8 musketeers at Panchgani

If Mahabaleshwar is known as 'The Grand Canyon of India', then No doubt Panchgani is 'The Switzerland of India'. Panchgani refers to 'Five hills of Sahyadri' which are 'Larger extension of table land'. Another explanation to it - five villages around the Pachgani named as, Dandeghar, Khingar, Godwali, Amral and Taighat. The magnificent views of the backwaters of Dhom Dam can be adored along the whole nothern ridge of the mountains. Other than that picturesque scenary of Krishna valley with cultivated green fields, numerous hamlets over the mountain make this more special. Panchgani is also well known for its number of schools, and sanitariums. 

Panchgani can be visited throughout the year, however it rains heavily during the monsoons. The best time to visit is from September to March. Our curvaceous route for the day from Pune was: Magarpatta - Katraj (Snake Park, Pune) - Pune Banglore Highway (NH4) - Wai - Panchgani - Mahabaleshwar - Tapola [Reverse in return while boating at Venna lake] 

This time, In our group we had Tarachand, Komal, Sonal, Rajesh, Mausmi, Gyan, Meenal and not to mention me. We enjoyed the sunrise in the early morning with breakfast. Everyone had got some or the other yummy stuff with them.

Tourist Points at Panchgani:

Harrison Folly: We had our first break of the day at this point. It was a very large table land, where your shadow will follow you in different directions. We enjoyed good view point with Panchgani on one side and Wai on the other. This point wouldn't disappoint you. Sometimes Paragliding activity also organised from here by private enthusiasts.

Sydney Point: One funny incident happen as we took wrong turn, and reached a 'Flies point - Makkhi point' 'The garbage point', :P where none of us was able to breathe. All of a sudden many flies were inside the Tavera as someone kept the window open for a few seconds. At this point, entry fee is charged for entering Panchgani [Per person and for the vehicle] Once at the top of the Sydney point, one can see blue shiny water of the Dhom dam. It is situated on a hilltop facing the Krishna valley. We had some quick clicks at this point. 

Parsi Point: We passed through the scenic point situated on the way to Mahabaleshwar, and overviewed the Krishna valley and glittering water of the Dhom Dam. This point is good to visit during monsoon, but still, good to relax and have snacks. 

Table Top Point: Panchgani is topped by a volcanic plateau, 'The Table Land' which is the second highest in Asia after the Tibetan plateau. This is the most famous and most visited point in Panchgani. We spent 2-3 hours admiring the beauty of this place. For entertainment one can go for horse riding, Merry-go-round, mini train etc and for food lovers there are quite a few food/chaat stalls. With a couple of games counters, the place took us back to our childhood days of being at Fun-Fairs.

Pandav Feet at Panchgani Table Land.

We opted for horse-cart as sun was at top of us. It charged 300 for 4 sitters that included below points:

• Pandav Feet: As per belief, Five heros of the great epic 'The Mahabharat', had cooked here, and left their feet marks. 
• One Tree Point: Famous shooting point for Indian Movie Songs - precisely the love songs.
• Shutting Point: This is the point where you have most panoramic views. 
• Ganesh Visargen Point: There is small water place at the table top point. This point in major utilised for horse bath. 
• Pandav Cave (Drop Point): Also known as 'Devil's Kitchen', has a mythology associated with it. It is believed that the Pandavas of the Mahabharat epic had stayed here for a while. 

Pandav Cave at Panchgani Table Point

The place had been an important part of many Indian movies - 'Gadar', 'Swadesh', 'Taare Zameen Par', Agent Vinod' to name a few. We also paid a long distant visit to Palankhet, Sydney point, Gliding Point, Five Table land during our horse-cart ride. (If you have ample time, just roam on your own, rather than opting for horse-cart or horse-riding)

Tapola, The mini Kashmir: 

The road trip to Tapola was amazing with couple of yards covered by umbrellas of Banyan Trees. The blue water bodies on both sides - Koyna and Solshi rivers made it even more pleasant. The hot Sun didn't let us spend too much of time here and we moved ahead to the next stop...We'll definitely come back sometime again in monsoon.

On our return trip, We covered Lodwick and Elephant head point at Mahabaleshwar. One hour walk in dense forest was awesome. (For info on Mahabaleshwar during monsoon, please visit "Trip to Mahabaleshwar)

An eve at Venna Lake: This was the most entertaining part of the day. All of us were ready to row the boat on our own. We decided not to rent a driver and started rowing ourselves. The naive drivers (i.e. we) were floating it to the un-intensional directions. :P  While two were enjoying the driving lessons, others were busy in admiring the beautiful sunset. We struggled for parking the boat back on the shore and took a sigh of relief when were off the boat. We yelled "Bach gayee!!!" 

Sunset at Venna Lake

Mapro Garden: The Panchgani, Mahabaleshwar belt is known for its Strawberry Gardens. Situated on the curvaceous roads between Panchgani and Mahabaleshwar, it is easily accessible by buses originating both from Panchgani and Mahabaleshwar. A heaven for tourists hungry for strawberry delicacies as well as factory fresh items like jams, syrups, mock-tails, squashes and confectionery items by Mapro Foods Pvt Ltd. At the tasting counter, you can actually taste the squash of your choice before purchasing it for free. We picked up 'Kesar' flavoured squash, some chocolates and Kachchi kerry. 

Oops, how did I forget to mention about the astrologers roaming around. I was always caught up by them as target and got a new name "CHAPTER".  

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Trip To South Goa

Quote of the Post- "Let's Go A" - Quote about trip to Goa - Sachin Kumar Gupta

Previous Day 1 Goa Trip : Calangute Beach, Dolphin Trip, An eve at Bagha Beach

Day 2 Goa Trip: Sunrise at Calangute Beach, St. Alex Church, Dona Paula - Panaji, Miramar Beach - Panaji, Paradise Cruise, Saturday Night Market
Next Day 3 Goa Trip : Aguada Fort, North Goa

Sunrise at Calangute Beach:

It was quite early in the morning when we rushed for catching the Sun waking up, at Calungute Beach...Meenal was more excited than me. Two of us enjoyed serenity of the morning while the sun rose, and with a cup of tea while playing with shore waves. Ah! What more can we ask for. She clicked some of the best snaps of the day - birds flying towards the sun, me trying to catch the Sun on my palm, my jump into the water etc.

Next destination was South Goa. We had booked for the evening Paradise cruise and we had whole day with us to explore southern part of the tiniest state of India. On our way to Panaji, the first stop was at St. Alex Church, which is just at the first round about turn to Calangute - Panaji way. 

Dona Paula - Panaji:

I visited this place again, but this time as a free biker with Meenal, Piyush and Monika. The panoramic view of the huge Ocean and Marmagoa Harbour, makes this place even prettier and hence it is a popular venue for film shoots. All this while, the sun was at its best. To beat the heat, we helped ourselves with Kokam juice and moved ahead for our hunt for lunch & our next destination. 

Post a good vegetrian lunch, we visited Panaji Police Station - (of-course from outside)

Miramar Beach:

On the banks of the river Mandovi, lies the beutiful Miramar Beach. There are very good facilities for children to play here, the highlight being a giant concrete fish. The place is much suited for people from age groups, For the couples there are many places like "Just for two of us" under the coconut and palm tree, walk along the beach hand in hand. For the groups 'to play at the ground lying between the road and the beach. For individual 'just to relax and calm' or 'to have eye-tonic' oops. We spent quite enough time here.

Sunset Paradise River cruise along Mandovi River:

We clubbed up with Amit Ladge, Divya, Ravi and others at the cruise entrance. Cruise sailed along the river Mandovi, while we enjoyed the glimpse of Goan culture. We were greeted on Cruise by Goan traditional songs and dance live performances. After that the stage was open for all of us, and we were the first one to rock on the floor. An hour's journey was completed within blink of an eye, with we all dancing, singing and enjoying. It was a totally worth, must-enjoy experience, just INR 150.

'Mae De Deus' church, Saligao:

While coming back from Panaji, we saw divine lights, that was coming from 'Mae De Deus' church at Saligao. We stopped here for some time, and clicked some pics in yellow and orange lights. After seeing this church, You can say that beautiful churches are not only in Europe, but in Goa as well. It looks simply magnificent at night. It enshrines the statue of Mae de Deus the literal translation of which is 'Mother of God'.

If you are idle on one of the evenings in Goa, and interested in visiting exquisite church, then visit the Mae De Deus church during night and enjoy the spectacular views of the awe-inspiring structure.

Mackie’s Saturday night market:

For Mackie’s Saturday night market, you have to follow Calangute - Anjana road. *** Open from November till April, unmissable, every Saturday 6.00 p.m. onwards. *** This market is very famous among foreign tourist birds. Here you can see different kind of bric-a-brac, clothes, trinkets, exotic delicacies and Goanese Cuisine. You'll see the most outlandish shows and some colorful people from all around the world roaming around with a drink in one hand and a shopping list in the other! If you want to buy something from this Saturday night market, then be prepared to bargain hard. There is also a stage for spectacular performances like, acrobats, fire dancer/ Jugglers, Oriental belly dancers and many more.

Other places to visit in Goa:
Nightlife and watersports at Calangute

Goa in a day: The Bom Jesus Church, Tropical Spice Plantation, Shree Mangesh Prashanna, Dona Paula-Panaji, Princesa Cruise

One day visit to North Goa: Calangute Beach, Dolphin Trip, An eve at Bagha Beach

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Aguada Fort, North Goa

Quote of the Post- "Let's Go A" - Quote about trip to Goa - Sachin Kumar Gupta

There are many forts in Goa, but we just had time to visit 'Aguada Fort' on the last day of the trip. If you just came across by searching best fort to visit in Goa, you are at  the right place.
Day 1 in Goa: North Goa - Calangute Beach, Dolphin Trip, An eve at Bagha Beach
Day 2 in Goa: Sunrise at Calangute Beach, St. Alex Church, Dona Paula - Panaji, Miramar Beach - Panaji, Paradise Cruise, Saturday Night Market

Day 3 in Goa: Aguada Fort, North Goa

Timings: 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

It was morning 8:30 am when we were on our way to Aguada fort. As the clocked ticked 9, there we were, standing at the entrance of the huge Fort Aguada and its lighthouse. It is a well-preserved seventeenth-century Portuguese fort standing on Sinquerim beach. Earlier, it was a reference point for the vessels coming from Europe. A freshwater spring within the fort provided water supply to the ships that used to stop-by. That's how the fort got its name: Aguada (Portuguese for water). A four-storey Portuguese lighthouse, is the oldest of its kind in Asia. A part of the fort is converted to central Jail. 

That was from history; let's not get into much of it. If you want to get a feel of ancient forts in Goa which represent strength and beauty, Aguada fort is your destination. It is worth a quick visit with its superb panoramic sea-view. The enormous fort envelops the entire peninsula at the south western tip of Bardez. Best time to visit this place is early in the morning. Outside the main entry point, you can see a small market of souvenirs and snacks.

While returning we did a small hop-over at 'St. Anthony Chapel'. (Ofcourse for clicking some pics) and, this was the end of our "Trip to Go A". With our bags packed we headed back to Pune from Vasco-Da-Gama via train. Must not miss on mentioning about our fun-filled train journey; when we spent most of time playing, Tombola/Bingo, UNO, playing cards (Teen Patti -Poker with 3 cards).

What you can bring from Goa apart from beautiful memories - Please don't forget to purchase dry fruits, chunky jewelry, country made liquor, eatables, Goan feni, ethnic handicrafts, traditional Goan clothes etc etc etc...

Other places to visit in Goa:
Nightlife and watersports at Calangute

Goa in a day: The Bom Jesus Church, Tropical Spice Plantation, Shree Mangesh Prashanna, Dona Paula-Panaji, Princesa Cruise

One day visit to North Goa: Calangute Beach, Dolphin Trip, An eve at Bagha Beach

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Trip to North Goa

Quote of the Post- "Let's Go A" - Quote about trip to Goa - Sachin Kumar Gupta

Yo!!!!!!!!!!! Go went gone to Goa ....

Year 2012, and here we are again back to Goa... Another memorable trip with the Amdocs Team... Goa express at 4:20 PM again but with couple of new add-ons and special one "Meenal"... With all fun, masti and a quick nap, we said a Good Morning to Goa at 5:30 AM. Then it was quick one hour trip to Delta Residency near Calangute Beach, with all asleep during the journey... Zzz. Once at Delta, we were free birds to explore the beauty of Goa on bikes.

Day 1: North Goa - Calangute Beach, Dolphin Trip, An eve at Bagha Beach

A rushed breakfast and we were on our Aviator off to Calangute Beach. *** Best way to enjoy and roam around the Goa "To rent bike or scooty and just take the wheel wherever you want to". *** It was a small amount of INR 250 as rent per day with costly affair of PETROL, i.e. INR 80 per litre.

Dolphin Trip from Calangute Beach:
We started our day with the Calangute beach and booked Dolphin trip on a speedy boat. *** You need to bargain for the charges for Dolphin trip. It's usually INR 1200 per boat for 6 persons. 200 INR per person. ***

Sun was up for the day and the rays were swimming in the silent ocean. It was then, we stole a glance of a beautiful Dolphin. *** If you want to be fortunate of catching a sight of quite a few of them, go early in the morning. *** At one point we saw the huge Aguada fort touching the sea-shore, and the clean Candolim as well as Palolem beach curves. Our boat trip way back to Calangute was fast, furious and fun. We enjoyed it with the Ocean Waves as they welcomed us with smooth sprinkles. Now was the time to relax, refresh and enjoy at the Calangute beach; which we captured randomly. Many facilities for water sports and para gliding are available here. Amit Ladge, Piyush, Brahmanand and their better halves were with us. After the joyful half part of the day, we went back to hotel to refresh and late-lunch. 

An eve at Calangute Beach:

As per our schedule timings, during the eve, some of us met at the Calangute beach again, and just enjoyed sunset, DJ, and snacks. The streets of Calangute were packed with shops offering a wide range of food, goods, souvenirs, metal crafts, clothes and jewelry, not just from Goa, but from other parts of the country as well. As the clocks touch 9, music going down slow in this area, we proceeded to Bagha beach post Pizza. 

Night music and entertainment at Baga Beach:

Bagha Beach is an extension to Calangute beach with clean white sand. The beach also has many beach shacks and beach huts that sell delicious Goan food and thirst-quenching Feni (local wine of Goa). Throughout the night music (approx till 2 a.m.) and live bands that create a carnival like ambience simply makes the place rock and fun. We enjoyed here till 1:30 a.m. where karaoke songs were also being sung. After a joyful day, we went back to our hotel, as we don't wanna miss next day sunrise at Calangute.

Next Day visit to Goa: Sunrise at Calangute Beach, St. Alex Church, Dona Paula - Panaji, Miramar Beach - Panaji, Paradise Cruise, Saturday Night Market

Other places to visit in Goa:
Nightlife and watersports at Calangute

Goa in a day: The Bom Jesus Church, Tropical Spice Plantation, Shree Mangesh Prashanna, Dona Paula-Panaji, Princesa Cruise
Aguada Fort, North Goa 

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