माझी महाराष्ट्र प्रदक्षिणा

MMAZI MAHARASHTRA PRADAKSHINA
MMmaaJaI maharaYT/ p`dixaNaa

I started my travelling tours by MSRTC in March 2007 when just after my HSC exams I took my first long tour to Vidarbha Konkan and Western Maharashtra. Since then I have had around 20 to 22 tours by MSRTC 4 day or 7 day pass. Some for my works and some just to travel by MSRTC.

MY MAHARASHTA PRADAKSHINA in Jan 2012 . I covered 21 districts and all 6 divisions of Maharashtra.
So here we gooooooooooooo
I started from Khandeshwar [Panvel] by local train at 21.30 in night. After meeting my best friend at chembur and having dinner. I finally reached Kurla Nehru Nagar at 23.40 in night I was planning to catch Mumbai – Trimbakeshwar which starts from MCT at 23.30. My Pass was about to start from 00.00 in midnight so I would have had to buy a ticket from kurla to thane. But fortunately bus was late and it came at 0.15 at Kurla. It was green colour old ASIAD from MCT. There was young handsome conductor and 30’s Driver from MCT both were having very masti with each other.

I was first to enter into bus [this is the result of 5 years of touring in Maharashtra by MSRTC and travelling by ST since childhood]. Bus was totally full but when you are dedicated traveler MSRTC always favours you. There was a single seat empty at last seat in the middle I went and settled there. All other passengers were standing till Bhivandi. Finally I started my journey the driver was very slow on Eastern Express highway. I don’t know why but he was very slow all vehicles were overtaking us. [Keep reading you will come to know driver’s skill very soon] I was very much annoyed that I might have to miss my next connecting bus from Nashik. We left thane at 0100 and Bhivandi at 0130. At bhivandi the bus was half empty. I got a window seat and slept peacefully. I woke up in between the bus was climbing up kasara ghat very smoothly I didn’t bother to see time. 

I woke up directly at nashik when bus halted at Nashik old CBS. I got down from the bus and I just saw the time it was 0425! It means Thane to Nashik in only 3.35 hrs! with Bhivandi stop., fuel halt at Shahapur, and tea halt at Hotel green View Kasara. Hats off to the bus and driver! I again saw driver and conductor were having masti with each other. 

Then I went to Nashik new CBS which is 5 min walk from Old CBS. I saw many buses in their dark sleep at night all were sleeping peacefully. At Nashik I had nashta and went to platform. There was Q for Pune nonstop services. There I saw Pusad – Mumbai Asiad and Parbhani – Mumbai waiting for new crew. Also I saw Nashik – Sangli Semi.

PUSAD MUMBAI @ NASHIK

PARBHANI MUMBAI @ NASHIK

Finally my bus Nashik – Amravati came again I was first to board the bus. It was Green coloured old ASIAD from Amravati. Only 4 people in the bus. I slept till dhule and the bus was full at Dhule. Then bus halted at jalgaon for lunch, crew change and fuel. Finally I reached Amravati at 1930 in evening. As I already visited Amravati before and I asked my friend who is from Amravati about what is special in Amravati.

NASHIK AMRAVATI - TRAVELLED IN THIS FROM NASHIK TO AMRAVATI

 There is a hotel just adjacent to wall of Amravati bus stand. I had the great sweet dish ‘kalakand’ 2 plates. I enjoyed it a lot. Then I went to a nearby dhaba just 2 min walk from bus stand and I had Chicken masala and Roti there. It was hot spicy Vidarbha dish. Again I came back to bus stand I had planned to catch bus for Nagpur very late at night. So I explored the amravati bus stand and buses parked there. Again I went out for a round. There is huge playground in front of Bus stand. Near to the gate of that ground there was a tandoori shop since it was very cold and I could not stop myself to have half chicken tandoori. I was having tandoori just in front of the entrance gate of Bus stand. I was busy with Tandoori and and A Big Fat Blue coloured Giant passed in front of me and it was entering into Bus stand yessssss it was none other than Nagpur – Pune Shivneri. I was very much happy to see her but before I could finish my chicken and clicked her she left the bus stand in just 5 min. Then I went to bus stand and at 2330 I got into Telhara- Nagpur bus. Again I got a window seat and I slept peacefully 

I woke up directly at Nagpur at 0330. I got down from bus and there was loud horn yesssss it was Hydrabad Nagpur Shivneri entering into NGP bus stand. I was very much happy to see both Vidarbha Shineri during my journey. Then after getting fresh up I decided to go to chandrapur. I caught first bus for chandrapur at 0530 It was tata parivartan and I reached chandrapur at 0845. I was very happy to reach Chandrapur by bus from Mumbai. I explored chandrapur bus stand. I saw buses like Etapalli – Nagpur, Chandrapur – Gondia, etc 

CHANDRAPUR NAGPUR @ CHANDRAPUR

ETAPALLI NAGPUR @ CHANDRAPUR

CHANDRAPUR BUS STAND

 Since I had to attend my scheduled program in Nagpur I could not spend much time there. I got chandrapur – Morbhavan and I reached Morbhavan at 1200. The after having Bath at Morbhavan Bus stand I went to attend my program. After finishing it at 1600 I came back to NGP CBS. Now I had plans to go to Gondia. 

I got last bus to Gondia at 1830. There were many people in bus till bhandra – Sakoli. After Sakoli there were only 12 people in bus. The bus left the Highway and entered into small road through jungle. It was such a wonderful experience to travel through jungle in night. As I was aware that there will be no return bus in night for Nagpur I decided to take train to Nagpur. So I did not went till Gondia but stand I got down at a chowk and I reached Gondia station. I got Hatia – Kurla express which was full packed in general bogi. Whole journey I somehow manage to stand in general bogi and finally I reached Nagpur at 0045. Then after exploring Nagpur station I came to know the there is a train to Gondia at 0200. Since I had not seen Gondia and Bhandara bus stands in day and its Buses, I again decided to go to Gondia. I went out of station had Poha with hot Chana Rassa at 0130 in cold breeze in night outside the Nagpur station. Then I got into Bilaspur passenger to go to Gondia and I reached there in morning at 0530. 
As I came out of Gondia station , to my surprise it was raining in Gondia with this pleasant atmosphere I decided to walk till Gondia bus stand. It took me 45 min. During walking from Rail Over bridge at Gondia station I saw Gondia – Kolhapur Maharashtra express approaching to platform at Gondia. Finally reached Gondia bus stand at 0615.

GONDIA BUS STAND

BUSES LINE UP @ GONDIA

  I explored Gondia bus stand I saw buses going to nearby villages. Mini- Buses, Buses to balaghat [MP] Then I caught first bus to Nagpur at 0630, she came to Paltform after having two baths one at workshop and another in rains. I travelled with it till Bhandara. I explored Bhandara bus stand and I got into Bhandara- Nagpur Nonstop Asiad service. I reached Nagpur at 1030 and I met my friend and we went to attend the scheduled program. 

CHANDRAPUR NAGPUR SEMI LUXURY SERVICE

 Then I again came to Nagpur bus stand at 1530. There was huge crowd as it was Sunday and there was exam by Forest department. Now I had planned to Nagpur- Solapur Asiad leaving Nagpur at 1600. The bus came at 1545 and it got packed in 2 min by college exam aspirant students. I did not bothered to enter into that huge crowd since I already had reservation for my favourite last seat [Seat No. 37 ]. I got into bus and got my seat too. Bus was over over packed.
We started our journey via Wardha, yavatmal. I started chatting two young students I told them about my hobby they were surprised and wished me good luck. We halted for dinner just before Umarkhed at a small Dhaba. At the same time there was another Asiad standing at dhaba from Nagpur depot. It was none other than Solapur- Nagpur Asiad [Both were on correct time] All drivers and conductors met together and they had dinner. I also had my dinner with two of my new friends. There was a crew change at Nanded. Bus. We reached Latur at 0440. Conductor announced that the bus will leave at 0500 as it is scheduled time from latur is 0500[This is the biggest answer to those who say that MSRTC buses are always late] Then after Latur bus halted at Dhaba for basundi. Finally we reached Solapur at 0730 in morning.

NAGPUR - SOLAPUR@ SOLAPUR TRAVELLED FROM NAGPUR TO SOLAPUT

 Without wasting time there I got Solapur - Kankawali. Since it was a day bus it halted at every town on road. In between I saw Ichalkaranji - Aurangabad Asiad. Bus got stuck in traffic at Pandharpur. The bus was late by half hour at Pandharpur. There was some problem to the bus so conductor asked all passengers to shift to another bus which was standing adjacent to our bus it was Tuljapur -- Devgad

SOLAPUR - KANKWALI@ PANDHARPUR TRAVELLED FROM SOLAPUR TO PANDHARPUR

TULJAPUR - DEOGAD @ PANDHARPUR TRAVELLED FROM PANDHARPUR TO KOLHAPUR

 Then we started moving towards Sangola. There we entered inside for fuel halt. Again we got stuck in traffic at Miraj, Sangli and Jaysingpur and at last I reached Kolahpur at 1430. Solapur to Kolhapur was very long and time consuming journey. Previously many times I covered the same distance in only 5 hours.

Then I had lunch at Kolahpur I enjoyed Kolhapuri thali including Chicken, Mutton, Tambada rassa, Pandhara rassa, at Sawan dining hall just in front of KLP CBS.

I decided to take 1700 Kolhapur – Ratnagiri. As it was evening there was very much crowd but managed to get a window seat. It was Red Rellow coloured ordinary bus from Malakapur depot. Bus started from Kolhapur exactly at 1700 we were very slow in city due to traffic. Due over full lunch I fall asleep. I woke up in between and I saw that Malakapur 3Km. Just before Malakapur the driver negotiated two curves in sexiest way. So I totally woke up from my sleep. We stopped at Malakapur as crew was from Malakapur depot they started chatting with their colleagues. Since I was fascinated by driver’s skill I went into driver’s cabin to see how he descends Amba Ghat. The driver was driving very smoothly and the bus was also having good pick up. We passed Amba Ghat very easily while driver was talking on mobile with his friend he was very much used to the route. Just before pali I was looking at my watch to check whether I will reach Ratnagiri in time or not. At pali Bus stand driver asked , sorry, told me that it is 8 o’clock. He did not have watch too. I just saw my watch and yes it was 08.05 I told him that it is 08.05 then he immediately replied yes it is because we lost 5 min in Kolhapur due to traffic. [Again this is the answer to all who say always MSRTC buses are late ] I was just surprised with the skill of the driver. We reached RTN at 2045 sharp. 

RATNAGIRI - KOLHAPUR @ MALKAPUR 

 Then I explored RTN bus stand and I was waiting for 2200 RTN- MCT Asiad. It came at 2145. She was 12 m AL Asiad dedicated on the route [I think Vishal Sir can give the Bus No.] 

My pass got over at 2400 in night at Chiplun and I bought a ticket from Chiplun to Panvel. The bus was very smooth on ghats and we negotiated Kashedi Ghat as if bus was by hearted the road and its curves, I reached Panvel at morning 0530 sharp. The bus did not entered in the Panvel bus stand I got down at entrance of Panvel bus stand. 

Then I caught Panvel – Dadar CNG and got down at Khanda colony bus stop and reached home.

Tthis way my Maharashtra pradakshina through Mumbai- Khandesh- Marathwada- Vidrabha Western Maharashtra- Konkan got over.

By – Swapnil patil.