Bhandardara

This article gives basic information about the Bhandardara hill station. You can browse through the archives of this blog for more details.

Where is Bhandardara located?

The Bhandardara Hill station is located in Sahyadri mountain ranges in the Ahmednagar district of Maharashtra, in India. The nearest railway station to Bhandardara is the Igatpuri railway station which is about 45 kms away, and the nearest domestic airport is the Nasik airport.

Mumbai to Bhandardara distance is around 185 kms.
Distance from Pune is 191 kms.
Distance from Nasik is 70 kms.
Shirdi is just about 78 kms away.

How to reach Bhandardara:

Travelling from Mumbai to Bhandardara:
From Mumbai you can take the Mumbai-Nasik road, and just few kms. after Igatpuri turn right and drive through Ghoti village to the Bhandardara road which takes you right upto the Bhandardara hill station.
Or you can reach Igatpuri, by buses plying on the Mumbai-Nasik route, or by train, and from Igatpuri you can get State Transport (ST) buses as well as private cabs to go further upto Bhandardara.

Travelling from Pune to Bhandardara:
From Pune you can go to Sangamner, then turn left and go via Akola to Bhandardara. Also the other option is to reach Igatpuri first by bus or train, and then from Igatpuri go onwards to Bhandardara by ST bus or hiring a private taxi.

Bhandardara Legends:

Legend about the origin of Pravara river in Bhandardara
It is said that in ancient times, sage Agasti Rishi meditated at this place, which we now call Bhandardara hill station, and so intense was his meditation that he stayed here for a full year meditating and living only on water and air.
Pleased with his intense devotion, the Lord appeared at this location of Bhandardara, and blessed Agasti Rishi with a stream of the Ganga river, which is now known as the 'Pravara river'.

Legend about Ramayana (Lord Rama meets Agasti Rishi):
It is said that sage Agasti Rishi lived at the Ashram located close by on the banks of the Pravara river. (You can visit on your Bhandardara trip), and it is also said that Lord Shri. Rama came to this ashram to meet Agasti Rishi, who then gifted him the special arrow that he used in the war to kill the demon king Ravana.

(While you are visiting the Agasti ashram at Bhandardara, also explore the small little cave located in its vicinity. It is believed that Lord Shri Rama and his brother Laxman stayed in this cave for a short duration)

Bhandardara Attractions / Places of Interest / Places to Visit

Bhandardara is a beautiful hill station, heaven on earth, that has not yet been much commercialized. The hill station offers exotic views of the hills and valleys, and the Bhandardara dam and lake. There are several tourist attractions in the close vicinity which are also a must see.

Kalsubai Peak:
Bhandardara Hill station is located at an altitude of 750m above sea level, which is not too high, when compared with other hill stations in Maharashtra such as Lonavala-Khandala at 622m, or Matheran at 800m, or Mahabaleshwar-Panchgani at about 1334 m.

However very close to Bhandardara is the Kalsubai Peak (called Kalsubai Shikhar) which is at a height of 1646 m above sea level. The Kalsubai Peak is the highest mountain peak in the state of Maharashtra in India. From Bhandardara it is possible to go for trekking and climb up the Kalsubai peak. The trek trail starts from Bari village, which is just about 12kms from Bhandardara. Mount Kalsubai also has a very old temple that you can visit.
Also from Bhandardara you can go for trekking and a climb upto the Ajoba peak and the Ghanchakkar peak located in the vicinity.

Wilson Dam / Bhandardara Dam:
The Wilson Dam also simply called the Bhandardara Dam is one of the oldest dams in Asia. It was built in the year 1910, and blocks the waters of the Pravara river. When the sluice gates of this dam are opened in the monsoon season, water gushes out and falls on the rocks below, creating an artificial waterfall which is known as the Umbrella waterfall.

Arthur Lake:
The Arthur Lake formed by the Bhandaradara dam built across the Pravara river, is a very beautiful, scenic and huge lake that has calm and placid waters. It is possible to go for boating and fishing in this lake. The lake is undoubtedly one of the best attractions of Bhandardara.

Randha Waterfalls (Randha Falls):
The Randha falls is a natural waterfall located about 11 kms away from Bhandardara, and one of the popular tourist attractions in the rainy season. Water falls from a height of 45m at this waterfall. Hydroelectric power is also generated at this place. The Randha falls is the 3rd largest waterfall in India.

Ratangad Fort & Harishchandragad Fort near Bhandardara:
From Bhandardara you can go for trekking to the Ratangad and the Harishchandragad forts located in the vicinity. The Ratangad fort was captured by Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, and it is said that it was one of his favorite forts.

Best time to visit Bhandardara:

The best time to visit Bhandardara is in the monsoon season, or just after the monsoons are over. The Randha waterfalls, and the Wilson dam and umbrella waterfalls can be experienced in their full glory in the rainy season. Also the place adorns spectacular greenery making the hills & valleys look all the more beautiful in the monsoon season.

Even if its not the monsoons, Bhandardara is still a great place for a nice weekend break away from the hustle and bustle of city life. The serene and tranquil beauty of Bhandardara leaves a person spellbound, and wanting for more.

Bhandardara Hotels and Resorts:

Though Bhandardara is not yet very commercialized, it still has some good resorts and hotels, such as the MTDC holiday resort that offers some of the best views of the Arthur lake. Also available is the Anandvan Resort and the Yash Resort. However, if the resorts in Bhandardara are full and rooms are not available over there, then staying at hotels in Igatpuri are the next best choice.

Bhandardara is fast gaining popularity as a holiday destination, and a large number of tourists now flock to the place in the monsoon season, especially on weekends. Hence it is better to book resort rooms well in advance.

To make a long story short, Bhandardara, is Heaven on earth.

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