Konkan coastal route: Harihareshwar - Dive Agar - Murud.

Just had No time to put up Info about my trip..:D

Starting of, we attempted the above itinerary with least amount of Info which was available on net..

The itinerary was;
Mumbai – Mangaon (Raigad District) by Passenger train!!
You might not be amazed to know what condition the passenger train Diva-Sawantwadi would have been!! After all the ticket from Panvel to mangaon was just
19 INR!!!
The train arrived ON TIME despite being a passenger!!

Reached Mangaon @ 9:30am (ON TIME!!!)
Next by local inquiry we came to know that there is immediately as ST Bus from Station to Shrivardhan.. The distance is Some 40kms.. Reached within a Hour and a Half..

The Bus dropped us at Harihareshwar naka, where we turn right to Shrivardhan (2kms) and Left to Harihareshwar (16 kMs)..

Finally took a Tum Tum auto rickshaw on seat sharing basis for 18Rs per person..

About half and Hour of bumpy ride (Even though the road is smooth!!) in a rickshaw, Managed to reach the temple, took the blessing of Lord Shiva and then Proceeded for pradakshina marg..
Being a low tide, it was easy to figure out and locals had warned us to not to spend long time on that marg, coz water level rises tremendously during tide change.. And there are brutal stories associated with it...

With half sense of fear we completed it within 30Mins..
Next got to adjoining beach, had bit of fun and relax and then moved to next beach i.e MTDC beach..

About beaches: there is nothing truly exceptional to talk about and there are even more hostile and beautiful beaches on Konkan region..

Harihareshwar being an under developed tourist spot, is often least visited and one can expect peace of Mind and isolation for a time being..

Being close to Pune, and Alibag being close to Mumbai, Harihareshwar and Dive-agar are often flanked by the Punekar’s..

An hour of relax, we left for dive-agar beach...
Again in the same bumpy tum-tum rickshaw to Shrivardhan, changed next rickshaw at Shrivardhan auto-depot and then moved on to Dive agar..




It was almost dark and our bones were shattered on those rickshaws, and with the heavy ruck-sack on, we hunted for accommodation...

We were 4 people and got a room @ 400rs on the beach road... i.e. 100rs per person!! Quite economical, and that was what we were looking and Hoping for...:)

Being on-season (Jan 1st week) and being a Monday (Off day), it was quite easy to bargain and had lot of options!!

The next morning plan was to get on to the beach, and to catch an afternoon ferry to Murud janjira...

Got up early as was about to leave to beach, but suddenly heavy downpours showered,
It was a complete setback for us, despite of an awesome climate, it would shatter the ferry services and eventually we would be forced to get back to the route through which we came and that too to skip Murud!!

But due of sheer luck, within Half hour, the rain stopped and then we went to the beach...

About beach: It is THE FINEST beach I’ve ever seen in Konkan and Goa coast-line!!
Exceptional, Isolated and Beautiful and above all, SAFE!!!



Lined with heavy Palm tree cover, Traversing a 300m Jungle like outgrowth, the Supari (Betel Nut) trees lined near the Guest Houses, and an hour of Un-expected rain makes everyone to praise Mother Nature!!

With few dips and some awesome snaps we returned back...

Final packing to go to Murud janjira..
We were waiting for auto-rickshaw to drop for to next stop called as Bagadi(name confused) from where we were supposed to take another rickshaw to Dighi port..

We saw some local boys “riding” their bullock carts, and immediately asked for a LIFT!!
LoL, he Stopped!!
We hopped into it, and the Bull roared, just as we accelerate the accelerator of a 1000cc bike!![whoa] We named the boy as “Bull-Rider” and the original names of the Bull duo was “BABYA and WISER”



One thing I found missing is the age old woody wheel which was lined with iron across it’s circumference... And as a move of Improvisation, it was replaced by JEEP like radials..

Reminded of those old childhood village dayz...

There-after, we took another Tum-Tum auto rickshaw and headed towards Dighi,
Saw few bikes been loaded, the way in which the handlers handle the bike while loading and Un-loading, we could easily figure it out at the Furious faces of those Owners.

Within 25-30 mins, we reached the ferry wharf of Murud (Rajapuri), and then got off to Janjira fort...

There are few genius facts about this forts,
For example: Source of fresh water in middle of sea, infact the reality is the Fort is Not built “ON SEA” but it is built “ON an ISLAND” and hence there is such a miracle of fresh water..




Infact the “Well aka the fresh water source” is visible and is on the way, near the lake inside (Fresh water lake), there is a person who lends free water for drinking.. (Mind you, it is completely safe, may be safer than water sources of many of the Famous Cities!!)
The well is small 1.5ft x 1.5ft square, cement lined, and hence we can’t expect Murkier water inside...
Meat is, It was tasty than what was available with the locals out there in Main land Murud...


Else History is available on-net, Hit Google for more details...


There after had lunch, took a ST Bus to Alibag, and booked seats in Maldaar ferry service...
Scheduled to leave about 6.00pm, we had ample time to explore the the Over-Hyped Alibag beach...
Ferry service goes from Mandwa jetty, and upto it, you got to travel by their Bus, the cost of which was included in ticket...




It was a 40 min ride to jetty, and was a Windy evening, Wind Wind all the way!!
The process to board is, there is a small boat near which the actual Ferry is Parked next to, First you got to hop in the small boat, and then in to the Ferry..

Due to Wind, both boats were swinging at their own will! And of course, without any synchronization!![whoa]
The feeling was like being drunk without being drunk!!:D
We were furious whether we would be able to make upto Mumbai or Not!!

Mumbai looks very close initially, and one can easily be fooled in scaling the actual distance...
The ferry started, and we’ve been in lower berth, the waves hit us thrice crossing the barriers... But as Mumbai approached, the sea became calmer, the Wind eased and finally someone dared and we followed him to stand at the edge...

It took around 45 mins to reach Gateway of India, Mumbai...
Snapped the Taj, Gateway and the CST station and returned Home!!:)




Fares:
Panvel – Mangaon Passenger: 19Rs.
Mangaon station to Harihareshwar Naka : 28Rs
Harihareshwar Naka to Harihareshwar: 18Rs
Harihareshwar to Shrivardhan: 18Rs
Shrivardhan to Dive Agar: 18Rs
Dive Agar to Dighi: 5rs
Dighi to Murud (Rajapuri) by Ferry: 11Rs 50Paise.
Murud Fort return: 20rs
Murud to Alibag in ST Bus: 26Rs
Alibag to Mumbai: 85Rs Lower deck, Maaldar ferry services.

Detailed actual distances available else where...

Food:

Dive-Agar: Unlimited thali for 60Rs at Dive-Agar, Home made Maharashtrian thalis available all over...
4/5 Stars for taste...
Do not miss the early morning “Kaanda-Pohe” served by local guest house owners; it fetches 5/5 for its awesome taste...

At Murud: Patil Khanawal, opposite beach, very famous for Veg and Non-veg foods...
Veg thali starting from 45rs but Limited... 3.5/5 stars for taste...
Also the very famous, “SOAL-KADI” made from coconut, is a natural cleanser and digestive appetizer along with Kokam juice...

Staying options:

[I]Harihareshwar[/I]: There is a MTDC hotel at Harihareshwar but is always full due to lack of other options.. (Advance booking highly recommended)..

Dive-agar: Guest houses available, but not plenty.. The region is under-developed tourist destination, If not available, then you can opt for Dighi, 7kms
Murud: Cheap staying options available with awesome views of beach...

Note: Rs means INR..