One day trip Pune – Kolhapur (Mahalaxmi and Jyotiba temple , Panhala fort)

Itinerary

Overnight train to Kolhapur

07:00 am : Morning Darshan of Mahalaxmi temple.

09:00 am : Take a bus to Jyotiba , Darshan of Jyotiba temple

02:00 pm : Take a bus to Panhala fort

06:00 pm : Kolhapur city tour and Rankala lake

09:00 pm : Matan Bhakari @ Pahunchar




Looking at the schedule it looks like marathon trip but considering the pleasant weather and ample options of public transport, it comes as a unique experience.

Overnight train from Pune drops you at Kolhapur in early morning, like 6 am or so. There are plenty of options for home stay around the Mahalaxmi temple and nearby area. They are like family run hotels with big rooms and common bathroom, but clean and mostly family mob.

Early morning darshan in Mahalaxmi temple is spiritual experience. As less crowded at that time we are able to spend enough time inside the core area of the temple.

After spending almost an hour in temple we hit the nearby food stall to test the famous Kolhapuri missal! With belly full of spices we reach to the bus stand to catch bus to Jyotiba temple. Jyotiba temple is like 20 km from here and you have enough option of ST buses to reach there.

You need to step down 100 or so steps to reach the temple. We found Jyotiba temple is very colorful place! Very Nicely maintain and managed temple premises. Not too crowded so no rush for darshan.

From Jyotiba, Panhala fort is 10 km only. You can easily get ST buses or shared jeeps from main road. Couples of hours are good enough to explore the main spots of the Panhala fort. All spots should be around 5km range only. We spend few hours to explore the fort and nearby area on foot then had a lunch at family owned Khanawal near ST bus stand. Usually you get the decent quality food in such places but very testy. Again belly was full.

It was raining heavily at that time and we need to wait a bit to get the bus to Kolhapur.

It was evening when we hit the Kolhapur city. We visit the Rankala Lake and did some shopping at markets near by the temple area.

Last but not the least, we went for special Kolhapuri non veg restaurant. There are many such famous restaurant there, we choose Pahunchar. I am deeply satisfied with the meal I had that evening, but Minal was not so happy, as a vegetarian she was not having much options.

Then hit the station to catch the train to Pune.

White Rann of Kutch

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Itinerary

Day1         Bhuj        Kalo dungar - datratrey mandir
Day2         White Rann of Kutch, Rann Utsav
Day3         Mandvi beach, ship building yard, Vijay Vilas palace

Did this short trip in New Year weekend’s Eva. This happened to be the most economical trip as through and from journey is done from railways.
 
Not much material available on internet pertaining to bike ride in Kutch, so posting my experience in detail this time!

There are 2 direct trains to Bhuj from Mumbai everyday. Bhuj itself is not a big town, though railway station is little away from town center.
I arrive at Bhuj at 7:30 am, it was freezing in the morning and little bit fogy.
There was a big tent arrange right in front on the railway station Rann Utsav. You can get general information and an area map from them. They are there basically to pick their guest those who have made their reservation for Utsav.

Shared rickshaw could drop you to ST stand (5 km or so) in 10 Rs. I waned to rent the bike (motorbike) so was looking from some shops. Most of the shops open after 9:30 am. So I forced to spend waiting time eating Dabeli and Papdi outside the ST Stand.

Convincing the shop owner to rent me a bike took all my negotiation skills and experience. They all have stopped this renting business due to some nasty experience they had few years back. I understood that there was an accident happened with foreigner who driving the rented bike and that cost lot to shop owners.
After good half hour discussion, finally he agrees to rend me a bike on promise that I won’t advertise his name anywhere. (But still I would like to give hint to other bikes if they want to rent a bike and try there luck, all this shops who rents bike are near to ST Stand only.
). I got a deal for 400 Rs a day. Need to keep copy of photo ID as security!
With this I am able to start my travel at around 11 am, which is good signal to me.

The roads are well managed and distances are very well marked. So no worries of getting lost. Not so much traffic on the road, few tourist vehicles here and there. Letter on I came to know from local that this traffic is because of Rann Utsav, otherwise this area is like dead only. I wish I would have come that time!

Not to mention, make sure you petrol tank is full before you leave Bhuj.



Day1         Bhuj        Kalo Dungar - Datratrey Mandir


Kalo dungar is 85 to 90 km from Bhuj. In between you need to stop at Bhirandiara to make permits to visit further areas with minimal cost. Do carry extra copies of your identity proof.

India Bridge
You will reach India Bridge, if you don’t take a right turn for Kalo dungar and keep going straight for few kilometer. There is an army check post and further entry is restricted.

Dattatreya temple and its jackals are worth watching. Priest from temple serves Prashad to these wild jackals twice a day. I enjoyed this show with other tourist from quite a distance. With our luck we are able to spot 1 jackal.

 There is an army camp near by temple with sunset-sunrise points.

Views from Kalo dungar are amazing. You should be able to see full view of Rann in good light conditions.

There is well marked trial to the nearing forest. I witness the sunrise and had few hours of walk into the Jungle.
Well managed accommodation is available at temple. I book a room for 200 Rs for night.



Day2         White Rann of Kutch, Rann Utsav

Its was 12pm when I reach Dhordo, place where Rann Utsav is going on and which is my entry point to the White Rann of Kutch.

My pick speaks rest of the story….

 

Biking is not so good idea on White rann as it is muddy in most of the part and chances of getting stuck are more. Though I couldn’t able to stop myself from having a few rounds. Nice experience!

Tented accommodation is available in Rann Utsav for 3000 Rs per night! But I am able to arrange a bed for 200Rs.

Sunset from Rann is a movement to die for. It was not so cold but little windy. Colors of sunset over the white sheet of salt ware amazing.

Due to frizzing cold there are not so many tourists in the morning for sunrise. Perhaps this time is good for bird watching also.

Unfortunately there was a hot air balloon accident happened due to windy conditions.

Day3         Mandvi beach, ship building yard, Vijay Vilas palace

This is the north side of Bhuj. Mandivi have a nice beach. Main entrance of beach is bit crowded but you can find the peace with little walk.

Ship building yard here dose have roots from ancients time. There ware many ships under construction. I walked into one of them, till the roof! This construction took a year or so to get complete and almost 40 to 50 workers work same time.

You must have seen Vijay Vilas palace in many of the movies. Nothing much to see inside but pictures place. Views from the palace top are worth watching. There is a dense garden of Sapodilla (Chiku) tree around the palace.