Travel - Trip to Panshet Backwaters

Trip to Panshet Backwaters

After a month of our Baneshwar trip, we were off again on another crusade of our little family. This time it was Panshet backwater areas. We did not have a designated location to go and visit, but to generally visit the area and see nearby areas. The backwaters are located about 70kms from PCMC. We visited Dapkeghar, and Kuran areas.👋👊👌👍✌🚗🚗🚩

Backwaters of Panshet - waiting for the rains to fill in

Opening up to enjoy the day

Beautiful backwater areas

We carried some snacks with us which we enjoyed while waiting in the shade of our car. It was very humid that day. Hence the car too had overheated, so we also gave our car a little rest as well.

Enjoying the snacks in the car shades

Enjoying the view and the snacks

We also made a few videos of the road which was very scenic as well as full of turns all the way.

Enjoying the fruits of nature

While driving down the road, we also came across wild Mango trees where we gathered the raw and ready to eat Mangoes.

We waited at the cross roads of Panshet Dam, Dapeghar and Kuran as there is a MTDC hotel there. While we visited that hotel for some snack, it was unfortunately closed due to the mid-day break.

Kid enjoying the Bayan Tree Vines for playing

On the way back, we stopped along the road which also was kissed by the the Panshet backwaters. We had carried extra clothes for the kid as we were aware that the kid would definitely play in the water.

 

And with this we ended our day and returned back home, it was a very fulfilling and enjoyable trip.

Abhijit More

Pune

Travel - Trip to Baneshwar

Travelogue - Short Trip to Baneshwar

I had come to know of Baneshwar from my colleague. It was the beginning of May and the peak summer was just staring. We as family wanted to go out to a people friendly place so we chose Baneshwar. We packed our lunch and post breakfast were off to Baneshwar in our little Maruti Ritz.🚗🏡🚶🌞🌞

About Baneshwar

The thought of building a Shivalay in a forested area beside the river ShivGanga was that of Peshwa Nanasaheb and was built in the year 1749. Baneshwar is located 45 kms from Pune in the village Nasrapur and located on Latlong 18.34°N 73.47°E 🚩🚩and about 54kms from PCMC.

Entrance to Baneshwar Temple

Baneshwar Temple Placard

While photography was prohibited in the temple, I was able to take a few pictures outside the temple. When we visited the temple was under restoration for coloring as well as some minor repairs too were happening. There is a 18th-century Baneshwar Temple near Pune features a historic bell, captured by Chimaji Appa after defeating the Portuguese in the 1739 Battle of Vasai. Dating back to 1683 and marked with a Christian Cross, this bell signifies the Maratha victory and is one of several similar war trophies taken from churches during that era.

Portuguese Bell as a victory simple 

Nandi placed outside

Turtles taking a dip and balancing on the planks

Fishes and Turtles in the temple pond

Natural water getting added to the temple pond

There is a garden near the temple where you can walk to and spend some quality time. During the rainy / monsoon season the place is even better to visit and full of green landscapes all over. It is also famous to have a waterfall which obviously was not there as we visited in May.

Baneshwar Garden

The garden was good and you do get some basic food which is supplied by the vendors. The place also has some adventure activity games which one can pay and enjoy. Overall it was a very light and fulfilling trip.🚗🚘🚦🚩

Abhijit More

Pune

Travelogue - Trip to Nashik - Day 2

Travelogue - Nashik Diaries - Day 2

The plan for today was that of sight seeing. We had planned to visit Pandav Leni Caves, Someshwar temple and Gangapur Dam. We also had planned to visit the Artillery Regiment Museum which is open to general public.

Pandav Leni Caves 📌📷🚩🚦🗿

After breakfast we travelled to Pandav Leni which is about 8 Kms from the hotel. We started from the Hotel at 11am as to have early breakfast and then come back getting ready took some time. The climate was sunny and after we reached the foot of the Pandav Leni Caves we realized that we should have come a little earlier in the day. Though it was just the start of the month of March and summers were setting in, it was a sunny climb to the top of the mountain. The kid was already cranky at the start and Wifey and me had to carry him all the way to the top.

Taken from Wikipedia site-

The Trirashmi Caves,^[1] or Nashik Caves (Trirashmi being the name of the hills in which the caves are located, Leni being a Marathi word for caves), are a group of 23 caves carved between the 1st century BCE and the 3rd century CE, though additional sculptures were added up to about the 6th century, reflecting changes in Buddhist devotional practices.^[2][3] The Buddhist sculptures are a significant group of early examples of Indian rock-cut architecture initially representing the Early Buddhist schools tradition

Most of the caves are viharas except for Cave 18 which is a chaitya of the 1st century BCE.^[2] The style of some of the elaborate pillars or columns, for example in caves 3 and 10, is an important example of the development of the form.^[4] The location of the caves is a holy Buddhist site and is located about 8 km south of the centre of Nashik (or Nasik), Maharashtra, India. The Pandavleni name sometimes given to the Trirashmi Caves has nothing to do with the Pandavas, characters in the Mahabharata epic.

Carvings of an animal by ancient Buddhist Monks

Ludo Playing Square Carved on the floor 

Some monk may have tried carving a face on the floor

The carvings of a butterfly

Carvings of fish, Peacock and Dog on the floor

The entrance fee for the Pandav Leni Caves is around 20 INR for Indians and for other nationals its a bit higher. If you are a explorer and have time at hand then you can easily spend around 2-3 hours observing with curiosity the cravings on the stones. These people in the era that they were in, did not have any modern equipment's, yet were able to create such beautiful and long lasting carvings for future generations.

We spent time about 1hr 30mins at the caves and after exploring we left for Someshwar temple.

Someshwar Temple🛕ॐ🚩📸🎥

The temple is well known for being a Lord Shiva and Lord Hanuman Temple on the banks of river Godavari.

We also enjoyed some boating and peaceful site of sitting along the river side. We had some home made snacks and also tried Nashik Bhel at a stall near Someshwar Temple

Kid Enjoying the boat ride

After the boat ride and enjoying some snack we were off to Gangapur Dam. 

Gangapur Dam🌊✨🌟⛅🌉

At Gangapur the Maharashtra Toursim Development Corp has come up with a good location and place just ahead of the Dam to entertain tourist. Its a large set-up and provides all amenities from good food and toilets to play area for kids. Its open to all and pricing for the week days is lower with per person charge being 80 INR & during weekends being 100 INR.

We reached Gangapur Backwaters and The MTDC place at around 4.30pm in the evening, we were not in the mood to do any more boating as the activity, we felt were costly. We decided to lay low and enjoy some snack after an hours time and sat around the place. The kid was busy playing his heart out in the play area with other kids. The site was beautiful and the colors of the sky changed as soon as it was time for sunset. We walk down the walkway leading us to the backwaters and enjoyed clicking some sunset pics. Kid wanted to play in water and we did carry extra clothes for him as every parent does.

With this we ended our Day 2 with a beautiful evening at the Gangapur Backwater and Dam site. We returned back to the hotel to freshen-up and post that headed to dinner at Asian Wok and Grill on the College Road at Nashik.