Mesmerizing Morachi... Day 2 of The Rendezvous!!!

After having outbursting fun in Lonavla, Next day plan was kept dry & different. Few days back, heard about a village, called Morachi Chincholi, where hundreds of free-roaming peacocks and peahens are seen like nowhere. Morachi Chincholi (aka Chincholi Morachi) by name itself means a village of tamarind trees (Marathi:चिंच) & town of Dancing Peacocks (Marathi:मोर).

The place is around 60km from Pune. So, we started off a little late around 11:00am. We took Pune - Ahmednagar State Highway (SH27) till Shikanapur Chakan Phata; cross the phata and took the first left. It was too dry out there. I was thinking that how come peacocks stay in such droughty place. But it was an exceptional experience to drive through diffused dry fields. After driving for around 10 km, sign of little greenery found.

Anyways, we reach around 1.30pm; ask the villagers about the place where peacocks can be seen. We reached a sanctuary like place 'Jai Malhar' (there are others too e.g. Mauli Paryatan Kendra). Actually it's an Agro Tourism Center which has school for the children of the villages nearby. Entry fee is Rs. 100 (includes evening snacks) and for lunch you have to pay Rs. 150. Anyways, we are hungry and ask them to prepare lunch for us. Till then we took a little rest under a Ashwatta tree (Tree of Life) over a Khatiya. We started enjoying the village-village feel.

Lunch was good in Assal Marathi style with Bhakri, Pitla, Chatni, Daal, Race, Vaji, Papad and Kheer.

After lunch, we asked about seeing Peococks. We're informed that Peacocks are seen in the early morning and in the late afternoon (4.30pm-5pm onwards); and till then we can have some other activities set up by the Jai Malhar authority.

They have a nice information on forts in India, which ypu'll find in Killa Parayatan Kaksha. But, we're interested in other activities.

To our wonder, we found a Bengali family from Mumbai; and hence we are forced (by ourselves) to limit our word stock. [:-p]
They have also arrangement of rooms for staying over night.

We keep enjoying the environment. It was so relaxing. They have an arrangement of puppet show and it was awesome especially the dance number "Aa re Pritam pyaare".

We move forward according to the map provided by them to explore the other area. A mini-zoo, where few animals are birds are kept.

All the areas are explored and we're waiting for the final attraction. We heard the barking of peacock many times, but unable to figure them in the grove. It's not a grove actually; just farmlands surrounded by big trees. Anyways, my friends were went for bullock cart ride; mean while I spent some solitary moment with my cam.

Finally and gradually, they were showing up.
 

 

Still they are too far. I had to use my full 30x optical zoom even sometimes on digital to take a close up. So, Jethu and me did what's on the don'ts list. We jumped off the wooden fence and entered the grove. And it was peacocks and peahens everywhere, some are dancing, some are watching.

It feels unexplainable when you see them dancing around freely which you used to watch behind the cages. We spent quite a time there. So we decided to get back to our friends.

It was darkening outside and the roads doesn't have light posts. So we started off for home.

It was a splendid experience. And a half day tour out from the busy city will surely relax you.