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Showing posts with label dams near pune. Show all posts
Showing posts with label dams near pune. Show all posts

19.5.19

Devkund Waterfall

Devkund waterfall trek


Its a recently popular trek among the crowd of Pune and Mumbai.
Best time to visit is September to October after rainy days gets over. Waterfall disappears after October so no point to go after it. I visited recently on 7th October 2018.
How to Reach : Its about 110km from Pune. It will take almost 3 hours road drive.
Search Bhira dam on Google map to get a route of Devkund Waterfall. Bhira dam is parking point of Devkund trek.If search Devkund waterfall on google map it will show a top route of the waterfall which is used by professional trekkers with rappelling and climbing skills. So search Bhira dam for regular trek.

Pune-Paud-Mulshi Dam-Tahmini ghat- drive down from Tahmini ghat-Bhagad MIDC road - go straight to Vele village- Varachi wadi- take right to Patnus- take right to Bhira dam- Bhira Tata project - go ahead by slight left turn- Ask there about parking place - Park near trek starting point.

Parking : There are paid parking lots reserved by local restaurants. There are 2/3 parking lots. Go to the last parking which nearest to starting point.

Food a Water :
There is a food and water available at the parking. Veg and no veg can be served as per order.
No Full meal available on the trek. So better to carry food with you. Water bottles and lime juice, tea, biscuits, snacks and kandabhaji are available on the trek route. Running streams on the way aslo contains drinkable water.

Stay :
Stay is not allowed by govt at the Devkund waterfall. But there are many local hotels at Bhira village which give stay facility at the Bhira village. Tent stays also provided with charges like Rs.1500 a night with food and guide. Tree house stay also available. All these stay facilities are made available at the backwaters of Bhira dam.
Here are some contact Nos.
Pramod Shelar -7276283442
Shelar Sunil - 8446130788
Prakash Zore - 8793532972
Gujar Ashok -8793811870

About Trek :
The Trek starts from parking. Need to take entry ticket of village govt. Rs.10 per head.
They also insist to take a guide for Rs.50 per head of the group. Actually guide not much required other than rainy season. But Its very useful to have a guide in monsoon days.
They have chain system of guide. A guide is with the group up to specific spot, then next guide takes you upto next guide, how a team of guide take you up to Devkund waterfall. They really help to cross rivers with ropes in rainy season. You cant cross the forceful water without their help.
So don't debate about the compulsion of the guide on the entry point. Many accidents already happened on the destination. Some tourists argue about the hiring a guide, but Rs.50 per head is not much amount for it. Local should be always benefited form tourism. If employment is created for locals, then a place can be preserved better. Government cant reach everywhere to do it.

Its a trek of about 90 to 100 minutes. Total 6 to 7 hours required to return. The level is medium. There not much ascend or descend on the trek. You can call it a jungle trail. There are open spaces, jungles, rivers, water streams, stony paths etc. variety of routes on the way.
There are restaurants on the way run by locals where water bottles, lime juice, kokum juice, chips, snacks, Kandabahji, tea, biscuits etc. are available on weekends.

There are 3 main water streams to be crossed on the way. These are very risky in rainy season. Cross with the help of local guides. There is one wooden bridge built by locals which is very weak. You have to cross one by one and carefully.

After last bridge, high ascend starts of 15 to 20 mins. which may test your endurance. After ascend to start down to one more powerful water stream. you can listen to noise of crowd from the waterfall, which indicates that  you are near to it. Cross the last stream by river stones and you will standing in front of magnetic Devkund waterfall.

What to See :
The waterfall gives a look that you have not seen before. Waterfall falls down through a Curved mountain. The waterfall falls freely because of concave shaped overhang collapse.

There is plunge pool developed which is called 'kund' in Marathi. because of huge plunge pool the place is called Dev-kund. The plunge pool of God.

There is one small open worship place of Lord Mahadev behind the waterfall.

People used to swim in the kund. There a rope hand for showing a risk. Dont go beyond the rope. Its very risky. The pool is very deep and having whirlpool beneath the surface. The locals and sometimes police are present there to protect. There are some accidents happened in which some people died by drowning in the pool by over enthusiasm. Some tourists take too much risk  to click photos like standing on stones, going deep in  the pool, beyond rope, snatching each other in the water, making fun on fear of friends etc. Remember that risking  life.
The flow can be increased suddenly anytime due to rain in Tamhini ghat. So be aware when in water.
You can enjoy a fresh and cold water bath and splash here in safe area of a pool.

There is a small food stall where you can get water bottles, Vadapaw, Pithal-Bhakri, Lemon juice. Its a stony land, so find a suitable place for lunch.


Trek Safety :

  • Best time to visit September and October.
  • Some people died already here, so take care.
  • Take guide in rainy days.
  • Avoid in days of heavy rain.
  • Don't go if local tells you.
  • Carry food.
  • Cross water streams with great safety.
  • Look at the stepping stones in the water.
  • Don't be hyper and over joyful with others during the trek.
  • Don't get your self in water stream without consent of guides.
  • Don't bring kids for this trek. if bring, look after kids, they can be over energetic. 
  • Be in group, Don't be isolated.
  • Mobile coverage is weak.
  • Follow the safety instructions in the pool.
  • Don't cross rope in the Pool.
  • Remember photo is not more important than your life. 














































7.11.17

Bheera Dam

Bheera Dam
(Based on Latest visit Oct 2017)

The dam also known as Unnaiyi Dam. The Bheera village suddenly became famous in May 2017 as its Max temp. recorded highest in Maharashtra. Its also recognized as end point of Andharban-Jungle trek. It is a gateway of Devkund waterfall too.
Its a peaceful place to spend one day.

How to Reach :
Approx 100 km. from Pune.
Pune-Pirangut-Paud-Mulashi dam backwater road-Tahmini ghat-Nive-Plus valley view point- when tahmini ghat ends go straight,( Don't take left turn to Bhagad MIDC road which is wider)- go ahead- Varachi Wadi village-Take right trun to Patnus village (left turn goes to Kundlika river rafting - Mumbai) -Patnus village -take right turn to Bheera dam- Its Dam project place i.e. Tata Power House - Park your vehicle.
The road condition is good from Pune to Varchi wadi village. Varachi Wadi to Bheera dam its narrow road but condition is good. Road had bad condition from Chandani chauk Pune to Male villahe (Mulshi Dam).
Avoid night drive in Tahmini ghat in rainy and winter season.



Plus valley 
Plus valley view point 

 
Tahmini Ghat


Parking : 
Free Parking place is available at Bheera dam project i.e. Tata Power House. You can take vehicle upto the Dam wall place.

Food and Stay :
Many veg-non veg  restaurants are available from Pune to Tahmini ghat. Then small restaurants are there at Varchi Wadi and Patnus village. Many restaurants are opened only on Sundays. No tiffins are required. Many home made hotels are there. 

Home stay with food also provided in Patnus village which is nearest village to the dam.


Patnus village
Tata Power Project

What to See :
The Bheera dam is very calm and cool place. You can have look of beautiful scene of dam water and Kundlika Valley mountains at the background. Its the peaceful place to roam around in the nature.
The incoming running water channel after power project generation can be observed from one corner of the dam wall.

Inlet of Tata Power station
 
 
 

 

The way to Devkund wanterfall starts from here.
The end point of Andharban trail can be seen other side dam.  

Trek safety :

  • Avoid on weekdays ! 
  • Take care in monsoon season, the land become sleepery due to heavy and continuous rain. 
  • Summers are hot. 
  • Best season July to April.