Banbha Hill: Small adventurous hike
Kevdi Dam: Peaceful lake near Campsite
Hello all,
This was our outing last Sunday, and how we loved every moment of it. Banbha is a small hill in Ognisa village near Mandavi. Gujarat Tourism developed the place in February 2019. On the hill, there is a small temple. Local people have lots of faith in the temple, and now it is an eco-tourism site with a garden and canteen at the base. The place is beautiful. The canteen and toilets were all locked probably due to the Covid situation. There is a shop with snacks and cold drinks in the garden. You might not get fresh food, so you may want to carry your own.
There are two ways to climb the hill. Little ahead of the tourism site there are appx 500 steps which are very easy to climb, and another one is from the garden which includes a proper mountain hike. That route is slippery at places, so be cautious if you have kids with you.
We climbed the hill with stairs and while getting down, we took the other route, and we enjoyed both of them. At the peak, the temple is small but clean, quiet, and peaceful. There are hills all around you with a breathtaking views. It is better to go in the monsoon and winter.
After that, we went to Kevdi Ecotourism Site but it was crowded so we skipped it and went to Kevdi Dam instead. That lake is also scenic with fewer people in the vicinity. So you can enjoy your solitude. We built a tent and had our lunch here.
So this was our fun-filled family picnic on Sunday… The kids were awesome in climbing down the hill as none of them felt any fear. While getting down, we asked them what their fears were? And the best part was they are trying hard to get rid of them, and they are doing it consistently…
Fear
Fear
Fear of a mother
Sending her child
The first time in kindergarten
Fear of a father
Will ,his child, be able to
Face the cruel world?
That fear
Just a fraction before Bungee jumping
Just a second before entering a meeting
Fear of losing someone old
Fear of welcoming someone new
Husband’s fear
Will she cherish
My new fusion recipe?
Wife’s fear
Will he appreciate
My promotion pleasantly?
Fear of dropping someone at the airport
Of our time together so short
Fear of hospital corridors
Fear of never-ending internal wars
Fear of a child
Before going on stage
Whenever notice something strange
Before diving into the pool
To fight against a bully in school
All these fears are real
But
Do deers fear in vast savannah?
Do fishes scare in the depth of the ocean?
The immensity of the sky frightens birds of flying?
Does Autumn leave tremble before falling?
Rivers thinking before entering the ocean?
Fear of moon just before no moon night
Those are real too…
Deer jump gleefully
Fish swim merrily
Birds chirping constantly
Leaves changing colors beautifully
Moon giving hope eternally
Rivers flowing peacefully
They embrace their fear
Everyone is teaching something
Be quiet.
Be still.
Hear.
– Kajal shah
with love,
SaSha
Location of Banbha Dungar – https://goo.gl/maps/RkDHaPwCakrqXEBu6
Location of Kevdi Dam – https://goo.gl/maps/599HbRKMJUzuU8QFA