We are roadies again during 9-16 August 2025-Mumbai-Pandharpur-Vijayapura-Ratnagiri-Alibaug-Mumbai
Vitthal, Vitthal…invokes a feeling of piousness as one chants this name. It is Lord Krishna who guided Pandavas against Kauravas in a battle best described in the Mahabharata. Vitthal Rukmai (Rukmini) temple was on my bucket list but I realized this dream of visiting this famous temple at Pandharpur in the state of Maharashtra during this trip. And to add spice to our yatra, we undertook a roundabout tour starting from Mumbai through Lonavala, Pune, Pandharpur, Tuljapur, Vijayapura, Kolhapur, Ratnagiri, Dapoli, Alibaug and then returning to Mumbai over eight days. This visit covered southernwestern and konkan regions of Maharashtra which we had hardly visited. We (four) packed up in our car and started off.
9th August, 2025 (Saturday)
We left Mumbai at about 7.30 am and reached Lonavala by 9.30 am covering a distance of 120 km with a break for tea. At Lonavala, we visited the famous Buddhist caves, also called Karla caves and the adjoining Ekvira goddess temple. We had to climb up about 150 tricky uneven steps to reach the top of hillock in about 20-25 min. It was a beautiful sight to look at from the above with village houses dispersed down below in the mountainous area. We visited only one famous cave (cave no. 8) meant for meditation, also called the Great Chaitya while others (caves) are essentially for rest of monks. It is quite similar to one at Ellora, sans a sound magnifying effect. This hall has many sculptures of animals like lions, elephants, and of people in various poses including those of Gautama. There are inscriptions too. It has stupa at the rear end with cover. The hall is lined with wooden arcs to give it a shape of half-way dome. These caves are reportedly built between 2nd century BC and 5th century CE. Adjoining the Greak Chaitya cave, is a small temple of Ekvira goddess which is worshipped by the fishery folks. We had a very peaceful reverence (darshan) of the Goddess. We then left at about 12.30 pm for the ICAR-NRC Grapes at Manjari farm in Pune. On the way, we had our lunch at about 2.30 pm, and then soon realized that our car engine was overheated with loud sound of beeping and warning on the dashboard. It was my panic moment that car had run out of coolant. Coolant is basically water with surfactant that follows around engine to keep it cool, within prescribed temperature limits. I diluted coolant four-times with water and filled the inlet. After spending about 30-40 min, we started again, reached our relatives’ home, had a tea or coffee and talked niceties for about 30 min and then checked our car at the Hyundai service station in Ramnagar or Bavdhan in Pune. After reassurance by Mr Manoj, incharge of service station who was very helpful, we proceeded to ICAR-NRC Grapes at Manjari farm in Pune on the Solapur road. Driving through Pune city was painful as evening traffic had swelled the narrow winding roads. We reached the NRC Grapes at about 6.30 pm. This institute has a very good guest house where we stayed overnight. The Admn officer Mr Pathan coordinated with me to ensure our stay. After dinner and pleasantries with young ARS scientists and canteen staff, we retired in our rooms. An important lesson learnt this day is to recheck yourself for coolant, break oil, engine oil and tyre pressure even if it is checked at service station before start of journey. Keep essentials like coolant, puncture kits etc in the car.
In front of Stupa in the Great Chaitya hall
Sculptures in the Great Chaitya hall
In front of Karla Caves and Ekvira Goddess temple in Lonavala
10th August, 2025 (Sunday)
We left NRC Grapes at about 8.30 am after a brief tour of the grape farm around and of the institute building, and thereafter we were on the way to Pandharpur. On our way, near Indapur, we had a brief stopover near the so called water body. We reached Pandharpur at about 2 pm. The temple was crowded. We took about one hr to have a darshan, a glimpse of Vitthal (Lord Krishna) followed by that of his wife, Rukmini. Both statues were of about 4 ft and in black marble. While Krishna temples have his statues with Radha, his consort or lover; this temple is unique in respect of having Rukmini, and not Radha. I just imagined as to how this small temple and town would have accommodated the devotees more than a million just few weeks ago on the day of Ashadi Ekadashi, the 6th July, this year, the day of spiritual climax for all devotees. More than one month prior to Ashadi Ekadashi, pilgrims (warkari) with their white caps start from their homes or from the religious temples far away often on foot in group (wari) to reach Pandharpur, braving rains during the season with bare minimum, singing abhangs (religious songs composed by Sants in the past), eating and staying together. Equally famous are the palkis (palanquins) that originate from many religious places like Shegaon (Sant Gajanan Maharaj temple), Dehu (Sant Tukaram temple), Alandi (Sant Dynaneshwar temple). All culminate on the day of Ashadi Ekadashi every year here in Pandharpur. This is also time for many to undertake social services for people doing wari like my relative, Dr Kailash Jawade offering medical services, encouraging people for organ donation and arranging for lectures on socio-religious aspects, all in the name of Vitthal. This temple has provision of online queue for Sparsh as well as mukh darshan.
After reverence at the temple, we briefly visited the river, Chandrabhaga, also called Bhima and then left for the ICAR-NRC Pomegranate at Kegaon, near Solapur. We reached NRC Pomegranate at about 6.30 pm, went out to the nearby restaurant for dinner as the training hostel did not have canteen service. The overnight stay here reminded me of living in the jungle where night is filled with continuous chattering of beetles and other insects. We covered a distance of about 250 km this day.
In the background is the river Chandrabhaga
11th August, 2025 (Monday)
We left NRC Pomegranate after briefly moving around the campus at about 8 am. We reached Tulja Bhavani temple at about 9 am. Temple was too crowded. We took nearly three hr to have a darshan of Goddess, Tulja Bhavani. Besides loud chants of Jai Bhavani and Shivaji filled the waiting hall. After a quick lunch, we proceeded to Vijayapura. On the way, we skipped Akkalkot where Sant Shri Swami Samarth temple is located. Swami Samarth invoked his devotees that ‘don’t be afraid, I am at your back’, similar to that of Sai Baba who vouched for ‘faith and patience’ (shraddha and saburi) for his devotees. These invocations helped many followers to achieve their dreams. We reached Vijayapura at about 5.30 pm by which time all tourist places esp. those of Adil Shahi dynasty’s times had closed. We stayed at Hotel Vishram which was price-wise reasonable and comfortable. We had a darshan at a nearby place and then dinner. We covered a distance of about 210 km this day. Road from Tuljapur to Vijayapura was very good, although we were lashed out with rains for about 15-20 min on the way.
In front of Tulja Bhavani temple in Tuljapur
12th August, 2025 (Tuesday)
We started early at 7 am and visited first Bara Kaman, incomplete structure that would have been greater than the Gol Ghumaz. This was not opened at the time of our visit. We then visited Gol Ghumaz (dome) where we spent more than one hr. Gol Ghumaz is reported to be the second largest dome structure after that of St Peter’s Basilica in Rome. It scores over the Basilica in its sound effect. Even walls have ears here. Whispers or even tearing of paper can be heard diagonally while seating in the balcony of dome. Gol Ghumaz was built in the first quarter of the 17th century, and houses remains of Mohd.Adil Shah, the 7th ruler of Adil Shahi dynasty. We also visited museum inside this campus. Later, we visited Ebrahim Roza which is a complex of mausoleum, mosque and gardens. It was also built in the first quarter of the 17th century. This is the most magnificient architecture of Adi Shahi dynasty and reminds one of Agra’s Taj Mahal and Hyderabad’s Char Minar. We enjoyed this visit to Vijayapura which is also called a city of domes. We left Vijayapura at about 10.30 am and reached our hotel in Kolhapur at about 4 pm. Road conditions were very bad. We visited the Mahalaxmi temple in the evening. The main deity was undergoing renovation and hence, we had a darshan of its replica. We had a bit of rains too. We visited the famous kolhapuri footware market to look for Prada’s originals. Nalini bought a chappal for half the price that seller quoted. Later, we had dinner at our hotel and retired. We covered a distance of about 140 km taking more than 4 hr as road was full of potholes and narrow. It was nerve breaking driving experience, lashed with rains.
At Gol Ghumbaz in Vijayapura
On the top outside of Gol Ghumbaz in Vijayapura
In front of Ebrahim Roza in Vijayapura
13th August, 2025 (Wednesday)
We left Kolhapur after a breakfast at about 8.30 am and proceeded to Panhala fort. Nalini drove the car for some time. We reached Panhala after an hr and took a roundabout. The fervor of Independence Day was first seen this morning with the procession of youth chanting in the name of Bharat mata (hail to India). Panhala was important during Shivaji’s time. This is hillock. There is no trace of fort that we understand in the conventional sense. Panhala is decorated with statues of Shivaji and others. We left Panhala at about 10.30 am. We reached Ratnagiri after 4 hr covering a distance of about 120 km as rains lashed our travel and roads were poorly maintained. We had a lunch at about 2.30 pm in a very nice newly opened restaurant on our way to Ratnagiri. We reached Ratnagiri at about 5 pm, stayed at RKVY guest house of the College of Fisheries and then visited Ratnagiri city. We visited the birth place of Lokmanya Bal Gangadhar Tilak, which was closed due to weekly holiday. But we could have glimpse of his spacious home with his statue and have a feel of his greatness. This visit reminded me of my school days, of what he used to say, "स्वराज्य हा माझा जन्मसिद्ध हक्क आहे आणि तो मी मिळवणारच!" meaning ‘Swaraj is my birth right and I will get it’. We then went to visit temple and nearby beach, but heavy rains and late arrival stopped us. We had a dinner in the city, shopped around for local stuff and then went back to RKVY guest house, which is so so. We had covered a distance of 150 km over the roads with potholes taking more than four hr.
At Mahalaxmi temple in Kolhapur
14th August, 2025 (Thursday)
We left Ratnagiri at about 8.30 am and reached Ganapatipule within an hr. We visited Ganapatipule temple, donated on behalf of Hemant on his birth day and enjoyed a brief stay. This temple of Ganesha is well maintained, with cleanliness and orderly devotees around. Nalini and other two relatives went to beach. It was raining here for some time. On the way, we ate corn bhutta and then had a lunch at a very nice restaurant, Drive-in. We reached Dapoli at about 5.30 pm. We stayed at the Scientist’s Home which is very nicely maintained. We had a horrible dinner at their canteen.
At Panhala fort, Middle-on the way to Ratnagiri,
At birth place of Lokmanya Bal Gangadhar Tilak in Ratnagiri.
15th August, 2025 (Friday)
We left Dapoli at 8.30 am. We reached Janjira fort at about 1 pm which was closed due to holiday. The road was bad and lashed with rains. But nature was just fine with shades of green all the way and high and lows of mountains. We had a lunch at Shoreline restaurant in Murud which is twin-town of Janjira and then we went to Alibaug, which is about two hr journey. We reached our hotel Sagar by 5 pm. It has a very nice restaurant Waves where we had our dinner at about 8.30 pm. On the way to Alibaug, we had stopped at Kashida beach where we spent about an hr enjoying sea. At Alibaug, I watched the TV, first time after leaving Mumbai on the 9th. The news were full of floods in many places in Maharashtra and red alert in Mumbai. I was concerned about low laying area near Bhaucha Dhakka (ferry warf) in Mumbai where I expected water stagnation or at some locations on the way home.
At Ganapatipule Ganesh temple
At Janjira Fort-on our way to Dapoli
At Kashida beach on the way to Dapoli
16th August, 2025 (Saturday)
We left our hotel at about 10.45 am after breakfast at Waves restaurant and reached Mandava ferry terminal at about 11.45 am. The check-in at the ferry terminal was smooth. We enjoyed moving around despite rains. This terminal has good restaurants including Starbucks as well as wash rooms. At about 12.15 pm, we parked our car inside the M2M ferry. Ferry started at about 1 pm and reached Mumbai ferry terminal at 2 pm. The ferry was jam packed with people and carried also about 90 cars only. It was clean and well maintained ferry. We enjoyed looking at the beautiful Mumbai coastline in cloudy and rainy weather but failed to see the Gateway of India. On landing at Bhaucha Dhakka (ferry terminal), we were lashed with heavy rains. We saw a car emitting black smoke from its exhaust as it waded through knee-deep water with open bonnet. It seemed safe at last. Fortunately, after a bit of struggle, we closed on to Eastern freeway which had smooth traffic and then we moved to Eastern expressway through Wadala. As we drive along the Eastern expressway, hordes of Govindas (persons participating in Dahi Handi celebrations) were seen in their distinctive tees planning their visits. The spirit of Krishna Janamashtami was pervasive. We reached Korum Mall in Thane at 3.15 pm, had Chhole Bhature at Haldiram, bought belt and shoes at Metro and then reached home at about 5 pm.
We travelled a distance of 1350 km over eight days staying overnight at 7 locations, driving about 150-250 km each day.
Take home message: loved going around visiting places of historical, tourist and religious importance, experiencing nature at its prime with shades of green and high and low of terrain in the mountainous and plain areas during monsoon, stretching my endurance limits to drive and tolerating sometime nags, enjoying niceties and pleasantries, and finally reaching home safe and healthy.
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