We were on a 3 day trip to Mahabaleshwar. Though I make every effort to ensure that we donot visit any of the places normally flocked by tourists, Tapola was never part of the list. We had been to Wai during the morning ( refer the blogs on Dhom Lake and Lakshmi Narasimha Temple ) and we were reasonably tired. But our driver was adamant that we go to Tapola. So with great reluctancy we set out for Tapola. It just showed that no matter what research you do, there are going to be a few other places which can take your breath away.
The route from Mahabaleshwar to Tapola was fantastic - not for the roads but for the greenery. At some stretches it was just valleys on one side with the Koyna river showing off its curves at several places. We also had Ilayaraja's songs for company and with the weather being really pleasant, it was actually heaven on earth.
The distance from Mahabaleshwar to Tapola is about 30 kms through winding roads and should take about an hour at best. There is not much traffic once you cross the vicinity of Mahabaleshwar.
Since it was almost 3-4 months past the monsoons, the water levels had receded. Note the snap below. During peak rainy season, the water levels are near the trees as per the locals but at that time they also stop the boating and the place almost becomes inaccessible.
However we had the privilege to drive right upto near the boat which you see in the snap. Infact there were cars being transported via the large boat to the other side of the bank. Saves a lot of time rather than taking the circuitous route through the hills.
When we reached there, the sun was just about to set and sky was filling itself with beautiful hues of golden and orange. There was the option to take the boat ride but neither myself nor my wife and kid are great fans of boating. So we instead just settled on the banks gazing away at the boats fading into the different corners and enjoying the minor changes which the sunset causes to the colors of the surroundings. There were hardly a handful of people there and believe me, it is a meditative experience.
The sunset was just gorgeous with the sun rays piercing through the cold January evening, the lake staying perfectly still reflecting the golden evening rays, the boats just mildly swaying away to the ever so gentle breeze.
On the way back to Mahabaleshwar, we stopped at this place just adjacent to a tiny shop. Notice how the river takes the shape of a horse.
Finally a big thank you for our driver to have persisted on us to travel to this location.
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