Vangani Waterfall aka Dhabdhaba at Vangani near Karjat

Tuesday, August 11, 2015

Vangani Waterfall is located at Vangani near Karjat. The closest rail station is Vangani on the central line on the way to Karjat apart from the road. It is off the Neral Badlapur Road. 

vada usal pav at Karjat

 After visiting Kalote Waterfall aka Dhabdhaba we had a quick lunch in the form of vada usal pav at Karjat. Now we had to kill time till 3:19 PM as the train to CST was to leave at that time. Like I said the train ply every hour to CST. The platform was crowded, luckily we managed to get a place to stand in the train. 

Greenery all around on the way to Vangani Waterfall aka Dhabdhaba

The crowd increased at very station, finally we alighted at Vangani, asked the station master for directions to the waterfall as we didn't want to waste any time. The time was now 3:55 PM on my watch. We stepped out on the eastern side and instead of taking the rickshaw decided to walk till the waterfall. Sharing auto rickshaw will cost you Rs.20 per seat and private will cost Rs. 40 per seat.

It had rained here, so the weather was gloomy, the sun had hid behind the clouds and refused to come out. Cool breeze was blowing and the trees were swaying in the wind. Greenery all around us. the trees , fields and hills in a distance were covered in different shades of green. I could see houses in a distance. I  would like to stay, in those houses, without a mobile phone and be cutoff from the rest of the world. 

Greenery all around on the way to Vangani Waterfall aka Dhabdhaba

The condition of the road was better than the one at Kalote Waterfall, but it was a rollercoaster ride to the waterfall. Finally after wallking for around an hours time we were at at Waterfall. Now there are a couple of waterfalls on the hill range. Out of which only one is accessable for the public. All the waterfalls can be seen from the road as we near them.

There is a cost of Rs.10 per head to visit the waterfall and you are given a receipt for the same.  Cheap way of making money by the locals. As we were entering the waterfall premises, crowd of people were exiting the same. So i knew we had the waterfall to ourselves. As per Dom the best time to visit the waterfall is in the evening, when there is less or no crowd at all. He was correct here.

Greenery all around on the way to Vangani Waterfall aka Dhabdhaba

We had to walk through ankle length water then climb down the hill to access the waterfall. The ankle lenght water which we crosssed then becomes the waterfall. It was small in comparison to Kalote. Again the villagers have put stones around it making it like a swimming pool with water gushing from the middle. Now the water was really cold, and i was finding it  difficult to get into it. Dom was all over the waterfall. After having light snacks and beverages I ventured in the waterfall. 

I didn't stand below the waterfall as the force of the water felt like someone was throwing stones on us.  The water was chest deep with uneven rocks at the base. 

Greenery all around on the way to Vangani Waterfall aka Dhabdhaba

Now it was almost 5:30 PM on my watch, the ticket vendors blew the whistle,  to inform that it will be dark soon and that we have to leave for the day. There is just one shop here that sells corn. No food and water is available, except the water running down the hills. 

Vangani Waterfall aka Dhabdhaba

We refreshed ourselves, got down and boarded a rickshaw at a cost of Rs.80 (for two) and headed to Vangani Station. We boarded the packed 6:52 PM CST local. Though the trip was tiring was we covered most of the places by foot and public transport, the waterfalls eased away the tiredness and stress, cooling our bodies.

That's me at Vangani Waterfall aka Dhabdhaba

Other waterfalls visited by me are Chinchoti , Jawahar  and Zenith . 

Soon I would be exploring Yeoor Waterfall and Vihigaon Waterfall, if you are interested in joining just ping me. Cheers. 

Kalote Waterfall aka Dhabdhaba in Kalote Mokashi near Karjat

Monday, August 10, 2015

Kalote Waterfall aka Dhabdhaba is located near to Kalote Mokashi. The closest Railway stations are Karjat and Khopoli. If you travelling by road, then it is located off NH4. 

Kalote Waterfall aka Dhabdhaba

As planned Dominic and I decided to go visit the waterfalls of Kalote and Vangani on Saturday. Original plan was to visit Vangani first and Kalote later. 

We boarded the 7:03 AM Fast local to Karjat. The local trains to destination Karjat commence hourly so plan wisely as the trains could be crowded. The train was to reach Vangani at 8:15 AM and Karjat at 8:39 AM. The train was empty when I boarded it at Dadar. The train got packed at Thane, Dombivli, Kalyan, so much so that we had to drop the plan of alighting at Vangani station and head straight to Karjat.

Puri Bhaji for breakfast outside Karjat Station in the west

Apart from us there were many trekking groups who had boarded the train, not sure as to where they were headed. There was also a band of boys (school boys) who played the drum in the train, so loud that the I could feel my heartbeat racing. Loud music energizes you to dance, sadly there was no place to stand in the train. LOL.

Finally we reached Karjat at 8:39 AM. Crossed over to the West and had breakfast in the form of Puri Bhaji. I have had vada pav here when I visited Kondana Caves aka Kondivade Caves with Mike. it was crowded then and so it is now. It cost us Rs.20 a plate we headed over to the Shriram Pool (bridge) to board a tum tum to Kalote Village. 

View of the lake and the green water body behind

When we inquired with the Tum Tum drivers, they just stared at our faces. They informed us that no Tum Tum ply to that place from there. Strange as I had read on one of the blogs that they boarded a Tum Tum. It then occurred to me that they boarded it from the East. I immediately inquired if we were in the East or West. To which we were informed that we were in the West and that we had to cross the station and go to the east. 

I was sure that we would get lost as we did on most of our trips. We headed to the east and asked the Tum Tum drivers. They said they would go, but the journey would cost us Rs. 400 one way. "Rs.400 one way, while the return ticket from Andheri to Karjat cost me Rs.60." I didn't want to spend Rs.400 and so we started to walk, hoping to get a rickshaw or ST bus taking us there.

View of the fields and hills in a distance

In 10 minutes time we were at the ST bus stand of Karjat. We asked the Bus Conductors and locals about Kalote Waterfall and they too looked at our faces. Strange isn't it. People in the West and East have never heard of the village we want to go to.    

Finally a ray of hope. A man told us that there is a village a Kalounte where there is a waterfall. So much for the pronunciation. That's the place where we wanted to go. He told us to board a bus to Chowk aka Chowk Phata and from there we will get a Tum Tum to Kalote Mokashi. The entrance to Kalote Mokashi is off NH4 on the way to Khopoli. Though we had crossed it while we went to Khopoli, but due to no signboard we missed it. 

Road leading to the waterfall

Tum Tum outside the station on the eastern side drop one to Chowk aka Chowk Phata at a cost of Rs. 15 and the ST bus charges Rs.13 for a ticket. From Chowk aka Chowk Phata board a bus or Tum Tum going to Khopoli. The Tum Tum ride cost us Rs.10 each.

The time was now 11 AM on my watch when he exited the Tum Tum. There is small tea stall at the entrance road of Kalote Mokashi. He inquired for directions and headed straight on the road. The road is not in very good state, it had pot holes, muck and small stones. Thanks to the rains that the condition of the road has deteriorated. No wonder the Tum Tum drivers were charging us Rs.400 to reach here. 

The bungalow surrounded by water

We decided to walk it out as that was the only way of reaching the waterfall. As it had rained a lot, greenery was all around us. Like I always say the color Green was so soothing to my eyes. We saw a small well near a water body, due to the algae in it the water body looked green. Crossed a couple of villages. I asked one of the local's the name of the village. To which she informed that all are Kalote. Strange as all of them have only one name. 

We then saw this beautiful bungalow surrounded by a lake. The entrance to the bungalow is via a bridge. I wouldn't mind staying in it  and sitting by the lake to catch some fish for lunch. Patience is the key to catch a fish. Look at this pic, ain't it amazing.

We then headed onto the road to reach the waterfall. I believe plots of land have been sold to build vacation homes, as new houses are being constructed on either side of the road. The approach road is bad. 

Children from the village posing for a photo

Finally after walking for about and hour's time we were at the waterfall. Note that there are no signboards here, again  we asked the locals and they guided us to the waterfall. This waterfall cannot be seen from the road. One has to walk in the stream to reach it. 

Now we were not the only ones there, a big fat goan family had also come there. Now you will want to know how they are goans, based on they way of speaking konkanni. There is no charge to see the waterfall like at Bhivpuri Waterfall (Umroli) and at Palasdhari. 

We immediately jumped into the icy cold water. The villagers had put up stones around the waterfall making it like a small swimming pool so that people are not washed away by the flow of the water. The water was around chest deep but the rocks below were uneven and slippery. 

Stream leading to the waterfall

On Dom request I sat below the waterfall. The force was so strong that I felt like someone was throwing stones on me. I couldn't sit there much longer and hence sat on the other side. There is also a small but less forceful waterfall happening,  

The sound of the waterfall was deafening. It just cut me off from the rest of the world. I sat there thinking about having bath below the natural waterfall instead of the shower in the bathroom. It will  have a problem once the rains are over. LOL.

There is no food and water available here.We had carried snacks and beverages, which we had. The waterfall surrounding was clean, and that's the way it needs to be. After spending a hour in the mesmerizing waterfall we decided to move on as we had to visit Vangani Waterfall too. 

Dom and me at the waterfall

The children of Kalote will approach and say "Paisa Do" meaning give money. 

Again we walked on the same muddy cum potholed cum stony road for an hour;s time to reach NH4, from where we got a Tum Tum to Chowk aka Chowk Phata. 

At Chowk Phata we met with one of the rickshaw drivers who had charged us Rs.400 to go there from Karjat. He was surprised and stunned to learn that we visited the waterfall and are back. It cost us just Rs. 46 (for two). I couldn't stop laughing from within when I saw the look on his face. 

Kalote waterfall aka dhabdhaba

We then boarded a ST bus to Karjat bus stand. 

Stay tuned to my blog to read about Vangani Waterfall.

Other waterfalls aka Dhabdhaba that I have covered are Chinchoti Waterfall, Jawahar Waterfall and Zenith Waterfall in Khopoli. 

Zenith Waterfall in Khopoli near Karjat

Wednesday, August 5, 2015

Zenith Waterfall is located at Khopoli, the closest railway station being Khopoli. It is located very close to the old Mumbai Pune Highway. Khopoli is roughly around 80 KM away from Mumbai.

Zenith Waterfall

By the time we were done visiting Palasdhari Waterfall, the time was around 4:45 PM on my watch. Time was passing by and we were not sure how much time it would take us to reach and explore Zenith Waterfall from here. We still decided to take our chances and headed over to see Zenith Waterfall.

We initially traveled by the Karjat Khopoli Marg, later on the Old Mumbai Pune Highway. Finally we took a small road that runs parallel to the Old highway. This is the entrance to Khopoli. On this road is located the Khopoli Railway Station and the waterfall. This road later joins the Old Mumbai Pune Highway. I was introduced to this road by Massey, on our bike ride to Indurigad. It is like a shortcut while traveling to Pune by the Old highway. As the road is narrow it can be a bottleneck at times. There are houses and shops along with a Jain temple here. 

Panoramic view of Zenith Waterfall

In a matter of 30 minutes we  were at the entrance of the waterfall. Not sure as to why it is called Zenith Waterfall. The factory of India Steel Works is located very close to the waterfall.

From the entrance point I could see the waterfall from a distance, it was just amazing. The hill range has got many waterfalls, but all are not accessible. The sun had finally come out of the clouds and lightened up the place, making the view even more spectacular.

We parked the car at the entry point of the waterfall and from there headed over on foot to visit the waterfall. The stony trail leading to the waterfall is near a water stream. The water from the waterfall flows in the stream. 

Closer view of Zenith Waterfall

One has to cross the water stream twice to reach the waterfall. It is advisable to wear sandals or floaters as the water is knee deep. A thin muddy path surrounded by thick flora leads to the waterfall. 

Finally we were at the waterfall. The water falls from a 30 feet drop. Something very similar to Jawahar Waterfall in Jawahar. The stones near the waterfall had moss on them and were slippery. Neha, Urvashi and I decided to get in the waters while Manohar stayed put. But the strong wind and gushing waterfall, could get you wet even without stepping in the water. 

Urvashi, Neha and me in Zenith Waterfall

The water was ice cold, We couldn't stand below the waterfall as the pressure was to much. So Neha found a place to sit near it, Urvashi and I followed her. The pressure was so strong that I could hardly open my eyes. The sound of the waterfall blared in my ears, cutting me off from the rest of the world. 

The waterfall can be used to shoot dream song sequences. Many songs featured in Bollywood movies might have been shot here in the past. 

Apart from us there was a family there, who had come to see the waterfall. So it was just 15 of us in total. I don't like crowds. On weekdays there might be no crowd here. The good part is that there is no charge to see the waterfall. 

Manohar, Urvashi, Neha and Me at Zenith Waterfall

There is tea and corn available at the waterfall premises. 

What a fantastic way to end the trip. As someone has rightly said, we always save the best for last. The best waterfall on our waterfall trip. We had a great time. Thanks Guys :)

As it was almost dawn we headed over to the car park, had tea and snacks, from there headed home. Finally home at 10:00 PM. 

Chinchoti Waterfall in Vasai (E)

Thursday, November 24, 2011

It was Hithakshi who suggested that we visit Chinchoti Waterfalls in Vasai. I checked out the place on the Internet and decided that a one-day trip to the place may prove to be a good outing. 

The blogs I had checked had warned that the approach roads were rather rough. One wrong move and you are bound to get lost in the forest hills, they had said. And that is exactly what happened to us. Read on to find out more about our lost expedition.

I circulated an email among my colleagues, hoping to drum up some enthusiasm for the trip. Only 3 people, including me, volunteered to go. The others backed out, fearing the heavy rains.

Group Photo, From Left: Vijay, Sanjay, Ashutosh, Me, Hithakshi and Urvashi

We planned to board the 6:23 am train from Andheri to Vasai and hire a rickshaw there to take us to the base village from where we were supposed to trek up to the top.

Later Hithakshi called me to say that it would be better if we trekked from Naigaon instead of Vasai, and we modified the plan accordingly. Ashutosh and I were supposed to board the train at Andheri and Hithakshi was to board at Bhayandar, two stops before Naigoan.

It turned out that our tribe was increasing. Ashutosh said that three others would be joining us on this trip, namely, Sanjay from Bandra, Vijay from Goregaon and Urvashi from Borivali.

Water gushing down the waterfall

Ashutosh and I waited on platform No 1 at Andheri station as we thought that the train was a slow train. The 6:20 am train had just left and the 6:29 am train was expected. We wondered if the 6:23 am train had been cancelled.

My sixth sense told me to check the indicator and to my surprise the 6:23 am train to Virar was expected to arrive on platform No 4. We raced up the foot overbridge and were lucky to reach the platform just as the train pulled in.

Our predicament seemed to set the stage for a day of unusual excitement. At Goregaon, Vijay was supposed to board the train. Sanjay was already in the train in another compartment.

From Left: Ashutosh, Vijay and Sanjay on the rocks

Vijay made the same assumption that we did, and waited on Platform no 1 for the train. When the train arrived on platform no 3, Ashutosh yelled out to him and I watched horrified as Vijay crossed the tracks to board the train. That was a most unwise thing to do. Vijay was very lucky as there was no train passing by as he rushed to board the train. My dear readers, I plead with you. ALWAYS use the foot overbridge. NEVER cross the tracks as it can kill you.

Meanwhile, Sanjay, who had made a few phone calls to Ashutosh and Vijay, misunderstood the plan and got down at Goregaon to board the train. He ended up arriving two trains later, after we alighted at Naigaon.

Urvashi boarded the train at Borivali without any confusion, followed by Hithakshi who boarded at Bhayandar.

From Right: Urvashi, Hithakshi and Me on the rocks

It was around 8 am by this time and raining heavily. The platform was deserted. We marched off to the east side of the station to hire a rickshaw to Chinchoti Waterfalls. At the rickshaw stand, the drivers warned us not to go to the falls, as it had been raining very heavily and many areas there were submerged under water. They advised us to cancel our plans and go home.

Having gone through so much trouble to get here, none of us were in the mood to return. A rickshaw driver volunteered to take us there for a price of Rs 15 per seat to which we readily agreed.

Six of us, one driver and one small rickshaw, capable of carrying three passengers. The six of us, however, managed to squeeze in.Wonder how? Read on...Ashutosh, Urvashi, Hithakshi and Vijay sat on the back seat. Sanjay and I sat on either side of the driver on the edge of the seat. I can still remember the pain of managing my weight on that thin edge of the seat. Sitting in that cramped position for around 30 minutes, we were thoroughly soaked by the time we reached. On the way, we could see less of land and more of water, thanks to the rains. Schools and houses were flooded.

Scenic view

Near the Bhiwandi highway, the driver announced that he would go no further as the highway was flooded with vehicles. We alighted there and began trekking towards the waterfall.

We had some tea at a tapri, a small corner joint next to the highway, where Ashutosh served us his Complan biscuits. We had never heard of Complan biscuits before and we ate them unenthusiastically, not knowing when we would be able to eat our next meal.

It was so cold here that Hithakshi could actually see vapour coming out of my mouth when I spoke, and the droplets of rain on my head looked like snowflakes from a distance.

Another scenic view

After taking directions from the locals, we decided to continue on our journey in search of Chinchoti Waterfalls. We walked for about 1½ hour to the base village.

The village was totally green in colour. Some parts of it were submerged under water. It was beautiful but I could not click photographs because of the heavy rains. :(

The flow of the water was very strong as it was coming down the mountains. Again the villagers warned us to go home. But we refused to pay heed and went ahead anyway.

Water from the Waterfall in the Village

We walked on, without directions, and got lost. We started walking through paddy fields in knee-deep muddy water. My suede trekking shoes were thoroughly soaked. On seeing us in the distance tramping through their fields, the farmers came rushing towards us, furious.

I felt sorry for them but the damage done by us out of our ignorance could not be undone. They shouted at us and we apologised. Later they showed us the way to the waterfalls.

The way up was via a stream coming down the hill. Once again we had to wade through ankle-deep water.

One more scenic view

After losing our way more than once, we asked another group of trekkers for directions and were finally put on the right track.

We could hear the water gushing down the rocks towards the left but could not see it due to the thick green cover. Suddenly we saw the water gushing down madly. I slipped and was about to go down. Fortunately, Vijay, who was right behind me, pulled me up just in time.

Worse, I slipped at the very same place on our way back from the waterfall.

We stopped for a while in the water to relax and recoup our energies. We managed to stay afloat amid the rocks, but we could feel the pressure of the water rising. I could see the water coming down from the hillside dashing against the rocks. It would be foolhardy to stay in the water any longer. Having regained our strength, we decided to return to the village.

By the time we reached the base village, it had stopped raining. So I took out my camera and began shooting.

We then boarded a rickshaw to Naigaon station, and took a train to Bhayandar station where we got off to have our lunch. We ate to our hearts’ content and then dispersed.

Tungareshwar is also located in the same hill range.

Other waterfalls I have visited are Jawahar- Dabhosa Waterfall, Zenith Waterfall, Kalote Waterfall.