Aug 12, 2007 03:57 PM
12195 Views
For me the drive was definitely more enjoyable than the destination.
A beautiful, serene unassuming place so close to Pune.
We went in 2006 just at the end of the monsoon. Took the old Pune-mumbai highway till the Nashik crossing and wnt towards Nashik. We chose to take the first turn-off from the highway at Rajgurunagar rather than carry on till Manchar to turn-off.
The monsoon had literally turned the earth and the hills green and the clean fresh air was simply out of this world. A little later we could see a thin mist develop and the whole road and surroundings disappearing into it. It was truly an ethereal experience.
We had reserved for stay at the Blue Mormon Hotel which isbased on the Blue Mormon, the famous butterfy of the place. The hotel is no great sakes though the hot & fresh Gujrati thali in that monsoon did appear sumptuous.
After a full meal and a short nap we went on to the actual temple which is a Shiva temple on the banks or river Bhima , thence the name of the place. The road to the temple is through a reserve forest area where one could see many endangered species.
The temple too is apt with the surroundings, totally hidden in the late August fog and a , ild chill, you ark your vehicle and descend thrugh the steps disappearing into dense fog. The temple itself is again a very old structure and is stil intact without much patchwork.
The drive back (through Manchar) too was equally good.
