POOVAR ISLAND -THE MINI MALDIVES ON INDIAN SOIL

The name POOVAR ISLAND,  might sound quite unheard off to tourists .....But I can bet ,  that it's rightly  called Mini Maldives  on Indian soil.
It's located some 17kms from Kovalam,  in Trivandrum City of Kerala. The location is a perfect getaway for both honeymooners as well all adventure enthusiasts.  Now it's amongst the most sort after destination,  because of its floating resort at the mouth of Poovar river as it merges  into the Arabian Sea.

HISTORY:
     Poovar is a small village  situated in Trivandrum on the coast of Kerala.  It marks the end of the territory  of kerala.  It lies close to Vizhinjam, which is a natural harbour. The village has been an ancient trading center of timber, spices, ivory and sandal wood.
  The so called poovar island  is off the mainland ,  in between the poovar river and Arabian Sea.  The beach is quite a spot hidden away from usual hustle bustle of the city life. The remoteness of Poovar  makes it a fabulous place for solace and solitude.
The sunkissed golden sand beach, verdant  coconut  palms on both side of the river creates a magical experience  and above that the sail across the Mangrove jungles makes it stand out of the  experience of other backwaters drive of kerala.

My experience :
     The first time I came to know of this place from a feature on Travel XP channel  on TV ,  I made up my mind to add this destination to my list of Destinations in India .......But whatever  I saw in TV programme, this destination proved much more to my expectations.
  I &my husband  though planned a visit to Poovar Island during our Dasherra vacation but due to some serious engagement, we had to drop the idea ...then luckily  my husband got 4 days official Diwali holidays and we just couldn't  spare this opportunity to visit Poovar. Though everything had to be planned at the last hour, for which our expenses shoot up but nevertheless  , it finally  happened ....We got out airtickets to Trivandrum, booked hotel at Kovalam as well poovar island  and a vehicle for 4 days to go around as  ,besides Poovar Island, I planned for  Ponmudi hill station and Suchindrum temple, Nagarcoil-Marthandam  as well Kanyakumari  to my itenary for 4 days Vacation .
   It was 28th Oct 2016,  around 8pm that we landed at Trivandrum airport,  since our vehicle was waiting  outside , we did not spend much time as we had to head for Kovalam, which is quite far away from city limit..... We had our booking at a star hotel at Vizhinjam Port side of Kovalam beach. ....We were quite exausted  also , by the time we checked in the hotel....then it was just food and off to sleep as the next morning we had our plans to head for Poovar Island.
   Morning , when I woke from sleep , I was mesmerised by the view of Kovalam beach from my hotel balcony ....I felt that my door opened up to the waters of Arabian Sea. .....After breakfast, we left for Poovar around 9.30am.....Poovar is not very far off from Vizhinjam Port ...but the road is quite narrow with lots of traffic and no divider. ...so can't drive fast in this route...the journey is just picturesque. ...net and tidy village all across ...home looked quite wealthy. ...finally we reached Poovar Island  resort gate...As  we had our prior booking  , so not much headache, from here we were ferried to our Island resort ,almost 20 mins sail across....
(3/4 resorts are there at Poovar Island,but prior booking is must specially during holidays )........we were but mesmerised. .........
Then comes the cruising in the Poovar....it's bit expensive, as 1hr cruising charge 3500 rs....but if one skip off the cruising , might repent later on ,that's my personal experience.  Even my husband was not ready for it when he heard the cost....some people go in for 1.5hrs , 2hrs , 3hrs and the price keeps varying.
     The best part of the trip was the cruising thru the poovar backwaters , then the mangrove jungles and then the open sea to the Golden Beach.....
    These were simple motor boat that sailed across ....very thrilling and adventurous as it sailed thru the mangrove jungles,where some shots of Anaconda movie was picturised as per the locales and that's how it became so popular destination.
I was so so excited that my camera kept clicking away one after another.....Just loved the Golden beach , which disappears in the Arabian Sea at high tide....Standing on the Golden beach,  the Arabian Sea waves looked so so scarry. ...it's so so huge...
Unfortunately,  the weather turned bad all of a sudden and we had to leave the Golden beach. ...when it started pouring heavily ,everything became so scarry,  .....even the current of poovar river  increased 3 / 4 fold....we just rushed back to our resort to enjoy our night stay there...maybe I can't explain my feelings during our stay .....I didn't feel very very comfortable as the rooms gets a floating feeling though it's provided with all classy amenities. .....I felt the same uneasiness  , when I first stayed in the house boats at Dal Lake , Srinagar. .....Though , the bad weather spoiled few extra moments at the Golden beach. ...but overall a new experience to add to my memories ....

BHANDERDHARA -THE TINY HILL STATION OF MAHARASHTRA

Bhanderdhara is a serene little hill station located in Maharashtra. ....it's approx 160+kms drive from Mumbai City .....a lovely retreat from the hussle bussle of Mumbai City. 
       Though ,often we had been travelling to  a Igatpuri,  but never took to Bhanderdhara and that too in Monsoon season....though ,it's almost end of the rainy season  still thought to attempt a trip down to Bhanderdhara. 
    It was Sunday , and the traffic on Mumbai -Nashik  highway was much less ,so didn't find much difficulty to drive up to Igatpuri. ...The Kasara  Ghat  onto Igatpuri  is looking  at its best...valley , all in greens and clouds hovering across. ....just loved it . Soon after crossing  Igatpuri, a narrow  road takes aright hand turn towards Bhanderdhara  ....the road was still okay until we came to a cross where we had to take the hill drive and other portion moved onto shridi shrine..... The hill  road is hardly marked so had to ask the locals  at the bus stand there....this portion of the road  is really in very bad shape and had to be very careful while driving....the road is really very very narrow  but very picturesque as we kept continuing onto Bhanderdhara. ....After we left Mum -Nashik highway ,  it's 32 kms drive upto Bhanderdhara. ...No dhaba  or eateries on the way , so should carry ones own food along  .....
Few resorts at Bhanderdhara,  so a prior booking incase wish to stay back a night is must. Mtdc resort and Anandvan resorts  is best located....though we saw another resort named cottage.....but,it's without a view.....
The beautiful lake from the top of the hill is a delight to watch ....quite a big one though...The Umbrella falls is best seen in shape of umbrella  , only in peak monsoon. ..Though ,  nothing much to do there .....I can say , it's peace and tranquillity  will steal anyone's soul ...it's cool temp , sound of dried leaves blowing in the wind , the jungles all around and silence......JUST AN AWESOME BREAK ......NEEDED MUCH TO REJUVENATE AND CONNECT WITH ONE'S LOVED ONES .....in today's  world hardly we get time for each other ...this looks the best destination to be for each other....strole  walk through the jungle road, breathing the fresh oxygen.....it's loved it all.....but for food one has to depend on the resort facilities only..Orelse one need to drive upto Igatpuri to get good eateries, that's the only problem area.
 Since its a driving distance from Mumbai or nashik city ,anyone can plan a day trip and enjoy picnicing in the hills like we did....
I look forward for a stay there in coming days.....but will surely book our stay prior. ...

Really we had enjoyed our Sunday drive out .....

NASHIK - THE ONION STORY.

Nashik city, in Maharashtra  is synonymous with ONION CULTIVATION and Grape cultivation. ....people frequent the city to visit Sai dham at Shirdi,  Sani  temple at Sanishignapur ,  jyotirling at Trambakeshwar besides the visit to Sula Vinyard. ....but for me , who had the opportunity to visit the city several times before , the craze was to see the onion fields and how it's stored for the year round. ...During the harvesting time the prices of Onion falls to as low as 4 rs/ kg.... as one drives off on Shirdi  route...farmers are often seen selling big gunny bags of Onion at throw away prices and visitors doesn't  mind stopping by to dump their sedans and SUV cars with this onions from nashik for their homes.
Once the harvest is done , the onion farmers of Maharashtra,  with the help of labour force from Bihar, hand pick their harvest and stock them up in the wired cages built in the side of the fields....it was quite interesting to see how it is done and stored. It was for the first time I saw the way onions were being stored for the Festive seasons when it's high price in the market brings big fortune to the onion farmers....I could luckily  framed it on my camera lens, though I was very upset when I saw them sprinkling rat kill powders over it ....I argued with some one them for this...but even they r right in their thinking;they r also here to make business ...
So next time each one of us using onions in our dishes , should be careful enough to remove few layers of its skin and wash it throughly  before consuming it.......
Sharing pics of how onion is hand picked,stored and onion flowers  blooming in the fields as well the seed pods  ready to be stored for the next season. .......

MY ASHTAVINAYAK DARSHAN.

Ashtavinayak  means Eight Ganesha's. Lord Ganesha is the Hindu God of Unity,remover of Obstacles,learning and prosperity. Ashtavinayak Yatra is the most important worship yatra in Maharashtra. This pilgrimage or yatra covers the 8 holy shrines of Lord Ganesha,which are located around Pune City. Aachal temple has its own individuality  and mythology.No Humans have created these deities and we're formed completely  by nature. In today's hectic life , it's really a tough one to take on Ashtavinayak Yatra,which starts from Morgaon-Sidhatek-Pali-Mahad-Theur-Lenyadri-Ozar-Ranjangaon-Morgaon again.Its more than 1100kms distance to complete the whole route.
   Living in Mumbai , We alway wanted to go for Ashtavinayak darshan but surely cannot attempt the yatra , which has to be completed in one go ie , one cannot return back home without completing the total journey at a go.I and my husband  finally made up our mind to ,at least attempt the Ashtavinayak darshan. ..so u opted for our flexibility timing within our busy shedule life........

OUR ASHTAVINAYAK DARSHAN JOURNEY :

Since  March and April 2016 , got long weekends of 3 days each ,we chose to attempt for our Ashtavinayak darshan journey during this time. Firstly , we opted for BALLARESHWAR ASHTAVINAYAK, PALI......
PALI is a tiny little village off Mumbai - Pune highway about 11kms ahead of Nagothane.
MUMBAI-PANVEL-KHAPOLI - PALI. 
Pali is a beautiful village nestled in the hilly terrain of khapoli...the temple is in simple format....not much hussle bussle; one can give puja , one simply pray to Ganesha.

 
After darshan at pali , we preferred to get back home as there is alway huge congestion of traffic at wadkal, and we had to reach back home before sun down.

Next day ,being another holiday, was bit confused about attempting for Mahad Ganpati. ..then finally decided to go....it's not quite far away , only that we did not knew about it and the route......So OUR NEXT DARSHAN , WAS SEE VARAD VINAYAK  , MAHAD. 

After crossing Panvel, we took Old Mumbai - Pune highway towards khapoli. ...after Mathern cross it's just a kms or so ahead ...Road is very good to drive thru. ....it was a great experience at Varad Ashtavinayak, mahad. ..though the panditji was standing by ,but one has to perform ones own puja of Ganesha. .could touch it's feet and take his blessings. ....

From Pali , I got Mewa  and from Mahad , so tamarind at throw away price,before heading back home.....

Now had to wait a weeks time for another long weekend in April 8th to 10th 2016 holiday to plan for rest 6 Ashtavinayak darshan which are located around Pune and required a night halt at Pune or around.

It's was 8th of April 2016 ie .the auspicious ocassion of Gudipadwa that we planned to head off for pune city and complete the rest 6 Ashtavinayak darshan. ....though someone advice us to go for Siddhatek, Siddhivinayak which is located close to Solapur first and the farthest one but we started with CHINTAMANI GANPATI,THEUR first.

Theur temple is located by close on the highway ie Pune -Solapur.......it was almost mid day , by the time we reach Theur temple. It was beautifully  decorated on the ocassion of Gudipadwa. ...After darshan there ,we opted for food ie simple dal -rice served at mere penny of 15rs/plate in the complex itself . Chintamani Ganpati idol is very beautifully decorated besides the eye catching wooden framework on its entrance. 

 After that we had to head off to Siddhatek. ..it's really a very very long drive to the shrine . Siddhatek is situated off Pune -Solapur  Expressway in Ahmed nagar district , by the almost dried up Bhima river.....Daund Rly station is the closest  Rly station.....As we drove thru the Sugar belt , the standing crops of Sugarcane just mesmerised us....and kept us telling it's almost close by but after we left the expressway, the narrow road across Daund  to Siddhatek, just slowed down our driving speed.......The SIDDHIVINAYAK OF SIDDHATEK, was a beautiful shrine standing tall amidst total serenity. After darshan there , we just had 5 glasses full of yummy sugarcane juices each , did a bit of leather good shopping at throw away prices....and now we had to head towards MORGOAN  VIA SHIRUR -SATARA HIGHWAY and then diversion for MORGOAN. .....which was nothing less than some 40kms even after we left the highway towards Sipa. ...we had to hurry but crazy  traffic on this route too...it was almost sunset time.So after darshan at MORGOAN we had to leave first and take onto the highway before it turned dark.....

By now my husband was dead tired driving and wanted to give a stopover at the nearest best place. ....but we had to drive upto LONI to get a good hotel to stay the night and planned to head for  RANJANGAON, MAHAGANAPATI SHRINE next morning. 

 After a tiring day we just went off to sleep fast after some simple meal , to wake up fresh for the next  day trip ........We took the Magarpatta  city route to Rangangaon, to have our darshan of Mahaganapati. ...just the best shrine amongst all ...loved the complex and the way it is maintained clean and tidy. 

Now we decided to head for Ozar. ....on Pune -Nashik road.....since the highways are well laid ,didn't find too difficult to reach Chakan onto Narayangoan and then diversion into Ozar village.

VIGHNESHWAR, OZAR TEMPLE is situated on the bank of river Kukadi. ....

It's was literally  mid day and we were too exausted by the heat ....we finished our darshan fast and then headed for GIRIJATMAJ  GANPATI , LENYADRI.....it's total village road with sugarcane fields and onion and Ponegranate  fields all around ....the roads looked like Bulbuliya. ....we reached Lenyadri around 2.30pm.....it's under ASI, and a Ganpati  is placed inside cave...after climbing 350steps , one can have darshan there...the climb is almost 30 degree angle...seeing it only ,I was very sceptic to make it to the top in sun hot sun at 37c  temp.....still started but half way ,I gave up as I started feeling dizzy and asked my husband to continue instead and have darshan and I came down......it's really a nice one but only for the fittest as the stone steps are too high and really not everyone's cup of tea........

 So finally a happy soul ......we could complete our Ashtavinayak darshan  and now it's was time to head home ......My husband wanted to hit the mumbai -Pune expressway by 6.40pm but the maddening traffic on Chakan Road , got us late ...We took onto the Expressway by 7.15pm and could make it home by 9.45pm........

OM GAN GANPATAY NAMAH. .....I bow in His Prayers......

ASHTAVINAYAK :

MORESH WAR, MORGOAN 

SIDDHIVINAYAK SIDDHATEK 

BALLARESHWAR, PALI.

SHREE VARAD VINAYAK, MAHAD.

CHINTAMANI GANPATI, THEUR. 

GIRIJATMAJ, LENYADRI 

OZAR , VIGHNESHWAR GANPATI 

SHREE MAHAGANAPATI, RANJANGAON.