Tungareshwar - Maharashtra

Monsoon? Wondering what to do? Tungareshwar is the place to be. 

This thickly-wooded mountain plateau is a haven for trekkers, photographers and Shiva devotees alike. Yes, in that oder. 

Situated at an altitude of about 2000 feet, Tungareshwar is an easy-to-reach destination for some adventure and fun in the rains. Easily accessible by autos or private vehicles from Vasai Station, the place also has some eateries that can take care of your sudden pangs of hunger. 

If you have your camera be ready with it. The monsoon turns every inch of space to green and thou shall be blessed with sights of beautiful birds and some creepy crawlies, that would me more than willing to pose for you.

I don't think s/he liked me much

On a wing and a prayer

Muddy pathways that inspire to explore

Munch on these salted boiled peanuts while you climb your way to the shrine

or maybe enjoy hot buttas (corn on cob)

Spooky, isn't it? Her talent only got better when she learnt that she's been noticed:)

A little temple with a caretaker canine

Concrete hollows of the Lord Shiva temple - used for lighting lamps.

Pictures of Hindu Gods on display at a shop, pre-dominantly Lord Shiva.

Reaching Tungareshwar:

Tungareshwar can be covered in a day. Hence, one need not think about stay options.

The nearest station is Vasai. Once you alight there you can share a rickshaw for Rs. 10-15 per head and reach the base. From here starts the trek to the temple, which is a good 3km long one. You also get to pass through a couple of streams to reach the temple. Once at the temple, you can venture beyond for another trek or maybe undertake a jungle trek to the Chinchoti Waterfalls, which can also be accessed through Kaman village on the Mumbai-Ahmedabad Highway. 

Best time to visit: Monsoon! Monsoon! More monsoon!

The vanishing ponds of Kerala

Far away from the maddening crowd of Mumbai lies a land that moves at its own pace. A land that is second home to me and many like me. In spite of being bred in the busy city of Mumbai, I share a special bond with God's Own Country; the reasons being many. Though I was born in Kerala, a major stretch of my life was spent amidst the hustle and bustle of Mumbai. Kerala was reduced to nothing, but a holiday home, or better still a home away home.

Thanks to a large flock of uncles, aunts and cousins our (me and my little brother) trips to Kerala were restricted to social visits, pleasantry exchanges and lots of tea and palaharam. It was only at a later stage of our lives that we started taking these trips all by ourselves. And what it meant was less of polite conversations and more of gallivanting.

It was at this time that we realised that there was something that was going through a slow change in this land that boasted of a large number of naalukettus and ponds. The one that was closest to us and was facing neglect, was the temple pond of Chettarikkara in Charummoodu. It looked like modernisation was not doing much to revive the pond. It had become completely defunct. Sad!!!

Sadder was the fact that this was the plight of most of the ponds in Kerala, a state that could easily boast of 1000 ponds, if not more. Once upon a time an irreplaceable part of the ecosystem of Kerala, today these ponds stare at us, questioning their abandonment.

This picture was taken in Shoranur, part of Palakkad District in northern Kerala. 

Sanjay Gandhi National Park

A good long thirteen years later, I was visiting the Sanjay Gandhi National Park in Mumbai. The last time I visited this place was as part of a teacher's picnic organised by the school. But this time it was with family. The husband and two kids.

Why the national park? Well, to tell the seven year old and the three year old that:

• there does exist a large and extensive green belt in the heart of this city called Mumbai
• a 45-minute drive will get you out of a fast-paced hectic life to a quiet and tranquil setting
• it is indeed a forest and not a Hiranandani created artificial township
• there are a few wild animals too, some in enclosures and some in the open 
• selfish human interests are cutting through the park
• malls don't hold true recreation, nature does

We had fun time trying to get a glimpse of the sunny sky through gaps of the patterns made by the branches and leaves of the tall trees...the park is a tree lover's delight.

And while we stood there gazing, a family of monkeys had fun watching us standing their with stretched necks...probably wondering what we were unto...

Next on the list was a ride on the all-time popular mini-train that paved its way through the park and then a bus safari into the jungle, kickstarting a struggle to spot a few felines (if we are lucky). After all that hardwork, we decided to pamper our tastebuds with some fresh cucumber, red guavas and raw mangoes. Nicely cut and smeared with salt and chilli powder. You can also treat yourself to some 'ber' at the park. Reminded us of school days when these dried fruits with a pinch of rock salt, were a regular treat.

What are these neon green fruits?

Semi-gooseberries, that's what I call them (nothing intelligent). It's just that they look like miniature versions of the gooseberry. Down south they are called 'nellipuli'. Get a boat right now and you can actually sail it in my mouth ;) That's what these fruits do to you. The moment you spot them your salivary glands go on an overdrive.

और यह रहा हमारा प्यारा खीरा नमक और मिर्ची पावडर के साथ खाइए या चाट मसाले से सजाईये, पर खाईयेगा ज़रूर...

I don't know if much has changed in the park, but it felt nice to be there amongst the old, tall trees, doing nothing. And the kids had a great time too. Especially Rishi whose perpetual craving for sour food was satiated beyond imagination. 

FAQs

What were the monkeys thinking?

Are they calculating the distance between the ground and the highest branch of the tree? If they are going to jump from the ground onto the tallest branch, we are definitely going to take lessons from them. 

Did we have fun?

Of course, we did! It's always fun to go back to nature. 

Any issues?

We did feel bad looking at the plight of the tigers and lions there. It's disappointing to see that what could have been turned into an attraction was soon turning out to be an obligation. There's no doubt that the park with it's tall and dense verdancy was taking care of itself. 

Should I visit the place? Is it worth it?

You must. And if you have kids, take them too. Monsoons are magical in the park. Take a day off to treat yourself to some beautiful moments with your loved ones. Gorge on the juicy, luscious fruits and enjoy the train ride. Go on a walking trail. Do some amazing photography :)