Wanderous Malvan: Scuba Diving & Sindhudurg Visit

Malvan is a town in Sindhudurg district, around 400 km from Pune. There are some stories behind the name of this beautiful town. Local inhabitants believe that the earlier name of the town, Madwan, is derived from grove (wan) of coconut trees (mad). Over the years, the name of the town changed to Malwan or Malvan. However, there is another tale attached to the name of the town. It is believed that salt was produced in huge quantities in the region and the salt producers called the salt as 'Lavan'. The place where the salt producers got more salt was named Mahalavan, which later on came to be known as Malvan.

Malvan offers quite a lot to see including Malvan Beach, Tarkarli Beach, Devbagh Beach, Sindhudurg Fort and many more. And the place is also famous for scuba diving and snorkeling.

It was a long long awaited plan. I don't know where to start off. But we start off on Friday night itself. We'd decide to stay in some hotel at Tarkarli. I was whole night wake with driver giving direction. Around 6 am next morning, we took an hour of  nap and proceeded as per Google Map. However, the last 10 km road was under some construction, which made us to go via Malvan. It took almost 9 hours to reach Tarkarli.

We found a budget hotel opposite to MTDC Resort. Oh, I forgot to describe the "WE" - My sister, Mamoni, Bhai and Me. I asked others to freshen up ASAP and ordered Poha & Chaha at a nearby village home and asked our hotel boy for Scuba Diving. Probably, he made a call and a man came in few minutes. I bargained a lot and finally he convinced for Scuba diving and a visit to Sindhudurg Fort at 1000 bucks per head. Obviously, we didn't opt for snorkeling. That guy took us to a beach, probably named Dweti Beach from where they're gonna take us to the Scuba Diving/Snorkeling spot.

Mamoni, Sis & Bhai

After an hour of wait in the scorching heat of sun, the boat came to take us to the spot. There are some other groups also.

Sindhdurg Fort

The Snorkeling/Scuba Diving Spot

The snorkeling spot is right beside the south wall of Sindhudurg Fort. Ladies were given some shitty black dress and we, boys were on our own. Anyways, you can't expect more with 1000 bucks.

They trained you until you said you are ready. And if you are not willing to go for Scuba Diving, they will not charge you a single penny. Two people will attend you all the time, one's with you under the water and one's above. They only provide Dive Glass and Oxygen Mask, Oxygen Cylinder is kept on the boat. So, be sure they will take you maximum 15-20 feet deep.

But, tell you what we had the most amazing experience down the water. It's not only those colorful fishes that crosses you like you are not there, or when you walk on the sea bed, it's the feel of being under water that amazes us the most. Though waters are not as clear we used to see in Nat Geo or Discovery, for first timers, this place rocks and also the cheapest.

My sister was so afraid that she couldn't do it first time. Once, we have done it and share our experience down the water, she couldn't resist. I was so happy for her as she's the most younger member of us.

Next, we went inside Sindhudurg fort. Sindhudurg is fortress built on an islet, named Kurte, just off the coast of Malvan beach. The huge fort was covers an area of 44 acres which is buuilt by Chatrapati Shivaji in 1664.

In the ramparts of the Sindhudurg Fort, there are three sweet water reservoirs that have water during the summer season. The fort has a hidden passage that goes under the Malvan Island for over 3 km and under the sea for around 12 km. This passage further extends over 12 km, up to the nearby village. The hidden passage or the tunnel was used by Maratha women to escape if the enemy entered the Sindhudurg Fort.

We're walking over the wall of the Fort. We're getting down from the wall as some portion of the wall was damaged and climbing up the next wall. We'd almost covered half of the fort. We're on the west side of the fort. Nobody's there, only we, sisters and bros experienced the most spectacular view of the fort. It's like the golden walls are emerging from the sea.

We'd covered almost three-forth of the fort. But, our boatman called up and rang the bell. We're on the way back to hotel after a spectacular as well as exhausting day. But, there are still more to watch. We found hundreds of sea gulls floating like a toy in the still water of Arabian Sea. I asked the boatman to drive us through those birds.

Well, we're hungry. We haven't eaten anything after breakfast. We ate a lot and headed to hotel. Once we get into our hotel room, we started feeling tired. After all, we haven't been slept all night especially me. I thought of going to beach for a walk, but could not make it.We woke up when the hotel boy asked us for dinner. Ohh, the dinner was over spicy with the red chilies.Anyways, we'd no other options out there and also we need to walk early for next day. So we made our stomach full with those and off to bed.

to be continued...

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.