Vengurla, I fell in love with the place when I rode my Pulsar 150 here in 2014 for the first time. I Silent beach, buzzing market and beautiful vengurla bandar makes the place a beautiful destination to retreat from city life.
This post is about my experience of 3 days of solo retreat in and around Vengurla during peak monsoon season. Hope you will love it 🙂
I got down on the highway opposite to Kudal bus depot. Walked to the bus stop crossing the wet ground, seemed it had rained enough few moments ago.
It wasn’t crowded much, I was lucky to get the bus to Vengurla math in just 10 minutes. Price of the ticket was Rs. 35 for a 25km journey, quite reasonable.
By the time I was in State Transport bus it had started drizzling. I was sitting in the middle section of the bus by the window. Kudal city passed and soon the green envelope of trees and grass appeared all around.
Good habit of elderlies
I had been to Konkan many times before today but for the first time, I noticed elderlies making use of paan leaf quite frequently. They will just take out chunauti and a paan leaf from their hand-stitched cloth pouch usually tucked in their hips. Then pick a pea size chuna and spread it on the paan leaf finally folding the leaf twice before squeezing them under their leftover teeth.
I mentioned this because its a good practice as post 50 our bodies especially women need some sort of external source of calcium. Chuna is the most affordable and best source of calcium in such a case.
Heavy rains and search for accommodation in Vengurla market
In half an hour I reached Vengurla and walked 10 mins to get on the market street.
It was 2:30 pm and I had nothing since yesterday evening except a bar of chocolate. I needed food and also look out for lodging.
Asked couple of locals for any cheap guesthouse. Two guest houses were in a lane on the right little away from the market. Out of two, one was completely occupied and owner of the other one was not traceable. That afternoon it was raining heavily, I was almost wet walking with my bag.
Returned to the market and spotted a newly opened city type restaurant Aroma. Ordered a Veg Thaali for Rs.100. For vegetarians visiting Vengurla, I would recommend this restaurant.
The restaurant owner handed me a card of ‘Vaman Mess’ a 3 room lodge on the Vengurla Bandar road.
‘Situations happen and we should look at the positive side of it’
I felt so happy and so relieved when I took the rickshaw from the market and reached ‘Vaman Mess’ on the Bandar road.
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The entrance of Vengurla Bandar
I would have never got this amazing view if the lodge owner near the market was available.
Owner of the lodge was not there at that time, caretaker gave me one of the room.
Freedom feels like this
Red and yellow coloured house was exactly on the Bandar road facing the soothing waves. What a perfect location it was in Rs. 1500 for 3 days.
I was there in Vengurla to spend time with nature and myself. Setting around me was making everything possible so that I enjoy my days there.
Veranda had two wooden cots laid which was an amazing place to sit and watch the loop of rising and falling waves.
Afternoon was half-past and rains were still heavy with no signs of slowing down.
No cell network is the new bliss
Fortunately, my cell phone had no network. I didn’t had to pick my mobile phone every 10 minutes to check social media feeds, answer calls or read the news. I had all the time of myself 🙂
In the late afternoon, the owner of the lodge arrived. Certainly a genuine and down to earth guy. The caretaker Shri. Gavde Ji and owner Shri. Chavan Ji were childhood buddies. I was so impressed with their friendship. You got to meet them to know them how good they are.
Being with them for 3 days we became friends. Chavan Ji was kind enough to take me around Vengurla and help shop. He seemed to be a known figure in the area.
In the evening I took my umbrella and went for a short walk around the Vengurla Bandar amidst rains. It was the second time I was here. The place hasn’t changed much in 3 years.
Commercialisation was yet to touch the Bandar road. Places like Dapoli, Tarkarli were becoming mainstream. Vengurla is certainly next in the line.
Enjoy some scenes of Vengurla.
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Beautiful evening in Vengurla
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He is coming be prepared 😛
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Fishing at Vengurla Bandar. Get me a good one boy 😛
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Old abandoned office near Vengurla Bandar. I loved the texture of it.
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Scenic view along the bandar road
A short video of Vengurla Bandar
I didn’t had any mobility to go to market in the heavy rain, hence, requested Gavde Ji to bring me a veg thali from Aroma. Rains didn’t stop or slowed down that day.
All I did was sit on the porch in the veranda and watch the waves. A kind of time spent. It will remain fresh ever in my mind.
Following day I rented a cycle and rode it across the ghat on the Sagari Mahamarg until I reached a lonely river. Keep glued, post coming soon.
Read the second post here – Scouting around Vengurla beach on Cycle
Read the last post here – This is why I returned to Vengurla 3rd time and alone
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