Sign Up For A Firefly Sighting Weekend

The most reliable indicator of the approaching monsoon is not a forecast by the Indian Meteorological Department, but swarms of fireflies infiltrating the green cover surrounding villages in Maharashtra. Every year, at the onset of the rainy months, Grassroutes, a Mumbai-based company that organises eco tours and treks across our home state, takes groups of people to observe this coital gathering in Purushwadi, a village located 220kms away from Mumbai. This year, the ideal time to sight the fireflies is from Monday, May 28 to Wednesday, June 20. Starting next Saturday, June 2, Grassroutes will conduct guided tours on weekends that will also include activities such as milking goats, and ploughing fields. The registration fee for the weekend trip is Rs2,700 per person and includes the cost of the guided tour, food and accommodation (transportation is arranged by Grassroutes but participants need to pay for their own tickets). You can also opt for an overnight trip on a weekday for Rs2,100 per person, which covers meals and stay; however the Grassroutes folks don’t conduct guided tours from Monday to Friday, and you will have to arrange for your own travel to and from Purushwadi. To register, call 88794 77437 or mail info@grassroutes.co.in. See here for more details.