Sajjangad, Sangli - Motorcycle Tour
It was about a month since my last outing, hike to Harishchandra, and I was feeling restless and the urge to go out was rising. Since other friends were busy, it was just me and Harshad who were free. So, decided to do some different kind of outing, a bike tour, than we just two going for a hike.
As wanderers, we have so much got used to travelling, that it hardly required any discussion about what to carry, who will carry and other mundane things. Just finalized time when we should leave. So, I got my backpack to office, from where Harshad picked me up around 3pm on 12th Jan 2007. Had some food on the way in Pune and then joined the Katraj bypass at Chandani chowk.
We are definitely seeing a lot of good infrastructure being built up in India. The new road is of good standards and it has made the travelling very comfortable. Also, the newly built tunnel and the beautiful bridge that bypasses the Katraj-ghat, has reduced not only the travel time, but it saves lots of fuel, frustration. We passed the katraj hill in just ten minutes, which otherwise would have taken us may be half an hour. Few things could still be improved, but still a good start on building good infrastructure, which is pressing need for fast developing India.
After the tunnel as well, the Banglore highway is in good shape and we were crusing at 70/80 kmph without any trouble, that too on Hero Honda Splendor (96cc motorcycle). We just took a small break in the Khambatki ghat and within three hours from leaving Pune, we reached Satara. Had some tea and headed for the Sajjangad. From Satara to Sajjangad - it is about 15km, the road is narrow and during night truck/ST drivers take every opportunity to make life difficult for you (bikers, especially).
Anyway -- on Sajjangad, you can get a room in Bhakt Nivas at free of cost. They provide good facilities in the rooms like - clean room, a bed, matt, bed-shits, pillow, blanket, electricity and water. You can anyway donate money as per your wish and I would suggest you should, so that others can get benefit of such good arrangement. Also, at night you can avail prasad (bhojan) at 8pm and then at 9pm after Shejarati (shej => to sleep, so literally it means aarati performed before god goes to sleep). Between 8pm and 9pm, you can attend the "daasbodh" reading. In the morning, you can also get hot water, tea between 6:30 to 7:30. Then some time later you get breakfast and then at noon time, sansthan provides prasad bhojan.
We just had prasad at night (9pm), then discussed various topics till midnight and went to bed. In the morning got ready by 8 and then came back to Satara, where performed our weekend ritual of having Misal at Chandravilas hotel :-). Then headed for Sangli by 9:30am. It took again 3hrs to reach Harshad's uncles place. The journey was pretty peaceful in the eatly/later mornings chill and sunny climate. Then that day, relaxed till evening and then visited the Narasobachi wadi and then visited few of my relatives.
Next morning, went to Haripurcha ganapati, had lunch and started return journey by 12:30, were in satara by 3pm and then in chinchwad by 6. All this was possible because of good roads. Here as well, I saw many stupids, who did not find it bad to drive their cars, bikes and trucks, too, in wrong direction.
Actually, from Sangli to Satara I was less tired and exhausted than my daily commute from Chinchwad to Nal-stop, Pune. So you can imagine pathetic road condition and traffic situation in Pune and Pimpri Chinchwad. BTW, we travelled about 600km in two days.
Even though, I took my camera and charged batteries, I did not take even a single picture! I felt the scene and tour was so good, that instead of capturing the moments, one should do it and relish it.
Cheers,
Milind