Karjat

Karjat King ~ A Treat for the Veggies

2011-11-24T06:39:00.000-08:00

Vegetarian restaurants seem to be a trend in Karjat, here comes another that proclaims itself as the king, Karjat King!

After sampling their dishes three times, I think its safe for us to put a review up. Although we have eaten at the restaurant only once, the other times we took a parcel. The best part about the restaurant is that they, serve Mushrooms.Their Mushroom Tikka Masala, is quite yummy and so are the other dishes they offer. Compared to Raj Cottage and Royal Garden, Karjat King's quality of food and taste are better, since its a new restaurant I guess this is the only way it can make a name for itself.The time we ate over there or even taking a parcel, service is a little bit off and the coffee cups were not as clean as you would want them to be :( That was a little bit on the downside. The other downside there were so many dishes on the breakfast menu that were not available, dosas, sandwiches, the only thing that was available was the medu vada and idli sambar.Apart from that the dishes were nice and new, theres no ambiance, seating is fairly simple but the food cost is not really cheap or too expensive. Part of the menu is placed below for you to judge, its approximately the same cost as Raj Cottage and a bit more expensive as compared to Royal Garden. The restaurant is located at the corner of the Karjat to Khopoli road.

BSNL's Internet Service in Karjat

2011-09-07T21:44:00.000-07:00

When we moved from Mumbai to Karjat we were very apprehensive about the Internet services in Karjat, since we use to have problems with Tata Indicom's service in Mumbai, we expected the worse, especially being a rural area.

But our country is full of surprises, since BSNL was a major ISP here and with a few relatives who live in Goa recommending BSNL connections we decided to try them out. We first purchased a CDMA datacard with national roaming that we still use. The card has been used in Pune, Goa, the sad part is that it doesn't work in Mumbai, but works all around India for a cost of Rs 550 a month plus taxes, our total volume of usage has been over 16 GB of data transfer.

No other ISP offers you an unlimited data card plan for so cheap, with speeds of around 8 - 12 KB on an average. With the help of BSNL we managed to get a landline since the cable was around 150 meters away, we hired a JCB got the cable put in and our connection in such a short span of time it was fantastic. We are now on a 512KB unlimited plan and its uptime is around 95% which is way better than what we had in the city.

Mr. Singh and Mr. Jhangham from BSNL Karjat were extremely helpful while we were getting our connection. Today Mr. Singh is in Mumbai while Mr. Jhangham still helps, if you need to get an Internet connection in Karjat, don't look any further, your solution is BSNL.

5% downtime isn't too much,it seems sometimes locals who provide phone services tend to cut the cable so as to help kill the more affordable solution. So in case your are laying a broadband cable it has to be around 3 feet deep to avoid this from happening.

We would sincerely like to thank BSNL Karjat for providing us with this wonderful service, allowing us to survive in the midst of nature! Thank you everyone at BSNL for the hard-work that goes into providing your services in Karjat.

To make it easier we have uploaded all the forms required for a new telephone & Internet connection, yopu have to get a landline to apply for Internet.

Download BSNLs New Internet Connection Forms

Bsnl Karjat Contact Numbers:

Customer Care - 221399/222599
Customer Care Karjat Urban - 221499
Customer Care Karjat Rural - 221000

Animal Shelter Opening in Karjat

2011-08-15T01:06:00.000-07:00

An Animal Shelter is slated to open in Karjat near Takve village, which is around 12 kms from Karjat. Started by The Terra Anima Trust for Animals, the shelter supports injured, abandoned, destitute and chronically handicapped animals. It will be open 24x7 and will provide medical help to injured animals.

Roxanne Davur, is a Master Trainer in Animal Welfare, Govt. of India and has worked in the Nilgiris for the past 15 years and has moved back to Karjat. She aims to spread awareness, encourage careers, education and empathy in Animal Welfare.

The shelter will have a resident vet much needed in Karjat with the lack of veterinarians and the amount of farm animals, livestock and stray dogs.

This will be one of the closest Shelters to Mumbai and the first to open in Karjat. There use to be a dog breeding farm but that has shifted to Pen. More on the animal shelter soon!

Buying Property in Karjat?

2011-03-22T23:53:00.000-07:00

The demand for property in Karjat has pushed the land prices up by phenomenal amounts, today the prices are anywhere from 25 Lakhs an acre to over a Crore an Acre depending on the location of the property.

That is not a small sum of money anymore, only the rich can afford to have a huge farm house with acres of land, while the upper middle class look out for plots.

A builder buys a couple of acres, then divides them into plots and sell them for a handsome profit. Lets take a look at some pointers that you need to be aware of before buying your dream home in Karjat.

Most builders advertise their properties with pictures taken during the rainy season. The main reason why that happens, is because it displays the fact that there is no shortage of water. But thats far from true, many parts of Karjat face a severe water shortage, these places are located after the page river, namely Kashele.

An important point is to see if the builder guarantees a 24/7 bore-well with water during summer time or a river that flows even during summer this would be the most important factor.

Is the land you are buying agricultural or non agricultural. Was the land a previous paddy or rice field, if it was then you need to get trucks of mud to elevate the land or be prepared for flooding during the rainy season, your house construction should also be elevated.

If you need to dig a bore-well, remember that wells cannot be re-bored or are nearly cost the same as boring a new well. Remember to go down at least two to three hundred feet if you strike water in the first hundred feet to avoid problems in the future.

Would you like to stay connected while you are in Karjat, BSNL provides some fantastic internet services with special discounted costs in the rural areas, find out where the BSNL towers are for basic connectivity and where their centers are for broadband connectivity, broadband exists all the way to Takve as of now.

Hope you find this post informative and helpful when you buy your second home in Karjat!

Karjat's Saturday Market

2011-02-16T20:34:00.000-08:00

Every Saturday, Karjat hosts a vegetable market just after crossing the bridge on the left hand side located opposite the colourful marriage hall. The chance of getting a good deal here not only attracts truck loads of people from the villages, but also farm owners and urban dwellers who come to Karjat for a relaxing weekend.The produce is grown by farmers between Karjat and Pune and Nashik as well. They slowly come in the morning and sell their vegetables till sunset, but by evening most of the leafy vegetables are sold out.
While some vendors bring in their tempos full of goods, others come with sacks full of produce to sell through the day. With the amount they bring in you can imagine the amount of people flocking to buy their supplies.

Add to that the amount of vendors required to sell their wares and you have a full fledged bazaar on Saturday. The price of course is less than the usual market price, and the price in the bazaar itself varies from vendor to vendor so do check a couple of vendors prior to purchase.
We bought quite a few vegetables including some that are not to be found on a daily basis in Karjat, like Zucchini and Sweet Corn.
Apart from vegetables, you have a Gola Wala or Kulfi Wala helping the crowd keep cool. Its not usually to find vendors selling masalas and spices in the market as well.
Everywhere you find people who love the camera, here were two vegetable sellers who wanted us to take a picture of them :)
Seeing the popularity of the Bazaar, more vendors are beginning to put their wares on display. Like the steel vendor below, who seems to be bargaining with a customer. A good time to visit the bazaar would be around noon when all the vegetables are just brought in and you have a lot of variety, or in the evening if your looking for discounts on the usual veggies.

Lucky's Korner

2010-11-08T02:39:00.000-08:00

Just before the Neral phata there are a string of restaurants that one comes across, one of the well known restaurants is Lucky's Korner. Aptly named for its location Lucky's churns out some interesting dishes from various kinds of cuisines, not limited to Indian, Moghlai, Chinese and Sea Food.

Prior to getting to the food talk, the restaurant has a car park with steps leading to the middle, you can choose to sit either on the left or the right, both sides overlook a lawn dotted with geese or chicken for entertainment. They also have two, not so well maintained fish tanks but nice open space with limiting ambiance inside.

The steps and path leading to the restaurant are dotted with plants and lotus pots. Lucky's Korner not only has a huge menu list, it offers friendly service with good quality food.

The Tandoori Chicken is what I call real value for money here, priced at Rs 180 for a full chicken its good quantity and quality in a single package. We also got a change to try Lucky's outdoor catering recently and enjoyed the Bombil Rawa Masala Fry, Prawn Curry seemed a little thin but tasty.

Over all the food is good, so is the vegetarian food, the only down side is they do not offer beer or alcohol which would compliment the wide range of appetizers they have to offer.

Lucky's Korner Contact No's:
9921841414
9881764964
9273127314

TMC's Low Cost Housing Project

2010-09-30T06:44:00.000-07:00

We had spoken about Tanaji Malusare City in an earlier post, with regards to their ambitious skywalk. But overall have not spoken about TMC Karjat in whole about the concept of the project and what exactly it is.

TMC is situated in Karjat approximately 2 Kilometers away from the railway station. But ofcourse they plan the TMC skywalk to touch the station which will basically be a big boon to daily travellers.

The Tanaji Malusare City comes under a low cost housing scheme that offers, five types of house namely a 216 sq. ft (1 Room Kitchen), a 304 sq.ft. (1 Room Kitchen), a 439 sq. ft (1 BHK), a 540 sq. ft ( 2 BHK) and a 684 sq. ft ( 3 BHK). The cost of the housing starts from Rs 3,00,000.

There will be a total of 15,000 flats spread over 100 acres including a School, Hospital, a 3 lakh sq.ft mall, multiplex, community hall, piped cooking gas, children’s playground and retail outlets strategically placed around the city.

Take a look at this video where you can get to see the master plan of the city, the location and the inside of a flat in TMC.

The plans of the flats are displayed below:

TMC 2 BHK Flat Plan:

TMC 1 BHK Flat Plan:

TMC 1 RK Flat Plan:

The entire site plan can also seen below, unfortunately its not a high resolution image, stay tuned for more updates on TMC!

Back to the Basics of Ganesh Visarjan

2010-09-21T01:46:00.000-07:00

Festivals bring families/communities together as everybody participates in the traditional customs and rituals. This was quite evident during Ganesh Chaturthi, celebrated in remote villages of Karjat. It was a contradicting picture as compared to the hyped up scene in Mumbai, and turned out to be more enjoyable, less noisy and the excitement was palpable.

Every house in the village get their own Ganapati, generally for five days, decorate the idol, conduct puja and on the sixth day immerse it along with goddess Gauri.

On the immersion day the men in the village carry Ganesh idols, which are placed on a wooden stool, on their heads. While the women follow them carrying idols of Gauri on their heads.

It was interesting to see the way each idol of Gauri was decorated. Some draped saris around the clay statue, donned her with jewelery like nose ring, necklace, mangalsutra, flowers and leaves, while some were carrying photos of Gauri and placed it on colorful baskets.

Singing bhajans they all marched towards Pench river that flows through Karjat. One of the villagers also mentioned that the idols were only made of clay and not any harmful material that can pollute the river.

Another village was already performing the last rites of immersion while others peacefully waited for their turn.

Idols of Gauri placed on the banks of river Pench to perform the remaining rituals. There were similar type of flowers in each of these baskets, apparently the local boys get them from the jungle a day prior to Gauri.

A married woman doing puja of Gauri, considered to be goddess of prosperity and wealth.

After the puja is done women remove the jewelery and prepare for Gauri visarjan.

While on the other side men perform the last rites in front of Ganesh by lighting candles, singing bhajans/hymns, break a coconut and preparing for immersion.

It was much easier to stand close to the river banks to take pictures as compared to Mumbai, where it would be impossible to get close to the sea during immersion.

People carried their idols in the river and went as far as they could to immerse it and prayed for Ganesh to return next year. Some kids were just enjoying diving in and going for a swim.

While the women bid adieu to Goddess Gouri, only immersing the idol and picking out the flowers.

Also part of festivities were young boys who helped with the immersion.

At the end of it prasad in the form of poha, sugar, coconut mixed with banana was distributed among all the devotees. Most of the villages in Karjat follow this, except a few bigger ones who install speakers and an entire music system to start the procession, more like Mumbai style.

But a simple ceremony, nevertheless that reflects the essence of a community festival. Bringing people together as one was much preferred as compared to Ganesh Chaturthi in Mumbai.

Magical Monsoons in Karjat

2010-06-26T03:19:00.000-07:00

Karjat during the monsoons is as colorful as these leaves. Covered with variety of flora and fauna, Karjat transforms into a lively, energizing zone.

The plants come to life, flowers bloom in all its glory, birds build their nest and give life to new ones, frogs rejoice in the rains and the waterfalls begin to flow in full swing.

Since monsoon is the best season to visit Karjat, its a favorite weekend getaway for many city dwellers. Here's a glimpse of magical monsoons in Karjat and what you might be missing on. Drops of rain settle on the branches of the casuarina tree.
There are fruit trees in Karjat, guava, chickoo, papaya, and many more. The one below is the pretty flower of the guava tree.
There is so much water flowing, even the plants growing in the wild have lovely flowers.
Trumpet creepers blossom only during the monsoons, the orange flowers add colour to the green landscape.
Summer dries up the teak trees, and the rain gives new life to them.

A common sight in this season are the mushrooms, growing under the trees, on grass, and in all shapes and sizes.
The morning dew that collects on the plants makes a pretty picture.
The open fields are covered in carpet of green surrounded by dense forest and cloud-covered peaks, its a beautiful view. Even the herd of buffaloes enjoy grazing in these fields. Even rafting is possible in Karjat during the monsoons, on the Ulhas river. Below photo shows a group of school children waiting to go rafting. Its the mating season for birds, amphibians, animals, reptiles, insects etc. A huge frog found his mate after several calls. If you are a nature lover then its the ideal time to visit Karjat. There is no end to the amount of diversity you will witness here, all you need to do is observe.

Dada's Grill: Pizzas, Pastas and Curries

2010-06-05T05:54:00.000-07:00

Although there are a variety of places to eat in and around Karjat, sometimes the need arises to have a cuisine that is not spicy, like most of the food served in this region. Dada's Grill, which is located in Takve village on the Karjat-Murbad road while going to Kashele, offers a welcoming treat for the taste buds.
The à la Carte is something that can be really tantalizing, Dada's Grill in Karjat churns out some of the best pastas that can be compared to few restaurants in Mumbai. The food is overpriced (since its main clientèle includes weekend hoppers from Mumbai, Pune, etc.), and besides, the menu does not hold the real price as its outdated, so be warned.

They also serve Indian food, we would recommend Chicken Masala, that serves as a delightful starter, as compared to the expensive Garlic Cheese bread which is made out of bread slices. The Biryanis and Butter Chicken too are sumptuous with decent quantity.
For the vegetarians, Veg Kadai and Paneer Mutter is a good bet, it cost anywhere between Rs 75 to Rs 100. A Veg Pasta costs between Rs 195 to Rs 225, while a Chicken Biryani will set you back by around Rs 240. They do serve Pizzas as per the menu but they generally never have them.
Beer is also served at the restaurant for Rs 140, a big bottle of Kingfisher Mild, it use to be Rs 120 until the manager started charging us Rs 140.

Dada's Grill overlooks a well-maintained lawn that's surrounded by trees and vegetable patches, the only downside to it is the low roofing, making the place extremely hot during summers. The aesthetics and ambiance of this place is soothing and makes Dada's Grill a fun place to dine at.
They also offer rooms for Rs 3300 per day inclusive of all meals, which is served via a buffet system. Although it may sound steep the cost is competitive to other hotels and resorts in Karjat.
Whats even better is that it has only a couple of rooms, a swimming pool and 16 acres of land for you to get lost in.
Dada's Grill claims to offer home delivery as well, but we have not managed to get a single one. The best thing to do if you want a parcel is place an order and collect it after a little while and yes, the manager also charges you for the containers.

Dada's Grill Contact:
9823429987

Dada's Grill Location:

Hailstorm Strikes Karjat

2010-05-02T23:54:00.000-07:00

Bringing a brief respite from the scorching heat, the rain gods put up a surprising show few days ago on April 30th in Karjat. A short spell of heavy rainfall was accompanied by an unexpected hail storm, which lasted for around 5 minutes, while the rain continued for a couple of hours. This probably would be the first time that hail stones, which were small, round-shaped ice, were falling from the overcast skies in Karjat.

It seemed like it was building up over the past few days, with loud thundering and lightning splitting the night sky. On Friday the weather was hot and humid until afternoon, when it started to drizzle, cold drops of rain falling initially, and then suddenly hail struck to surprise us all.

Since that day the weather is back to being hot and sunny. But it was a much-needed change, as it washed up all the trees and plants, making it look more green and vibrant. A glimpse of what it looks like during the monsoons. Maybe we'll have early rains this time!

Karjat's Waste Management Woes

2010-03-02T05:39:00.000-08:00

If you have visited Karjat in recent times, you would have noticed that just beyond the city on the other side of the bridge leading to the villages, there is an over-sized dump yard that runs around 100 meters along the side of the road.

Just how Mumbai has a massive garbage problem, Karjat even though much smaller in size seems to be facing the same problem. The smaller size should help the local bodies more effectively manage this problem.

The recent enforcement of the ban on plastic bags in Karjat is a step forward, but thin plastic bags are still available in some shops. Whats worse is due to the amount of garbage collected the authorities choose to set the dump on fire, sending arsenic fumes into the air, creating a Deonar like scenario in Karjat.

Naina from Prakash Nursery, located diagonally opposite the Garbage Dump, said, "We would request help from anybody who can help convince the officials to do something about the dump. Not only do we have to put up with the stench and smoke, but every monsoon the rain water brings the garbage into our properties creating a huge mess."

In recent times some private parties have started taking part of the garbage and using it for vermi-compost and selling it as fertilizer to farm house owners across Karjat. The other sad part is the reckless dumping of garbage in the river on the road to Karjat station.

You can get to see a wonderful sunset with the reflection of the colours on the river, and then a small load carrier would stop and empty its load of waste onto the banks of the river. A small amount of garbage is visible in the picture, but in reality its much more.

It would be nice if the locals could be taught about waste management and if all the farm owners learn to dispose of their garbage in their own compounds.

Jain Temple in Karjat

2010-01-12T03:25:00.001-08:00

On the Mahavir Peth road leading to Karjat station, close to the rickshaw stand is a beautifully made Jain temple. Catering to a small Jain community present in the area the temple is the only Jain Mandir in Karjat.

Like most of the Jain shrines, this one too is carved out of white marble. The entrance bears intricate carvings of figures symbolising Jain faith. The flight of stairs leading to the main temple is embellished with colorful stones and white marble.

To the left of the steps is the puja area and on the right are idols of deities.

As I entered the main temple, the peaceful environment envelops you, and fills you with reverence and admiration of the place. The main deity of this temple is Lord Neminath, whose idol was adorned with flowers and jewelery, a custom followed by Jains.

The pillars had colorful carvings of various figures, the dome-shaped ceiling was well designed and the floor shone with the glow of marble. There were very few people offering prayers, and the pujari was busy cleaning the main worship area, he of course stopped me from taking pictures of the idol.

Swastika carved on the wooden door.

There is also an upper level, the main deity being Lord Shantinath. After offering my prayers, I made an exit and was glad to have visited this peaceful shrine in the narrow lane of a busy road.

Baba Dairy in Karjat

2009-09-07T12:17:00.000-07:00

Baba Dairy has become a must stop for us on our way to Karjat. Situated few kms before chowk in Vavarle village, the dairy churns out some mouth-watering food and milk products.

Baba Dairy has come up recently in the past 6-7 months, and since its away from Karjat city you get a good view of the mountain range from there.
Each time we visit the place we find ourselves sipping on the delicious thick lassi (Rs 15) or gobbling up the delectable paneer parathas. The Paneer parathas are stuffed with Paneer mixed with Coriander and Chilli, making the filling inside greenish in colour. The soft Paneer is made at the dairy itself and it literally melts in the mouth, and its served with Curd and Pickle. All it comes for just Rs 35.

We have tried all the sweets available there and can vouch for the Malai Sandwiches, Chum Chum, Milk Cake and Rabadi, which is my favorite. The thick Rabadi is rich, heavy and definitely affordable. Priced at Rs 10 for 50 grams we end up bringing it back to Bombay to have it as a dessert after meals. If you want to binge and don't mind eating rich Indian sweets, then try out rabdi with milk cake, its a delicious combination. All the Baba Dairy products are priced at a very reasonable rate, that's why we like to eat there often. The other sweets like Malai Sandwich etc. cost Rs 10 per piece. The Pedas are unique, they are milkier than any other Pedas we have consumed, its kind of an acquired taste and you may not like it instantly. This was the fourth time we had visited Baba Dairy, and we were really keen to visit the huge tabela (cow shed) behind the eating area and shop. So we asked the manager there, and with a friendly smile he gave us permission to stroll through the premises that holds buffaloes and prepares these delicious sweets from fresh milk.

The bovines were huge as you can see, all of them had tags on their ears and they occupied two sheds, placed in a row. There were other rooms as well, in some the workers were sleeping while in others they were making sweets.
Next time you go to Karjat, make sure you drop by to have some fresh lassi and paneer parathas!

Tanaji Malusare City to have a Skywalk

2009-08-24T02:53:00.000-07:00

Tanaji Malusare city, the mammoth low-cost housing project coming up in Karjat, will have a motorised skywalk connecting all the facilities in the township and to Karjat station. The planned skywalk would be the first coming up in this fast-developing rural area.

The skywalk will be approximately 2 km long and cost Rs 18 crores. Pravin Banavalikar, CEO, TMC, said, "It will curve around the settlement and connect all the main utilities, including schools, recreation centres, play centres and hospitals to it. As it is motorised (has a moving floor, like the ones at airports and tube stations abroad), the 60,000 residents will have to access it through a paid swipe card. However, the finer modalities have not been worked out yet."

Tanaji Malusare city, tagged as India's largest social housing project, will be spread across 100 acres in Shirse and Akurle villages of Karjat. It will consist of as many as 15,000 homes for about 60,000 people.

MMRDA to Improve Karjat Roads

2009-08-14T04:30:00.000-07:00

The uneven roads are a common sight in Karjat especially during the monsoons.

The Mumbai Metropolitan Regional Development Authority (MMRDA) has finally decided to improve the roads in four council areas including Karjat, Raigad, Kulgaon-Badlapur and Ambarnath. MMRDA will spend around Rs 30.49 crore on construction and improvement of 15 major roads.

Four roads in Karjat, three in Kulgaon-Badalapur municipal council area and six in Raigad will get a face-lift. According to the proposal, MMRDA will provide nearly 90% of funds for road development.

The spokesperson of MMRDA was quoted as saying that their aim was to make internal roads motorable through out the year. "There are many internal roads in these council areas which are not motorable, especially during and after monsoon. Many a time, state transport buses are not able to reach far-off areas since these roads are not motorable enough."

Star Gazing Near Karjat

2009-07-30T04:18:00.000-07:00

We all know the skies around Karjat are clear, the clean air makes it a fabulous place for star gazers. But wouldn't it be even better to watch the stars and learn about the constellations and their movements.

Thanks to a group known as the Khagol Mandal, a group of sky observers that have been conducting observation programs for over 20 years at Vangani. The group has also been educating teachers for nearly 25 years, hoping the information will be handed down to the school children.

If you are up for an all night sky gazing adventure, this is what your crash course in Astronomy is like:

1) 6.00 pm - 6.30 pm - Registration for the program
2) 6.30 pm - 7.30 pm - Introduction to telescopes
3) 7.30 pm - 8.30 pm - First session about the evening sky.
4) 8.30 pm - 9.00 pm - Observations through telescopes
5) 9.00 pm - 10.00pm - DINNER BREAK
6) 10.00pm - 11.30pm - Second session about the Sky
7) 11.30pm - 12.00 - Observations through telescopes
8) 12.00 - 12.30am - First Tea Break
9) 12.30am - 2.30 am - Slide Show, Quiz, Question Answer session
10) 2.30am - 3.00 am - Second Tea Break
11) 3.00am - 4.30 am - Third session about the sky
12) 4.30am - 5.00 am - Observations through telescopes

Any one from the age of 10 to 65 can attend this session, the cost is approximately Rs 100 and for members its much lesser.

Things to Carry!

Khagol Mandal provides you with two cups of tea, so you need to carry a mug, your own dinner, a mat to sit on the open ground, warm clothes and gloves, a water bottle as well as a small torch covered with red paper.

How to Get There?

Its a 7 minute walk from Vangani station, you can take a train at 4pm from CST, please refer to the Karjat Train Time Table and be there before 6pm. Ask the locals for "Tarangan Marg" and it shouldn't be a problem.

When does it happen?

The program is usually arranged on a Saturday Night nearest to New Moon Day as the stars are visible more clearly with less moon light. The schedule is generally put up on the Khagol Mandal website, or you can also try contacting them on the email address provided there.

Low Cost Housing Coming Up in Karjat

2009-06-19T04:53:00.000-07:00

As Bombay can't hold more people, the lack of space and development has forced builders to look for greener pastures. Karjat seems to be the choicest location for builders, with the MMRDA's big plans for the city.

One firm, Matheran Realty, is focusing on creating ultra low-cost housing in Karjat. Situated just 90km east of Mumbai, its a viable option for many people especially when it comes to the price factor. Their project named Tanaji Malusare City, is India’s first social housing project, is spread across 100 acres. They intend to build 15,000 flats with prices starting at a little over Rs 2 lakhs for a 19 square-metre apartment.

Milind Mhaiskar, metropolitan commissioner, said, "There is a huge requirement for low cost accomodation and a desire among people for affordable houses. People do not seem to mind even if they are far from Mumbai city. We are confident of good response to projects in Vasai, Karjat, Kalyan, and Thane."

Real estate in Karjat is a big business, if you have recently visited Karjat you would see hoardings and billboards all along the road advertising property sales and farm house sales. But Karjat is not only catering to the low cost flat owners. Corporations like the Big Studio are also seeing Karjat as a viable option.

With development slowly catching up in Karjat one can only wonder, how long will Karjat be a green getaway for nature lovers in Mumbai.

Maritime Academy Opens in Karjat

2009-05-11T04:36:00.000-07:00

A HongKong-based shipping company, Anglo Eastern is slated to open a maritime academy in Karjat. They recently acquired an existing nautical college thats spread across 53 acres site, including hostel capacity for 240 students.

On our recent visit to Karjat we came across a massive structure before Sandshi village, the entrance seemed as if it was enclosing a palace, that's what I was told on asking a person at the gate. He said it was a palace and now its taken over by someone. A palace in Karjat, sounds unbelievable!
On doing research I got know that its actually a Maritime academy opened by Anglo Eastern. The academy commences its operations in August this year with first intake of cadets straight out of high school.

Anglo Eastern also has a training center in Mumbai, and together with the academy in Karjat it will be the largest and well-equipped training establishment in India.

River Touch Resorts

2009-05-05T01:57:00.000-07:00

ature lovers now have an affordable option to stay in Karjat. River Touch Resorts, built on the banks of River Pej amidst lush surroundings, offers a good break from the maddening crowd of the city at a decent cost.

Located around 10 kms from Karjat railway station in Mandvane village, River Touch is partially air-conditioned, with a total of 10 rooms, bungalows, cottages and dormitory.

Some of the facilities include:

- Group picnic facilities
- Adventure sports
- Health club
- Garden parties by the river bank
- Swimming pool
- Poolside parties and rain dance

Families can also sit by the banks of the river Pej and relax, eat or just have fun.

Tariff:
A room is available from Rs 3000 onwards which includes meals, games, swimming and rain dance. If not overnight then a day picnic cost comes to Rs 500 per person including all of the below.

Reservation Contact of RiverTouch Resorts:

Off Tata Road, Village Mandavane,
Taluka Karjat, District Raigad,
Tel: 9320027779/9850675159
Mumbai Office Tel : 022-24329632/9821037779/9320037779
Email: shaileshchangle@yahoo.co.in

Location of River Touch Resorts:

Meher Bakery: Karjat's Oven Fresh Bread

2009-04-21T05:17:00.000-07:00

Well there is no major bread manufacturer that supplies bread in Karjat, not because they don't have the reach but perhaps due to this little bakery that floods Karjat with not only bread, but a range of edibles like Nankaties, Khari Bisucits, Toasts, Pastries, samosas etc.

Not only does this generate work for the locals but also provides an interesting variety to the tourists who come on the weekends. Meher Bakery has an outlet that sells the produce of the bakery in the city, just before you cross the bridge next to the rickshaw stand, around 10 meters towards the station.
While the produce is made Tiware a couple of kilometers away from Kadav. The outlet here is adorned with a lot of portrait's of people and gods and also has a video camera, perhaps to keep track of the person at the cash counter.

You do not need to go to the bakery itself to find the soft bread as its available in most of the shops in every major village like Kashele, Kadav etc. In Kadav village, Sachin Pan Shop is the one that keeps the most products of Meher and in general as well.

We recommend you try the chocolate nankaties and the special toast, both make a wonderful tea time snack. Meher has opened up a new outlet opposite the police station ground in Karjat where you can get veg pizzas, rolls and sandwiches apart from a range of dairy sweets and cakes. Their products are very economically priced and are definitely tasty :)

Banks in Karjat

2009-04-18T23:56:00.000-07:00

Bank of India, Mahavir Peth ~ 222056/222256
Bank of India, B.D.O Khalapur ~ 229542/229543
Bank of India, Kadav Branch ~ 226236
Bank of Maharashtra, Kashele ~ 224010
Raigad District Bank, Bazar Road ~ 222052
U.C.O. Bank, Station Road ~ 222050
U.C.O. Bank, Vaijanath, Humgaon ~ 225022
State Bank of India, Karjat ~ 220414/220415

Architects & Interior Designers in Karjat

2009-04-18T23:53:00.001-07:00

Sanjay Jarpude ~ 9423375971
Ketan Musale & Associates ~ 9323283589
Dhananjay Medhi/Darshan Medhi ~ 9373811943/02148222139

Auto Mechanic in Karjat

2009-04-18T23:53:00.000-07:00

Gulab Auto (Dahivali) ~ 9850139294/9373682299

Agro Products in Karjat

2009-04-18T23:51:00.000-07:00

Suhas Agro ~ 223666/221355
Agriculture Research Society ~ 222035
Academy of Development Science Kashele ~ 244008

Advocates in Karjat

2009-04-18T23:49:00.000-07:00

C.B.Oswal ~ 223055/9422693328
D'mello ~ 9822911205
S.C.Chawan ~ 9325404103
Lata Chawan ~ 9325409331
Motilal Oswal ~ 222055
Pethe ~ 222116

Building Material Suppliers in Karjat

2009-04-18T01:38:00.001-07:00

Land Development, JCB & Tractor Hire in Karjat

Vasant Builder/Construction ~ 9822665685
Vasant Bhoir ~ 221818
Vijay Bagul ~ 222311

Carpenters in Karjat

2009-04-18T01:38:00.000-07:00

Sanjay Furniture ~ 9325374132

Borewell Contractors in Karjat

2009-04-18T01:37:00.000-07:00

Jalpari Borewells ~ 222265
Jaldhara Borewells ~ 9270150101
Sai Pumps Borewell ~ 220041/09373401477
Dalvi Borewells ~ 222263/223967/9423375978/9850453966
Bhavika Borewells ~ 09822662629/9373820551/9272424551
Tupti Ground Water Exploration ~ 9822341429/222707

Schools in Karjat

2009-04-18T01:17:00.000-07:00

India First Foundation School ~ 02148246013/02148246014/02148246016/9892180808/9892530303

Plant Nurseries in Karjat

2009-04-18T00:51:00.000-07:00

Green Grower Devdutt Farm (Tiware) ~ 220841
Bandal Nursrey (Takve) ~ 9921216666

Medical Services in Karjat

2009-04-18T00:49:00.000-07:00

Ambulance ~ 221101
Govt. Hospital ~ 222069
Ambani Hospital ~ 02192-255141
Dr. Nazirkar ~ 222357
Dr. Datar ~ 222137
Dr. Phadke ~ 222102
Dr. Jain ~ 222207
Dr. Sabane ~ 222332
Dr. Sabale (Orthopedic) ~ 222657
Dr. Sudip Chakrabarty ~ 9422691278
Dr. Amit (Veterinary) ~ 223813
Ambika Medical ~ 223075
Milan Medical (Pedigree Food) ~ 221987
Vijay Medical (Pedigree & Veterinary Med.) ~ 222199

Hardware Stores in Karjat

2009-04-18T00:46:00.000-07:00

Abbasbhai Asgar Ali ~ 222060/222700
Asgarali Hyderali ~ 222061/222146
Hatimi Steel Traderes ~ 9271122019
Prakash Plywood Center ~ 222381

Government Services in Karjat

2009-04-18T00:42:00.000-07:00

BSNL ~ 222599/220500
Block Development Officer ~ 222034
Civil Court ~ 222217
Civil Hospital ~ 222069
Deputy Engineer P.W.D ~ 222147
Government Grain Godown Bhisegaon ~ 222086
Irrigation Department ~ 222048
Karjat Nagar Parishad ~ 222033
Karjat Police Staion ~ 222100
Karjat Post Office ~ 222023
Karjat Railway Station ~ 222064
Krishi Adhikari ~ 222183
M.S.E.B (Electricity Board) ~ 222090
M.S.E.B (Sub. Station) ~ 222077
Pradeshik Krishi Sanshodhan Kendra ~ 222035
S.T. Bus Stand ~ 222085
S.T. Bus Stand Workshop ~ 222076
Tehsildar Office ~ 222037
Water Supply ~ 222219
Zilla Parishad - Rest House ~ 222032
Grampanchayat Vengaon ~ 222410
Sub-Divisional Officer (O) ~ 221499
Station Master (Rly Enq) ~ 222064
Karjat Railway Police Station ~ 222110

Insurance Dealers in Karjat

2009-04-18T00:36:00.000-07:00

New India Assurance ~ 222197

LPG Dealers

2009-04-18T00:35:00.000-07:00

Pinto Gas Service ~ 222192/320387

Electronic Appliances in Karjat

2009-04-18T00:18:00.000-07:00

Shyam Electronics ~ 222216
Ujjwal ~ 222062
Vaidya & Co. ~ 222204

Courier Services in Karjat

2009-04-18T00:17:00.000-07:00

Professional Couriers ~ 221429

Caterers in Karjat

2009-04-18T00:15:00.000-07:00

Gogate ~ Chote Vengaon 222965
Raj Cottage ~ 221414
Lucky's Korner ~ 9822941414

Treks in Karjat

2009-03-12T02:02:00.000-07:00

Trek to Bhimashankar

Trekking to Peth Fort

Karjat is well-known for trekking, as each route gives a glimpse into the rich history of the Mogul era. There are several forts in and around Karjat waiting to be explored. One of them is the fort of Peth, also known as Kothaligad, which is around 21 kms north-east of Karjat in Shahapur taluka.

The Kondana Caves Near Karjat

A journey to the 8 Buddhist caves of the Hinayana Buddhist tradition which is a one hour trek from the Kondane village. The Kondana caves enclose sculptures, vihara, cahitya and stupas, specimens of ancient Buddhist architecture. Although there was an earth quake in the early 1900s many stupas, the front entrance and the floor of the caves were damaged.

Pinewood Resort

2009-02-11T09:39:00.000-08:00

Karjat is an interesting weekend proposition for anyone who wants to have a break from the hectic city life. But affordable accommodation seems to be a problem, but thanks to Pinewood Resort you can enjoy your stay in Karjat without burning a hole in your pocket!

For approximately Rs 350 you can spend a day at Pinewood Resort and this includes your meals as well, vegetarian and non vegetarian. Pinewood is situated in Varai village that is 5 km away from Karjat Station and 65 km away from Mumbai.

The resort is situated on three acres of lush green land and offers interesting features like a visit to a pottery factory, Kondana caves, Dams and Waterfalls. They cater to Schools for one day and overnight picnics along with camp fires and dancing. They even organize a treasure hunt, games and environmental programs.

For entertainment purposes there are carom boards, a volley ball court, a ground for cricket or football as well as Badminton while the children have their special parks with slides and swings.
To cater to corporate there are two training halls, outdoor training programs, pool side parties and a jogging walking track.

They have a 2 Bedroom Bungalow, 2 Dormitories, 2 Rest Areas and Deluxe Rooms

Pinewood Resort!!
Pinewood Resort, presently has 7 Deluxe spacious Rooms.
5 Deluxe Rooms Non A/c
2 Deluxe A/c Rooms
The capacity of each rooms is a maximum of 6 guests.
The beautifully designed rooms are with a kingsize bed and an attached wash room.
A sitout outside each rooms with a widespread green front

Tariff:

How to get to Pinewood Resort in Karjat:

Booking and Contacts:
Tel No: +91 22 24097930/24018846
Fax No: +91 22 24097930
Mob No: +91 9820739385/ 9821318495
E Mail: pinewood_resort@yahoo.co.in

Interesting Sights in Karjat

2009-02-11T07:20:00.000-08:00

Jain Temple in Karjat

On the Mahavir Peth road leading to Karjat station, close to the rickshaw stand is a beautifully made Jain temple. Catering to a small Jain community present in the area the temple is the only Jain Mandir in Karjat. Like most of the Jain shrines, this one too is carved out of white marble. The entrance bears intricate carvings of figures symbolising Jain faith.

ND Studio: A Major Attraction in Karjat

When Bollywood shifted to Karjat, this scenic village was on the map of not just directors but also tourists. ND Studio has become a major stopover for people traveling to Karjat. Several films, TV serials, commercial ads have been shot here. One of the popular films was Jodhaa Akbar, in fact the lavish sets of the movie remained intact for a long time.

Ayurvedic Healthcare Institute and Nursery

A research centre and nursery, which was abandoned due to lack of funding, has been reopened. The huge expanse of land can produce around 500 different species of medicinal plants, used in Ayurveda. Its located beyond Kashele towards Murbad and is worth a visit if you interested in Ayurveda and medicinal plants.

Visit to a Dog Farm

Situated around 1 km away from Kadav in Chote Takve village is the dog breeding farm. Its been around for 10-15 years and has a wide range of pedigree dogs; Caravan Hounds, German Shepherds, Doberman, a couple of Pugs, Cocker Spaniel and a few more. You can imagine the chaos in there, some were aggressive, playful, silent, one had just given birth to puppies. If you are a dog lover then drop by this breeding farm.

Karjat Dhaba, Good Food at Low Cost

2008-12-16T11:18:00.000-08:00

Eating at a roadside dhaba is always fun, the food tastes more homely and its affordable too. One of the oldest eating joint (dhaba) here is the Karjat Dhaba, which came up way before Karjat got commercialised and small joints sprung up at every nook and corner.

This roadside joint is situated after the Neral-Karjat junction on the stretch leading to Karjat Chowk.

Few years ago the place was like a proper dhaba, it just had a roof with few tables laid, and it much more open and airy. Now with more restaurants coming up in the surrounding area, it has transformed into a proper place with a permit room.

Karjat Dhaba use to serve beer earlier too, except that now steel glasses have been replaced by beer mugs, and its served more openly. You will get Indian and Chinese cuisine here, although we wouldn't recommend Chinese food. Many restaurants have Chinese on their menu, it isn't really the place to eat Chinese. Better to have the local delicacy, vada-pav, instead.

While the Indian fare was delicious, almost all the vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes are available. We had beer first then followed it up with Paneer Masala and Aloo Mutter along with hot chapatis, and were quite happy with the food. So we ordered for rice and dal fry, to have a complete, delectable meal.

The place wasn't crowded, so the service was quite prompt. The bill came up to Rs 240, good enough for two people. Next time you visit Karjat, drop by the dhaba for some good food.

Crowded Hoardings Sell Land and Holidays

2008-12-02T10:09:00.000-08:00

Like many hill stations of Maharashtra, Karjat too has become a victim of rapid urbanisation.

More and more land is being used to develop townships, hotels and bungalows. So paddy fields have given way to new development, and villages also have been acquired for the SEZ plan in Raigad district.

This is pretty evident when you get off the highway and take the left to enter Karjat. You will notice the change in landscape, with both sides of the road filled with slew of hoardings advertising about future development projects or some real estate agent selling land.

Land under cultivation has reduced drastically and the state's agriculture commissioner, Prabhakar Deshmukh, admits that this is a worrying trend. This has been happening in other parts of Maharashtra too.

On our last visit to Karjat, we actually stopped on the way to take couple of pictures of these hoardings. Take a look -
Due to close proximity to Mumbai, the demand has gone up and with it the cost of real estate too in Karjat. Earthsellers, what an apt name to describe the current scenario, piece of land for everyone and less land for cultivation. Another slew of hoardings as we reached closer to Chowk.
Several new townships are coming up as well within and on the outskirts of Karjat. This surge in development only started around 2-3 years ago. Are you looking for a piece of land in Karjat too?

Karjat Hotels and Resorts

2008-11-23T13:49:00.000-08:00

Below you will find a list of Karjat Resorts suited for every budget. Most of these hotels in Karjat offer buffet meals. On this page you will find detailed information like the cost of rooms in Karjat, resort packages, and facilities that the accommodations' offer here. Here's a list of places to stay in Karjat -

RiverTouch Resorts
Category: Budget Hotel
Price Range: Rs 750 to Rs 2500

Nature lovers now have an affordable option to stay in Karjat. RiverTouch Resorts, built on the banks of River Pej amidst lush surroundings, offers a good break from the maddening crowd of the city at a decent cost. Located around 10 kms from Karjat railway station in Mandvane village, RiverTouch is partially air-conditioned, with a total of 10 rooms, bungalows, cottages and dormitory.

Pinewood Resort
Category: Budget Hotel
Price Range: Rs 350 onwards

Prakruti Farms
Category: Luxury Resort
Price Range: Rs 4500 to Rs 6000

Prakruti Farms, located 11 km from Karjat station, has facilities for all occasions, groups, individuals and families who wish to spend time in the heart of nature. Surrounded by the Sahyadri range, the farm is spread across 12 acres consisting of fruit orchards, vegetable farm and flower beds.

Dr. Modi's Resort
Category: Three-star health resort
Price Range: Rs 1800 to Rs 3000

According to Dr. Modi, his resort is ideal for weekend getaways, conferences, seminars, training programmes and rejuvenation packages. Dr. Modi’s Resort is spread across 50 acres, has 40 air-conditioned rooms set up in cottage style with its own private patio and garden.

Rivergate Resort
Category: Five-star resort
Price Range: Rs 4400 to Rs 5300

Spread over 26 acres of green landscapes between the mountains of Matheran, Murbad and Lonavala, resort is 12 kms away from Karjat station, 92 Kms from Mumbai and 116 kms from Pune. Rivergate lies on the borders of river Pej, and offers 27 tents and 14cottages, with an air-conditioner, television, and spacious bathrooms.

Piccadilly Country Club & Resort
Category: Four-star resort
Price Range: Rs 3600 to Rs 7600

Piccadilly Country Club & Resort is located in Mircholi village in Karjat, is a three-star category resort located 85 kms from Mumbai. Piccadilly has well-furnished AC cottages equipped with TV sets, bathtubs and a view of River Pej. It can accommodate 4 adults.

Satya Resort
Category: Four-star resort
Price Range: Rs 4555 to Rs 6999

Satya Resort spans 52 acres of greenery and is located after Kadav village. Satya offers 34 spacious rooms with high wooden ceilings and attached bathrooms; some with air conditioners, all the rooms have an individual sit-out and garden.

An Innovative Bamboo House for Magic Bus

2008-11-11T00:37:00.000-08:00

An innovative bamboo construction is coming up in the valley behind Karjat dam. The 3-storey building, which will be a dormitory for the staff of Magic Bus NGO, has a modern and sustainable structure.

Located on the tip of a small plateau overlooking paddy fields and villages, the building has a very rustic feel to it due to its bamboo exterior. Bamboo, a renewable resource, is used as the main supporting material, so it blends with its surrounding landscape.

As you can see in the picture below, bamboo columns form a cage around the building. Two bamboos are joined together by steel strips. Bamboo is not only used to support the building, but even the floors are made of half cut bamboo, concrete, finished with a layer of natural stone. Walls are made of split bamboo covered with plaster on the inside.

The construction carried out by Architecture Brio combines natural and local materials - bamboo, wood, steel and concrete - in such a way that it reduces the load on the building.

With the amount of new developments taking place in Karjat, such eco-friendly buildings gives some hope and it is a fine example to spur the change.

Activities

2008-11-10T13:07:00.000-08:00

Karjat's Saturday Market

Every Saturday, Karjat hosts a vegetable market that attracts thousands of people due to the price and quality. The chance of getting fresh tasty vegetables attracts people who have come just for a weekend visit as well to take home supplies for the days to come. Lets take a look at Karjat's Saturday Bazaar.

Star Gazing Near Karjat

We all know the skies around Karjat are clear, the clean air makes Karjat a fabulous place for star gazers. But wouldn't it be even better to watch the stars and learn about the constellations and their movements. Thanks to a group known as the Khagol Mandal, a group of sky observers that have been conducting observation programs for over 20 years at Vangani.

Van Vadi: An Eco-friendly Forest Farm

A group of people are trying to protect the local eco-system and encourage sustainable living. Van Vadi, a 64-acre forest farm (as the owners like to call it), on the foothills of Sahyadri, offers a complete rustic experience. That's why it attracts lot of urban dwellers who come to be one with nature, away from their daily chaotic life. They organise Forest Festival where families can participate in nature activites and celebrate the harmony with nature.

Corporate Training with Adventure Sports

You can treat your employees to a day full of adventure and learning in Karjat. The training course is organized by Magic Bus, a NGO that looks after the welfare of under privileged children. The Magic Bus center has a fully equipped ropes course, Jacob's ladder and climbing tower with a zip wire. These courses enable participants to grow at the team and individual levels, explore risk, leadership, communication, problem-solving, and coaching.

News

2008-11-10T11:35:00.000-08:00

Hailstorm Strikes Karjat

Bringing a brief respite from the scorching heat, the rain gods put up a surprising show few days ago on April 30th in Karjat. A short spell of heavy rainfall was accompanied by an unexpected hail storm, which lasted for around 5minutes.

Karjat's Waste Management Woes

If you have visited Karjat in recent times, you would have noticed that just beyond the city on the other side of the bridge leading to the villages, there is an over-sized dump yard that runs around 100 meters along the side of the road.

Tanaji Malusare City to have a Skywalk

Tanaji Malusare city, the mammoth low-cost housing project coming up in Karjat, will have a motorised skywalk connecting all the facilities in the township and to Karjat station. The planned skywalk would be the first coming up in this fast-developing rural area.

MMRDA to Improve Karjat Roads

The uneven roads are a common sight in Karjat especially during the monsoons. MMRDA has finally decided to improve the roads in four council areas including Karjat, Raigad, Kulgaon-Badlapur and Ambarnath.

Low Cost Housing Coming Up in Karjat

As Mumbai can't hold more people, the lack of space and development has forced builders to look for greener pastures. Karjat seems to be the choicest location for builders, with the MMRDA's big plans for the city.

Crowded Hoardings Sell Land and Holidays

Karjat too has become a victim of rapid urbanisation. More and more land is being used to develop townships, hotels and bungalows. So paddy fields have given way to new development, and villages also have been acquired for the SEZ plan in Raigad district. This is evident with the change in landscape when you enter Karjat.

An Innovative Bamboo House for Magic Bus

An innovative bamboo construction is coming up in the valley behind Karjat dam. The 3-storey building, which will be a dormitory for the staff of Magic Bus NGO, has a modern and sustainable structure. Bamboo is used as the main supporting material, so it blends with its surrounding landscape.

Tata Promotes Ace Magic in Karjat

The ten-seater tuktuks or rickshaws, which is the common mode of transport for villagers and tourists in Karjat, are facing some competition. Tata Motors is promoting its passenger version of its Ace mini-truck, Tata Magic, in Karjat, ensuring comfortable and safe transportation mode.

No More Cooking Vada Pavs at Karjat Station

The sight of vadas being fried at platform stalls as the train reaches Karjat station is too tempting to miss. But that will soon change, as Indian Railways plan to ban cooking at food stalls on platforms. Due to fire hazards and accidents at crowded station, Central and Western railways will open a centralised kitchen for the stall owners to cook vadas, samosas etc., or even make tea.

OLPC's Pilot Project Near Karjat

Reliance ADAG joined hands with One Laptop Per Child (OLPC) Foundation to help kick start the OLPC India project in order to educate kids in rural areas. The first of the XO laptop series was distributed in a school in Khairat village among 25 students.

Villagers Resettled by Morbe Dam Unhappy

Whenever the government takes land away from the locals it seems like they never live up to their promises. The Morbe dam project in Karjat has affected 11 villages and 776 families. Some of the affected people have been claiming that they have not been given permanent jobs as promised while none of the families who have been resettled get water from the dam.

Maharashtra Govt Pressured to Set up Panvel Court

The Maharashtra Government has been asked by the Bombay high court to provide the necessary infrastructure to open a court of additional sessions at Panvel. This would make it convenient for litigants from Karjat, Panvel, Uran and Khalapur, who currently travel to Alibaug session court for redressal of legal issues.

Future Developments In & Around Karjat

Karjat has been warming up as a destination for the city dwellers around it, but is Karjat ready to become the entertainment hub of Maharashtra? At the moment there has been a lot of development with regards to hotels and guest houses. Lets take a look at some of the future projects coming up in Karjat.

Villagers Stranded Due to Concrete Walls

The villagers of Karalewadi, Mandawane, Bhiwapuri, Hedavali, Ambewadi and Phanaswadi were stranded due to the bridge that joined their villages to the Karjat city collapsed. The reason behind the bridge collapse is blamed on singer Shankar Mahadevan. They alleged that the construction work on an illegal compound wall at Mahadevan's farmhouse located close to the bridge led to the incident.

Tata Promotes Ace Magic in Karjat

2008-11-04T09:35:00.000-08:00

The ten-seater tuktuks or rickshaws, which is the common mode of transport for villagers and tourists in Karjat, are facing some competition.

Tata Motors is promoting its passenger version of its Ace mini-truck, Tata Magic, in Karjat, ensuring comfortable and safe transportation mode. On our recent visit to Karjat, we noticed a Tata Magic parked outside the rickshaw stand, so Tata is trying to sell these four-wheelers in rural areas.

What makes it different than a tuktuk? Well from the look of it, Magic looks more spacious good enough to fit four to seven passengers, with ample legroom and comfortable seats. We aren't sure of how much it costs to travel in a Magic and what route does it ply on.

Tuktuks are ideally fit for seven to eight people but the driver tries to fit in as many as he can, sometimes we've also seen more than 10 people getting squashed. Tata Magic does seem to be a more comfortable option, next time I am in Karjat, I will surely sit in one.

Van Vadi: An Eco-friendly Forest Farm

2008-10-21T07:32:00.000-07:00

Hotels, resorts and residential colonies are coming thick and fast in Karjat. In such a scenario when I read about a group of people trying to protect the local eco-system and encourage sustainable living, it was encouraging news.

Van Vadi, a 64-acre forest farm (as the owners like to call it), on the foothills of Sahyadri, offers a complete rustic experience. That's why it attracts lot of urban dwellers who come to be one with nature, away from their daily chaotic life. It has no electricity, piped water, mobile network, or fancy cottages, simply bamboo huts and mats to sleep on. The land, which was bought 14 years ago with contribution from around two dozen people, is covered by 80% of dense forest and has organically grown vegetables.

Van Utsav or Forest Festival

For the last three years the owners of Van Vadi have been organising 'Van Utsav' or 'Forest Festival,' for six days, and it actually is quite a unique concept. Many families come with their kids and grandparents to participate in this festival to celebrate the harmony with nature. Various activities are included like gardening, planting and working on building a house.

The owners also encourage voluntary workshops conducted by guests themselves, it could be on anything, carpentry, yoga, natural healing etc. Cooking is done on a rotating team basis, using organic food, cereals, vegetables etc, and drinking water can be filled directly from the stream.

There are seasonal streams flowing through the undulating land. There are over 30 uncultivated species growing in the wild and over 35 recognized medicinal plants. Living for a week in such environment will definitely be very refreshing.

New development woes

This is a common concern these days. A new construction coming up on the neighbouring land of Van Vadi is threatening to harm the ecology of the forest land and affect its flora and fauna. The owners are taking up the matter seriously with various authorities and hoping that the damage is minimized.

We are looking forward to visiting this place the next time we are in Karjat and meeting with one of the owners, Bharat Mansata, to know more about this wonderful concept.

How to Reach Van Vadi?

Drive via the old Bombay-Poona highway, turning left at Karjat Chowk, and proceed towards Kashele village, 18 kms from Karjat. At Kashele, ask for the road which leads to Vaara, which is about 8 km from Kashele. The Vaara-Chinchwadi road leads to Van Vadi that comes on the left, beside a roadside hand-pump, just before Vaara village.

Ayurvedic Plant Nursery in Kashele

2008-10-16T10:39:00.000-07:00

The last time we visited Karjat we decided to trek to Peth fort, we got directions but decided to just take a drive beyond Kashele towards Murbad, as we thought that's the road leading to Ambivali village, from where the trek begins to Peth Fort.

On the way we came across a huge abandoned land with a strange signboard that said something in Marathi, more like 'Ayurvedic Healthcare Garden'.

There was a statue placed right in the center of the entrance and the feel of the place was very different. There was a path that had leaves on it as though they were placed there for people not to proceed. This was very inviting a garden that was not maintained, we decided to take a peek.

The statue in the middle of the entrance was of an Ayurvedic Rishi making a mixture of herbs, of course we did not know what it was, will get to that part later.
At that moment the statue fascinated us, we were wondering what was awaiting us as we walked down the path.

We started to get an eerie feeling as we passed by abandoned houses, a water pump that supplied water to this place that looked like an abandoned town. We were beginning to wonder what happened to the people who were living here. We came across different plants and flowers, that did not seem to be a wild variety, of course there were a lot of plants that had flourished due to the monsoons as well, but these seemed different. The path ended gets more dense and leads into the forest. As we walked back, the question pondering in our heads, what was this place. On reaching back we found a bike parked at the entrance. A man was talking on his cell phone and he looked a bit sceptical about us. A broad smile always changes things as we approached him and asked him about this place. He asked us who we were first and then he told us that this land belonged to the Academy of Development Sciences. He said that he worked here for over 15 years, and the 64-acre land produced 500 different species of medicinal plants, which were used in Ayurveda. It use to be a research centre and a nursery, which was abandoned due to lack of funding. People from Mumbai use to come here for a workshop on medicinal plants, that could cure common diseases and even help prevent them. They could also purchase plants, and over 200 people from neighbouring villages were employed here. The place is due to open once again, in a few months time but it could take longer than expected.
The reason why he came here is he saw the car parked and the statue in the middle of the entrance. Originally there were two statues each on the pillar of the entrance gate, someone had broken one and he thought that the car was there to rob the other one. It was an informative half an hour in Karjat, I do hope to get myself some Ayurvedic plants soon.

No More Cooking Vada Pavs at Karjat Station

2008-10-14T04:42:00.000-07:00

The sight of vadas being fried at platform stalls as the train reaches Karjat station is too tempting to miss. But that will soon change, as Indian Railways plan to ban cooking at food stalls on platforms.

Due to fire hazards and accidents at crowded station, Central and Western railways will open a centralised kitchen for the stall owners to cook vadas, samosas etc., or even make tea.

From CST to Karjat and Kasara on the central line, and from Churchgate to Dahanu road on the western side, no stall owner will be allowed to cook on the platform. They can install microwave ovens and other power-based heating equipment to heat eatables.

According to a daily, cooking on sigris and stoves at stations was prohibited since August 2005, but as there were no written orders, it still continued. Once the base kitchens are set up, stall owners will cook in the centralised kitchen.

As long as its not prohibited to sell vada pavs or any other food at the station, its a fair deal.

Visit to a Dog Farm

2008-10-01T11:26:00.000-07:00

Karjat has a lot to offer if you look around closely, and if you are a dog lover, then you should read on.

Situated around 1 km away from Kadav in Chote Takve village is the dog breeding farm. Its been around for 10-15 years and has a wide range of pedigree dogs; Caravan Hounds, German Shepherds, Doberman, a couple of Pugs, Cocker Spaniel and a few more. You can imagine the chaos in there, some were aggressive, playful, silent, one had just given birth to puppies.

Here you are the litter of Caravan Hound or Mudhol Hound. They were being sold for Rs 8000.
Caravan Hound again feeding the newborn. They still had their eyes closed and they usually open in a fortnight.
The not so agile German Shepherd, who had given birth the previous night.
Not all hounds are friendly, and they don't like to be touched by strangers. So these were kept in a cage and started barking ferociously as soon as Clyde went close to them. Doberman, known to be intelligent and alert, are the most common pet breeds. A doberman cost Rs 9000. DO you find something unusual about this Hound? The caretaker said he has a coat just like the tiger. The playful English Cocker Spaniel called 'Candy'. Cocker Spaniels' are also known as 'Merry Cockers' because their tails are always wagging and they have a happy character. The caretaker said that this Hound won the dog show in Hyderabad some time ago.
Saving the best for the last. The cute and wrinkly-faced pugs, enjoying the sun. More people are buying Pugs these days due to highly popular Hutch/Vodafone ad. Who wouldn't like such playful and charming dogs. This Pug was getting his injured foot checked, and look at his face, really cute!

OLPC's Pilot Project Near Karjat

2008-09-25T05:18:00.000-07:00

In October 2007 Reliance Anil Dhirubhai Ambani Group has joined hands with One Laptop Per Child (OLPC) Foundation to help kick start the OLPC India project to help bridge the divide between the people who have access to information and technology.

The first of the XO laptop series was distributed in Khairat village, Khairat School is just around 3KMs from Karjat Chowk as you drive in the direction of Matheran. The school has 25 children and since it is a very small school, children from Class 1to 4 all study in the same room, the teacher has to multi-task and shifting his attention from one class to another.

Rahul proudly showing off his OLPC XO Laptop, the horizontal bands on the XO screen show the kids who have logged into the chat using the XO's mesh network. Rahul is one of the brightest kids at the Khairat School and he is quite passionate about his laptop. He does not let anyone touch it or even give him a demo on his own laptop, you have to give him a demo on another machine and he will follow.

Sandeep Surve, the teacher of the Khairat School, his enthusiasm and passion for learning the OLPC have made a major difference to the project. The entire OLPC India, Khairat Chronicle has been documented online by Carla Gomez Monroy who works with them.

In recent times there’s been a number of new developments which all indicate that OLPC is gaining significant momentum in India. First in mid-July it was announced that XOs bundled with CDMA modems are expected to hit retail stores later in the year. Additionally OLPC India’s page on wiki.laptop.org now mentions an additional 5 deployments going on at the moment.

Kudos to everyone involved in making this a successful initiative, equal opportunity for everybody that is the future along with socially responsible corporations!

Villagers Resettled by Morbe Dam Unhappy

2008-09-23T08:02:00.000-07:00

Whenever the government takes land away from the locals it seems like they never live up to their promises like the Tata Nano project in Singur, but we do not need to look far take a look at the Morbe dam project in Karjat that has affected 11 villages and 776 families.

According to an outdated census around 2897 people have been affected by the dam. Some of the affected people have been claiming that they have not been given permanent jobs as promised while none of the families who have been resettled get water from the dam.

The villagers currently have to get water from taps located far away from their house, Vasudev Rane, an affected villager, said, "It gets worse in summers and we are supplied with water from tankers. Records show that the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) has excess water. Why can't they lay small pipelines to our houses? After all, the Morbe dam is built on our land."

Devendra Satam, MLA, Shiv Sena, Karjat, said, "The government had promised jobs to 58 project-affected youth. When the NMMC took over, they said they were not obligated to provide jobs. I met the Navi Mumbai municipal commissioner, who only confirmed NMMC's stand."

While the local Shiv Sainiks stated that they would intensify their agitation and shut off the water supply from the dam if the NCP controlled NMMC continued to treat the villagers in such manner. But the Navi Mumbai municipal commissioner V S Nahata stated that the previous owners of the dam the Maharashtra Jeevan Pradhikaran (MJP) had entered into a deal with the villagers and the NMMC was not bound to provide jobs.

The NMMC had bought the dam from the MJP who had promised the villagers jobs. "Despite this, we have employed these villagers on contract and pay them wages as per our standards, which are the highest in the country," added Nahata.

According to Nahata the NMMC had supplied water to houses of 400 people who were complaining and are open to hearing the problems that other villagers are facing.

Tribals claim they got a raw deal in Morbe dam project

Trek to Bhimashankar

2008-09-17T08:13:00.000-07:00

Bhimashankar situated in the village of Bhavagiri, is a famous pilgrimage site at the end of the Sahyadri range. It is one of the twelve Jyotirlingas of Lord Shiva in India. The beautiful stone temple around 3296 feet high and the feeling of being lost in wilderness has made Bhimashankar a major trekking destination.

The area is surrounded by lofty peaks, dense forests and is also the source of River Bhima. There is also Bhimashankar Sanctuary where variety of birds, flowers and animals can be seen.

From Karjat station you need to travel to Khandas village, which is around 40 kms away, either by ST bus or tumtums, plying between Khandas and Kashele.
There are two routes to Bhimashankar from the base village of Khandas, which are most popular among trekkers -

Ganesh Ghat –There is a bridge around 2 km from Khandas, and the track going to the right from the bridge is the Ganesh Ghat route. This is the easiest and the longest route to Bhimashankar. Within an hour of trekking along this route you will reach a Ganesh temple.

Enroute you will pass the base of Padar Killa, you can combine the two treks but ensure you have a villager to guide you and you are well-equipped since the route to Padar Killa is confusing and at some places you will require a rope to climb. Moving ahead there are few tea stalls to catch you breathe.

The route ahead will take around 3 hours until you reach the plateau of Bhimashankar, there is a small pond dug out in the ground called 'Hanuman Tal'. This trek is five and hours to six hours long.

Shidi (ladder) Route – This one is a short route, but very steep and difficult especially in the monsoons. The route gets its name from the ladders placed on the steepest parts.

The route going to the left of the bridge (mentioned in Ganesh Ghat) goes to the village. On moving ahead you will reach a well, take a left from there to Shidi ghat. Within the first two hours of climbing you will pass the three ladders. You will reach a junction where both the routes - Ganesh ghat and Shidi – merge.

That’s where you can take a break for a cup of tea. In another hour and half from here you will reach the temple.

The temple is commercialized due to road route leading to Bhimashankar, through the Pune–Talegaon– Chakan route. The temple dates back to the 18th century, with some intricate carvings adorning the pillars and door frames. Just opposite the main temple, there is a small shrine dedicated to Shani (Saturn), and outside that hangs a huge Portuguese bell, a war relic symbolizing the victory of Marathas over the Portuguese in the Battle of Bassein in 1739.

After seeing the temple you can go to the Hanuman Lake, Nagphani Tok (point) or Serpent's hood, Gupt Bhimashankar, origin of River Bhima, Bombay Point and Sakshi Vinayak. Nagphani Point is the highest point in Bhimashankar, and called that because its shape is like a cobra’s hood. So you will get to see the surrounding hills and forts of the Matheran range and Padar killa down below.

Bhimashankar wild life sanctuary

The dominant species of flora are Mango, Jamun, Hirda, Behda, various medicinal herbs, Bamboo and fern. The Giant Indian Squirrel is one of the major attractions of the sanctuary. The other species found in the dense forests are Sambar, Barking Deer, Hyena and the Wild Boar. If you love bird-watching, then you will be able to find Malabar Grey Hornbill, Quaker Babbler, Malabar Whistling Thrush, Green Pigeon, and so on.

Places to Stay in Bhimashankar

In case you want to spend a night, few motels like Mansarovar and forest rest house are available or you can camp on open flat spaces near the temple.

Best Time to Visit: August to February

Thanks to Selvin for the Pretty Pictures

Maharashtra Govt Pressured to Set up Panvel Court

2008-09-15T11:28:00.000-07:00

The Maharashtra Government has been asked by the Bombay high court to provide the necessary infrastructure to open a court of additional sessions and district judges at Panvel in Raigad district.

This would make it convenient for litigants from Karjat, Panvel, Uran and Khalapur, who currently travel to Alibaug session court for redressal of legal issues. Since Alibaug is quite far from these places, litigants face tremendous difficulties in traveling.

The direction of Bombay high court was issued after residents of Panvel filed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) due to the failure of the state government to open a court for redressal of legal issues in that vicinity.

Currently, around 50% of the litigations in Alibaug court arise out of these four places. Bombay high court had given their approval to open a court way back in 1992, but the Maharashtra government failed to take any action.

Prakruti Farms

2008-09-10T05:42:00.000-07:00

Category: Luxury Resort
Price Range: Rs 6000 onwards

Prakruti Farms, located 11 km from Karjat station, has facilities for all occasions, groups, individuals and families who wish to spend time in the heart of nature. Surrounded by the Sahyadri range, the farm is spread across 12 acres consisting of fruit orchards, vegetable farm and flower beds. Prakruti farms offers well-furnished tents, cottages, cave rooms and bungalows. They have multi-utility halls for conferences, seminars, weddings etc.

Some of the facilities include -

- Jogging Track & the Gym
- Swimming Pool
- Jacuzzi & Steam Sauna
- Indoor games & kids area
- Man-made waterfall
- Vegetarian restaurant

Guests can also go trekking to Rajmachi hills, starting very close from the farms, or visit Lena Caves built by the Pandavas.

Tariff of Prakruti farms valid from January 1st 2010:

The rates are inclusive of 3 meals plus evening tea/coffee, and 15% tax on the overall rate.

Location of Prakruti Farms in Karjat
Village Kondivade,
Karjat - 410201,
Dist. Raigad,
Maharashtra
Contact: 95-2148-226857.
Mumbai office:

10-A Cinema Rd, Chaman Chambers,
First Floor, office no. 3, Near Metro,Dhobi talao, Mumbai 400 020.
Contact: 022-22012211/22016853/22063439
Fax: 022-22063882
E-mail: prakrutifarm@gmail.com

Trekking to Peth Fort

2008-09-09T05:58:00.000-07:00

Karjat is well-known for trekking, as each route gives a glimpse into the rich history of the Mogul era. We haven't been to any of them as yet but plan to go there soon, because there are several forts in and around Karjat waiting to be explored.

Peth Fort (Kothaligad)
One of them is the fort of Peth, also known as Kothaligad, which is around 21 kms north-east of Karjat in Shahapur taluka. The fort derives its name from the village Peth, situated at its base camp. Its a small fort used more as a defense station during Sambhaji's era, and is surrounded by other forts like Bhimashankar, Padargad, Rajmachi and Siddhagad.

To reach Peth, you can take a bus or tumtums (six-seater rickshaw, but of course they can accommodate many more people) from Karjat station to Ambivli village via Kashele, the journey will take around 1 and 1/2 hours. From Ambivli the trek starts to Peth village, which is a scenic one as you pass through dense forests.
In about two hours, you reach Peth village, nestled right at the foothills of the fort. Another trek starts from the village to the fort, its a steep climb up, but from that point the path bifurcates into two - an easier path on the left and the steeper path on the right which will get you faster to the top.

On reaching the fort, a common sight in many forts in Maharashtra, is this cave called Bhairoba, as it holds the idol of Lord Bhairoba.

This cave has well-sculpted pillars and is clean to accommodate many people at a time (around 40). The floor is very flat which makes it good for camping too. There are also water cisterns near the entrance of the cave. Inside are small rooms which were used by the Marathas to store ammunition. To get a panoramic view of the surroundings, you can take the vertical tunnel to reach the pinnacle. An excellent view awaits you, as you see the majestic Sahyadri range and the Konkan plains.

It will take you 1 and 1/2 hour to see the entire fort, so if you have a place to stay in Karjat, then this can be a one-day outing or you can spend the night in one of the caves.

How to reach Peth Fort (Kothaligad) in Karjat?

You can either reach Peth from Ambivli village, as mentioned above. Another way is from Jambrukh village, take a bus from Karjat station to Jambrukh village, from there walk on a bridge to a hamlet called Devpada. Ask any villager to show you the start of the route and you are on your way.

The route is entirely through the forest without any openings. Its a continuous ascent and can get exhaustive in summer. It will lead you to the plateau where Peth village is situated and from there it finally meets the route mentioned above.

Piccadilly Country Club & Resort

2008-09-08T06:04:00.000-07:00

Category: Four-star resort
Price Range: Rs 3600 to Rs 7600

Piccadilly Country Club & Resort is located in Mircholi village in Karjat, is a three-star category resort located 85 kms from Mumbai.

Accommodation

Piccadilly has well-furnished AC cottages equipped with TV sets, bathtubs and a view of River Pej. It can accommodate 4 adults.

Conferences and banquet halls

Like all resorts in Karjat, Piccadilly offers conferencing facilities for 30 people. All modern amenities from projectors, laptop & cordless microphones can be provided. It also has a Criterion Theatre, a multipurpose hall, with a capacity of more than 400 people. It is ideal for one day conferences, wedding, banquets or film shootings.

Restaurant

The theme restaurant Pic-a-thali is open 18 hours a day, and serves authentic India fare & all kinds of snacks.

Recreational Activities

Piccadilly Resorts also features a swimming pool and gym. After a workout session, guests can get refreshed with a hot steam bath. Or you can play a game of lawn tennis, or stay indoors playing table tennis, snooker, carrom or chess.

Apart from a resort, Piccadilly offers vacation homes, of 1200 sq.ft. built up area in a 3000 sq.ft. plot. Bungalows come with landscape gardens, electricity and water connection.

Piccadilly Tariffs:

Period	Plan
Period	Plan	For couples	Extra Person	Child above 7 years
2 Nights & 2 Days Check in at 11.00 am & Check out at 10.00 am	AP	Rs.6600/-	Rs.2700/-	Rs.3000/-

2 Nights & 3 Days Check in at 11.00 am & Check out at 6.00 pm	AP	Rs.7600/-	Rs.3300/-	Rs.2400/-

1 Night & 2 Days Check in at 11.00 am & Check out at 6.00 pm	AP	Rs.4800/-	Rs.2100/-	Rs.1800/-

1 Night & 1 Day Check in at 11.00 am & Check out at 10.00 am	AP	Rs.3600/-	Rs.1500/-	Rs.1200/-

Location of Piccadilly Country Club & Resort

Mircholi village, Old Mumbai Pune Highway, Karjat Charphata, Karjat, Dist Raigad, Maharashtra

Rivergate Resort

2008-09-05T05:08:00.000-07:00

Category: Five-star resort
Price Range: Rs 5000 onwards
Around 3-4 years ago there were very few hotels and resorts in Karjat. Its only in the last two years that several hotels resorts have sprung up. We spoke about Dr Modi's Resort and Satya Resort, another place to stay in Karjat is Rivergate Resort.

Accommodation

Spread over 26 acres of green landscapes between the mountains of Matheran, Murbad and Lonavala, resort is 12 kms away from Karjat station, 92 Kms from Mumbai and 116 kms from Pune. Rivergate lies on the borders of river Pej, and offers 27 tents and 14cottages, with an air-conditioner, television, and spacious bathrooms.

Banquets and Health Club

Apart from accommodation, Rivergate boasts of open-air theatre, manicured lawns and banquet halls to host functions, parties etc. To relax and rejuvenate, the resort has a health club, where guests can use the steam, sauna and jacuzzi Facilities, along with a gymnasium.

Recreational activities

The resort has a range of activities for the guests to enjoy. The indoor activities include carom, chess, pool table, card room, table tennis and video game machines. To keep the guests physically active, the resort also provides host of outdoor activities such as cricket, badminton court, lawn tennis court, volley ball and basket ball courts.

Rivergate also includes a swimming pool for adults and a mini pool and water slides for kids.

Tariff:

Above rates is inclusive of tax.

Rivergate Resort reservation contact:

Corporate Office

Rivergate Resort India Limited,
1, Chaman Chambers, 3rd Floor, Cinema Lane Rd,
Nr. Metro Cinema, Dhobi Talao, Mumbai 400020
Tel : +91-22-2200 4853-54, 2209 5566
Fax : +91-22-2209 4455

Sales Office:

603, Churchgate Chamber,
New Marine Line Road,
Above Hotel Sanman,
Near Nirmala Niketan,
Mumbai 400020
Tel : +91-22-65222313, 65222311

Location of Rivergate Resort in Karjat:
Village Kalamboli, At Post Kadav,
Karjat, Dist Raigad, Maharashtra
Tel : +91-2148-320710, 09325009991, 09223529991

Map to River gate Resort:

Future Developments In & Around Karjat

2008-09-04T06:51:00.000-07:00

Karjat has been warming up as a destination for the city dwellers around it, but is Karjat ready to become the entertainment hub of Maharashtra.

At the moment there has been a lot of development with regards to hotels and guest houses as Matheran, Khandala, Lonavala, Bhimashnakar Temple, Malsej Ghat, Alibaug beach etc. are around a 1 hour drive from Karjat.

The Mumbai Trans Harbour Sea Link that will connect Sewri to Nhava Sheva will be completed by 2013 and will save the amount of time it takes to get to Navi Mumbai that may cause more people to come to this Green Wonderland.

While some developers expect the land rates to go up considering the airport is only 27 kilometers away from Karjat. Three Secure Economic Zones twenty kilometers away from Karjat, located in Panvel are expected to boost the demand for houses here.

MMRDA has planned to develop a part of area in Karjat-Khopoli belt as a Recreational Hub, on horizon are the Twenty20 league grounds, a Paint Ball Park, Theme Parks and Amusement Parks.

Not only has ND Sudio in Karjat become a major attraction, it has served as a catalyst for other national and international players to start up their own studios around the area.

Greg Norman a world renowned Golf Course designer plan on starting a 27-36 Hole Super Championship Golf Course, the first fully-integrated golf and residential community to be developed outside Mumbai. Serviced by a 5plus star golf and country club and hotel, residents and guests will be offered a range of leisure opportunities. Its due to begin construction from next year onwards.

With people dying to get out of the city there has been purchases of land here to set up farm houses, small and big. The list includes many celebrities like Ajay Devgan, Salman Khan, Shankar Mahadevan etc.

When you put all these factors together, you can picture a very different Karjat in the coming years, we just hope it still stays one with nature.

Dr. Modi's Resort

2008-08-25T23:46:00.000-07:00

Category: Three-star health resort
Price Range: Rs 2450 onwards
According to Dr. Modi, his resort is ideal for weekend getaways, conferences, seminars, training programmes and rejuvenation packages.

Dr. Modi’s Resort is spread across 50 acres, has 40 air-conditioned rooms set up in cottage style with its own private patio and garden. A swimming pool with a walk through Jacuzzi with a walking track and cycling path. To keep the children entertained there are indoor and outdoor games.

Video TOur of Dr. Modi's Resort:

There are no non veg meals available at Dr. Modi's Resort although there is a choice of North Indian, South Indian, Gujarati, Chinese and Continental cuisines vegetarian meals.

Keeping in mind the corporates, Modi's Resort offers a variety of conference rooms that can hold 20 to 100 people. All the conference rooms are designed functionally and equipped with audio visual facilities.

More importantly Dr. Modis' Resort offers a wide range of health treatments, lets take a look at some of them.

Osteopathy

Osteopathy is a system of medicine that has a strong emphasis on the inter–relationship of the body’s nerves, muscles, bones, connective tissue and organ systems.

Naturopathy

The healing power of nature is the central principle of Naturopathy, it offers a holistic approach to help the body in finding its own way back to a natural state of health and well being.

Yoga

Primarily a family of spiritual practices that have originated in India, now spread across the world as a path to enlightenment. Yoga at the Resort greatly improves the overall well being of each practitioner.

Nature Cure Treatments

A huge range of treatments are available at Dr. Modi's Resort they include Soft Tissue Massage, Whole Body Wet Sheet Pack, Wet Sheet Pack for the Chest, Wet Sheet Pack for th Abdomen, Body Mudpack, Mud Pack for the Eyes, Mud Pack for the Abdomen, Colonic Enema, Hot ‘Foot - Bath’, Hip Bath, Sauna Bath, Spinal Bath, Thermoleum and Yoga Therapy.

Dr. Modi's Resort Tariffs

	DOUBLE OCCUPANCY	SINGLE OCCUPANCY
AMERICAN PLAN (breakfast, lunch & dinner)	Rs 3500

HEALTH PACKAGE Minimum 5 nights (therapy and all meals)	Rs 3500	Rs 2500

Group bookings for morning to evening day use at Rs 650 per head - Includes Breakfast, Lunch, Evening Tea and Snack.

* Taxes as Applicable

How to get to Dr. Modi's Resort:

Dr. Modi’s Resort Contact:

Karjat
Dr. Modi’s Resort
Post Kirauli, Village Wanjale, Taluka Karjat,
District Raigad ( Maharashtra ) 410 201
Telefax: (95) (2148) 222316, 223432, 223410
Mobile: 9820060865

Navi Mumbai
Vindya Commercial Premises Co-op. Society Ltd.,
102 A, 1st Floor, Plot No. 1 Sector No 11,
CBD Belapur, Navi Mumbai - 400 614
Telefax: 27561826, 27561827
Email: info@drmodisresort.com

Satya Resort

2008-08-19T23:24:00.000-07:00

Category: Four-star Resort
Price Range: Rs 5777 onwards

We have been talking about things to do in Karjat, but you cannot do things if you do not have a place to stay. So the next few articles we will talk about places to stay to suit every budget. Satya Resort spans 52 acres of greenery and is located after Kadav village.

Satya offers 34 spacious rooms with high wooden ceilings and attached bathrooms; some with air conditioners, all the rooms have an individual sit-out and garden. A Meditation Centre overlooks the beautiful Paej river and the hills beyond.

The Health Club comprises of a Gymnasium & Unique Natural Sauna, Steam & Jacuzzi. And if you want to be connected to the outside world, cable television and telephone/intercom facilities will help to keep you in touch. An in-house laundry service is available and there is also a doctor on call.

Two conference rooms are available one can seat 55 to 60 people in ‘auditorium style’ and 25 to 27 people in a ‘U-shape’ configuration and the other can accommodate 150 to 175 people and 60 people respectively, making it feasible for an outdoor corporate meeting. If you are are corporate you can also plan an outdoor adventure for your employees.

Satya Resort in Karjat also has a Kerala Ayurvedic Massage that costs Rs.500 and last for approximately 35 minutes. The tariffs are on the steeper side and would prove to be too expensive for trekkers and people looking out for adventure, but for families to enjoy a relaxing weekend.

Video Tour of Satya Resort:

Satya Resort's Tariffs:

Here's the map to get to Satya Resort if you think you may have a problem finding your way.

Contact Satya Resort:

Resort & Health Farm:
Vanjerwadi, Karjat, Raigad Dist. Maharashtra 201. India.
Tel: 02148 - 246154, 246208
Mobile:9869916730

Corp. office:
Office No 90, 2nd floor, Mahendra Chambers, Above Mc Donald, D.N.Road, Fort, Mumbai-1
Tel: 66348501 Tele/Fax: 66348502
Mobile:9322224367 / 9869399214
Email:satyaresort@hathway.com

ND Studio: A Major Attraction in Karjat

2008-08-05T07:44:00.000-07:00

Bollywood drives the country crazy, it is one of the biggest industry. When Bollywood shifted to Karjat, this scenic village was on the map of not just directors but also tourists. ND Studio, started in 2005, has become a major stopover for people traveling to Karjat.

Started by art director Nitin Desai, the 274-acre studio has caught everyone's attention. Several Bollywood films, TV serials, commercial ads have been shot here. The studio houses two sound-proof air-conditioned floors (where Saawariya and Big Brother were shot) in addition to permanent sets of 1600 feet of Bombay town square (Traffic Signal and Nike ad were shot here),

Red Fort and Jaipur Fort (backdrop for Jodhaa Akbar) and the corporate office block (Lage Raho Munna Bhai). The lavish sets of Jodhaa Akbar became an attraction, the huge fort looked good and it remained there for quite some time after the movie release.

ND Studio is a good option for film-making, as the studio offers access to lakes, mountains and sets resembling Mumbai and to that matter many European locations too. Hollywood production houses are also slated to shoot at ND Studio. In October this year, 20th Century Fox plans to shoot its television serial, Walt Disney signed up last year to shoot at the studio for 10 weeks.

Actor Michael Douglas is expected to shoot here for his action thriller Racing The Monsoon, and our favorite Johnny Depp will be here for Mira Nair’s Shantaram.

A shot in the arm was tying up with Reliance, Anil Dhirubhai Ambani Group, who acquired 50 per cent stake in it. Following which it was rechristened Big ND Studio. The studio proposes to house an amusement park which will be a tour of the Seven Wonders Of The World alongside India’s foremost forts and palaces including the Taj Mahal. It will cost visitors only Rs 999.

How to Get to Karjat

2008-08-04T22:23:00.000-07:00

Travel to Karjat by Train

There are quite a few routes to get to Karjat, its pretty close to Lonavala and Matheran, so the train is a viable option with frequent trains from Victoria Terminus in Bombay as well as Pune.

You may like to take a look at the train timings from CST (VT) to Karjat, although it may not be completely accurate. The train journey can take you upto two hours and is quite scenic after Kalyan!

Travel to Karjat by Road

If you are getting to Karjat from Mumbai by road, you would need to get to Vashi, then Panvel if you get on the Mumbai Pune Express way then you need to take the first exit on the left its the Shedung Khopoli Exit.

The problem with coming by Car is you end up paying three tolls, amounting to Rs.160 for a journey to and fro from Mumbai, but if you decide to bike it, its a fun ride without any toll and you can reach your destination much faster as you avoid the jams at the Toll plazas.

The Road journey takes around two and a half hours including some amount of traffic.

The Map to Karjat

Karjat is located at 18.91° N 73.33° and is denoted by the blue balloon below,

The Kondana Caves Near Karjat

2008-07-31T01:28:00.000-07:00

Surprised that I have not even heard of the Kondana caves let alone visit them, I came across them while I was searching for information on how to get to Karjat, which we will soon put up. For now lets go on a journey to the 8 Buddhist caves of the Hinayana Buddhist tradition which is a one hour trek from the Kondane village.

The Kondana caves enclose sculptures, vihara, cahitya and stupas, specimens of ancient Buddhist architecture. Although there was an earth quake in the early 1900s many stupas, the front entrance and the floor of the caves were damaged. But what remains intact is the beatuful Chaitya that welcomes you to the rock cut caves that were created around 200 BC - 100BC.

If your fond of ancient sculpture it sure will fascinate you, the carvings feature dancing men and woman all held together with octagonal pillars. Although now that the masses have visited this cave it seems the trek is quite littered, although there are still some very cool things like rappelling under the waterfall besides the Kondana caves that are organized by various trekking groups a quick Google search will come up with some results.

Apart from the lush green that the monsoon provides, you can spend your time getting a cold fresh water massage as you sit under the cascading waterfall. If you plan on doing this trek during another season it is advisable to carry enough drinking water as you wont find any around the place.

How to get to Kondana Caves:

Take a bus or rickshaw (Rs.150 - Rs.200) from Karjat to Kondivade village and from Kondivade proceed to Kondane or Kharvandi village as from both these villages the Kondana caves are a one hour walk.

The other way is from the Ulhas valley, get to Thakurwadi railway station from Pune/Mumbai. From here you can proceed to famous valley of Ulhas River. A road to left from Ulhas river goes straight to Kondhane caves. Ulhas valley is a scenic trek besides waterfall and wildflowers.

Corporate Training with Adventure Sports

2008-07-21T22:25:00.000-07:00

If you want a change from routine and treat your employees to a day full of adventure and learning in Karjat. The training course is organized by Magic Bus, a NGO that looks after the welfare of under privileged children and is also an environmentally conscious group.

The Magic Bus center has a fully equipped ropes course, Jacob's ladder and climbing tower with a zip wire. The combination of low and high ropes courses enable participants to grow at the team and individual levels, exploring risk, leadership, communication, problem-solving, and coaching.

The staff who will guide you through the course have been trained by C K Chan for five days. Chan is an expert in the field of Rope Course design and facilitation; he is the Managing Director of Adventure Rope (Asia) and also holds past and present positions with the Hong Kong Institute of Adventure Counseling, Hong Kong Society of Sport and Exercise Psychology.

Companies like Web Access and Hindustan Construction have visited the Adventure Sport society. This is what Stephen Lobo from Web Access, had to say, "It was an awesome adventure for the 8 of us from Web Access. Although we are Guys and Gals of different ages it was fascinating that we all enjoyed it equally. Some of us overcame our fears of heights and did things we never thought we could. At the end of it, the 1 question all had, when are we coming back?"

So why not go ahead and plan a day filled with fun and learning two hours away from Bombay, you would also help Magic Bus care for children who need some loving.

Contact Magic Bus:

Magic Bus India
Rms 3 & 5, 2nd and 3rd Floors,
Victory Mansion, Shitaladevi Temple Road,
Mahim(W), Mumbai 400 016
Telephone: (+91-22) 2444 8691 / 2445 9125
Email: info @ magicbusindia.org

About Karjat

2008-07-08T08:25:00.001-07:00

As Karjat becomes a more sought after destination, its important to cater to the information needs of people, this was the main reason we started this site.

Green Karjat is a complete guide of the things one can do in Karjat, hotels, resorts, adventure activities, restaurants, treks, properties and problems the local people in Karjat face as well.

We do hope we can cater to your needs efficiently and have a relaxing time here. If you need any more information do not hesitate, go right ahead and leave us a comment to get a prompt solution to your problem.

Location:

Karjat is situated on a mountainous region that spans over the Bhor ghat, Sahyadris and Western Ghats. Not to mention that it also includes the coastal plains of the Konkan region near Deccan and lies on the banks of the River Ulhas.

A picturesque location that consists of a very rich terrain, full of greenery in the monsoons, with waterfalls on virtually every hill uniting to form rivers and streams.

Known for:

Karjat is famous for its Vada Pau's, this you would realise the moment you step off the train. The Karjat Train Station is an important stop for long distant trains, you have a huge amount of vendors carrying the tasty potato snack up and down the station.

In recent times, Karjat has become well know due to the Nitin Desai Film Studio that has been used to churn out a lot of popular Bollywood movies.

Many people from Pune and Mumbai have farm houses in Karjat which they use as their weekend getaways. These farmhouses dot the beautiful landscape that attracts trekkers and families on weekend picnics.

Villagers Stranded Due to Concrete Walls

2008-06-30T03:14:00.000-07:00

The villagers of Karalewadi, Mandawane, Bhiwapuri, Hedavali, Ambewadi and Phanaswadi are stranded due to the bridge that joined their villages to the Karjat city collapsed. The reason behind the bridge collapse is blamed on singer Shankar Mahadevan.

According to the villagers construction on Mahadevan's farmhouse, spread over 2.5 acres near Karalewadi, was given by the local gram panchayat six months ago, and construction work began three months ago. They allege that the 13-foot-wide and 50-foot-long bridge fell down due to the construction work on an illegal compound wall at Mahadevan's farmhouse located close to the bridge.

According to Santosh Bhopee, sarpanch, Karalewadi, said, “The panchayat had only allowed construction of a bungalow. Mahadevan, had not taken permission to construct a compound wall. The contractor used JCB cranes to dig up soft soil near the stream that runs beneath the bridge to create a foundation for a 12-foot high wall. It weakened the foundation of the bridge. leading to its collapse."

The villagers in Karjat find that concrete walls built by farm owners create problems as during the monsoons they do not allow the natural flow of water and tend to cause entire villages being flooded. The villagers request farm house owners to not build walls but to fence their farms instead so they can avoid their villages from flooding.

Places to Eat in Karjat

2008-06-22T02:18:00.000-07:00

Karjat King

Located at the corner on the Karjat Khopoli road, this new restaurant turns out some nice dishes, including mushrooms which is generally never available in Karjat. Although the restaurant still needs a lot of finishing touches, we recommend it for a parcel of good food!

Lucky's Korner

Just at the corner prior to Neral phata lies Lucky's Korner, specializing in a variety of dishes at a good price. Lucky's has probably the best chicken tandoori at a good price!

Dada's Grill: Pizzas, Pastas and Curries

Baba Dairy in Karjat

Baba Dairy has become a must stop for us on our way to Karjat. Situated few kms before chowk in Vavarle village, the dairy churns out some mouth-watering food and milk products.

Meher Bakery: Karjat's Oven Fresh Bread

Karjat Dhaba, Good Food at Low Cost

Karjat Train Time Table

2008-06-20T03:20:00.000-07:00

Below are the train timings from Mumbai to Karjat, you can also find the train timings from Pune to Karjat.

Karjat Train Timings

MUMBAI CST TO KARJAT-KHOPOLI
From CST	From Dadar	From Kurla	From Thane	From Kalyan	Train Details	Neral
4.22	4.39	4.50	5.15	5.44	KHOPOLI	6.28	SLOW
4.43	5.00	5.11	5.38	6.07	KARJAT	6.49	SLOW
5.22	5.39	5.50	6.17	6.46	KARJAT	7.29	SLOW
5.45	6.02	6.13	6.40	7.08	KARJAT	7.51	SLOW
6.54	7.07	7.15	7.3	7.50	KARJAT	8.36	FAST
7.35	7.48	7.56	8.18	8.40	KHOPOLI	9.19	FAST
8.40	8.53	9.01	9.20	9.41	KARJAT	10.24	FAST
9.30	9.43	9.51	10.11	10.30	KARJAT	11.12	FAST
10.44	11.02	11.11	11.25	11.46	KARJAT	12.32	FAST
11.17	11.30	11.38	11.58	12.19	KARJAT	12.59	FAST
11.57	12.14	12.25	12.51	13.20	KHOPOLI	14.04	SLOW
12.52	13.07	13.15	13.37	14.06	KARJAT	14.47	SEMI-FAST
13.45	13.58	14.06	14.26	14.49	KARJAT	15.32	FAST
14.52	15.06	15.14	15.31	15.54	KARJAT	16.37	FAST
15.17	15.32	15.40	15.59	16.18	KHOPOLI	17.01	FAST
16.10	16.25	16.33	16.55	17.27	KARJAT	18.10	SEMI-FAST
17.32	17.45	17.53	18.13	18.34	KHOPOLI	19.16	FAST
18.24	18.39	18.47	19.07	19.27	KARJAT	20.09	FAST
19.00	19.14	19.22	19.43	20.02	KARJAT	20.45	FAST
19.55	20.10	20.18	20.38	20.57	KARJAT	21.41	FAST
20.18	20.32	20.43	21.10	21.41	KHOPOLI	22.24	SLOW
20.52	21.06	21.14	21.35	22.04	KARJAT	22.47	SEMI-FAST
21.12	21.27	21.35	21.55	22.24	KARJAT	23.09	SEMI-FAST
22.40	22.59	21.10	23.39	00.07	KARJAT	00.49	SLOW
23.30	23.48	23.59	00.45	00.52	KARJAT	1.38	SLOW
00.45	1.03	1.14	1.42	2.10	KARJAT	2.53	SLOW

KHOPOLI - KARJAT TO MUMBAI C.S.T
From Neral	Train Details	CST
2.46	CST	4.59	SLOW
4.04	CST	6.13	SLOW
4.46	CST	6.55	SLOW
5.04	CST	7.00	SEMI-FAST
5.41	CST	7.51	SLOW
6.08	CST	7.55	FAST
6.56	CST	8.40	FAST
7.16	CST	9.00	FAST
7.38	CST	9.22	FAST
8.09	CST	9.53	FAST
8.41	CST	10.25	FAST
9.26	CST	11.35	SLOW
9.56	CST	11.50	FAST
11.09	CST	13.18	SLOW
12.28	CST	14.10	FAST
13.38	CST	15.20	FAST
14.13	CST	15.55	FAST
14.40	CST	16.22	FAST
15.48	CST	17.34	FAST
16.33	CST	18.15	FAST
17.08	CST	18.54	SEMI-FAST
17.23	CST	19.07	FAST
18.37	CST	20.29	FAST
18.55	CST	20.39	FAST
20.00	CST	21.49	FAST
20.58	CST	22.42	FAST
21.54	CST	00.02	SLOW
22.22	CST	00.30	SLOW
22.56	CST	13.06	SLOW