Bushi Dam in Maharashtra is a short drive down from both Mumbai and Pune, off the town limits of Lonavala, and makes for an ideal monsoon getaway. Over the years, families have patronized this place galore, leading to rapid commercialization. Quite obviously, this has made Bushi Dam a tourist favourite among all visitors to cities in Maharashtra close to the coast.

How To Get There?

That’s the million dollar question, getting to Bushi Dam is no walk in the park. Once you’ve made your way to Lonavala, ask around for direction to Bushi Dam. About 2 kilometres from the Bushi Dam, one starts seeing boards labelled ‘Bushi Dam Parking’ on any open space that’s motorable with touts charging nominal parking fees, ranging anywhere between 5 to 20 Indian Rupees. That isn’t the issue, pay up and make sure you park as far away as possible from the dam location since getting out is quite a nightmare in traffic. Roads aren’t in the best of condition here and there is little or no traffic police interference.

Things To Remember Once You’re There

Once you are at the dam location, one must remember, you need to wade through quite a deep puddle of water to get to the dam and a flight of stairs that are a tourist favourite. Depending on the time of the year, this puddle may change to a mini-lake. This is where the overflowing dam is most enjoyed in the monsoons. Right at the entrance to the so-called puddle, you’ll find low-cost footwear and slip-on stalls. In the unlikely event that you decided to leave home with your expensive Reeboks or Nikes, do yourself a favour and buy a pair of slip-on.

Food, snacks, water and if you’re lucky a hookah joint are all available at the famous steps to the dam so avoid buying any of these things before you’ve crossed the puddle. It makes it a whole lot more difficult to manage to get across with your hands full.

The Famous Staircase And The Scenic Beauty

Lonavala and the areas around it are blessed with natural beauty and best that nature has to offer in the western part of the country. Bushi Dam itself and the areas around it are no stranger to this beauty. Right from the car parks to the stalls to the lake to the dam itself, is a photographer’s dream canvas and a nature lover’s paradise.

Although Bushi Dam is open practically round the year, it is best if one visits around the monsoon to enjoy it in entirety.

At the famous staircase, which by now deserves an iconic name, you’ll find people of all ages enjoying the water gushing down them. Just sitting there is quite an experience in itself, and visitors call the flow of water down the stairs, ‘unnaturally enjoyable.’ The staircase at Bushi Dam is known to bring out the kid in visitors whether 8 years old or 80.

What’s Cooking?

Along the staircase and around it, you’ll find several stalls selling all kinds of food that’s popular in the region. For once, you might want to give the traditional Vada Pav (Bread Stuffed with a Potato Pâté) a miss and try the Corn Vadas, Cheese Vadas and Cheese Noodles. The weather’s quite chilly in the monsoons, so a cup of tea goes very well with the experience. Touts are all over the place trying to sell you eatables, which can get a little troubling but nevertheless, it helps when you’re hungry and the food they serve is delicious!