Where the sounds of nature are audible: Dabhosa, Maharashtra
Dabhosa is a small village located at an altitude of about 1630 feet above sea level. Situated in the Thane district of the Jhawar Taluka, the village of Dabhosa is known for its picturesque setting, adventure activities and cultural heritage. Dabhosa is located about 170km away from Mumbai and about 95km from Nashik.
There are multiple options of getting to Dabhosa, the first is by rail and the nearest railway station is Igatpuri which is 81 km away on the Central Railway but Nasik is a more convenient rail station since there are direct state transport buses from Nashik to Jhawar. On the Western Railways, Dahanu is the nearest railway station and is 85km away. From both these stations there is a good network of ST buses that ply to Wada.
Boarding a State Transport or ST bus that plies to Jhawar or Wada from Mumbai Central, Thane, Bhiwandi and Nashik is also an option for those who prefer travelling by road. Only a few of these state transport buses will go all the way to the village of Dabhosa. So the other option is to get off at Wada and take another connecting state transport bus or a Tuk-Tuk (six-seater rickshaw).
The hassle-free way to get to Dabhosa is to drive there by taking the Jhawar-Silvassa road. It is better to start the drive early in the morning to avoid getting held up in traffic. The drive from Mumbai takes about 4 hours and from Nasik takes 2 hours.
The people from Dabhosa village are not Warli tribals unlike the rest of the Taluka of Jhawar which is dominated by Warli tribes. They speak a dialect of the state language—Marathi and most of the Dabhosa villagers earn a living by growing crops with wheat and dal being the major crop. They also gather dry wood and sell it to the neighbouring villages. This wood is mostly used for cooking and as fire wood.
Dabhosa
The Dabhosa village houses are unique since they are made from cow dung. Even the doors are made with dung and small bamboo sticks. The houses also have a bamboo fencing all around, along with a small bamboo gate. All the houses have a small veranda and this place is mostly used by the elders and little children to spend their time during the day.
The main attraction in this village is the huge 300 feet Dadarkopara waterfall, which is on the River Lendi. This waterfall is at full force during the monsoon and looks splendid. It is all but dry during the summers. The water falls from a flanked shaped rock and on either side of the waterfall are the Western Ghats. These hills are covered with the medicinal Vanaushadhi plants.
During the post-monsoon period, the Dadarkopara waterfall becomes a major hot spot for waterfall rappelling and the pool below the waterfall is used for kayaking. Other adventure activities that are possible in Dabhosa are rock-climbing and flying fox but all these adventure activities are only possible after the monsoons end since during the monsoon the place becomes very slippery.
The village of Dabhosa is also home to blacksmiths, who supply tools to the whole of the Jhawar Taluka. Watching the blacksmiths at work is a once in a life time opportunity and is available to the people who visit this village. It is also possible to be a part of this whole process by requesting them.
Accommodation in Dabhosa is limited to only Nature Trails resort which has a brilliant location overseeing the whole Western Ghats in the region and also the Dadarkopara waterfall. Nature Trails also arrangers for all the adventure activities in this area. The other staying option is a home stay in one of the village houses or choosing to camp out in the wilderness near the banks of the river Lendi.
The best time to visit Dabhosa for adventure activities is from the month of November to February when the days are pleasant and nights are cool. During the monsoon months of June to October, the place is ideal for weekend getaways to just spend time listening to the different sounds of nature.
Dabhosa is surely a place worth visiting for adventure junkies but this village has plenty to offer all kinds of travellers including those who are just looking to unwind and relax away from the buzz of city life.
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