Satara Road Trip Day 2: Sajjangad, Windmills, Thoseghar & an Unexpected Goodbye

A Day That Started With Sunshine and Ended in Silence

Yesterday had been a terrific… I mean, traffic-ic day! 😜

By the time we reached the hotel, hitting the bed was honestly the best part of the day. So after a good night’s sleep, we woke up completely rejuvenated and ready for Day 2 of our Satara trip.

We had planned another day of exploring some of the best places to visit in Satara, especially the beautiful monsoon destinations around the Sahyadris.

Our first destination was Sajjangad Fort, Satara.

I had been told there was a little climb involved, and knowing myself, I thought it would be wise to reach early before the sun decided to test my fitness levels.

“Subah-subah nikal jao… warna suraj bolega, Aashish ji, aaj asli fitness test karte hain!” 😄

So we left early.

That morning drive turned out to be one of the nicest parts of our Satara road trip.

The roads were quiet, the breeze was cool, and the landscape seemed washed and painted green overnight. The Sahyadris looked beautiful in the morning light and, after yesterday’s traffic drama, this peaceful drive felt like a completely different Satara.

Sajjangad Fort – More Than Just a Fort

We soon reached the Sajjangad parking area.

There is ample parking if you’re coming by car, and ST buses are also available from Satara towards Sajjangad, making it fairly easy to reach even if you don’t have your own vehicle.

We parked the car and started walking towards the fort.

A short walk brought us to the stone steps.

Now, whenever someone tells me “bas thodi si chadhai hai,” I have learned not to celebrate too early.

“Thodi si chadhai bolne wale ko ek baar saath mein chadha ke dekhna chahiye!” 😂

Thankfully, this time the description was fairly accurate.

The climb was quite manageable and, walking at a comfortable pace, we reached the first Maha Darwaza in around ten minutes.

We crossed the gateway, climbed a few more steps, passed another entrance, and before we knew it, we were at the top.

I was quite pleased with myself.

“Arre wah… lungs ne aaj resign nahi kiya!” 😄

Sajjangad, earlier known as Parali Fort, is not just another fort in the Sahyadris.

Its history is closely tied to Samarth Ramdas Swami, the 17th-century saint and spiritual teacher who spent the latter part of his life here. His samadhi is located within the fort.

At the top, you find the Samarth Ramdas Swami Samadhi, the Shri Ram Temple, old fort structures and gateways, along with traditional water storage structures.

There is a peacefulness about the place that is difficult to describe.

You walk through a fort with centuries of history around you, and then suddenly you step towards the edge, and the landscape opens up.

And that’s when Sajjangad really makes an impression.

Below us was the Urmodi reservoir, stretching through the green landscape, with the Sahyadri hills forming a beautiful backdrop.

The monsoon had transformed everything.

Green hills.

Clouds floating around the mountains.

Cool breeze.

And the reservoir sitting quietly below.

This is exactly why a Satara monsoon trip is so popular among people looking for a refreshing Maharashtra monsoon getaway.

My wife and I spent quite some time there, enjoying the view and taking a few pictures with the reservoir behind us.

For once, there was no hurry to move to the next place.

“Aise view ke liye chadhai free mein mil rahi hai… complaint kis baat ki?” 😄

We eventually started making our way down, happy that we had decided to come early.

And there was another little travel lesson here: start early. The weather is much more comfortable, especially during the monsoon, and the stone steps can become slippery when wet. Good footwear is definitely advisable.

And Then Came the  Chalkewadi Windmills…

After Sajjangad, our next destination was Thoseghar Waterfall.

That was the plan. 

But somewhere along the way, we started seeing windmills.

Then another and another.

And suddenly we remembered that we had actually planned to visit Windmills, famous for their spectacular location across the green hills of Satara.

Except now, they were practically appearing along our route.

We looked at each other.

Why make a separate trip when the destination was already saying hello?

“Jab destination khud raste mein mil raha hai, toh usko ignore karna bhi toh badtameezi hai!” 😄

So we made a small detour.

And I’m glad we did.

The landscape around Windmills was stunning. Huge wind turbines stood across the rolling green hills, slowly turning in the breeze, with clouds hanging around the mountains.

It was one of those completely unplanned stops that makes a Satara road trip interesting.

“Aaj Google Maps se zyada kismat navigation kar rahi thi!” 😂

After spending some time around the windmills, we got back on the road towards Thoseghar.

Thoseghar Waterfall – A Satara Monsoon Favourite

A little further drive and we reached the entrance to Thoseghar Waterfall, one of the most popular monsoon places to visit in Satara.

And yes, this is a proper tourist spot with an entry gate and ticket counter.

We had barely got ourselves organised when the monsoon decided to make its presence felt.

Suddenly, it started raining heavily.

We took shelter under the shed and waited for a while.

The rain came down so heavily that for a moment it felt as if we had already reached the waterfall!

“Baarish ne bola, waterfall dekhne aaye ho? Pehle mera performance dekh lo!” 😄

Once the rain eased a little, we started walking towards the waterfalls.

The route is properly developed and easy to follow.

There are actually two waterfalls to explore — the Chota Waterfall and the much bigger Bada Waterfall.

At one point, the pathway becomes almost like a T-junction, with the two routes taking you towards the different viewpoints.

The good part?

Both waterfalls are beautiful.

The monsoon water was flowing strongly, the surrounding hills were lush green and the whole atmosphere had that dramatic Satara monsoon feel.

The only thing we found a little disappointing was that you cannot actually stand beneath the waterfalls.

So if you are imagining yourself standing directly under the falling water, completely drenched and enjoying a natural shower… that’s not really possible here.

You have to admire them from the designated areas.

But perhaps that’s not such a bad thing either.

“Waterfall full volume pe tha… bas shower lene ki permission nahi thi!” 😄

We enjoyed the views, took in the atmosphere and eventually headed back towards the car.

By now, Day 2 had already given us Sajjangad, beautiful morning roads, Chalkewadi Windmills and Thoseghar Waterfall.

We still had more places planned.

But then came the phone call that changed everything.

Some Journeys Don’t Continue

After leaving Thoseghar, we were supposed to head towards Yavateshwar Temple and then continue towards Tapola. We also had plans for the following day.

I was driving, my wife was beside me, and we were casually discussing where to go next.

My phone rang through the car speaker.

It was my close school friend, Anil Kadavil.

I picked up expecting the usual conversation between two old friends.

Instead, Anil told me that his brother had passed away.

His brother Sunil Kadavil was also my classmate.

That made the news deeply personal.

I knew he had been battling cancer. I knew things had been difficult. But somewhere inside, you still hope there will be more time.

More conversations.

Another meeting.

Another chance to say hello.

And then suddenly, there isn’t.

I don’t remember much of what I said after Anil gave me the news.

I just remember sitting there quietly, trying to absorb it.

For the next few minutes, neither my wife nor I spoke.

The car kept moving.

The road was still beautiful.

The rain was still falling.

The green hills were still around us.

But I had completely lost the desire to see anything more.

A few minutes earlier, we were discussing Yavateshwar and Tapola.

Now, all I wanted was to go home.

I looked at my wife and said,

“Bas, ab aur nahi jaana. Ghar chalte hain.”

And that was it.

Yavateshwar was cancelled.

Tapola was cancelled.

The next day’s plans were cancelled.

We turned the car towards Mumbai.

It was strange how quickly everything had changed.

Just a little while earlier, we were enjoying the beauty of the Satara monsoon. Now none of it mattered.

The mountains were still there.

The greenery was still beautiful.

But I wasn’t looking at them anymore.

When the heart is hurting, sometimes even the most beautiful view has nothing to say to you.

The Journey Back Home

As we drove back, I kept thinking about school days and the people who were part of those years.

His face was no longer going to be part of any future school reunion, any unexpected meeting, or any casual conversation about the old days.

He would remain where so many of our old memories live — in the past.

Our Satara road trip from Mumbai had started with excitement, plans and the usual enthusiasm of discovering new places.

It ended very differently.

Not with another destination.

Not with another photograph.

But with a quiet drive back home.

And perhaps that is what I will remember most about Day 2.

Not just Sajjangad.

Not just the  Windmills.

Not just Thoseghar Waterfall.

But the moment when a phone call reminded me that while we are busy planning our next destination, life has its own plans.

Some journeys are remembered for the places you visit.

Some are remembered for the people you meet.

And some stay with you because of the moment you decided to turn back.

Rest in peace, my friend.

You were a part of our school years, and you will always remain a part of those memories.