Gang – Gokhle and Ranade family

Mode of transport – Innova

Route and Itinerary

25^th Dec – Pune – Kolhapur – Amboli

Night halt at JRD international Amboli

26^th December Amboli – Sawantwadi – Tarkarli

Night halt at Matoshri resort Tarkarli

27^th December Tarkarli

Stay at SagarSangam Tarkarli

28^th December  Tarkarli – Velneshwar

Night halt at Vivek Gokhale, Velneshwar

केळशी गाव आहे अरुंद गल्ल्यांचं. वाट विचारत विचारत महालक्ष्मीच्या देवळाकडे निघालो. देवळापुढे एकदम रस्ता संपला. दोन्ही बाजुला झाडी. समुद्रावरुन येणारा खारा वारा जाणवत होता. डावीकडे दुरवर माड – पोफळ पोहोचलेले. त्यातुन डोकावणारा याकुतबाबांच्या दर्ग्याचा मीनार. समोर सुबकसं महालक्ष्मीचं देउळ. गोल घुमटाचं. प्रवेशद्वारावर नगारखाना. फरसबंद परिसर. आवारात चाफ्याची झाडं. चाफ्याची झाडं आणि देउळ यांना एकमेकांमुळे शोभा येते. एक दुस-याशिवाय अपुरं वाटतं. त्या निरव शांत स्थळी जणु महालक्ष्मी तप आचरत आहे.

आंजर्ल्याला साठ्यांकडे अगदी घरगुती जेवण झालं. केळीचं आडवं पान. भात-पिठलं, डांगराचा गोळा, लोणचं आणि आंबट ताक. काकू रांधायला आणि पट्टेरी चड्डी घातलेले काका वाढायला. (मला गौरीच्या पुसाळकारांची आठवण झाली) सगळ्यांनी आडवा हात मारला.

आंजर्लाला खाडीवरचा पुल ओलांडला. मॊठा देखणा परिसर आहे. एकीकडे चकाकणारा करडा अरबी समुद्र. दोन्ही बाजुला पुळणी, सुरुची झाडं. माडापोफळीच्या बागा, दुरुन दिसणारं कड्यावरच्या गणपतीचं देउळ.

पुढे हरणेची कॊळी वस्ती. इथॆ किना-यालाच समुद्र खोल आहे. किना-याला लागुन कोळ्यांची घरं, बाहेर ओढुन ठेवलेल्या होड्या. एवढ्याश्या पुळणीवरुन समुद्रात पोहणारी २० – २५ कोळी पोरं अगदी सी गल्स च्या टोळीसारखी डुंबत होती.

कर्दं उजवीकडे ठेवुन घाट चढायला लागलो. आसुदच्यापुढे व्याघ्रेश्वर. तिन्ही बाजुंनी डोंगरांनी वेढलेलं, नदी किनारचं टुमदार देउळ. गाभा-याला हेमाडपंथी शिखर. सभामंडप मात्र कौलारु. आवारात असलेले अवशेष आणि काळे चिरे गतवैभवाची साक्ष देतात.

डोंगरांच्या ओंजळीतुन वाहाणारी झुळुक उन्हाळ्याचा विसर पाडत होती. `शंभो हर हर’ म्हणत आम्ही दापोली पोलादपुर मार्गे महाबळेश्वरी निघालो.

या मे महिन्यात आम्ही सगळी रानडे मंडळी कोकणस्वारीला गेलो होतो ना तेंव्हाची गोष्ट. आम्ही नऊ जण होतो. मुक्कम होता दिवे आगरच्या वाडीत. रात्रीची वेळ. दरवाजावर टकटक. आत झोपलेल्या चौघांपैकी एकाला जाग येते. परत टकटक.

`कोण आहे’ ला उत्तर नाही.

दुसरीला जाग येते. उरलेल्या दोघांना पत्ता नाही. परत दार वाजवल्याचा आवाज.

`कोण आहॆ?’ … शांतता..

उठुन खिडकीतुन डोकावुन बघितले तर बाहेर कुणीच नाही. नुसती रातकिड्यांची कीरकीर.

दुस-या दिवशी शेजारच्या खोलीत झोपलेल्या आजी सांगतात की त्या रात्री उठल्या तर त्यांच्या खोलीचा दरवाजा सताड उघडा. झोपायला जाताना तर बंद केला होता.

प्रकरणाचा उलगडा होईना. ड्रायवरने फोडणी दिली, `रात्री मला पण कोणीतरी बाहेर असल्याचा भास झाला. गाडीत झोपलॊ होतो तर मागुन कोणीतरी येतंय. चेपलो जतोय असं वाटलं. मी टरकलो. म्हटलं ‘मरु दे’ चादर डोक्यावरुन घेउन झोपुन गेलो’ (कोण मरु दे? हा का भूत? कोणास ठाउक?)

चौघांना एकाच रात्रीत आलेले अनुभव. बाकीच्यांना काहीच कल्पना नाही. काय घडले असेल याचा बराच खल झाला. पण सर्वांना समाधानकारक वाटेल असे स्पष्टीकरण मिळेना. मग तिथुन संभाषण इतर किस्स्यांकडे वळले.

कोकणात प्रत्येक घरच्या अश्या अद्‍भुत कथा असतात. पु.ल. म्हणतात तसा देवाआधी देवाचराला नमस्कार घडतो. आम्हाला आमची कथा मिळाली.

We had a long journey ahead of us today. Started at around 10 am after good breakfast and sound gyan about “ bagayati sheti” from Uday Bapat. We headed towards Dapoli, took the turn at Purar, via Mandangad, Kelashi reached Anjarle. The terrain was hilly.  I like these hill roads in Kokan. Greenery on both sides, an serpentine roads climbing hills after hills.

We had our lunch at one Mr. Sathe’s place. After Pithale Bhat, we headed towards Asud near Dapoli. We visited our “Kuldaivat” vyaghreshwar which is situated there. The temple is quaint, built in a typical kokan style.

From Dapoli we reached the highway and from there climbed up thru Poladpur, Mahabaleshwar and to Pune from there.

It was a long and tiring day. We reached back to Pune at 10 pm.

The agenda for today was to finish the breakfast early and head for the “Kille Janjira” a sea port at 0800 hours. The team was attired, fed and ready on the appointed time. We headed for Dighi in our Qualis. From here we took the ferry that chugs between Dighi and Danda Rajapuri. It was a 15 minutes journey. The sea gulls started following the ferry for their usual breakfast. The ferry churned the water and brought the fish to the surface, the gulls were fishing these fish out and feasting on them med air.

There were lcal people traveling on the ferry. The lady was happy to have her snap taken. After the snap she took it upon herself to direct Abhay’s photographic efforts.

From Danda Rajapuri we chartered a boat to take us to Janjira. Janjira is a sea  fort built by African merchant called “habshi” by locals in 1118. It took them 37 years to complete the fort. The fort was built from the blocks cut from the rock on which is standing on. While the tide was out the workers would work on the ramparts. When the tide came in, they would work on the buildings in the fort.

The Siddhis were a cruel lot. They were also trading in slaves along with the spices. The first Peshva – Balaji Vishwanath, his brother and his mother were sold to these people, they could have been taken to other shores but they were bought back by his mama and the rest is a known history.

This is the carving near the fort entrance, a tiger, holding six elephants, four in it’s four paws, one in it’s mouth and one in it’s tail. This also used to be imprinted on their coins.

The buildings inside are pretty much in ruins.

Twice in the history attempts were made to win this fort. Once by Sambhaji and then by Chimaji Appa ( Bajirao first’s brother) but on both occasions they had to leave the campaign due to pressing matters near home. The fort is difficult to conquer. There are 22 watchtowers surounding the fort. The watch was posted on all of them 24 x 7.

 Any enemy approaching could be hit by the mighty guns. This one is called KalalBangadi.

The tide was moving in fast. We hurried back to Dive Agar. The rest of the day was spent in playing modified beach ball on “saravalele angan” , frolicking on the beach and hogging the great food.

We started early from Pune around 7:30 am in the morning. We started towards the Tamhini ghat skirting Mulashi Dam from the left, stopped at GreenGate resort for breakfat. The khichadi there was delicious.

Tamhini Ghat – The climb towards the ghat boasts of number of waterfalls. It is a favorite monsoon haunt.  This area was covered by thick forest not 5 -6 years back. You could almost believe a leopard walking down the road. But unfortunately the forest cover is receding rapidly.

Tamhini ghat has a very deep and narrow ridge. It always reminds me of the ridges shown in star wars pod stunts. From  the top of Tamhini you can see the kokan stretched in front of you and ranges after mountain ranges of Sahyadri.

While climbing down the Tamhini ghat and going towards Mangao, you can see Raigad towards your left. At Mangaon you reach Mumbai Panaji highway. Cross the highway and head towards Mhasala, to take a turn and reach Dive Agar.

After the initial fiasco of stinking rooms and too HOT food (Man was it HOT or What?) We scouted a two room Banglow very near to the Bapat Khanaval. The banglow was called “MadhuMalati” It had big front yard and stood in its own palm grove. It is called “Vadi” in Kokan. Coconut and Betalnut trees interspersed with jackfruit and other trees. Irrigated by the well and pump fitted on it for drawing water. The greenery were peeping from the windows curious about the newcomers.

And could Ranades be ever far from cats? This was one majestic black cat …

We headed for the beach in the evening. The beach is sprawling and nearly deserted. Not many people around. We wrestled with the waves for sometime. The sea was a bit choppy I think due to the Monsoon winds starting. Just lying their at the border of the sea and and sand was very relaxing. You could feel the stress and fatigue being blown away with the sea breeze.

This evening we had a sumptuous “Kokansth” meal at Bapat’s Khanaval. “Kokanasth Bramhan” way of cooking is not to be confused with the Kokani food at Malvani restaurants. For one it is vegetarian and bland. The masala used is different too. “Ukadiche Modak” is a kokanasth delicacy made of sweet coconut stuffing in the steamed rice flour covering. Umm out of this world. The bachcha party was very happy with the food. Everybody stuffed on Modaks, Mirgunde and butter milk.

Addition 10th Jan 2009 -  There are lot of queries about contact numbers for Dive Agar.  So here they are :

A good place to stay at in Dive Agar - 

AnandYatri – Dive Agar contact number -  09323137055

Pune contact – 02024217953

The entire Ranade family, 3 of us, the grandparents and Abhay’s elder brother and his family, in all 9 of us went on Kokan Expedition. Abhay’s brother was visiting us from Kolkata.  We wanted to visit somewhere serene and relaxing. We knew it would be hot in Kokan, but the call of the sea and lure of the Hapus mangoes won us. Nine of us set out on a 3 day expedition in a Qualis. Our initial plan was to just go to Dive Agar, and just be there for our entire stay. Dive Agar is a quaint Kokani seaside village. It is about 5 hours journey from Pune. Then on the last day we also decided to visit Asud near Dapoli. Our Kuldaivat, Vyaghreswar is situated in Asud. 

Our Itinerary:

16 May 2006 – Pune Dive Agar via Mulashi – Tamhini Ghat – Mangaon – Mhasala – Borli – Dive Agar. 

17 May 2006 – Dive Agar – Dighi ( By Road) Took a launch from Dighi to Danda Rajapuri. Then towards Kille janjira – a sea port built by the African traders in 1118 and back to Dive Agar by same rout.

18 May 2006 – Dive Agar – Borli – Purar ( towards Dapoli) – Madangad – Kelashi – Asud – Asud – Dapoli – Poladpur – Mahabaleshwar – Vai  – Pune. This was a long rout. We were on the road from 10 in the morning to 10 in the night.