by Spotted at Kalyan on the way to Malshej Ghat : Siva Shakti English Covent School
And for famished reptile lovers, on the menu at Sushant Hotel in Malshej Ghat – Veg Snakes
Not spotted : the flamingos we went in search of, all the way to Malshej Ghat, braving the potholes and the heavy rains.
The road was excellent in parts and terrible in others; but the drive was very pleasant, which made up for the craters.
The clouds kept playing hide and seek with us all the way through. Maybe it was because of the thick cloud cover that we lost our way once we reached the top of the hill…? If it is possible to lose one’s way on what must have been a straight road, we managed it. We were looking for the aptly if unimaginatively named Flamingo Hill resort, where the birds are said to flock very monsoon. Alas, no resort, no flamingo.
However, lots of brilliant views; verdant green and bright yellows all over. And long walks across narrow paths, minor waterfalls everywhere. And best of all, no holidaying crowds from Bombay…
The next monsoon, we will go back to Malshej Ghat, and this time we will spot the flamingo. And trek to Harishchandragad, and see the rain fall up on the cliffs, and water-rises in place of water falls… some scientists attribute this strange phenomenon to ‘the north-south wind blowing on the plateau changing its direction to east-west; and the south–west wind being channelised into a funnel.
Whatever else, definitely flamingo, here we come…
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This piece on Malshej Ghat is part of my series on getaways close to Bombay – Just few hours away. The first in this was on Pawna Lake here.
