Of fireflies and Palaces.

Five decades ago, when I was in school, we used to travel every summer from Mumbai to our 'hometown' near Mangalore to escape the summer heat of the city and relax in the rural atmosphere. At that time there was no electricity in our town and we used to light Petromax lamps every night. We sat on the patio as the sun went down and chatted/played well into the night, talking about the different constellations and planets in the cold, dark sky. Looking at the Milky Way was another favorite pastime. The arrival of the shooters was also an interesting activity. They flashed in pairs, then dozens. Sometimes we held them in our palms and looked at them with wide, innocent eyes. Ah, those were the good old days.

A few days ago I got a notification from Canvas N Chrome Adventure Travel Company that they are organizing a trip to Jawawar which is 130 km away. As a bonus, they also showed us the palace of Javari Javilas. When I signed up for the trip, I was excited to return to my childhood dreams of lightning and milky whites.

We all met at Hotel Fountain on NH8 near Mira Bayander at 11:30 am and started our wonderful journey to my dreamland. The drive on NH8 from Jauhar to Leaf Hotel Manor in Valwand, 10 km, was smooth sailing. One on the way

The bikes were rejected and had to be dropped off at a local garage to be sent back to Mumbai the next day. All our efforts to revive him have failed.

When we arrived at our hotel, we unloaded our luggage and prepared a new one.

We had a great lemon tea and checked out Javilas Palace in Jauhar.

This magnificent palace was built in 1913 by Raje Mr. Yashwant Rao Mukane.

It came from the Sahara, 12 kilometers away. According to tradition, after the completion of construction work in the palace, the stone from which the stone was removed was destroyed.

Now it is locked, and part of the former royal family, who visit from time to time, has been kept in a habitable state.

The courtyard of the palace is very beautiful, many flowering trees give it a very pleasant atmosphere. The view behind the palace is also spectacular, a photographer's delight.

No one is allowed to go around after sunset as tigers roam and the keeper told us how some dogs were mauled a few days ago. These took us to Leaf Hotel, a delicious ginger chicken dish washed down with lemon tea.

Then the lightnings made such a noise that we entered the darkness of the surrounding trees. It was an unforgettable sight.

Below is a short clip of the Firebird Extravaganza, but it certainly can't replicate the real thing.

I tried to scan the sky for the Milky Way, but it was overcast and the only ambient light was from the nearby town of Ore, so I was in vain.

I came home happy.

This is not a sponsored post.

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