A Sleepy Boating Village: Bamnoli, Maharashtra
The village of Bamnoli is situated at an altitude of about 1,250 feet above sea level. At the far end of the town of Satara in the state of Maharashtra. This village is about 50km away from the town of Satara and about 15km from the Kaas plateau also known as the plateau of flowers.
The village of Bamnoli is located on the banks of the Shivsagar Lake formed by the Koyna dam which is also probably the easiest ways by which one can experience the lakes of Switzerland.
The best way to get to this village is to drive there which is a simply majestic drive during the monsoon as the dense forest and the shining roads washed under showers of rain make the drive enchanting. Throughout the drive through the Ghats one gets to see an amazing view of the backwaters below.
Local state transport buses also ply to this village but are not reliable and kill the whole experience of the breath taking view that you will have in a private vehicle.
On reaching the village the first thing one will notice is the breathtaking view of the lake expanse that spreads for hundreds of square kilometres and will surely amaze one and all. Expect the noise of hundreds of bats swinging on the high Nilgiri trees and also hear the few silent waves slapping the shores.
The villagers love to sit and chat near the trees or in the veranda of their houses for a good part of the day. The houses in the village of Bamnoli are mostly built with cow dung flooring and mud walls and tiled roofing.
Bamnoli
The village has a very calm, lazy and slow feel to it with barely any locals to be seen moving around the village and most of the shops are only open on request. The villagers rely on their paddy fields for their main source of income but in recent years many are getting into tourism with many of the men operating boats that ply people to nearby places and few other villagers have started shacks which are home run.
It is advisable not to eat the food in these village run shacks since the food options are very limited, the food is overpriced and most of all the food is really bad and not worth eating.
Boating is the main attraction in the village of Bamnoli and it attracts people to this village. There are multiple boating options to choose from. One can either go for a short ride around the Shivsagar Lake. Or, go for a boat trip to Tapola, also known as mini Kashmir. The boating rates are reasonable, provided it is a group of 4-6 people. Otherwise, you will have to pay the group price. If one has the time, then opt for a guided tour of Vasota Fort or the famous Nageshwar Shiv temple.
The water from the lake comes right up to the roads leading to the village. In fact, there are few houses which are half-submerged.
There is also a temple in the village which is painted in bright colours and is located in the heart of the village. There is a public hand pump near the temple as well as a small shelter where one can take some rest.
There is no accommodation in this village so the best option is to befriend a local and request them for a homestay or the other option is to camp on the banks of the lake.
The best time to visit this village of Bamnoli is during the monsoon i.e. from July to October and during winter i.e. from December to March as during this time the weather is pleasant and close to perfect in the village.
Bamnoli village is surely a place for everyone to visit but the lack of accommodation makes it a place where only the ones who prefer the wilderness can opt to spend a night.
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