[ketan007]

Hello fellow TBHPians,

I am Ketan from Pune. This is my first travelogue on this forum on a recent trip to my hometown. I have been working in the IT industry for about 14 years now. I have been staying in Pune since 2005, but my hometown is Chiplun which is in the Ratnagiri district (Konkan).
After I moved out for studies and a job, I never really spent much time in Chiplun. The maximum period was 12 days, that too, for my wedding. This scene changed during covid when me, my wife and my kid spent almost nine months there with my parents. We have a decent ancestral land near Chiplun, with a small farmhouse and a few Alphonso mango trees. During covid, we went for a few day trips there with family, and it was a wonderful experience.
So, the idea of planting some trees and developing the land came to my mind. I researched, discussed with a few local people, and decided to plant trees. Many things have changed during these two years, but the urge to return/stay for an extended period in Konkan remained.
Hence, I decided to take the leap this year and planned a trip during the second weekend of August. I drove my Ford Ecosport Titanium+ Petrol (Greyhound).



Beautiful Nature


Day 1: Pune to Chiplun
This time, my dad was accompanying me on this trip. We started at 6 am to avoid the rush due to the long weekend. The journey till Ubraj was uneventful, but after that, it was pure joy to drive on the single-lane road with greenery everywhere.

Greyhound resting



Start of the Kumbharli Ghat, we took a tea break here





Mandatory temple visit



Kumbhari Ghat







We reached Chiplun at around 12. We spent the rest of the day cleaning and checking the house and its surroundings, as it was closed for three months.
<cont..>

Day 2: Chiplun to Farm House
This day was so eventful and went well as it folded. After breakfast, we went to the known Plant Nursery. I wanted to plant three types of trees, Khair (Senegalia), Jackfruit (hard/kaapa), and Bamboo. It turned out that this nursery had only jackfruit available.

Jackfruit Plants




But they gave the address of a government nursery with all types of plants/fruits available. But it was Sunday, so there was a 50-50 chance it was open. We took the chance and headed towards the Govt nursery. It turned out that the nursery was closed, but we found some workers there, and they called their superiors and agreed to sell plants.

The road to the nursery





Greyhound performed really well on bad roads.

Yours truly



Loading the plants




After that, we went straight to the farmhouse 30 km from Chiplun. The roads were terrible, I had never been to our farmhouse during peak monsoons, so this was a bouncy experience.

Some good roads, a rare sight in the countryside





Some off-roading experience en-route to the farmhouse

https://youtube.com/watch?v=f_MgiGx062I?feature=share

https://youtube.com/watch?v=kXDMKGkeSvc?feature=share

We use our small farmhouse to store mangoes, jackfruits, and essential agri equipment.




Ready to go




We instructed our workers to plant the trees and returned to my hometown.


What's next:
I will visit our farmhouse in the first week of October to check on the trees and other work. Moving forward, I am planning to spend a couple of weeks in my hometown every 2-3 months to monitor the progress and some development. I will keep updating the thread.

Thank you for reading!

Bonus video:

https://youtube.com/watch?v=P8fF4uRJI4Y?feature=share

[turbospooler]

My hometown is Pune, but I feel I have a special connection with the Western Ghats. Very beautifully captured images.
Also, what is with most of the males feeling attracted by this outdoor lifestyle and returning to the simple way of life! I too am bitten by this bug but don't have the fortune of any ancestral land. Best wishes for the beginning of your farming journey!

[ketan007]

Originally Posted by turbospooler

Also, what is with most of the males feeling attracted by this outdoor lifestyle and returning to the simple way of life! I too am bitten by this bug but don't have the fortune of any ancestral land. Best wishes for the beginning of your farming journey!

I guess mid-life crisis . But seriously, I like the idea of no traffic, less pollution, more productive time in hand, and a low cost of living.
Thank you for your wishes, and let me know if you need any help with tourist places, resorts, or any kind of info about Konkan area.

[asmr]

Originally Posted by ketan007

I guess mid-life crisis . But seriously, I like the idea of no traffic, less pollution, more productive time in hand, and a low cost of living.
Thank you for your wishes, and let me know if you need any help with tourist places, resorts, or any kind of info about Konkan area.

Mid-life and crisis. Tell me about it.

I asked about this in another thread (Offbeat, preferably Himalayan destinations to take a 7-10 day break?) travel queries board about places up in the North for a traveler seeking some self time. I wouldn't mind spending some time on the Western ghats or coast as well. If you do know of any good places to stay off the beaten track, with good amount of nature ambience that be spent in solitude, allowing for long beach or around the plantation solo walks, I am all ears. And very grateful for any inputs.

[isotope729]

Originally Posted by ketan007

I guess mid-life crisis . But seriously, I like the idea of no traffic, less pollution, more productive time in hand, and a low cost of living.
Thank you for your wishes, and let me know if you need any help with tourist places, resorts, or any kind of info about Konkan area.

Same here. Born and raised in Pune, but my great great grandfather moved from the Ratnagiri area to Pune.

The less traffic and congestion are definitely positives.

However, there is a deeper connection with Konkan for me. Some part of my soul stirs when I'm there. No wonder I make at least 1 trip there every year.

I definitely want to retire in a farm or a house in Konkan, in a traditional home that has a "chowk" and a well. Not all the modern creature comforts you get these days. A home made of stone and chira bricks with a sitout and a big garden.

Alas, no ancestral property but I can hope I can snag something.

[ketan007]

Originally Posted by isotope729

I definitely want to retire in a farm or a house in Konkan, in a traditional home that has a "chowk" and a well. Not all the modern creature comforts you get these days. A home made of stone and chira bricks with a sitout and a big garden.

Alas, no ancestral property but I can hope I can snag something.

Sure, that's the dream. I hope you will find it soon.

[ketan007]

Originally Posted by asmr

If you do know of any good places to stay off the beaten track, with good amount of nature ambience that be spent in solitude, allowing for long beach or around the plantation solo walks, I am all ears. And very grateful for any inputs.

Let me know your requirements in detail, and I will indeed connect you with people who own such properties. My house in Chiplun is undergoing maintenance work; otherwise, that could have been a good option.

[asmr]

Originally Posted by ketan007

Let me know your requirements in detail.

Appreciate your response! My requirements are not too complex, sir.

My trip plan is for 7 to 9 days to a single location, with very less sightseeing. I don't plan on driving my car as of now and will be taking public transport or taxis as needed.

The place of stay should be cozily good enough, accessible, safe and in a quiet area. It should have easy access to vegetarian food (either cooked there, or at 20-30mins walking distance), with a washing machine or laundry option. A scenic mountainside walkway that allows for long walks in quiet ambience is desirable but I am very open a non-commercialized beach side location as well.

Most of these are not hard requirements except for the quiet and calm I am looking forward to. Thank you once again.