The landscape of Maharashtra gets a makeover every monsoon. As the parched earth soaks up the rainwater, the brown plateaus, hills, and valleys change to varied shades of green. That it’s such delightful scenery is an understatement. Urmodi was no different.
This monsoon, we chose to explore around Satara. One of the routes we selected wound around the Urmodi dam, a magnificent waterbody fed by numerous waterfalls from the surrounding hillocks. Urmodi is around 17 km from Satara, via Parali village. The dam was commissioned in late 2000s as a major irrigation project.
There are a few villages around the dam, and needless to say, agriculture is the mainstay. The winding roads were in good shape (thanks to Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana) and inviting. Every turn threw a new surprise with different views of the water body and the green landscape. Most of the villages (Kus, Nigudmal, Nitral, and Kelwali) were in a festive mood as it was Ganpati festival and the town folks had come back home to celebrate.
We kept driving till the last village, Katrewadi, which was almost in a jungle. Even after stopping at many places, we couldn’t get enough of the magical beauty and tranquilizing quietness the landscape offered. Camera also didn’t get its fill after clicking so many pictures.
As the sun prepared to set, we reluctantly drove back to Satara.
(Satara, a small town is about 260 kms from Mumbai, on the Mumbai-Bangalore highway. Parali village is 17 kms from Satara. Own vehicle is the best means to explore these places.)
@rajaram
we went to Vajrai. But it is not the tallest. (the tallest is Jog falls in Karnataka)
one cannot travel to Kaas from Katrewadi. Both are in different directions from Satara. But there is a possible trekking route through forests from Katrewadi to Kaas (as per Google map)
Did you happen to go to Vajarai waterfall (rumoured to be the tallest in India). I saw that you mentioned Katrewadi. It is a short drive from there towards Kaas. Did you come back to Satara on the same route?
Really a good description about the monsoon in Maharashtra. I too love the nature near Pune in Monsoon.
Thanks for sharing the information!
None can define the beauty of nature.Only a poet,writer,traveler and Child can define,Famous poet William Wordsworth has define ‘The Beauty of Nature’ as a small child “Lucy” in his poem :Lucy gray”,Famous Hindi poet Jay Shankar Prashad has define in his book “Kamayani” as Manu and Shraddha.