For some unexplainable reason, when it comes to weekend getaways, we generally go for places that are spoken of most often, visited by people you know or splashed across websites. It’s easier that way. But more often than not, we choose these because we really aren’t aware of the unsung wonders around us. How about exploring for a change? You’ll be amazed at what lies around you.

One such unexplored jewel of Maharashtra is Wai, located at the foothills of the Sahayadri range and on the banks of the River Krishna. A perfect weekend getaway from Mumbai or Nashik, this historical hidden paradise is nestled in Satara and blessed with the famous seven ghats, namely, Gangapuri, Madhi Aali, Ganpati Aali, Dharmapuri, Brahmanshahi, Ramdoh and Bhimkund.

Our impromptu weekend road trip began with five friends, a full tank and ‘where do we go’. Not wanting to go for the usual, we chose the unusually named Wai. I do admit we had no idea what awaited us. Only when we started approaching it did we begin to have some faith in our choice, what with the unending landscapes, towering mountains, fresh breeze and lack of crowd we noticed around. A pleasant surprise for a bunch of people wanting to get away from the hustle-bustle of city life.

Mini breaks en route, dhabba binging and chatting with the locals kept the drive interesting. A word of advice; if you’re visiting a place for the first time, reach during daylight and book in advance. We made a mistake by doing neither. Reached at 8 pm so couldn’t see much and didn’t book assuming getting a room would be easy. The two resorts we came across were booked, that too in the sweltering month of May. Luckily, the owner of Anandvan Resort, probably feeling sorry for a bunch of tired and hungry youngsters, handed over the last two rooms available; connecting rooms with bunk beds! Took me back to my hostel days. The rooms were simple, clean, comfortable and dinner, unexpectedly delectable. Spicy chicken curry, thin and hot chappatis, dal, rice, Maharashtrian style vegetables, fried papads, raita and chaas. All we wanted after that was a good night’s sleep.

For the first time in months I woke up at 6 am. Not with the shrill sound of an alarm clock, but as promised by our waiter, to the soothing sound of twittering birds. That’s when I got a good glimpse of Wai. Our resort overlooked a big lake nearby, mountains in the background and green valleys. Located in the heart of nature, here, you can either enjoy the peace and tranquility or experience the various activities on offer – trekking, boating and exploring the surrounding villages. It wasn’t long before the rest joined me and the day was chalked out over cups of steaming hot kadak chai. “If you love exploring nature, this is the perfect place for you”, we were told. Well, more than happy to explore, we set off.

Narrow winding roads through the ghats led us downhill, to Boat Club near the lake. Our jaws dropped at the picturesque beauty in front of us. Picture this; clear blue skies and still waters as far as your eye can see, surrounded by towering mountains on all three sides. No words or picture can do justice. You have to see it to believe that somewhere in the remote villages of Satara is a place like this. Swans strolled by, oblivious to any human presence. The area turns into a campsite at night with tents, barbecue and bonfires organized by the owners of Anandvan.

Even though the sun was beating down on us, we thoroughly enjoyed a leisure boat ride. The water baby that I am, my desire to jump in for a swim was cautioned by the boatman with a “Madame mat!! Hame pata nahi kaunse jeev hain paani mein par kuch bhi ho sakta hai. Aap please idhar nahi, swimming pool mein swim kariye.” My embarrassment at the chiding was pretty evident, much to my friends’ amusement.
Once back on land, a couple of huts at a distance caught our eye and curiosity got the better of us. As we got closer to the piles and piles of dried fish and houses made of blue plastic raised and held with the help of sticks and stones, a little girl approached us apprehensively. A family of seven lived here along the banks of the lake: a couple with their five kids. They caught and dried fish and then walked miles to sell them in the village. What did they eat? Fish of course.

Initially shy, the little girl and her siblings took to us after seeing our cameras. Rajesh, all of 11 and the eldest, enthusiastically gave me a guided tour of the patch of land they lived on. The pride on his face as he told me the entire patch was theirs and they could do what they pleased with no one to bother them was priceless. It was heartening to see how content this family was with whatever little they had. What I wouldn’t give to have a home in a location like theirs!
After a round of chai made by their mother, we set off to what we were really looking for; Dhom dam in the quaint village of Jor. Fifteen minutes of driving and we were there, being gawked at by the inhabitants of Jor. I guess not many ‘city people’ visit the village so the sight of a car going through their narrow lanes seemed some what surprising to them. Nevertheless, they were extremely sweet and simple people, eager to help and guide us to the dam. We came across quite a few of the famous temples we had heard of in and around the village. From a distance Dhom dam looks like a huge slab of blackish grey cement. On nearing it, you realize just how tall and wide it is.

Driving our car over the dam, along the length offered us a breathtaking view of the river far below and the rolling valley and hills around. If only time would stand still. If only city air was as fresh as this. If only Mumbai was as silent as this. We sat there, on top of (probably) a 20ft high dam, soaking in all the good things of life. I don’t know for how long we were there but it felt like forever.
The drive down led us to a small lake tucked away behind the trees. It was no pool but we had to take a dip. Swimming in the fresh freezing water felt divine. It’s only when the sun began to set did we drag ourselves int the car and headed back. The drive was predominantly silent. I guess each one was reliving the last two days in their head, amazed at our discovery, thinking about the silence, the beauty, and the tranquility of Wai. If you like places with character and spending a weekend doing almost nothing, if you are an explorer, a visit to Wai is a must. Because nothing you read can possibly sum up the novelty of this haven.
MUST VISIT AROUND WAI:
- Maha Ganpati: The tallest and biggest of all temples in Wai.
- Mandhardevi Mandir: Located on top of Shambhu-Mahadeo mountain ranges, from here one can enjoy the majestic beauty of the mountains, valleys, Dhom dam, Panchgani and Mahabaleshwar.
- Wakeshwar Temple: 2 km. from Wai, it’s by the riverside and surrounded by trees.
- Menavali: A beautiful ghat built on the river banks, it’s a favourite for film shoots.
- Dhom & Balkawadi dam: The dam backwaters spread over 25 kms. up to the foothills of Mahabaleshwar.
- Jambhali Jungle: At the foothills of Mahabaleshwar, it’s a site for many birds and animals.
- Velang (Campsite): A great place to enjoy trekking, star-gazing and other activities.

Ellora represents one of the largest rock-hewn monastic-temple complexes in the entire world, that too of three different religions – Buddhism, Brahmanism and Jainism. These caves are hewn out of the volcanic basaltic formation of Maharashtra, known as ‘Deccan Trap’, the term trap being of Scandinavian origin representing the step like formation of the volcanic deposits. The rock formation, on weathering has given rise to the appearance of terraces with flat summits. One can also have a glimpse of the channels (near Cave 32) through which the volcanic lava once flowed. These channels, due to overheating, have a characteristic brownish red colour. The basaltic rock is ideal for rock hewing, as it is soft during the initial excavation and hardens on exposure to environment. This induced the religious followers of various creeds to establish their settlements in them. The Ellora caves are datable from circa 6th – 7th century A.D. to 11th – 12th century A.D.

Pic : Deepak A

There are nearly 100 caves of which 34 caves are popular and visited by many tourists. Caves 1 to 12 are Buddhist; Caves 13 to 29 are Brahmanical and Caves 30 to 34 are Jaina. Thus, we have the greatest religious conglomeration at a single place, signifying the religious tolerance and solidarity of different faiths. The caves are excavated in the scarp of a large plateau, running in a north-south direction for nearly 2 km, the scarp being in the form of a semi-circle, the Buddhist group at the right arc on the south, while the Jaina group at the left arc on the north and the Brahmanical group at the centre.

Pic : Deepak A

The parking lot at Ellora is right in front of the largest single monolithic excavation in the world, the great Kailasa (Cave 16). The Great Kailasa is attributed to Krishna I (c. 757-83 A.D.), the successor and uncle of Dantidurga. A copper plate grant from Baroda of the period of Karka II (c. 812-13 A.D.) speaks about the greatness of this edifice.

A tourist can plan the visit of these caves according to the time available and depending upon the interest in ancient art. If a visitor has at his disposal three to four hours, then Cave nos. 10 (Visvakarma Cave), 16 (Kailasa), 21 (Ramesvara) and 32 & 34 (Jaina group of caves) should not be missed and one can have a glimpse of the representative art of Buddhism, Brahmanism and Jainism.

Pic : Deepak A

If a visitor has an entire day at his disposal, then Cave nos. 2, 5, 10 & 12 of the Buddhist group; Cave nos. 14, 15, 16, 21 & 29 of the Brahmanical group and Caves 32 to 34 of the Jaina group should be visited. All this valuable information about the caves has been gleaned from the Archaeological Survey of India’s website We had barely a couple of hours, hence just reveled in the beauty of Cave 16 and visited Caves 10 & 12.

The sunset from Ellora is also worth a view and we spent some time gazing at the beautiful sight. Some important information about Ellora Caves Open from sunrise to sunset Closed on Tuesday Entrance Fee: Citizens of India and visitors of SAARC (Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Maldives and Afghanistan) and BIMSTEC Countries (Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Myanmar) – Rs. 10 per head. Others: US $ 5 or Indian Rs. 250/- per head (children up to 15 years free)

Pic : Deepak A

Ajantha caves, famous for its murals, are the finest surviving examples of Indian art, particularly painting. They were excavated (circa. 2nd century B.C. to 6th century A.D.) in the shape of a horseshoe, overlooking a narrow stream known as Waghora and each cave was connected to the stream by a flight of steps, which are now almost obliterated. The caves attained the name from a nearby village named Ajanta. Apparently, these caves were discovered by an Army Officer in the Madras Regiment of the British Army in 1819 during one of his hunting expeditions.

Pic : Deepak A

Totally, 30 excavations were hewn out of rock including an unfinished one. The earliest excavations belong to the Hinayana phase of Buddhism. These caves are datable to the pre-Christian era, the earliest among them being Cave 10 dating from the second century B.C.The object of worship is a stupa and these caves exhibit the imitation of wooden construction to the extent that the rafters and beams are also sculpted even though they are non-functional.