EXPLORING THE BIRD PARADISE: A JOURNEY THROUGH BHIGWAN'S WETLANDS

I recently had the pleasure of visiting Bhigwan, a beautiful bird sanctuary located in the outskirts of Mumbai, for a photography trip towards end of March 2023. As an avid bird photographer, I was excited to explore this area known for its diverse bird species.

- Chetan Rana

Chetan Rana, a Chartered Accountant, was born and brought up in Mumbai, and works in the financial services sector. He is passionate about travelling and in the past 15 years, has travelled to several places in India. He loves documenting his travels and besides photographing landscapes, portraits and festivals, he occasionally documents wildlife and birding locations. His work has been featured in travel and photography magazines, web articles and he has also been active contributor on Getty Images platform.

Bhigwan is a town located in the Pune district, Maharashtra. It is situated approximately 105 kilometers southeast of Pune city and 250 kilometers east of Mumbai city. Bhigwan is located on the Pune-Solapur Highway and is easily accessible by road. The journey to Bhigwan took us about 6 hours by car with all the city traffic, and I arrived late afternoon. The Bhigwan Lake, which is the main water body in Bhigwan, is fed by the backwaters of the Ujani Dam. The Ujani Dam is a large reservoir located on the Bhima River, which is one of the major tributaries of the Krishna River in Maharashtra. The dam was built to provide irrigation water for the agricultural fields in the surrounding area, and it also serves as a source of drinking water for several towns and cities in the region, including Pune and Solapur. The backwaters of the Ujani Dam form a network of canals and water bodies, including the Bhigwan Lake, which provide water for irrigation, fishing, and other activities. The Bhigwan Lake is an important wetland area making it a valuable natural resource for the local community and the region.