Monsoon Magic @ Kihim Beach, Alibaug

Last 40 years or more been experiencing the joy of monsoon magic in and around Mumbai. This year it was Kihim just across the Gateway of India where all the Page 3 people have cottages. The area is dense with forest greenery and coconut orchards. Paradise on earth.

Started @ 7 am with 5 close friends and we stopped @ Wadkhal Naka @ Kshoodha Shanti Gruha for a hearty breakfast. Kshoodha Shanti Gruha means Home for Bringing Calmness to Hungry Stomach. We ordered 5 Missal Pav's and 1 Ussal Wada with hot and fresh Laadi Paav. Ussal Wada is fresh and crisp Batata Wada floating in hot & spicy Ussal with local flavours. We got some crispy Kanda Bhajia's with Gun powder. Gun powder is Raigad version of red chutney given by Mumbai Wadapav vendor. Here, they add bit of roasted chana powder to make it more meaningful. You break that Kanda Bhajia and dip into Gun powder and......be happy. Washed down all the stuff with Adrak chai. Param Sukh!!!! Param Sukh!!!!!!!!

Then we moved to Sai Sanidhya Resort which is 2 minutes walk away from the Beach. Ninad who is a qualified professional with a degree in hospitality management runs the show. He is tall, dark, handsome, smiling and a gentleman. He treats each customer as God and fortunately he has discovered early in his career who are his CUSTOMERS.

In order to enhance our pleasure we got some pure water of Carlsberg and holy water from Scotland and Red colour Drakshasav from Dindori (Nasik).

For Lunch he served us special hot chappaties which are prepared with wheat flour and stuffed with rice flour. It is a delicacy never tested before. Great Chicken curry and Gulab jamuns to end the lunch.

For Dinner he served us with freshly fried Surmai and Crab Curry with Rice Bhakri and to end the creamy vermicelli pudding garnished with dry fruits. Let me not describe the great breakfast and invite your envy.

The joy of monsoon picnic is enjoyed in following way: Let me try to describe it in words:

1. The smell of water soaked and satisfied mother earth. A unique smell coming from paddy fields and water drenched trees.

2. The sensation of sharp rain drops hitting your face on the Beach. Plodding through the water puddles and jumping there and splashing it.

3. Hearing the sound of Silence, Rain, birds and the ocean. Within minutes our mind calms down so much @ zero cost. Why is that so? Ask this question to friends and no satisfactory answer come to me.

4. Joy of looking @ the cloudy sky. Every changing moment to moment. If one is lucky we may get bit of sunshine too for a moment. The joy of looking at giant waves coming to shore and wetting my feet. This is ultimate.

5. Great local food. Fresh, organic, hot. We unanimously agree that it is worthwhile to drive down to Kihim just for great food and nothing else. Those who are sea food lovers: Breaking News! This time of the year one can enjoy a special fish called Jitada only available here. But the problem is it is rare and very expensive. If you are really chosen one you may get it. We did not!!!

Ninad has a website www.sannidhya.com or you can call him on his cell +919822999085.

Promised Ninad to come again and asked him the best time to visit Kihim exclusively for Sea Food. He told shocking to visit during Navratri. The best and testiest sea food is available during that time and he says the most of the Bengali's from Mumbai make it a point to come down during that time.