May 18, 2006 09:36 PM
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(Updated May 18, 2006 09:36 PM)
Yes, a lot has been said about Lonavla and how the weather is. I somehow feel, people still do not know the true lonavla. I think I knew...about till 5 days back.
Many of us go to Lonavla, see Duke's nose and Tiger's leap and come back. However, there is a part of Lonavla that is as untouched as the orchids that grow there. Near INS Shivaji (the Naval training college) a winding road leads to Sahara city (Amby Valley). The first 100 meters were bad for the car since the climb was damn steep. However, as soon as that stretch was over....it was breathtaking. Even in the month of May, we were driving through the clouds! And I mean....we had clouds INSIDE OUR CAR!!!
The hiils that follow and the jungles contained therein are just simply beautiful! I had never seen a patch of mother earth in a more pristine beauty. There is a stretch of about 10 Kms from INS Shivaji to Amby Valley and believe me, every inch of that stretch is as beautiful as the winter morning's crisp dew.
En route to Amby Valley you would come across a fort built by Shivaji by the name of Lohgadh. The fort is a bit hard to make out at first but if u look close enough, you can make out the walls from below. The way to the top is NOT EASY. I would advice you to go there with someone who has already been there and knows the trail up ahead.
We climbed the fort in about 2 hours and were panting like a couple of dobermann tied to a pole! I took a few seconds to get a hold of my lungs which were trying to jump out of my mouth. But when I straightened up and saw around.....it was breathtaking. At one end of the fort, you can see the entire Lonavla Valley (and mind you...it is 200 sq kms of absolutely NO HUMAN POLLUTION) and at the other end you can look down upon the entire Amby valley. You can make out the damn and lakes, the houses and the conference rooms and the entire Amby Valley area. It is then you realise the reason for a single house in that place costing 70 Lakhs! The whole valley is planned like a gem. There is even a hydro power station that generates electricity for the entire Amby Valley!!!
A further stretch of 5 Kms take you to the gates of Amby Valley. Unfortunately, if you are not a very proud owner of a house in there or if you dont plan to buy on in the near future either...you can not enter the place. And no, you require a letter from the marketing department in Mumbai to get to see a sample flat. Even if you are the owner, you can not take your own vehicle inside (if it is not a hydro powered vehicle that is). Yes, you heard me right, you can not take your car inside! But dont worry. They will give you a zero pollution, battery powered car for your internal use...
Overall....its an amazing experience to go through the drive and experience what nature is all about in its pristine beauty.
Thanks for reading and keep watching as I will be posting some pics from the same trip here.
