Kalote Lake

An invitation for a day picnic was most welcome after long days in the dust and smog of traffic jams and on Independence Day morning we made our way out of Pune, bound for Khopoli. Our destination was Kalote Lake, a few kilometers from Khopoli. We had been invited to Tudor Farms, a lakeside resort. We took the Pimpri Chinchwad road and the NH4 till Lonavla, only using the Expressway for the ghats, as we wished to avoid the inevitable crowds at Lonavla. The landscaping on the flyovers which have come up on the Pimpri Chinchwad road was a real delight as was the greenery later on.

Descending the ghats on the expressway, we noticed that ours was one of a few cars headed down, there was a steady stream of traffic headed upwards to Lonavala and Pune and avoiding Lonavla had been a wise decision. The mountains were obscured in clouds and sometimes so was the road, so we could not see much of the landscape, but fogs have their own beauty and the half hidden mountains and vales, with their hint of secrecy, were exquisitely breathtaking.

We took the first exit to Khopoli and from here our enjoyment of the verdant landscape began again. The road to Tudor Farms is on the right, a few kilometers from Khopoli, and the same road leads to the lake as well as to some of the waterfalls. There are other resorts on the road too.

The resort, which lies on the lake itself, was good for a day picnic, as the food and environs were both enjoyable, though perhaps not very comfortable for a longer stay. As we were there just for the day we enjoyed it thoroughly. The landscaping and layout of the grounds is done very aesthetically with twisting paths, small fences and abundant plant life. The cool, crisp, fresh air, free of pollution, the predominant green everywhere, rain drops on leaves, grass and flowers, giving a clean washed feeling, all rejuvenated the soul immediately.

The scenery was lovely. The lake is ringed by mountains and in the monsoons they are lush with silvery, snaking waterfalls. The sunlight playing hide and seek among grey clouds changed the atmosphere every so often. For a few minutes the waters would glow brilliantly then get a dark mysterious look as the sun once again sailed behind dark clouds. There were sudden showers that stopped just as quickly as they came and none of us were dry for long.

Of course getting wet is the main idea behind a monsoon picnic and the rain was not the only source; bathing in the lake, followed by a trek and a bathe in a waterfall close by, provided more of the same kind of entertainment.

There is more though to a day in the country, as life’s very pace slows down and one is able to notice and enjoy small pleasures; follow a butterfly’s flight, watch raindrops gently drip from a bright flower, listen to the birdsong or cowbells as the cows graze in open meadows or head home as evening comes. The sight and sounds of nature are like a gentle touch that soothes and heals mind, heart and soul.

A walk through the fields yielded many of these simple rustic pleasures. It is hard to describe the peace within when one is in harmony with nature. How much enjoyment small acts of lifting your face to the sky to feel it washed by a soft drizzle, or tasting a raindrop nestling on your lip can offer. It is only in a pastoral setting can one wholly realize the truth that the Earth does not belong to humans alone, we share it with the plants, the trees, the birds and animals, the very breezes and that in some inexplicable way we are all linked to each other and all belong to each other.