Ambade ghat, Mandhardevi Temple

A little known Ambade ghat is on the Bhor-Wai road. Bhor is around 60 KMs from Pune. If you take immediate left turn after Kapurhol turn on the right you are able to reach Bhor easily. Just before Bhor village is a turn on the right towards the old Bhatghar dam. A huge garden and few benches facing the huge dam is amazing location to relax for few hours. You are not allowed to click the pictures of the dam. There’s another road to other side of the dam from where the water is let out. A good spot to visit in monsoon.

After Bhor you have to take a left turn from Shivaji statue to Mandhardevi temple. Cross the bifurcation for Rohida fort on right and then take a left turn for Ambodeo Khind or Ambade ghat. Your meter reading should be 11Kms after Bhor.



The uphill drive is a great experience for car drivers as well as bikes, as one can see the majestic beauty of the lush green mountains. We could see sun playing hide and seek within the wandering clouds and all you could hear in water gushing through creeks making sparkling waterfalls in the perfect tranquil surroundings.



The clouds had engulfed the peaks in the fluffy white colored blanket. As you take few more turns the Rohida fades away in the mist. The last turn where the climb ends there as bifurcation on the left for Mandhardevi while the ghat climbs down to Pandavgad. From here the temple is 4 Kms away. From Wai side this should be about 17 kms.



From the temple site one can get a view of the Neera River on the northern side and back waters of Dhom Dam and Panchgani-Mahabaleshwar on the South West side. The temple itself is small temple with 140 flights of steps. There are shops catering to the devotees sell pooja articles while some are tea stalls and it seems the Pedhas are famous here.
While climbing the stairs it started raining and the whole place completely went into fog and you could hardly locate anybody within 5 feet of distance. We wished we could have spent more time here when the nature here was at its best.

Ambade ghat and Mandhardevi Temple visit could be your perfect weekend break a short and sweet excursion if you do not want to do any hectic treks. This could be romantic scenic gateway, far from maddening crowds with plenty of waterfalls all of them especially for you to enjoy in the misty green serene surroundings.

More info about Mandhardevi Temple can be found here: http://mandhardevidarshan.com/Index.htm


-July 25, 2009

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