Places to see while climbing Mighty Pawagadh
Hello all,
I hope you all are still recovering from the World Cup win. We still are!! Men in blue have fulfilled the dreams of billions of people…
One thing we learnt is:
For every 19th November there is 29th June…
For every Klaasen, there is Pandya…
For every sunset, there is a sunrise.
For every failure, there is success, standing quietly behind, carrying second chances in her arms; if only we could understand the moments and seize them!
And as we rode into the emotional roller coaster with our men in blue, we understood their dreams! The monumental turmoil in their minds and hearts was pouring out on the ground, be it their tears or their hugs! RoKo’s cute moments to Sharma’s kiss to Hardik, Sharma showing his gratitude to Barbados soil by tasting it, Virat’s speech…and the way they showed their appreciation to their coach, The Wall…
This totally changes what I wrote this week for this blog. This was supposed to be the start of my blog :
If we think deeply, life is straightforward. The main burden is our imaginations, our so-called demands, and our so-called expectations. Otherwise, the universe has already blessed us with necessary things. Yes, we have to fight for them, we have to make efforts, but that extra mile, those additional efforts, those extra hours are all because of our “dreams.”…
As I read this today before uploading the blog, I wondered what if our men in blue had not made those extra efforts. What if Surya had not tried to take that catch? What if Bumrah and Hardik had not poured their efforts into those last overs? What if Kohli had not made an effort to stay calm and composed to play that responsible innings?
So dreams are important! We shine because of our dreams! We thrive on these dreams! But you know what is constant? Whether your dream shattered like delicate glass or whether it gets fulfilled like a shining sun? The constant is the support of your loved ones. The people whom you call your home. Be it Virushka’s hug on 19th November or Rohit and Ritika’s hug on 29th June. The way Bumrah hugged his wife after that short interview and the way Rohit carried his daughter on his shoulder. The way Virat was talking with his daughter on the phone and the way Surya shared his pic with the trophy! In our highs and our lows, we turned to our loved ones. They are our happiness. They are the pillars in crazy storms, and they are the firecrackers in wild victories! Because we get sukoon from them. As Rohit said, he wanted his family with him during the tournament because they were his happiness; they gave him calmness. Because of them, emotionally, everything was checked!
And last Sunday was something like that for us. When I was looking for a place to visit for a Sunday outing, I was looking for a less explored place. This entire blog is about that, but do I have to go that extra mile every time? No! Sometimes, just a simple time with kids will suffice because it’s their wish to walk and spend quality time with us. The place doesn’t matter. And so we climbed halfway to Pawagadh, by the main motorable road this time, not the regular steps. We went upto Saat Kaman. And then I realised that I have not written about these places here! So I am writing this blog about probably one of the most common and most visited places in Vadodara.
Bawaman Masjid:
It is a small but beautiful masjid on the western side, just after the main entrance gate. It was closed when we went there, but it is an elegantly carved monument. The mosque is named after Bawaman, who was a saint in Baroda and a follower of Sadan Shah.
Atak gate:
It is one of the main entrance gates of Pawagadh, with an arch and walls. When you climb through the stairs, you pass from here and cross the main tar road. Just one caution: don’t remove any food items here, as there are many monkeys.
Saat Kaman:
The word Saat Kaman means Seven arches. It is one of the most magnificent structures in the Champaner Heritage and Archeological Site. The monument is located at the edge of the hill on the southern aspect. Currently, only six arches are present, and they are not in perfect shape.
History:
Vanraj Chavda of the Chavda Dynasty founded it in the 15th or 16th century. It is a witness to our cultural heritage and the prosperity of our bygone era.
Location:
It is located 4 km from the base of the hill. At the weekend, you can not take your private car up to it. You have to take public transport or climb.
Structure:
These arches are made of sandstone. The trapezoid-shaped stones are arranged so beautifully in perfect alignment and harmony in the form of an arch that we are amazed at the craftsmanship of the people. The arches are like the melodious tune of our history, encapsulating us with a sense of calmness, and that is the reason you will find peace here even if you are surrounded by people. There are a few balconies with windows. We can’t help but feel amazed every time we visit our historical places like this, which showcase our rich cultural heritage! The views from the site are spectacular, mainly during the monsoon.
Saat Manzil:
Sath manzil means Seven-storeyed building, which was constructed mostly around the 15th century A.D. The four storeys are on the cliff end, remaking three runs along the cliff connected by a stone staircase.
It is located at gate number 4, just opposite Saat Kaman. It is a fort-like structure much bigger than Saat Kaman. If you go on the right side, there is a small trail that will take you to the Khuneshwar Mahadev waterfall viewpoint. The place is majestic in the monsoon.
History:
The palace was of two thieves named Khapra and Zaveri. They were a devotee of Mahakali Maa. At that time, the king was Mohammad Begda. When the king learnt about these thieves and their mastery and their sharp minds, he challenged them that there would be four jewels under his bed at night; if the thieves were intelligent, then they would be able to steal those gems. The thieves accepted the challenge, and they were able to steal the jewels. They kept three with them but kept one with the chief commander, so the king punished the commander. Later, one king came to know about the thieves. He was impressed with them, and he gave them this palace as a gift. They lived here afterwards and left theft forever.
Points to consider:
Half of the palace is in a ramshackle state. The interior is very isolated, so please don’t go alone.
When we first visited it in 2018, a few police officers were there as they found one dead body inside.
There are a few underground rooms which are better avoided because of the dire condition of the buildings.
The Saat Manzil structure is so magnificent that You Will immediately feel connected to and overwhelmed by the past! The best part is the newly made stone pathway that will take you to the waterfall viewpoint.
Makai Kothar:
This is also in a very bad state. It was once a granary for storing food and grains.
Navlakha Kothar:
There is a detailed blog about it here.
That’s it. I hope you enjoyed Men in Blue’s Dream as much as we did. It will be your companion this entire week, maybe a month, to get rid of all your blues! And don’t forget to visit these places if you are planning to go to Pwagadh, and do share this blog…
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So wonderful ❤️
Thank you…
Detailed one
Thanks..
Great description !
Please ellaborate / visit the backside also
Its monsoon time and hope that pawagadh does not get crowded this time as usual. we often clmb to pawagadh during working days but been monsoon around we prefer the other way around
Thanks. Sure will do that.
Great
Thanks.
Awesome 😎 😎 👍 👍
Thank you..
Awesome
Thanks.