Daarya Ghat दाऱ्या घाट

Daarya Ghat दाऱ्या घाट 

(Based on the latest visit in October 2017)

Its an off beat monsoon destination. Not so known or so popular in tourists. Generally tourist goes to Naneghat which is more popular and developed comparatively. So Darya ghat is lonely and isolated place not full of crowd. If you searching for calm palace in monsoon, Darya ghat would the right choice.

How to Reach :

It is about 120 km from Pune. Pune-Junnar 100km, Junnar to Darya ghat 20 km.

Easily completed in a single day from Pune.

Pune - Manchar -Narayangaon -take right turn to Junnar-Junnar(100 km)- to Shivaji maharaj statue- go straight to Aptale road- Surale village- Aptale village (right side road goes to Naneghat)- take left side road - Wanewadi-Keldare-Utchil-Amboli-Amboli is the base village for Darya ghat trek

Pune to Daarya ghat

Junnar to Darya ghat

You can do both Naneghat and Darya ghat in single day. It is about 25 km and would take one hour to reach from one ghat to another. 

Food and Stay :

The home made veg/non-veg food is available in Amboli village. Place your order then go to Darya trek. The food will be ready when you back. The home stay available as well in the village.

No Hotels or restaurants near Amboli but can be found at Aptale village and Junnar too.

  

Parking :

Park your vehicle any where in open space, no parking lot.

About the Trek :

It is easy and simple trek. Carry food and water on the trek. It is 4 hours round trip. The trails are not so clear because on less trekkers, so carefully find a right trail. small streams are beautiful in monsoon. Green rice farms, white water stream, foggy moist and crashing waterfalls will make this trek memorable. Mobile coverage is poor. One and half hours would enough to reach the V-shaped valley of Daarya Ghat.

Daryaa ghat trek route

What to See :

The waterfall and the V-shaped valley are two major attractions in Daarya ghat.

The Darya ghat is the V-shaped valley in the Sahyadri. When you reach on the spot you will be in the huge vertical walls of the rocks. The narrow trail will be disappears in the valley. Just be on the top of the valley. An open temple of lord Shiva is there on the edge. Pind and Nandi are there on the temple.

No need to descend the valley. Enjoy the glory of nature. There is dense forest in the valley. tiny flowers make it more photogenic. Because of the V-shape the views are not wider, but the depth is horrible.
A huge waterfall is very attractive on the left side of the trail. It has steps like structure. So many tourists can sit in the waterfall and enjoy the flow of waterfall. 
There is one temple in the waterfall. Go only if the flow of the waterfall is less. 

Trek-safety :

• Off beat location, so go in the Sundays of monsoon.
• Go with the groups.
• Before proceeding for the trek make arrangement of food in the village. 
• Safer time for the trek would be 7 am to 5 pm.
• The slope of the valley is steep and vertical, it is sleepary in monsoon, so be alert in the Daarya ghat.
• Take every care on the waterfall when enjoying in it. Be alert about the amount and force of the water. 

( My latest visit was in Oct 2017 with Prof. Mayur Mire, Prof. Satish Jadhav, Nitin Kulkarni and Hanumant Londhe )

Neelkantheshwar

Neelkantheshwar
(Based on latest visit in November 2017)

Nilkantheshwar is a popular religious place for Hindus. It has a temple of Lord Shiva, called 'Nilkantheshwar'. Late Shri. Shankarao Sarje mama started the development of the temple.
The hundreds of statues of Indian Mythological Gods are the main thing of attraction e.g. Ramayan, Mahabharat, Purana etc.

How to Reach :

About 40 km from Pune. It would take apprx. 100 mins. to reach because last 8-20 km road condition is not good.

Pune-Warje-Shivne- OR- Pune - Sinhgad road- Dhayri - Nanded city - Kirkitwadi - Khadakwasla village- take right turn to dam wall - NDA road 
Then - 

- NDA-Peacock bay (15km)- parallel to Khadakwalsa dam back water -Kudje-Mandvi-Splendor country-Sangrun- Bahuli -Katawadi-take left turn board (25km) - cross a small bridge (its very rough road) - then take trun left - Davaje- take right turn from Jambali (35 km)- its little ascend- then after village little rough road- parking of Nilkantheshwar.

Parking : 

The paid parking place is available for buses, cars, bikes etc. A restaurant, wahsroom and Sarje mama paduka temple situated at the parking place.

 

Food and Stay : 

Small restaurants are there at the parking and on the top too. Parking restaurant open only on Sunday and religious days. Veg food, pakode, poha, tea, bottled water etc. are available. The vast shades are built near the temple for big groups especially for school students to eat tiffins. Stay facility is available for pilgrims. (Dharmashala). Many local people come to this place on special occasions.

About Trek :

Its a small trek of 30/40 minutes. Kids and senior citizens can ascend on it easily. The trekking route is well shaped and broad unlike forts. 

   

What to See :

You need at least 2 hours to see the temple, statues and surrounding view.

The temple of Lord Shiv named Nilkantheshwar is well maintained. It is situated on the top of the hill which is surrounded by the forest especially of Neelgiri trees.

Many statues of Hindu Gods are constructed telling stories from Hindu mythology from Puranas, Ramayan, Mahabharat etc.

You can see Panshet Dam, Varsgaon dam, Khakwasla dam,Confluence of river Mutha- Ambi river and Ambi-Mose rivers, Sinhgad fort, Torna fort and Rajgad fort.