In Wai..with my aai!

When I was about to turn 50 ( this was long, long, ago in 2014), I decided that I will celebrate my birthday in the city where I took birth and with the person who gave me birth!!

So here I was, in a small town called Wai, District Satara in the state of Maharashtra, India. I was coming to Wai after some decades and with faded memories. So the trip was an interesting mix of nostalgia and sightseeing.

Aai - my mother, who was aged 85 at that time, was really happy to come to Wai! It was her birthplace, a place where she had stayed for the first two decades of her life, and also where her parents had stayed for a long time. She was flooded with memories and kept telling us about all the places. She kept on telling how many things have changed!

Wai (other than being famous as my birthplace 😁) is famous for many beautiful temples (which are themselves wonderful pieces of architecture), seven picturesque ghats (steps built on the banks of river Krishna) and the building of Marathi Vishwakosh. Marathi Vishwakosh means Marathi Encyclopedia, a project of the Maharashtra Government. Tarkteerth Lakshmanshastri Joshi was the pioneer of this mammoth research. Pradnyapath Shala building is also near the Vishwakosh building. Pradnyapath shala is actively preserving Sanskrit literature. 

Marathi Vishwakosh building

Pradnyapath Shala building

A temple in Wai

Beautiful Shikhar and Kalas

The roads going to the river ghats have very typical gates known as ‘Ves’. One can see many old houses with clay and brick walls and a distinct architecture. The temples, ghats, the gates and these old houses give Wai its remarkable personality.

A distinct architecture and 'Ves' to the ghat

A ghat on the Krishna river in Wai

Being surrounded by the Sahyadri ranges, Wai enjoys a pleasant climate and a boon of natural beauty. So one can enjoy a trip to Wai anytime of the year. Every season is the best season to visit Wai. It’s conveniently near to Mumbai at approximately 250 kms and to Pune at around 87 km. No wonder it is a favourite place for Bollywood directors for shooting their films. 

Though the majority of the population is Marathi-speaking, Hindi and English can be the languages of conversation. So one won't need a translator!

You can get all types of food in Wai. There are many restaurants in Wai which you can find easily. Getting vegetarian as well as vegan food won't be a problem. There are many resorts, hotels and home-stays in and around Wai. 

The famous hill stations in Maharashtra, Mahabaleshwar and Pachgani are very near to Wai, at a distance of 15 and 30 kms. So Wai has become a favourite spot for tourists. One can go for a short trip to Mahabaleshwar and Panchgani and stay in Wai as it is a bit cheaper and quieter than the hill stations.

When we visited, it was the month of August, the rainy season. Wai was lush green. How green was it and what about Nana Fadnavis Wada and Menavali ghat? -- we will see that in my next blog post! Stay tuned and write your Wai memories in the comment box. See you soon!

P.S. Though you are reading a travel blog..in these Corona virus times, stay home, stay safe.

[📷 credit: Sneha Tilak]

#Wai#Ghat#Hillstation#Fadanvis#Mahabaleshwar#Panchgani#Vishwakosh#Temples#Vegan