The Drive To Chiplun:My Konkan Holiday Part 1

We finally went off on our Konkan holiday,a year after we had originally planned.Having previously visited Amboli,Vengurla,Tarkarli and Malvan in the Sindhudurg District,this time we went to the Ratnagiri District.We drove down and it took us long but the journey was as interesting as the destination.I have divided my posts on this holiday into 5 parts and the first covers the drive from Mumbai to Chiplun.

The town of Pen comes after Panvel.It is famous for Poha.Here you also find stalls of watermelons and white onions (which come from Alibag and last a year).Between Panvel and Pen one sees several stalls selling Neera which is a sweet and unfermented drink made from palms.

Wadakal Naka,after Pen, has a restaurant called "Shrudha Shanti Bhuvan" where we had stopped years ago for Poha and we did this time around too.It had been garnished with coconut and coriander and made a great breakfast dish.

What was even better than the Poha was the Tea which was strong and reminded me of Cutting Chai,except that this was in a cup.

Saw that the restaurant was selling Poha and other items so I bought some,hoping to replicate the taste when I get home. It was a lovely drive past several mango trees laden with the unripe fruit.

We passed lush green fields of wheat.

There were several small bridges over little rivers.

The NH 17 is a fabulous road provided you are a cautious driver(or have one)...neither of which we had.The problem lies when rash drivers try to overtake.There is no divider and hence there can be a head-on collision if one is not careful.There are many road signs all along the way.Some tug at your heart and some make you smile."This is a highway,not a runway","This is a highway,not a dieway","No mobile while mobile" where some of which I spotted.

We passed Gandhar Pala Buddhist caves near Mahad,which were 26 in number.

We passed fields where cacti were grown around them for protection.

We passed several ghats,some with hairpin bends every few moments.The view from the mountains was beautiful.The Kashedi Ghat was one such.

We finally reached Chiplun after a few heart stopping moments because of the crazy driver.It lies on the bank of the Vashishti river and is known as Lord Parshuram's abode.

Cannot tell you how happy I was to find Hotel Abhishek again.My cousin Arun had told us about it.It looked diiferent from the last time.The owner the explained that they have two branches...the other one near the Shivaji Nagar Bus Stand. Hotel Abhishek has been around for 17 years and offers Malvani cuisine.

My Fish Thali had Surmai Fry and a sour Bangda Curry which I mopped up with chappatis. The Thali had Sol Kadi,the accent of which was on the spice rather than coconut milk.

The Clams were small but yummy.The Crab...spicy sweet! One of the finest Malvani meals I have had!

After we stepped out of the restaurant,I saw a "Tumtum",a kind of a rickshaw,the mode of transport in Chiplun!

Was quite tempted to take one to Ratnagiri,which was an hour and a half away.