Travelogue - Malshej Ghat
It was a much a needed break during a week. It was all unplanned but I feel fortunate enough that I could do it. I don’t know how many people can have the luxury or have the willingness to go for a trip in the middle of the week but somehow we managed it. Leaving the hustle and bustle of the city we just embarked on a journey which proved to be best one in my life after a long time.
I did not know much about the Malshej Ghat / region and what it has in store to offer for a mountain lover like me. Being a central/north Indian I could never imagine that monsoon in Maharashtra could be so amazingly beautiful. The moment we entered the Sahyadri range of mountains I changed my views completely and thought that monsoon could only be beautiful here.
So close from the city yet so diverse in nature it was a view of the entire region for which eyes will be personally thankful to their beholders. Since we started late in the day it was getting dark to reach our destination the MTDC resort. However the scenic views on the way were so irresistible that we kept on stopping our car at various points. This prolonged our journey to the extent that we caught by clouds in the dark. The fog (clouds) was so dense that one could see only 2-3 meters on this hilly road. Those white lines, which I always assumed as decor on the middle of a road proved to be only guiding point to reach our destination. So finally after all that tension and little bit of fear we were at the resort thanking government for keeping those white lines in good visible condition.
We were told by the staff at the resort that morning will be even cloudier than night, and when we opened our eyes in the morning it was exactly the same as described. The moment we opened the large window we had clouds in our room, this was an experience in itself which I never had in my life. Amazed by the nature and the beauty of it I can only compare it with place like Manali. After our breakfast we decided to explore the area near our resort. The moment we stepped out it was totally a different world altogether. Lush greenery , uncountable waterfalls, hide and seek playing clouds, small but attractive water bodies and crooning birds, all that we saw wherever we could.
After this short introduction with nature we decided to slowly move in the car on our way back. However this was not the end, it was the beginning of the real journey. I think Mother Nature has given prettiness in abundance to this region especially for monsoons. The journey had more stops than drives; every place we stopped was like a tourist spot in itself. There were waterfalls at every meter of the road and there were waterfalls which could never fall down on the ground because of heavy winds coming up from the hill. After some resistance we left all our inhibitions aside and indulged in some waterfall bathing like kids.
The real destination came when the road was looking like a snake in the middle of mountains. The entire surrounding was a treat for eyes. There were waterfalls on the road, above the road, below the road. At this point one could see only pristine water and greenery everywhere. The point was not ready to leave us rather we were not ready to leave it. Everything finally comes to an end so how can our journey be an exception? Clock was ticking with its own speed but we all felt that it was running faster than usual. Soon Mumbai started calling and we had to embark on our final journey. Although we were coming back but, our souls were left behind somewhere among the mountains of Malshej and Sahyadri. A fascinating trip came to an end.
Rating for the place: * * * * *
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