SriVardhan: God’s abode in Maharashtra

The drive from Bombay to SriVardhan (approx. 180-185kms) is nightmarish once you enter the Goa highway. No median dividing incoming/ongoing traffic, cops standing in the middle of the road as human dividers, narrow state highway filled with imbecile drivers! My road travel plans to Goa, definitely stand shelved.

Highway expansion work is underway. But no one has a clue by when it will be completed. Were it not for the traffic and the related stress, the road is lined with never ending palms, ficus, gulmohar and all varieties of trees in full bloom. Verdant, expansive and inviting.

SriVardhan is a beautiful beach destination, a peninsular that has the Diveagar beach and Kondivali beach to preen about. Leading European travelers refer to SriVardhan in their journals as Ziffardan (been in existence for over 200 years). SriVardhan is equally infamous for the Rdx landing on its shore thereafter the ammo reaching Mumbai and the city going under siege

The beaches are beyond expectations. A complete sea side drive of approx. 5kms that takes one thru ghats with sea view on 1 side and the cliffs on the other. Rare. Besides, the beach spread along this route is one of the longest I have seen in the Konkan belt. Diveagar has to be the most stunning beach for me, long uninterrupted coastline, breathtaking view, magnificient scenic drive, compels you to stop every few seconds and have your fill of pictures to proudly share this stunning untouched hideaway.

If you are planning to walk into the low tide, please be careful as the water can rise pretty sharply and by the time you realize the distance traveled to turn back, the water may even start lapping at the belly      

Once inside the village, you mentally keep wondering will some squalor and huts show up? But none do. The homes are simple and beautiful, with landscaped porches, high ceilings within, and the backyard boasting of innumerable coconut trees.

A freshly picked coconut has a sweet nectar like water to drink generously from. The tender coconut can be gobbled up in no time, leaving you wanting more. (No you don’t count the calories here)

This beach side village was once abode to a very famous Ganpati temple, the idol weighing 12kgs in gold, was robbed by 4 men. It is rumored that the police caught up with the robbers, discovered that the idol was cut up in 4 parts and sold. The loot is not yet recovered.

Many sports activities on sale, and I so wish they weren’t!  Cut the waves at 100miles an hour para gliding, surfing and even trekking the cliffs.  SriVardhan is a typical Konkani town with a beautiful coastline and small wadi’s.  A place known to have had Prime Ministers of valour of the Maratha kingdom, the “Peshwa’s” came from here. It’s a place with sun kissed sands on a spectacular beach not one but 3 one after the other. The cherry on the cake? Unpolluted air and sea. What more could you want?

Travel route: Bombay-Panvel-Pen-Mhasla, or

from Pune thru Mahad or

via Mahabaleshwar-Poladpur-Goregaon or

via Tamahini.