http://public.fotki.com/bhnsoutings/tungeshwar/ This area consists of mountains near Tungareshwar, which is situated about 15 km east of Vasai Road railway station. Vasai Road is about 1 hour 15 minutes from Churchgate by a slow Western Railway local train. Tungareshwar is a beautiful conical peak, 664m high, easy to climb and the highest plateau in this region. Buses from Vasai Road to Kaman halt at Tungareshwar Phata, off the Mumbai-Ahmedabad Highway. Tungareshwar Phata is about 15km from Vasai Road and about 60 km from Mumbai. One can take a bus to Satiwali too from where Tungareshwar Phata is a half an hour's walk. It takes about 20 minutes to reach Satiwali from Vasai Road by bus. From Tungareshwar Phata, after walking for about 5 km on a broad flat path, and crossing a few streams (which are quite flooded during monsoon) on the way, one reaches a temple of Shiva, called the Tungareshwar temple. Behind the temple are a few waterfalls. The broad path continues with a gentle incline for a further 8 km to reach the top, which is a large grassy plateau. This route is very beautiful, with thick forest on both sides. There are a few tubewells along the way, so there is no need to carry a lot of water. Walking further on the top plateau, and after descending a bit, one reaches an ashram of Sadanand Baba. Nearby, there are huge walls which offer rock climbing opportunities. From the ashram, the route goes down gently for a further 8 km to reach Parol at the base. From here buses are available to Virar (16 km) or to Vasai Road (24km). This is an easy trek, and in fact, a powerful jeep could climb up all the way to the top. The attraction of this trek is mainly the beauty of the surrounding forests, and the views from the top. Tungareshwar is a great delight, both in the monsoon, and in the winter. The speciality of Tungareshwar is that the forests are the only evergreen forests in this part of the country. The flora and fauna are quite different from the kinds seen in the Sahyadri forests, or even the Matheran range forests. This place is a boon for the biologist. Many colourful flowers and butterflies can be seen here. Also bird watchers will have a great time in this region, particularly in winter http://kpy2.tripod.com/sahyadri/konkan/konkan.html. There is this Sadanand Baba who has an ashram at the top. This baba is trying to build a road to the top, and every monsoon there are many trees who fall prey to his road development work. He also disrupts the natural flow of water. He is also constructing an illegal temple at the top. we have come to know from the locals that Bhai Thakur (well known gunda of Virar) is his follower and thats the reason no action is taken against him.Recently there have been reports of tiger pugmarks being found in this area and so this forest has attracted some attention, but i strongly feel it should be declared as protected forest asap. In the monsoon, the irrate picnickers polute this area beyond limit. Its very important to protect this pristene forest. Mr.Bittu Sehgal!! can you please do something about this. http://images.fotki.com/logo3.gif http://public.fotki.com/bhnsoutings/tungeshwar/ http://public.fotki.com/bhnsoutings/tungeshwar/dsc04238.html Wild grapes flowers
]]> http://images32.fotki.com/v1103/photos/9/954271/3793320/DSC04238-th.jpg Mon, 17 Jul 2006 07:25:42 GMT http://public.fotki.com/bhnsoutings/tungeshwar/dsc04242.html Mushroom tucked into a small cave
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]]> http://images114.fotki.com/v649/photos/9/954271/3793320/DSC04247-th.jpg Mon, 17 Jul 2006 07:41:56 GMT http://public.fotki.com/bhnsoutings/tungeshwar/dsc04249.html Animish Mandrekar explaining the plant properties
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]]> http://images60.fotki.com/v370/photos/9/954271/3793320/DSC04252-th.jpg Mon, 17 Jul 2006 07:26:53 GMT http://public.fotki.com/bhnsoutings/tungeshwar/dsc04253.html Animish explaining the crab anatomy
]]> http://images115.fotki.com/v686/photos/9/954271/3793320/DSC04253-th.jpg Mon, 17 Jul 2006 07:49:39 GMT http://public.fotki.com/bhnsoutings/tungeshwar/dsc04254.html crab dorsal
]]> http://images115.fotki.com/v686/photos/9/954271/3793320/DSC04254-th.jpg Mon, 17 Jul 2006 07:24:15 GMT http://public.fotki.com/bhnsoutings/tungeshwar/dsc04255.html crab
]]> http://images49.fotki.com/v1509/photos/9/954271/3793320/DSC04255-th.jpg Mon, 17 Jul 2006 07:26:04 GMT http://public.fotki.com/bhnsoutings/tungeshwar/dsc04257.html Harvester Ant Nest
]]> http://images108.fotki.com/v613/photos/9/954271/3793320/DSC04257-th.jpg Mon, 17 Jul 2006 07:27:19 GMT http://public.fotki.com/bhnsoutings/tungeshwar/dsc04261.html Commander Butterfly
]]> http://images109.fotki.com/v781/photos/9/954271/3793320/DSC04261-th.jpg Mon, 17 Jul 2006 07:30:55 GMT http://public.fotki.com/bhnsoutings/tungeshwar/dsc04264.html Daddy long legs
]]> http://images49.fotki.com/v1509/photos/9/954271/3793320/DSC04264-th.jpg Mon, 17 Jul 2006 07:19:55 GMT http://public.fotki.com/bhnsoutings/tungeshwar/dsc04266.html Hawk Moth Caterpillar
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]]> http://images115.fotki.com/v607/photos/9/954271/3793320/DSC04267-th.jpg Mon, 17 Jul 2006 07:49:10 GMT http://public.fotki.com/bhnsoutings/tungeshwar/dsc04268.html Cup and saucer
]]> http://images108.fotki.com/v360/photos/9/954271/3793320/DSC04268-th.jpg Mon, 17 Jul 2006 07:33:46 GMT http://public.fotki.com/bhnsoutings/tungeshwar/dsc04269.html Dew drop flower
]]> http://images109.fotki.com/v781/photos/9/954271/3793320/DSC04269-th.jpg Mon, 17 Jul 2006 07:28:05 GMT http://public.fotki.com/bhnsoutings/tungeshwar/dsc04270.html Press me not plant
]]> http://images51.fotki.com/v628/photos/9/954271/3793320/DSC04270-th.jpg Mon, 17 Jul 2006 07:42:48 GMT http://public.fotki.com/bhnsoutings/tungeshwar/dsc04271.html Taking a break
]]> http://images12.fotki.com/v539/photos/9/954271/3793320/DSC04271-th.jpg Mon, 17 Jul 2006 08:18:07 GMT http://public.fotki.com/bhnsoutings/tungeshwar/dsc04272.html Snail
]]> http://images115.fotki.com/v686/photos/9/954271/3793320/DSC04272-th.jpg Mon, 17 Jul 2006 07:19:32 GMT http://public.fotki.com/bhnsoutings/tungeshwar/dsc04274.html Snail
]]> http://images114.fotki.com/v649/photos/9/954271/3793320/DSC04274-th.jpg Mon, 17 Jul 2006 07:40:53 GMT http://public.fotki.com/bhnsoutings/tungeshwar/dsc04275.html Not a salamander but a Skink
]]> http://images15.fotki.com/v588/photos/9/954271/3793320/DSC04275-th.jpg Mon, 17 Jul 2006 07:47:11 GMT http://public.fotki.com/bhnsoutings/tungeshwar/dsc04277.html Taher enjoying the view
]]> http://images114.fotki.com/v649/photos/9/954271/3793320/DSC04277-th.jpg Mon, 17 Jul 2006 07:30:21 GMT http://public.fotki.com/bhnsoutings/tungeshwar/dsc04278.html Beautiful red flowers
]]> http://images49.fotki.com/v1509/photos/9/954271/3793320/DSC04278-th.jpg Mon, 17 Jul 2006 07:50:45 GMT http://public.fotki.com/bhnsoutings/tungeshwar/dsc04281.html Spider with egg
]]> http://images33.fotki.com/v1119/photos/9/954271/3793320/DSC04281-th.jpg Mon, 17 Jul 2006 07:38:51 GMT http://public.fotki.com/bhnsoutings/tungeshwar/dsc04282.html small black spider
]]> http://images34.fotki.com/v1149/photos/9/954271/3793320/DSC04282-th.jpg Mon, 17 Jul 2006 07:45:53 GMT http://public.fotki.com/bhnsoutings/tungeshwar/dsc04283.html Millipede
]]> http://images109.fotki.com/v781/photos/9/954271/3793320/DSC04283-th.jpg Mon, 17 Jul 2006 07:44:59 GMT http://public.fotki.com/bhnsoutings/tungeshwar/dsc04284.html Fantastic Harvester Ant Nest
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]]> http://images49.fotki.com/v1509/photos/9/954271/3793320/DSC04285-th.jpg Mon, 17 Jul 2006 07:48:21 GMT http://public.fotki.com/bhnsoutings/tungeshwar/dsc04286.html Praying Mantis
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]]> http://images110.fotki.com/v569/photos/9/954271/3793320/DSC04291-th.jpg Mon, 17 Jul 2006 08:16:31 GMT http://public.fotki.com/bhnsoutings/tungeshwar/dsc04292.html The team
]]> http://images49.fotki.com/v1509/photos/9/954271/3793320/DSC04292-th.jpg Mon, 17 Jul 2006 08:15:50 GMT http://public.fotki.com/bhnsoutings/tungeshwar/dsc04294.html Valley with a lake covered by mist
]]> http://images31.fotki.com/v1049/photos/9/954271/3793320/DSC04294-th.jpg Mon, 17 Jul 2006 07:22:24 GMT http://public.fotki.com/bhnsoutings/tungeshwar/dsc04295.html Enjoying the cool chilly wind at the top
]]> http://images114.fotki.com/v649/photos/9/954271/3793320/DSC04295-th.jpg Mon, 17 Jul 2006 07:23:55 GMT http://public.fotki.com/bhnsoutings/tungeshwar/dsc04296.html Taher shooting a really big mushroom
]]> http://images109.fotki.com/v781/photos/9/954271/3793320/DSC04296-th.jpg Mon, 17 Jul 2006 07:50:08 GMT http://public.fotki.com/bhnsoutings/tungeshwar/dsc04297.html Having lunch at the top
]]> http://images109.fotki.com/v781/photos/9/954271/3793320/DSC04297-th.jpg Mon, 17 Jul 2006 08:21:06 GMT http://public.fotki.com/bhnsoutings/tungeshwar/dsc04299.html Bronzeback
]]> http://images49.fotki.com/v1509/photos/9/954271/3793320/DSC04299-th.jpg Mon, 17 Jul 2006 07:55:40 GMT http://public.fotki.com/bhnsoutings/tungeshwar/snake.html snake
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