Visit to Mahabaleshwar on 17 and 18 Sep, 2017

Mahabaleshwar in rainy season shows very different flavor and nature's mood changing every 10 minutes. For the third time, very pleasant tour of Mahabaleshwar covering Old Mahabaleshwar, Author Seat, Needle Hole Point / Elephant Point, Venna lake, etc.

Scenic View of Panchganga Valey from Panchganga Temple

Visit to Pratapgad on 16-Sep-2017

This was my third visit to historical Pratapgad - first when I was in school with cousins and maternal uncles  and second one with Sadhana and Priyanka in 2000. 

This visit was marked with fantastic rainy season in the valley and the varied depiction of the nature's different flavours.

The Battle of Pratapgad between Shivaji and Afzal Khan was fought below the ramparts of this fort on 10 November 1659 and short but strong Shivaji killed monster Afzal Khan.

Visit to Shivthar Ghal as on 15-Sep-2017

Shivthar Ghal also known as Sundarmath i.e. Beautiful Monastery is a cave. Samarth Ramdas dictated Dasbodh to Kalyan Swami. Samarth Ramdas lived here for about 22 years. It is believed that this is where the first meeting between Shivaji Maharaj and Samarth Ramdas took place.

Ramdas and Kalyan statues in Shivtar Ghal