Kuch K-h-aas din

Honors seem interesting at first but turns into a pain in the backside as soon as u get into the nitty gritty of things'.... the botany trip to Kaas plateau was my ticket to getting one step closer to the honors finish line… so there was no way that me and my friends were gonna miss this one What started off as a know-your-flowers trip turned into something magical, or even spiritual.

Kaas, a lateritic plateau 30km to the west of Satara on Pune-Bangalore highway enjoys the status of being the valley of flowers of the Sahyadris. The ephemerals, herbs, bulbous, tuberous plants and orchids bust into abundant flowers in monsoon months. Each species dominates the landscape for a week and another carries the show to the next. More than 300 varieties of wild flowers, herbs, orchids, shrubs, insectivorous plants etc. can be seen here in August, September and October.

On the 2^nd of October 6.30 our journey began from Chandu Halwai shop at Dadar TT circle. We stopped at Talegaon for breakfast and sightseeing .Amidst concretized roads who would have thought that there can be still so much greenery. But I guess we all know the prize the greens would have to pay.

The trail near the breakfast point had variety of plant species to offer ,few which we also found in Kaas ,we also spotted a signature spider and some other creepy friends.

                         
 The milkweed plant provides a habitat for the monarch butterfly. The larvae feed on this plant which makes them very distasteful to insect eating birds and other predators.  

Datura has a number of medicinal uses..used in malaria, asthma, impotency, secretion of breast milk etc.

Govinda and Anu Malik got us through hours of bus travel until we reached our hotel.. Hotel Suruban, where we were to spend the following 2 nights offered us surprising luxury while maintaining a certain oneness with the nature around. After a yummy lunch, all we could think of was sleep. Even Adesh’s motivating voice was of no use. But we left to explore the eye catching species of plants on the Ghats...

cant remember the name of this one

Senecio bombayensis

Stylosanthes hamatus

Indigofera linifolia-this flower grows like a wreath on the ground..

Each time we analyzed one stretch of the way, got into the bus, sat on our seats, moved a mile and there u go and another halt. And we would hear Adesh scream some Latin names...Finally we   relaxed on a beautiful stretch of bare ground with a soothing & pleasant picturesque to stare at & mediate .Well our idea of meditation was a little eccentric.

The next day we set out early to the plateau with packed breakfast (upma,sheera,poha and tea). This place seemed as if GOD himself came down to paint it in its vibrant hues...!! The beautiful carpet of flowers not more than feet high stretching across the entire plateau was indeed a marvelous sight.Carpets of Utricularia,Impatiens,karvi,Smithia  coloured the plateau in shades of purple,pink and yellow.

                                                  

Drosera burmanni and indica and Utricularia are insectivorous plants. The soil of the plateau is deficient in nitrogen which these plants obtain from the insects. 
The Kaas lake is beautiful but beware of drunkards and couples on the way. The latter wont trouble or disturb you, well for obvious reasons, you might in turn though. But the former can be very scary.

The cooling breeze, the fog & mist covered the hills & it was freezing cold but again the sight was splendid. And after the chilliness the best way of warming yourself was a glass or 2 of the local lemon tea.

Visitng the Thoseghar waterfalls and Chalkewadi windmills and halting on the way for more flowers, we returned to the hotel for dinner with a night full of singing, dancing and gossiping and more gossiping. That night I made friends which I will treasure throughout my life

All in all the breathtaking scenery and with the company of the bestest and nicest people, the whole trip was a major hit and one of those which i truly enjoyed .The trip was excellently organized and put into action, all thanks Nature India .The undulating hills, the shades of green, the snaking highway and the fields on both sides will never cease to amaze me. The beautiful carpets of flowers on the plateau as well the Ghats, the cool and serene climate, the Kaas Lake, the fierce and the calm waterfall and the eagle hovering over waiting to hunt its prey are sights that will be treasured for lifetime.