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The Vaishnodevi Experience 2023

My first trip to Vaishnodevi was unimpressive. Climbing was hard, and it only served to highlight how badly out of shape I was, while my in-laws managed to cope so much better. Further, I hadn’t quite realized that the cave experience wouldn’t be the same as I had imagined, since the original cave was only opened at certain times a year, and that we only entered a newly created tunnel, one far easier to access, and hence more manageable with the crowds that thronged the mountain shrine. The resulting experience at the shrine, for barely a fraction of a second, hardly compared to what I had expected / imagined / heard about. So, for me, Vaishnodevi was like any other temple, nothing to write home about, something that was reflected (though not explicitly mentioned) in the blog post I wrote then.

Alibag article on Spice Flair

It is a small coastal town, dwarfed by its neighbor – the concrete jungle of Mumbai. Yet, Alibag manages to hold its own, with beaches, forts and temples, a wealth of history within a small area. Alibag has, for long, been the favorite destination for Mumbai-ites looking for a short break from their hectic lifestyles. It is, after all, easily accessible from the city – it is barely 30 Km by the sea, and plenty of ferries are available from the Gateway of India. It’s not too far by road either, for the 100 Km journey takes barely 2 hours to cover. I have always preferred the sea route however, enjoying the feel of the sea breeze in my hair, watching the view of the Mumbai skyline fading away, seeing ships from all over the world at the Mumbai harbor, and of course, the chance of spotting sea gulls or even dolphins!



I have been to Alibag twice. My first visit led to an entire series on the beaches, temples and forts which attract us to the coastal town. My second visit was an unplanned one, which happened suddenly, thanks to a cousin's visit. This visit was short, but just as much fun as the first visit. Looks like we can never have enough of Alibag!!! 


Read my complete article on Spiceflair.com to know more about Alibag and its attractions....



Comments

  1. Nice post Anu.

    www.rajniranjandas.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
  2. Nice travel article...I love beaches, particularly in India. There's so much opportunity in there - to eat, sit, enjoy the tranquil waters touch our feet. And ofcourse the crowd!!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Ina concrete jungle Mumbai has some nice scenic spots--Very interesting -thank you.
    CaptTR ,Chennai

    ReplyDelete
  4. nice post heard its a getaway place from mumbai during weekends

    ReplyDelete
  5. Nice photo and Blog about Alibagh

    ReplyDelete

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