My TripAdvisor Review No.358: Cafe Nosh, Bangalore. Good Continental Food, Snacks & Shakes.

If you want the best Continental food restaurant in the Sahakarnagar and Kodigehalli area of Bangalore then Café Nosh is the place to visit. It is located in the quiet and peaceful Rajiv Gandhi Nagar, where there is not much traffic noise and plenty of parking available in the street nearby.

We went there for dinner and tried out their Jalapeno Triangles for starters, along with Strawberry Iced Tea and Oreo Milkshake. The Iced Tea was too sweet but the milkshake was good. For mains we ordered Cheesy Mushroom Spaghetti, Crispy Veg Burger and Veg Corn Steak. The food was quite tasty and filling. Prices were moderate.

The service was very good and the atmosphere was quite cosy in the ac section. They have open air seating as well in the veranda. It is a good place to meet up with friends for an evening out.

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My TripAdvisor Review No.357: Rajdhani Thali, JP Nagar, Bangalore. Traditional Rajasthani Thali with a Gujarati Twist.

We visited the Khandani Rajdhani Thali in Central Mall in JP Nagar last Sunday to savour a Rajasthani meal served in their traditional style by the waiters dressed in white kurtas and red turbans. Being a Sunday lunch all the tables were occupied and we had to wait a while before we could get one. It is better to reserve a table before going.

Our empty shining stainless steel platter with about 10 small katoris (bowls) were laid out neatly on the tables waiting to be filled one by one. First they served a few chutneys, pickles, followed by salad, a couple of heart shaped vegetable cutlets, and a sandwich dhokla. This was followed by dal bati churma, gatte ki sabji, paneer masala and aloo peas, as the vegetable dishes, accompanied by phulkas, parathas and puris as per your choice. This was followed by three sweet dishes, gajjar halwa with gulab jamun, moong dal halwa, and ghevar topped with rabdi. Then they served three types of dal with khichdi, pulao or plain rice and curds. There was a glass of chaas too, and a choice of an extra drink; sweet lassi, mango lassi, jal-jeera or lemon sherbet which was chargeable.

The service was good and prompt, but the water for hand-wash, which they brought around in a brass jug with a brass basin, was cold. The thali is priced quite high but we found out later that they offer the same thali at almost half the rate on Tuesdays.

The dhokla and some sweet dal gave the vegetarian Rajasthani meal a Gujarati twist. The dishes were sprinkled with dollops of ghee. We quite enjoyed the taste of all the dishes, which were not very spicy. At the end of it all we were so full that we could hardly get out of our chairs.

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My TripAdvisor Review No.356: Saputara Adventure Park. Happening Place Of Saputara.

Saputara Adventure Park is the hip and happening place in Saputara. It is located at the same area as the main Sunset Point. It is actually a plateau, like a table land, spread out over a large area on top of the hill, and is also known as the ’Table Point’ of Saputara.

As we drove up to the point we first saw the platform and booking station for the Ropeway Cable Car, next to the Vaity Resort. There is a separate parking area for the Ropeway customers on the right hand side. We had to climb up further to reach the parking lot of the Adventure Park. Parking charges are ₹30 for a car.

We saw a lot of activities in the well spread out plateau, as well as many refreshment stalls a little further away. Kids can enjoy tandem bicycles, pony rides, mini scooters and mobikes, camel rides, rifle shooting and other games. The place looked like a big Fun-Fair where one can spend a good few hours of fun and games.

Further up towards the cliff, there was a board indicating availability of paragliding, ziplining and rappelling, though we did not see anyone doing it. We did see some youth trying their hand at rock climbing. There was another board warning people to be careful while taking selfies!

We had a leisurely walk around the Adventure Park admiring the scenery from the highest point of Saputara. Then we had some onion pakoras and a cup of tea at one of the many snack stalls.

It’s a good place to enjoy the evening with activities for kids, while the parents admire the sunset.

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My TripAdvisor Review No.355: Anando Palms Resort, Hatgad. Excellent Resort Away From The Hustle Bustle.

Anando Palms Resort is now being managed by Club Mahindra Holidays and Resorts. At the entrance you will see the board of Club Mahindra Hatgad, but the name of Anando Palms is also there. Hence the full name of this resort would read as ‘Club Mahindra Anando Palms, Hatgad’.

This resort is located at the border of Maharashtra and Gujarat. The main attraction is the hill town of Saputara, which is 6 km away, and the only hill station of Gujarat. Nashik is the nearest city about 80 km south, and the road to Saputara from Nashik passes through Dindori, Vani and Borgaon. Shivaji’s fort of Hatgad is on top of a hill very close to the resort and one can trek up to the ruined fort from the resort.

It is a very peaceful and serene place to spend a few days away from the hustle and bustle of city life. There is a beautiful lawn and garden at the centre of the resort where we would put up our feet and relax on the charpoys which had been thoughtfully laid out on the lawns. Bicycles were available for hire for the more energetic guests. There is a small swimming pool for the kids in one corner of the campus just behind the souvenir shop.

The restaurant was serving good buffet for the guests, though we preferred the ala-carte dishes. We would drive up to Saputara to have a Gujarati thali for lunch and return to our ac room for an afternoon siesta. Our studio room had all the mod cons like microwave, electric kettle, lcd tv, hair dryer and aircon. There was a nice sit-out for our morning cuppa.

It is better if you have your own vehicle so that you can drive to Saputara whenever you like. Hiring the local cabs can be quite expensive for short trips.

We quite enjoyed our relaxing stay at the resort.

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• Stayed: June 2018, travelled as a couple
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My TripAdvisor Review No.354: Curry Leaves Restaurant, Nashik. Nice Restaurant With A Large Garden.

While going from Nashik to Saputara on State Highway No.17 we stopped at this nice looking restaurant which had a huge green open space and garden. It is located about 8 km from Nashik city. We parked just outside in the parking lot which could accommodate about 10 cars.

There was a marriage party in progress in the large non ac section, so we were accommodated in the ac section which had full size glass windows, so we could admire the greenery outside. The wall behind had pretty wall paper with the picture of a tree with weaver bird’s nests. The ambience of the restaurant was very good.

They serve only vegetarian food. We ordered Veg Handi with Naan, and a glass of buttermilk. We enjoyed the taste of the food. Prices were reasonable. Service was good.

We liked the restaurant, and so we stopped here on the way back from Saputara as well, for breakfast. The Medu wada and Sabudana wada was served piping hot with some coffee.

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My TripAdvisor Review No.353: MTDC Holiday Resort, Trimbakeshwar, Nashik.

Decent Resort With Lots Of Greenery, 1 km from Temple.

This is a resort run by Sanskruti Group in collaboration with MTDC. It is about 1 km from the Trimbakeshwar Shiva Temple, so it is away from the noise and dust of main town, which is always bustling with pilgrims from all over India.

We had booked our room on the MTDC website, so our check-in was quick and easy. Our room was quite large, in fact there were two rooms with 2 double beds, so it can accommodate 4 guests. There was a wooden cupboard and dressing table, small lcd tv, a writing table and 2 bedside tables. The air conditioner was working well, and we had to switch it off in the night as the climate was pleasant after the rain. The bathroom was spacious, but a broken health faucet had not been repaired. Towel and soap was provided but no toilet paper. Hot water was switched on at 7 am by the staff.

We had our dinner at the resort’s restaurant which was housed in a shed in the garden. The restaurant was not very clean, but the food was quite tasty and the prices were reasonable. We had a friendly dog and an unfriendly goose for company, though they kept their distance. Next morning’s tea was not ready at 7.30 am so I walked to a nearby stall to bring our tea back in a thermos flask.

The resort is good enough for an overnight stay. Cars can be parked just outside the rooms. It is very near the Brahmagiri Hill, and the trek to the hilltop starts from the back gate of the resort. The ambience of the resort is green and serene.

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• Stayed: June 2018, travelled as a couple
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My TripAdvisor Review No.352: Pandavleni Caves, Nashik.

Ancient Buddhist Caves With Beautiful Stone Carvings.

The Pandavleni Caves are located besides the Mumbai – Nashik Freeway and it is in the Buddha Vihar Complex on the right side of the Freeway, 3 km before reaching Pathardi Phata, and 8 km before Nashik. The Dada Saheb Phalke Smarak and the Trirashmi Buddha Smarak are also located in this compound. There is sufficient free parking space nearby.

We had a stiff climb of about 200 hundred steps, and had to pay an entry fee of Rs.15 per person. The historic archaeological site is managed by the ASI. There are 24 caves cut into the hillside, with carvings of various Buddhist monks, although the carvings of the Buddha himself were later additions by the devotees of the Mahayana faith between 4th to 6th centuries CE. The original cave excavations date back to between the 1st to 4th century CE. The interior of the caves have simple carvings whereas the exteriors are more elaborately and intricately carved. Cave numbers 3, 8, 10, and 23 are bigger, more well planned and better than the rest of them.

The beauty of these caves lies in their dignified façade. These caves are not at all connected to the five Pandava brothers of the Mahabharata, as the name may imply.

Visiting hours are from 8 am to 5.30 pm. It is a good place to visit for history and archaeology buffs. Situated about 300 feet above the ground level we got an excellent bird’s eye view of the entire city of Nashik. It will look even better in the months of July and August after some more rains helping to cover the land with a carpet of emerald green.

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My TripAdvisor Review No.351: Brahmagiri Hill, Trimbakeshwar, Nashik.

Huge Form Of Lord Shiva.

The Brahmagiri Hill is located in the temple town of Trimbak, just 1 km west of the Trimbakeshwar Shiva Temple. It dominates the landscape even as you are approaching Trimbak from Nashik, about30 km away.

People regard the hill as a huge form of Lord Shiva. But then why is it called Brahmagiri? Legend has it that Lord Shiva was very pleased with Lord Brahma when he meditated here and told him that “I shall be known by your name”. Hence it came to be known as the Brahmagiri Hill.

There are a series of about 500 steps which we have to climb to reach the top of the hill. The uphill trek started just outside the back gate of the MTDC Sanskruti Resort where we were staying. We trekked up for about half an hour. The gradient of the steps was very steep. Half way up we decided to abandon the expedition as we learnt that it would take another hour to reach the top. But it is certainly a good trek for enthusiastic young trekkers, and we saw many youngsters trudging up the stone steps which was lined with small refreshment stalls along part of the way.

The Godavari River originates from the top of the hills and disappears underground for some distance. It then reappears at Gangadwar which is nearby, and can be approached by another route. It then vanishes again into the mountain and emerges again at the Kushavarta Kund in the Trimbakeshwar temple compound, and flows onward towards Eastern India to the Bay of Bengal.

We would certainly like to do the full trek to the top of the Brahmagiri hill the next time we visit. It requires at least 3 hours to reach the top and enjoy the beautiful scenery, which is exceptionally beautiful during the monsoon season.

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My TripAdvisor Review No.350: Trimbakeshwar Shiva Temple, Nashik.

One Of The Twelve Jyotirlingas Of India.

The Trimbakeshwar Shiva Temple is located about 30 km from Nashik city. It has one of the 12 Jyotirlingas of India, one which became manifest after a bolt of lightening thrown by the Lord Shiva, as the legend goes.

Trimbak itself is an overcrowded and not so clean temple town. We had to pay an entry tax for the car parking which is a 5 minute walking distance from the temple. Cameras, cell phones, large handbags and even coconuts are not allowed inside. We deposited our phones for a Rs.10 fee at the stall outside.

We stood in a long queue to enter the temple, as we did not want to pay the Rs.200 donation fee for the express darshan. We waited patiently in the orderly queue outside, but were finally pushed in by the surging crowd at the temple door. We got a quick darshan of the underground lingam which is dedicated to the holy trinity; Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva. Ladies are not allowed to enter the sanctum sanctorum. There is a TV screen where we can watch the lingam from outside the sanctum. We were pushed aside by the security guard after barely a minute, to make way for the incoming rush of pilgrims.

I would not say that we had a peaceful darshan. It would be better to visit early in the morning, or pay the exorbitant donation fee to have a special worship. One can also engage a priest if one wants to perform certain specific pujas.

The temple structure, however, is very good and the architectural black stone design is very imposing. The temple is located at the base of three hills; Brahmagiri, Nilagiri and Kalagiri. The River Godavari originates in the Brahmagiri hill and trickles down to a sacred tank in the temple premises, called the Kushawarta Kund, before flowing onwards to Nashik and emptying out in the Bay of Bengal in Eastern India.

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My TripAdvisor Review No.349: Shree Laxmanji Temple, Nashik.

Place Where Laxman Cut Off Surpanakha's Nose.

This is a very good temple in the Tapovan area of Nashik. It is the place where Laxman, brother of Lord Rama cut off the demon Surpanakha’s nose. Surpanakha was Ravana’s sister.

Tapovan itself is a mesmerising area covered with lush greenery and dense forest, much of which have been converted to municipal gardens and parks. It is believed that Tapovan was part of the holy Dandakaranaya forest with the Godavari River flowing nearby. This place has close association with the epic Ramayana. Long years ago the forest was meant for meditation by the great sages, hence the name Tapo-van (meditate-forest).

Inside the Laxman Temple we saw an idol of Laxman in a meditation pose. There was also a life size model of Laxman in action, cutting off Surpanakha’s nose. There were also idols of Lord Ganesh and Hanuman. In the backyard of the temple there is a gaushala (cow shed), where we saw a new-born calf being taken care of by the pujaris.

It is a temple worth visiting and gives a divine feeling. The holy city of Nashik gets its name from this action of Laxman cutting off the demon’s nose (nakh).

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My TripAdvisor Review No.348: Anjneri Hill, Nashik.

Temple Dedicated to Bal Hanuman and Mata Anjani.

On the road from Nashik to Trimbakeshwar there is a tall pointed hill which is called the Anjneri Hill. Many believe this place to be the birthplace of Lord Hanuman, the monkey god of the epic Ramayana.

We took our vehicle half way up the hill and parked it in the compound of the small temple dedicated to baby Hanuman and his mother Anjani Mata. It is a beautiful temple and the idol of mother and baby is very good. We paid our respects and took some snaps of the surroundings.

We found out that we have to trek another hour or two to reach the top of the conical peak, as the motorable road stops at the temple. It is an arduous trek up but young trekking enthusiasts can easily accomplish it.

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My TripAdvisor Review No.347: Regiment of Artillery Museum, Nashik.

Museum of Our Brave Soldiers.

This museum is located in the Deolali Cantonment area, which is about 4 km off the Pune – Nashik highway. We had to leave our identity card at the entrance gate before proceeding inside to visit the museum. There is a huge parking lot just outside the museum. There is an entry fee of Rs.25.

We were overawed by the neatly laid out gardens and flower beds surrounding the museum building. There was an army of gardeners and orderlies working in groups to maintain the gardens and surroundings clean. The building itself has six wings on the ground and first floors showcasing the evolution of artillery, rockets and ammunition, mountain artillery, counter insurgency and miscellaneous equipment, a photo gallery, a projection hall and a victory hall.

They had showcased the evolution of the artillery guns, right from the ancient sling-shots to the modern Bofors and Howitzer guns. A lot of different types of ammunition shells and miscellaneous equipment were also on display. There were a lot of models and photo frames showing how the many wars between our neighboring countries were fought and won, as well as photos of the many war heroes.

There was a huge display model of Tiger Hill at Kargil and how the army deployed the notorious Bofors guns to help win the war in conjunction with the Air Force. It made us feel proud of the brave soldiers guarding our borders.

Outside in the compound were two battle tanks, one of which was a Pakistani tank which had been disabled and captured by our army. There are also many big artillery guns and an armored vehicle on display outside. There is also a small canteen in a tent, where one can have a cup of tea or coffee, alongside the Jawans.

This museum is a must visit for all patriotic citizens of India. The museum is closed on a Thursdays and public holidays, and also closed between 1 pm to 4.30 pm for lunch. Normal open timings are 10 am to 1 pm and 4.30 pm to 6.30 pm, including Sunday. Photography is not allowed inside the halls. There is a Light and Sound show on Saturdays and Sundays between 6 and 6.45 pm.

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My TripAdvisor Review No.346: Kapaleshwar Temple, Nashik.

Rare Shiva Temple Without a Nandi.

This is an ancient Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Shiva, located opposite Ramkund and Ganga Ghat on the River Godavari in Nashik. It is situated at a higher level from the street and we had to climb a steep flight of steps to enter.

The uniqueness of this temple is that it has no Nandi bull statue as you enter, as in other Shiva temples. Legend has it that Lord Shiva accidentally killed a cow, whereupon Nandi asked him to take a bath in Ramkund and perform penance to atone his sin. This is probably the reason for the absence of a Nandi idol.

The temple has a solid stone structure and an aura of divinity around it, and it is worth a visit. It also is an important pilgrimage spot in the Nashik temple circuit. It is generally more crowded on Mondays, the weekly darshan day for Lord Shiva. Photography is not allowed inside the sanctum.

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My TripAdvisor Review No.345: Sita Gumpha, Nashik.

Sita's Hideout During Exile.

Sita Gufa (or Gumpha) is a small cave in the Panchavati area of Nashik where Sita, Lord Rama’s wife is supposed to have hidden, to escape the clutches of the demon King Ravana. Lord Rama’s brother Laxman found the cave and planted 5 banyan trees around it to mark the area, hence the place is known as Panchvati (five trees). The trees are still standing, and are very close to the Sita Gumpha.

It is located in a very narrow lane, made more so by the huge banyan trees with their dangling auxiliary roots. There is also a huge crowd of tourists and pilgrims thronging around. We kept our slippers in our auto-rickshaw and joined the queue to enter the small cave through a very narrow staircase and passage way. We had to wait about an hour in the queue. Photography is not allowed inside.

Just opposite the cave is a museum known as the Sita Haran and Marich Vadh Museum. This museum was more interesting than the cave, and we had to pay a full rupee as entrance fee. Inside we got to see the story of how Sita was kidnapped by the demon king in the form of statues and larger than life models and murals. It is also the place where the demon Marich was killed.

It is best to visit the cave and museum early by around 9.30 am on a weekday to avoid the crowd and a long queue. There is very little parking space as it is in a crowded narrow street so we have to walk a bit. There are many small shops in the street that sell sweets, bangles, imitation jewellery, trinkets and devotional items.

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My TripAdvisor Review No.344: Kalaram Temple, Nashik.

Ancient Temple Dedicated to Lord Rama.

This is an ancient Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Rama, who lived in Nashik during his 14 years of exile. It is called Kalaram because the idols of Lord Rama, his wife Sita, and his brother Laxman, who accompanied him during his exile, are all made of black (kala in Hindi) stone. There is also a black stone idol of Lord Hanuman, with folded hands, near the entrance.

It is a very prominent temple in the Panchavati area of Nashik and thousands of pilgrims visit it every day. Finding parking around the temple can be a problem. Luckily for us, we had decided to hire a local auto-rickshaw whose driver showed us all the nearby temple and pilgrimage sites. We even left our footwear in the rickshaw before entering the temple.

It is a beautiful temple within a large compound, with some very old trees surrounding it, and well worth a visit. It was built in the 18th century by Sardar Rangarao Odhekar, after he found the black stone idol in the River Gadavari, near Ramkund.

The temple is open for worshippers from 5 am to 10 pm.

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