Hot Springs At Dhekale: A Lesser Known Place That Is Believed To Treat Skin Conditions

Hot springs are known to possess therapeutic properties, beneficial for multiple skin conditions. A hot spring has a unique mineral composition and warm water that together hold the power to treat skin woes like eczema, psoriasis, dermatitis, acne, and dryness among others. India is dotted with hot springs and while a lot of them like the ones in Himachal Pradesh, there are some in Maharashtra too. However, those in the Palghar district of Maharashtra are untouched and visitors can get easy access to them compared to the ones usually thronged with people.

On my recent visit to Dhekale, a district in Palghar during the International Ganesh Festival, I came across a hot spring and on speaking to a few locals, I got a deeper insight into the natural wonder.

Hot Springs At Dhekale, Maharashtra

Dhekale is a quaint and calm village in Palghar, Maharashtra with a population of over 1400. The place can be explored on foot. As you walk through the village, you see narrow streets dotted with trees. For Dhekale locals, the Shankar Temple in Satiwali is one of the biggest attractions. The temple area is divided into three sections - the hot spring, Lord Shiva sanctum, and the regular temple area with idols of other Hindu Lords. "People used to once cook their rice in these hot springs, now most of them come and throw in coins and make a wish," said our local tour guide Amit Tiwari.

Just next to the hot spring is a dedicated bath area for women. As I walked into the bath area, local women encouraged me to dip my feet in the hot spring citing it has healing properties and will help me feel a lot better after the long walk to the temple. Some also shared their personal stories of how they managed to get rid of serious skin conditions after bathing in the hot spring water.

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The bath area has hot springs (hot springs in India) that interestingly have temperature variations, the first one mild and the other hotter. A quick foot dip did feel relaxing and there came a point when I just didn’t want to step out of it.

Other Attractions At Dhekale

Though Dhekale is a small village, there are some beautiful, untouched attractions the locals love visiting after their work hours. One such is the Dhekale Dam, surrounded by greens, this is a place you would want to just sit and soak in the calm. The dam area has a viewpoint that is a favourite among the locals.

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How To Reach Dhekale?

Dhekale isn't easily accessible via rail or air. The nearest railway station is Palghar, about 10 km from the village and Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport is the nearest airport, about 63 km from Dhekale. To get to Dhekale, the easiest way is getting to Mumbai via rail, car, or air and taking a taxi. The average taxi fare comes to ₹2000.