"It's not down in any maps, true places never are"
After getting annoyed by coping up with the pace of an MBA College, I knew how badly I needed to take a trip. After looking up a couple of fancy places near Pune like Lonavala, Khandala, Lavasa, etc, I landed upon Wai- A hidden gem near overcrowded touristy places Mahabaleshwar and Panchgani. I read some travel blogs on Wai on Tripoto and packed my stuff to explore the next day, Sunday!
Wai is famous for its ancient temples and ghats on the river Krishna. It was a prominent town in the days of Peshwas, and according to Wikipedia some 300 odd Bollywood and Marathi movies have been filmed there like Swades, Gangajal, Dabangg, Bol Bachhan, etc. It is around 84 kms from Pune and buses ply between Wai and Swargate every hour.
I woke up early in the morning, took an auto to Swargate and boarded the bus which was going was to Mahabaleshwar. It takes around 2 hours to reach Wai since the roads are not in good shape and there are many twist and turns. I reached Wai around 9 in the morning. As soon as I got down, it looked like just and another small town of Maharashtra. A bit crowded, narrow lanes, typical Maharashtrian architectural homes, dressing attire and much more.
I quickly went to have some breakfast. I ordered Dosa, which was quite large and Chai. After my stomach was full, I headed to explore the unknown secrets of Wai. After walking for some time, I observed the pristine ghats of Wai. I hopped to a temple which was quite on a height to view where I should head next. I met some locals there talked to them about the Wai, quenched my thirst from an earthen pot nearby and moved towards the ghat. I put my foot under the water and sat there for some time as the cool breeze blew over my face. I thought about how beautiful this place had been during ancient times.
After talking to a few more locals and getting a feel about Wai I got to know about a place know as Phadnavis Wada which was quite attractive towards the people who visit Wai. I hopped down on a vegetable carrying trucks in between tomatoes, potatoes, okra and reached Phadnavis Wada in about 15 mins.
The first sight of the place instantly reminded the last scene of Sawdes, where Shahrukh Khan dipped his feet into the water. The place was really beautiful as you can see in the pictures that I have uploaded here. I sat there in the temple for some time, witnessed the majesty of Wai and finally it was time to head back home.
I took a wrong bus to Pune, a slower one which takes around 5-6 hours to reach Pune instead of the normal 2-hour trip, so I told the conductor to get me off on the highway. I waited there for the vehicle from which I can reach Pune. Ultimately, an ambulance stopped and to my surprise, they were going to Pune. I hopped in and reached Pune in around an hour.
Finally, I should say Wai is a must-visit place for people seeking solace from the hustle-bustle of city life and are tired of going to the typical tourist places near Pune!
