RRR’s road trip reaching Amboli and back to Pune and then home.

Most of us know seven is a special number – we have seven days in a week, seven colors in the rainbow, Seven continents, and so many other religious association to the number. I recently read seven and its multiples also give special meaning to us as a person. Look at yourself at the age 7, 14, 21, 28, 35, 42, 49, 56 and so on – we are on the cusp of change, shelving the old and forging ahead for new you – isn’t?

That was an interesting thought I wanted to share. Four of us on this tour have crossed 56, loving this journey called life !

Just to remind – RR and PBR, changu-mangu having retired from respective jobs, for the love of exploring Western ghats, along with spouses have reached Kolhapur after two days road journey, driving our car – Hyundai’s Venue.

Third day morning, RR and myself get ready for the Mahalaxmi temple darshan. It is walking distance from our hotel… we do ask for directions and just turn one right and in two minutes the path we are walking on is very wide and has a huge fort like wall and huge gates. We ask one teenager walking along what is the fort like structure – he said “Killecha dwaar” which we really couldn’t relate to … Have a look!

I really could not understand what is this huge structure – is this the temple I wondered! Then the boy pointed ahead – I was eager for the temple darshan so we walked ahead.

On entering the temple premises, I was literally surprised – huge black shining sculpted pillars and ancient structures surrounded me. We walked in enchanted by the place and the significance slowly coming to us. We found the Deity after walking through a mandapa with more solid Sculpted black pillars, and I could really feel a divine presence. The whole Mandapa is small, where the deity is worshiped. One Temple guard stood nearby, knew I am new to the place and showed me non-verbally, a small corridor to do a pradikshina and the sindoor for tikka. I simply felt so loved by his gestures ! We walked out mesmerized and thrilled to be at this temple, totally unaware of the historical importance of the place. The architecture, the shining stone sculptures told us the temple is very special. The temple has four dwars and PBR, RBR already told us they got lost in that and could not trace back to their slipper stand.. 😀 so we carefully came out from the dwar we had entered to find our slippers!

Only after we came back, RBR told us the temple is a Shaktipeeth!!!!!!!!! Mahalaxmi Temple of Kolhapur. No wonder the place had the aura, and found more later on internet, the deity looks towards west(unlike any deities) and sunrays came directly from Mahadwar in the evening, the rays of the setting sun falls on the face of the idol for three days (31st January, 1, 2nd February and 9, 10, 11th November)!

Slowly my history loving hubby realized the fort walls surrounding us as we walked is parts of the Kolhapur Kingdom of Marathas – path on which the Maratha Kings passed by … we were stuck by the sheer magnitude of history, standing grand there was the Bhawani Mandap constructed during the reign of Chatrapathi Shivaji Maharaj. Looking at the huge dwars and imagining the Kings procession rolling by after a huge victory, I felt immense gratitude to have reached these parts of India, walked back literally dazed to our hotel.

There in the center we also saw the marble placard celebrating Kolhapur’s son Swapnil Kusale’s Bronze medal at Olympics 2024.

Our journey to Amboli that day was fantastic.. you must travel by roads after monsoon to feel the beauty of the ghats, sugarcane fields, rivers flowing grandiosely, crisscrossing small bridges and what not. My suggestion, if you are not pressed for time, take the state highways to see the beautiful countryside.

Reaching our resort @Dark Forest Retreat- Amboli, was another adventure. As the name suggests the whole area is dark, surrounded by thick fog, you can hardly see 2 meters ahead on the road, in daylight!

I will need one full blog article to write about the stay, meeting friends, dhamal parties with everyone who traveled specifically for this, trips from Amboli to Kudal, Seashore fun, Amboli waterfalls, Konkan food, Konkan products 😀

Have a look at few pictures instead.. just remember these are all 58+ teenagers!

The road we took to return was via SH 111… to reach Pune. It was a small road and we felt lost but this gentleman confirmed it is the right road…. Pachaal to Malkapur and then to Pune… 🙂

Then PBR realizes he has been on this way in 2002 … we are literally jumping with joy at having taken this road. It is so beautiful, the landscape is fabulous and I want to stop for few minutes and he tells us we will have a view point to stand .. to behold! Only a road trip can bring you here…

We had very heavy rainfall while returning, back on Samrudhhi Expressway. It was a test for RR.. he was driving and we could not see ahead. Driving at 120 km was not a question … It felt as if a cloud burst was coming down at us, felt scary … Thankfully after an hour, the deluge got over and we drove back in peace.

Hip-Hip-Hurray!! We did it!!! Thanks to almighty God to have kept us safe for the 2902 kilometers. Kudos to PBR and RR for making the trip a huge success.