India is a country which experiences nature's blessings and fury equally. Largely know for its tropical climate, with harsh snowy winters in the north and crackling summers in south, it transforms into a young blushy bride during the rainy monsoons.
The western coastal belt of India also called the 'Konkan' has some of the most beautiful towns with lush green scenery in the backdrop of rugged Mountain ranges. The mid-year rains bring relief from the scorching heat and purges the whole atmosphere. Mostly people avoid travelling during this season as rains are quite moody, the roads may get slippery and driving may become cumbersome. But then, whats life without some adventure and taking an off beaten path? I made a trip to one of the towns in Konkan on some very rainy days of the season.
 |
| After a fresh downpour, women in a Konkan village carry pails of water back home |
Murud, is a small coastal village which is around 165 kms from Mumbai. (source:Wikitravel). A drive of around 3.5 hours in mild rain thru the lush green Konkan villages got us to this small village. Known widely for its timeless 11th century fortress 'Murud Janjira', built on a rock just off the Arabian Sea coast. Turning some pages of history, this fort has stood test of times of foreign invasions and was pride of the chivalrous Maratha warrior clan. Iam not sure if its open to visitors, as we did not venture there owing to heavy rains. However from our vantage point on Murud sea coast we got some great views albeit a little bleary.
 |
| View of Murud Janjira fortress from the Murud Beach |
Murud enjoys an envious position on the coast. It has unspoilt golden and sometimes chalky beaches. We couldn't get much glimpses of sun which was enveloped behind heavy dark clouds. The waters were milky and frothy, surprisingly quite clean. The beaches are lined with resorts and hotels; you can just walk up to them from the beach. In hindsight I feel it was such a great idea to drive here on a rainy weekday, with only few locals around, we got the experience of the Beverley Hill celebs, of having our own private beach for hours and getting some good photos of the beach with no human obstructions.
 |
| Murud Beach |
 |
| Flanked by date palms and coconut trees, the reflection in the clear water was ethereal |
 |
| The frothy waves making myriad patterns. |
 |
| Two is a company. Come down beside Me! |
 |
| We don't mind a nice stallion ride on the beach. |
 |
| While its holidaying for us, for someone its just another day! |
And this is the most welcome company...Some good Sun to dry our soaked self!
 |
| And here comes the Sun...I remember it from Madonna's song 'Rain'. So truly befitting the mood. |
Iam not really sure whats more to explore in Murud. We took a walk around in the evening and could only find resorts around, quaint shops and streets with houses of the local residents. Maybe the more enthusiastic ones can find something more other than the Janjira fortress.
As for me, I loved getting wasted on the beautiful beach of this quaint fishing hamlet. I have never had a beach to myself where I enjoyed just lying down gazing at the pouring sky, in between blinded by the thick drops of rain, to let the waves wash my feet, unknot my body and my mind. This was one of the most unforgettable trip of mine in India which was not touristy, which was with friends with whom Iam just Me and was actually relaxing in real sense. And yes it was my first tryst with a borrowed Nikon DSLR. Looking at the photos...well not a bad start :-)
As for me, I loved getting wasted on the beautiful beach of this quaint fishing hamlet. I have never had a beach to myself where I enjoyed just lying down gazing at the pouring sky, in between blinded by the thick drops of rain, to let the waves wash my feet, unknot my body and my mind. This was one of the most unforgettable trip of mine in India which was not touristy, which was with friends with whom Iam just Me and was actually relaxing in real sense. And yes it was my first tryst with a borrowed Nikon DSLR. Looking at the photos...well not a bad start :-)
 |
| As we get back to Mumbai, a quick shot on a very misty day on Mumbai-Pune highway. |
* Location - Murud Janjira is in the state of Maharashtra, India
* How to Reach Murud - Drive from Mumbai or Pune, great roads. Hire a private cab is the best way.
* Accommodation - Plenty of options, one google search will solve this for you.
* Food- All types of food was available in our resort. Try seafood or local Marathi dishes.
* Language-Annexed to Mumbai, so easy to navigate. Safely English and Hindi to get you thru
No comments:
Post a Comment