Kaas’ also known as the Valley of flowers of Maharashtra (although it’s a plateau and not a valley). At 1200m elevation Kaas is a big lateritic plateau 160 km from Pune in Satara district of western part of Maharashtra, India within the Deccan area. The laterite soil ( red soil produced by rock decay; contains insoluble deposits of ferric and aluminum oxides ) cover is just a few inches thick lacking nutrients. So big trees don’t grow here.
Come September, and the plateau transforms into a colorful carpet of wild flowers of more than 100 species, including the purple Karvis, orange Gloriosa, yellow Smithia and Sonki and the pink Balsam. The plateau overlooks the lush evergreen forest in the Koyna catchment area, recently declared the Sahyadri Tiger Reserve.
This is a collection of images from my visits to Kaas in the period 2004 – 2010.
– Kaas flower plateau near Satara, Maharashtra, India
– Kaas flower plateau near Satara, Maharashtra, India
– Kaas flower plateau near Satara, Maharashtra, India
– Kaas flower plateau near Satara, Maharashtra, India
– Kaas flower plateau near Satara, Maharashtra, India
– Kaas flower plateau near Satara, Maharashtra, India
– Kaas flower plateau near Satara, Maharashtra, India
– Kaas flower plateau near Satara, Maharashtra, India
– Kaas flower plateau near Satara, Maharashtra, India
– Kaas flower plateau near Satara, Maharashtra, India
– Kaas flower plateau near Satara, Maharashtra, India
– Kaas flower plateau near Satara, Maharashtra, India
– Kaas flower plateau near Satara, Maharashtra, India
– Kaas flower plateau near Satara, Maharashtra, India
– Kaas flower plateau near Satara, Maharashtra, India
– Kaas flower plateau near Satara, Maharashtra, India