Announcing Velas Turtle Festival 2010 - March 10 to 28

Sahyadri Nisarga Mitra, Chiplun is organising the Turtle Festival from March 10 to 28 2010 at Velas, Taluka Mandangad, District Ratnagiri in coordination with Kasav Mitra Mandal - Velas, Gram Panchayat - Velas and the Forest Department.

What's New This Year?

The turtle eggs in Velas nests have started hatching since the last few days. There is a good possibility of emergence of hatchlings from 10th to 28th March 2010, and hence these 19 days have been set for the Turtle Festival. To participate in the festival you can visit Velas at your convenience. The dates on which the hatchlings could be best viewed would be announced on the website as well as our blog at snmcpn.blogspot.com. During the festival period we will be updating the blog about twice a day. Once hatchlings start emerging from nest, they continue to do so for 2 consequent days so that's a good time to observe them.

You may contact any person listed below or on the blog to inform about your arrival, period of stay, number of accompanying persons etc. Please be present at the sea-shore at 7 in the morning and 6 in the evening. There you will find our volunteers releasing the hatchlings (if emerged) into the sea. You can get additional information at the spot from the volunteers.

While in Velas, please do visit the Marine Turtle Information Centre as well as the Marine Turtle Research and Conservation Centre. Kindly make generous donations and also purchase SNM memorabilia of your choice at these centers.

Logistics

Lodging and boarding arrangements will be made by the Kasav Mitra Mandal of Velas. Charges are Rs. 225/- per person per day. This includes: a simple dormitory style homely accomodation (no separate rooms), simple vegetarian meals (breakfast, lunch and dinner) and tea (three times). Sataranjis (carpets) will be provided where sufficient mattresses are not available.
Kindly contact the following for more information.

1. Mr. Kamalakar Bendke – 9226 725 050
2. Mr. Uday Pandit – 9423 047 700
3. Office - 02355 253 030

Kasav Mitra Mandal, Velas
1. Mr. Prakash Joshi - 02350 - 220570
2. Mr. Milind Nijasure - 02350 - 220629
3. Mr. Santosh Joshi - 02350 - 220511
4. Smt. Bagkar - 02350 - 220682
5. Mr. Mohan Upadhye - 02350 - 220304
6. Mr. Avinash Yadav - 02350 - 220545
7. Mr. Sandeep Kutumbe - 02350 - 220633

Other attractions in/around Velas:

• The native place of the great diplomat - the late Nana Phadanvis and his monument
• Harihareshwar and Kelshi for the pristine nature
• Bankot creek and Himmatgad fort which has the tomb of British officer Aurther's wife

You can take your vehicle on the ferry boat plying across the Bankot creek while traveling to Harihareshwar from Bankot Vesvi. Do leave in time for the return journey.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. How to decide the best date to visit?

   Hatchlings emerge over about 3 days from one nest. You need to check our website or blog for the announcement of hatchlings emerging from a nest and then plan to visit Velas in the next two days after that. For example, on 13th March if we announce that hatchlings have emerged, then 14th and 15th are the best possible dates for viewing the turtles.

2. How to reach Velas?

   By road: Please click the image below for a road map.
   
   
   
   By MSRTC (ST) bus: Here is a bus timetable
   
   

   Timings of ST buses from Mumbai, Pune & Dapoli

   Bus	Starts from	At	Reaches	At
   Pune - Velas	Pimpri	09.30	Velas	17.30
   Velas - Pune	Velas	06.45	Swargate	13.30
   Mumbai - Velas	Mumbai	12.30	Velas	20.00
   Velas - Mumbai	Velas	06.30	Mumbai	12.30
   Mumbai - Velas	Mumbai	00.30	Velas	06.30
   Velas - Mumbai	Velas	09.00	Mumbai	15.00
   Ratnagiri - Velas	Ratnagiri	16.15	Velas	22.30
   Velas - Ratnagiri	Velas	05.00	Ratnagiri	11.00
   Dapoli - Velas	Dapoli	14.50	Velas	17.30
   Velas - Dapoli	Velas	07.30	Dapoli	10.30
   Mandangad - Velas	Mandangad	08.10 10.10 14.30	Velas	09.15 11.30 15.30
   Velas - Mandangad	Velas	09.30 11.45 16.15	Mandangad	10.30 12.55 17.15

   
   
   Train is not convenient to reach Velas

3. How to book accommodation?

   Visit our website or blog - snmcpn.blogspot.com and call one of the members and inform them about your arrival at Velas. Give details such as names and number of persons, gents or ladies, children, period of stay (1 day, 1 and a half day etc.) and arrival time. There is no need to pay in advance, you can pay at Velas.

4. Can we see Turtles / Hatchlings for sure?

   We try our best to give you a chance to see turtle hatchlings crawling towards the sea. Our calculations are based on our experience of the last 7 years. However it is a natural phenomenon and can not be guaranteed! Also, it is not possible to see female turtles laying eggs.

5. Can we get separate rooms?

   Velas is a small village and there are no Hotels or Resorts. But decent home stay arrangements are provided. Mr. Milind Nijasure, Phone No. 02350 - 220629, has only one separate room while in all other places accommodation is shared with other guests. Basic facilities like bathrooms, latrines etc. are provided.

6. What type of food is available?

   Simple home-cooked Maharashtrian vegetarian food.

7. Which mobile networks are accessible in Velas?

   Within Velas, there is no mobile coverage, only BSNL landline! About 1/2 km before the village is a spot where mobile coverage is available.

Turtle nesting - Current status

For up-to-the-minute updates, please check our blog at snmcpn.blogspot.com

What's new?

Photos from Maharashtra Pakshi Mitra Sammelan 2009

(Click to enlarge)

Prof. Madhavrao Gadgil being welcomed by Shri. Jayant Kanade, President of SNM	A rapt audience at the Sammelan
Bird watching in the morning	Executive committee of Maharashtra Pakshi Mitra

Turtle conservation report 2008-2009

Marine Turtle Conservation report for the year 2008-2009 is now available. You can view/download it by clicking the link below.

Marine turtle conservation report 2008-2009 (PDF)

September 2009

Colourful brochures of Sahyadri Nisarga Mitra and the recently launched Nature Conservation Fund have just been published. So is the annual report for the year 2008-2009. Click on the images below to view or download the PDF versions.