Discover the sleepy seaside town of Dahanu,with fun activities like a nature trail, autorickshaw race and a campfire on the GORGEOUS beach. DO try your hand at Warli art too

Discover the sleepy seaside town of Dahanu,with fun activities like a nature trail, autorickshaw race and a campfire on the Gorgeous beach. DO try your hand at Warli art too

Wake up to the rooster's call, to sight a canopy of chikoo leaves shading you from the October sun. If Dahanu was only that sleepy, seaside town you passed on your train journeys to Ahmedabad and beyond, now is the time to drop by this quaint getaway and explore what lies beyond.

This weekend, the Dahanu chapter of the Indian National Trust for art and Cultural Heritage is organising the Discover Dahanu Festival, that will have you experience the character of this town.
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"The idea is to create awareness about this town and link it up to the environment by cleaning up its beaches and promoting the use of cloth bags instead of plastic," says environmental activist and teacher Phiroza Tafti who has been a resident of Dahanu since the past 32 years.

What this means is that you are just two hours away from being part of a nature trail, learning how to handle a cobra and exploring the town by driving around in a rickshaw (see box for the schedule).

Your two-day getway schedule

October 2u00a0
Nature Trail: Assemble at Nao Talao at 10 am. Local experts will take you on a guided walk through Dahanu's ecological hotspots. Participate in small games and crack mind-teasers to win local goodies. Learn what to do if you come eye-to-eye with a cobra in a workshop on snakes. Fee: Rs 25 per head
Envirun 2010: Run for four kms along Dahanu's gorgeous shoreline, and show your support for the 'No plastic, No Littering' campaign. We suggest you put in all your energies for this one ufffd the first one to reach the finishing line stands to win a flight in Dr Behramshah Mazda's mechanised glider. Fee: Rs 50 per person
The Mela: At the Lions Club, you can visit stalls displaying artifacts made by local artisans, have a tribesman assist you to make your own Warli painting, give a go at basket weaving and pottery, or simply gorge on local snacks. Witness a live performance by the Warli Tadpa Dance. Dress up like a Warli tribal and get your picture clicked in a typical household setting. Fee: Rs 10 per person
Campfire night: This is Saturday Night Fever with a twist. Head to the beach and join the Wali Tadpa dancers as they celebrate with live folk music, tuck into some barbecued snacks and keep sleep at bay through impromptu games.
Fee: Rs 50 per person

October 3
Rickshaw Race: This one's a Treasure Hunt where you get to move from one clue to another via a rickshaw! Fee: Rs 750 per team

How to reach: (RAIL) Nearest railhead is Gholwad (two kms). Also accessible from Dahanu Railway Stationu00a0(15 kms). (ROAD) Mumbai to Dahanu is about 160 kms. You can take the Western Expressu00a0Highway from Mumbai (towards Ahmedabad via Thane) to reach Dahanu.

Call: 9270005804 or 9226253480

Log on to:u00a0 www.cornucopiaindia.com/ discover_dahanu_fest for more details.