The Outback

of Maharashtra! ….. Title is a bit over the top, yeah? Sorry it was delibrate. Amid the titles posted by my facebook friends who travel to Australia, New Zealand and Europe, this was my way to get hits or rather Likes! These pictures are taken through our drive-journey to Igatpuri, Bhandardhara, Deolali and Nashik. Just two and a half hours away from Mumbai and will not cost you much.

As you drive away you will hardly find people on the road. The roads are fine and completely pot-hole free, unless you are driving in the interiors. For lack of understanding or the use of it, some women dry clothes and crops on the roads. You can find them beating the dry hay to get the grains out. The striking thing is so much land for so less people and here you are living in a pressure cooker.

This is somewhere along the State Highway 44. An irrigation canal which abuts acres and acres of paddy fields which just turned golden.

This is a combine harvester. Thanks to K’s book “On the Farm“. These are huge and go chugging through the field. They sweep an average size field in couple of hours which probably take men and women days with their backs bent under the sun.

More paddy fields ready for the harvester, either man or machine

Aah! now you know where all the money goes!

Somewhere along National Highway no. 3

White Storks

Onlookers probably belonging to the women who was drying clothes on the road.

Along National Highway no. 3

On the way to Bhandardara dam

I attempted to count, guessed about 25 people in this jeep. No don’t conclude on the population density by looking at this, jeeps are probably a rare resource here.

My husband wants to start a company that will provide helicopter rides around here

Very ancient Champa tree near the Pandav-leni caves

Entrance to one of the caves

Gangasagar dam reservoir, Nashik

Bhandardara dam

Bhandardara dam

Would be happy to share info if you are interested in exploring these areas. Hopefully the next trip will be soon!