There is a delightful motorable road behind Lonavala, after Walvan and Nangargaon towards the Pawana Dam. This road goes below the Mumbai Pune Expressway and climbs suddenly, very rapidly and alarmingly, through an abrupt escarpment. Before you know it, you are at the most delightful mountain pass that you would never have expected, if you are a regular traveler on the expressway or on the Mumbai Pune highway. Most trekkers and climbers on the Western Ghats know this pass, and they do encounter it with happiness when going towards the Malavli fort.
I first came up on this pass in late 2007, just after becoming a resident at Nangargaon in Lonavala. After that sudden encounter, I have come to love this road, driving through to Dudhiware village, and to the Vittal Rukmini temple called 'Prati Pandharpur' and on to Kolwan village, where the Chinmay Vibhooti ashram is located, managed by the Sri Chinmayananda group or trust. From Kolwan, you can get off the road and proceed to the Girivan hill resort, that is nearly 300 feet higher than Lonavala. And before Kolwan, one can drive slowly along the Pawana lake banks, and take a million photographs, depending on the time of the day.
The Dudhiware Khind, or the Dudhiware Pass, as it is called, is just before the Dudhiware village. The word 'Khind' is meant to signify a 'sacred pass'. This would probably because there could have been a battle of some sort, and some local warriors would have achieved martyrdom. Thus, a mountain pass becomes known as 'Khind' in the Western Ghats. Immediately after the pass, one can drive up or walk or cycle up to the Malavli fort, and get a good local family to provide for the best cuisine that one can enjoy, but, of course, thats another story.
I first came up on this pass in late 2007, just after becoming a resident at Nangargaon in Lonavala. After that sudden encounter, I have come to love this road, driving through to Dudhiware village, and to the Vittal Rukmini temple called 'Prati Pandharpur' and on to Kolwan village, where the Chinmay Vibhooti ashram is located, managed by the Sri Chinmayananda group or trust. From Kolwan, you can get off the road and proceed to the Girivan hill resort, that is nearly 300 feet higher than Lonavala. And before Kolwan, one can drive slowly along the Pawana lake banks, and take a million photographs, depending on the time of the day.
The Dudhiware Khind, or the Dudhiware Pass, as it is called, is just before the Dudhiware village. The word 'Khind' is meant to signify a 'sacred pass'. This would probably because there could have been a battle of some sort, and some local warriors would have achieved martyrdom. Thus, a mountain pass becomes known as 'Khind' in the Western Ghats. Immediately after the pass, one can drive up or walk or cycle up to the Malavli fort, and get a good local family to provide for the best cuisine that one can enjoy, but, of course, thats another story.
