Backpackers-trip-to-Kaas
September 19, 2012
A Backpackers trip to Kaas Plateau and Satara the Ancient City.. (An Explorers trip.. )
Kass the home to millions of tiny flowers in late monsoons. The whole spectacle is beyond words. More than 300 varieties of wild flowers, herbs, orchids, shrubs, insectivorous plants etc. Satara the Ancient City surrounded by seven hills..
Date: October 5, 6, and 7, 2012 |
| Valley of flowers.. Representative Picture (VOF) |
Note: Those who cannot travel with us on Oct 5, can join us directly Oct 6th (morning).
Registration Fee: Rs.750/- (Non-Refundable)
Backpacking expenses expected excluding registration cost for 3 days is Rs.2500/-
Total Camp fee: Rs.3250/-
(Includes: Travel by public transport; stay (Standard Hotel); (Food Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner)..
Meals during transit (from Mumbai to Satara not included).
For Registration contact:
Asif - SMS - 9821081566 or email: asif@natureknights.net
About Kaas
Best season: late monsoon till October.
Kaas Lake ls on a distance of 22kms from Satara and most part of the road leading to Kaaz from Satara is hilly. Kaas Plateau is called as Maharashtra's Valley of Flowers.
During late monsoon most hills are covered with carpets of wild flowers. The lateritic plateau of Kass has becomes home to millions of tiny flowers in late monsoons. The whole spectacle is beyond words. More than 300 varieties of wild flowers, herbs, orchids, shrubs, insectivorous plants etc. This plateau overlooks the lush evergreen forests that serves as a water catchment area of Koyna Dam and which is recently declared as “Sahyadri Tiger reserve". In monsoon the whole area transforms into an unbelievable carpets of flowers like yellow carpets of Smithia and Sonki flowers, Pink carpets of Balsam, Purple carpets of Karvi etc.
Tentative Program
Oct 5, 2012
Early Morning - Start from Mumbai - By local transport (Travel to Satara)
Noon - Expected arrival at Satara
Evening - Explore Satara
Dinner - Exploring Local Cuisines
Oct 6, 2012
Early Morning - After breakfast or before breakfast leave for Kaas Plateau
Spend full day at Kaas Plateau
Oct 7, 2012
Early morning short excurtion to Kaaz Plateau
Post early lunch Leave for Mumbai
Evening Back in Mumbai
About Satara's History..
(Source - Wikipedia)The name of the city is derived from the seven hills surrounding the city. Saat (सात) meaning seven in Marathi and Tara (तारा) meaning hill, thus forming the word 'Satara'. Historians agree that the name of the city has its origins in the seven hills overlooking the city. The seven hills are Ajinkyatara, Sajjangad, Yawateshwar, Jarandeshwar, Nakdicha Dongar, Kitlicha Dongar, and Pedhyacha Bhairoba.
History
Ancient
The oldest Dynasty ruling Satara is said to be the Rashtrakutas. The oldest Rashtrakutas are believed to be from ancient Kuntala in the valley of river Krishna. King Manank ruled from 350 - 375 CE. and had built his capital in Maanpur (now Maan in Satara district). The Vakatakas of Vidarbha, another Rashtrakuta rulers were in conflict with Manank. Subsequently, the Rashtrakutas became feudatories to the Chalukyas and came into prominence under Dantidurga around 753 CE.
The empire of Chandragupta II, known as Mahendraditya Kumargupta I, extended as far as Satara district in Deccan when he ruled between 451 and 455 AD. The Mauryan empire in the Deccan was followed by the rule of Satavahans for about two centuries between 550 and 750 AD.
Medieval
The first Muslim invasion of the Deccan took place in 1296. In 1636 the Nizam Shahi dynasty came to an end. In 1663 Shivaji conquered Parali & Satara fort. After the death of Shivaji, Aurangzeb's son Muhammad Azam Shah conquered Satara fort (Ajinkyatara) after a 6month siege, later won by Parshuram Pratinidhi in 1706. In 1708 Chattrapati Shahu, the son of Chhatrapati Sambhaji, was crowned on the Satara fort. The direct descendents of Raja Shivaji continue to live in Satara. The current king of Satara, Udayanraje Bhosale is the 13th descendent of Shivaji Maharaj.
British
After their victory in the Third Anglo-Maratha War in 1818, the British Empire annexed most of the Maratha territory to Bombay Presidency, but restored the titular Raja Pratap Singh, and assigned to him the principality of Satara, an area much larger than the present district. As a result of political intrigues, he was deposed in 1839, and his brother Shahji Raja was placed on the throne. This prince died without any male heirs, and as a result Satara was eventually annexed by the British government, and added to Bombay Presidency.
In 1930 several young leaders Yashwantrao Chavan, Dhulappa Navale, Swami Ramanand Bharti, V.S. Page & Gaurihar Sihasane took part in the Civil Disobedience Movement led by Mahatma Gandhi. In 1940 individual sathyagraha was limited, symbolic & non-violent in nature & it was let to Mahatma Ghandhi to choose the satyagrahis. Acharya Vinoba Bhave was the first individual satyagrahi of Mahatma Gandhi & in Satara District region Dhulappa Bhaurao Navale was the first individual satyagrahi.
During the independence struggle, a type of Parallel Government known as Prati Sarkar came into existence. The people of Satara, under the leadership of Krantisinha Nana Patil, ousted the British officials and took power into their hands. During Quit India Movementof 1942, this parallel government replaced British government for 4.5 years from August 1943 to May 1946. Similar ousters of British power in other areas, led to the formation of similar Parallel Governments in Midnapore in West Bengal and Purnia in Uttar Pradesh. Such was the efficiency and power of these Parallel Governments that for nearly 4.5 years, the British did not even try to capture these areas, fearing defeat; which shows the popular nature of these governments.
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