Palghar: Peace Beyond Chaos

If you chat up locals in Palghar, they will tell you that the town’s visitors largely comprise factory workers or those visiting the court premises here. Nevertheless, as you head towards the industrial town, high-rises gently give way to petite rolling hills, making you wonder if there isn’t something here for the tourist as well. Those suspicions are thankfully confirmed later in the day, when children take out their bicycles for long rides, shared auto-rickshaws – locally called dum-dums – roar as they cart people to and from the station, and the resident fishermen bring in their catch for the day. It’s certainly true that there is very little about the main town that would endear itself to travellers, but the pretty beaches of Palghar remain a big draw. Here, palm trees and casuarinas sway gently by the waves, and ancient forts full of history and adventure hold secrets as old as the land and the sea. Around the beaches are villages where the locals grow bananas and chikoos when they are not out fishing in the sea.

If it’s a quaint but heady combination of tranquility, sea and history that you are looking for, this relatively unknown slice of North Konkan is just about perfect.

THINGS TO SEE AND DO

Palghar is an ideal weekend getaway for people who do not expect a beach holiday where parasailing and candle-lit dinners by the sea are the order of the day. It is serene, relatively uncrowded and perfect for a quiet vacation.

Three days are ideal to explore Palghar and its beaches.

Shirgaon Beach

About 11 km from town, Shirgaon has a fort to its credit, and one that offers an impressive view of the Arabian Sea as well of Shirgaon village. A climb up to it, however, can be precarious. The fort was erected in the 18th century, has under ground tunnels, hideouts and a cannon to its credit. All that, however, lies under much neglect and undergrowth. You can relax at the beach, where you will find children playing cricket on weekends. There are various routes from the main road leading to the sandy shore, and since the fishermen’s dwellings are en route, it’s easy to lose your way while heading back. However, people are quite helpful, and you can even convince one of them to take you for a boat ride. Once every year, according to the Islamic calendar, a fair is held in February at a dargah that is on the way to Shirgaon Beach. Qawwalis are sung at the mela till the wee hours of the morning.

Satpati Beach

Satpati, close to Shirgaon, is a sleepy hamlet with many palm trees. The beach here (13 km from the town centre), is the least crowded of all the beaches in Palghar. There isn’t much to do except watch the fishermen’s boats with their identification flags float by, and visit the Shri Ram Temple, established in 1881.

Kelva Beach

About 13 km from the main town, this beach is by far the most scenic in Palghar. Here, the black sands end where the suru trees begin. The sea is not as clean as it used to be once but thanks to the fact that it stretches for 7 km, it has a large number of tea stalls and cold drink vendors. There is a fort towards one end and the Kelva Dam 10 km away. Low tide is the best time to visit the fort. The long climb up to the walls of the fort is certainly not for the faint-hearted. Close to the beach is the Sheetila Devi Mandir. Make this your base to catch the sunset and sunrise.

Complex of the Sheetila Devi Temple, near Kelva Beach

Punit Paranjpe

WHERE TO STAY

There’s a suitable variety of hotels to make Palghar a decent enough vacation option. Plus, in and around Kelva there are several enterprising folks who offer homestays, including Visava, Shreya and Sheetal Chhaya.

Kelva Beach Resort (Tel: 02525- 222346, 645836; Tariff: ₹3,600–7,000, with meals) has coco-hut-style accommodation and pleasant green environs. There is a restaurant and a swimming pool here. Ya Niwant Beach Resort (Cell: 0923050452; Tariff: ₹2,600–3,600, with meals; dorm ₹1,000 per person, with meals), formerly Sai Shibir, also houses a good restaurant, swimming pool and games.

The MTDC-approved Anand Residency (Cell: 09823137216; Tariff: ₹3,000–3,500, per person with meals) is near Kelve Shitladevi bus stop. Sai Residency (Tel: 241309/ 18; Tariff: ₹950–1,500), on Mahim Road, has 15 basic rooms and a restaurant. Usha Resort (Cell: 09320584500, 09320684500; Tariff: ₹1,200–1,800) has seven rooms, restaurant and a swimming pool.

WHERE TO EAT

Suruchi Restaurant at Sai Residency has a good selection of Malvani, Gujarati and Chinese dishes. Ya Niwant Beach Resort’s speciality is seafood.

Situated at Paanch Batti, Manisha Dairy Farm is a landmark in its own right, at least as far as the locals are con cerned. For about ₹50, you can have a tall glass of kesar (saffron) or mango lassi; Srikhand is available in exotic flavours such as black grape, apple and anjeer (figs).

AROUND PALGHAR

Devkop (12 km)

This destination is completely off the radar – in fact, even the residents of nearby Palghar seem to be unaware of its existence. Devkop is a lovely surprise hidden in the hills, frequented mostly by photographers and picnickers during the monsoon.

A 10-minute trek along a fairly easy path dotted by straw huts on one side and fields on the other takes you to a tiny hill, beyond which lies the Devkop Lake. The lake is surrounded by low hills on three sides, casting stunning reflections on a clear day. Even during the dry months – when you might just turn around without even completing the trek, and thereby missing the lake entirely – it’s a beauty to behold. If you have some time to spare, carry a picnic basket and a few books to make a day of it.

Look out for a small board to your left on the Palghar-Manor Road, and thereon ask locals for directions. Swimming is not allowed and drowning accidents have happened here in the past. It is a good idea to take a special auto from the station which takes you directly there instead of the shared auto which drops you off at the main road from where you have to walk.

Manor (18 km)

Manor, a sleepy hamlet at the confluence of the Vaitarna and Deherja rivers, is a much-favoured weekend destination with harried Mumbaikars who come here for weekends. Vaitarna Lake, connected to the epynomous river, is extraordinarily pretty, with both sunrise and sunset being the best times for photo ops.

The Silent Hills Resort (Cell: 09890747997; Tariff: ₹6,000–14,000) is a big draw. Spread across 30 acres of lush greenery, it has tastefully decorated rooms with balconies that open out to an incredible view of the confluence of the rivers. Stop by at Vithal Kamaths or Anam Restaurant, right on NH8, for a quick bite.