Tour to Kaas with Trek Mates India on 2nd Oct 2011

Hi friends, Trek Mates India, invite you all to a trip to Valley of flowers of Maharashtra: Kaas Plateau on 2^nd Oct 2010 (Starting on 1st night) 

What’s so special about this Trip:

People who are keen about nature, flora and fauna this is the place for you.

Maharashtra’s Valley of flowers: The Kaas Plateau where hundreds of varieties of wild flowers of all colors bloom every year; is situated approx. 25 Km from Satara city.

The lateritic plateau of Kass has becomes home to millions of tiny flowers in late monsoons. The whole spectacle is beyond words.

* Click on Image to enlarge
More than 300 varieties of wild flowers, herbs, orchids, shrubs, insectivorous plants etc. can be seen here
This plateau overlooks the lush evergreen forests that serves as a water catchment area of Koyna Dam and which is recently declared as “Sahyadri Tiger reserve” 
In monsoon the whole area transforms into an unbelievable carpets of flowers like yellow carpets of Smithia and Sonki flowers, Pink carpets of Balsam, Purple carpets of Karvi etc…. 

It is a dream destination not only for avid botanists but also for those who appreciate nature. These carpets change colors almost every week depending on the dominant flowers during that time.

Kass plateau and the surrounding area has a very good birdlife with good sightings of Crested Buntings, Malabar Crested Larks, Oriental White-eyes, and Bonelli’s Eagle.
It is a heaven for Macro photography too.

Places we might be visiting (as time permits)
Thoseghar Waterfalls
Thoseghar is very famous for its high Waterfalls... These Waterfalls are very attractive and creates a loud noise in the calm nature. These waterfalls are also accompanied by a clean lake, dark woods and highly hilly region. This fall is approximately 100 m high.


* Click on Image to enlarge


Pateshwar Hills
Pateshwar alias Patheshwar aka Surya Patheshwar is one such place near Satara where one can find copious archaic sculptures.

Pateshwar Hill is wrapped in a green thick blanket of trees. The jungle is of semi-deciduous type with teak, banyan, Jajmun, Karvee and other tree varieties. With lyrical notes of an Indian Robin or Whistling Barbet, one can find serene environ with cool feeling.

At the beginning of steps, is a Lord Ganesha idol with Ridhi-Sidhi, his wives.

Further up the hill are two different Lord Shiva temples and an Ahsram, recently built by Swami Govindanand, one local saint. In the closet vicinity of the first Hemadpanti Shiva Temple, are many pieces of statuettes surrounding it and the sidewall of the temple consists of cave-like openings on the either sides of entrance. One of such never-seen-before engrave has a huge Shivalinga and the other consists of a Hanuman idol. The premises also comprise of two big Deepmalas.

Once you enter the main temple, you find superbly carved Nandi statue in front of the Shivlinga. There is a miniature figurine which gives a view of wedding scene of Lord Shiva and Parvati. On the either sides of main temple there are small temples where you find iconic idols of Kartikeya and another Nandi with a human face. The 18-armed Goddess Mahishasur Mardini carving is in similar context with that of Kalikamata of Kolkata. In the temple itself, there are sculptures of Lord Vishnu sitting on the snake and both in horizontal position. On the eastern part of the hill there are stone-carved cave-like structures, filled with water. These all three cave-lets are again with Shivlingas of various sizes and some unknown kind of god statues. There is one stone-constructed water tank called Hatti Talab around these cave like temples. Further up the hill there is a temple as if it has been emerged out of soil. This three-sectioned temple begins with a Deepmala, followed by a Nandi. This whole temple is at sub-ground level hence lot of water logging has been seen. The either sides of this temple too consist of cave-like structures and numerous Shivlingas in different forms and the number of Salunki range from three to 100. In the main temple there is a Maha Shiva Linga carved with minute necklace-like linings on it. These are nothing but 551 small Pindis carved on the main Pindi. All the walls are carved with such minute Pindis and the total number of such Pindis is not less than 1,008. The main Pindi dipped in water has exclusivity of the kind and there are number of carvings on the monolithic poles of the temple that you are left spell bound. One snake-like carving, sculptures of the eight Avatars of Lord Vishnu and even you will notice linguistic carvings in Modi script on one of the poles.


The itinerary for the Trek is as given below: Meeting Point for:
Mumbai People: Swaminarayan temple Dadar 11.00 pm on 1st Oct 2011
Pune people: (on NH 4 as per convenience)

Start the journey by 11.30pm from Mumbai
Reach Satara by 4.30 am
Rest for some time.
Breakfast
Visit Kaas Platue 7am
Site seeing, Photography, Valley exploration till 11 am
Visit nearby places, Sajjangad, Thoseghar Waterfall etc as per time permits
Lunch
Visit Pateshwar Hills
Start Return journey by 3.30pm
Evening refreshment on the way
Reach Mumbai by 9.30pm tentatively


The cost for the trip is Rs 1300/- per head which includes
Traveling from Mumbai to Mumbai by a private vehicle,
Lunch and evening refreshments.

Note: maximum 25 participants, entry on first come, first serve basis

Payment Details
For registration deposit Rs 700/- To the following account.
SBI a/c no: 30665796091
S/A in the name of Mr. Nilesh Patil. 

IFS code: SBIN0007232
Branch: Panchpakhadi, Thane.

Things to be carried:
Identity proof (must)
Breakfast for Sunday,
Some ready to eat food. Plum cakes, Biscuits etc.
A bottle of water (at least 2 Ltrs),
2-3 bunch of papers,
Towel, a napkin,
Extra Pair of clothes,
TORCH with extra batteries (compulsory).
Camera (Optional),
Cap, etc.
Medicine those if u require usually (Optional),
Windcheater,
Good trekking shoes,
A haversack to put in all the things to be carried....so that one has ones hands free while trekking.
Pleases do not carry sling bags or Jholas. Please avoid wearing Gold and other ornaments.
It’s raining heavy these days, so pack yr bags accordingly to save them from getting wet. Double pack your valuables in plastic bags
Mail us in case of any query at trekmates@gmail.com

For more details and Registration, Please contact on the nos. given below:
Mumbai Coordinators:
Nilesh Patil: 86555 88508

Vikram Singh: 86520 28262
Manoj Kalwar: 98707 75633

Pune Coordinator:
Adhar: 99756 41375

Registrations are only through phone calls (scraps, reply to this thread won’t be considered as confirmation)

Limited seats, entry on first come first served basis.

For more of Trek Mates India on the Net Please visit us@
BlogSpot: http://trekmates.blogspot.com/
TMI Diaries: http://trekmatesdiary.blogspot.com/

Orkut Communities:
TMI Mumbai: www.orkut.co.in/Main#Community?cmm=58853326
TMI Pune: www.orkut.co.in/Main#Community?cmm=106377144

Face Book Groups:
TMI Mumbai: http://www.facebook.com/home.php?sk=group_106722756072761&ap=1
TMI Pune: http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/group.php?gid=155919984426659 

Few rules we would like our participants to follow:
We follow a strict policy of "no trace" trekking,
"Take nothing but memories and photographs, leave nothing but footprints".

Rules & Regulations:
Do Not Litter: Participants are requested to carry the waste back to the city and dispose it off in dustbins.

No Smoking, tobacco and alcohol: Smoking cigarette, chewing tobacco or related products and consuming alcohol is strictly prohibited on the trek. Anyone found in possession of the same or consuming it will be expelled from the trek. NO REFUND will be provided.
(Smoking will only be permitted before the trek starts and after the trek is over with prior consultation of the Leader and the person will have to move away from the group to smoke.)

Respect the Heritage: Participants should not deface or damage any monument by writing or scribbling on them. Please help us to conserve and preserve our heritage along with our trek mates.

Be a group: It is of utmost importance that all participants stick together in the group, in the event of any ‘deviation’ by the participant without the consent of the ‘Trek Leader’, he/she/they will be considered as ‘Independent/s’ and will no longer be considered as a part of the group.

Pay attention: Each member will be responsible for his/her own safety and baggage.

In case of any injury, sickness, accident, death or any other casualty or loss or damage of valuables or luggage or any equipment; Trek Mates India, it’s instructors, organizers, volunteers or any other person involved wholly or partially, either individually or jointly, shall not be responsible in any manner for the same and no claims of the participants, parents, guardians, relatives or friends of participants will be entertained.

Any violation of the above rules will be dealt with seriously, and may involve expulsion from the trek or event, and no refund is admissible in such cases.

Adventure activity is arranged considering normal weather. In case of occurrence of any natural calamities, if event is cancelled, in such circumstances NO REFUND will be provided.

For more details and Registration, Please contact on the nos. given below: Mumbai Coordinators: Nilesh Patil: 86555 88508

Vikram Singh: 86520 28262
Manoj Kalwar: 98707 75633

Pune Coordinator:

Adhar: 99756 41375

The leader’s decision will be final and binding on all members. No Arguments will be entertained.

Trek mates India reserves all the right to change/deviate/cancel the plans without prior notice. No arguments or refunds will be entertained.

Thanks and Regards,

Team - Trek Mates India.

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