It is absolutely understandable if you have recently been fighting the urge to get away from the noise, crowds and dull buildings of your city. Monsoon season can be quite mournful, especially in Maharashtra. If you have an urge to go out this weekend but don’t want to spend time at the same old local cinema, mall or market, the state offers some beautiful and phenomenal locations to enjoy the serenity and beauty of nature. What’s more, these destinations offer something for everyone, from the kids to the veterans.
Here are two destinations that offer an authentic rural experience in Maharashtra.
Purushwadi – Home of the ‘Kolis’ and the ‘Jugnis‘
If you have been interested in the lifestyle of rural and tribal people of India, you do not need to look far and wide. The quaint village called ‘Purushwadi’ is situated about 200 km. from Mumbai and Pune, en route to Nasik. It is inhabited by the “Koli tribes”. The villagers are very friendly and as enthusiastic to show their culture off as you are to learn about it.
These people are traditionally rice cultivators and animal rearers. They are always open to new visitors and tourists and will give you an authentic experience by making you live with them. You can be a part of them for a weekend by diving into the chores like pounding rice, grinding spices, ploughing & weeding fields and even collecting water from the well. You can enjoy a home cooked meal to reward yourself for a job well done. Work meets play in this little village, as you can take little nature walks while doing the chores. Don’t forget to sit by the river and enjoy the peace and tranquillity it offers. If you are feeling a bit naughty, don’t hesitate to pluck some juicy mangoes from the trees nearby and enjoy them. The sunset, marking the sky orange and pink and highlighting the Western Ghats, is possibly a rare view you can get to enjoy.
Night time is another adventure. This village not only offers a taste of a different way of spending your days, it also shows you what it feels like to have a magical ending to your day and go off to sleep every night after watching an enchanting spectacle. During the months of May and June, once the sun goes down, this valley comes alive with twinkling little fireflies, hundreds and thousands of them.
They light up the night sky like little stars. The whole place looks like it has been covered with glitter at night. This experience feels no less than being in a Disney movie. These fireflies create a show, as they seem to have practiced their choreography and move beautifully across the night sky. This place is an absolute must for a family trip and it will not let you leave disappointed with its warmth, hospitality, and magical phenomenon.
Morachi Chincholi – The abode of the peacocks
Imagine looking out of the window of your house or car and being mesmerized by variant hues spread across long beautiful feathers, moving gracefully. That is what you can expect when you visit this little rural gem in the state of Maharashtra. Morachi Chincholi, named after its most promising attractions, ‘Mors’ or peacocks, offers you a relaxing short trip, away from the concrete jungle and its ever-increasing pollution and congestion. This place is perfect for family trips.
‘Morachi Chincholi’ is just 55 km away from Pune. The home of hundreds of peacocks, peahens, and their little ones, this sanctuary is full of tamarind trees that form a natural habitat for these families and offers a one of a kind experience. They are not alone in the wild there. You can also enjoy the company of woodpeckers, babblers, robins, and parakeets.
To put another feather in their cap, Morachi Chincholi also makes a great agro-tourist spot in Maharashtra with its eccentric and vintage forms of entertainment namely bullock cart rides, agri-farming, puppet shows and plenty of rural games.
This place is just perfect to get your kids and yourself away from the technological mumbo jumbo and have some quality fun with your family.
A tough competition, but these two places sure offer a lot of recreation and enjoyment to you and your family. The kids will forget their gadgets and you will forget your woes. Grab the car and get ready to make new memories this weekend.