The place is primarily known for water sports especially river rafting in river Kali. It is a paradise for birdwatchers that keep themselves in thick deciduous forests. However, very few people are aware that these forests are inhabited by the tribes, who have a little world of their own in these jungles. During one of my trips to Dandeli, I got the chance to spend time with these folks and learn about their cultures. This post is about my experience with Gowli Tribe, as they celebrate Vijayadashami, one of the famous festivals in India marking the triumph of good over evil.
Apparently, Gowlis is a pastoral community found in the states of Goa & Maharastra. Gowlis of Dandeli has their strong roots from lord Krishna community of Yadavas, whose major occupation is animal herding and selling milk in the surrounding areas. They are Hindus by religion and make sure, their religious ceremonies, traditions remain undiluted.
They celebrate Vijayadashami 2 days later the usual dates. Preparations start a week before and festivity takes place at the “Mukhiya’s” house, which also performs the festivity on the D-day and guides the people of tribes. Cow Urine is considered to be sacred and all the goddesses etc are washed with the same. House is decorated with the paper cuttings created by the females and kids around.
Even though the Government is making an attempt to bring them out of the jungles and providing them basic education, so that they can be part of the crowd, but it seems they are happy being the Gowlis and have no regrets in life. They live each moment with passion and are absolutely non-complaining. These folks are extremely nice and hospitable to the guests
Dandeli, is a small river side town in North West Karnataka is very popular with tourists from Mumbai, Pune and Bangalore. The modern town on the river is surrounded by deciduous forests and a renowned wildlife habitat where one can spot rare animals and birds, roam in deep valleys and hilly terrain. It is around 4 Hr. drive from Goa Dabolim airport and the road trip from Goa to Dandeli is very scenic. Though place is famous for white water rafting and tree-houses, but apart from the same, there are few must to do’s at the place. Kayaking on the Kali River
If you are white water lover and want to be high on water sports, then kayaking on the Kali river can offer lot to you. Options available are from class 4 rapids for professionals to calmer beds for beginners.
Rafting on the rapids of the Kali River
River Rafting are a great team activity and the class 4 rapids on the Kali offer the perfect group getaway. There are half day or full day options and the river has water for most time of the year as the dam above the river is opened every morning to generate electricity.
Bird watching at old magazine house resort
The place is always surrounded by variety of birds and is heaven for bird watchers. At any season, you can find their naturalists spotting more than 150 different birds a day. Place is famous for hornbills but if you are true birder, this place is must for you in the list. It is surrounded by birds endemic to Western Ghats. If lucky, one can spot rare birds too.
Visit some of the unique tribes of Dandeli
One must always feel the locals and engage themselves with their lifestyle. Spending time with them gives the tourists true flavor of the place. Dandeli offers four different tribal experiences. There is famous Lambani tribe, who comes are nomad in nature. Then, there is the very famous Siddi tribe, who are people of African origin and who were brought to India as slaves. Then, there are the Gowli tribes who manage cattle and earn their living by selling milk and milk products. There is Medar tribe who works in the forest and is bamboo craft artisans.
Watch the sunset from Ganeshgudi Hill
Ganeshgudi hill can be reached after hiking for 40 minutes from Old magazine house. Usually they have their groups going for hiking around 4 PM in evening. From the top of hill, one can witness the conglomeration of 4 beautiful rivers and the view as sun sets down is beautiful. During hiking, if lucky, one can spot wild sloth bear and other small birds and natural flora and fauna. Sitting and waiting for sun to set at the hilltop is photographer’s paradise.
Taking a coracle boat ride on the Kali
If you are not a water sport fan, but still want to experience Kali River, one can take a ride in coracle boat. Options available are for half an hour to one hour. During ride, one can spot crocodiles basking in sun and hornbills. The ride in itself is very scenic with trees around.
Whenever you are going Goa, do make sure to add 3 more days to visit this beautiful but silent place called Dandeli, which will let you lost in the wilderness.
Why not plan a vacation to this beautiful gateway Dandeli. Thank you for the wonderful stay team Dandeli. They can be contacted at +919483940400
Karwar is an idyllic island getaway situated 20kms south of the Goa–Karnataka border. It is often known as Queen of Konkan for its scenic beauty. The place is all the more famous, due to the confluence of the Arabian Sea and River Kali, and as per FengShui, such places are assumed to be peaceful. Famous poet Rabindranath Tagore wrote many of his famous poetries near Devbagh beach. 24 Hrs are not enough to get all from this place, but let me pen down things, which you should not miss, while you are here. The best time to be here is between Oct to May. Stay at Devbagh Beach Resort
It is one of the beautiful properties by jungle lodges, where-in you can experience beaches and get lost in the wilderness at the same time. The place is complete in itself and gives you a soulful experience. I will definitely recommend at least one night stay in the cottages amidst jungle facing sea.
Stroll at Fishermen’s village
Adjacent to Devbagh Resort is the Fishermen’s village, you can take a morning stroll in the village and going through their daily lifestyle, knowing their culture so closely, watching the fishing sessions and quick conversations with them in itself is an enriching experience.
Sea-food at Ocean Deck
If you are sea-food lover, this is indeed the place for you. For all foodies, this is another recommendation from my side. Situated barely at a distance of 100 Kms from Dabolim airport, the place is heaven for sea foodies. Sitting in the midst of back-waters and enjoying your food is a unique experience. What makes this place more unique is its owner, who is very hospitable. You can read more about the ocean deck. For dessert, try out the local Gadbad ice-cream – a combination of local ice cream with nuts and fruits.
Go for Water Sports & Dolphin Spotting
Devbagh being the secluded beach offers an array of water sports. One should go for snorkeling and scuba to experience the beautiful underwater flora and fauna. Devbagh beach resort provides trained professional instructors to make this smooth for you. Apart from this regular sports like Kayaking, Banana boat ride, parasailing, water-scooter, Speed boat ride, watching dolphins, fishing are a few of the options you can indulge yourself in.
Soak yourself in sand and sun.
Karwar is a land of beaches where you can soak yourself in the sun and can relax watching the waves clearing the sand from your feet and taking all your worries. You can build sandcastles, combine the shore for seashells, and play endless beach volleyball games on the beaches of Devbagh, and Karwar Beach. Karwar beach is popularly known as Tagore beach and is surrounded by beautiful coconut groves. Devbagh beach can be reached via ferries and is popular amongst scuba divers as it has rich underwater flora & fauna along the coastline.
Sadashivgad Fort
Sadashivgad Fort is situated in the Sadashivgad Village of Karwar. Located on a 200 ft high hillock, the fort is surrounded by deep and dense forest areas, and lies along the bank of river Kali.
Bird Sighting at Mangrove Backwaters
If you are a bird lover, then you can take a morning stroll at the mangrove thickest and can sight rare birds. White-bellied Sea Eagle, white-breasted Kingfisher, hornbill, spotted owl are the few amongst many. During winters, flocks of migratory birds can be seen around.
Other Attractions
Other places include the museum, KotShiveshwar, Durga Devi temple, Nagnath temple, The islands of Kumaragarh, Oyster-rock, Anjudeep and Sanyasi that lie off the Karwar coast and can mesmerize you with their scenic beauty.
I would like to thank Dandeli Tourism for giving me an altogether soulful experience in the lap of nature. It is worth a try. Folks!! Pack your bags and get on vacations to Devbagh. www.facebook.com/traveldandeli.
