HEADLINES:  

INTRODUCTION

Saputara is a very scenic place situated in the Dang district of Gujarat which attracts a lot of tourists.Saputara at an altitude of about 875 meters is an ideal place to escape from the hustling bustling city life giving peace of mind and serenity.Saputara helps in the restoration of youthful features to fluvial landscapes amidst the green woods.

Saputara is free from commotion or disturbance experiences a climate that is consistently pleasant, although leaning towards chilly, throughout the year. Summers are also not really very hot for even during these months the temperature does not exceed 28 Degrees C.

ORIENTATION

Saputara coordinates between 20°40N and 73°21E / 20.67°N 73.35°E and is situated in the Dang forest area of the Sahyadri Range.

HISTORY

Saputara though not has much on its history legend has it that Lord Rama spent 11 years of his exile in these very forests. There is other meaning for the name Saputara for it literally it literally means 'abode of serpents’. This name of Saputara is highlighted by the presence of an image of a snake on the shores of the Sarpagana river, which flows through the town.

FAIRS AND FESTIVALS

DANGS DARBAR

Dangs Darbar is a tribal festival which falls in the month of March/April just before holi.It is a very colourful tribal festival which goes for about five days during which the tribal people assemble to celebrate an old custom of political pensions given to the tribal kings. The events of the festival include merry making, dance and music, colour and a brisk buying and selling of tribal wares. The tourists visiting Saputara also participate in this festival with equal enthusiasm.

PLACES OF INTERESTS

PANDAVA CAVES

Pandava Caves in Valpoi in the district of North Goa is again close to Saputara for it is situated in the Goa Gujarat border.Pandava Caves talks a lot about the great warriors of the epic Mahabharatha.There are legends which says that Pandavas put up here for some time during their wilderness in the forest and they used these caves to offer their prayers to Lord Shiva. It also houses a Shivling inside the cave.Pandava Caves is also popularly referred as Aravalem caves.

HATGADH FORT

Hatgadh Fort is though situated in the state of Maharastra in the border of Gujarat and Maharastra it is nearby to Saputara.The main feature of this fort is that it is about 3,600 feet high giving panoramic views of the down valley.

A narrow passage carved through the rocky terrains leads to the fort. It is also an ideal place to trekk up the village.

GIRA WATERFALLS

The Gira waterfalls which comes in full gush in the months of June to November is just 52 km away from Saputara.It is a very nice place for picnics and week ends. The tourists never miss this waterfall in Saputara.

SAPUTARA MUSEUM

The Saputara museum is centrally located in the town near the main market. The museum mainly exhibits the various lifestyles and culture of the tribal people of this area namely the Dangis.Museum provides spectacular exhibition of variety of clothes, utensils, traditional artifacts, lifestyles, house objects, musical instruments, ornaments, and many such objects which are used by the native tribal Dangis.Apart from this exhibition the museum also conducts a workshop on most of the days which teaches the making of the traditional objects.

SAPUTARA LAKE

Saputara Lake is the major attraction of tourists in this hill station. There is a Boat Club here from where you can hire sailboats, paddleboats and rowing boats and enjoy boating in the lake. The Sun Rise and Sun Set Points provide panoramic and varied views of the sun.

NAGESHWAR MAHADEV TEMPLE

The Nageshwar Mahadev Temple is known for its holiness and is one of the most religious places in this area. The presiding deity of this temple is Lord Shiva. This temple has got of hundreds of devotees visiting daily.

VANSDA NATIONAL PARK

Vansda National Park is spread over an area of about 24 sq km and it is the home of tigers, leopards, python, four-horned antelope, pangolin, rusty-spotted cats and giant squirrels. This park which draws a lot of tourist’s attention was initially a private forest of the Maharaja of Vansda.

PURNA SANCTUARY

The Purna Sanctuary at a distance of about 60 km north of Dangs is situated at Mahal in the Western Ghats of Gujarat. It is a dense moist deciduous forests with full of bamboos leading the path.

FOREST NURSERY

Forest Nursery in Saputara offers many varieties of plants and trees. The nursery is run by the forest department. Many flowered plants can be spotted here; different varieties of Hibiscus flowers are attracting many visitors. Saplings of fruit trees, flowered plants, creepers and many other trees are showcased here and one can purchase these saplings for a moderate price.

LAKE GARDEN

Lake Garden is a major entertainment for both the locals and the tourists coming here. This is a very beautiful garden very well maintained enclosing nice plants and rare kinds of trees. The Lake garden looks very fertile with full of green. Apart from the garden it also accommodates a play area for the children

ROSE GARDEN

This is a beautiful garden which has different species and varieties of Roses. The different colours of the roses give a spectacular view for the visitors.

STEP GARDEN

One another attractive place in Saputara, step garden has the unique feature of a garden set up in steps. Well laid out steps are adorned with beautiful plants, flower pots and in the midst of nice woods. There is a Forest hut for the comfortable stay of the visitors, placed amidst the garden. The Garden is well maintained and offer many varieties of flowers and plants.

SHOPPING

Shopping is quite interesting in Saputara.The main attraction of shopping here includes the tribal canopy works on bamboo trees. The other items in the shopping list include artifacts and handicrafts, key chain and trinkets like pen stands made in bamboo. Apart from these bamboo items there is an exclusive type of metal artifacts made by the Bastar community of tribes.Saputara is also known for the paintings made of dyed vegetables. The main shopping area in Saputara is situated in the Gandharvapur Artist Village.
 

HOW TO REACH

By Air

The airport at Mumbai is the nearest to Saputara and caters to the air travel needs of the tourists.

By Trains

The nearest railway station at Waghai on the Billimora-Waghai narrow gauge section of the western Railways.

By Road

The town of Waghai is 51 km away.There are State Transport buses and private luxury coaches from Waghai and Ahmedabad. If you are coming by a private car, than National Highway might be quicker, but the state highway will offers a stunningly scenic drive.