It was a Usual Saturday morning. I and my wife were discussing where should we head to on coming Sunday. We tried to google search and yes, as always it gave us great results. But shortlisting a place was quite a task.
For choosing a Day trip there are a few things we feel are very important:-
- Minimum Travel Time
- Good Road Connectivity
- Less Crowded Place
- A great Company
- A place worth visiting
As the day on Sunday was marked as 'Shivaratri' on Calendar, 'Bhimashankar grabbed our attention and we zeroed on it instantly.
I called my Friend and his wife and instantly plan was ready to go to "Bhimashankar".
Bhimashakar is One of twelve Jyotirlingas of Lord Shiva (Hindu God). Its Approx 110 Kms from Pune. There is a direct road from Pune to temple and If one wants to come from Mumbai then there is a Trek from Karjat.
We started from my Place (Hinjewadi, Pune) around 7 AM and started on Mumbai Highway (towards Mumbai). I must say it's not a very easy route as it has lots of diversions and you must study map thoroughly if you don't want to get lost in midway. The complexity of a road is till 'Chaas Phata'(Diversion at Chaas Village). Once we cross the phaata the road is pretty straightforward.
Its single lane highway till the temple. The road is not very good but not very bad too. It has a lot of potholes and for around a patch of 10 km, you will be driving at speed of 20-25 km/ph. Earlier, we thought as the distance is just 110 Km we might reach within 2-3 Hours but because of poor road condition, it took 4 and a half hours to reach Temple.
We reached the temple around 12 Noon. The good thing is, they have a dedicated car parking. Once we parked our car there, there were some 50-60 odd stairs to reach the temple. The stairs go downwards as the temple is located at a lower level of the hill.
As we were reaching near the temple walking down the stairs, the constant running cold breeze stole away all the exertion and tiredness of the long ride. The temple construction dates back to 13th century. But the 'SabhaMandap' (Moothall) is fairly new and was built by Nana Phadnavis (The Peshwas). One can easily find out which structure is Old and which is new from the look and feel of the stones used in construction.
It took around 30 minutes for Darshan as there was a Small queue. But I must say, The Shivalingam is Beautiful. It is very powerful. During darshan, one can feel the strong and positive vibes coming through. With all devotion, we bowed down to take blessings of Lord Shiva. We sat for some time in Sabha Mandapa to soak in all positive energy coming through. The experience was blissful.
After darshan, there is a spot behind temple from where one can see the beautiful and unending valleys. The wind blowing through our hair and beautiful view was more than satisfying.
After darshan, we started descent at around 1.30 PM and we reached Pune at around 5.30 via Chakan road.
In all, it was a Great One day trip. The road is not very good but very enjoyable because of great views and accompanying Bhima River.
There are few Things One must Consider while taking on this trip:-
A - Carry Food Items, Lots of them (and Water). There are no good hotels nearby temple and after 4 hours road journey and darshan you will be super Hungry. You can do stomach filling as there are a few stalls of Hot Masala Corn, Idli, and dosa but its really advisable to have your own food items which can support you until you reach back to Chaas Phata (1.30 Hours) where you can find a few good restaurants.
B - Keep Good Shades/glasses/Goggles (Whatever you call them) because if you are going from Pune to Bhimashankar in the morning time, then almost through the entire journey you will be facing the sun.
C - Fill up your fuel tank in advance. The temple is in the forest area with no nearby fuel pump so make sure you have at least half a tank full when you reach the temple.
In Conclusion, It was awesome One day escape. We enjoyed this trip and advise anyone who is interested in exploring Beautiful Temple, Sweet forest and Overall (not very but) Comfortable ride. Forest is not too dense. The Bhima river is a treat for eyes. The Shivlingam is powerful and will leave you with positive vibes. The return journey is less stressful as its all declining road. So reaching home is both satisfying and less tiring.
Hope you too enjoy this journey. Have a Safe trip. Always wear a Seatbelt and keep travelling.
Thank you !!!!!!!
x
