The Nature's Descendant - MAHARASHTRA

India- the land of diversity and unity. With its deep-rooted traditional values and exceptional family ties, India is known for many things. Be it the world-famous monuments, distinct rituals, its many, many languages and of course, its serene nature. India has it all.

It is the seventh largest country according to land mass. Each region has its own speciality. The northern region is known for its beautiful hilly areas, the North-eastern for its tropical areas and rain forest. North-western for its deserts, Central for its combination of hills and scenic beaches. South for its backwaters and mountainous regions.

Today, we will talk about the land of saints and scholars- Maharashtra. Also known as the land that nurtured the Indian film industry. Maharashtra has something for everyone. Especially on its tourism front. Love beaches? You’ll find the most beautiful and calm beaches in the Konkan stretch. Love hilly areas? You have the breathtaking Sahyadri range.

The wanderers, bikers, solo travellers and bloggers will tell you a thing or two about every region and its specialities.

We too reached out to a biker to know his experiences riding along the Marathi routes. Paresh Shinde is a biker, Youtuber, Content creator and a proud Maharashtrian.

His journey as a biker started 12 years ago when he would go up to a nearby location and explore the vicinity. He currently rides Bajaj Dominar 250 and clocked over 1.5 lakh kilometres on it!

Paresh has been documenting his biking adventures for 3 years now and has covered almost all corners of Maharashtra. His YouTube channel is a guide to all places explored or unexplored. Be it his Palghar, Jawahar collection or his Konkan rides, he has done it all.

While many bikers ride up to North India, Paresh chose to explore Maharashtra. When asked him the reason behind this, he gave the most thoughtful and practical answer.
“I feel, Maharashtra has a combination of scenic places. From mountainous regions to beaches, we have many options. You go to the coastal side and you’ll see a different story altogether. The Konkani people, their food, the culture and of course the Konkani beaches. As a Maharashtrian, I’ve wanted to explore my state as well as I explore other states of India. I’ve met really kind and warm people in Maharashtra who have always been cooperative. Being a local has obviously given me a fair advantage!”

Paresh is a working professional managing his expeditions along with his corporate job, which, if you ask us, is a TASK! But his job hasn’t stopped him from pursuing his passion. On weekends, he often goes short rides to nearby places. He calls them ‘Breakfast Rides’.
“I start my journey early in the morning at 5 AM, go to a hill or dam within 50-60 kilometres, have breakfast, and come home by 9 AM. One can also take up this route before starting their work from home routine!”

He also suggested a few unexplored locations in Maharashtra like Palghar, Jawhar, hilly areas up north from Igatpuri, Dahanu, Mulshi (apart from Andarban) etc.

Apart from Maharashtra, Paresh has also been to Leh Ladakh on his bike, which was a solo trip.
“Solo trip is an exhilarating experience. Although, I suggest going on solo trips only if you’re an expert. Don’t go on rides after dark. I would find accommodation even if the main destination was only 50 kilometres away.”

The story of his best ride will warm your heart--“It was one of the first few rides when I didn’t have a bike. I would go with his friends and switch places. Every time I got to ride, I felt like a small kid who had just been given his favourite toy to play with. It was raining but wow, that was surreal. The feeling of first ride made me go “THIS is what I want to do in life”

Paresh plans to go to Spiti Valley in the upcoming months and also aims to buy a BMW bike one day!