as various places in the district are named with prefix Dang for example Dang Pimpri, Dang Amla, Dang Wasurna & so on. It is one of the most backward district of India but historical one. Dandak or Dandkaranya or Dakaranya finds mention in Ramayana. Pandavas are also believed to have stayed here.

In 14th century Adivasi kings separated from the Mughals & declared independence. In 1664 Shivaji established Lashkari Amba, his military base here to attack & annex Surat. In 1842 the British were beaten by combined forces of five tribal kingdoms - Daher, Linga, Gadvi, Wasurna & Pimpri. British decided to offer a compromise to five kings & to consider Dang as foreign territory. The kings were paid 3000 silver coins every year in exchange of timber, bamboo & other forest products. Some annual payments are still made though no mention is made of such payments in official web sites. Some photos:

Red balloon marks Ahwa headquarters of Dang district

On the plateau near Saputara

Keep walking!

A little chit chat

Green hills

Bridge on the river Ambika 

Ambika river

Long drive to Delhi - 35: On lonely roads in Dang, Gujrat - i of iii

After breakfast of Poha, Upma & coffee in Uday Hill Resort near Hathgad we drove across to Gujrat just 5 km away in to lush green Dang district.

Dang is least populated district of Gujrat. It is spread over 1764 sq km & has a population of 2.30 lacs majority being Adivasis. It is in Sahyadri mountain range & has large portion under dense green jungle. It is 150 km from Surat & 250 km from Mumbai.

On plateau of the Dang district is Saputara, a picturesque hill station. Average altitude is about 1000 mtr and climate is cool & breezy throughout the year. Saputara has large lake, boat club, hotels & resorts which makes it a cool getaway for a couple of days in the lap of the nature. Bardipara forest is 60 km & seasonal Gira Waterfall is 50 km & Hathgad fort is only 5 km away. Of course thirsty throats of dry Gujrat can quench their thirst here in comfort. Some photos:

We came via Nashik-Hathgad Road

Saputara - neat, clean, quiet & cool

Enjoy cool breeze, boat ride & nice scenes

Another view of lake, mountain & hotels

Lonely roads with lovely scenes

Lush green surroundings & clear sky adds to the charm

Many trucks carried tomato garlands perhaps to ward off evil eye

Ekla Chalo Re!

Long drive to Delhi - 34: On lonely roads of Maharashtra

We returned from Trimbak to Nashik - a distance of 28 km, under intermittent rain. We entered first available good looking restaurant around one pm. We had simple lunch of dal, roti, papad & coffee to keep stomach quiet for 3 -4 hours. During discussion the restaurant owner suggested that one can move towards Surat via Dindori - Vani - Saputara and in Vani one could find good hotel or resort for the night. We consulted map, put on the GPS & started the car though it was still drizzling.

Once past city limits it was long lonely route & for company there were grape farms, hills & mountains drenched in monsoon showers. It was pleasant green all around in fields & on mountains. Every tree & every blade of grass seemed to smile.

But monsoon showers had affected the ill maintained roads as well creating poodles & potholes. But the road had practically no traffic except for occasional bullock cart or tractor. Basically it was tractor country.

We passed Dindori & then Vani but no hotel was in sight. By 5.30 or so we were getting tired of jerks & slow speed. Evening was descending with clouds and no dhaba, restaurant or hotel was seen which was a cause of worry. Mobile signals were weak & kept disappearing. We just drove on hoping for the best.

Suddenly in the distance we saw a building which turned out to be a resort / hotel much to our relief. But they had no arrangement for dinner as there were no guests & therefore no chef! However coffee & snacks were made available which perked us up. For dinner we were advised to go 5 km further ahead to another resort. It turned out to be good dinner with beer in the menu as bonus. For in the morning we were to step in to dry Gujrat. Some snaps of the lonely route: 

Trimbak-Nashik-Dindori-Vani-Hathgad-Saputara

Road moved through the fields, hills & mountains

    

Evening walk towards home

    

In the middle of nowhere

Enough of school for the day, let's go home

Busy farmer calls it a day

Keep walking

Swimming pool attached to Vani dam

Where are you going?

Take a break

Board says Thanks. But no thanks - bad roads, no road signs, mobile not working, no dhaba, no village & no nothing

At last comes Udai Hills Resort near Hathgad. Newly built hotel building had 28 rooms & that night we two were the only guests 

Room with a view - morning sun seen from hotel room. On those hills is located Hathgad Fort

Eat breakfast like a king - Poha, Upma & hot coffee. Now ready to storm Dhokla country

Coffee or Kaapi

Hot & frothy filter Kaapi

Coffee in India: Here in Delhi coffee is taken only on a few occasions in home & usual breakfast drink is tea with milk & sugar. In various functions it is Espresso which is popular. Not so in South. During our recent road journey of Karnataka, Tamilnadu & Kerala coffee was an invariable part of breakfast or even dinner. During the day also instead of tea break it was a Kaapi break. And we liked it too. That led to a little bit of search about coffee with interesting results:

Coffee was known to Ethopians & Yemenis in 13th century. In India coffee plants entered in 1670 in mystical manner. A Sufi saint Baba Budan brought seven coffee beans hidden in his waist band from Yemen while coming back from pilgrimage via port of Mocha. At that time it was not legal to do so as Arabs prohibited the seeds to be taken out elsewhere. He planted these seeds in his hermitage in Chandra Giri, Chikmaglur, Karnataka. For some time the plants remained an item of curiosity & in backyards of homes. Commercial planting came after 1700. British presence also boosted the demand. Chandra Giri has since been named as Baba Budan Giri.

Coffee is derived from baked seeds of a shrub genus coffea. It is slightly acidic & has a stimulating effect due to caffeine. Most of the Indian coffee is grown in hilly areas of southern states though attempt is being made to grow it in North Eastern states also. Both varieties of coffee Arabica & Robusta are grown here. About 80% of Indian production is exported mainly to Europe.

Indian Coffee House: Coffee was made popular in India by Coffee Houses. First Coffee House came up in Mumbai in 1936. There were 50 Coffee Houses in India prior to independence. In 1950 Coffee Board decided to close down all of them which was resisted by the workers led by CPI leader A K Gopalan. Workers formed Indian Coffee Workers Co-operatives to which all outlets were handed over. These were renamed as Indian Coffee Houses. New Delhi unit was opened in Dec 1957 and is still in business.

Filter Coffee: This style of 'drip brew' is a popular coffee drink in southern states of India. The process involves medium roasting of seeds of Arabica, Robusta or Peaberry coffee beans & then grinding them into fine powder. Boiling water is poured on this powder resulting in a dark brown concoction. To this dark liquid is added boiling & frothy milk. Add sugar as per taste & the drink is ready to be sipped in tumbler or dabarah.

Coffee Quotes: There are hundreds of them of which these two are interesting:

'I have measured out my life in coffee spoons' - T S Eliot.
'As soon as coffee is in your stomach, there is a general commotion. Ideas begin to move...similies arise, the paper is covered. Coffee is your ally & writing ceases to be a struggle.'' - Honore de Balzac.                        

It requires a bit of practice to sip hot coffee from traditional tumbler or dabarah 

Filter coffee at Indian Coffee House, Mohan Singh Place, New Delhi. It is a good hangout or Adda for artists, writers, white collar workers, politicians etc 

They say that on a railway station if you hear a vendor calling Chai-Chai-yaa you are in north India & in case the vendor is calling Kaapi-Kaapi-yaa you have reached south India 

On highway to Madurai. Come let's have coffee!

Long drive to Delhi - 33: Trimbkeshwar, Nashik, Maharashtra

Trimbak is a small town about 28 km from Nashik City. Triambkeshwar (त्र्यम्बकेश्वर) temple is situated here with Brahmagiri mountains as backdrop. Temperature here varies from 7 to 44 degrees annually. Best time of visit is after monsoon & before summer gets too hot.

The temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva & it is one of the twelve Jyotirlingas. Godawari river originates from Brahmagiri mountains. Kushavarta Kund is a sacred bathing place & is considered as symbolic origin of Godawari river. The Kund is at a walk-able distance from main temple.

Though the place is known as a pilgrimage since ancient times, the temple has been built by Nanasaheb Peshwa Balaji Baji Rao in the years 1755 - 86 in black stone. One passes through a gate, then through Nandi temple & in to main Shiva temple. Main temple is not very large. It has a Jyotirlinga having three faces of Brahma, Vishnu & Mahesh in hollow space within the sanctum. The temple is open from 5.30 in the morning to 9 in the evening.

This pilgrimage is famous for Dosh nashak religious rituals or Vidhis such as Narayan Nagbali puja, Kalasarp Shanti puja, Tripindi Shradh Vidhi, Grah Shanti puja & other Vidhis.
Some photos:

Temple & the mountains

Entrance to the temple 

One of the hotels in Trimbak town 

Cows being fed as part of rituals 

This is another temple Muktidham in Nashik City for Pitra-tarpan

Potholed road going towards Trimbak which does not allow you to enjoy scenery

Road is being widened & therefore avoid own vehicle