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Alibagh |
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Alibag |
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Nagaon |
' Let's get out from Delhi. Though I enjoyed lofty mountains, treks, snow and cold, it's enough! I just want a warm weather, sun above me and hot food now!', announced Tommy Singh.
He finished the last bite on a big brown
Amul cheese and
chatni (green chilli's sauce) sandwich and looked eagerly at me as if seeking a definite approval. He knew me and that I'll agree.
I smiled.
'
Freakin mad travelers, both of us', I thought, shrugged my shoulders and picked up my cell phone.
There was a region in India- a land of rugged landscape with mountain range called
Konkan lining Arabian sea, 60 historical forts and out-posts, lesser known 20 emerald blue beaches, on the western coast, I had been planning to go but couldn't make it. So here it is! There was a surge of Adrenaline into my body, pulse racing with the sheer thought of sun, hot coastal food, lovely peaceful beaches, trekking to great historical forts and tranquility of a spiritual bliss around numerous divine temples and their mythological lore!
By the evening everything was arranged through Mumbai (Bombay) and we the
spicers were flying to Mumbai by a no frill
spice jet airlines.
Early morning next day we were on the national highway 17 driving past
Navi-Mumbai (New Bombay) and
Panvel, taking a right on Mumbai Goa part of NH17. The winding beautiful highway took us to our first halt at KARNALA BIRD SANCTUARY covering only 61 km. The sanctuary was situated in a thick forest. We walked around enjoying the morning pleasant breeze and the natural world of chirping of birds, monkeys jumping on the trees, occasional squirrel on the branches, lovely creepers growing on the trees and mushrooms on the ground. It was a great reinvigorating sight!
'
Kiran, I'm getting hunger pangs. How about some local breakfast?,' asked Tommy Singh.Breaking our dream walk, we went to Hotel Karnala, near highway, had wonderful hot and spicy
vada ( deep fried potato spiced with garlic and green chilli's dumplings ) and
poha ( fried and spiced rice flakes sprinkled with grated coconut) washing it down with hot sugary tea!
Wow! The local stuff!!
Soon we were on NH17 and from a place called
Pen, we continued straight, the NH 17 turning to left towards Goa. Our next halt was Alibaugh and destination- The unique Alibagh beach, the other nearby four quite beaches and the coastal rural Maharastra.
Alibaug beach
Situated 115 km from Mumbai, it can be reached by road or by sea from The Gateway of India, Mumbai on catamarans or by ferry. Then by cab or bus or by auto-rickshaw from
Mandwa.
Straightaway, we went to the popular beach of Alibag, a vast expense of clean black sand on a slow gradient merging with the relatively calm sea. At a distance I could see the Colaba Fort in the sea. I wondered! Alibag beach was a synthesis of nature and history. Walking on the beach, watching the families-poor and rich, their laughter mingling with the sound of waves and breeze, I thought of Happiness. We sat, had coconut water and then to the next...
Akshi beach
Being nearest to Alibaug at 4 km, we headed first to Akshi village and beach. The beautiful green village was a typical coastal village with the smell of fish omnipresent! Passing through the small lanes surrounded by coconut and some mango trees, smiling faces, we reached at the beach. On the way we came across queer looking stone structures called shilas and a temple. There we saw an epigraph supposedly written by the ruler of that period in Sanskrit in the year 1012. Astonishing!
Nagaon beach
It was 7 km on Ravdanda road. Again a very strong smell of fish assaulted us as we neared the village. The beach was 2 km from the village and was an absolute heaven! I remembered a famous Bollywood song of early 80's shot on this beach
('sagar kinare' from film-'sagar'). Now Tommy Singh! Being more adventurous than me, poured vodka in coconut water shall making a cocktail with coconut water, gulped few shots and walking like a patient of a locomotor disease with unstable gait, crashed into sea. Great!
Versoli beach
In the afternoon we headed for another pristine beach-Versoli, a 20 minutes drive from Alibaug. Reaching the village called
Koliwada, we saw on the beach colorful boats lined up nearby. It was an awesome sight. I could see at a distance an excellent view of Colaba fort and some other forts.
Eventually feeling hungry, we proceeded to the village, stuffed hot
bhajias (deep fried salted onion dumpling) with Pepsi and left for our final destination of the day.
Kihim beach
It was 9 km from Alibag.
My goodness! What a peaceful beach. A retreat in retreat! Absolutely stunning with silvery white sand, though stony in patches. Again I recollected some Bollywood movies of my younger days, fight and bumping off sequences I believe were shot on this beach. The dusk had started falling changing the skyline to orange red, birds returning to their homes with some diving into sea trying to have a last catch of small fishes. We sat there in silence both engrossed in our thoughts, a gentle breeze caressing our tired faces and vodka mildly burning our throats and washing down tandoori chicken leg.
Kihim beach was our night halt. Finally we got up, went into our tent, arranged by Maharastra Tourism Development Corporation and drifted into a dreamy sleep with an unforgettable memories of the day.
Hotels:Hotel Big Splash, Alibaug
Mehra Resort, Kihim
Mumbai telephone No. for reservations: 91-22-24932254/24925280
Maharastra Tourism Development Corporation
web site:
http://www.maharashtratourism.gov.in/MTDC Mumbai Tel. No: 91-22-22024627/67137762
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