bechelsea

[bechelsea]

The Red Soil of Mesmerising Mathgaon

Kolhapur, a city in the south-western region of Maharashtra, is bound by historical stories and was ruled by one of the best-known benevolent rulers- Shahu Maharaj. The first few things amongst many that strike on reaching Kolhapur are Mahalaxmi Temple, Kolhapuri chappals and the signature Kolhapuri hot chilli cuisine.

This ancient city is situated on the banks of the Panchganga River. A wide range of temples popularly known for their Indian temple architecture is seen in various parts across the city.

Since the city is uniquely located on the eastern side of pristine western ghats, it offers stunning landscapes to explore.

The outskirts of Kolhapur city have small embedded pockets of villages. These villages are still dressed with the scent of the ancient culture, food and historic structures.

To start with, Gargoti starts 50 kms from Kolhapur. This route leads to an even smaller pocket of a village called Mathagon.Surprisingly, this village is nowhere seen or mentioned on any social media platform. And this is where Royal Camping Club has done a stunning job of maintaining the sanity and eclectic village culture of Mathagaon.

This is the kind of place one would visit to skip mainstream and crowded venues and locations.Nestled in the middle of the western ghats, Mathgaon has some exceptional vistas to offer complimented by salubrious environs charming the average traveller.

As the journey starts, leaving behind the chaotic city, heading towards the destination it all starts with eye-catching red soil interspersed on the path. This is also a hallmark feature of the Konkan region which is widely known as an explorer’s paradise.

Pure air wafting through the vast fields of sugarcane, add a much-needed romance of the village life en-route.

Pathgaon, another stretch, comes with a strong and enduring political history.

V.T Patil and Ramrao Benadikar were some stalwarts who have successfully established a tradition for education in and around Mathagaon.

Following the footstep of social reformer and king Shahu Maharaj, the ancestors of Patil clan also emphasised on spreading education which gave birth to ‘Mouni Vidyapeeth’. The message was rightly acknowledged.

With changing times, Patil eventually became the pioneer in the field of education and today DYP university established by Patil stands as a doyen of University education in Maharashtra consistently scaling new heights

On similar lines, Sanjeev Benadikar, successor of Ramrao Benadikar, did not fall behind in extending superlative academic facilities to the kids in the region hitherto unseen in rural India. A small residential school is run by the said owners of Royal Camping Club.

On reaching the Royal Camping Club, the sky appeared spectacularly clear with the stark contrast of red soil creating hues of natural colours. Once we settled in our cottages, we were promptly handed over a two-day itinerary.

The itinerary consisted of a trek through the labyrinthine corridor of tropical trees and bushes. The 3-hour long hike ended at a soul-enriching waterfall where we were met with the dazzling display of a rivulet descending onto weathered rocks. With the sightings of seasonal flora, the forest trail gave us a perfect gateway experience.

As mentioned earlier, the unblemished territory of Mathgaon, mesmerised us with its untouched wilderness. Any human presence was conspicuous by its absence. 

Furthermore, an enticing sunset point was on the check-list followed by coffee and snacks which was intended to provide us with the much-needed succour after the hike.

A canvas of Sahyadri mountain range with the tinge of ombre set the tone for a scenic sunset. A blanket of green cover could be seen laterally spread across the Sahyadri range. It underscored the most surreal sunset one could ever witness. A heady cocktail of adventure and visual treat in the lap of nature was everything dreams are made of.

Retiring somewhat tired to our cottage, our bodies were itching for a power nap but our spirit was vitalized. I was looking forward to the nightly fare that was planned for us.

The Royal Camping Club is impeccable in its outlay. It occupies one’s imagination in its understated opulence. The cherry on top is the extensive kitchen garden.

It boasts of its very own home-grown vegetables. Pluck, cook and eat is the dictum by which the rural folk live here. The cuisine was simple and yet satiated our palates. We were treated to an authentic culinary experience. The aroma of flavours along with the visually gripping platter of the sumptuous food was in full display. It is worth a mention and capped a perfectly spent day. In-house poultry ensured that meat was fresh. One could sense an explosion of various flavours with every morsel revealing the use of a variety of spices blending almost organically with meat and veggies. I have to admit, it’s a meat lovers paradise.

A well-lit bonfire just ticked the right boxed and thus set the tone for one of the most dreamy wine tasting sessions ever.

Laughter and music were the usual suspects which added much fervour to this star gazing affair. In the intimate company of your loved ones, one tends to feel blessed. I admit I must have pinched myself a couple of times to check if this was real. We went to bed, our hearts soothed and our souls nourished.

The next morning comprised of another route for the trek. This patch of the village is where the “Mouni Vidyapeeth” was established. A 100-year-old temple with its rich history leaves you awestruck with its architectural splendour.

Stories of Ram-Laxman carved on the red stones and the shrine of the ancestors speak volumes of the fine cultural heritage this village boasts of.

Continuing the day with a sufficient and well-made spread of local food we trudged through the narrow pugdandis. The chirping of birds and the snapping of twigs beneath our feet transported us to the bygone days of trekking and camping during our school days. This is a place where you see a beautiful and an unmistakable convergence of history and geography.

With nightfall, it was time to pack and reload for our return journey. It was time to bid adieu to Mathgaon albeit with a heavy heart. We left Mathagaon with the sullenness of a lovestruck fool but with a romantic promise to return one day again.

[bechelsea]

The Red Soil of Mesmerising Mathgaon

Kolhapur, a city in the south-western region of Maharashtra, is bound by historical stories and was ruled by one of the best-known benevolent rulers- Shahu Maharaj. The first few things amongst many that strike on reaching Kolhapur are Mahalaxmi Temple, Kolhapuri chappals and the signature Kolhapuri hot chilli cuisine.

This ancient city is situated on the banks of the Panchganga River. A wide range of temples popularly known for their Indian temple architecture is seen in various parts across the city.

Since the city is uniquely located on the eastern side of pristine western ghats, it offers stunning landscapes to explore.

The outskirts of Kolhapur city have small embedded pockets of villages. These villages are still dressed with the scent of the ancient culture, food and historic structures.

To start with, Gargoti starts 50 kms from Kolhapur. This route leads to an even smaller pocket of a village called Mathagon.

Surprisingly, this village is nowhere seen or mentioned on any social media platform. And this is where Royal Camping Club has done a stunning job of maintaining the sanity and eclectic village culture of Mathgaon.

This is the kind of place one would visit to skip mainstream and crowded venues and locations.

Nestled in the middle of the western ghats, Mathgaon has some exceptional vistas to offer complimented by salubrious environs charming the average traveller.

As the journey starts, leaving behind the chaotic city, heading towards the destination it all starts with eye-catching red soil interspersed on the path. This is also a hallmark feature of the Konkan region which is widely known as an explorer’s paradise

Pure air wafting through the vast fields of sugarcane, add a much-needed romance of the village life en-route.

Pathgaon comes with a strong and enduring political history.

V.T Patil and Ramrav Benadikar were some stalwarts who have successfully established a tradition for education in and around Mathgaon.

Following the footstep of social reformer and king Shahu Maharaj, the ancestors of Patil clan also emphasised on spreading education which gave birth to ‘Mouni  Vidyapeeth’. The message was rightly acknowledged.

With changing times, Patil eventually became the pioneer in the field of education and today DYP university established by Patil stands as a doyen of University education in Maharashtra consistently scaling new heights

On similar lines, Sanjeev  Benadikar, successor of Ramrao Benadikar, did not fall behind in extending superlative academic facilities to the kids in the region hitherto unseen in rural India. A small residential school is run by the said owners of Royal Camping Club.

On reaching the Royal Camping Club, the sky appeared spectacularly clear with the stark contrast of red soil creating hues of natural colours. Once we settled in our cottages, we were promptly handed over a two-day itinerary.

The itinerary consisted of a trek through the labyrinthine corridor of tropical trees and bushes. The 3-hour long hike ended at a soul-enriching waterfall where we were met with the dazzling display of a rivulet descending onto weathered rocks. With the sightings of seasonal flora, the forest trail gave us a perfect gateway experience.

As mentioned earlier, the unblemished territory of Mathgaon, mesmerised us with its untouched wilderness. Any human presence was conspicuous by its absence. The air was palpable with our reinvigorated spirits

Furthermore, an enticing sunset point was on the check-list followed by coffee and snacks which was intended to provide us with the much-needed succour after the hike.

A canvas of Sahyadri mountain range with the tinge of ombre set the tone for a scenic sunset. A blanket of green cover could be seen laterally spread across the Sahyadri range. It underscored the most surreal sunset one could ever witness. A heady cocktail of adventure and visual treat in the lap of nature was everything dreams are made of.

Retiring somewhat tired to our cottage, our bodies were itching for a power nap but our spirit was vitalized. I was looking forward to the nightly fare that was planned for us.

The property is impeccable in its outlay. It occupies one’s imagination in its understated opulence. The cherry on top is the extensive kitchen garden of Royal Camping Club.

It boasts of its very own home-grown vegetables. Pluck, cook and eat is the dictum by which the rural folk live here. The cuisine was simple and yet satiated our palates. We were treated to an authentic culinary experience. The aroma of flavours along with the visually gripping platter of the sumptuous food was in full display. It is worth a mention and capped a perfectly spent day. In-house, poultry ensured that meat was fresh. One could sense an explosion of various flavours with every morsel revealing the use of a variety of spices blending almost organically with meat and veggies. I have to admit, it’s a meat lovers paradise.

The cold breeze, the rustling of trees and leaves under a thick carpet of clouds with the moon splashing down on a finely curated lawn in its milky whiteness conspired to set the stage for an experience of a lifetime.

A well-lit bonfire just ticked the right boxed and thus set the tone for one of the most dreamy wine tasting sessions ever.

Laughter and music were the usual suspects which added much fervour to this star gazing affair. In the intimate company of your loved ones, one tends to feel blessed. I admit I must have pinched myself a couple of times to check if this was real. We went to bed, our hearts soothed and our souls nourished.

The next morning comprised of another route for the trek. This patch of the village is where the “Mauli Vidyapeeth” was established. A 100-year-old temple with its rich history leaves you awestruck with its architectural splendour.

Stories of Ram-Laxman carved on the red stones and the shrine of the ancestors speak volumes of the fine cultural heritage this village boasts of.

Continuing the day with a sufficient and well-made spread of local food we trudged through the narrow pugdandis. The chirping of birds and the snapping of twigs beneath our feet transported us to the bygone days of trekking and camping during our school days. This is a place where you see a beautiful and an unmistakable convergence of history and geography.

With nightfall, it was time to pack and reload for our return journey. It was time to bid adieu to Mathgaon albeit with a heavy heart. We left Mathgaon with the sullenness of a lovestruck fool but with a romantic promise to return one day again.