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Nandur Madhameshwar Bird Sanctuary
Bhandardara is a place whose
beauty emerges only after the rains. Located around 70 Kms from Nashik,
the best part of going to Bhandardara by road with your own transport
is the serenity it offers all along the way. The Nashik highway iscomparatively
clear of heavy traffic. The expensive reaches of the road & the hills
in the distance fill you with a sense of liberation
as you leave behind the clogged air of the city. Bhandardara without
the rains is an ordinary, dull & forming into the rising wind. Built
in 1926 , the Bhandardara dam is one of the oldest
dams in Asia & is known for its Umbrella Falls which provides a most
picturesque sight for trigger - happy photographs.
There is another waterfall known as the Randha fall which is about 11
Kilometers from the dam . Here, the water gushes down the rock face to
all 45 meters into the rocky ravine , forming a bubbling stream which
, apart from offeringa glimpse of natural design , looks extremely dangerous.
Those with a touch of vertigo may do well a stand back from the
edge . While there is an excellent point just opposite the waterfall for
a perfect view of its casecading effect , the place has not
been provided with any railings or other security measures so that a bit
of daring could go a long way right into the gorge. For those with a yen
for trekking , there is the well known Kalsubai peak, the highest peak
of Maharashtra state on the Sahyadri range,
standing 1,646 meters above sea level. Dense foliage & uncharted territories
lead the way up to temple & although the tourist
books would have you believe that there is flourishing wild life sanctuary
on its premises, we couldn't lay our sights
on any four-legged creatures. Not even a mongrel. For the religious-minded,
there is the Amruteshwar temple, reachable by boat
which houses the idol Shiva . A further excursion leads you to the Ratangad
Fort, which, however, is not as impressive as the
other forts of the state. If it's the sheer thrill of a drive that you
seek & are ready to grapple with some absolutely kutcha
stretches of road , Ghatghar is the spot you should head for. The
dense fog envelopes you in its ghostly form & as you stop with the
strong feeling of having lost your way , there emerges from
the fog a figure covered in a blanket. Baring his tobacco-stained
teeth, he greets you with a Ram, Ram & is kind enough
to inform you that yes, you have indeed lost your way. Ghatghar, located
22 Km. from Bhandardara , has on offer a point
from where the view would no doubt be terrific except that in the monsoons
the chances of the entire view being blocked out
are more likely than not. Thanks to the recently built private hotel at
Bhandardara, one is no longer at the mercy of the
MTDC which offers cottages & dormitory bunk beds. The charges for
lodging at Bhandardara vary from Rs. 300 to Rs. 700 per
room & meal facilities are available with the private hotel as well
as the MTDC restaurant. For non-vegetarians, the gavthi
chicken & the dam fish should provide for a real change of taste from
the Moghlias & the Manchurians of the city.
MTDC bookings ( Tel Nos. : 628169 , 626867 ) are best done in advance
to avoid the surliness of its employees . The only plus
point of the MTDC resort is the fascinaing view of the lake it enjoys,
where boating is a possibility should the weather &
water levels permit. Places of Interest
From Mumbai to Bhandardara
by Train - For Reservation Contact
M.T.D.C; D.O.Hutments Madam cama Road, opposite L.I.C. Building, Mumbai-400020 T.No. 2026713 / 2024627 Fax- 2852182 M.T.D.C T/1 Golf club, old Agra Road, Nashik, Rest House Tel. Fax (0253) 570059 M.T.D.C; Holiday Resort At Post, Shendi, Taluka- Akole, Dist Ahmednagar Tele. Fax (02424) 51632 |
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Through
ceaseless efforts of Bombay Natural History Society, World
Wildlife Fund and Forest Department of the Government of
Maharashtra, this sanctuary which houses more than 220 species
of birds, 400 species of vegetation, 24 species of fish and
several smaller mammals came into existence along the Nandur
Madhameshwar dam at the confluence of Godavari and Kadwa. Spread over
the protected area of 10000 hectares, lies the core
area of 1765 hectares, where the large variety of water birds,resident
and migratory birds congregate in season. It is now counted as one of
the important water fowl habitats in the region by
the International Union of Conservation of Nature.For more details visit
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