Despite being born and bred in Pune, I hardly ever took time to explore the city. I was always thinking of travelling to foreign lands but never my hometown. With the lockdown and travel restrictions, I decided to utilise this time to explore and fall in love again with my charming Pune city. The first place I visited on my quest to explore and experience Pune is the Veer dam.

Located 64.7 km (40 miles) outside Pune and takes 1½ hours to reach Veer. It is the ideal destination for spending the day with family and friends.

So, Friday morning after breakfast we, left for Veer dam at around 10 am. Living on the outskirts of Pune has its advantages, however city folks should leave at 8:30 – 9 am so you have plenty of time to enjoy yourself at the dam. We followed the Dive Ghat route, locally known as Saswad ghat. Don’t miss the city views from Saswad Ghat. During monsoons, a mossy green colour blankets the mountains.

THE ROUTE TO VEER DAM

This scenic route passes through fields and mountains. As you head outside the city, the number of buildings start dwindling, and soon the mountains are in view. The Dive ghat or locally known as Saswad ghat offers expansive views of the city. It is a popular photo ops spot among locals and tourists alike.

After stopping for a quick picture, we headed to Saswad. If you are a true Punekar, you know that any road trip is incomplete without Vada pav and misal pav. Packing a few Vada pavs for everyone, we were now fully equipped for our road trip to Veer dam.

Upon leaving Saswad, the road grows narrow and gradually turns into a village road. The road is narrow and in average condition. It is a scenic route passing through lush green fields and mountains. Stop at a tea stall to enjoy a steaming cup of tea and Vada pav while enjoying the panoramic views.

*TIP: Stop frequently and enjoy nature on your way to the dam to make the most of the road trip.

Soon you will enter Veer, a hamlet in the Purandar taluka. This hamlet is a sacred religious centre among Hindus. Veer is renowned for 2 things- the Veer Mhaskoba temple and the Veer dam.

VEER TEMPLE

On our way to the dam, we stopped by the Veer temple. It is a sacred temple for many Hindus.

The temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva’s Kaal bhairava manifestation, Shreenath Mhaskoba. Hundreds of devotees visit the temple daily. The Veer Jatra is a famous festival and, thousands upon thousands of devotees from all over Maharashtra and other states gather to celebrate and join the festivities. The festival takes place during the full moon in February and continues for 10 days. Gulal covers the temples every nook and cranny. The festival’s highlight is the climate and harvesting prophecies for the year.

Built on the banks of the Purnaganga river the, temple’s shikhara is visible from the road. Street vendors and devotees mark the temple’s entrance. The stone path covered in gulal leads to the temple.

Pray at the temple before heading out to the Veer dam.

VEER DAM

Located on the border of the Pune and Satara districts, the Veer dam is among the important dams of Maharashtra. The water from the dam is utilised for irrigation and generating hydroelectricity.

The overgrown roadside trees and bushes conceal the dam’s entrance and are hard to find. An enormous Banyan tree, on the right side of the road, faces the dam’s entrance. But the gate was closed. Farmers in the nearby fields kindly directed us towards another path that leads to the stone wall. A few metres from the entrance, on the left side, there are stairs to the stone wall.

We climbed the stairs and were blessed with views of the entire dam. It was so peaceful and quiet up there and I could have spent the day sitting and enjoy the view. However, there was no path to the water below. We spent a while there before driving another 6 km to the opposite side of the dam.

There is a large gate that reads Veer Dam. I recommend driving a little further from the main entrance. As you move further away, you will see small stalls on the right side of the road Stop at any of these roadside stalls. There you will find rugged paths leading down to the water. The further you drive from the main entrance the, less crowded it is. Park your vehicles near the stalls and walk down to the water.

After splashing around in the water like a bunch of kids, water dripping from our clothes, we walked back to the stall for lunch.

LUNCH AT VEER DAM

There are small stalls every few meters on the roadside with a limited but delicious menu. Most stalls offer snacks like Vada pav, onion bhaji, tea and lunch both, vegetarian and non-vegetarian.

As for the vegetarian menu, I can’t say much. But for non-vegetarians, I recommend the fish thali. They have fresh fish. A fish thali entails a bhakri, spicy fish curry, fried fish, non-spicy fish curry and rice. It is just the food to eat to recharge yourself after splashing around in the water.

Before heading down to the water, we placed our lunch order. We were engrossed in our fun while the food grew cold. But the owner was kind enough to reheat the food for us. Eating delicious food while enjoying the serene views is the perfect way to spend the day. We lingered a while longer before heading home.

Veer dam is an ideal monsoon destination to spend fun times with family and friends. I hadn’t visited the dam since I was a kid. I regret not visiting such a serene place more often. But this short road trip made me realise why I love my Pune city.

Hope this ignited your wanderlust because

The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes, but in having new eyes.

MARCEL PROUST