Wednesday 4 December 2019

One of the less famous beaches in Maharashtra, the Harihareshwar beach is located in the Raigad district. Surrounded by four hills named Harihareshwar, Harshinachal, Bramhadri and Pushpadri, Harihareshwar is often referred to as Dev-ghar or "house of God".
Situated on the Konkan coast, the Harihareshwar beach is nestled near high mountains of the Western Ghats. The black sandy beach is clean and relatively less crowded. Harihareshwar has escaped rampant commercialization and offers solitude and peace in ample measures. The beach here is one of the cleaner ones and offers several water sports.
Harshinachal, Brahmadri, Harihareshwar and Pushpadiri are some of the hills that form a perfect backdrop for the beach. The hills are dotted with temples dedicated to Lord Shiva, Lord Vishnu, Lord Brahma, and Lord Yogeshwari.
Harihareshwar lies at one end of the stretch of beaches of Diveagar , Shrivardhan and Harihareshwar together forming the Raigad Beaches.
Harihareshwar attracts big crowds to its serene beach with calm cool breezes and many tourists select this as a vacation destination to stay some days away from the busy world. Truly in all sense Harihareshwar is a place of beauty with the pleasant ambience, temples, beach and dense woods.
Often called Southern Kashi because of its temple dedicated to Lord Shiva, Harihareshwar is situated in Raigad district of Maharashtra. A popular beach town, situated 200 km from Mumbai, it is also known as Devghar. Harihareshwar is a treat for people looking for spiritual relief or a beach holiday.
How to reach
By Air
Pune Airport situated 178 kms away and is the nearest airport to Harihareshwar. Another option lies in collecting flight information operating to and from Chhatrapati Shivaji Airport in Mumbai(213 kms from the town).
By Rail
The nearest rail head to Harihareshwar is at Mangaon(63kms). Most train plying between Mumbai and Goa halt here. Mandovi Express is a convenient option for the visitors, looking for the beaches in Harihareshwar.
By Road
Mumbai Central Stand operates two buses for Harihareshwar. The buses departs during the first and second half of the day. Travelers can also catch bus to Shrivardhan and then follow the buses to Harihareshwar.
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Harihareshwar Beach-Maharashtra-India

Monday 4 November 2019

Korigad is a fort located about 20 km away from Lonavla in Pune district, Maharashtra, India. Its date of construction is not known but likely predates 1500. It is about 929 m above sea level. The closest village is Peth Shahpur.
This fort was incorporated into his kingdom by Chhatrapati Shivaji along with the forts of Lohagad, Visapur, Tung and Tikona in 1657. On March 11, 1818, Col. Prother tried to take over this fort but even after a prolonged siege could not make any headway. Finally on 14 March, by igniting the stored ammunition by means of a loose cannon ball he succeeded and this fort went to the British.

There are also two lakes on the top of the fort and ahead of them are two caves. Here visitors can see the idol of lord Vishnu holding the Conch, Discus, Mace and Lotus flower. One can enjoy beautiful view of Aamby Valley city developed by Sahara Group from the fort.
On the top of the fort is a huge plateau. There is temple of Goddess Korai Devi on the fort and the idol of Korai Devi is around 4 feet. This temple has been renovated recently. There are many bastions on the Southern side of the fort. There are 6 cannons and two more temples on this fort. Of these, the biggest cannon named Laxmi lies next to the Korai Devi temple. 
Two huge lakes near the temple provide ample supply of water. The fort still possesses six canons situated at different places. The one near the temple is comparatively bigger than the others and is named as Lakshmi Toph. Though most of the constructions at the fort are ruined, the fortification is still intact and takes you to a period soaked with history.

The fort offers hardly any construction, except the Korai temple. It is small and can accommodate a small group of trekkers. The local villagers say that the deity was adorned with beautiful ornaments before the British rule. Later, all the ornaments were moved to the Mumbadevi temple in Mumbai.
How to Reach
By Road: Lonavala is less than 2 hours from Mumbai and Pune. You get regular buses / cabs to Lonavala through out the day.
By Rail: Nearest railway stations are Pune & Mumba, both ess than 2 hours from Lonavala by road. Both Mumbai and Pune is very well connected to rest of the country by rail.
By Air: Nearest airports are Pune & Mumba, both ess than 2 hours from Lonavala by road. Both Mumbai and Pune is very well connected to domestic and international destinations by air.
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Korigad - Maharashtra - India

Saturday 2 November 2019

Bhogve beach is a beautiful beach which lies at a distance of 36kms far from Vengurla and 29kms away from Kudal. This secluded beach is also situated on western shores of the district of Sindhudurg. 
Moreover, this beach offers beautiful views of small tropical oasis on Nivati’s shore. It even adjoins the beach with a twin village Kochra.
This beach is blessed with amazing blue water, splashing waves, silver sand &lush green coconut tree lining. Bhogave beach is a truly beautiful and serene beach on the Konkan coast.
This beach enjoys other magnetic characteristic that it offers amazing sunset and sunrise views.
The exotic western shores and greenery all around will surely delight tourists to make their trip more memorable.
Bhogve beach even inhabit another attraction of the merging of the river which is known as Karli with the sea. This beach also serves fabulous views that attract many visitors.
How to Reach
By Road
The nearest city to reach Bhogwe beach is Kudal or Kankavali. Kudal and Kankavali are well connected cities on Mumbai Goa Highway. Many Maharashtra and Goa state transport buses and private buses from Mumbai, Pune, Goa and Satara are available to reach Kudal and Kankavali. From here tourists can hire auto to reach Bhogwe Beach.
By Train
Bhogwe Beach doesnt have any railway station. The nearest railway stations to Bhogwe beach are Kudal, Sindhudurg and Kankavali railway station. Konkan Railway connects all these railway stations. From the railway station tourists can hire private cab or auto to reach Bhogwe beach.
By Air
Goa International Airport, Dabolim is the nearest airport situated around 122 KM from Bhogwe beach. From the Goa airport tourists can reach Bhogwe Beach by private cab.

Bhogve,Maharashtra,India

Wednesday 30 October 2019

An enchanting temple dedicated to Lord Venkateswara, the Birla Mandir of Hyderabad, India stands in its entire splendor on the hilltop of Kala Pahad. Made of over 2,000-tons of pure white marble from Rajasthan, the Birla Mandir overlooks the serene and placid waters of the Hussain Sagar Lake. The famous Birla industrialist who had built a large number of temples all over India built the Birla temple of Hyderabad. They finished building the Birla Mandir of Hyderabad within a time span of ten years. The magnificent shrine offers a wonderfully breath-taking view of the twin cities of Hyderabad and Secunderabad. 
The intricate carvings of the temple, the ceiling and the mythological figures are a standing testimony to the dexterity and sculptural excellence of the craftsmen. Beautiful scenes from the great epics of Ramayana and Mahabharata are finely sculpted in pure white marble. The temple is devoted to Lord Venkateswara who is also known as Balaji, though the temple is known as Birla Mandir. It is a wonderful blend of the architectural style of northern and southern temples.
 A unique feature of the Birla Mandir, Hyderabad is that there are no traditional temple bells. It is said that the Swamiji who had consecrated this temple had insisted on the absence of bells so as not to disturb the meditative ambience of the temple premises.
Before you enter the temple complex, you need to leave your footwear as well as mobile phones at the counter near the entrance. After you have prayed  obeisance to the deity, do climb up to the upper sections - you will get the best views of Hyderabad city from here.
The temple was built in 280 Ft high Navbath Pahad which is located south of Hussainsagar, Tank Bund, Lumbinipark.the famous sited of Hyderabad,
 The Birla Mandir  was constructed  in 1976 spanning 10 Years. The architecture is blend of south Indian,Utkal and rajasthani style. The temple inside is replica of  Lord Venkateswara at Tirumala.
 As you enter the temple you can see the 'Gopuram' or the pyramid shaped temple top, which is a characteristic feature of South Indian temples. The tower situated at the top of the principal deity called the Jagadananda vimanam is again built in the Orissan style. The flagstaff of the temple is made up of brass, and reaches to a staggering height of 42 feet.
 The granite stone, out of which the idol of Lord Venkateswara has been carved, is about 11 feet tall. A Lotus shaped canopy at the top of the idol is again done in marble and looks stunning. Along the winding path that leads to the main worship place, are many marble statues of Gods and Goddesses of Hindu mythology that look almost real. In case you visit the temple in the early hours of the day, you can hear some very melodious South Indian music in the praise of the Lord. The Birla Mandir of Hyderabad becomes a spectacular sight in the evening when it is illuminated with hundreds of bright lights.
The temple is only open in the morning for pooja (that's early morning "praise and worship" for you Evangelicals out there!) - then it closes all day.then it re-opens at around 4:00 P.M. and stays open well-past-dark. 
Temple Timings: 7 am to 12 noon, 3 pm to 9 pm.
Location: Adarsh Nagar Colony, Naubath Pahad, Near Hussain Sagar Lake, Hyderabad
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Birla Mandir,Hyderabad,India

Tuesday 29 October 2019

The Church of St. Francis of Assisi which lies to the west of Se Cathedral and shares more or less similar external architectural pattern. This church was built in 1661. At present date, the convent of this church has been modified to an Archaeological Museum.


He was someone who threw away a life of luxury to embrace poverty. How he rose above it all, attained the kingdom of God, and became a saint, is a long story. But, standing inside the church named for him, I realize that the church seems to have seen just as many highs and lows as him and survived to tell the tale.
The Church of Francis of Assisi is right opposite the Basilica of Bom Jesus, and most of the tourists come here to see the archaeological museum maintained by the ASI in the convent which adjoins this church. Few enter the church itself, probably because it is just one of the many churches here. But that only makes it a better experience for me  the church is almost empty, and I can enjoy it in peace
Se Cathedral is the largest church in Goa, India and reportedly all Asia.  The original building was constructed of mud and stones and straw and was erected in 1510 and was dedicated to St. Catherine for it was on St. Catherine's day -Nov 25th that Alfonso de Albuquerque conquered Goa. It underwent modifications subsequently and a second church was constructed in 1515. The building does not seem very imposing in its outward appearance. But the interior of the Cathedral is majestic and it has a high vaulted ceiling.
The three tier facade of the Church of St. Francis of Assisi has octagonal tower on each side and in the central niche there is a statue of St. Michael.The main entrance of this church is beautifully decorated with circular pilasters and rosette bands. The internal buttress walls separating the chapels and supporting the gallery on top have frescoes exhibiting floral designs

The origin of this church can be traced to arrival of Franciscan friars in 1517, secured the rights over few houses from the Governor which belonged to the deceased Thanedar. They constructed a small Chapel in the premises.  This Church was dedicated to the Holy Ghost and consecrated in 1521.  The present church was built on the same spot after pulling down the old Chapel in 1661 retaining the old entrance of the earlier Church. 








Noticing the intricate details on the frescoes, it is easy to understand why this is one of the churches under the UNESCO World Heritage Site list. Each of these churches have their own USPs. For this one, it is the frescoes and the paintings which draw eyes and awe.
How to reach
AIR
Dabolim airport of Goa is well connected by flight with major cities in India.
RAIL
Madgaon, Vasco-da-Gama, Tivim and Karmali railway stations of Goa are well connected by trains with major cities and places in India.
ROAD
Panaji, Mapusa, Margao, and other main cities of Goa are well connected by motor able roads with different cities and places in India.
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Church of St. Francis of Assisi,Goa,India

Monday 28 October 2019

Murud Beach is a small town about 11km from Dapoli, located on the rugged Konkan coastline. A long, scenic stretch of a beach with soft sand, swaying palms and a beautiful, ancient Durga Devi temple are its primary attractions. It is also known as Murud - Harnai. 
 Murud is a growing tourist spot famous for its scenic beaches, ancient temples and medieval sea fort.
Murud are small villages on 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 very famous spot to relax on weekends.
The beach itself with its soft sand and wide expanses is well suited for walking, jogging or simply freaking out.
Murud is also 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.
 Beach is safe to swim and you can see white and brown sand patches on the beach.
                                                                  Sky's the limit
We woke up early morning by 7 am. we decided to go on the beach for swimming. After spending 30-40 min in the sea waves, we saw 1 medium size boat at sea shore 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 sea.The ride lasts for about an hour, in which you are taken into the sea, near the places where dolphins are usually spotted. Most of the men, who run this business are strongly committed and will not end the ride before you spot at least one dolphin.
The dolphins are extremely beautiful, majestic creatures, which leap and dive with an amazing speed, making it very difficult to capture them on camera. Hence it is often better to tuck away the camera and surrender to the amazing experience of the dancing dolphins
The beach at Murud is worth a visit. The long soft white sand beach has been remarkably spruced up to realize the dreams of every Water Sports adventure buff
                                                    Parasailing at murud beach dapoli 
                                                   Horse riding at Murud beach
                                                      Horse riding at Murud beach 
Murud beach is just the option if you are wondering how it feels to cut the waves at 100 mile an hour or Para glide on the surf or even surfing on the clear water waves of Murud. You can enjoy water scooter rides and various other rides here.
                                                  Sunset at Murud Beach
                                                          Sunset at Murud Beach
 Our memories of the ocean will linger on, long after our footprints in the sand are gone.
How to reached
By Road from Mumbai via NH-17 : 220Kms
By Road From Pune its 185 kms
By Railway one can take Konakan Railway from Mumbai till Khed from Khed its about 40 kms, one can take bus or auto rickshaw till Dapoli.
Nearest Airport is Pune
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Murud beach,Dapoli,Maharashtra