TALEGAON, MY SECOND HOME.

• It was a Saturday evening of June month, with the first rains after a dry spell,
• the smell of fresh powerfully evocative mud, 
• the rain droplets turning into an endless music of droplets,  
• we were enjoying the rains sipping some steaming tea,
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• an idea of having a SECOND HOME amidst the nature's lap, flashed through our minds to enjoy the rains many times more. 
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• The Search for the property then became our favourite weekend pastime. Till one Sunday morning, we chanced upon an advertisement on "Second Home" page of a newspaper.  
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• The property was decided at TALEGAON DABHADE, a historic place, 120 kms from Mumbai and 35 kms from Pune, situated on a highest altitude between the two metros.
• We fell in love with the place instantly and the next one year we were caught up in buying it and  interiordesigning it. Talegaon has a very pleasant climate, surrounded by mountains and  it's vast green areas  with awesome rains. 
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• It also has many lakes and hence it is called Talegaon (Laketown).
  
• Every vacation sometimes weekend also we hit the BOMBAY PUNE road with the kids and stayed at least for two days. 
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• Slowly our favourite books, 
• kitchenwares,
• family games, 
• our cycles, 
• full set of clothes 
• was up at the home, we only needed to drive to another home
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• The Expresshighway was under construction then but we really didn't mind the four hours drive.
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• After the construction of Mumbai-Pune Expressway, which is India's first six lanes concrete high speed express road, we could reach in less than two hours.
  
• On the other side, our home was taking a good shape. We had done it with cane furniture, 
• with the blow-up pictures of my kids on the walls,
• with our favourite cane swing in the balcony where we could sit for hours enjoying the beautiful landscapes. 
  
• with the entire family enjoying the cycle rides.
  
• with ofcourse the RAINS!!!!
• We had never missed our visit in the first week of June, the onset of Monsoon, with my kids jumping in the poodles,
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  snugging into the swing looking at rains and listening to its music, terrific but beautiful lightening and deafening thunders.
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  We had a blast of our lives in my second home for nearly twenty long years for every vacation well spent!! 
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• For us, our home at Talegaon always remained as a family space, 
• For my relatives and my closknit friends, this house was the best option, in fact, I can bet that each one of them has lasting memories of their stay. 
• We always looked forward to get our dear ones with us and the place really gathered more beauty with their company.
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• Memories of a famous Garden restaurant  "THANDA MAMLA" at the entrance of Talegaon, located on the top of a hill with THANDA THANDA COOL COOL breeze and delicious food will never fade away. 
  
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• Due to Expressway's best and fast connectivity, slowly and steadily Talegaon and it's nearby places gained momentum. 
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• Places like Chakan, Hinjewadi, Wakad became new IT HUBS.
• Economic growth created new job opportunities leading to urbanisation.
  
  Agriculture was an important factor of these places, but the town's industrial development and  emergence of software companies led and is leading to its quick urbanization. 
• For many, now Talegaon is their first home.
• With so many multistorey apartments coming up in and around the town, the place is loosing it's quietness, though it is still the land of beauty, serenity and divinity being on an altitude of  2200ft above sealevel.
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• Inspite of its quick urbanisation, Being a Eco city, it is still attracting real estate developers to promote the area for property investment and it is still the SECOND HOME for many giving the joy of being close to the nature with the bestest amenities and facilities of a cityhome.
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• Eventually though, our regular visits  started reducing, owing to our kids  getting engrossed in their higher studies,
• rising urbanization, 
• we getting use to the new pace of life. 
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• Gradually our visits stopped completely. We did return a couple of times, But;
• Somewhere deep down we knew that....
• the coming up of  many  highrise  apartments opposite our place blocking the entire landscapes, giving a feel of more of a citylife,
• the changing tastes of our growing kids contributed in small ways towards our dwindling interest. 
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• We have now sold off  the property, 
• but,..
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• On some odd Saturday evening, there is that slightly tug at the heart when we miss the vacation times well spent with the loved ones,
• those moments of simple family bonding and carefree times, TALEGAON will always remain a part of us.
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• Whenever we  take the Expresshighway, we take a deliberate halt at The Cool Cool Thanda Thanda... "THANDA MAMLA" and relive the moments.
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• So on that note I would say 
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• TALEGAON  WILL  ALWAYS  BE  ONE  OF  THE  BEST  THINGS  IN  MY  LIFE, 
• WITH  THE  EVERLASTING  MEMORIES MADE  WITH  MY  LOVED  ONES  ALONG THE  WAY!!! 

EXTRACT FROM MY DIARY

• It was a December night of my teen years, pleasantly cold, we had done with our mid term exams, a spontaneous plan was made to escape from the hustle bustle of citylife to a nearby place. 
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• The weekend getaway was decided. One of my father's dear friend had a second home at Awas village near Alibaug beach. Though he was not accompanying us, he made sure that we would have great time at his well furnished cottage, with his cook and caretaker. 
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• Next day, early morning with the picnic mood on, skipping our breakfast, we took a ferry boat from Gateway of India to Revdanda. 
  
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• As it was a quick plan, also the cottage equipped with a cook, we did not pack any snacks or titbits. 
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• After we reached Revdanda, we had to walk a distance of 2 kms to reach the Awas village. 
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• On a winter morning, with a temperature hovering around 10 degrees, we were walking through the narrow muddy road amidst dense trees, heading towards the cottage, desperately wanting to stop for a while and grab a bite. 
  
• There it was....!!! 
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• One CHAI TAPRIWALA came to our rescue. With a warm smile he whipped out glasses, poured steaming adarakwali chai and served it  with bread and some butter on it. 
  
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• Resting on a bench, we silently and hungrily munch our way through  UNDOUBTEDLY ONE OF THE BEST CHAI PREPARATIONS THAT I HAVE EVER HAD!  
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• During our conversation with him my little Bro complained about the taste of the butter, 
• Pat came the reply with a witty smile and a twinkle in eyes from the tapriwala 
• "SOMETHING IS BETTER THAN AJIBAT NOTHING "
• I would mention here that" ajibat "is a Marathi word that means "Absolutely" 

• These words coming from him hit me and still keeps me grounded. 
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• That was some 35 years back. 
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• Come December on a winter night of this year, planning to spend a weekend at a nearby place, down the memory lane my visit to AWAS was revived. 
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• After a span of nearly three decades the place has come up as one of the most loved weekend getaway with the clean beach, well maintained roads and lovely resorts equipped with all sorts of amenities and Mouthwatering eateries. 
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• But...
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     THAT TAPRIWALA, THAT CHAI, THOSE WORDS,  
•   I will remember for many years after I have forgotten the hungry walk from  Revdanda to the cottage at Aawas!!! 
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