July 2013
I never tire of saying that Pune
is the best place to be during the monsoons. This year, however, it has been
too much of a good thing. Since the beginning of July I have not seen the sun –
and I am not exaggerating. Even as I type this post I can hear the
pitter-patter of the rain outside and I am thinking, ‘oh no! Not again’.
But the good thing is that before
I got the seasonal blues, and the rain lost its charm we made a trip to the
Kaas Valley in Satara district on the 5th of July. We had just
returned from Chennai, after attending a friend’s wedding, and the weather in
Pune seemed like heaven after the heat of Chennai. So when a couple of friends
suggested we beat the weekend rush and make a trip on Friday itself (we had not
even unpacked after our return the previous day) we just drove out of the city,
very early in the morning, again, to beat the traffic.
Pune is in a valley surrounded by
hills on all sides. Just a short drive out and you will see scenic green countryside surrounded by small hills.
During the monsoons the hilltops are covered with wispy rain-clouds which give
them this ephemeral, ethereal look which is most enchanting. So, as I was
saying we drove out from Katraj to the NH4, towards Satara, some 50 odd kms over the Sahyadri
Mountains. An easy and uplifting experience. The green carpeted mountain sides
and a view of the city far below – all very beautiful. After a drive of about
30 kms on the NH4 we took a right turn into Satara. After crossing the city we
could see the cloud covered mountains right in front and our spirits lifted in
anticipation. The road forks with the left going through a tunnel to the
Thoseghar waterfalls and the Chalkewadi windmills and the right fork to the
Kaas Valley. A split second decision made us take the left fork .
After driving some 20 kms and
taking a few directions from the locals we reached the Thoseghar Falls.
Incidentally a waterfall is called ‘dhabdhaba’ in Marathi. You will do well to
remember that because we mostly drew a blank when asking for a waterfall. Thoseghar
had more takers. After paying an entry fee of Rs.10 per head we made our way in, in a
steadily increasing drizzle, to the waterfall viewing point. We had an umbrella
and a raincoat between 4 of us, so needless to add all of us got thoroughly wet
and cold and thrilled. The waterfall was in full spate and formed a mist as it
gushed down from a height. Beautiful sight! We heard some birds and saw some
monkeys and a couple of Harvester Ant nests too.
After a rain shortened trip to
the falls we drove back to the point where the road forked to the Valley of
Flowers. We were not expecting any flowers there, yet, of course, but all the
same we decided to drive upto the lake. Sure enough, we passed the enclosed
section of the Valley of Flowers, where we saw cattle grazing and no flowers. So
we drove on to the lake, but first decided to take a tea break as our damp
clothes and shoes made us chilly. Our friend, Piyush, who had visited the
valley last year, said that on weekends the place near the tea-stalls enroute
to the lake is choc-a-bloc with cars and people, and it is very difficult to
find a spot to park your car. Today ours was the only one, subsequently joined
by a couple more.
Kanher Lake and dam |
Kaas on our way up |
On the way back |
Some white flowers were showing up. The valley changes colour depending upon the specie flowering at the time. I guess it will be white first! |
The Kaas Lake was already full
upto the brim and looked enchanting with the mist hanging on it. The way upto
the lake was slippery but it looked so hauntingly beautiful, we gingerly picked
our way upto the very edge of the water.
Kaas Lake |
We called this rock 'The Sphinx' |
Discovered a 'Duke's Nose' here too. You can see the eyelid too! (below) |
Glistening wet rock has its own beauty! |
This post will be completed when
we revisit after the flowers appear in the next couple of months. Right now waiting for the sun to appear.
links to other Articles on the Kaas Plateau/valley:
1) Kaas Plateau/valley revisited
links to other Articles on the Kaas Plateau/valley:
1) Kaas Plateau/valley revisited
Vineeta Jain has commented on 25.07.13:
ReplyDelete"That was a lovely post rajeev....enjoyed all the pics as well....feeling rejuvenated just seeing those pics...".
Thank you so much Vineeta.Much appreciate.
ReplyDeleteRamchandra Lalingkar has commented on 26.07.13:
"It's true that 'Kas' plateau (in Marathi - Pathar) is 'Valley of Flowers of Maharashtra". But during the 'season' it is flooded with visitors."
Luckily, we beat the rush by visiting the valley at the beginning of the season. Of course, we intend to visit again when the Kas plateau is in full bloom.
ReplyDeleteNice post. Kaas Valley is nice weekend destination in Maharashtra. Visiting this place in monsoon Is amazing experience. Calm environment in Kaas valley make your mind fresh. Check out best weekend getaways in Maharashtra at http://maharashtraplanet.com/weekend-getways/ .
ReplyDeleteThank you, Sonali.
Delete