Karde-Murud-Harne-Anjarle-Dabhol Trip

Our plan was to start exploring some Konkan coastal line after the monsoon. We were looking for a long weekend so we decided to visit this place from 29 September to 2 October. Our destination for coastal line trip was Dapoli, Karde-Murud, Harne (also known as Harnai) and surrounding area. Traveler for this trip was me and my wife Renuka. Initially, we were confused to decide about our stay. After some suggestion, we decided on Karde and then we explored nearby area.

Anjarle Beach view

About Dapoli and surrounding places:
         Dapoli is a small town in Ratnagiri district of Maharashtra in India. It is the city which gave birth to many historic idols including Lokmanya Tilak, Sane Guruji, Maharshi Dhondo Keshav Karve, and Wrangler Paranjape. Dapoli is acting as the main town (Taluka Headquarters) for several other small surrounding villages such as Anjarle, Bhopan, Harnai, Dabhol, Navse (Bharti Ship Yard), Unhavare, Gimhavane, Asud, Vanand, Kherdi, Karde, Murud, Kothari and many more. There are many famous tourist spots nearby Dapoli.
         Karde / Murud are small villages on the sea coast. One of the primary attractions here is dolphin watching. A number of local tour operators arrange dolphin watching trips in boats. It is becoming the very famous spot to relax on weekends.
         Harne port is famous for the fish market which is assumed to be one of the largest suppliers of fish to Maharashtra and also Export. Fish auction carried on a daily basis on the beach is must visit the place. Those who love history, they can visit Suvarnadurg which is sea fort.
Apart from this Anjarle beach, Kothari beaches are very famous. You can visit Dabhol jetty which is one of the old jetties from west Indian coastal line.
         The routes to reach Dapoli / Karde is Pune - Chandani Chowk – Paud Road Toll – Pirangut – Mulshi – Tamhini Ghat – Nijampur – Mangoan – NH-17 – Take right after Veer railway station (There is a Dapoli board on turn/Phata) – Ambet – Mandangad – Take left turn before khed for shortcut (again Sign boards are available to guide you)
          While return journey we chose different road as road condition before Tamhini Ghat is horrible. We came via Pali – Khopoli and then Expressway to reach to Pune. It is around 60-65km long cut route.
           Because of monsoon, the weather was simply amazing and we saw different shades of green color everywhere.

29th September 2012 Pune - Karde via Tamhini: (Total Distance traveled: 216 km):
          We started our journey at 7 AM in morning. We wanted to reach Karde as soon as possible. Road condition till Tamhini ghat was actually horrible and it killed our journey time. The weather was clear and felt a little bit cold. There was beautiful greenery everywhere and a lot of flowers along the roadside making this journey more charming. It was difficult for me to go ahead without taking smalls breaks for photography.        

Tahmini Ghat

Tahmini Road in mist

          We took a pit stop at Raigad Inn hotel for coffee and breakfast. Hotel was very small but the food was tasty. After this hotel, you enter in the Raigad district and road conditions were a pleasant surprise. Because of the smooth and wide road we were able to move faster to reach our destination. We took our second and last break at Mangoan before reaching to Karde. After a beautiful drive in Konkan region we reached at Dapoli by 12.30 pm and then after 20-30 min drive, finally reached Karde. We hadn’t booked any hotel or cottage so our search mission for stay begins. As it was an offseason so lots of options were available for us. As per our budget and liking, we decided to have Homestay at New Swapna Sagar Nivas. The room was very clean and it was sea facing. Hotel owner Subodh Jadhav and his staff are very helpful people. Within 3 days we became so close to each other that we were freely moving into their house and kitchen area.
         Karde offers you many hotels from budget to high end. Your lunch/dinner only gets confirmed after your order. This is the practice followed by all the Hotels in the area hence you cannot just walk in and expect to be served. The meal order has to be placed at least a couple of hours in advance. We took some rest and then decided to visit Murud beach in the evening.
          The distance between Karde and Murud is hardly 6km. Both villages share same coastal line so you can take a long walk on the beach towards Murud. It is located on long, scenic stretch of a beach with swaying palms and a beautiful, ancient Durga Devi temple are its primary attractions. It is a nice temple with typical rural interiors and a big hall. Murud is also the birthplace of Bharatratna (India’s highest civilian award) Maharishi Karve with his memorials. He established the first Indian University for women (SNDT) and social reformer in India in the field of women's welfare. Murud has a lot of beach restaurants which serves veg food and delicious fresh seafood on order. Karde doesn’t have any restaurant on the beach. Beach is safe to swim and you can see white and brown sand patches on the beach. We had some fun on the beach with Dirt biking. In Peak season, there are a lot of water sports activity like parceling, water rides and many more.

Durga Devi Temple

Bharatratna Maharishi Karve

Ganesh Visarjan

          Today was the Ganesh Visarjan day (Last day of Ganapati Festival, It is the Hindu festival celebrated on the birthday (rebirth) of Lord Ganesh. It is believed that Lord Ganesh bestows his presence on earth for all his devotees during this festival) so we saw 2-3 Visarjan miravnuk. (The statue is taken through the streets in a procession accompanied with dancing, singing, and fanfare to be immersed in a river or the sea symbolizing a ritual see-off of the Lord in his journey towards his abode in Kailas. It is celebrated on large scale in Pune and Mumbai). In 1893, Lokmanya Tilak transformed the annual domestic festival into a large, well-organized public event in Pune and now it is celebrated in many locations across the world. For more detail visit http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ganesh_Chaturthi
            After spending time on the beach we returned to our hotel and had nice homemade Konkani cuisine. We ended our day 1 after a long walk on the beach at night.

Vegetarian Thali (Meal)

• Car Petrol: INR 3200/- (approx. 42 Lit @ INR 75/- i.e. Car average was 16.5km per lit)
• Toll at Paud-Pirangut Road: INR 20/- (One-way toll)
• Breakfast in Tamhini: INR 60-70/- for 2 people (Vada-Pav + Coffee)
• Karde Entry fee: INR 20/-
• Hotel stay: INR 2250/- for 3 nights (INR 750/- per Night)
• Lunch at Karde: INR 225/- for 2 people (À la carte Vegetarian)
• Dirt Bike ride: INR 100/- per person for 1 ride.
• Dinner at Karde: INR 180/- for 2 person (Vegetarian Meal)

30th September 2012 Karde – Harne – Anjarle – Kelshi: (Total Distance traveled: 80 to 90 km):
         

Dolphin Ride

We woke up early morning by 7 AM. We decided to go to the beach for swimming. After spending 30-40 min in the sea waves, we saw 1 medium size boat at seashore and boatman asking something to the tourist. As a curiosity, we approached there and then we got to know it’s a dolphin ride in the sea. Today was their first day of this season. I was aware that you can see more Dolphins during winter time so I was not ready to go with them. He (boatman) assured me that if we not able to spot any dolphin then he will give me my money back. We thought its fair deal and we board the boat. We were the 1^st member to board the boat. Slowly they convinced others and boat left for dolphin show with 10-11 tourists. Later we got to know from them that they were doing this business from last 6-7 years so they know about Dolphins activity. After sailing in the boat for 15-20 min, we saw 12 to 15 Dolphins close to our boat. He switched off boat machine and we were busy to watch their activity. I have seen dolphin closely 2 years back and still, I was enjoying their Jumps and display. It was my wife’s first experience and she enjoyed this boat ride fully.

At Karde Beach

Karde Beach

Kanakdurg fort

           We came back to the hotel and had our breakfast. After getting ready, we left Karde for a day sightseeing. Our first destination was Harne port. It is just 7-8km from Karde. After reaching Harne jetty, I started searching for the boat which can drop us at Suvarnadurg fort. As it was an offseason, none of the fishermen were ready to take us there. I offered them extra money but they refused. One fisherman was ready to sail his boat but he was not ready to drop us at Fort but he offered us a round trip to the fort. Finally, I was ready for a boat ride around the fort. It took around 30-40 min to complete the journey. When I asked him why all denied my offer then he told me that due to monsoon there is heavy grass on the fort with a lot of snakes. Also, the sea is quite rough and it can damage their ships during anchoring at the fort. Best time to visit sea fort is from Nov to march. 
            About Suvarnadurg:  Kanakdurga is the land fort and Suvarnadurg is the sea fort. The forts were originally built by the Adil Shahi dynasty and later captured and fortified by Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaja in 1660. Once there was a tunnel connecting both the forts but now the only way to get to Suvarnadurg is by boat. The literal meaning of Suvarnadurg is "Golden Fort" as it was considered as the pride or the "feather in the golden cap of Marathas”. For more detail visit http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suvarnadurg 

Suvarnadurg Fort

Harne Port

          After the boat ride, we started walking towards the light-house. It was in absolute ruins and had become a roosting place for crows. Lighthouse is also part of Fort Kanakdurg. Famous Fish beach market carried on a daily basis in morning & in the evening so we left this place. Our next stop was at Anjarle beach. While driving towards Anjarle, there is one spot which is must visit. There are 2 ways to reach Anjarle. One from Harne port and other is bypass road (Ghat section).  After climbing Ghat section by car, drive 2 km and then keep watch on your left side. There is a point from where you can see entire village name Pajpandhari which is located very close to the sea. Typically Konkani village located very close to the sea, Suvarnadurg fort and Anjarle beach on right side – it gives you breathtaking view. I can spend hours and hours at this point.

Pajpandhari Village

Pajpandhari Village viewpoint

          We started our journey further for Anjarle beach. The road was very smooth and curvy. Entire road patch towards Anjarle was parallel to the coastal line. The main attraction in Anjarle is Kadyavaracha Ganapati (कड्यावरचा गणपती) temple. It’s Very clean and beautiful Ganesh temple. Load Ganapati idol from this temple is very old. There is a small manmade lake in front of the temple and you can see a large number of turtles in the lake. The overall atmosphere in the temple was very pleasant. After the temple, we went to Anjarle village for lunch but we reached late and all the restaurants were closed. We spend some time on the lovely beach and soon moved ahead to Kelshi village.

Anjarle Beach during high tide

Anjarle Beach during low tide

          Now we were too hungry and are looking for some restaurant and any homemade food facility. Finally, we stopped at one place in Kelshi village and had beautiful homemade lunch.
            Kelshi is a small sea-side village, Famous for its Mahalaxmi Temple, Sand hillocks and Yakub baba's dargah (7th Guru of Chattrapati Shivaji Maharaja), built during the Peshwa era.  Yakub baba's dargah is a great example of Hindu Muslim unity in India. He had given advice to Shivaji Maharaja during the attack on Dabhol. Later on Shivaji Maharaja – The King of Hindu Empire expressed his wish to build a Dargah & awarded land measuring 653 acres. Every year people celebrate Urus on 6th December. The tradition to begin this Urus by Hindu people is practiced even today. We were so tired that I forgot my camera in the car so unable to take a photograph of it. Next location of Kelshi was Sand hillocks. Naturally formed Sand Hill is at the northern part of Kelshi. As per the historical records and evidence, the said Sand Dune is actually a result of Tsunami hit which was formed around the time of Vasco da Gama's visit to India somewhere in 15th century. Maybe due to Monsoon season, we were not able to view and view properly and return back with some disappointed.

At Anjarle beach

Road to Kelshi from Anjarle

           We reached Harne port by 5.15 PM. I was very excited to watch fish auction and market. I decided to purchase fish for dinner. It is a great place for fish lovers and after some bargaining, I purchased Prawns and Pomplet fish. You can have a huge verity of fishes which are fresh and brought directly from the sea. After my favorite fish shopping, we came back home at Karde. After some rest, I had lovey delicious Fish meal and Renuka had a veg meal.

Fresh fish from sea

Fish market

HammerHead Shark for sale

Fish Market

           After dinner, we went for night fishing with 1 local person. During high tide, sea water gets accumulate in a small creek and you can enjoy fishing. It was fun but I was unable to catch any fish. The entire day was pack with full of fun.

Pomplet & Prawn Meal

• Dolphin Ride: INR 300/- For 2 person
• Breakfast in Hotel: INR 80-90/- For  2 person (Egg Item + coffee)
• Suvarnadurg Fort ride: INR 400/- for the boat. (Average boat charges INR 400-600/-)
• Lunch at Kelshi: INR 160/- For 2 person (Vegetarian Meal)
• Fish at Harne Port: INR 300/- (2 large Pomplet & Prawns. Due to off-season rate was high)
• Fish Cooking charges at Karde: INR 100/- (rate depends upon hotel)
• Vegetarian Dinner at Karde: INR 90/- for 1 person
• Solkadi: INR 10/- per glass (In Karde, it is not a part of any meal)

1st October 2012 Karde – Ladghar – Kolthare – Dabhol: (Total Distance traveled: around 120 km):
          We woke up a bit late and went to the beach for enjoyment. After spending 1-2 hours we came back on room for breakfast and left for sightseeing.
          Our today’s locations were Ladghar (Also known as Tamastirth), Kolthare, Chandika devi temple and Dabhol port. To reach Ladghar, you have to take a left turn at a Police checkpoint at Dapoli. It is just 10-11 km away from Dapoli. Ladghar is famous for the rocky beach and one very old temple. We saw old temple but I found a beach full of trash and we soon left the Ladghar beach.

Old Temple

On the way to Kolthare

          Next destination was village Kolthare. It is a very small village and not use to for any tourist. We found only 1 resort in the village which was “Garva beach resort”. Their house was typically Konkani style house with a lot of greenery and with a huge farm of different trees (Wadi in Marathi) like Coconuts, Alphonso, jackfruit and many more. They have built few rooms very close to the beach in Wadi. We placed lunch order here and went to the beach. Kolthare beach is very small beach which gives you a feel like an own private beach. White sand all over the beach and it was very neat and clean. Water was too clear that we were unable to stop ourselves from going into the water. We liked this place and it one of the cleanest beaches in Konkan. I added this resort in my must-visit places and definitely will like to stay here for a night. The overall atmosphere of resort and beach really refreshed us. We had tasty Konkani cuisine and fresh coconut water from there Wadi. Wow! What an unexpected surprise. I fell in love with this place.

Garva beach Resort

Kolthare Beach

Veg Meal

Goddess Chandika Temple

           After Lunch, we left for our next destination i.e. Chandika Devi temple near Dabhol. It is believed to be from the Pandav era. The idol of Goddess Chandika here believed to be have formed naturally on its own (Swayambhu) and the temple is underground in a natural cave. To reach the deity, you have to pass through a low darkened passage. No light is allowed inside except that of an oil lamp. There is a live spring of fresh water nearby which water all around the year has. This temple is very ancient and used to be frequently visited by Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaja. Photography was not allowed inside the cave.

Cave

           While moving ahead to Dabhol, suddenly 1 Wolf came in front of our car. It was a very close call and I applied brake very hard. That was a surprising visit by a wolf but still, I managed to click the photo of it and he ran away in the forest.
          The last destination was Dabhol port. It is a historical port from Western Indian coastal line. We reached Dabhol in the evening and straight went to ferry. We just wanted to have return ride for fun from Dabhol to Dhopave jetty (another side of the creek) and back to Dabhol. It took hardly 25 min for the return ride. Dabhol was of great importance in the 14th, 15th and 16th centuries. It used to be the principal port of South Konkan region, carrying on trade with ports in the Mediterranean, the Red Sea and the Persian Gulf. During 13th to 15th centuries, this port was ruled by the Bahamani dynasty and was known as Mustafabad. Later on, it was Hamjabad and then it was Dabhol. You can find many religious places of Hindus and Muslims. There is a fine mosque called Shahi Masjid with dome and minarets standing close to the port which was built in Adilshah’s Regime. It is said that Adilshah’s Begum spent around 1.5 million rupees in Indian currency for the construction of this mosque. Shahi Masjid is an excellent example of Muslim architecture. Dabhol was previously very famous, but of late much ruined by the Wars, and decreased in trade.

Dabhol Jetty

          We came back to Karde by 7.30 PM after purchasing some fishes for my dinner from Harne port. This was our last night in Karde area. I had a fish meal again for dinner. Overall we had great trip

Pomplet & Prawns...!!!

• Breakfast: INR 60-70/- for 2 people (Poha + Coffee)
• Lunch at Garva beach resort, Kolthare: INR 110/- per person.
• Coconut water: INR 20/- per piece (Large size coconuts are available at resort)
• Dabhol-Dhopave Jetty ride: INR 20/- per person (Return charges)
• Fish at Harne Port: INR 320/- (3 large Pomplet & Prawns)
• Fish Cooking charges at Karde: INR 100/- (rate depends upon hotel)

2nd October 2012 Karde – Dapoli – Pali – Pune: (Total Distance traveled: 282 km):
          We woke up a bit late and went to the beach before we left Karde. After breakfast, we left Karde village by 10.30 AM. We have to go to Renuka’s relative at Dapoli. They invited us for lunch so we went there and spent time with them till 2.30 PM.
         For the return journey, we decided to take long route i.e. via Pali – Khopoli and express highway.
The journey was bit boring and somehow we reach Pali temple by 7 PM. It was raining very hard and we were unable to drive car neatly. After Pali, the weather was quite pleasant. Driving on Pune – Mumbai express highway during monsoon is always refreshing to me. Please follow proper rules while driving on the expressway to avoid accidents. We reached home safely by 9.30 PM.

• Car Parking at Pali (Ganesh Temple): INR 20/-
• Khopoli-Pune Toll (Express highway): INR 99/- (One Way)

Places which we miss due to lack of Time/weather:

1. Bankot: Himmatgad Fort (also known as Victoria Fort)
           Bankot fort has an interesting connection with Sir Arthur Mallet of the Arthur seat point fame at Mahabaleshwar. On a marine expedition that he undertook from Mumbai to Mahabaleshwar via Bankot in His wife Ms. Sophia and his young daughter Elena drowned in the Savitri river creek near Bankot. Their graves, marked by a platform and vertical pillars with marble inscriptions are near this fort and can be seen just as one exits the bastion. Sir Arthur Mallet would often spend his time recollecting the memories of his wife and daughter sitting at the edge of the Savitri river valley atop Mahabaleshwar. This point gradually became famous and is now known as Arthur’s seat point.
2. Unhavare - Hot Water Springs.
          There are natural hot water springs at Unhavare Village, which is 35 km from Dapoli.
3. Panhalekaji Caves
          Caves are from many periods from the 3rd century to the 14th century
4. Chikhali village (Known as Chikhalgaon)
          Keshav Gangadhar Tilak was born at Chummakachu Lane (Ranjani Aaleea) in Chikhali/Chikhalgaon village.He was an Indian nationalist, journalist, teacher, social reformer, lawyer and independence fighter who was the first popular leader of the Indian Independence Movement.

Thanks for reading this Travel Blog. Happy traveling.

 Pritesh Kulkarni

Pune.