THE ROAD LESS travelled

A travel diary: Alibaug. 

- Bindu Saxena

A thrilling drive from my place to the one I revisited, after a blank, was Alibaug. A surprisingly un-spoilt and scenic route led us through three highways, taking us down and sometimes up, right and sometimes left, amidst sublime streaks of sunshine and the snicker of nature, driving our mental frames with crazy fun.

We reached our destination much before lunchtime. The sky was clear. The sun shone brightly. It was the perfect time to clink our glasses with beer and bites. We had four days to enliven our stay and fill us with nostalgia.

After hitting the beaches, restaurant-hopping, and loading ourselves on a bullock-cart ride by the sea, we scouted a less traversed destination - the Karmarkar Shilpalaya. Come with me, I will take you there.

An Elusive Road Journey 

We are not kindred spirits. Be it food habits, taste, choice of holiday destinations, or exploring the places, we have pre-determined preferences. I wonder if people visiting Alibaug would ever try to browse, locate or even be at this venue.

It is one such place that would mostly fascinate people who appreciate art or students of sculpture-making. It's an excellent place to learn about the influence of early 20th-century art. I am glad that I did.

The day was misty, and clouds were eager to pour. We drove through the narrow winding roads amidst forest-like cover on either side. It was unimaginable to reach there without a GPS facility. Located in Saswane village, about 18 km from Alibaug, the museum was half this distance from the venue we vacationed at, on the Alibaug-Rewas road. There wasn't a soul to spot during the entire stretch. It could be due to the inclement weather. A couple of times, I wondered what would happen if the sole facility failed to navigate us. Ah, well! As they say, difficult paths lead to a beautiful destination! It proved just right!