SAPUTARA: GUJARAT’S WET AND WILD GETAWAY.....
Nestled within the mist kissed mountains of Sahyadri, is the state’s lone hill station, Saputara. Perched at an altitude 875 metres above sea level, this plateau within the Western Ghats is well worth a visit in all its monsoon glory.
The ghats that lead to what is known as ‘ poor man’s Switzerland’, offers as good a view as that from a TGV.Dang’s dense, deciduous forests form a natural canopy as the road zig zags over the gently flowing Ambika River. Folk lore goes that Lord Rama spent 11 years in exile in these very forests. Monsoon’s magic helps create scores of tiny waterfalls in the rocky, black soil terrain that mingle into the moss covered marshes.
Devoid of any colonial structures or commercial mall road, Saputara is small enough to be covered in a day, yet, offers all the essentials of a hill station. One could take a paddle boat ride in the lake by the central park and later walk the expanse of the Governors’ hill to embark on a ropeway trip, a kilometre long cable car ride that provides a picture postcard perfect view of this hill resort.
At walking distance is Gandhi Shikhar, the Sunset point, flocked by visitors to see the surrounding tribal villages bask in a warm golden glow as a blanket of stars slowly covers the sky. The rose garden, step garden are well maintained and the museum that houses traditional tribal artefacts also offers a workshop on the same. The Sunrise or valley view point serves the purpose spectacularly with an added view of the adjacent Malegaon. The forest log cabin here is a wooded wonder.
While berries, nagli roti, fresh honey and bamboo pickle are local must haves, tourists also cross over the 4 km.border into the state of Maharashtra for a slice of Konkani cuisine that can be washed down with an alcoholic drink. Gamanlal Kapadia, who makes it a point to visit Saputara every year points out that,’ No other hill station in India offers this kind of simple, natural beauty.’ He smiles as he adds, ’It helps that Maharashtra is a stone’s throw, for travellers who complaint about the dry state.’
The trekking trails of Saputara offer mild to rough challanges; one can further enrich the experience of walking the wild side by seeking permission to visit the Vansda National Park, previously the property of Vansda’s Maharaja. An enthralling forest experience; tall teak trees, mango groves and gigantic creepers are decorated with several species of orchids and wild mushrooms. Dense due to the 2200 -2500mm rainfall it receives, this region of Dang is home to endangered species of Leopards, Pythons, four horned Antelopes, Pangolin, Rusty-spotted cat, Civet, Barking deer, Giant squirrel, Hyenas, 115 winged species like Great Black woodpecker, Malabar Trogan, Grey Hornbill, Emerald Dove, Paradise flycatcher, Sunbirds make it a bird watchers delight and Leaf insects, snails, centipedes, millipedes trudge along the trails.
Also located in the Dangs is the Purna Sanctuary, where one horned Rhinoceros, wild bulls, sloth bears and elephants resided;during the past,Mughal period. The thick bamboo forests here form an organic network of beautiful green tunnels with species such as Chinese, Golden and Beer bottle;The Chopada Badaro,Safed sissar and Sissio are amongst the other tree species preserved here. Laced with the Purna and Gira rivers it is inhibited by a number of tribes like the Bhils, Gamits, Warlis, and Dangis. Their acrobatic folk dances on the beats of traditional instruments like the pavry and drums are very popular.
Further on, the clearing at Gira falls, provides an ideal picnic spot. Gushing down from a height of 75 feet, the waterfall creates silvery cobwebs of fog from which a rainbow often shines through.
Though the forest department has constructed a road right upto the waterfall, environmentalists feel that the beauty of nature should not be tampered with. Snehal Patel, President of Nature Club, Surat says,’ So far, the Dang belt has been clean, green and pollution free but it is fast deteriorating. We must see to it that concerned authorities act fast and ban plastic and disposable goods, make this area vehicle free so tourist may enjoy walking, keep it free from noise pollution of loudspeakers so that one may enjoy the natural bird calls. Make gas cylinders available to local hotels so that they do not deplete wood by using it for cooking and heating water.’
At a distance of 420 kms from Ahmedabad, Saputara, 'the abode of snakes' offers a serene, wet and wild experience to lovers of Nature.