Vashishti River

About:

River Vashishti is one of the larger rivers in the Konkan coast of Maharashtra, India. The town of Chiplun lies on its banks. The river begins in the Western Ghats and snakes its way westwards towards the Arabian Sea. Kolkiwadi Dam, near Alore has a vast reservoir which feeds a tributary of the river. During the 2005 Maharashtra floods, the river swelled its banks, causing many of the city's residents to evacuate it.

River Vashishti is one of the larger rivers in the Konkan coast of Maharashtra, India. The town of Chiplun lies on its banks. The river begins in the Western Ghats and snakes its way westwards towards the Arabian Sea. Kolkiwadi Dam, near Alore has a vast reservoir which feeds a tributary of the river. During the 2005 Maharashtra floods, the river swelled its banks, causing many of the city's residents to evacuate it.

The Konkan,also called the Konkan Coast or Karavali, is a rugged section of the western coastline of India from Raigad to Mangalore. The sapta-Konkan is a slightly larger region described in the Skanda-purana.Konkan Division is also one of six administrative sub-divisions of the state of Maharashtra, comprising of its costal districts.Residents of Konkan and their descendants are called Konkanis. The name may also refer specifically to the Konkani people, an ethnic group of the region; most of whom speak the Konkani language.

There are a lot of beautiful beaches along the entire Konkan coast. Most of this beaches are not yet truly discovered by the tourists and are far better than the so called popular beaches in India.

 

Location info:

Address: Konkan coast,Maharashtra,India
District: Raigad\Sindhudurg.
Nearest City: Goa.
Best time to visit: Nov to Feb

Climate/Weather:

The climate is most pleasant from November to March. The summers are not as hot as northern regions but the humidity is extreme. Monsoon strikes between late April and July. The coastal areas experience the cool sea breezes.

History:

Interesting things to do:

Explore the beautiful beaches around,few good ones are,

Alibag:
Located at a convenient distance from Mumbai and Pune, Alibag is the ideal getaway of tourists looking for Virgin beaches and majestic forts. A lot of tourists visit Alibag especially on the weekends. Alibag has a beautiful beach where you can enjoy the sunset with Kulaba Fort in the background.

Kihim:
Located at 12 kms. From Alibag, on the Mandwa-Alibag road Kihim is a very beautiful place to stay, it has a long beach which is excellent and clean. To come to Kihim from Alibag you have to turn left at Chondhi And if you come by Launch from Mumbai to Mandwa it is on Mandwa Alibag road. It is a favorite weekend getaway of mumbaikars as it is quiet convenient for them to come to Kihim on a Saturday, stay there and go back on Sunday. MTDC has also a resort at Kihim with tents for staying on the beach.

The beaches of Akshi and Nagaon:
Located on Alibag - Revdanda road at 8/9 km's. From Alibag, the beach at Akshi is a beautiful White sand beach with suru trees dotting the coast. The water is clean and safe for swimming. You can see the Kulaba fort and Alibag at a distance from the beach. The beach further extends to Nagaon. The Nagaon beach is also very beautiful. Both the beaches are a favorite of the tourists. You can also visit the nearby ‘Satad Bunder’ a small fishing hamlet.

 

Interesting things to Visit:

Amboli:
Located in Sindhudurg district at an altitude of 690m, Amboli is the last mountain resort before the coastal plains begin in the southern ranges of the Sahyadri hills. It is also known as the Mahabaleshwar of Konkan.

Ballaleshwar Ganapati - Pali:
Named after Ballal, son of Kalyan Shreshthi, from whose `Tapasya' (meditation), Ganesh appeared at Pali. The deity is known as Ballaleshwar. The Ganesh idol in the temple is 3 ft. high. Behind the temple, another temple of Ganesh, known as Dhundi Vinayak is situated.

Chaul:
An Old Portuguese settlement, located 40-km south of Mumbai, secondary in importance to Bassein. There are a few remnants of Portuguese fortifications and a couple of ruined churches. The hilltop Muslim Korlai fort stands on the opposite bank of the river, looking across to the Portuguese fort.

Dahanu-Bordi Beach:
Fringed with casuarinas, Bordi is a very safe beach where the water for half a kilometre does not rise above the waist. The entire stretch of 17-km from Dhanu to Bordi is scenic with a backdrop of orchards of various fruits, especially 'Chikoos'.

Harihareshwar Beach:
The town of Harihareshwar, known for its tranquil and picturesque beach is also land marked by Kalbhairav - the Shiva temple. Gentle winds, soft sands and inviting waters make this beach irresistible to beach lovers.

Jawhar:
One of the few tribal kingdoms in Maharashtra, Jawhar is famous for the vibrant Warli paintings. It is a famous hill station and known as "Mahabaleshwar of Thane District".

Kashid:
Kashid is Maharashtra's upcoming beach resort, boasting a 3-km sweep of clean, undeveloped beach with good swimming.

 

Mobile range info:

How to reach?

Nearest Railway Station: Karwar is on the famous Konkan railway and many people use Train to reach this city to enjoy the scenic Konkan Railway journey.
Nearest Airport: Goa.
Road Transport: Well connected roads make it reachable from different states of the country.

Nearest Visiting places:

Kihim Beach:
Just 120-km away from Mumbai, Kihim is an exclusive beach laced with lush coconut trees. The inviting part of it is that Kihim is entirely undiscovered and unpolluted.

Karnala Bird Sanctuary:
Karnala Bird Sanctuary is a great place for bird lovers and tourists can spot Drongos, Barbets, Bulbuls, Spotted Doves, Tree-Pies, Woodpeckers and many other smaller birds.

Murud-Janjira:
Just off the coast 160-km south of Mumbai is the majestic island fortress of Janjira, the 16th century capital of the Siddis of Janjira. It is one of Maharashtra's most commanding coastal forts, stretched along an island a short distance off the tranquil fishing town of Murud and only accessible by local boat.

Sindhudurg Fort:
Sindhudurg, the ocean fort was built by Shivaji in 1664 AD on a low rocky 48-acre island off the Malvan coast. The fort stands firmly as a silent sentinel to the lingering memories associated with the maritime history of the glorious Maratha empire.

Raigad Fort:
The fort in Raigad stands as a silent reminder of Maharashtra's glorious past though the sound of trumpets or the clang of clashing swords and shields are heard no more at this historic monument. British called it "Gibralter of the East'' as the well-fortified structure atop a hill that had repeatedly defied attackers.

Elephanta Caves:
Across the Mumbai Harbour, lie the 7th century rock-cut temples of Elephanta. Once known as "Gharapuri", or the Fortress City, the caves are now designated as a World Heritage Site and visited by hundreds of tourists both for their art historical and scenic value.

Ganapati Pule Beach:
Ganapatipule is one of the important beaches of Maharashtra located near Kolhapur. It is 375-km south of Mumbai. Fine sifted silver sands and a gentle lapping sea, which soothes frayed nerves, attracts large number of tourists. It is regarded as a beautiful seaside resort of today-especially for families.

Nearest Petrol Pump:

Available in the nearby town.

Hotels/Lodge/Accommodation:

Accommodation is available at the hotels along the coast of Konkan.

Things to carry:

Tips & Suggestions:

Help Line/Phone Number:

Police Station: 100
Nearest Hospital: Lots of Govt. and Pvt. hospitals are available in the nearby town.
Society/Community Phone Number