Rajapur Hot Water Springs aka Unhale Hot Water Springs in Rajapur in Ratnagiri District in Maharashtra

Monday, June 20, 2016

Rajapur Hot Water Springs aka Unhale Hot Water Springs are located in 3 KM away from Rajapur village in Ratnagiri District of Maharashtra. They are off the the Mumbai Goa Highway (NH17 aka NH66) on the road leading to Rajapur Road Railway station.

Watch out for this signboard on NH17 aka NH66

After visiting the Tural Hot Water Springs, we headed over the NH66 to Rajapur. We traveled for around 100 plus KM to reach the village of Rajapur. We inquired with the locals and they informed us that the springs are not in the village of Rajapur but in Unhale which is a couple of KM away from here. They informed to travel on the NH66 till we see signboard on the left,  Which states Unhale Hot Water Springs, and we did as instructed.

Watch out for this signboard, Unhale Hot Water Springs in Rajapur in Ratnagiri District in Maharashtra

The Unhale Hot Water Springs are located in the Unhale village on the way to the Rajapur Railway station. There is a signboard put up on the left hand side of the road,

This spring is different from the ones I have visited, there is a continuous flowing hot water here. As in it is not a pool. There are two of these, one for the men and other for the women. I cleansed by face, hands and legs in the water. How I wished I had a soap so that I could take a bath in the flowing water.  Never the less, the cleansing was quite refreshing on the hot summer afternoon.

Rajapur Hot Water Springs aka Unhale Hot Water Springs in Rajapur in Ratnagiri District in Maharashtra

There is no provision for food and water here. Not sure if there is any means of public transport to reach this village as we couldn't see any shared autos nor any ST buses plying on this road.

We then sat in the car and headed over to Rajapur village on NH66 aka NH17 to have lunch. There are plenty of hotels in Rajapur Village. We had lunch at Hotel Saraswati. I had a fish thali and Manohar had a chicken thali (malwani style) to finish with solkadi. The food was finger licking good. Didn't expect such food from a place like this.

Fish Thali at Hotel Saraswati in Rajapur

The time was now 3 PM on my watch and we had to make a choice, should we go to Malvan or head back home. Even if we decided to go to Malvan, we would  not have finished it in a day's time, so we decided to head back to Mumbai.

Chicken Thali at Hotel Saraswati in Rajapur

The entire journey starting from Ghatkopar Railway station, covering Unhere Hot Water Springs, Sav Hot Water Springs, Gandharpale Caves, Khed Caves, Panhalekaji Caves, Unhavare Hot Water Springs, Aaravali Hot Water Springs, Tural Hot Water Springs and Rajapur Hot Water Springs, inclusive of food and refreshments and overnight stay at a hotel in Khed and back to Ghatkopar Railway station cost us just Rs. 3500 per head.  

Tural Hot Water Springs in Tural village near NH66 aka NH17 in Ratnagiri District in Maharashtra

Thursday, June 16, 2016

Tural Hot Water Springs are located a couple of KM away from Tural Village in Ratnagiri District of Maharashtra. They can be easily reached while traveling on NH17 aka NH66.

Tural Hot Water Springs in Tural village in Ratnagiri District in Maharashtra

Watchout for this signboard, Tural Hot Water Springs

After visiting, the Aaravali Hot Water Springs we headed over the Mumbai Goa Highway (NH17) aka NH66 to Malvan. It was not even 6 KM when we saw another board, stating Tural. Now I had done some research and I informed Manohar that there are hot water springs here. I kept an eye to watch out for a signboard to spot the same.

Watchout for this signboard, Tural

Old temple near Sri Kedarnath Gramdevta Mandir and Tural Hot Water Springs

We finally spotted the board, asked some locals and they informed us that the springs are located behind the Sri Kedarnath Gramdevta Mandir, which can be seen from the highway. Parked our car aside the road and walked towards the temple. The temple is newly constructed, but near the temple are places several stone carvings of various Gods. There is also a old temple near it, there is a shiv ling and a nandi statue in it. I guess this temple is still in use.

Sri Kedarnath Gramdevta Mandir

We then saw the hot water springs, this spring is not in use, as there is dirt accumulated on one side of it, but I could see the water bubbles. So if the villagers clean it, it can be used to take a dip. Felt sad, as I couldn't dip my feet in it, we then visited the old stone temple, or should I say, what remains of it.

Stone carvings near Sri Kedarnath Gramdevta Mandir and Tural Hot Water Springs

We then headed over the Mumbai Goa Highway to visit Malvan. He located Rajapur Hot Water Springs. 

Aaravali Hot Water springs in Aaravali near NH66 aka NH17 in Ratnagiri District of Maharashtra

Tuesday, June 14, 2016

Aaravali Hot Water Springs are located in village called Aaravali in the Ratnagiri district of Maharashtra. They can be easily accessed by the Mumbai Goa Highway (NH17). By train the Aaravali railway station is the closest stop.

Aaravali Hot Water springs signboard in NH17 aka NH66

We left from Khed to travel to Malvan the next day, we had halted for the night at a hotel near the Khed ST bus stand. We were traveling via the Mumbai Goa Highway. As the journey was long and as I was not driving, I decided to take a short nap. Manohar spotted a signboard, stating Aaravali Hot Water Springs. Now this was not on our itinerary, I immediately started my research on the internet, to gather more information and to see the photos of these hot water springs.

Aaravali Hot Water springs from NH17 aka NH66

Not much information was available on the internet, so I decided to ask some locals about the whereabouts about this place, so that we could visit them. The locals informed us that they are just 5 minutes away. By the way Aaravali Hot Water Springs are around 64 KM away from Khed.

Aaravali Hot Water springs

The springs can be seen from NH17. We walked down to visit them after parking the car on the side.

Inscription on stone near Aaravali Hot Water springs

There are just two spring pools here, the one enclosed is for the women and the other for the men. Dipping our legs in the hot waters was relaxing but the sun was draining us out.  Next to the pool are two stones with inscription in Marathi/ Sanskrit. I was not able to understand what it was written on them. 

Food and water is easily available here. 
 
We then headed over NH17 aka NH66. Tural Hot water spring was the next pitstop.

Unhavare Hot Water Springs near Panhalekaji Caves near Dapoli in Maharashtra (India)

Thursday, June 2, 2016

Unhavare Hot Water Springs near to Unhavare Village which is around 33 KM away from Khed ST bus stand in Khed. There are not on NH17 aka NH66, but one has to travel on the Vakavli Karanjali Road from Khed to access these caves. At the village Fanasu. The right takes us to Panhalekaji Caves and the left to Unhavare Hot Water Springs.

Unhavare Hot Water Springs

After visiting the Panhalekaji Caves we headed over to see the Unhavare Hot Water Springs. The narrow bumpy roads took a lot of our time. Again these roads will test your car/bike suspension. The directions to the springs are available on google maps.  The roads are deserted. 

Finally at around 7PM we were at Unhavare Village, the hot water springs are located very near to the village. There is provision for refreshments available here. But again the shops close at sundown. 

I managed to take some snaps in the low light at the spring premises. There was a group of boys who were in the water. 

Unhavare Hot Water Springs

We dipped our feet in the water. The temperature of the water was the hottest amongst all the hot water springs we covered on our itinerary as of today. Even at this time the temperature was roughly around 40 - 50 degrees. 

We chatted with the boys who were bathing in the spring premises. Two of them had come from Mumbai, for a marriage in their family. 

They informed us that there are two pools, this one is for the men, and the one enclosed is for the women and children. The spring premises is not lit at night. But we could still see around thanks to the moonlight. 

We then headed over to the shop to have some Falooda, which was very refreshing after hot water dip.  

Unhavare Hot Water Springs

The time was now 7:30 PM on my watch. We had to head back to Khed, as there is no lodging facility available here. 

Not sure if ST buses ply from Khed bus stand or Dapoli to reach this village, as it is totally isolated. But we did see a rickshaw or two on the way. Meaning shared rickshaw are available. 

We had to follow the same track back, to reach Khed, there is no street light so one has to rely on the car headlight. With continuous dropouts in the phone signal, there were times when we were lost on the dark roads, nevertheless we still managed to ask locals and head back to Khed. 

That night we stayed in Khed itself. Next morning we had Malvan on our itinerary.