Mumbai To Saputara Via Saptashringi Bike Ride.

JOURNEY BEGINS TO MUMBAI - SAPUTARA- SAPTASHRINGI- MUMBAI.!

EVERYONES DREAM TO VISIT SAPUTARA

Saputara has mythological importance as it is believed that Lord Rama spent 11 years of his exile here. Located at Mumbai Gujarat border. There is also Saptashrungi Devi temple.

Both these places are hidden under Maharashtra-Gujarat border due to which very few people are known.so we will be taking you to journey of Saputara from Mumbai. 

Its always a wish for everyone to travel to Saputara from Mumbai .I had the same wish to travel there ,but in addition to that  my wish was to travel Saputara from bike that covers almost 520km journey (updown) but ,we also explored Saptashringhi Devi temple located at Vani/Nanduri village which is  48km from Saputara and also on way back to Mumbai.

Being two people on one bike we drive almost 620km bike in one day.

Driving bike was easy task to us but driving through sahyadri ghat where 90°curves on road was feeling so difficult as it was one way road.

We kick a bike from navi mumbai and left early morning around 5am to saputara and then to Saptashringi devi temple via VANI GHAT.experience of leaving early for trip was gigantic.

We had reached at saputara by 9:30 and the climate was really awesome.we had covered almost 3-4points from there and left for Saptashringhi via Vani ghat.

Me and my friend were driving all over through Igatpuri- Kasara-Nashik-Saputara-Vani-Saptashringi-Mumbai.

It was time of june month where monsoon was about to hit in Maharshtra,where everyone was eager to wait monsoon to arrive.For bike traveller its like "IF YOU DONT RIDE IN THE RAIN....YOU DONT RIDE!" and we were so lucky enough that first monsoon of 2017 hit us on the way to Saptashringhi. experience of monsoon drive,fragrance of earth when first water hits to ground,fragrance of wet leaf,grass was simply amazing.

It was almost 650km journey that we had covered in single day.

Dream came true #monsoon#bike ride#beauty of Sahyadri#drive through Sahyadri mountains#hill station#small trek# its like "SONE PE SUHAGA".

If you want to explor complete Saputara then I would suggest you to at-least take 2-3 days peaceful ride to experience scenic view of sahyadri range that will make you to forget your job target,pressure,stress ,all problems beginning itself and will make your mind fresh and fill with good memorable experience.

WHEN IT COMES TO BEAUTY OF SAPUTARA  ;IT MUST SAY THAT

"Never waste any amount of time  doing anything important,

when there is a sunset outside that you should be sitting under".

We will take you to complete travel and explorable places at SAPUTARA and surrounding.

OVERVIEW OF SAPUTARA:-
 (HILL STATION ON MAHARASHTRA-GUJARAT BORDER)

SAPUTARA is small hill station located at western ghat. SAPUTARA is part of dangs district in Gujarat.It is known as tourist place for its mesmerising beauty.

most of the tourist from Mumbai,Nashik,Surat visits there to get rid of SAPUTARA lake amids hills that covers you in 360° with lush greenery. beauty of Saputara:)

MAP OF SAPUTARA FROM NASHIK

BOATING PLACE AT SAPUTARA LAKE

SAPUTARA HILL POINT

ROAD SEEMS LIKE FLOWER VALLEY.

The name SAPUTARA, i.e. abode of serpents is derived from the snake deity of the local tribals. A small stone idol of the serpent is located on the banks of Sarpganga lake where the locals congregate during the festivals of Holi and Nagpanchmi to worship the deity.

HISTORY OF SAPUTARA :-

Saputara translates to ‘Abode of Serpents’. It is because of this that there is an image of a snake on the shores of the Sarpganga River that flows through the town. The city has a mythological significance; it is believed that Lord Rama had spent 11 years of his exile in this region. Saputara also has great historical relevance. It was founded in the year 1960 after the Bombay state was divided into the two states of Maharashtra and Gujarat. During this time, the Saputara region was also invaded and it then became a city within the state of Gujarat. As the only hill station in the region, it enjoys a cool, pleasant climate and has grown to become a popular tourist destination for people from near and far.

ABOUT PEOPLE OF SAPUTARA :-

The hill station of Saputara has a total population of only around 6,301 people. 82% of the people belong to schedule tribes, 17% are from general caste and 2% are from the schedule caste. The majority of the people are Hindu (98%), followed by Christians (1%) and others. Most of the people are simple, warm and friendly.

LANGUAGES OF SAPUTARA : -

Gujarati is the official language of the state of Gujarat, hence makes it the main language of Saputara as well. Because of the many tourists that visit the city, Hindi and English are also spoken and understood by most of the locals.

CULTURE OF SAPUTARA : -

In Saputara, all the major festivals are celebrated with enthusiasm and zeal. Dang Darbar is one of the main festivals of this part of the state. This tribal festival is an annual event that happens before the festival of Holi. Just like Holi, Dang Darbar too is a colourful celebration where tribes gather together to commemorate the tribal kings. They do so with music, dance and selling of local tribal wares. Another famous festival is the Monsoon Festival which is held to promote Saputara as a tourist destination by drawing attention to its cultural and natural attractions. There are food festivals, laser shows, water sports, heritage walks and more.

How to reach:-

BY AIR:

Nearest airport is Surat and Mumbai.

once you reach the airport you can hire any taxi which will drive to Saputara.

BY TRAIN:

Railway is the best mode of travel to Saputara. The Waghai railway station at Billimora is the nearest railhead from Saputara (approximately 50 kilometres away). This railway station is well-connected with Mumbai, Gujarat and Ahmedabad. Once you reach at the station, you can board a taxi or a bus which is the most economical option to get to the main city.

BY BUS:

Many state-owned and private buses run from Gujarat, Pune and Mumbai. You can choose from a regular, air-conditioned, deluxe or a private luxury coach. The bus fare is quite economical.

I would suggest you to take a bike or own vehicle if you have.The reason behind private vehicle is there are lots of point on the way to SAPUTARA where you can make tea hault and click some pictures to give beauty to photo gallery .It is only 250km from mumbai.you will have to drive left from nashik highway if you are going by nashik.

Nashik to Saputara is 86 kms via Dindori (30 kms), Vani (15) and Borgaon (31).
while driving to saputara via road you will  cross the beauty on Igatpuri kasara ghat where you can click the pictures of nature.

From Saputara, the route via Vapi is as follows:-

Saputara-Waghai 54-Vansada 17-Dharamapur 35-Vapi 43.

If you go via Nashik,total distance is 180 + 86, or 266 kms
If you go via Vapi, total distance is 180 + 149, or 329 kms

Road via Vapi may be faster despite the longer distance in view of the 4-lane road till Vapi. You have to turn right off NH8 at Vapi town.

BEST TIME TO VISIT :-

October to February: October is generally pleasant in Saputara. Winter season beginsin the month of November and continues till February. Sometimes the temperature can drop down till 8 degree Celsius but overall the weather is quite enjoyable and this period also marks the peak tourist season in Saputara.

PLACES TO VISIT:-

SAPUTARA LAKE(bodies of water):

SUNSET POINT :-

Beautiful view of sunset from the top of hills.

 "Twilight fell:The sky turned to a light, dusky purple littered with tiny silver stars".

TABLE POINT :-

Table Point or Table Land is a small plateau on to which one can drive. It is bang opposite the ropeway station. One can get panoramic views of the landscape around on all the sides. Small fun activities and small snacks and drinks are available.

BOTANICAL GARDEN :-

Situated about 45km from saputara, the botanical gardens sprawls an area of 24 hecares and has about 1400 variety of plants.some major highlights are Chinese Bamboo,Beer Bamboo,and Golden Bamboo.

ECO POINT HILL :-

Echo point is famous vantage point in saputara. as the name suggest tourist comes to this place can hear echo of their voice.

HATHGAD FORT :-

Situated on the state border between Gujarat and Maharashtra, near Saputara, the Hatgadh Fort is an ancient citadel that overlooks some splendid landscapes. This fort is perched at a height of 3600 feet and is accessible by a narrow rocky path. 

The history of this fort states that it was built by the great Maratha ruler Chhatrapati Shivaji during his reign. An impressive idol of Lord Ganesha rests atop this fort and exudes an aura of sanctity. Offering stunning vistas of the Sahyadri, this fort is a delightful destination for history buffs as well as nature love.

Take a Look:-

-Theme of Saputara [Hill Station, Romantic]

-You'll love Saputara for[Greenery, Friendly locals, Weather]

-Watch out for[Public transport]

Best Time To Visit:-

July - September,October - FebruaryMarch - June

Altitude 3,000 ft. above sea level

SAPTASHRUNGI DEVI TEMPLE:-

Saptashrungi is a site of Hindu pilgrimage situated  48km from saputara border of Mumbai Gujarat.

The Marathas and some Bhil tribes worship the goddess from a long time and some worship as their kuldaivat.There are 510 steps to climb the gad.Devotees visit this place in large numbers every day. The temple is also known popularly as one of the "three and half Shakti peethas" of Maharashtra. The temple is also one among the 51 Shakti peethas located on the Indian subcontinent and is a location where one of Sati's (first wife of Lord Shiva) limbs, her right arm is reported to have fallen.its half shaktipeeth among three and half shaktipeeth of Maharashtra. 

Saptashrungi is a hill range consisting of seven hills locally called Ghads and form part of the Sahyadri range of hills in Western Ghats. Sahyadri Range is also known as Ajanta Satmala Range and the average height of the peaks is 4,500 feet (1,400 m). The Dhodap, in the center of this mountain range, is the highest peak with an elevation of 4,600 feet (1,400 m), and Saptasrungi is towards its west.There are 108 water bodies (ponds) located in the watershed of these hills, which are called Kundas. Nanduri, Kalwan and Vani are the villages nearest to the temple, which are situated at the foot of the hills. There are many approaches to reach the top of the temple location. The route from Nashik and Vani via Dindori is 39 kilometres (24 mi) and via Pimpalgaon Baswant is 51 kilometres (32 mi). The route via Nandurgaon village is the easiest and is 14 kilometres (8.7 mi) from Vani vani is at a distance of 60 kilometres (37 mi) from Nashik, the district headquarters. The State highway (SH-17) connected with the National highway  (NH 3) links Nashik with the temple site near the villages of Vani and Nanduri. Bus facilities by state transportation are available to reach the temple precincts. The forest in the hills are reported to have medicinal herbs.

510stairs to climb

Saptashrunghi devi

Trolly ride

Journey on Honda shine

Ghat road in Rains

There are 510 steps to climb the gad,but on same hand trolly ride is been start that will take you to temple which will give you the look of that village.

Initial ticket will be Rs 80 for adults. For senior citizens above 75, physically handicapped and children below 12 the ticket would cost Rs 40. The temple attracts around four million pilgrims from all over India annually. The ride gives a view of the lush green and often misty forests on all sides, reportedly teeming with rare medicinal plants and herbs and the rugged seven hill peaks in the vicinity surrounding the Sapta (seven) Shrungi (peaks) top where Saptashrungi Devi’s imposing abode has come up.

Highlights

Best Time to Visit  Morning, Afternoon, Evening

Facilities  Food Stalls, Accommodation, Washrooms

 

Recommended Hours  Min. 2 hours

 

Best Visited With  Group, Solo, Couple, Family

 

Not Allowed  Footwear, Pets

 

Allowed  Camera, Video.

     GO AND EXPLORE YOURSELF....!

(Author :- Sambhaji Patil )