Showing posts with label vadodara hill station. Show all posts
Showing posts with label vadodara hill station. Show all posts

Monday, January 24, 2022

Turkheda : Hill with view of Narmada


Turkheda : Hill with view of Narmada

                             

Hi,

          Slowly and gradually kids are understanding the importance of preserving nature and ways to protect her. We are trying our best to sow the seeds. Now the growth of the plant depends on many factors. For example, after understating the pros and cons of flying kites on Uttarayan last week, they were proud of themselves that they have saved at least a few birds. But their enthusiasm went downhill when their peers made fun of them for going out on festival days. And so Shaurya being Shaurya took a printout of news stating how many people and birds were injured during the festival to show it to his friends. We are proud of the way they have handled things.  Hope we are doing the right thing and not keeping them away...

         Anyways, as I have already stated,  on the day of Uttrayan, we went to two amazing places near Vadodara -  Turkheda hill and Hafeshwar. 

                    

        Turkheda is a hill near Kadipani, from which we can appreciate the beauty of Narmada. Our favorite river passing serpiginouly along the hills. The drive up to the hill is a little tricky with a few stretches of raw roads. But with little raw roads comes more beauty and the view is so scenic that you want to take pictures at every turn. 

                      

      To go up to Turkheda, you have to take a left turn from Mogra primary school. After that, the road is pretty much clear. We tried to trek down from the hill and to go up to the river bank but it is quite far.  This is the Mogra primary school. You can take a left turn from here. 

                    

      There is a small temple of Dev Mogra Mata or Moghi Mata at the top with unfinished construction of a big temple. the place seems very safe but better to go before it gets dark as you will not find many people on the way.












So that's it. Short visit to Turkheda.

Thank you.

Monday, December 27, 2021

Gopipura : Small hill behind Pawagadh

 Gopipura : Small hill behind Pawagadh  

Helical Stepwell and Ek Minar ki Masjid                   

               

Hi there,

             After not posting for a few weeks in a stretch to back to regular updates. I love writing here. I miss sharing our little trips and our feelings behind them... This time let us take you to a small hill just behind our mighty Pawagadh...

                           


                            

                                           

            This trip was done a few months back. We wanted kids to be prepared properly for the Pawagadh hike. So we selected hills around Pawagadh. This is a small hill near village Gopipura. Lots of mining work goes on there with many trucks. But if you go early on Sunday morning there won't be an issue. 


                      

                       

        It is quite a short and easy climb.  Kids were thrilled to do it and as it was super easy for them. You can do also do camping at the top.  And the beauty is, we were able to see sun peeping behind the Pawagadh.  

                      

                             

         From there we went to Ek Minar masjid and Helical stepwell, both of which were closed due to COVID. So will visit them soon.




                  

Hills


A small hill
Asked mighty mountains
I am not big as you
I haven’t been
Named as you
People are not
Achieving
Coming on top of me

Still, I am there
Seeing all
Guarding all
Noticing all
They come
They go.
They climb
They forget
Sometimes
They break me
destroy me

Why it’s like that?

The mountain answered
Every raindrop is an ocean
Every speck of dust is shore
Every note is a song
Every tear is an emotion
Every seed is a forest
Every idea is a discovery

Why look for magnitude?
It’s the infinitesimal 
It’s the minuscule
That makes the difference

That small fraction
That small smile
That one word
That one hug
That little help
That little grit
That matters
The most...

So
Don’t you worry Hill
We see you
We feel you
We love you
We care for you
The givings trees
The guarding forests
The bouncing streams
The smiling lakes 
The flowing rivers
The accepting oceans 
The peeping clouds 
The shining stars
The soothing moon
The burning sun
The forgiving Earth
We are in this together
People are foolish
About them
You don’t bother!!!


Location of Gopipura. https://goo.gl/maps/XFnQDpD4vmepG9mc9

Ek minar Masjid - https://goo.gl/maps/m7z6sUQHPNYbf4zx6

Helical stepwell - https://goo.gl/maps/1GqmYXttQNr6uka58


Thank you...
see you soon....

SaSha..

Sunday, April 25, 2021

MAKHANIYO PARVAT - Mountains are calling us!

 


                   MAKHANIYO PARVAT -  Mountains are calling us!

Hello...

         We hope that you are safe and sound at home and taking the necessary precautions. As per Charlie Mackesy, “We are tired, but dawn is coming. So hold on.” This too shall pass.  This trip was back in January, but it’s so close to our heart. It was our first mountain climbing together. 

                             

                    makhaniya parvat mountains are calling us

       It was a foggy, chilly winter morning and kids wanted to climb a mountain. Sheel thought of Makhaniyo parvat and I heard it for the first time. It is beautiful Rocky Mountain near Sukhi dam reservoir. The road up to the mountain is amazing, full of greenery. 

                                         

      We parked our car near the temple just at the base of the mountain and started our hike. You just need to pass a small bridge on the canal and few fields and then u will be at the base of the breathtaking beauty in form of you.  It is entirely of rocks with scanty vegetation. Just like its name - Makhan means butter in Gujarati...

                                   makhaniya parvat - mountains are calling us

                                   makhaniya parvat , mountains are calling us      

                                  makhaniya parvat , mountains are calling us

              The only downfall of this hike was that I stopped after reaching at 3/4th of the top as my shoes were not supporting me. The hike is pretty steep at places and the rocks are quite smooth so it was slippery. And we really felt that when our tea thermos tumbled down...it was scary...

                                              makhaniya parvat , mountains are calling us

                                              makhaniya parvat , mountains are calling us

                                     makhaniya parvat , mountains are calling us

                 Sheel and the kids went up to the top...and we were so proud of them to finish their first hike so easily. I enjoyed my view and peace from where I was sitting. I could feel every second of that calmness in every cell of my body. It was so soothing. 

                                          makhaniya parvat , mountains are calling us

      It took me back to the lockdown days when I penned down this poem. Sharing it will all of you. 

It’s like mountains are calling me

I am enjoying at home 
This is my happy place 
It gives me peace 
It gives me sanity 
Amidst all chaos
Amidst all noise
In the corner of my home 
I am at ease 
The comfort which  is unseen
The comfort which is routine 
I don’t want to go out 
I don’t want to meet friends 
I am not missing socializing 
I am not missing any blaze 
Among my pillows 
Among my books and chai 
There is nowhere
I would rather be
The comfort which  is unseen
The comfort which is routine 
But 
When I look at the pictures
Of scenic Himalayas
I miss that serenity 
I want that tranquility 
The joy of that  serendipity 
pleasure in that  odyssey 
In the world of reality 
They nurture us with lucidity
I get goosebumps here 
By the feel of that breeze 
Tears in my eyes
With joy, they appease 
Their mesmerizing beauty 
Their charismatic charm 
And here I am 
In the corner of my home 
I am at ease 
There is nowhere 
I would rather be 
But 
It still feels like 
Mountains are calling me.....
      



                So to fulfill that call, that sound, we went on this trip, and surely it was accomplished fully!!!





  

Locationhttps://goo.gl/maps/EX2n77X5UC9PyDQ1A


Height: 400 meters


Distance from Vadodara:  102 km from Vadodara, 2 hours 30 min. 


Care to take:


   - It is a lonely place. So better to go in a group. 

   - Good hiking shoes are better. I can definitely elk you from my experience 

   - You can take a local person as a guide with you. We did'nt. But in hindsight, it would have been better. 

   - I think it will be difficult in the monsoon because of the slippery surface. 

    - Take the proper amount of water and fluids with you. U will need plenty. 

    - Plan ahead as it will be a tiring day with a 60-90 min one-way journey. But every second of it will be worth it. 


          We are definitely going to repeat this hike again this winter as I definitely want to go to the tabletop mountain and do camping there. What about you? 


Ajwa Dam Reservoir: Old is Gold

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