How
is it that you can get so much more at a B&B? The answer is
simple:
A far corner of Devrukh in the Konkan region of Maharashtra has become home to precious paintings of the Bombay School of Art. What’s more remarkable is how these works of art from the British era — now valued at Rs.4 crore — got retrieved and exhibited in the newly inaugurated fine arts museum.
The story goes thus: In order that the work of talented sons of the soil be preserved within Konkan, paintings were painstakingly collected by the 4th President of the institution, Late Shri Arun V Athalye, who was ably guided in his effort by Late Shri V S Gurjar, Some of the paintings collected by Late Shri Mulye Master were generously donated by his family to Mr. Arun Athalye for the Devrukh Shikshan Prasarak Mandal.
The paintings in this collection are rendered by artists who belonged to a tradition of painters known as 'Bombay School of Art'. These painters and artists range from the three generations of the Pestonji Family, Pestonji Bomanji, Eruksha Pestonji and Dadiseth Eruksha, the father and son duo of the Haldankars, Late V S Gurjar, Late M V Dhurandhar, Late N R Sardesai, Late Dinanath Dalal and such other eminent artists whose work spans from 1850 through 1950 and beyond.
Today, they adorn the sprawling Lakshmibai Pitre Kalasangrahalaya thanks to a struggle, at whose forefront was 88-year-old resident Vasant Pitre.
The seed for the museum was sown more than six decades ago. In order that the work of talented artists from the Konkan, Sindhudurg, Raigad, Ratnagiri belt be preserved, art teacher Yashwant Mule, artist V.S. Gurjar and art connoisseur Mr. Arun Athalye started collecting the paintings. Spending from his pocket, to raising donations, the new venture became an obsession. But the dream was not to be fulfilled anytime during their lifetime. The paintings were donated to Devrukh Shikshan Prasarak Mandal (DSPM) Trust.
“The paintings had gathered dust and were in a shambles. Around six years ago, a member of the committee illegally sold them. The process to retrieve them was lengthy and tedious,” said Shrinivas Virkar, council member of the Trust. It was then that Mr. Pitre, chairman of the Trust, got down to the job. The museum is named after his mother.
Work on the museum began about five years ago. Architect Arvind Sardal designed the building which stands on 6,000 sq.ft. of land. Mumbai-based curator Mrudula Mane was roped in. Under the guidance of museologist Sadashiv Gorakshkar, the restoration began. It was decided that the ground floor would be devoted to the Bombay School of Art painters. The second made space for contemporary artists.
Every painting offers a slice of history. Now you see a beautiful landscape of Kolhapur of the time, painted by Mr. Rahiman. Now you marvel at the earliest painting in the museum — a realistic portrait by Bomanji. Numerous, detailed human figures come alive in a small painting called “Devadarshan” in the trademark style of L.N. Taskar.
“All the paintings on the ground floor have a strong western influence. It was just the beginning of realism in the country, where painters were moving away from depicting mythology. Their brush strokes, the use of water colour were borrowed from the West. But the core subject remained Indian,” said Ms. Mane.
The Committee:
Vasant Manohar Pitre – Chairman
Ajay Arun Athalye, Vijay Shivram Ambekar, Vaijanath Eknath Jagusthe, Shrinivas Ramchandra Virkar, Bharti Ajay Pitre, Asawari Sansare, Ranjit Marathe, Mahendra Mukund Damle, Kashinath Satyavan Salve, Milind Hegiste, Ratnadeep Gopal Adivrekar.
Address: Devrukh, Taluka – Sangameshwar, Districy – Ratnagiri 415804. India
Phone: +91-2354-240259
Email: mail@devrukhmuseum.org
Website: www.devrukhmuseum.org
Devrukh College of Arts and Design ‘DeCAD’ has taken shape in Devrukh to avail of the Konkan, a well - endowed region with art inclination, with scientific knowledge of visual art, to make them self-reliant through art and to inspire them to be self-employed. 
Shravansari 2014 with Purna Travels
16th August: Reach TURAL by 3.30 pm, Resting time, Evening tea, Visit to Rajwadi- Hot Water Springs, Evening Snacks, Dinner
17th August: Breakfast, Visit to Marleshwar, Lunch, Resting time, Visit to Gokul Tali, Evening Snacks, Dinner, Enjoy Krishna Janma Programme.
18th August: Breakfast, Pottery Demonstration, Bullock Cart ride, Lunch, Resting time, Dahi Kala, Dinner, Departure to Thane by 9.30 pm.
Per head cost with Common stay: For Adult : Rs. 6750.00
For Kids -3 years to 12 years: Rs. 4750.00
Per head cost with Cottage stay: For Adult : Rs. 8350.00
For Kids -3 years to 12 years: Rs. 6250.00
The above cost includes: Transport by AC bus from Thane and return, Sightseeing, Accommodation, All Meals (Vegetarian)
For booking please call on 9619246419
Konkan in the rains is a serene and peaceful refuge for those seeking respite from the concrete jungles of the urban world. The best thing you can do is sit out on a verandah and watch the world pass by while the hours waft into wonderful, lazy, rain-soaked days. 
| CHECK IN | CHECK OUT | LOCATION | ROOM TYPE | MEAL |
| Day 1 | Sawantwadi | Luxury Homestay | LED | |
| Day 2 | Sawantwadi | Luxury Homestay | BLED | |
| Day 3 | Sawantwadi | Luxury Homestay | BLED | |
| Day 4 | Sawantwadi | Luxury Homestay | BLED | |
| Day 5 | Sawantwadi | Luxury Homestay | BLED | |
| Day 6 | BL |
| Batch | Dates | Total no. Of seats | Seats available |
| BATCH “A” | 26th June to 1ST July | 10 | 6 |
| BATCH “B” | 5th July to 10th July | 10 | 8 |
| BATCH “C” | 17th July to 22nd July | 10 | 10 |
| BATCH “D” | 1st August to 6th August | 10 | 8 |
Whoever said happiness comes with sunshine
Hasn’t danced in the rains
Monsoons can be the best time to travel in many parts of India. In Konkan, monsoons typically last from June – September end. This is when landscapes are at their greenest and freshest, roads at their cleanest and when weather is at its most pleasant temperature. With the end of summer vacations in Indian schools, tourist attractions are less crowded and good bargains can be found when travelling.
However, it can be quite irritating if you do not have the right things with you when you travel during monsoon. Here is a list of things to pack during the monsoon:
Bag: Carry a light, water-proof bag so that your things stay dry. It is also wise to purchase a plastic case for your phone, wallet and passport and ensure that electronic goods are kept securely dry in your bag.
Clothes: Wear light cotton clothes or comfortable partially synthetic clothes that can dry off quickly if you happen to get wet. Shorts or three-quarter pants are always better than full length clothes which usually get muddied in puddles or by splash-back. Avoid light colours which are prone to becoming stained. A jacket is a must have item particularly if you plan to walk a lot outside or trek. A windcheater is useful to keep you warm during the rains, one without lining is better than one with as most parts of Konkan are quite warm once it stops raining. If you plan to go to a hill-station which is cooler and where it rains quite heavily, a jacket with a warm lining would also be useful.
Umbrella: Generally to just walk around cities, an umbrella should work just fine to keep you relatively dry. Convenient folding umbrellas are easy to carry and do not take up much space.
Shoes: Closed water-proof shoes are essential to keep your feet clean. Tall boots or even gum-boots are good but it can get hot wearing them. Avoid wearing open rubber slippers or sandals that will only dirty your feet. Wearing sneakers or canvas shoes is also a bad idea as they take a long time to dry when they get wet.
Mosquito Repellent or Nets: The monsoon attracts plenty of mosquitoes and it is best to prevent yourself from being bitten so that you don’t get sick. Mosquito borne diseases such as malaria and dengue fever are very dangerous, particularly during monsoon. It is therefore important to keep repelling mosquitoes using tropical strength repellent. If you are able to set one up easily, a mosquito net is also worthwhile for when you sleep.
Food and Water: Food tends to spoil or get moist easily in the monsoons, so it is worthwhile carrying small airtight containers if you want to pack food. Water can also be contaminated in this season, and it is safest to buy packaged water that is widely available throughout India.
Mats or Newspapers: If you plan to have picnics whilst on the road, it is useful to carry dry mats or plastic sheets to spread out on wet surfaces. These may also be useful if you have long waits at train or bus stations.
Sunblock: You can still get sunburnt so make sure you always use sunblock even if it is raining.
