Kaas, Plateau of Flowers

Flowers have been part of humankind’s existence; I am sure, since time immemorial. In fact the myriad colors lift ones mood from morose to joyous in a moment. So much so that now-a-days there is a new branch of alternate medicine based just on that, called Flower Therapy.

A few months back after starting out for the famous Valley of flowers, I was destined to quit the trip midway and come back empty handed. I really needed a balm to calm my hurt soul.

If by any chance this happens with you as well, then here is a remedy. My type of flower therapy. 🙂
Take a tour of Kaas, plateau of flowers in Satara district of Maharashtra, instead! The distant cousin of valley of flowers.

A carpet of flowers.

Of course, you need to be a little fortunate here too, for, the flowers are as fickle minded as a toddler that they will show their bright smiling faces only for a very short period and at times that suit them.

These wild flowers are clever too. To stop us fighting over whose photographs are better or more colorful, every week they take turns to bloom and display different colors.

Kaas is home to several species of flowers that are found only here and some of them are in the endangered list, I am told.

Each one is competing with the other.

On the downside, the natural splendor is encouraging uncontrolled tourism. In stark contrast to Valley of flowers, which is a protected region with no vehicular pollution to spoil the pristine beauty of the place, there is no such control and we could see hundreds of vehicles making a bee line to the local tourist attraction. I heard that there is a proposal to develop this region as a hill station with an airport and broad roads. Wind mills have already encroached on this plateau.
I guess the authorities must take cognizance of this fact and make an effort protect it from pollution, like they have done for Matheran.

The journey over the winding roads on mountain sides, offering a view of huge blue lakes or mist covered hill tops and later roads on the ridge which eventually opens out to a plateau, takes ones breath away. One can easily say the journey is itself the destination!

Tips –
1) Compared to valley of flowers which requires us to be physically fit enough to do at least a full day’s trekking; this place is totally reachable by road and does not require any fitness level.
2) Schedule your trip to catch the wildflowers in this area which bloom only for a short period of 2-3 weeks every year just after the monsoon.
3) Try not to go on a weekend, it’s terribly crowded.
4) Try to reach the place as early as possible. 7 AM is a good time.

Distance – Kaas is 25 KMs from Satara town which in turn is 250 KM from Mumbai.

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