Narkasura Effigy Design Competition at Savantwadi

The celebration of 'Naraka Chaturdashi' - the first day of Diwali.  The night earlier, marks the killing of Narkasura at the hands of Lord Krishna. A symbolic practice of lighting a effigy of Narkasura, marks the triumph of good over evil.

In Sawantwadi as well as the entire Konkan region, this is a big event, where multiple groups participate in a competition that awards the best made effigy of Narkasura.

Wooden Works - Savantwadi

It is so amazing. I have always been fascinated by the wooden articles made in Savantwadi. Right from those wooden fruits, Spinning Tops we used to play with during childhood, to these articles. I always feel the artists (Chitaris) have not been acknowledged on the world stage.

[updated] Mumbai to Sawantwadi: Guide to NH4 Mumbai-Bangalore Highway

This is an updated Kms chart on the Mumbai - Sawantwadi route on the NH4, post opening of the Katraj bypass, as well as considering that Gadhinglaj leg of the route is better motorable than Uttur. So the route is as follows:

Mumbai-Pune-Satara-Karad-Kolhapur-Nippani-Sankeshwar-Gadhinglaj-Aajra-Amboli-Danoli-Sawantwadi.

I prefer to break the journey in two parts, to make it more enjoyable. I leave Mumbai at around 3 pm and reach Kolhapur by around 9-9:30 pm. Take a halt at hotel Rayson Regency in Kolhapur, stay overnight. Leave Kolhapur post breakfast at around 8 am, and reach Sawantwadi by around 11:30- 12 noon.

(The names of the hotels/restaurant are for purpose of landmarks only)

[Stage 1]

Thakur Village, Kandivli ................ 0.00

Vashi Bridge ............................ 37.00

McDonalds / Expressway Start ............ 58.20

Khalapur Toll Plaza ..................... 91.50

Food Mall ............................... 93.20

Talegaon Toll Plaza ..................... 142.80

Expressway Exit ......................... 154.30

Joshi Wadewale / Soul Curry ............. 160.50

Katraj Bypass Start ..................... 182.00

Katraj Bypass Ends ...................... 192.00

Gargi Gardens ........................... 196.60

Shivapur Toll ........................... 198.40

Hotel Natraj ............................ 202.40

Amruta Gardens .......................... 219.20

Khambatki Ghat Starts ................... 237.20

Khambatki Ghat Ends...................... 245.20

Mahabaleshwar/Wai Turn .................. 250.00

Anewadi Toll Plaza ...................... 269.30

Mahendra Hotel (Satara) ................. 283.50

Taswade Toll Plaza ...................... 324.50

Hotel Pankaj / Karad .................... 336.00

Kini Toll Plaza ......................... 384.90

Kolhapur Exit on the Highway ............ 404.00

Rayson Hotel / Kolhapur ................. 408.00

[Stage 2]

Rayson Hotel / Kolhapur ................. 0.00

Kolhapur Exit on the Highway ............ 4.00

Kagal Toll Plaza ........................ 24.90

Uttur Exit .............................. 50.20

Sankeshwar/Gadhinglaj Exit............... 63.50

Aajra ................................... 101.50

Amboli .................................. 135.60

Danoli .................................. 151.60

Sawantwadi .............................. 165.00

Terekhol River

Terekhol River, also known as BANDA RIVER, rises in the Sahyadris to the south of Manohar fort, and flows-south-west by the villages of Sangeli, Vatvana, Insuli, Banda, Kas, Satosa, Kavthani, and Aronda. As far as Banda, or about 24 Kms from the sea, it is tidal and navigable for boats. Larger crafts cannot pass further than Aronda about five kms from its mouth. The Terekhol has no important tributaries, but is joined by many mountain streams and rivulets, and during the rainy season it becomes a very formidable river.

Monsoon's coming...

The monsoon's approaching, nothing can be better than being in Sawantwadi during monsoon.

Hide and Seek

The mountains, the rains, the clouds, the sun rays, the shades of green... Kawlesaad point, Amboli Hill station

Dashavtar

A local art form of Konkan region, Dashavtar

It's really cosy down there...

This is Savantwadi...Nothing less nothing more...For me it hides, thousand pictures all rolled into one...
(View from Hanuman Mandir, Narendra Hill... Overlooking Savantwadi)

Make a wish...

A winter evening, at the Moti Talav (Lake)... I wish, I could make each moment last longer...

Vitthal Rakhumai Temple, Banda

Centuries old Vitthal Rakhumai Temple at Banda

Bandeshwar Temple, Banda

An 300 year old Bandeshwar (Lord Shiva) temple at Banda

I wish I had a small boat to sail here...

Madkhol, Sawantwadi

The Morning Raga...

A summer morning around 6 AM, from atop the "Narendra" hill, overlooking Savantwadi.

Heaven or Earth...I was there...

A summer, late evening around 7 PM. On the Mumbai-Goa Highway, near Savantwadi, on the road to Akeri.

In the sands of time, some imprints wont be erased...

Shiroda Beach [~25 kms from Savantwadi ]...Stole a few hours from time...with only me and her.

God and Tranquility...

No Queues...No Haste...No Mediators...No Salesmen...Nobody !
Except you and HE...
At the Satam Maharaj Temple, Danoli, [~ 12 kms from Savantwadi ] with my family.

Where I belong...

A typical peaceful October afternoon...After a lovely lunch with fried fish and fish curry...Sitting in an arm-chair...

Mumbai to Savantwadi: Guide to NH4 Mumbai-Bangalore Highway

[This POST IS OLD, Please click here for the updated post on the new Kms chart]

Name	Kms
Bandra Station......................	0.00
McDonalds............................	40.50
Food Mall..............................	75.30
Toll Plaza..............................	125.00
Hotel Sadanand.....................	147.60
Hotel Food Junction.............	156.50
Katraj T Junction..................	168.50
Katraj Ghat...........................	176.00
Hotel Natraj..........................	187.00
Toll Plaza..............................	222.00
Hotel Mahendra....................	243.80
Hotel Pankaj.........................	321.50
Kolhapur...............................	389.30
Kagal.....................................	405.90
Toll Plaza..............................	410.80
Nipani...................................	426.60
Right Turn for Amboli..........	435.90
Uttur.....................................	456.20
Aajra.....................................	475.10
Amboli..................................	509.20
Danoli...................................	525.20
Sawantwadi...........................	538.60

Stage 1: Mumbai-Kolhapur [via, Pune-Satara]
Total Time 6:30
Total KM 395
Stage 2: Kolhapur to Sawantwadi [via, Kagal-Nipani-Uttur-Ajra-Amboli-Danoli]
Total Time 2:45
Total KM 154

Total Trip
Total Time 9:15
Total KM 549

Mumbai to Savantwadi: Guide to NH17 Mumbai-Goa Highway

Type	Name	Kms	Kms
C	Sawantwadi................................................	0	517
V	Kudal..........................................................	20	497
V	Oros............................................................	32	485
H	Mathura Gangaee........................................	32	485
H	Sharmila.....................................................	46	471
C	Kankavli.....................................................	52	465
H	Neelam Countryside (*)..............................	56	461
V	Talere.........................................................	75	442
V	Kharepatan.................................................	90	427
H	Madhuban..................................................	90	427
V	Rajapur.......................................................	109	408
V	Oni..............................................................	120	397
V	Lanja...........................................................	138	379
H	Manohar Palace (*).....................................	148	369
V	Pali.............................................................	157	360
C	Hathkhamba...............................................	167	350
H	Ekdanta......................................................	170	347
V	Nivli...........................................................	172	345
H	Swad...........................................................	196	321
C	Sangameshwar............................................	198	319
H	Tarang........................................................	202	315
H	Drive Inn....................................................	212	305
V	Saverda......................................................	230	287
H	Prasanna (*)................................................	243	274
C	Chiplun.......................................................	244	273
H	Abhiruchi (*)..............................................	245	272
H	Taj Riverside (*).........................................	255	262
H	The Pagoda.................................................	261	256
H	Ganesh........................................................	263	254
H	Century......................................................	271	246
C	Khed...........................................................	278	239
H	Saraswati....................................................	278	239
C	Poladpur.....................................................	315	202
H	Food Place (*).............................................	325	192
C	Mahad........................................................	328	189
H	Utsav..........................................................	331	186
V	Lonere........................................................	353	164
H	Suyash........................................................	357	160
C	Mangaon.....................................................	362	155
H	Open Umbrella (*)......................................	366	151
V	Nagothane..................................................	398	119
C	Vadkhal Naka.............................................	423	94
C	Panvel........................................................	460	57
C	Kandivli......................................................	517	0

C = City/Market Place/populated area on the highway
V = Village/ Less Populated area on the highway
H = Restaurant (* mark means I have eaten at these places, but remember the entries are almost 3 years old hence food/restaurant quality can drastically change)