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Firangai
Mata Temple is a beautiful temple near Talgaon Dabhade. It is about
55km from Pune and 8km from Talegaon Dabhade. It is near the MIDC area
of Talegaon. The trek starting point is behind Bharat Iron Syndicate
Company. Parking is Free at unsupervised open place. .png)
Navlakh Umbre in Maval is an old village about ten miles north-east of Khadkala. The village lies at the source of the Sud a feeder of the Indrayani, and has some interesting Hindu and Musalman remains. The hills round the village enclose it like an amphitheatre. The Hindu remains are a temple of Bahiroba Naukhandi in the hill range and a canopied tomb locally known as Barakhamb or the twelve-pillared. The tomb lies to the north of the village on the left bank of the Sud. The tomb looks like a bandstand and consists of a plinth 23' 3" square raised four feet from the ground and a dome resting on twelve octagonal pillars, arranged in a circle in the plinth. The pillars are 7'5" high. Under the capitals are carvings resembling spear-heads but they slightly differ in form on the different pillars. They are said to represent the leaf of the suru or cypress tree. The plinth, pillars, and twelve-sided entablature are of cut stone, and the vaulted dome, which is of burnt brick plastered over, shows signs of decay on the outside. The dome is surmounted by a central ornament with a small piece of wood called kalas. The tomb is said to have been built over the remains of his priest or guru by a Jangam Vani of Umbre about 200 years ago. On the plinth, under a boss hanging from the middle of the dome, is a ling without a case. On the north of the tomb is an unreadable inscription. To the south of the village, facing a pond, is a mosque, a square and very massive building ornamented with graceful tracery and said to be about 500 years old. It has a well preserved inscription said to contain the builder's name and the date. The gateway of the Moghal office or gadhi is still preserved,[ Mr. H. E. Winter, C. S]
Legend.
According to a local story the village was founded about 700 years ago. The Kazi of Umbre has grants one of which is said to be dated as far back as 634 Hijri or about 1235. The present Kazi is an old man named Sayadu Dhondibhai. The traditional explanation of the name Navlakh or nine lakhs is that, during the Divali holidays in October-November, a daughter of one of the Moghal officers of Umbre asked her father for a present or ovalni [The ovalni ceremony is performed by Hindu sisters to their brothers on the second day after Divali, called the Brother's Second or bhaubij. It consists of the sister waving a light across the face of her brother and of the brother making he a present.] and he ordered her the payment of a day's receipts at the turnspike on the bridle path of Umbre. The toll is said to have been one tankha (� a.) on animals and head-loads passing to Poona by the Kusur or Khandala passes. The day's receipts are said to have amounted to nine hundred thousand or nav lakh of tankhas or about �2800 (Rs. 28,000) and this event is said to have given the name of Navlakh to the village. [Lady Falkland's version of the story (Chow Chow, I. 238-239) is slightly different. According to her the present was asked by a Musalman queen from her husband. The king was greedy but he could not refuse his wife's request. But he was sorry the queen asked the income of so poor a hill toll as Umbre, which hardly paid, he thought, the establishment, when she might have asked the toll of a rich place like Lahor or Surat. His surprise was great when he learnt that a day's receipt amounted to nine lakhs of tankhas.] Umbre is probably the Russian traveller. Nikitin's (1470) Oomri on his way from Cheul to Junnar. From Cheul Nikitin went in eight days to Pilee in the Indian mountains, which is perhaps Pimpri at the head of the Pimpri pass; thence in ten days, Nikitin went to the "Indian" that is Deccan or above Ghat town of Oomri, and from Oomri he went in six days, probably by the old Talegaon and Khed road, about sixty miles to Junnar. [Major's India in XV Century; Nikitin, 9. Nikitin's route is puzzling. It was formerly supposed to have been by Pulu Sonale at the foot of the Nana pass but the position of Pulu Sonale does not agree with the sixteen days between it and Junnar. To explain Nikitin's eight days to the Pimpri pass it may be supposed that he went by Ramraj, Rohe, Ghosala, Tala, Indapur, Nizampur, and Umbardi to Pimpri. Mr. W. F. Sinclair, C. S. suggests that the Nagothna route is more likely. He would place Pilee at Pali fort in the Bhor state.]
Last
time I visited Navlakh Umbre mountain, It is a small trek of around 1/2
hr but it gives big excitement because of mind blowing wind flow,
cloudes coming frequently creating beautiful view. At one side there is a
dam view of Bhama Askhed & at other big valley...
I reached the place at 8'o Clock & excited by seeing the nature
around the hill spot. There are impressions of lot of water falls coming
from the top of the hill but as per Villager there is no rain as per
desire thats why waterfalls disappears.
I just reached at the top picked some snaps & enjoyed the cloudes & rain drops and come back. one villager meet us at the mid of the mountain & he said " why you come back from the top, you just have to go further 100 foot to next to reach other mountain, then you can see Bhama askhed dam at one
end & valley at the other side. There were very big table land on the mountain. It is around 1km long and 300m wid. You can enjoy a lot "
Below google map shows the Navlakh umbre mountain with table land & bhama askhed dam at one side & valley at other.
I already explained about how to reach this place & route for one day picnic in last post. Roads are in good condition & there are small break fast hotels are in Navlakh Umbre village. If you take a lunch with you then its amazing experience to take it one top of the hill spot....
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