Although never ever a botanical enthusiast just a hobbyist house gallery plant grower, the plans for visiting "Kaas Plateau" in Maharashtra was a prime agenda on my "Monsoon nature tours".In June 2012 "Kaas Plateau" was declared a "WORLD HERITAGE SITE" by "U.N.E.S.C.O (The United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization)" and overnight a remote Monsoon flowering plateau ,once a favourite of botanists, scientists and flower enthusiasts became a must-visit itinerary of the average tourist,including me.
On a recent visit to "B.N.H.S(Bombay Natural History Society)" library of which i am a life member borrowed the book "Kaas Plateau of Flowers" by Dr Sandeep.Shrotri .This book waswritten originally in Marathi and translated into English By Mr Shantanu.Abhyankar. Armed with theoretical knowledge of "Kaass Plateau" searched through various local trek groups on the Internet and finally decided to join "Trek Mates India" on a two days packaged group tour to this flower plateau .The tour format was to begin with departure by bus on Friday(6-9-2013) night from Mumbai and returning back on Sunday night(8-9-2013).I had previously been on a "Snorkel & Scuba dive tour to Malvan" with "Trek Mates India" group and hence contacted the tour organizer Mr Manoj.Kalwar to confirm my participation.The total charges for the entire tour was Rs 3300 and after transferring a deposit of Rs 2000 on Tuesday(20-8-2013) through bank transfer got a confirmation of my enrollment in the tour.This tour was later reduced to a single day tour , the itinerary being Friday night (6-9-2013) departure and return back to Mumbai on Saturday night(7-9-2013), the tour cost correspondingly reduced to Rs 1600. KAAS PLATEAU,A BRIEF DESCRIPTION :- Kaas plateau is also known as "Kaas Pathar", the word "Pathar" meaning plateau in Marathi language..The soil is reddish brown in colour due to laterite(Jambha) stone and hence the name "Kaas Pathar". Origins of the name "Kaas" are debatable as some say that the name originates from the "Kaasa tree(Elaeocarpus glandulosus)" found abundantly in thick forests around Kaas Plateau while others say that the "Kaas Lake" gave Kaas its name."Kaasa" means lake in the local dialect of the villagers and the "Kaas Lake" which provides water to entire Satara has been in existence since 1875.The area of Kaas plateau is approx 1000 hectares and receives approx 2000 to 2500 mm of rainfall during the monsoon months , most of the rainwater being drained through the porous laterite(Jambha) rock.A thin layer of top soil supports vegetation only during the monsoon season on this small plateau , beginning in June with evergreen grass and ending in October. The peak flowering season is during the months of August and September and phases of October hence giving Kaas Plateau its unique place as Maharashtra's plateau of flowers.There are more than 1500 types of plants with over 400 plants being of medicinal value.The colourful blossoming of each different plant species last approx for only a fortnight and hence from August to September the entire Kaas Plateau has different flower colouring with various plant species flowering at different interval of the Monsoon season.Most importantly flowering is directly related to the Monsoon pattern on Kaas Plateau. There is also a rich growth of fungi,lichens ferns and mosses on the laterite Kaas plateau.If a serious Botanist then to experience and visualize the entire flowering cycle a tourist should visit this plateau once every month beginning from June and ending in October.After the "Valley of Flowers" in Uttaranchal it is the "Kaas Plateau" in Maharashtra that is the seasonal flower bowl of India.
"Kaas Plateau" topography and location from City of Satara.
DEPARTURE MUMBAI(Friday 6-9-2013):- Kaas Plateau is approximately 284 Kms from Mumbai by road travel on the "NH4 Highway". This Plateau is situated at an altitude of 1200 meters(3900 ft) in the Satara district of Maharashtra , approximately 22 Kms from the historic Maratha city of Satara.
Reached "Pritam Hotel" in Dadar(T.T), the rendezvous for the tour at approx 2245 hrs, the first man as usual.Rang up Mr Manoj.Kalwar as i was a bit confused at finding not a single tourist with just half an hour left for departure.A few minutes later spotted two young men with backpacks and presumed that they could be our co-tourists.On self-introduction got to know Mr Selvan and Mr Ranen.Nongmaithem, both employed in "Reliance Media Works" and hence indirectly involved in helping in producing some of Hollywood's blockbuster films.As a movie addict got to know a great deal of Film production and surprised to know that many Hollywood film are outsourced to India for "Computer digital enhancement", most recent being "The Life of Pi".Finally Manoj.Kalwar arrived and on inquiry realized that we were a total of just 11 tourists, including Tour Manager Manoj. At approx 2345 hrs our mini-bus which was normally a school bus for children arrived and the nine of us boarded the bus on the long journey to "Kaass Plateau". En-route we picked up another lady tourist at Chembur and the last tourist in Navi Mumbai.Dozed partially during the entire journey and at approx 0545 hrs we reached the city of Satara.The weather was pleasant and cold with no rains. Satara is situated at a elevation of 742m(2434ft) and hence it was a further steep drive to Kaas plateau from Satara. On reaching the top of the plateau the change in weather was abrupt, typical "Hill-Station" weather,cool and pleasant .It was still a bit dark and saw the first rays of sunlight while driving through the narrow plateau road.At approx 0630 hrs we arrived at a lone hotel named "Sahyadri Pushp", the only hotel in the entire vicinity on the plateau, also featured on the "Google Map". We stopped for toilet and breakfast at this famous and lone Bungalow style hotel..
Saturday(7-9-2013):- Arrival at Hotel "Sahyadri Pushp" on "Kaas Plateau" in the early hours of daybreak.
Saturday(7-9-2013):- The "Sahyadri Push" hotel resembled a b-grade bungalow hotel from the interior with shabby bedrooms, one bedroom having a attached toilet/bathe for tourists.Reminded me of the numerous half constructed bungalows seen in Bangalore, a city which was my second home for 19 years. This was the only hotel on the entire plateau, a total monopoly business as construction was restricted on this World nature heritage site.After washing ourselves we assembled at the breakfast table and as usual a self-introduction made us know each other.I was the oldest tourist and all were single professionally employed travellers barring a young professional couple who had recently settled in Mumbai having lived in the U.S.A. Breakfast consisted of the spiciest "Pohwa" filled with pieces of green chillies and i was not the only tourist who found the dish too hot.The sight of the Kaas valley and the lake from the hotel was magnificent and we all got busy with camera's.Made acquaintances with Mr Vinayak.P.Gawade young a professional photographer and Mr Akbar.Shah, a young professional new to the outdoors adventures of trekking.After breakfast we boarded our mini-bus and headed towards the flowering part of this beautiful cool plateau.
Surprised that besides "MARATHI LANGUAGE" there was not a single sign board in the ENGLISH LANGUAGE on "Kaas Plateau". A "WORLD HERITAGE SITE" will definitely attract International tourists and "ENGLISH" is the common International language and India's link language where every state has its own regional language.
Was fascinated on approaching the flowering plateau , a entire portion covered like a mat with pink flowers, the entire ground fenced akin to a stud-farm to prevent tourist intrusion onto the wild. flower beds.This fencing was erected after the "Kass Plateau" was declared a "World Heritage Site" by "U.N.E.S.C.O" in 2012 and as a nature lover and environmentalist happy about the same.
Kaas Plateau:- A carpet field of natural wild pink flowers.
The fencing prevented us from venturing into the wild flower fields and hence photography had to be accomplished with skill and finesse through positioning the camera between the wire fence.A few stray cluster of flowers were on view outside the normal fenced field and hence myself and Akbar.Shah managed to click each others photos's.
White carpet of flowers :- Photo Mr Ranen.Nongmaithem
My photo on the main introduction page has been clicked by co-tourist Mr Akbar.Shah, a resident of Worli close to my residence in Prabhadevi. Honestly, flowers or botany was never and is not my interest although i love greenery and have a small Bonsai garden in my own tiny house gallery.Tell me to name a single flower or plant besides the normal common names and i am stumped !Thanks to the text book by Dr Sandeep.Shrotri ,"Google Search" and quick "Parakeet Study" that overnight i enhanced my knowledge on the Kaas plateau.
Yellow "Sonke Flowers" on "Kaas Plateau".
As a non-fiction writer i always do my "Homework" before venturing on either a a solo tour , packaged tour , nature tour or trekking tour.Previously it was "Donkey study" at library's involving hours of physical library research but after the "Internet Era" it has been a "Google Study" in the comforts of my office/home.Ultimately, to avoid litigation and facts distortion once a article is published i always make sure of my content by cross-checking my "Google Work" research with my "Donkey Work" research.At times different authors might have different opinions on a particular subject especially in "Wikepedia Dictionary" and hence i personally feel that the "Internet Era" can never ever replace written hand educational books.
NATURE'S WONDERS:-Observe the natural boundary of the self growing wild flowers and the grass.on the Laterite(Jambha) stone of Kaas Plateau.
Both have to co-exist and one can never make the other totally redundant.I was carrying a magnifying glass as recommended by Dr Sandeep.Shrotri and honestly it did help me in at least satisfying my curiosity of understanding the common flower a bit better although their latin names were still beyond my memorizing intellect.Mr Manoj.Kalwar guided us on a few common flower identifications, the purple coloured flowers being the "Impatience flowers" and the yellow flowers being the "Sonki Flowers".The ladies were engrossed in photographing and inspecting the flowers found outside the fenced boundary while i admired the splendour and mysteries of nature and Planet Earth.Luck favoured us initially as there was no rain or fog, very normal at these altitudes during the monsoon season.
STRAIGHT OUT OF A "Hollywood Film" ?:- Dense mist enveloping the Plateau :- Photo Mr Ranen. Nongmaithem.
Suddenly at approx 0900 hrs a dense fog engulfed the entire flowering plateau reducing visibility to approx 50 meters and so also chances of photography and flower observation.As the morning progressed the plateau gradually got filled with tourists and as usual we split individually engrossed in our own flower pursuits. Manoj informed us to walk to the end of the road towards car park and further ahead to Kaas lake.Akbar and myself walked towards the lake, myself stopping to inspect the surrounding foliage and was surprised at the difference in vegetation topography outside the wild flower carpet tourist area.The walk towards the lake was downhill from the plateau and there was dense forest trees on either side of the road as the soil moisture content increased due to proximity of the Kaas lake.
Dense undergrowth and monsoon forest vegetation just a 100 meters downhill from Kaas plateau on the road to Kaas lake.
The Car park situated on a vacant open grassland was gradually getting filled as the tourist arrival on the plateau increased. Kaas lake was further down below requiring a short trek through dense undergrowth. Selvan and his co- worker Ranen were busy with their camera's near the surrounding bushes of the car park while i wandered around trying to see and find the vegetation written in the book "Kaas,Plateau of Flowers" by Dr Sandeep.Shrotri. I didn't find any fungal growth in the dead bushes and realized that to understand this forest vegetation and unique flowering pattern a tourist would have to literally live the entire monsoon months in this area.A naturalist, botanist or a wild-life photographers profession is expensive and time consuming, requiring patience, theoretical knowledge and peak physical fitness.Tour guide/Organizer Mr Manoj. Kalwar finally arrived at the car park along with the group of young ladies and we made our way towards Kaas lake.It was a short downhill trek towards Kaas lake from the car-park. At approx 1015 hrs we arrived at a small cluster of village food-stalls meant for tourists visiting "Kaas Lake". We had a "Tea-Break" at a food stall and i tried the local roasted cob-of-corn, an experience of rustic cooking.It was cloudy and suddenly it started raining and luckily we were in the sheltered food-stall.My polythene camera protective cover was in the bus and hence was a bit worried about the camera getting damaged due to rain water.Requested the shop owner for a polythene bag and thankfully got my camera and binoculars water-proof.After a brief rest at the food-stall we made our way towards Kaas Lake in a continuous drizzle of rain.
British era Bungalow near Kaas Lake.
A short walk led us to a ancient heritage Bungalow built by the Britishers during their stay in Kaas Plateau.A tall water-tank was installed next to the bungalow.The "Kaas Lake" was built in 1844 and hence this bungalow could belong to that era,mini Great Britain recreated at Kaas Plateau.The lake provides drinking water to Satara city and the famous Koyna Dam is approx 30 Kms south of Kaas lake.We entered the bungalow and i was sad to see the walls peeling at places and crude graffiti inscribed at every nook and corner.Seems that some restoration work was carried out and as usual the ancient edifice resembled a modern 21st century flat in certain portions, complete with modern tiles!The ancient "Fire-Place" was intact but crudely refurnished with marble tiles, least effort made to preserve the heritage architecture of this unique bungalow.Better they tear down the entire structure rather than make a mockery of architectural aesthetics and a part of Indian history.This Bungalow could be internally renovated and akin to a "Heritage Palaces" could be used as a "5-Star Bungalow" for wealthy tourists visiting Kaas plateau.
At "Kaas Lake" with "Magnifying glass" for studying flowers of "Kaas Plateau".
After a brief tour of this desolate and abandoned bungalow we made our way to Kaas lake.,The rain drizzle had stopped and the weather improved to cloudy sunshine.The lake was calm and serene and two Bengali men were fishing on the lake shore with a stick as a fishing rod.They had managed to catch some small aquarium type fish , the tiniest fish catch i had seen in recent years.We took a group photograph near the lake and indulged in common conversation.As mentioned, we all were from different professional backgrounds,communities and sexes , the "Kaas Plateau" visit being our common interest.After a brief stay at the lake we made our way back towards the main road and boarded our mini-bus for the journey back to "Sahyadri Pushp" hotel.The tourist traffic had increased and the weather was excellent for photography as well as observing the unique vegetation and flower patterns of this unique plateau.We finally reached our hotel at approx 1215 hrs absolutely content of the sightseeing but also hungry and waiting to taste the local cuisine.
"Trek Mates India" tour group relishing a Classic Satara Maratha cuisine at the "Sahyadri Pushp" hotel.
Lunch was excellent, the non-vegetarian "Chicken Thali" a food connoisseurs delight ,the best i have personally eaten in years.Remember i have eaten chicken in various Country's let alone Indian city's and hence my comment does have some authority.
A deceptively ordinary looking hotel with the best "Chicken Culinary" in Satara.
Now i realize the reasons for a cockerel's poster and clourful flags akin to a "Star Hotel" being the main advertisements on the main road for this externally shabby looking hotel.Yes, according to me they do cook the best chicken dishes in Satara. As for the vegetarian cuisine of this hotel, you will have to ask the vegetarians since i am unfamiliar with Vegetarian cuisine.
"MICKEY MOUSE(S.HIRSUTA)" flowers of Kaas Plateau.
After lunch i explored the surrounding plateau area on the opposite side of the hotel as did the other tourists.The view of the valley below from the plateau was excellent, the entire area covered in greenery with a lake in the midst.Spotted the famous "Mickey Mouse" flower and got busy studying it with a magnifying glass.The weather conditions were akin to British weather, cool and cloudy.Prior to the discovery of the wild flowering monsoon phenomenon on this plateau there was a plan to develop "Kaas Plateau" into a hill resort similar to Mahabaleshwar including with a airport ! Henceforth "Kaas Plateau" would be preserved as a natural wonder of nature a result of the "UNESCO World Heritage " tag and not as a overcrowded popular hill-station.
At approx 1400 hrs we began our return journey back to Mumbai.Although the mini-bus seating was cramped i could manage to stretch my legs due to vacant seats.While descending down the plateau observed lakes on either side of the narrow plateau road. At 1700 hrs we reached Pune and stopped for toilet and refreshments at "Joshi Wadewale" restaurant.This restaurant had all its menu literature in Marathi language and seemed a popular halt for vehicles plying the "Pune-Mumbai Expressway". It was centrally located just a few minutes drive from the entry gate to the "Pune-Mumbai Expressway highway".Tasted authentic "Pune Wadapav" at this restaurant, a bit different in preparation compared to Mumbai wadapav. Purchased a few packets of the famous "Lonavala Chikki" at a small shop attached to "Joshi Wadepaav" restaurant.After a brief rest at the restaurant we began our final journey towards Mumbai entering the "Pune-Mumbai" expressway toll' booth at approx 1745hrs and later progressing at "First World" speed on the beautiful expressway.At approx 1905 hrs we reached the end of the expressway and entered Panvel at a snails pace, huge traffic jams hindering the speed.The worst traffic jam was ahead nearing Chembur due to road repairs and the Ganesh Chaturthi festival. Our bus finally reached Dadar T.T at approx 2100 hrs and a hectic and memorable tour came to an end.Tour organizer/Guide Mr Manoj.Kalwar was to conduct another tour of 42 tourists the same night and hence in as hurry to get home while i was eager to reach home and blog/scan my tour. Manoj, Akbar and myself boarded a taxi with Manoj alighting at Prabhadevi and myself at Century Bazaar while Akbar proceeded to Worli Naka, himself footing the bill. Walked home from Century Bazaar, absolutely fresh and fit for another tour.At last "Kaas Plateau" was no more a mystery and i had also enriched my meager knowledge of flowers and plants.
