Ahwa, Dangs, Gujarat

Ahwa, the headquarters of the district Dangs, is situated 1800 feet above MSL. Located centrally, any place in the district is within a periphery of around 50 kms of Ahwa. With a population of more than 20,000; Ahwa is the largest town in the District. The district offices of practically all government departments are located at Ahwa.

Entrance Gate, Ahwa, Dangs, Gujarat

Tourists can capture the sun going down the valley at the Sunset Point located behind Deep Darshan School. Cool breeze and green valley beneath are worth experiencing. The valley and the spot get covered with mist and fog after the rains. A lake within the town is a source for drinking water. In an early monsoon morning, one can watch fog floating on the lake water. Mahatma Gandhi Udyan is a beautiful garden opposite Collector Office with basic children rides and cosy sitting arrangements.

Mahatma Gandhi Garden, Ahwa

Collector Office, Ahwa

Apart from this, there are several spots located amidst scenic surroundings which give an excellent view of the woods and the valley. One can walk the plateau behind the R&B Circuit House and trek a narrow path leading to Devinamal Forest Camp Site or can walk a hilly plateau behind the new GWSSB (Gujarat Water Supply and Sewarage Board) office located on the Ahwa-Saputara road. Another route leading from Sunset Point to the villages beyond is also a beautiful trek. A path leading to Village Nilshakya across the valley behind the graveyard is a picturesque trek. All the above spots are worth visiting for excellent landscape photography.

Lake at Ahwa

Religious places in Ahwa include a Hanumanji temple, a Sai Baba temple and two Shiv temples. There are two mosques one each for Shia and Sunni sects. Tourists have three options for stay: a Circuit House (maintained by Road and Buildings Department), a forest rest house and a Pravasi Grih (maintained by District Panchayat). 

Pravasi Grih, Ahwa

Dang Swaraj Ashram, Ahwa

The Dang Swaraj Ashram was established in 1948 by the efforts of prominent social workers like Shri Jugatram Dave of Vedchhi Ashram (Surat), Shri Chhotubhai Nayak and Shri Ghelubhai Nayak. Its main objectives were to promote Khadi production, spread of education, social education, cooperative movement, prohibition and relief work. The institution works for the welfare of the Dangis and gives assistance to them mainly in the field of education. It runs two ashramshalas, one at Ahwa and the other at Kalibel.

Dang Swaraj Ashram, Ahwa

Swaraj Ashram, Ahwa

Barda Waterfalls, Dangs, Gujarat

Barda is a twelve-step falls near village Chankhal. Chankhal is a village situated at a distance of 10 kms from Ahwa on Ahwa-Mahal road. A right turn from the Ahwa-Mahal road just before village Chankhal and a 30 minutes trek leads to this beautiful fall situated amidst virgin woods. As one reaches the spot, one finds a beautiful lake fed by the last leg of this twelve step waterfalls. It remains wet between June and December. It doesn't have refreshment facilities either at the spot or along the route. Therefore one has to carry oneself essentials like snacks, water etc. from the nearest town Ahwa. One of the least known destinations in Dangs, this spectacular spot is a must for all nature and trek lovers.

Barda Waterfalls near Chankhal, Dangs, Gujarat

Barda Waterfalls, Dangs, Gujarat

Wild Woods Trail, Dangs, Gujarat

Purna-Gira Trail Route

Wild Woods Trail (WWT) is an initiative by the Forest Department in Dangs to promote eco-tourism and to create awareness about the need to protect forests and environment and to provide livelihood to the local tribals. WWT is a first of its kind trekking experience in the State with excellent camping sites, guides and offers a package of facilities to tourist trekkers.

Purna-Gira Trail, named after the two beautiful rivers of Dangs and stretching over 18 km, is one of the most thrilling of all the trails under WWT. Starting from Mahal Camp Site, the trail moves through Barumal watch tower, Dhulda, Chikhalda and reaches the base of the Girmal water falls near Girmal in a span of nine and a half hours. The entire trek route has been mapped and dotted with trek points.

Trek point Demarcation of Tree Trunk

Trekkers en route Purna-Gira WWT

Vulture Conservation Farm, Gadad, Dangs, Gujarat

A vulture conservation farm has been set up near village Gadad by the North Dangs Forest Division. Village Gadad is located around 30 km from Ahwa on Ahwa-Chinchli road. The hilly forest region surrounding Gadad has an altitude ranging from 2000 to 3500 feet and is a favorite spot for the Indian Vulture, also known as Long-billed Vulture (Gyps indicus). A good number of Long-billed Vultures are found in this region as the nests are built on the mountains slopes, they are beyond the reach of humans and hence not destroyed directly by them.

Characteristics of Indian Vulture

Vulture Conservation Centre, Gadad, Dangs

The Long-billed Vulture is a typical vulture, with a bald head, very broad wings and short tail feathers. The species reach breeding age at about 5 years old and breeds mainly on cliffs. Like other vultures it is a scavenger, feeding mostly from carcasses of dead animals which it finds by soaring over the region around human habitation.

Indian Vulture at Gadad Farm, Dangs

A Survey conducted by the Bombay Natural History Society in 2007 revealed that vulture population in India has declined by 97 percent in last few years. Of the nine species of vultures found in India, the white-backed, the long-billed and the slender-billed vultures are recognized as Critically Endangered species by the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature). Moreover, they are listed as Schedule I species in the Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, which is applicable to the tiger and one-horned rhino also.

The main cause of decline has been identified as poisoning caused by the veterinary drug diclofenac. Diclofenac is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) and when given to working animals it can reduce joint pain and keep them working for longer. The drug is believed to be swallowed by the vultures with flash of dead cattle which were given diclofenac in their last days. The drug reportedly causes dehydration of the vultures and they die due to visceral gout and kidney failure. 

Mayadevi Temple, Dangs, Gujarat

Mayadevi temple is located off Vyara-Ahwa road at a small village called Kakarda near village Bheskatri. This Hindu temple is dedicated to goddess Maya, the three-headed and four-armed deity believed to be an incarnation of Shakti. It is located on the banks of the river Purna.

 

Goddess Mayadevi

Originating in the hills of the Salher, Purna passes through Chinchli, Mahal, Kalibel and leaves the District near Bheskatri, flows through Tapi District and meets Arabian Sea near Navsari.  

The home of the goddess Mayadevi is in a cave buried in the river bed of Purna and is not accessible during the monsoons when Purna is full of life. During monsoons, the main temple complex is used for worshipping the goddess. There are concrete steps on the side of the temple complex descending to the rocks that form the river bed. There are steps on the river bed descending to a rock platform built on a pond that leads the devotees into the cave. The stalactite and stalagmite rock formations in the cave also offer pleasant viewing for the devotees. This temple is choc-a-block during Shivratri. Adjacent to the main temple is a shrine containing the Hindu god Hanuman.

Mayadevi Temple Landscape

Mayadevi Temple