प्रचितगडाच्या भययुक्त छायेत!

 🚩 प्रचितगडाच्या भययुक्त छायेत!* 🚩

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समीर आराणके

       *भाग पहिला* 

( *जे ऐकायला तयार नाहीत त्यांनी वाचावे म्हणून हा लेखनप्रपंच* )

महाराष्ट्राची भौगोलिक परिस्थिती लक्षात घेतली तर सह्याद्रीच्या अजस्त्र डोंगररांगाच्या कुशीत तो सुखरूपपणे विसावला आहे. इतिहासाच्या जीर्ण झालेल्या आणि विस्मृतीत गेलेल्या स्मृतींना पुनरुज्जीवन देण्यात सह्याद्रीचे योगदान वादातीत आहे. इतिहास केवळ पुस्तकांच्या वाचनातून समजून घेण्यापेक्षा सह्याद्रीच्या धडकी भरवणाऱ्या कड्याकपारी पायदळी तुडवल्या पाहिजेत.

यौवनी राजसत्तांच्या विरोधात उभे राहून हिंदवी स्वराज्याचे स्वप्न साकार करण्यासाठी छत्रपती शिवरायांनी याच सह्याद्रीची आळवणी केली. आणि त्यानेही छत्रपतींशी इमान राखत हिंदवी स्वराज्याची मुहूर्तमेढ आपल्या शिरावर घेतली. त्यामुळेच छत्रपती शिवरायांचे शौर्य आणि शूरवीर योध्यांच्या यशोगाथा आजही सह्याद्री आपल्या अंतरंगात भरून राहिला आहे. त्या समजून घेण्यासाठी तरी जंगलातील धुळवाटा, स्वच्छ आणि खळाळत वाहणारे पाझर, दमछाक करणारी चढण, डोईवर विस्तीर्ण पसरलेले अवकाश व भुईवर पाठ टेकून सुखात पहुडण्याचे सौभाग्य अनुभवले पाहिजे.

इतिहास वाचन तर करायलाच हवे; परंतु तो *“याची देही याची डोळा”* अनुभवायचा असेल तर आपल्याला गडकिल्ले पादाक्रांत केलेच पाहिजेत. फक्त तिथे जाताना आपल्या हातून कोणत्याही प्रकारचा *प्रमाद* घडणार नाही, याची मात्र दक्षता घ्यायला हवी. पर्यावरण कितीही बदलले, कालची खेडेगाव शहर बनली, पिढ्या, घरदार सगळे गेले पण आजही या गडकोटांनी आपली शर्थीची झुंज कायम राखली आहे. सह्याद्रीच्या भरभक्कम आधारावर आजही ते आपला इतिहास व भगवा ध्वज गर्वाने फडकवत आहेत.

वासोटा किंवा व्याघ्रगडाने आम्हाला अशीच गडकिल्ल्यांची भ्रमंती करण्यासाठी उद्युक्त केले. पहिल्या वेळी उडालेली आमची त्रेधातिरपीट आणि त्यातून शहाणपण शिकत आता आम्ही किमान खबरदारी घेण्यासाठी सज्ज झालो होतो. दुसऱ्या वेळी वासोटा किल्ला निर्विघ्नपणे सर केल्यानंतर आमचा आत्मविश्वास व उत्साह द्विगुणित झाला होता. *“एक से भले दो, दो से भले तीन”,* या न्यायाने आम्ही सवंगडी एकत्र होऊ लागलो.

रोजच्या भेटीत पुढील सुट्टीत कुठे जायचे, याची चर्चा रंगू लागली. आम्हाला फारशी माहिती उपलब्ध होत नसली तरी प्रत्येकजण आपापल्या परीने ती गोळा करण्यासाठी प्रयत्न करत होता. त्यावेळी आमच्या वयाचे इतरही मित्र मंडळ होते पण त्यांना अशा काही आव्हानात्मक गोष्टींमध्ये फारसा रस (इंटरेस्ट) नव्हता. शिवाय त्यांच्या घरच्या मंडळींकडून देखील नकार घंटा वाजत होत्या. पण आम्हाला मात्र दिवसरात्र गडकिल्ले पादाक्रांत करण्याची स्वप्न खुणावत होती.

नेमक्या त्याच वेळी पुन्हा एकदा “दैनिक सकाळचा” अंक आमच्या मदतीला धावून आला. या अंकात प्रचितगड किल्ल्याची माहिती थोडक्यात प्रसिद्ध झाली होती आणि आमची नजर त्याने वेधून घेतली होती. नेमकी मे महिन्याची सुट्टी सुरू होती आणि त्याच वेळी हा अनमोल ठेवा आमच्या हाती गवसला होता. चला आता मोहीम ठरली, निर्धार झाला......प्रचितगड फत्ते करायचा! मुहूर्त ठरला २० मे १९९२!!

दैनिक सकाळच्या अंकातून प्रचितगडावर जाण्यासाठी चांदोली मार्गाने जावे लागते हे लक्षात आले होते. त्यावेळी चांदोली अभयारण्य घोषित झाले होते तरी प्रत्यक्षात त्याची अंमलबजावणी झाली नव्हती. परंतु अभयारण्याच्या अंतर्गत भागात असणारी बहुतांश गावे, वस्ती विस्थापित झाली होती. अगदी हाताच्या बोटावर मोजता येतील इतकीच वस्ती त्या दुर्गम, डोंगराळ भागात आपले अस्तित्व टिकवून होती.

परंतु या सर्व परिस्थिती विषयी विचार करायला आम्हाला सवड कुठे होती? ठरल्याप्रमाणे मी, अलंकार जोशी, मंदार जोशी (बंड्या, सध्या रा.सातारा), शिरीष जोशी, ऋषिकेश गिजरे, विक्रांत देशपांडे व मंदार मदन जोशी यांनी प्रचितगड पादाक्रांत करण्यासाठी कराडची वेस ओलांडली! सकाळच्या अंकात चांदोली इथून प्रचितगड अशा परतीच्या प्रवासाला तीन दिवसांचा कालावधी लागतो असे नमूद केले होते. त्यानुसार आम्ही तीन दिवस पुरेल असे स्वयंपाक करण्याचे साहित्य सोबत घेतले होते. 

चांदोली येथे पोहचून आम्ही पायवाटेच्या मार्गाची चौकशी केली आणि प्रत्यक्ष प्रचितगडाच्या दिशेने आमची वाटचाल सुरू झाली. जलाशयाच्या उत्तर बाजूकडून आम्ही चढणीला लागलो. फारशी झाडी नसल्याने आणि पायवाट मळणीची असल्याने दिशाभूल होण्याचा संभव नव्हता. संध्याकाळ होइपर्यंत आमची चढाई सुरू होती आणि थोड्या पठार भागावर पोहचल्यावर आम्हाला छोटेखानी वस्ती नजरेस पडली. आजचा मुक्काम इथेच करायचा असे ठरले. मे महिना असल्याने मुक्काम करण्यासाठी आडोसा शोधण्यापेक्षा निरभ्र आभाळाच्या छत्रछायेत रात्र काढण्यात आम्हाला अधिक आनंद मिळत होता. 

डोक्यावर छप्पर नसेल तरी चालेल फक्त पाण्याची व्यवस्था हवी, इतकीच आमची प्राथमिक गरज होती. तशी व्यवस्था पाहून एका मोकळ्या जागेत आम्ही पथारी पसरली. आणि थोडी विश्रांती होताच संध्याकाळच्या स्वयंपाकाची तयारी सुरू झाली. दगडी चूल मांडली गेली. लाकूडफाटा गोळा झाला आणि बल्लावाचार्य अलंकार स्वयंपाक करण्यासाठी सज्ज झाला. भाताचे आधण रटरटू लागले आणि दुसरीकडे कांदा, बटाटा चिरून सज्ज होता. भात शिजवून झाला आणि अलंकारने दुसऱ्या पातेल्यात तेल ओतून फोडणी टाकली. 

अलंकार पूर्ण एकाग्रतेने रस्सा बनविण्यात मग्न होता आणि त्याचवेळी शिऱ्या (शिरीष) त्याला *“आल्या तिखट जपून घाल”* म्हणून डिवचत होता. पण त्याच्या बोलण्याकडे पूर्ण दुर्लक्ष करत अलंकार त्याच्या स्टाईलने रस्सा बनवण्यात मग्न होता. स्वयंपाक तयार झाला आणि प्रत्येकाने हाताच्या बाह्या सरसावल्या......चुलीवरचा गरमागरम भात आणि बटाट्याचा रस्सा अशी मेजवानी......हाता तोंडाची जुंपणारच होती......पहिलाच घास घेतला असेल तोच......शिऱ्या मोठयाने खोकला आणि अलंकारचा अगदी एकेरी ‘ *उद्धार* ’ करत त्याने पाण्याचा घोट घेतला......

अलंकारला जे करायचे होते तेच त्याने अगदी मनसोक्तपणे केले होते.......झणझणीत रश्याने आमच्या डोळ्यासमोर चांदणे उभे राहिले होते......कानातून धूर आणि डोळ्यातून पाणी वाहत होते. साखरेच्या मुठी रश्यात टाकून आम्ही त्या दिवशी आमची क्षुधा शमवली होती......पोटात आगीचा डोंब उसळला होता. उद्याची सकाळ आपल्यासाठी नेमकी कशी होईल याचा विचार न करता आम्ही भुईवर पाठ टेकली आणि निद्रादेवीच्या आधिन झालो.

 *क्रमशः* 

समीर श्री. आराणके

सोमवार पेठ, कराड

दूरभाष : ९४०३१६६५५८

🚩 *प्रचितगडाच्या "भययुक्त" छायेत!* 🚩

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समीर आराणके, कराड

       *भाग दुसरा* 

 (जे ऐकायला तयार नाहीत त्यांनी वाचावे म्हणून हा लेखनप्रपंच)

पहाटेचे तांबडे फुटू लागले होते व कोंबड्यांनी बांग देऊन *“चला उठा”* आता आणि *“निघा”* असेच सूचित केले होते. पथारी गुंडाळून प्रत्येकाने आपापल्या साहित्याची गोळाबेरीज केली. पाठीवरील सॅक पुन्हा एकदा कोंबून तयार झाल्या. रात्री मांडलेल्या चुलीत अजूनही निखारे धगधगत होते. त्यांच्यावर पाणी शिंपडून शांत केले.

आम्ही जेव्हा कधी असे रात्रीचे उघड्यावर झोपत असू तेव्हा शक्यतो चारी बाजूंनी लाकूडफाटा जळत ठेवत असू. त्यामागे साप, विंचू अशा सरपटणाऱ्या प्राण्यांचा उपद्रव होवू नये अशी व एवढीच खबरदारी घेत असू. त्यामुळे चहुबाजूंनी लागलेली विस्तवाची धगही शांत केली. जंगलात किंवा गडकिल्ल्यांवर मुक्काम करताना आम्ही सर्वाधिक काळजी या गोष्टीची घेत होतो. कदाचित आपली पाठ वळल्यानंतर एखादी ठिणगी खूप अक्राळविक्राळ रूप धारण करू शकते. आणि नैसर्गिक साधनसंपत्तीची हानी करू शकते, याचे भान होते, म्हणूनच आधी ही खबरदारी!

दुसऱ्या दिवशीची पायपीट सुरू झाली. उन्हाळ्याची तीव्रता अधिक प्रखरतेने जाणवत होती. त्यामुळे चालताना अगदी घामाघूम व्हायला होत होते. वाटेत कुठे पाण्याचा झरा लागला की आम्ही तिथेच काही वेळ विसावत होतो. सकाळच्या व दुपारच्या सत्रात केवळ घरातून आणलेल्या फराळ साहित्यावर उदरभरण पार पडले. अगदी संध्याकाळी उशिरापर्यंत आमची वाटचाल सुरु राहिली. परंतु त्या नंतर मात्र पायांनी *‘विद्रोही’* भूमिका घेतली. आता बास! आणखी नको..... ठरले तर मग इथेच थांबायचे!! दुसऱ्या दिवशी देखील प्रचितगडाचे नामोनिशाण दिसत नसल्याने आम्ही विचारमग्न झालो होतो. 

सकाळच्या अंकात तर  अरत-परत तीन दिवस लागतात असे नमूद केले होते आणि दुसरा दिवस संपला तरी अजूनही आम्हाला गडाचा काही थांगपत्ता किंवा मागमूसही लागला नव्हता. पण आता पुढेच जायचे हा आमचा निर्धार अगदी भक्कम होता. रात्री पुन्हा एकदा भात आणि बटाट्याचा रस्सा ठरलेलाच होता. मात्र आज अलंकारने स्वतःच्या हाताला आवरते घेतले होते. त्यामुळे सगळ्यांचे उदरभरण यथास्थित पार पडले. आमची कितीही दमछाक होत असली तरी स्वयंपाक करताना मात्र प्रत्येकजण स्वतःची जबाबदारी पार पाडत असे. म्हणजे उदा. ऋषिकेश, विक्रांत यांनी लाकूडफाटा गोळा केला तर मंदार (दोन्ही), शिरीष हे पाण्याची व्यवस्था पाहायचे. अलंकार व मी चूल लावणे, साहित्याची मांडामांड करणे अशी जबाबदारी वाटून घेत होतो. याबाबतीत मात्र आम्ही सगळे समान होतो. त्यात लहान मोठा असा भेदभाव कधीच होत नसे व पुढेही कधी झाला नाही.

रात्र सरली आणि तिसऱ्या दिवशीच्या वाटचालीला प्रारंभ झाला. फक्त नवीन दिवस उजाडला होता पण बाकी सगळे कालचेच होते. दुपारपर्यंत पायपीट सुरू होती. मधूनच घनदाट झाडी उन्हापासून संरक्षण करत होती. चढ उतारावरून पूर्वेकडून पश्चिमेला पायवाटीचा मागोवा घेत आम्ही चालत होतो. दुपारच्या वेळी एक घर आमच्या नजरेत आले. केवळ हे एकमेव घरच तिथे शिल्लक उरले होते. आम्ही कुणी आहे का याचा कानोसा घेतला आणि एक वयस्कर व्यक्ती घरातून बाहेर आली. आम्ही तिथेच बसकण मारली.

कुठे निघालात? त्या वयस्काने चौकशी केली. प्रचितगड जायचे आहे हे ऐकून त्या व्यक्तीने आम्हाला नखशिखांत न्याहाळले. *“तुम्ही आज तिथे पोहचू शकत नाही”,* असे म्हणून त्याने पुढील खडतर मार्गाची थोडीशी जाणीव करून दिली. रणरणत्या उन्हात आम्ही परत पुढच्या दिशेने पावले उचलली. त्या वयस्काने सांगितलेल्या मार्गाने आम्ही वाटचाल करीत होतो. दुपारी चारच्या दरम्यान आम्ही उतरणीला लागलो. खाली आलो आणि आता पुन्हा वरच्या दिशेने चढाई सुरू झाली. चांदोली धरणातील पाणी पातळी कमी झाल्याने आम्ही त्या ओसाड चिखल मातीतून पुढे होत गेलो.

चढण सुरू झाली तशी छातीची धडधड अधिक गतीने होत होती. सुमारे एक तासाची ती चढण चढून आम्ही वर आलो आणि समोरच काही घरे (२/३) दृष्टीस पडली. घर पक्की नव्हतीच पण तिथे राहणाऱ्या लोकांनी *‘आसरा’* उभा केला होता. आम्हाला पाहून एक व्यक्ती समोर आली. चौकशी झाली आणि *“तुम्ही पुढे जाऊ नका, आज इथेच मुक्काम करा”,* असे त्याने सुचवले. संपूर्ण दिवसभराच्या वाटचालीने आम्हालाही शिणवटा आला होता. त्यामुळे आता आजची रात्र इथेच विश्रांती घ्यायची हे निश्चित झाले.

 *क्रमशः* 

समीर श्री. आराणके

सोमवार पेठ, कराड

दूरभाष : ९४०३१६६५५८

🚩प्रचितगडाच्या "भययुक्त" छायेत!🚩

–-------------

समीर आराणके

      *भाग तिसरा* 

 (जे ऐकायला तयार नाहीत त्यांनी वाचावे म्हणून हा लेखनप्रपंच)

आजचा दिवस देखील केवळ पायपीट करण्यात गेला होता आणि रात्रीचा स्वयंपाक व जेवण झाल्यावर आम्ही त्या व्यक्तीसोबत गप्पांचा फड जमवला. तो ही जणू आमच्यातील एक असल्यासारखा सहभागी झाला. त्यातून जो काही विचारविमर्श झाला व निष्पन्न असे निघाले की उद्या सकाळी प्रचितगडाचा मार्ग दाखविण्यासाठी तो ‘ *वाटाड्या* ’ म्हणून आमच्या सोबत येण्यास तयार झाला.

आता आम्ही एका अर्थी निश्चित झालो होतो. ठरल्याप्रमाणे पहाटेच्या सुमारास आम्ही प्रचितगडाच्या दिशेने कूच करण्यासाठी सज्ज झालो. ती व्यक्ती देखील तयार झाली आणि आम्ही कदमताल सुरू केले. आज पायवाटेची खातरजमा करण्याची गरजच नव्हती. त्यामुळे साहजिकच वेळेची बचत होणार होती. शिवाय आमचे इप्सित ध्येय पूर्ण होणार होते. पाठीवर साहित्याचा बोझा नव्हता. थोडे फार फराळाचे आणि पिण्याचे पाणी इतकेच साहित्य घेतले होते. ती व्यक्ती त्या परिसराविषयी पूर्ण परिचित होती, त्यामुळे आमची वाटचाल वेगाने सुरू राहिली.

सुमारे दोन अडीच तास पायपीट झाली आणि आता आम्ही उतारावर दाखल झालो. नमूद करण्यासारखी बाब म्हणजे ज्या भागातून आम्ही वाटचाल केली तो संपूर्ण पठार भाग होता. फारसे चढउतार नव्हते. हे बॉक्साईटचे पठार आहे असे म्हणतात. असो! आम्ही अगदी चिंचोळ्या मार्गाने उतरू लागलो. अगदी दगडाच्या अरुंद खोबणीतून खाली येऊन पाहतो तर समोर धडकी भरवणारी खोल दरी आणि दूरवर पसरलेले जंगलाचे साम्राज्य नजरेत भरत होते. तिथूनच थोडे डावीकडे वळण घेतले आणि समोर दोन कपारीत *‘एकोपा’* घडवणारी लोखंडी शिडी टेकवलेली होती. त्या शिडीवर एकामागून एक पायरी चढली आणि आता आमच्या अंगात कापरे भरले. कारण आमच्या वजनाने ती शिडी *‘हिंदळू’* (हेलकावू किंवा हलू) लागली. आता आपली धडगत नाही.......हातपाय लटलटू लागले. पण धीर धरून आम्ही एकदाचे गडाच्या माथ्यावर दाखल झालो.

गडावर एका वाड्याचे भग्नावशेष विखुरलेल्या अवस्थेत दिसून आले. एका दगडाच्या छत्राखाली देवीची मूर्ती विराजमान झाली होती. गडाचा परिसर विस्तीर्ण पसरलेला असला तरी तो ओबडधोबड होता. समतोल जागा त्यामानाने कमी होती. मात्र गडाच्या वैभवशाली इतिहासाला साक्ष देणारी एक वास्तू अगदी गुप्त रीतीने आपले अस्तित्व दडवून बसली होती. ती म्हणजे, दगडाच्या एका खोबणीत पाण्याचा मुबलक साठा असलेले टाके! बाहेरून नजर फिरवली तर आतमध्ये पाण्याचे एवढे भलेमोठे टाके असेल याची यत्किंचितही कल्पना येत नव्हती. पण खोबणीतून आत डोकावून पाहिल्यावर ते टाके जवळपास चार खोल्यांइतके विस्तीर्ण असल्याचे दिसून आले. शिवाय ४/५ तोफा देखील वेगवेगळ्या ठिकाणी आढळून आल्या.

छत्रपती शिवरायांच्या कुशल कारभाराचे ते *‘टाके’* जणू द्योतक म्हणावे लागेल. त्या काळात गडावर राहणाऱ्या लोकांना अन्नधान्य तुटवडा होणार नाही याची खबरदारी घेतानाच जीवनासाठी वरदान असलेल्या पाण्याचाही तुटवडा होणार नाही यासाठी केलेली ही उपाययोजना आजच्या राज्यकर्त्यांनी अंमलात आणली तर महाराष्ट्र खऱ्या अर्थाने *“सुजलाम सुफलाम”* होईल, असे वाटते. या पाण्याच्या टाक्याचा उल्लेख इथे मुद्दाम करून ठेवला आहे. पुढच्या काही भागात त्याचे मोल आणि पाण्याच्या एका थेंबाची किंमत मी अधोरेखित करणार आहे.

आणखी एक स्पष्टीकरण इथेच करून ठेवतो आहे. लेखमालेचे शिर्षक *“प्रचितगडाच्या “भययुक्त” छायेत”* असे केले आहे. परंतु अजूनही भययुक्त प्रसंग कसा काय अधोरेखित झाला नाही, अशी शंका येऊ शकते. तर त्याचाही अगदी सविस्तर खुलासा या लेखमालेत करणार आहे. नाही म्हणायला त्या शिडीवर चढताना व उतरताना आमची झालेली केविलवाणी अवस्था भयसुचकच आहे. गडावरील विस्तृत परिसर न्याहाळून झाला. दूरवर पसरलेल्या निसर्गाने एकीकडे आम्ही मोहित झालो तर दुसरीकडे *‘आ’* वासून गिळंकृत करायला निघालेली खोलवर पसरलेली दरी पाहून अवाक झालो होतो.

अशा दुर्गम, दुर्दम्य गडकोटांवर राहून, प्रसंगी आपल्या जीवाचे बलिदान देऊन स्वराज्याचे रक्षण करणाऱ्या शूरवीरांच्या शौर्याची गाथा मांडण्यासाठी शब्द भांडार तोकडेच ठरणार आहे. केवळ कल्पना शक्तीचा आधार घेतला तरी त्यालाही आपली मर्यादा लक्षात येईल. *“आभाळाप्रमाणे विस्तारलेल्या, सागराची खोली असलेल्या आणि पाताळातही पसरलेल्या शूरवीरांच्या यशोगाथा”* अशा गडकोटांवर उभे राहून अनुभवायला हव्यात! आपण आपोआपच नतमस्तक होऊ आणि न कळत *“छत्रपती शिवाजी महाराज की जय”* ही गर्जना आपल्या मुखाद्वारे आसमंत दणाणून सोडेल!!!

 *क्रमशः* 

समीर श्री. आराणके

सोमवार पेठ, कराड

दूरभाष : ९४०३१६६५५८

🚩प्रचितगडाच्या “भययुक्त” छायेत!🚩

---------------

समीर आराणके, कराड

      *भाग चवथा* 

 (जे ऐकायला तयार नाहीत त्यांनी वाचावे म्हणून हा लेखनप्रपंच)

छत्रपती शिवरायांच्या जयजयकाराने आमचे रोम अन रोम जागे व ताजेतवाने झाले. आता गडाला आणि त्या दुर्गामातेला दंडवत घालून आम्ही यथावकाश परत मुक्कामी दाखल झालो. आजचा दिवस अविस्मरणीय ठरला होता. आपण आणखी एक गड सर केला यापेक्षा त्या गडाला वंदन करण्याचे सौभाग्य लाभले याचेच अधिक समाधान होते. गेले तीन दिवस केलेली पायपीट फळास आली होती. सगळ्या कष्टाचा, श्रमाचा परिहार झाला होता. आजची रात्र इथेच मुक्काम करायचा होता आणि मग अलंकारच्या हातचा झणझणीत बटाट्याचा रस्सा, गरमागरम भात यावर ताव मारून आम्ही पथारी पसरल्या.

पहाट होताच परतीच्या प्रवासाला प्रारंभ झाला. त्या व्यक्तीचे मनोमन आभार मानले आणि पावले आल्या मार्गाने उतरणीला लागली. आता पायवाट परिचयाची झाली होती त्यामुळे कुठेही अडथळण्याचा, अडखळण्याचा प्रश्न नव्हता. दुपार होईपर्यंत आम्ही परत त्या वाटेतील एकुलत्या एक घराच्या ओसरीवर दाखल झालो. त्यांना प्रवासाचा वृत्तांत कथन केला आणि पुन्हा एकदा पुढची वाटचाल सुरू झाली. आज जास्तीत जास्त पल्ला गाठायचाच अशी खूणगाठ मनाशी बांधून आम्ही झपाट्याने पुढे सरकत होतो आणि तितक्यात.........

पुढची पायवाट अचानक 'गायब' झाली होती आणि मागे वळून पाहिले तर आपण इथे कसे आलो याचाही सुगावा लागत नव्हता. काही तरी अघटित, विपरीत परिस्थिती निर्माण झाली आहे हे लक्षात आले. दुतर्फा झाडी होती. एक वृक्ष आपला बडेजाव मिरवत होता. बुद्धी कुंठित झाली होती आणि कुठे व कसे जायचे असा यक्षप्रश्न उभा राहिला होता. काही वेळ आम्ही तिथेच एकत्रित बसून राहिलो. झाडीतून खाली दूरवर पसरलेले चांदोली धरणाचा जलाशय दिसत होते. आता इथून खाली उतरून जलाशयाचा काठ गाठायचा आणि तिथूनच चांदोलीकडे चालत सुटायचे, अशा विचाराप्रत आम्ही आलो. परंतु त्या गर्द झाडीतून खाली उतरणे म्हणजे जणू मृत्यूला 'गळाभेट' घेण्यासारखे होईल हे लक्षात आले.

काही वेळ विचारविमर्श सुरू होता आणि अचानक आमचे लक्ष डाव्या बाजूला असलेल्या चढाकडे वळले. आम्ही तिथून वर चढण्याची शिकस्त केली आणि झाडाझुडुपांमधून वरच्या बाजूला दाखल झालो आणि अगदी स्तब्ध, निश्चल उभे राहून, डोळे विस्फारून समोर पाहत होतो........समोर अगदी स्वच्छ पायवाट दिसत होती. इतकेच नव्हे तर आम्ही ज्या पायवाटेने आलो होतो ती पाठमोरी दृष्टीस पडली. जर आपण या मार्गाने इथे आलो होतो तर मग खाली कसे उतरलो?......केवळ या विचाराने आमची दातखीळ बसली होती.......नेमके काय झाले होते.......आम्हाला जंगलात *‘चकवा’* लागला होता. त्या विषयी आम्ही थोडेफार जाणून होतो पण आता प्रत्यक्षात अनुभवत होतो.

दैव बलवत्तर म्हणूनच त्या चकव्यातून आम्ही सुखरूप बाहेर पडलो आणि पुढे वाटचाल सुरू केली. अगदी सुर्यास्तापर्यंत आम्ही चालण्याची शिकस्त केली पण आता पोटात भुकेने डोंब उसळला होता त्यामुळे पुन्हा एकदा मुक्काम करण्याचा निर्णय झाला. मुक्कामाची सज्जता होताच स्वयंपाक करण्यासाठी तयार झालो. पण हाय रे दैवा! सगळ्यांच्या सॅक रिकाम्या झाल्या होत्या........तांदळाचा एक कणही कुणाकडे शिल्लक नव्हता.......  आपण तीन दिवसाचेच साहित्य आणले होते आणि त्यावर आधीच पोटपूजा करून झाली, हे लक्षात आले. आता पोटातील भूक कशी शमवणार? 

गडकिल्ले भ्रमंती करताना उदरभरण करण्यासाठी योग्य ती खबरदारी कशी घ्यावी याचीच शिकवण किंवा धडा आम्हाला शिकवला होता. प्रत्येकजण स्वतःच्या सॅकचा कोपरा अन कोपरा तपासत होता आणि त्यातून जे निष्पन्न झाले ते म्हणजे.....शिरीषच्या सॅक मधून एक लाल तिखटाची पुरचुंडी आणि आणखी एका सॅक मधून गोडतेलाची छोटीशी बाटली बाहेर पडली. प्रत्येकाने हाताचा तळवा पुढे सरकवला व त्यावर थोडे तिखट व तेल घालण्यात आले. एका बोटाने तो तेलतिखटाचा भाग जिभेवर लावायचा आणि दुसऱ्या बाजूने पाण्याचा घोट रिचवायचा! नुसते पाणी पिऊन पोट भरण्यापेक्षा हा उपाय अधिक प्रभावी ठरला. रात्रीची वेळ मारून नेली होती पण उद्याचा संपूर्ण दिवस रिकाम्या पोटी पायपीट करायची होती.

दिवस उजाडला आणि पुढची चाल सुरू झाली. पण कालच्या तेलतिखटाचा विपरीत परिणाम दिसून येत होता. एकीकडे उकाडा असह्य झाला होता. पोटात भुकेने कावळे ओरडून ओरडून मरणासन्न झाले होते. तेलतिखटाने बाहेर व आतून अंगप्रत्यंग जणू आग ओकत होते. पण चांदोली गाठेपर्यंत पर्याय होताच कुठे? ज्याला सहन होत होते त्याने दिवसभर तोच तेलतिखटाचा आधार घेतला आणि अखेरीस सायंकाळी आम्ही उतारावरून घसरंड करत एकदाचे चांदोली येथे दाखल झालो.

मंदार (बंड्या) याचे नातेवाईक चांदोलीमध्ये होते. रात्री त्यांच्याकडे मुक्काम केला आणि एक छोटेसे हॉटेल पाहून मेजवानीवर मनसोक्त ताव मारला. गप्पांच्या ओघात ऋषिकेश व मंदार यांचा १२वी चा उद्या रिझल्ट आहे हे समजताच आम्ही त्या दोघांची चांगलीच टर उडवली. त्यांनी देखील दिलखुलास दाद देत *“उद्या आमचा निकाल लागणार”* अशी कोटी केली. आणखी एक खडतर पदभ्रमण पार पडले होते. पण हा प्रचितगडाच्या भ्रमणाचा केवळ पूर्वार्ध होता. उत्तरार्धात प्रचितगडाच्या भययुक्त छायेत जे काही घडले ते वाचून तुम्हाला देखील धडकी भरणार हे निश्चित!

 *क्रमशः* 

समीर श्री. आराणके

सोमवार पेठ, कराड

दूरभाष : ९४०३१६६५५८

🚩प्रचितगडाच्या “भययुक्त” छायेत!🚩* 

---------------

समीर आराणके, कराड

      *भाग पाचवा* 

 (जे ऐकायला तयार नाहीत त्यांनी वाचावे म्हणून हा लेखनप्रपंच)

आमच्या जीवनातील प्रचितगड भ्रमण ही दुसरी मोहीम यशस्वी झाली होती. त्यांनंतरची सलग काही वर्षे आम्ही न चुकता दीपावली व मे महिन्यात वेगवेगळ्या गडांची पदभ्रमंती करण्याची जणू शृंखलाच पूर्ण केली. त्यातील सर्वात मोठी आणि जवळपास एक आठवड्याची तिकोना किल्ला ते भीमाशंकर ही मोहिम विशेषत्वाने स्मरणात राहिली. शिवाय कळसुबाई या महाराष्ट्रातील सर्वाधिक उंच शिखरावर केलेली सफल चढाई हा आमच्या पदभ्रमंतीचा *‘कळस’* ठरला.

पुढे शिक्षण, व्यवसाय निमित्ताने या मोहिमांमध्ये कमी होत गेली. परंतु पदभ्रमंती विषयी आम्हाला लागलेली ओढ तसूभरही कमी झाली नाही. जरी प्रत्येकजण आपापल्या व्यापात *व्यस्त* व *व्यग्र* होत होता तरी कधीही एकत्र आलो की पुन्हा त्याच आठवणींना उजाळा मिळतो. *“बालपणीचा काळ सुखाचा”* असे उगीचच म्हणतात का? त्याची सत्यता आताशी कुठे जाणवू लागली आहे. असो! 

मधला काळ, वर्षे झपाट्याने सरत होती. मी आधी सातारा व पुढे सज्जनगडावर वास्तव्यास गेलो. सातारा येथे असतानाच माधव कुलकर्णी, श्रीधर पेठकर, महेश कुलकर्णी अशा काही मित्रांबरोबर स्नेह निर्माण झाला. मंगळवार तळे परिसरात आम्ही रोजच एकत्र भेटत होतो. तिथेही गप्पांच्या ओघात आमच्या पदभ्रमंतीच्या सुरसरम्य कथा रंगत होत्या. त्यातुनच सज्जनगडावरील वेद पाठशाळेतील विद्यार्थ्यांना जेव्हा मी वासोटा किल्ल्यावर घेऊन गेलो त्यावेळी माधव कुलकर्णी आमच्यामध्ये सहभागी झाला होता.

त्यालाही गडकोट भ्रमणाचा आनंद मिळाला. त्यानंतर अजून कुठे जायचे? अशी चर्चा सुरू झाली. ठिणगी पडली होती. आता त्याचा वणवा पेटण्याची प्रतिक्षा होती. सातारच्या मित्रमंडळाला मी गडकोट भ्रमणासाठी उद्युक्त केलेच होते. त्याची पहिली फलनिष्पत्ती म्हणजे आम्ही रायगडाची चढाई यशस्वी केली. यामुळे त्यांचा उत्साह द्विगुणित तर झाला होताच; पण त्यांच्यात आत्मविश्वास दुणावला होता.

आपल्या आयुष्यात कधी कोणते वळण लागेल किंवा उलथापालथ होईल याची शाश्वती कुणीच देऊ शकत नाही. आमच्या बाबतीत देखील तेच घडत होते. मे महिना सुरू झाला होता आणि आमची गडावर जाण्यासाठी चर्चा सुरू होती. *“कुठे तरी जाऊया”* इतकेच प्रारंभीचे बोलणे झाले. त्यातूनच मी *"प्रचितगड करुया"* असा प्रस्ताव मांडला. माधव, श्रीधर व महेश अशा तिघांनी होकारार्थी संमती दिली. तारीख ठरली २३ मे २००२!! योगायोग कसे असतात ते पहा. १९९२ सालात आम्ही जेव्हा प्रचितगड सर केला तीच तारीख यावेळी जुळून आली होती. फक्त मध्ये दहा वर्षे लोटली होती. त्या दहा वर्षात पुलाखालून बरेच पाणी वाहून गेले होते.

सातारा येथून रात्री दुचाकीवरती निघायचे असे निश्चित झाले. २३ तारखेचा दिवस अस्ताला गेला आणि आम्ही निघण्याच्या तयारीला लागलो. गडावर मुक्काम करायचा असे ठरल्याने स्वयंपाक साहित्य, पातेलं अशा प्राथमिक गोष्टी सोबत घेतल्या. यावेळी प्रचितगडावर जाण्याचा मार्ग तेवढा बदलला होता. चांदोली मार्गाने जाणं अशक्य होते. त्याऐवजी कराड, कोयनानगर, चिपळूण, संगमेश्वर व तिथून शृंगारपूर अशी दुचाकीवरील सवारी करायची व शृंगारपूर येथूनच प्रचितगडाची चढाई सुरू करायची असे निश्चित झाले.

रात्री नऊच्या सुमारास आम्ही साताऱ्यातून मार्गस्थ झालो. एकेक टप्पा पार करत व संपूर्ण रात्रभर प्रवास करत अखेरीस पहाटेच्या सुमारास आम्ही शृंगारपूर गावात दाखल झालो. दुचाकी लावण्याची व्यवस्था केली आणि गावात जे कोणी भेटले त्यांना प्राथमिक पायवाटेने जाण्यासाठी चौकशी केली. आम्ही सगळे अगदी प्रथमच या मार्गाने जाणार होतो. नेमका मार्ग कसा आहे, कितपत खडतर आहे, चढाईला किती कालावधी लागतो याची तसूभरही माहिती नव्हती.

पाठीवर सॅक चढवल्या. पिण्याच्या पाण्याच्या बाटल्या भरून घेतल्या. आम्ही जी चौकशी केली त्यातून एक गोष्ट लक्षात आली होती की वाटेत कुठेही पिण्याच्या पाण्याची व्यवस्था उपलब्ध नाही. त्यातच कडक उन्हाळा असल्याने छोटे मोठे ओघळ आटले होते. त्यामुळे ज्या व जेवढ्या पाण्याच्या बाटल्या घेतल्या होत्या त्याच गडावर पोहचेपर्यंत आमची तहान भागवणार होत्या. आता आम्ही गावाची वेस ओलांडून बाहेर पडलो. समोर दूरवर घनदाट जंगल पसरलेले दिसत होते. पहाटेच्या सुमारास चरण्यासाठी सोडलेली गुरेढोरे फिरत होती.

पायवाट अगदी मळलेली होती त्यामुळे तीच गडाच्या दिशेने जात आहे असे वाटल्याने आम्ही चालत होतो. अजून तरी आम्हाला फार चढउतार लागले नव्हते. त्यामुळे चालताना फारशी दमछाक होत नव्हती. सुमारे पाऊण तास आम्ही गडाच्या दिशेने वाटचाल करत होतो. प्रचितगडाचा अजस्त्र विस्तार दृष्टीक्षेपात येत होता. आम्ही योग्य मार्गाने जात असल्याचा समज करून घेतला होता. त्याचवेळी अगदी गर्द झाडीत आम्ही प्रवेश केला. त्यातून वाट काढत पुढे जाण्याची खटपट व धडपड सुरू झाली आणि मग आपण मार्ग चुकल्याचे लक्षात आले. पुन्हा माघारी वळलो आणि पायवाटेचा शोध सुरू केला. या सर्व घडामोडीत व पुन्हा योग्य पायवाट शोधण्यात आमचा एक तास वाया गेला होता. सकाळचे आठ वाजत आले होते आणि अजूनही आम्ही फक्त योग्य मार्गाच्या शोधात गुरफटलेले होतो.

 *क्रमशः* 

समीर श्री. आराणके

सोमवार पेठ, कराड

दूरभाष : ९४०३१६६५५८

🚩प्रचितगडाच्या “भययुक्त”छायेत!🚩

---------------

समीर आराणके, कराड

     *भाग सहावा* 

(जे ऐकायला तयार नाहीत त्यांनी वाचावे म्हणून हा लेखनप्रपंच)

जंगलातील अनोळखी पायवाटांचा सुगावा लागणे दुस्तर असते. काही मळखाऊ वाटा पाळीव जनावरांच्या चारा शोधताना निर्माण झालेल्या असतात. काही जंगलातील प्राण्यांच्या असतात. अशा वेळी अति आत्मविश्वास दाखवला तर आपण संकटात सापडण्याचा धोका संभवतो. शिवाय कालापव्यय होवून आपण भलतीकडेच 'भटकत' व 'भरकटत' जातो. आमच्या बाबतीत नेमके हेच घडत होते. आपण किमान गडाच्या पायथ्याशी पोहचण्यासाठी योग्य व्यक्ती (वाटाड्या) सोबत घ्यायला हवी होती याची जाणीव झाली.

परंतु आता पश्चात्ताप करून उपयोग नव्हता. आठ वाजून गेले होते आणि मे महिना असल्याने सूर्य किरणे अधिक प्रखर होत होती. *“आधीच उल्हास आणि त्यात फाल्गुनमास”* या म्हणीनुसार आमची गत झाली होती. जरी चहुबाजूंनी गर्द झाडी दाटलेली होती तरी कोकणातील दमट हवामान आम्हाला सतावू लागले. त्यामुळे थोडी चढण सुरू झाली की छातीचा भाता वेग घेत होता. पाण्याचे घोट रिचवून आम्ही ध्येय गाठण्यासाठी प्रयत्नशील होतो. 

पायथ्यापासून थोडे वरील बाजूस आलो आणि आता खडी चढण सुरू झाली. अजून म्हणावा असा पल्ला गाठला देखील नव्हता आणि त्या चढणीला आम्ही सुरुवातीलाच 'मेटाकुटीला' आलो. अंगातून घामाच्या धारा वाहत होत्या. नशीब म्हणजे मे महिना असल्याने खबरदारी म्हणून मी आधीच डझनभर लिंब सोबत घेतली होती. साखर व मीठही होते. पाण्याच्या बाटलीत रस ओतून साखर, मीठ घातले आणि आता त्याचे घोट घेत एकेक पाऊल वरच्या दिशेने उचलत होतो.

बघता बघता सकाळचे १०, ११ व १२ वाजून गेले होते. *फक्त आमचे १२ वाजायची घटिका यायची होती.* आणि पुढच्या तासाभरात तिने संधी साधून 'दस्तक' दिली. आमच्या जवळचे पाणी संपले होते आणि घशाला कोरड पडली होती. वाटेत कुठेही पाणी नाही हे गावकऱ्यांचे शब्द कानात 'बोचत' व 'टोचत' होते. आपण अधिक प्रमाणात पाणी घ्यायला हवे होते पण त्यांच्या सांगण्याकडे दुर्लक्ष केले याची खंत सलत होती.

पण प्राप्त परिस्थितीला तोंड देण्याखेरीज पर्याय नव्हता. तशीही आम्ही बरीच मजल मारली होती तरीही अजून गडाचा माथा दृष्टीक्षेपात आला नव्हता. त्याचवेळी तिघाही सोबत्यांनी माझी साथ सोडली. *"पाण्याशिवाय आम्ही एकही पाऊल उचलू शकत नाही"* असे त्यांनी ठणकावून सांगितले. पाण्याच्या एका थेंबाची किंमत त्यावेळी कळली होती. पाण्यातून मासा बाहेर काढला तर त्याची जशी तडफड होते तशीच काहीशी अवस्था आमची झाली होती. त्यांची ती केविलवाणी हतबलता पाहून मलाही 'लज्जित' झाल्यासारखे वाटले. आपणच पुढाकार घेऊन यांना इथे घेऊन आलो आणि आता ते हतबल झाले आहेत तर स्वतःलाच पुढे होऊन धैर्य दाखवावे लागणार होते.

पुढचा कोणताही विचार न करता मी सगळ्या पाण्याच्या बाटल्या सोबत घेतल्या आणि एकट्यानेच पुढची चढाई सुरू केली. आता एका वेगळ्याच *'आवेगात'* व *'आवेशात'* मी गडाच्या माथ्याकडे कूच केले. पूर्वी स्मरणात राहिलेली ती लोखंडी शिडी व तिचा मार्ग मात्र सापडला नव्हता. मी भलत्याच दिशेने वरती निघालो होतो. नजरेसमोर फक्त त्या तिघांचे चेहरे तरळत होते. जवळपास अर्धा तास होऊन गेला होता आणि मी मिळेल तिथे पाऊल टाकत पुढे सरकत होतो.

पश्चिमेकडून सूर्य आग ओकत होता पण त्याला न जुमानता गडाची ती घसरडी चढण पायदळी तुडवत वर चढत असताना एक खोबणीची जागा लागली. खाली दूरवर पसरलेली खोल दरी आणि त्या खोबणीत वरच्या हाताने दगडाचा आधार घ्यायचा आणि खालचा पाय वरच्या बाजूस उचलून वरच्या दगडावर ठेवत, तोल सांभाळत वर चढायचे. कुणीही सोबती नसताना केलेले ते धाडस एका क्षणात माझे अस्तित्व संपुष्टात आणण्यासाठी पुरेसे होते.

पण ते दिव्य पार करून मी गडाच्या माथ्यावर पाऊल ठेवले. क्षणाचाही विचार न करता माझी पावले *'त्या'* पाण्याच्या टाक्याच्या दिशेने झेपावली. आत डोकावून पाहिले आणि एका बाटलीत पाणी भरून स्वतःची 'तृष्णा' भागवली. मग सगळ्या बाटल्या भरून घेतल्या आणि माघारी वळलो.

 *क्रमशः* 

समीर श्री. आराणके

सोमवार पेठ, कराड

दूरभाष : ९४०३१६६५५८

🚩प्रचितगडाच्या “भययुक्त” छायेत!🚩

-------–------

समीर आराणके, कराड

      *भाग सातवा* 

 (जे ऐकायला तयार नाहीत त्यांनी वाचावे म्हणून हा लेखनप्रपंच)

गडावरील पाण्याचे *'गुप्त'* टाके माझ्या पूर्वपरीचयाचे होते. त्यामुळे शोधाशोध करण्याची गरज नव्हती. पाणी हाताशी गवसले होते पण म्हणतात ना *“विपरीत बुद्धी”* तशी काहीशी गत झाली होती. पाण्याच्या बाटल्या होत्या पण त्या सुरक्षित ठेवण्यासाठी सॅक घेण्याचे राहून गेले होते. फक्त *"गडावरून पाणी आणायचे"* या एकाच विचाराने मला झपाटले होते. पण आता या बाटल्या खाली कशा न्यायच्या? अंगात असलेला शर्ट उतरवला आणि त्या बाटल्या कमरेभोवती बांधल्या. *"संकटातून नेहमीच मार्ग निघतो"* असे म्हणतात ते इथे सार्थ ठरत होते.

आता ज्या कपारीतून किंवा खोबणीतून वरती चढलो होतो तिथे दाखल झालो आणि समोरचे ते अक्राळविक्राळ रूप पाहून माझी पाचावर धारण बसली. आपण वरती चढून तर आलो पण त्या खोबणीतून उलटे होवुन खाली उतरू शकत नाही या केवळ जाणिवेनेच अंगात कापरे भरले. हातपाय लटलटू लागले. मी मोठयाने ओरडलो....... माधव, महेश, श्री....... वरती या....... मी इथून खाली उतरू शकत नाही. पण बेंबीच्या देठापासून कितीही ओरडलो तरी त्यांच्या पर्यंत आरोळी पोहचणे अशक्य होते. 

काय करावे? त्या कड्याच्या अगदी टोकावर यायचो आणि पुन्हा माघारी जायचो. दोन वेळा पाऊल पुढे टाकले मात्र धाडस होईना. बहुतेक इथेच आपल्या आयुष्याची अखेर होणार! मृत्यूची घंटा जणू डोक्यात घणघणत होती. आता शेवटचा एकच उपाय शिल्लक होता....... क्षणार्धात मी दुर्गादेवीच्या मंदिराच्या दिशेने साष्टांग लोटांगण घातले. तिला मनोभावे प्रार्थना केली आणि माझ्या *“मनीचे गुज”* तिला कथन केले. त्या मनातील भावना, ते गुज मातेच्या कानी पोहोचले होते कारण पुढच्याच क्षणी मी पाठमोरा होऊन उलट्या दिशेने त्या खोबणीतून खालील बाजूस उतरण्यास सुरुवात केली होती.

एकीकडे कमरेला बांधलेल्या पाण्याने भरलेल्या बाटल्या आणि दुसरीकडे स्वतःचा तोल सांभाळत त्या घसरड्या उतरणीवर वाटचाल सुरू केली. जिथे ते तिघे माझी चातकासारखी वाट पहात होते तिथे येऊन दाखल झालो. ही सर्व घडामोड होत असताना घड्याळाचे काटे पुढे सरकत होते. आधी त्या तिघांनी पाणी पिऊन घेतले. मग थोडी लाकडं गोळा करून तिथेच चूल पेटवली व त्यात कॉफी बनवली. ती कोरी कॉफी घेतल्यावर त्यांना जरा हायसे वाटले.

 *“इथून पुढे तुम्ही वरती चढून जाऊ शकत नाही त्यामुळे आपण पुन्हा परतीला सुरुवात करूया”* असे मी स्पष्ट केले. परिस्थितीचे गांभीर्य ओळखून त्यांनीही होकार दिला आणि आम्ही आल्या पावली माघारी वळलो. तो पर्यंत दुपारचे चार वाजत आले होते. सकाळी चढाईला सुरुवात केली तिथपासून आता जिथे होतो तिथे पोहचण्यास पाच तास वेळ लागला होता म्हणजे पुन्हा गावात पोहचायला किमान तीन तास म्हणजे संध्याकाळचे सात वाजणार होते.

त्यातच आकाशात ढगांची जमवाजमव सुरू झाली होती. आपण आणखी संकटात सापडण्याआधी इथून लवकरात लवकर पायउतार होणे, हेच आमच्या हिताचे होते. श्रीधर व महेश यांची शारीरिक व मानसिक दोन्ही अवस्था बिकट झाली होत्या. *“आम्ही दोघे पुढे होतो तुम्ही सावकाश या व आपण पायथ्याशी भेटू”* असे सांगून ते दोघे उतरणीला लागले. मी व माधव शांतपणे लिंबाच्या फोडी चघळत, एकमेकांशी संवाद साधत खाली उतरू लागलो. 

उतरणीची पायवाट परिचित झाली होती. गर्द झाडी झुडपांनी वेढलेल्या त्या पायवाटेने उतरताना आपण भलतेच साहस करायला निघालो होतो व वाटाड्या न घेता केलेले धाडस आपल्या अंगाशी आले. मी जिथून एकटाच वरती चढून गेलो त्या मार्गातील संकट किती जोखमीचे होते आदी गोष्टी करत आम्ही उतरत होतो. ढगांची दाटी होत असल्याने सूर्यास्त व्हायला किती अवधी उरला आहे याचा अंदाज येत नव्हता.

महेश व श्री आमच्या पूर्णपणे नजरेआड झाले होते. ते दोघे असल्याने आम्हाला फारशी चिंता करण्याची गरज नव्हती. मजल दरमजल करत आम्ही पायथ्याशी उतरलो. महेश व श्री इथेच तर थांबणार होते, पण त्यांचा मागमूस लागत नव्हता. ते दोघे गावाच्या दिशेने पुढे सरकले असतील अशी आमची समजूत झाली. त्यांना मोठयाने हाक मारून पाहिली पण कोणताच प्रतिसाद मिळाला नाही. आता आम्ही दोघे पायथ्याची जागा मागे सोडली आणि गावाकडे कूच केले.

दाट झाडीतून वाट काढत असतानाच आमच्या दोघांची पावले एकाच वेळी जागच्याजागी थबकली. समोरचे दृश्य पाहिले मात्र आणि आम्ही एकमेकांचा हात हातात घेऊन होतो त्या जागी अगदी स्तब्धपणे उभे ठाकलो. नेमके काय दिसले होते? 

क्षणभर आमची भीतीने गाळण उडाली होती. समोरच्या मोकळ्या जागेत एक भरभक्कम *‘रेडा’* आमच्या रोखाने नजर वळवून आणि भली मोठी शिंगे आमच्यावर रोखून वाटेत उभा राहिला होता. आमच्यात फार फार तर १५ फुटांचे अंतर होते. त्याने ठरवले असते तर क्षणार्धात आम्हाला भुईवर लोळवणे त्याला शक्य होते.

काही क्षण आम्ही *‘मरणाच्या दारात’* उभे असल्याचा भास झाला होता. पण आम्ही दोघेही त्याच्याकडे तितक्याच रोखाने नजर भिडवली होती. अवघ्या काही क्षणांचा तो नजरेतील खेळ पण काय घडले ते समजण्या आधीच त्या रेड्याने आमच्यावर रोखलेली नजर हटवली. तोंडातून किंचितसा आवाज काढला आणि बाजूच्या झाडीत तो दिसेनासा झाला. तो प्रसंग आठवला तरी आजही अंगावर शहारे उभे राहतात. प्रचितगडाच्या भययुक्त वातावरणाची ती केवळ एक झलक होती. खरा भयावह प्रसंग तर अजून आमच्यावर बेतलाच नव्हता.

तसे पाहिले तर गडावरून पाणी घेऊन खाली उतरताना मला भयाची चुणूक अनुभवायला मिळालीच होती. परंतु *“तीन जणांचे प्राण वाचवायचे”* या एकाच विचाराने त्या भयाच्या जाणिवेवर मात केली होती. आता रेड्याच्या रूपाने पुन्हा एकदा ती झलक ताजी केली होती. जे काही घडले होते, घडत होते त्याकडे कानाडोळा करत आम्ही शृंगारपूर गावाच्या दिशेने वाटचाल सुरू ठेवली.

 *क्रमशः* 

समीर श्री. आराणके

सोमवार पेठ, कराड

दूरभाष : ९४०३१६६५५८

🚩प्रचितगडाच्या "भययुक्त" छायेत!🚩

--------–-----

समीर आराणके, कराड

     *भाग आठवा* 

 (जे ऐकायला तयार नाहीत त्यांनी वाचावे म्हणून हा लेखनप्रपंच )

सूर्यास्त होवून गेला होता. अंधार दाटत होता. आणि मी व माधवने गावाच्या वेशीत पाऊल टाकले. बरेच श्रम झाल्याने आम्ही दोघे जिथे गाड्या लावल्या होत्या थेट तिथे दाखल झालो. शेजारीच असणाऱ्या एका घराच्या ओसरीवर काही मंडळी जमलेली होती. त्यांनी *“या! बसा"* असे म्हणताच आम्ही जणू काही *“आज्ञा शिरसावंद्य”* म्हणत तिथे ठेवलेल्या खुर्चीवर बसलो. पिण्यासाठी पाणी मागून घेतले. गडावर जाऊन आलात का? या प्रश्नाने आम्ही गडबडलो.

काय सांगणार होतो आम्ही? पण त्या प्रश्नाने आम्हाला महेश व श्रीधर यांची आठवण झाली. 

 *“आमच्या सोबत आणखी दोघे जण होते ते आले आहेत का गावात?”* आम्ही विचारणा केली. 

 *“नाही हो अजून तरी गडावरून इथे कुणी आले नाही. तुम्ही दोघेच तर आला आहात की”.* 

त्यांचे हे उत्तर ऐकून जणू धरणीकंप झाल्यासारखे वाटले. आकाशात विजांचा कडकडाट व्हावा आणि तो विजेचा लोळ अंगावर कोसळावा, अशीच एकंदरीत अवस्था! कुठे गेले असतील ते दोघे? आम्ही चौघेजण गेलो होतो आणि दोघेच परतलो आहोत हे ऐकून गावकऱ्यांच्यात *'कुजबूज'* सुरू झाली.

त्यांच्या बोलण्यातून काही तरी अघटित, भयावह घडले आहे किंवा घडणार आहे याची जाणीव झाली. हळूहळू ही वार्ता गावात पसरली आणि तिथे जणू गावकऱ्यांचा जथ्था येऊन उभा राहिला. नेमके काय होत आहे व काय करावे? आमची मती गुंग झाली होती. आता ७ वाजून गेले होते. सगळीकडे अंधार दाटला होता. आम्ही *'विमनस्क'* अवस्थेत बसून राहिलो. त्या दोघांची येण्याची प्रतिक्षा करण्याखेरीज अन्य काही पर्याय नव्हता आणि तितक्यात.......

अंधारातून अतिशय संथ गतीने पावले उचलत महेश एकटाच येताना दिसला. त्याला पाहून थोडा धीर आला. आम्ही बसलो होतो तिथे तो पोहचला आणि आधी पाण्याचा तांब्या तोंडाला लावला. तो पाणी पित होता पण आमच्या अंगातले पाणी आटत होते. त्याचे पाणी पिऊन होताच प्रश्न केला 

 *“अरे तू एकटाच आला आहेस तर श्री कुठे आहे?”* 

त्याचे उत्तर ऐकून आमची बोबडीच वळली. अंगात भीतीने कापरे भरले. जणू धरणीकंप झाला....... भययुक्त विचाराने अंग थरारले!  ऐकणारे गावकरीही निःशब्द झाले होते. असे काय सांगितले होते महेशने?

तर *“श्री जंगलातच पडला आहे. तो चालूच शकत नाही. मी प्रयत्न केला, त्याची विनवणी केली पण त्याने जागा सोडण्यास नकार दिला. मी त्याला उचलून घेण्याचा आटोकाट प्रयत्न केला परंतु श्रीने प्रतिसाद दिला नाही. बराच वेळ वाट पाहून मी एकटाच पुढे आलो आहे.”

हे ऐकून अंगाचा थरकाप उडाला होता. गावकरी आपापसात बोलत होते. *"अनोळखी जागी भलतेच धाडस दाखवले की असेच परिणाम भोगावे लागतात".* मागे घडलेल्या अशाच काही घटनांची ते उजळणी करत होते. इतक्या अंधारात रात्रीच्या वेळी वाट चुकली तर प्रसंगी प्राणावर बेतू शकते. त्यांची ती चर्चा ऐकून आम्ही नुसते *‘सुन्न’* होवून बसलो होतो. पण तेव्हड्यात एक धीर देणारी वाणी ऐकू आली.

अशा प्रसंगात गावातील फक्त एकच व्यक्ती अशी होती जी मदतीला धावून जात होती. ती व्यक्ती पोस्टमन होती आणि आता पर्यंत त्या व्यक्तीला उद्भवलेल्या परिस्थितीची वार्ता पोहचविण्यात आली होती. आता गावकरी त्याच्या येण्याची वाट बघत होते. अंधाऱ्या रस्त्याने एक व्यक्ती हातात बॅटरी घेऊन येताना दिसली. हाच तो आमचा *‘मसीहा’* किंवा *‘तारणहार’* बनून येत होता.

आल्या बरोबर त्याने महेशकडून श्री कुठे पडला आहे वगैरे गोष्टी जाणून घेतल्या. *“तुमच्या माणसाला आणायला मी येतो पण तुमच्या पैकी कुणी तरी माझ्या सोबत चला”* असे त्याने सांगितले. पहा! *"इतरांच्या माना मुरगाळून स्वतःच्या तुंबड्या भरणाऱ्या काळात ज्याच्याशी आपला काडीमात्र संबंध नाही अशा अनोळखी व्यक्तीचे प्राण वाचविण्यासाठी तो पुढे सरसावला होता. अजूनही माणुसकी जिवंत होती!"

कशाचाही विचार न करता मी खुर्चीतून उठलो. त्याने सांगितले त्या प्रमाणे पिण्याचे पाणी व थोडे खाद्यपदार्थ सोबत घेतले. आता आम्ही दोघेही पुन्हा जंगलाच्या दिशेने मार्गस्थ झालो होतो...... श्रीधरच्या शोधात!!

 *क्रमशः* 

समीर श्री. आराणके

सोमवार पेठ, कराड

दूरभाष : ९४०३१६६५५८

🚩प्रचितगडाच्या "भययुक्त" छायेत!🚩

---------------

समीर आराणके, कराड

      *भाग नववा* 

 ( जे ऐकायला तयार नाहीत त्यांनी वाचावे म्हणून हा लेखनप्रपंच)

श्री म्हणजे श्रीधरच्या काळजीने माझ्या जिवाचा थरकाप उडवला होता. तो नेमका कुठे व कशा अवस्थेत असेल? त्याच्या जीवाचे काही बरे वाईट तर झाले नसेल ना? गावकऱ्यांनी जे सांगितले ते ऐकून तर फक्त *'फेफरे'* भरणेच राहिले होते. पण त्याच वेळी त्या पोस्टमनच्या रूपाने आलेल्या देवदूताने आमच्या आशा पल्लवित झाल्या होत्या. आम्ही दोघे जंगलाच्या दिशेने झपाट्याने चालत होतो. काहीही झाले तरी श्रीचे प्राण वाचवायचेच या निर्धाराने मी त्याच्या पाठीमागे धावत होतो.

त्याच्या हातात विजेरी (बॅटरी) होती, शिवाय पायवाट परिचयाची होती. दिवसभराच्या शारीरिक व मानसिक ताणतणावाने माझी अवस्था वाईटाहून वाईट झाली होती. त्यामुळे अंधारातून त्याच्या मागे धावताना मी अडखळत, ठेचकाळत होतो. वेळ खूपच कमी होता आणि त्या चहुबाजूंनी झाडाझुडुपांमध्ये श्री कुठे असेल याचा शोध घेणे म्हणजे सागरातून मोती शोधून काढण्यासारखेच होते.

त्या गर्द अंधारात झाडाझुडपांच्या दाटीतून वाट काढताना भीतीने ग्रासले होते. जणू ते जंगल आपल्याला गिळंकृत करण्यासाठी आसुसलेले आहे आणि आपण *'आयते भक्ष'* बनून त्याला प्रतिसाद देत आहोत असे वाटू लागले. तो झपाझप पावले टाकत होता आणि चालतानाच त्याने मला *“मला माहिती आहे तुमचा मित्र कुठे आहे पण तुम्ही त्याला हाका मारत रहा”* अशी सूचना केली. एकीकडे त्याचे बोलणं ऐकून धीर येत होता तर दुसरीकडे भयसुचक विचारांनी थैमान घातले होते. जवळपास अर्धा तास आम्ही जिवाच्या आकांताने धावत होतो. प्रत्येक पावलागणिक मी श्रीला हाका मारत होतो. स्वतःच्याच आवाजाने स्वतःलाच धीर देत होतो. 

एके ठिकाणी ती व्यक्ती अचानक जागीच थांबली. नेमके काय झाले आहे याचा पाठीमागे असल्याने अंदाज येत नव्हता. बॅटरीचा उजेड समोरच्या मोकळ्या जागेत फिरवून त्याने मला पुढे येण्याची सूचना केली. समोरचे दृश्य पाहून माझा भीतीने थरकाप उडाला.

एका मोकळ्या जागेत श्री पडलेला होता. त्याची दृष्टी आभाळाकडे होती. तो जिवंत आहे की गेला? मनातील कुशंका कधी घात करेल सांगता येणार नाही. पण त्या कुशंकेने माझ्या मनाचा ठाव घेण्याआधीच ती व्यक्ती मला उद्देशून म्हणाली, 

 *“मी इथेच उभा राहतो पुढे येणार नाही. तुम्ही पुढे जा व मित्राला त्या जागेतून उठवून किंवा उचलून इथे आणा”

मी झपाट्याने पुढे सरसावलो. श्रीच्या अगदी जवळ जाऊन त्याला हाक मारली. त्याने फक्त हुंकार दिला. तो जिवंत असल्याची खात्री झाली. मी खाली बसून त्याचा हात धरला आणि *"श्री मी आलो आहे, उठ”* असे म्हटले व त्याने खोलवर गेलेली नजर माझ्याकडे फिरवली. तशाच स्थितीत त्याला पाणी पाजले. तो अगदी बसक्या आवाजात मला म्हणाला, *“माझ्या सभोवती एक रेडा फेऱ्या घालत आहे.”* क्षणभर मी व माधवने अनुभवलेला रेड्याचा प्रसंग डोळ्यासमोर तरळला.

ते ऐकून मेंदूच्या ठिकऱ्या उडाल्या. एक क्षण मी व माधवची रेड्याबरोबर झालेली नजरानजर आठवली. त्याचवेळी जवळच्या झुडुपात काही तरी हालचाल झाली. मी मागे वळून त्यांना हाक मारली व पोस्टमनने चहुबाजूंनी बॅटरीचा प्रकाशझोत टाकला. जवळच्या झुडुपात खसखस झाल्याची जाणीव झाली. केवळ काही मिनिटांचा तो प्रसंग. 

 *"श्री उठून उभा रहा, आपण इथून निघूया”* असे मी म्हटले आणि जवळजवळ त्याला उचलून उभे केले. त्याला पाठकुळीवर घेतले आणि पोस्टमन जिथे उभा होता तिथपर्यंत आणले. 

आम्ही अगदी पोस्टमनच्या नजिक आलो.

 *“आता धोका नाही त्यांना खाली उतरवा”* त्याने सूचित केले. 

 *“त्यांना अजून थोडे पाणी द्या व काही तरी खायला द्या”* असे म्हणताच मी तशी कृती केली. पाणी पिल्यावर व थोडे अन्नपदार्थ पोटात गेल्यावर श्री थोडा ताजातवाना झाला. 

 *"इथे फार वेळ थांबता येणार नाही. आपण थोडे पुढे जाऊया, मग पाहिजे तर बसूया"* असे ती व्यक्ती म्हणाली.  

जरी श्रीच्या अंगात त्राण उरलेले नव्हते तरी तिथून पुढे निघणे अपरिहार्य होते. त्याला आधार देत आम्ही तिघे थोडे पुढे आल्यावर थांबलो. श्रीला पुन्हा पाणी दिले. थोडा वेळ विश्रांती घेतली आणि आता आम्ही अगदी संथगतीने वेस ओलांडून गावात प्रवेश केला.

 *क्रमशः* 

समीर श्री. आराणके

सोमवार पेठ, कराड

दूरभाष : ९४०३१६६५५८

🚩प्रचितगडाच्या "भययुक्त" छायेत!🚩* 

---------------

समीर आराणके,कराड

     *भाग दहावा* 

 (जे ऐकायला तयार नाहीत त्यांनी वाचावे म्हणून हा लेखनप्रपंच)

लेखमालेच्या मूळ विषयाला प्रारंभ करण्यापूर्वी थोडेसे इतिहासात डोकावून पाहूया! शृंगारपूर हे गाव संगमेश्वर पासून अवघ्या काही कोस लांब आहे. डोंगररांगातून तिथे पोहचण्यासाठी रस्ता तयार झाला आहे. परंतु हे गाव स्वराज्य आणि विशेषतः धर्मवीर छत्रपती संभाजी महाराज यांच्या जीवनपटाशी अगदी एकसंध राहिले आहे. छत्रपती शिवाजी

महाराजांनी शृंगारपुर ताब्यात घेतले त्यावेळी तानाजी मालुसरे यांनी शृंगारपुरच्या बाजुने चाल करुन प्रचितगड ताब्यात घेतला. पुढे पिलाजी शिर्के यांची कन्या जिऊबाई उर्फ़ राजसबाई (येसुबाई) यांच्यांशी छत्रपती संभाजी महाराजांचा विवाह झाला. तसेच शिवाजी महाराजांची मुलगी राजकुंवरबाई हिचा विवाह पिलाजींचा मुलगा गणोजी यांच्याशी झाला. शिवाजी महाराज दक्षिण दिग्विजयाला निघाले तेंव्हा त्यांनी संभाजी महाराजांची शृंगारपूरचा सुभेदार म्हणुन नेमणुक केली. छत्रपती संभाजी महाराजांनी इथेच  त्यांनी  संस्कृत व ब्रज भाषेतील तीन ग्रंथ लिहिले. 

एकंदरीत छत्रपती संभाजी महाराज यांचे शृंगारपूर गावाशी ऋणानुबंध अगदी घट्ट होते. परंतु हा परिसर, विशेषतः संगमेश्वर इतिहासात अधोरेखित झाले कारण याच ठिकाणी छत्रपती संभाजी महाराजांना कैद करण्यात आले. त्या काळ्याकुट्ट इतिहासात न जाता आपण मूळ विषयाकडे परत वळूया!

श्रीधर नेमका कोणत्या ठिकाणी पडला होता? जिथे मी व माधवची रेड्याबरोबर नजरानजर झाली होती त्याच मोकळ्या जागेत तो पडला होता. घनदाट जंगलात एकाकी पडलेल्या श्रीधरला घेऊन आम्ही गावात प्रवेश केला. त्याला एक जीवनदान मिळाले होते. त्याला सुखरूप परत आल्याचे पाहून माधव व महेशच्या चेहऱ्यावर समाधानाची लकेर उमटली होती. जवळच असलेल्या एका घरात आम्ही विसावलो. त्या घरात एक वयस्कर आजी बसलेल्या होत्या. आम्ही परत आल्याचे समजताच गावातील आबालवृद्ध मंडळी तिथे येऊन दाखल झाली होती. त्यांच्या चेहऱ्यावर उत्कंठा व विस्मय भरलेला होता.

त्या वयस्कर आजींनी पोस्टमनकडे पाहून प्रश्न केला, *“कुठं सापडला र पोर”. “तिथंच की नेहमीच्या जागवर”.* 

अस नेमके काय होते त्या जागेत? हा प्रश्न मनाला छेदून आरपार गेला. अद्यापही तो अनुत्तरीतच राहिला आहे. आम्ही येत असताना वाटेत भेटलेल्या रेड्याची माहिती दिली. त्यावर तिथे उपस्थित गावकऱ्यांनी आम्हाला आपादमस्तक न्याहाळले. *"आम्ही इतके वर्षे इथे राहत आहोत पण आजपर्यंत आम्हाला या परिसरात कुठेही रेडा दिसलेला नाही. तुम्ही दुसरेच कुठले जनावर पाहिले असेल आणि तुम्हाला तो रेडा वाटला असेल".* 

गावकऱ्यांचा हा खुलासा ऐकून आम्ही शब्दकुंठित झालो. मी व माधवने रेडा तर पाहिला होता. पण गावकऱ्यांना काय व कसे सांगणार आणि सांगितले तरी त्यांना थोडेच पटणार होते?  

पण हे बोलणे सुरू असतानाच त्या आजींनी मला जवळ बोलावले. माझ्या डोक्यावर व चेहऱ्यावर मायेने हात फिरवला आणि म्हटले, *“लेकरा तू होतास म्हणून हे पोरग आज जित हाय. तू गोरागोमटा दिसतोय पन तुझ्यात काही तरी शक्ती हाय”* आजीच्या त्या शब्दांनी अंगात शहारे भरले आणि इतका वेळ दाबून ठेवलेल्या अश्रुधारा डोळ्यातून वाहू लागल्या. अनावर होणारा हुंदका दाबून धरत त्या आजींनी दिलेले आशीर्वाद मनात साठवून ठेवत मी पुन्हा आसनस्थ झालो.

मी केवळ निमित्तमात्र होतो. श्रीच्या आयुष्याची दोर बळकट होती म्हणूनच तो जिवंत परतला होता. थोडे चहापान झाले आणि आम्ही त्या सर्वांचा स्नेहपूर्वक निरोप घेतला. दुचाकी रात्रीच्या अंधारात पुन्हा साताऱ्याच्या दिशेने निघाल्या. पहाटेच्या सुमारास आम्ही सुखरूप सातारला पोहचलो. 

एका भीषण संकटातून आम्ही अगदी सुखरूप परतलो होतो. सातारा पर्यंतच्या प्रवासात आम्ही फारसा संवाद करण्याचे टाळले होते. जे काही घडले त्यावर आता बोलण्यात फारसे काही हशील नव्हते. दुसऱ्या दिवशी सज्जनगडावर जाण्याआधी मी, माधव व महेश काही वेळासाठी एकत्र जमलो. *"महेश तुम्ही तर आमच्या आधी गावात पोहचायला पाहिजे होतात मग परत पायथ्याशी कसे थांबलात?"* 

महेशने जे कथन केले ते ऐकून आमची पाचावर धारण बसली. तो सांगत होता......

 *"आम्ही दोघे खूप दमलो होतो. पायवाट समजत नव्हती. म्हणून जवळच असलेल्या ओढ्याच्या काठाने आम्ही पुढे चालत होतो."* 

(मी व माधवने देखील काही वेळासाठी तोच मार्ग अवलंबिला होता. आम्हीही तहानेने व्याकूळ झालो होतो व ओढ्यात कुठे तरी पाणी मिळेल या आशेने आम्ही काही वेळ वाटचाल केली होती. आम्हाला पाण्याचे एक डबके मिळाले होते. जरी ते पाणी पिण्यायोग्य नव्हते तरी त्यावरच आम्ही आमची तहान भागविली होती. असो!) 

महेश सांगत होता की *"या मार्गाने आपण लवकर गावात पोहचू असे आम्हाला वाटत होते. आम्ही बरेच पुढे आलो होतो आणि गावातील घरांची छप्परे सुद्धा दिसत होती. पण नेमके काय झाले ते समजले नाही. आम्ही अचानक माघारी वळलो आणि पुन्हा पायथ्याशी असलेल्या त्या मोकळ्या जागेत दाखल झालो. तिथेच श्रीने हातपाय गाळले आणि तो जमिनीवर उताणा झाला."* 

ते ऐकून मला प्रचितगडाच्या पहिल्या पदभ्रमंतीची आठवण झाली. आमचीही गत काहीशी अशीच तर झाली होती. मग लक्षात आले आमच्यासारखाच त्यांना देखील जंगलात *“चकवा”* लागला नसेल ना? पण प्रचितगडाचे भय इथेच संपले नाही. मी सज्जनगडावर परतलो आणि दैनंदिन सेवेत रुजू झालो. पण काही दिवसांनी माधवचा दूरध्वनी आला. *“श्रीची प्रकृती खालावली आहे तू भेटून जा”.* 

त्या वाक्याने मी नखशिखांत हादरलो. त्याच दिवशी श्रीला भेटण्यासाठी सातारला आलो. तो अंथरुणाला खिळला होता. जवळ जाऊन त्याचा हात हातात घेतला. *“श्री, मी समीर”.* त्याने खोलवर नजरेतून पाहिले आणि अगदी अस्पष्ट आवाजात मला म्हटले, 

 *“माझ्या कानात आवाज ऐकू येत आहे. मला कुणी तरी बोलावत आहे”* 

शब्दही न उच्चारता मी निमूटपणे त्याचा निरोप घेतला. ती भेट अखेरचीच ठरणार होती. पुढे काही कालावधीनंतर श्रीचे देहावसान झाले. त्याच्या जाण्याने आमच्या मनाला आत्यंतिक वेदना झाल्या. त्याला खऱ्या अर्थाने श्रद्धांजली वाहायची असेल तर प्रचितगड गाठला पाहिजे. माझा निर्धार झाला होता. माधव व महेशकडे तुम्ही येता का, म्हणून विचारणा केली. त्यांनी कोपरापासून हात जोडले. पण एक आशेचा किरण चमकला. श्री. नरेंद्र पुराणिक माझ्या समवेत प्रचितगडावर जाण्यासाठी सहमत झाले.

पुन्हा एकदा आम्ही दुचाकीवर स्वार होऊन शृंगारपूरच्या दिशेने निघालो. तो दिवस होता १३ मे २००३!! फक्त प्रवास दिवसा केला आणि रात्रीच्या मुक्कामासाठी शृंगारपूरला दाखल झालो. पहिल्या वेळी केलेली चूक यावेळी करायची नव्हती. मग चौकशी करून एक व्यक्ती आमच्यासोबत  'वाटाड्या' म्हणून येण्यास तयार झाली. त्याच्याच घराच्या ओसरीवर आम्ही रात्री विश्रांती घेतली. पहाटे पाच वाजता आम्ही प्रचितगडाकडे कूच केले. यावेळी भटकंती होणार नव्हती. शिवाय सोबत भरपूर प्रमाणात पाणी व नाश्त्याचे पदार्थ  घेतले होते. ज्या खडतर मार्गाने मी एकाकी चढाई केली त्याच मार्गाने आम्ही गडाच्या माथ्यावर पोचलो तेव्हा दुपारी बारा वाजत आले होते.

आम्ही त्याच टाक्या मधून पाणी भरून घेतले आणि मी त्या दुर्गामातेला रुद्राभिषेक करून श्रीला खऱ्या अर्थाने श्रद्धांजली अर्पण केली. थोडा वेळ गडाची भ्रमंती करून खाद्यपदार्थ खाऊन घेतले. दुपारी दीडच्या सुमारास पुन्हा गडावरून उतरण्यास सुरुवात केली. सायंकाळी सहाच्या दरम्यान आम्ही शृंगारपूरला परतलो व पुढे रात्री प्रवास करून सातारला आलो. श्री. नरेंद्र पुराणिक यांनी साथसोबत केल्याने माझ्या मनातील भावना कृतीत उतरल्या होत्या व एक आंतरिक समाधान मिळाले होते. एकंदरीत तीन वेळा प्रचितगड सर करण्याचे भाग्य लाभले होते. प्रत्येक वेळी वेगवेगळ्या अनुभवातून जावे लागले. परंतु माधव, महेश, श्रीधर यांच्या सोबतच्या अनुभवाने प्रचितगडाची भययुक्त छाया आजही ताजी आहे. इति लेखन सीमा मर्यादा! धन्यवाद!!

समाप्त

 *टीप : आता प्रचितगडावर खूपच सुधारणा व बदल झाले आहेत तरीही योग्य ती खबरदारी घेणे गरजेचे आहे.* 

समीर श्री. आराणके

सोमवार पेठ, कराड

दूरभाष : ९४०३१६६५५८

🚩प्रचितगडाच्या "भययुक्त" छायेत!🚩* 

---------------

समीर आराणके,कराड

     *भाग दहावा* 

 *(जे ऐकायला तयार नाहीत त्यांनी वाचावे म्हणून हा लेखनप्रपंच)* 

लेखमालेच्या मूळ विषयाला प्रारंभ करण्यापूर्वी थोडेसे इतिहासात डोकावून पाहूया! शृंगारपूर हे गाव संगमेश्वर पासून अवघ्या काही कोस लांब आहे. डोंगररांगातून तिथे पोहचण्यासाठी रस्ता तयार झाला आहे. परंतु हे गाव स्वराज्य आणि विशेषतः धर्मवीर छत्रपती संभाजी महाराज यांच्या जीवनपटाशी अगदी एकसंध राहिले आहे. छत्रपती शिवाजी

महाराजांनी शृंगारपुर ताब्यात घेतले त्यावेळी तानाजी मालुसरे यांनी शृंगारपुरच्या बाजुने चाल करुन प्रचितगड ताब्यात घेतला. पुढे पिलाजी शिर्के यांची कन्या जिऊबाई उर्फ़ राजसबाई (येसुबाई) यांच्यांशी छत्रपती संभाजी महाराजांचा विवाह झाला. तसेच शिवाजी महाराजांची मुलगी राजकुंवरबाई हिचा विवाह पिलाजींचा मुलगा गणोजी यांच्याशी झाला. शिवाजी महाराज दक्षिण दिग्विजयाला निघाले तेंव्हा त्यांनी संभाजी महाराजांची शृंगारपूरचा सुभेदार म्हणुन नेमणुक केली. छत्रपती संभाजी महाराजांनी इथेच  त्यांनी  संस्कृत व ब्रज भाषेतील तीन ग्रंथ लिहिले. 

एकंदरीत छत्रपती संभाजी महाराज यांचे शृंगारपूर गावाशी ऋणानुबंध अगदी घट्ट होते. परंतु हा परिसर, विशेषतः संगमेश्वर इतिहासात अधोरेखित झाले कारण याच ठिकाणी छत्रपती संभाजी महाराजांना कैद करण्यात आले. त्या काळ्याकुट्ट इतिहासात न जाता आपण मूळ विषयाकडे परत वळूया!

श्रीधर नेमका कोणत्या ठिकाणी पडला होता? जिथे मी व माधवची रेड्याबरोबर नजरानजर झाली होती त्याच मोकळ्या जागेत तो पडला होता. घनदाट जंगलात एकाकी पडलेल्या श्रीधरला घेऊन आम्ही गावात प्रवेश केला. त्याला एक जीवनदान मिळाले होते. त्याला सुखरूप परत आल्याचे पाहून माधव व महेशच्या चेहऱ्यावर समाधानाची लकेर उमटली होती. जवळच असलेल्या एका घरात आम्ही विसावलो. त्या घरात एक वयस्कर आजी बसलेल्या होत्या. आम्ही परत आल्याचे समजताच गावातील आबालवृद्ध मंडळी तिथे येऊन दाखल झाली होती. त्यांच्या चेहऱ्यावर उत्कंठा व विस्मय भरलेला होता.

त्या वयस्कर आजींनी पोस्टमनकडे पाहून प्रश्न केला, *“कुठं सापडला र पोर”. “तिथंच की नेहमीच्या जागवर”.* 

अस नेमके काय होते त्या जागेत? हा प्रश्न मनाला छेदून आरपार गेला. अद्यापही तो अनुत्तरीतच राहिला आहे. आम्ही येत असताना वाटेत भेटलेल्या रेड्याची माहिती दिली. त्यावर तिथे उपस्थित गावकऱ्यांनी आम्हाला आपादमस्तक न्याहाळले. *"आम्ही इतके वर्षे इथे राहत आहोत पण आजपर्यंत आम्हाला या परिसरात कुठेही रेडा दिसलेला नाही. तुम्ही दुसरेच कुठले जनावर पाहिले असेल आणि तुम्हाला तो रेडा वाटला असेल".* 

गावकऱ्यांचा हा खुलासा ऐकून आम्ही शब्दकुंठित झालो. मी व माधवने रेडा तर पाहिला होता. पण गावकऱ्यांना काय व कसे सांगणार आणि सांगितले तरी त्यांना थोडेच पटणार होते?  

पण हे बोलणे सुरू असतानाच त्या आजींनी मला जवळ बोलावले. माझ्या डोक्यावर व चेहऱ्यावर मायेने हात फिरवला आणि म्हटले, *“लेकरा तू होतास म्हणून हे पोरग आज जित हाय. तू गोरागोमटा दिसतोय पन तुझ्यात काही तरी शक्ती हाय”* आजीच्या त्या शब्दांनी अंगात शहारे भरले आणि इतका वेळ दाबून ठेवलेल्या अश्रुधारा डोळ्यातून वाहू लागल्या. अनावर होणारा हुंदका दाबून धरत त्या आजींनी दिलेले आशीर्वाद मनात साठवून ठेवत मी पुन्हा आसनस्थ झालो.

मी केवळ निमित्तमात्र होतो. श्रीच्या आयुष्याची दोर बळकट होती म्हणूनच तो जिवंत परतला होता. थोडे चहापान झाले आणि आम्ही त्या सर्वांचा स्नेहपूर्वक निरोप घेतला. दुचाकी रात्रीच्या अंधारात पुन्हा साताऱ्याच्या दिशेने निघाल्या. पहाटेच्या सुमारास आम्ही सुखरूप सातारला पोहचलो. 

एका भीषण संकटातून आम्ही अगदी सुखरूप परतलो होतो. सातारा पर्यंतच्या प्रवासात आम्ही फारसा संवाद करण्याचे टाळले होते. जे काही घडले त्यावर आता बोलण्यात फारसे काही हशील नव्हते. दुसऱ्या दिवशी सज्जनगडावर जाण्याआधी मी, माधव व महेश काही वेळासाठी एकत्र जमलो. *"महेश तुम्ही तर आमच्या आधी गावात पोहचायला पाहिजे होतात मग परत पायथ्याशी कसे थांबलात?"* 

महेशने जे कथन केले ते ऐकून आमची पाचावर धारण बसली. तो सांगत होता......

 *"आम्ही दोघे खूप दमलो होतो. पायवाट समजत नव्हती. म्हणून जवळच असलेल्या ओढ्याच्या काठाने आम्ही पुढे चालत होतो."* 

(मी व माधवने देखील काही वेळासाठी तोच मार्ग अवलंबिला होता. आम्हीही तहानेने व्याकूळ झालो होतो व ओढ्यात कुठे तरी पाणी मिळेल या आशेने आम्ही काही वेळ वाटचाल केली होती. आम्हाला पाण्याचे एक डबके मिळाले होते. जरी ते पाणी पिण्यायोग्य नव्हते तरी त्यावरच आम्ही आमची तहान भागविली होती. असो!) 

महेश सांगत होता की *"या मार्गाने आपण लवकर गावात पोहचू असे आम्हाला वाटत होते. आम्ही बरेच पुढे आलो होतो आणि गावातील घरांची छप्परे सुद्धा दिसत होती. पण नेमके काय झाले ते समजले नाही. आम्ही अचानक माघारी वळलो आणि पुन्हा पायथ्याशी असलेल्या त्या मोकळ्या जागेत दाखल झालो. तिथेच श्रीने हातपाय गाळले आणि तो जमिनीवर उताणा झाला."* 

ते ऐकून मला प्रचितगडाच्या पहिल्या पदभ्रमंतीची आठवण झाली. आमचीही गत काहीशी अशीच तर झाली होती. मग लक्षात आले आमच्यासारखाच त्यांना देखील जंगलात *“चकवा”* लागला नसेल ना? पण प्रचितगडाचे भय इथेच संपले नाही. मी सज्जनगडावर परतलो आणि दैनंदिन सेवेत रुजू झालो. पण काही दिवसांनी माधवचा दूरध्वनी आला. *“श्रीची प्रकृती खालावली आहे तू भेटून जा”.* 

त्या वाक्याने मी नखशिखांत हादरलो. त्याच दिवशी श्रीला भेटण्यासाठी सातारला आलो. तो अंथरुणाला खिळला होता. जवळ जाऊन त्याचा हात हातात घेतला. *“श्री, मी समीर”.* त्याने खोलवर नजरेतून पाहिले आणि अगदी अस्पष्ट आवाजात मला म्हटले, 

 “माझ्या कानात आवाज ऐकू येत आहे. मला कुणी तरी बोलावत आहे”

शब्दही न उच्चारता मी निमूटपणे त्याचा निरोप घेतला. ती भेट अखेरचीच ठरणार होती. पुढे काही कालावधीनंतर श्रीचे देहावसान झाले. त्याच्या जाण्याने आमच्या मनाला आत्यंतिक वेदना झाल्या. त्याला खऱ्या अर्थाने श्रद्धांजली वाहायची असेल तर प्रचितगड गाठला पाहिजे. माझा निर्धार झाला होता. माधव व महेशकडे तुम्ही येता का, म्हणून विचारणा केली. त्यांनी कोपरापासून हात जोडले. पण एक आशेचा किरण चमकला. श्री. नरेंद्र पुराणिक माझ्या समवेत प्रचितगडावर जाण्यासाठी सहमत झाले.

पुन्हा एकदा आम्ही दुचाकीवर स्वार होऊन शृंगारपूरच्या दिशेने निघालो. तो दिवस होता १३ मे २००३!! फक्त प्रवास दिवसा केला आणि रात्रीच्या मुक्कामासाठी शृंगारपूरला दाखल झालो. पहिल्या वेळी केलेली चूक यावेळी करायची नव्हती. मग चौकशी करून एक व्यक्ती आमच्यासोबत  'वाटाड्या' म्हणून येण्यास तयार झाली. त्याच्याच घराच्या ओसरीवर आम्ही रात्री विश्रांती घेतली. पहाटे पाच वाजता आम्ही प्रचितगडाकडे कूच केले. यावेळी भटकंती होणार नव्हती. शिवाय सोबत भरपूर प्रमाणात पाणी व नाश्त्याचे पदार्थ  घेतले होते. ज्या खडतर मार्गाने मी एकाकी चढाई केली त्याच मार्गाने आम्ही गडाच्या माथ्यावर पोचलो तेव्हा दुपारी बारा वाजत आले होते.

आम्ही त्याच टाक्या मधून पाणी भरून घेतले आणि मी त्या दुर्गामातेला रुद्राभिषेक करून श्रीला खऱ्या अर्थाने श्रद्धांजली अर्पण केली. थोडा वेळ गडाची भ्रमंती करून खाद्यपदार्थ खाऊन घेतले. दुपारी दीडच्या सुमारास पुन्हा गडावरून उतरण्यास सुरुवात केली. सायंकाळी सहाच्या दरम्यान आम्ही शृंगारपूरला परतलो व पुढे रात्री प्रवास करून सातारला आलो. श्री. नरेंद्र पुराणिक यांनी साथसोबत केल्याने माझ्या मनातील भावना कृतीत उतरल्या होत्या व एक आंतरिक समाधान मिळाले होते. एकंदरीत तीन वेळा प्रचितगड सर करण्याचे भाग्य लाभले होते. प्रत्येक वेळी वेगवेगळ्या अनुभवातून जावे लागले. परंतु माधव, महेश, श्रीधर यांच्या सोबतच्या अनुभवाने प्रचितगडाची भययुक्त छाया आजही ताजी आहे. इति लेखन सीमा मर्यादा! धन्यवाद!!

समाप्त

 *टीप : आता प्रचितगडावर खूपच सुधारणा व बदल झाले आहेत तरीही योग्य ती खबरदारी घेणे गरजेचे आहे.* 

समीर श्री. आराणके

सोमवार पेठ, कराड

दूरभाष : ९४०३१६६५५८

https://myweekendodysseys.blogspot.com back up

 

 Vikatgad (peb fort trek) - An experience of being on top of clouds -- Literally

October 12, 2013

Vikatgad also called Peb fort is situated on north west side of Panvel, about 3-4 kms from Neral stn. Located in same mountain range as Matheran, Its a famous one day trek from Mumbai and is quite popular among trekkers throughout the year. Peb fort derives its name from Godess Pebi temple at the base of the fort, also its called Vikatgad as it resembles the face of God Ganpati. Historical reference indicate that caves were used by Shivaji as silos to store grains. But today the caves at the top of fort is dedicated to Swami Samarth, disciples of Swami have contributed immensely at maintaining the caves and also constructed a temple at the highest point.There are few routes for this trek one being from base village of Fanaswadi, other being small village behind Dilkap college in Neral west. One can also come from Matheran as the routes are clearly marked.

My trip : After my first trek with TMI at Anjaneri, I had enrolled for Vikatgad trek one month in advance as I always wanted to do this trek, Its very popular among trekkers and then last week I was suffering from summer heat effects but still decided to go to Sarasgad day trek, unfortunately had to abandon in between just when I had reached the fort due to heat stroke. It was disappointing trek for me and trekker in me was feeling restless. So here I was all excited on Saturday night for night trek to Vikatgad. I was all prepared to complete this trek successfully and also got my friends Bharti, Aparna & Mark to join me and TMI group. We reached Neral station much earlier only to find that at 12.30am, apart from few people sleeping on station and few policemen on station we four were the only soul awake at Neral station. Wait of around one hour and two trains the entire TMI group had gathered at Neral station now. Total of 39 people joining march to Vikatgad. After a quick round of introduction, It was time for celebration for one of the trekker - Vishal More had his birthday so it was memorable cake cutting done at Neral station in middle of night. What a way to celebrate one's bday !!!!! of course it was followed by bday bumps to Vishal from all of us. Poor guy was already carrying Ralispray for after effects .... Lol

Happy Birthday !!!

We started our journey around 2.30am, walking past the dark and isolated streets of Neral west, the route we took was not commonly used from fanaswadi but behind Dilkap college. with lot of construction activity happening in the area, our leader Vishal lost the way in the night but eventually were on the right path. Base village landmark was a small temple, behind which was our path to summit of Vikatgad. In the dark night, we could faintly see our destination which was V shaped, on left was Vikatgad and on right was Nakhind. With torch light our only light source, it was unique to see 39 people with torch light moving up on the mountains. Climb initially was easy but due to summer heat and humidity, in no time everyone including me were sweating like pig. Occasional halt for 2-5 minutes, we slowly and gradually climbed to our first plateau and landmark - Huge transmission tower. Funny part was transmission lines supplying power emitted buzzing sound and we all wondered where the hell is that sound coming from, then realising that was being caused by power transmission lines. Also before we reached the tower, we also had to climb small rocks and also got lost in the darkness of forest once reaching a dead end. But it was all fine as we all reached the plateau.

Moving up in the dark forest, we came across few more rock patches which we climbed slowly. My camera as always, failed to start and I was staring at another trek which would not have pics from my clicks. I just cannot imagine any treks which would not have pics for memories and my blogs. Anyways it was dark and didn't really have any views to capture so I just enjoyed the trek not bothered about the views. Around 4.30am we reached the first difficult path en route where we had to climb muddy patch with deep valleys on both sides. Moving forward,we it was first rock climb, helped by experienced co-trekkers we all climbed safely. It was now around 5.30am when we were just minutes away from our resting place - cave dedicated to Swami Samarth. What we saw here was just mesmerising and indescribable. We were above clouds and valley which we climbed was now covered with clouds and with first rays of sunlight it was dangerously moving in to cover our entire path.

Vishal our leader pressed the panic button as we could see cloud moving in towards our path and fear was if it engulfed our path then we would have to spend time at the same place till its cleared. Our path to the cave now was narrow road and with valley on right and without clear vision, it was no way one could walk safely and reach the caves. 

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We all hurried to the caves but luckily it was not a long walk but just couple of yards away. The cave was just the right place everyone was waiting for. Within no time, many of co trekkers made themselves comfy and were off to sleep. It was a tiring climb of over 3hours. After some photo shoot, it was now time for 7 course breakfast, we were all dead hungry, it was so amazing to see so much variety of snacks and breakfast carried by everyone.

It was around 7.30am that we now decided to move forward. Moving ahead we came across few openings in the mountain, one would have to crawl in, I had read that it was meditation chambers lined with tiles, constructed by Swami Samarth disciples. We didn't dare to go in but moved ahead. Now it was first ladder climb. I couldn't stop wandering how one can climb this during rainy season with rains and winds for company.

We were now at Vikatgad fort. Again it was time for some photo shoot. View as always from the top was amazing but we were now staring at hot blazing sun, it was just 8.30am. Water resource was fast depleting now and there was no potable water source at the fort. We were now at 2082 feet above sea level. Deciding to take a short cut to reach the highest point - temple dedicated to Swami Samarth, it has padukas of Swami here.The climb to the temple was hard as had to climb with help of firm roots of trees with loose mud threatening to pull one down. Once at the top, It was amazing 360 deg view of Matheran mountain range and deep valleys around.

Chanderi in background

Again it was time for photo shoot, while we spend sometime at the temple, The place around temple doesn't have much space, it was narrow but barricade on both sides. It would be just awesome to come here in Monsoon to be in clouds literally !!!!! Another ladder to climb down and we were now moving towards Matheran range just opposite Panorama point. On the way we came across ashram, which was I would say best place to stay, surrounded by mountains and deep valleys. On enquiring there was Shiva temple close by, which had potable water and this was first source of drinking water that we came across in entire trek till now. Its so important to have lots of water on the trek specially during summer treks !!!!

Two more ladders to climb down and we were now going to again walk on narrow path with deep valleys on the right. Thrilling it was !!!! But we were now all exhausted to the core even though it was just 9am in the morning. Only thing that motivated everyone now was the Matheran mini train passing by on Matheran mountain range, this was our indicator that we were very close by to our destination and our last stretch of walk would be on the tracks of this mini train before we reach Dasturi naka from where we were to catch our cabs taxi to reach Neral station back. On the way to Matheran, we also came across huge statue of Ganapati painted on rock surface, locally known as "Kadevarcha Ganapati" as its is corner of a hill. The statue should be around 2storeys high and looks stunning from a distance.

It was around 9.30am that we finally reached Matheran mini train tracks. With smile on everyone face on having completed the trek successfully, we all sat on the train tracks with the mountain providing welcoming shade. We sat there relaxing on the tracks, watching at the far distance the Swami Samarth temple which we all had successfully climbed. It was most amazing feat I felt I had accomplished. It might have been couple of times one must have climbed and not one of those difficult treks but still I had a feeling of satisfaction on completing this beautiful trek in Sahyadris. We had a feedback session from everyone and after spending some time resting we all moved to Dasturi naka from where we got into cabs for Neral station and back home. I would love to do the same trek again in Monsoon, when it would be different face of the same mountain range all together with lush green mountains and rains god showering from top.

I bowed to mighty Sahyadris on having being able to explore its beauty and on successful and safe journey that I had. Hoping to explore as many places that mighty mountain has to offer. By the time I complete updating this episode of my trekking experience, who knows the trekker in me might be off to some other place or may be completed one. Till then Good bye !!!!!

 Sopara stupa and Chakreshwar Mahadev Mandir visit at Nalasopara.

May 07, 2014

Even though I was born and bought up in Borivali, As a child Nalasopara was always a far away suburb on western railway after Borivali and I don't remember ever visiting it. Over the years kept reading about real estate activities booming first in Mira- Bhayander area and then in Vasai - Nalasopara - Virar belt. Then few years back, read interesting stories about Buddhist stupa being found during excavation and it was a historical site also the fact that it was called SOPARA and was a flourishing port in ancient times. All this reading and listening, aroused curiosity about the place but never had chance to visit until last Sunday. Just a casual talk with Dr Ajay and we decided to visit few attractions in Nalasopara. It was my first visit and today while writing this blog, I am still at awe at what a truly magnificent place it is which I had missed for so many years !!! 

History of Nalasopara : Known by different names Sopara, Soparaka, Shurparaka. It was largest township on India's west coast and one of the chief ports of ancient India to trade with Mesopotamia, Greece, Rome, Eastern Africa, Arabia etc. The ancient port was also the capital of Aparanta. Literary, archaeological and epigrahic evidence suggest that it was a flourishing port during Ashokan period (3rd century B.C). Buddhist stupa, relics and inscriptions from 8th and 9th century is also evidence of importance of the place. Sopara or Shurparaka finds mention in the Mahabharata (1400 B.C.) as a very holy place that the Pandavas rested enroute from Gokarn in north Kanara to Prabha or Verval in Kathiawad. It is even suggested that Sopara may be the legendary Ophir mentioned in the Bible. In 1882 Pandit Bhagvanlal undertook excavation of a mound in Sopara and ruins of stupa were found. The mound which is about 65 yards Around the base, rises about 17 feet with steps from the eastern side.From the center of the stupa (inside a brick built chamber) a large stone coffer was excavated which contained eight bronze images of Maitreya Buddha which belong to the 8th-9th century A.D. The coffer contained a relic caskets, numerous gold flowers and fragments of a begging bowl. A silver coin of Gautamiputra Satakarni was also found from the mound. The sculptures lying around the mound and also found in nearby areas also suggest that it could also be of temple intended of Shaiva shrine which was unfinished. 

Our visit : On reaching Nalasopara by train, Bimal, Ajay and me reached the bus stand on west side. We were lucky that ST bus was standing and we got into it. The bus going to Kalamb or Rajori beach would drop you just outside the stupa complex. The stupa is located at Wanda village.

A board indicating the history of stupa lies outside the complex. It says "Sopara was historically called as Shurparaka. About 2500 years ago, a trader named Poorna constructed this Stupa in reverence of Lord Gautam Buddha. The stupa was decorated with carvings made in Sandalwood. This Stupa is identical to the one in Sanchi in Madhyapradesh. The inauguration of this Stupa was done by Lord Gautam Buddha himself. On 1st April 1882, historical investigator Pandit Bhagwandas Indraji started excavations at this site and uncovered a stone treasury containing eight idols of the Buddha, gold ornaments, gold, silver, etc. The great king Ashoka’s kingdom had in all 14 stone tablets in various parts. Of these, the 8th and the 9th tablets were found in Sopara. King Ashoka’s son Prince Mahendra and daughter Sanghamitra had travelled from Bodh Gaya to Sri Lanka with branches of the Bodhi Tree and had passed via Sopara on their journey. Later, Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar had also visited this site several times. Today this Stupa stands as mute evidence of an era gone by. The site is declared as a protected national site by the Government of India."

In middle of the complex lies the famous mound where the excavation was done. The mound is locally known as Burud Rajacha kot or fort of Basket making king. 

                       The main mound is surrounded by 6 smaller mounds or brick structures.

There is also a pillar which seems to be half buried in the ground which has carved Buddha in meditation.

            There are many such stone sculptures lying scattered and unattended in entire complex.

On other side of the mound lies a small statue of Buddha in rectangular compartment and a colored one outside which looks quite out of place among the old relics. Apart from statue of Buddha there are also some other sculptures which have been crudely stuck to a platform with cement rather than neatly arranging and displaying it with respect.

After spending some time at the complex we decided to visit another heritage site nearby called Chakreshwar Mahadev Mandir which is home to most impressive idol of Lord Brahma and some other sculptures displayed in the temple.

The temples of Brahma are rarely erected and there are very few temples of Brahma. The Brahma idol here is a standing sammukha image, wearing a jata-mukuta. Of his three faces which are seen, the middle one only has a beard.The god holds the akshamala and the sruva in the lower and upper right hands, and the kamandalu and the pothi (unbound book) in the lower and upper left hands.He wears a yajnopavita and an udaralandha, besides other ornaments and a long garland reaching below his knees. The tassels of his girdle are shown hanging down in front. On either side of the god appears a female figure carrying a bundle of kusa grass. There is, besides, his vehicle, the swan, on his left, and an attendant on his right. It was by far the most impressive idol I had ever seen.

               Here is the original image of the idol when it was found.

The temple is off the main road and opposite Chakreshwar lake or talav as called locally. The temple is reconstructed and is adjacent to Akkalkot Swami math with samadhi of Swami Mayuranand. 

The math had wooden beams and pillars typical of small village house. It was closed But placards hung outside gave details of Swami Mayuranand and that he had taken samadhi at very place. 

Next to samadhi was a open verandah which was again a small temple and had two beautifully carved sculptures embedded in the wall.

The temple compound wall had a row of stone carvings of different Hindu deity. Legend says that they were all retrieved from the lake, The original temple was destroyed by Portugese who destroyed most of the temples in bassein area after they took it from Sultan Bahadur Shah of Gujarat. 

Notable idols in the compound is one of Gajalaxmi - Goddess Laxmi with elephants on her sides. The elephants are depicted as pouring water from their trunks on the Goddess.

Another beautiful idol is that of Hari Hara - a combination of Shiva and Vishnu.

The main temple also has few idols and one that catches the eye is that of a voluptuous lady holding  a parrot in the hand. Its a true masterpiece and in good shape. 

After having spend some time in the temple, We decided to see the sunset on Kalamb beach.
Taking ST bus for Rajori which drops us at the main road from where its a walk of around 5-7 minutes. Typical village houses with some huge bungalows line the narrow road leading to the beach.There are few beaches in Vasai - Nalasopara belt though not very famous but popular among locals in the area. I was amazed to find that such a beautiful beach is not developed as tourist spot in Mumbai and doesn't get a mention as compared to Juhu / Chowpati / Manori / Gorai beaches which is in heart of Mumbai city.

We sat on tide protection wall built on the beach to prevent the water from entering the houses lined near the beach. Watching sunset and feeling the cool breeze, Happy to have seen the attractions of Nallaspora which had eluded me so many years.

I would request everyone reading this blog to atleast visit once such attractions in our backyard. Hoping to be on trails to some other offbeat attractions in and around Mumbai next time. KEEP READING !!!!

 Shree Ashapura temple - Nadol (Rajasthan)

November 20, 2011

Shree Ashapura Mataji is goddess worshipped mainly in Gujarat and Rajasthan, Its also a family deity for many in Gujarat and Rajasthan. One of the temple of the goddess is located in Nadol - Pali district and Modran in Rajasthan. There are other famous temples of the goddess at Matanamadh near Bhuj - Kutch, Jasdan - Rajkot, Morbi, Gondal, Jamnagar, Ghumli all in Gujarat.



Shree Ashapura mata is kuldevi of some of the gotras in Brahmin swarnakar samaj clans like Kala, Bhajud, Bhucha, Kathdiya, Kumbhalmera, Paldiwal, Solanki, Duhada, Kulmand, Lakhpal, Gugsa, Parkhavat, Ratanpal. She is also personal deity of Jadejas rulers of Kutch (Gujarat) and many other castes.

Shree Ashapura temple - Nadol

Reconstruction in progress

Gate of temple complex on Highway

Kuldevi : Every Hindu family has its own family deity which can be god or goddess and the families make a visit to obtain blessings of the deity especially on auspicious occasions like wedding, or new born in family. This tradition of having a kuldevi is similar to Tutelary deity worship which was practised in ancient Greece,Rome even in Native American religion, Asia and still practised today in Christianity.

Nadol - A sleepy small town in Desuri tehsil in Pali district on way to Jodhpur by bus from Udaipur. The town is famous for two important temples, one of Shree Ashapura mata which is also kuldevi (family deity) of people from Gujarat and Rajasthan, and Nadol Tirth which is Jain temple.

How to reach Nadol - Take a bus from Udaipur - Nathdwara which passes through towns of Gomti, Desuri, forest reserves of Khumbhalghar to reach Nadol. Takes 3 hours to reach from Nathdwara and buses are available in morning and evening. Nearest railway station is Rani junction which is 10kms from Nadol.

Lodging facility: Lodging facility is available in temple complex which also runs a Bhojnalay.

My visit: I had been planning a trip to get blessings of our Kuldevi - Shree Ashapura Mata since couple of months. After some research about Nadol, I decided to visit Rajasthan, Since it was my first visit and also first from anyone in my family so I decided to stay at Nathdwara which has better lodging facility and also it is 3hours bus drive to Nadol, bus & taxi service available from here. So it can be day trip.

Marble blocks

I boarded a Jodhpur bound bus from Nathdwara in the morning which stops at Nadol. The journey was not that exciting except for some eye popping marble and granite workshops along the route as Aravali mountains and Rajsamand in Rajasthan are famous for marble / granite mines. The bus also passed through the serpentine roads and picturesque forest reserve of Kumbhalgarh which is last green patch after which the barren desert starts. On reaching Nadol, found it to be small sleepy town which hardly would have a population of around 10000 and main highway to Jodhpur passes right in middle of the town. The temple complex which is a walk of 5-7 minutes from main highway is nice little temple which is being renovated and reconstructed with better facility for devotees. The idol of mata is quite unique and more mesmerising is to watch devotees who come here to seek blessings of the deity. The atmosphere is all charged with religious fervor. After performing puja, saw the temple complex also has lodging facility as well ;as Bhojnalay. After puja it was time for petpuja. The food served here is complete meal with roti, sabji, dal, rice, unlimited with charge of Rs 10/- per person.

After my darshan, I decided to return back to Nathdwara without doing any other adventures as October heat was taking its toll on me. On enquiring found that bus back to Udaipur had already left at 11.30am and next bus would be only in the evening. haha ... I was so !!!!!!!!!!!
Sitting on a stone arranged like a sitting bench on lone shop which was cycle repair shop on the highway, I decided to click pictures of Rajasthani folks passing by without offending them. With sun at its peak in mid afternoon, shop owner noticing that I was a novice or first timer in the village advised me to take a bus to Desuri village from where I would get other mode of transport to my destination. And I saw of bus to Desuri just pass by and I could only look at it as people were sitting on the roof of the bus !!!!!!!!

Gomti Village square

I started thinking that may be since I had not visited the kuldevi before, it was her way of punishing me for coming so late for her blessings.......But that was not the case as I saw a Maruti Omni which stopped in front of me and driver confirming if anyone would want to come to Desuri for a charge. I just hopped in the front seat without thinking twice. In Rajasthan, this is also one mode of transport as someone who is travelling to one location in a car, wants to make some money, would carry passengers for a charge. The driver dropped me to a village called Charbhuja which again is famous for some ancient temple of lord Vishnu. He also advised me to take bus to Gomti, from where I would get another mode of easy transport to Nathdwara. So here I was on a state transport bus to Gomti - town famous for Gurjar agitation and another important junction as buses going towards Jaipur and Jodhpur passes through it. Having reached Gomti, I was little more relaxed as it was only an hour drive to my destination so I decided to stop for a small tea break on highway tea stall all lined with "Khatiyas". Sipping hot ginger tea and watching the vehicles zooming past on national highway. It was first time for me to have tea on road side dhaba on a national highway. My journey back to Nathdwara from Gomti in state transport bus more reminded me of local train journey in Mumbai as it was a standing bus journey which got me back to Nathdwara.

This post is mainly for folks of Brahmin Swarnakar Samaj.

PICS FROM MY CLICKS
Rajasthani men & women multi coloured dressings.

Tribal women

Orange Pagdi

Red Pagdi

 Ramshej fort - My trek to the fort which remained invincible for Mughals

October 22, 2013

Come weekend and I get adrenaline rush to go on some treks in Sahyadris. This time the visit was to a small fort in North west of Nashik city called Ramsej or Ramshej. The fort is about 3273 ft on Nashik - Peth road. Base village is Ashewadi.

Ramsej fort : This fort lies approx 14 kms north west of Nashik city. Despite its small size, it has special mention in hard hitting battle history between Marathas and Mughals. History reads that after death of Shivaji Maharaj many forts put up strong resistance under leadership of his son Sambhaji. This tiny fort was no exception. Mughals boasted that they would capture the fort in few hours to a day but our great Marathas resisted all attacks by Mughals to capture it for long seven and half years. Mughals were only able to capture it by paying bribe to new killedar after long years of battle !!! Later Ramsej fort was one of the 17 strongholds which were surrendered to British in 1818. Also mythological story goes that it got the name Ramsej which means Lord Ram's bedstead as during his stay in exile Lord Ram had stayed in the caves on this fort.

My Visit : This time on weekend I decided to visit Ramsej fort along with TMI group. They had planned overnight trek to the place starting on Saturday night by bus from Dadar. The fort comes in easy grade and not much effort is required to climb it but on reading the history of the fort, It was quite interesting so I was sure the visit would be equally worthwhile. So here I was all backpacked on Saturday night, on my way to Dadar to meet the group on our quest to explore yet another place which had played important part in our history.

A small group of 19 people lead by Vikram, Sai and Jal drove in mini bus to base village of Ashewadi on Nashik - Peth road. We left Dadar around 11.30pm picking up some group members from Thane. With Jal and Mahen in the group, TMI antakshari started as soon as bus left Dadar and classics was the flavour with probably all classic hit songs were sang by all, Ably joined by Shree, Vikram, Sai and others from Thane. In no time we were cruising on the Kasara Nashik highway as there was not much traffic in wee hours. It was perfect jamming session till we stopped on highway dhaba for hot cuppa of tea & coffee. Midnight tea on highway dhaba has its own charm and is always welcome, at least I wouldn't miss it !!!

Back in the bus to our destination, the singing continued till late in the night I don't know for how long as I didn't realise when I went off to sleep. Itinerary was that we would have to spend some hours in the bus after we reached in the wee hours. We must have reached base village by 4ish when I opened my half closed eyes only to find some of group members busy asleep on bus seat while others chatted sitting in open sky outside the bus. I decided to take finish some more sleep before we get ready for the trek on first Sun rays. Around 6.30am it was wake up call for everyone as Vikram had arranged for breakfast and tea at village dhaba. With hot cuppa tea and whole loads of Poha, we were all now ready for our trek to the fort.

The fort stood tall on the small mountain with small houses lined below at the base village. We moved past the small village houses on our way to the top with curious eyes in the village watching our group go past their houses. Stopping at one of the huge village house which was temple dedicated to Lord Hanuman. As we started our climb up, we could see the fields below and vast tracks of open land as far as eyes could see. At farther distance, some water bodies with small dams build on it, clearly indicating it was effort towards rain water conservation.

Within 30 minutes we were standing below what seemed to be rock cut cave. On reaching the cave we found a small Shivling surrounded by water. We noticed that there was opening right above the Shivling in the ceiling of the cave from where the water would have dropped from the top.

At the entrance there was another Ram temple which was probably another cave converted into a temple occupied by a Sadhu with dreadlocks of hair (Jata). He was busy in his prayers so we decided to visit the temple on our way back. At the side of the temple there were proper steps carved which took us to a small cave filled with water. The temple was built on the cave. Interesting .......

As we reached the top, we saw a huge plateau with picture perfect 180 degree view of entire region with neighbouring hillocks and mountains.

There was small neatly carved entrance which we found was leading to a cave hidden on the plateau. This cave was perfect hiding place which surely would have given the advantage to Marathas fight against Mughals. The fortification was still intact and made one wonder the skilled engineering work done by our predecessors in bygone era.

On the left was huge plateau or so called machi and on the right side there was tunnel with steps which lead to the main fort. The main entrance was still intact and also within that fort was secret tunnel with steps which had small opening, On closer look we found that it was same opening which was right above the Shivling. May be this was secret entrance to the fort and was aptly used by Marathas to their advantage in their war against Mughals. I stood in awe, admiring the engineering and construction skills that went in making this fort.

But this was not all as above the fort there was small hillock which we were yet to explore. There was yet another small temple dedicated to a goddess and as we climbed up the hill, we found numerous water tanks and cisterns. There was small pond with fortified walls. There was almost 10-12 water cisterns carved in different places which was clever work of water conservation. From the top the view of entire mountain range of Trimbak, Satmala, Bhorgad and vast plains was simply breathtaking. We spent some time here with everyone trying to capture the beauty of the place in their lens and Why not ? The place offered some stunning views.

From the top, we could see radar installation on neighbouring mountain. The place is also home to Indian white back vultures and we were lucky enough to spot one flying right above our head.

With very little shade at the top and sun getting blazing hot, we decided to move back to main Ram temple which had some shade. Taking some rest here, we had our lunch that we were carrying. We also explored the Ram temple cave which was neatly maintained by the devotees and the resident sadhu baba.

It was just 11.30 am and we had explored the entire place. Descending back to the base village which hardly took 30 minutes, We sat under a huge tree thinking of what next ?? Someone came up with idea of visiting Sula Vineyard which was close by before we head back home and the plan was unanimously approved by one and all.

On inquiring we found that Sula was just 25-30 kms from the place and would be on our way to Mumbai. So off we were for wine tasting at SULA VINEYARD. At SULA we opted directly for wine tasting rather than the tour which except two, everyone participated in. With some interesting things that we learned about wines and after tasting 4 different wines, we were back on our way home with yet another interesting day coming to an end, yet another interesting fort explored by us all.

Hoping for yet another adventure trip next week to yet another adventurous place, till then ... ADIOS !!!

 Nature trail in Uttan Mangroves - Jamdar pada lake and Dam

January 28, 2021

Mumbai is mainly associated with population, pollution and if this wasn't enough we have some unique haphazard ways of developing our city for the next few decades by clogging the already clogged roads with development projects which adds to our woes. We seek green spaces in the concrete jungles of Mumbai but when we have one like Aarey forest or Sanjay Gandhi national park, we make it a litter zone by throwing our empty food packets and empty plastic bottles. One would sometimes think there are no places left in Mumbai where we don't have pollution or littering, all place natural. But then an ardent nature lover would always find some pockets of green, someplace of solace and peace. And believe it or not, there exist such places in the deepest corners of our city where we can still find chirping birds, nature, greenery, and some uninterrupted shades of peace. 

One such place that I had recently read about - Jamdar Dam and a small lake, a place with abundant shade and sunlight, a small blue & green water lake, small dam, and involves a small hike to reach and away from the maddening crowd. It ticked all the boxes for a half a day excursion to this green oasis not far away from home. And with Mumbai weather suddenly becoming nippier in the mornings, It was a perfect invite for half a day nature trail inside Uttan forest.

The winter morning was fresh and there was more than usual chill in the air when I left my home for Gorai creek. A five-minute ferry ride from the mainland jetty takes you across to Gorai island which I usually term as our very own "Goa in the backyard of Mumbai". Gorai island trips are very frequent for me first because it is closer to my home in Borivali, second, it is a perfect place for a long walk, jog and even cycling due to less traffic, not to forget that feeling of village charm and beaches that island has still retained. The 4 km narrow road that cuts right through the Gorai mangroves from jetty to the beach is familiar turf for me but today the path was unchartered territory, something I had never taken before.

Mid-way on the Gorai beach road from jetty lies a small hamlet called "Jui pada" or "St Anthony's pada". A small white chapel dedicated to St Anthony gives its name to the hamlet. 

The less frequented road on the right of the chapel is lined with few resorts and beautiful bungalows with groves of mango trees. The road is less frequented and one can still find horse carts or bullock carts plying here which is a rare sight on the mainland. Approx 2kms from the main road, the village road ends and a mud trail enters the forest laden with huge mango trees. One of the locals I met was surprised to see a solo trekker asking for direction of an offbeat place not many try to venture. He gave the direction with the caveat to stick to the predefined forest path on the right.

As I walked on the mud trail, thoughts played in the head what if something happened or if I am lost in the woods !! There were no humans in sight and I was literally walking in the middle of nowhere. But the option of turning back if I don't find the right path kept me going. Some 30 minutes of walk in the wilderness and I reached few tribal huts where clothes were hanging for drying, one of the houses also had incense sticks burning in the courtyard. What a place to stay !! It is hard to believe that people are staying in such remote areas away from city life but the location was truly to fall in love with. My priority was to check for the right path and this made me completely forget to click the pictures of those beautiful houses. But this is surely for next time !!. Unfortunately, houses were locked probably the residents had already left for work.

Not far from these two houses I followed a trail with bike tire marks, a furlong away saw a gate. It was a gated house with better construction. In those moments I heard some ladies talking which bought me some relief. Three ladies had just come from fetching water in metal pots from nearby bavdi. They were equally surprised to see me, probably because no stranger would have ventured or passed by in a long time. She confirmed that I was indeed on the right path and can continue further. Now with newfound confidence, I continued my walk and finally reached a tribal hamlet with many houses and a narrow cemented road. One local boy was also pleasantly surprised on seeing me, even wished me "Good morning" !! 

I kept checking with any locals I passed by to make sure I was on the right path. One of them even accompanied me for a short walk to show the way and pointed at a path passing by a small school called "Anganwadi" and asked me to follow it. I am still in awe at this tribal village located in the pristine wilderness of Uttan forest, so close to the city and yet so far. Finally, after a total of two and a half hours' walk, I had reached the village "Jamdhar pada".

Ironically the trail was to culminate at a small dam called "Jamdar dam", frequented by many cyclist groups. The locals I talked to misunderstood when I asked for a water dam and pointed me to continue further while the Google lady kept shouting "you have finally arrived" !! As I continued the map showed I was moving away from my destination, Unsure, I still continued my journey passing few more houses but couldn't find anyone to confirm the path. 

Finally met a small girl on the way, Even she confirmed that indeed I was on right path and destination was close by, bewildered but still decided to continue as I have been in situations when google lady has led me on the wrong path. 😆😆. After a total three hours of walk, I finally reached a place which is actually not on google map. It was a beautiful lake surrounded by bamboo trees. It was such a pleasant surprise for I had actually come looking for something else and here I was standing on the banks of an amazing lake. I had reached Jamdar Lake. I sat in the shade on the banks of the lake mesmerized at its beauty. As I write about it, I am still getting goosebumps. The pristine beauty of the place had me in awe !!. Spent some time in solitude soaking in the peace and tranquillity the lake offered. 

Before I start my return, I at least wanted to see the dam that had till now alluded me. I bumped into one of the locals who had guided me earlier and this time showed him the pic of the dam I was looking for. The locals call it Khara pani cha bandh or salty water dam as the creek water flows through it during high tide. This time I was on the right path and was guided back to Jamdar pada from where a small off-path would take me to the water dam I had come looking for. Finally, I reached my destination - Jamdar dam. Nothing fancy about the place, a very small dam but the offbeat trail to reach here is what makes this place worth a visit. I sat under the shade of a tamarind tree enjoying the breeze savoring on some bitings that I had brought along. 

For my return journey, Instead of taking the same route back, I hoped to reach the main Uttan road following what seemed like a forest path close to some stone quarry but ended up at dead ends. Two attempts at finding the route lead me to nowhere and hence returned back to the lake and decided to take the trail along the banks of the lake, Third attempt to find the right path was a success, The trail passed from behind of "Keshav Shrusti complex", passed through the banana grove and vegetable fields and finally came out from campus of Rambhau Mhalgi Prabhodhini. (Rambhau Mhalgi campus). 

This Jamdar pada lake and dam is an offbeat destination doable mainly in winters, The confluence of mangroves with forest ecosystem is seen here in its full grandeur and this undisturbed nature trail is one of the best I have done after a long time. Anyone reading and doing this trail is humbly requested to not ruin this patch of forest and help in keeping this path litter-free.

How to reach Jamdar Lake: Straight forward route is to take an in-road from Prabhat hotel on main Gorai - Uttan road or follow an offbeat path like I did from Jui Pada on Gorai beach road and then onto the muddy trail in the wilderness.

Lotus lake at the entrance of Pal Khadi road on Uttan - Bhayander road.

 Uttarakhand Sojourn : Walking in wilderness from Deoriatal to Chopta

June 08, 2020

It was day 3 of our trip and today we were walking from Deoriatal to Chopta, from one mountain to another passing through meadow of "Rohini Bugyal", passing through the dense forest laden with red and pink coloured Rhododendron trees.Our host family was up early in morning by 4am to ready our breakfast and making our packed lunch of Paratha. By 7am we were all set and ready for our 14 kms trek to Chopta, our guide from Sari village had reached previous night and was staying with our host family. It is advisable to start early at first sunlight as we later found that it is a long trail with lots of ascend and descend, also the rains with icy cold droplets can slow you down substantially.

Bidding goodbye to our host we started our trek at 7.30am passing next to Deoria tal and the watch tower. The trail starts from behind the forest lodge passing through Rhododendron flowerbed and forest cover. The peaks of Chaukhamba and Kedar dome were peeping out of the clouds and we could see them through the trees every now and then. It was a clear sky but with clouds around, there was chance of rains in later part of the day. Our guide had warned us before hand that it is better to reach our destination before it starts to rain in evening.

A walk of around 15 minutes in forest cover and we were now doing a gradual ascend on a ridge with valleys on both sides. Below on the left side was the Sari village and its picturesque fields while on the right was valley and mountain ridge which goes towards Madh-Maheshwar. 30 minutes of climbing the ridge we reached the highest point of the hilltop which had a flag post, the locals call it "Jhandi Dhar". Some local women folks from the village come here to collect dry woods and its a daily affair for them.

The view from Jhandi Dhar was amazing, an unobstructed 360 degree view, deep valleys, green forest with red and pink Rhododendron flowers and snow clad peak of Chandrashila. This was our first resting point and a much needed one after a heavy climb, The trail from here takes a sharp descend. Laden with dried leaves, The trail at some places was too steep descend and slippery. The descending trail lasted for 30 minutes before we reached a flat ground - a narrow strip of land with deep valleys on the right and a generous cover of forest trees on the left. This forest seems to be an ideal place to do birding.

After a short walk, Another gradual ascend and descend takes us on another ridge, Here there were three routes with one on the right takes you back to Sari village while the central one is the one which takes you to Rohini Bugyal. There was another route to the left which as per our guide goes all the way to Ukhimath village. It was interesting to note that forest cover keeps changing as we moved further from Deoriatal. Somewhere in middle of our trek the forest became much denser with tall oak trees. After the 2nd ridge and complete traverse we were now walking on much flatter forest ground. We were followed by another trek group and few solo trekkers when we started in morning but by now they had moved much ahead of us and our group was the only one left in the wilderness.

The trail passes through some really dense forest where entire forest is covered with moss covered trees. On the way we also came across small shrines made out of stones and orange or yellow flags above it. These shrines are probably built by locals and they act of importat landmarks indicating that you are on right path.

While few in our group had moved steadily ahead, hypnotised by the beauty of the forest that we didn't even realise that there was a big time gap between us and slow walkers in the group. And then it hit us that our guide has our packed lunch and we were not carrying any food. By this time we were on grassland of Rohini Bugyal. It had started to drizzle by now. The rain drops were icy cold and made our hands go numb. Thank fully we had kept our rain poncho with us which saved us from getting hypothermia. 

It was after quite a while that our guide appeared from the woods with rest of our group members. It was almost 1.30pm by now. To our disbelief our guide informed us that we were just about half way mark and had another 4 hours journey if we walk at the same pace. It was like What the fuck !! for we had almost assumed that we would be close to our destination. There is something we had missed till now which was pointed by our guide, a black mountain on our left !! This was Kala Pathar mountain and there is a small glacial lake at the base of it known as Basuri Tal. Legend has it that this is same lake where Pandavas had hid their weapons.

After our lunch break we decided to move ahead while few others in our group followed our guide at their own pace. We were now entering another leg of dense forest cover which was part of Kedarnath sanctuary. Some private groups have more recently setup a campsite at Sayalmi very close to Rohini Bugyal and they break the journey in two days rather than finishing it in one day. A short walk of around 30 minutes, we could hear a rumbling sound of water and flowing stream, we were close to a water source somewhere close. Walking further we had to descend to small rivulet created by a waterfall nearby. This was the first source of water we had come across. Though we so wanted to enjoy the stream, remove our shoes and soak our legs in the icy cold water but with rain clouds hovering above and continues light drizzle had spoiled all our fun. Top it our hands were getting numb after getting wet from rains hence we decided it was in our best interest to just continue walking before it starts to rain heavily or get dark.

From the rivulet we had to ascend a small section of forest before we reached a forest ground. Chandrashila snow clad peak was so close that we felt we were just close to our destination but it was not to be !! We continued our walk on meadow which I later came to know was known as Bhrujgali. There were few empty shepperd huts on the way but we didn't find any soul around. 

There was small tathbandi or a stone wall in middle of the forest, we were now not sure if we were on right path, with no network on our phone and not sure how far we were from our guide and rest of our group members, we took our chance and just followed the stone wall, Sometimes on the way frustration was seeking in with how much more walk before we would see our destination, continues drizzle had made our shoes, socks and trousers wet.

After almost an hour and half of walk from the rivulet we reached a hair pin bend of tar road and oh boy we were so excited to see it. We had finally reached our destination was our thought as we sat on the side of the road waiting for our guide and rest of the members to join us. Our guide soon reached us informing that few of the group members were way behind and may take some time to reach. The road going up was going towards Chopta and further will go all the way to Badrinath while our home stay was at Baniyakund so we had to go down on the road for further 3 kms. Hearing that we had more 3 kms walk just demotivated us !! for we had no more strength to walk but we didnt have any choice. 

As we moved downhill we could see some campsites which was probably our destination. As we walked slowly a vehicle going down towards our destination offered to drop us to our campsite and we just hoped in it. Finally after a gruelling walk of 10hours we had finally reached our homestay cum campsite. This was going to be our home for next two days. We had kept next day as our rest day which was I felt the best decision after a 14 kms / 10 hours walk. 

Few of our members took their own sweet time to reach and the last person walked in the home stay at 8pm which was probably over 12 hour walk but as they say all is well if it ends well. So here we were now sitting in cozy home stay covered in layers of clothing and enjoying the hot food served by our host of homestay. This was going to be our abode for next two days. Meanwhile it had started to rain outside and it rained continuously next day as well, By next morning the temperature had dipped so drastically probably in minus that we just stayed inside our homestay covered in every piece of warm clothes that we had. Today when I look back all I can say is ....Oh that was so much fun !!!!

Chopta stay: There are many few stay options in Chopta but expensive, Tungnath trail starts from main Chopta centre. Baniyakund at 4kms downhill from Chopta has many campsite and stay options while Duggalbitta which is another 2kms from Baniyakund also has stay options. There are shared cabs which ply on the road towards Chopta and back. charge Rs 30-50 per person to travel one way.

 Uttarakhand sojourn: Mini trek to mythical and mystical reflection lake of Deoria Tal

May 28, 2020

When I started searching for some treks option in Uttarakhand, my main criteria was to do some trek which doesn't have any technical climb and was not very difficult. I wanted to do some treks which had long walks, wilderness surrounded by mountains, some walks in snow, stay in budget home stays and travel by local public transport for this was going to be a self planned trek. The first place which came to my mind was Chopta which is known as mini Switzerland of India and a trek to temple of Tungnath and above it the Chandrashila peak with its mesmerizing sunrise. Being a Mumbaite, it takes two days of one way travel to reach any place in mountains so wanted to do more than only Chopta - Tungnath - Chandrashila. So after lot of reading, connecting with people on FB and taking their experience and insight, decided to do Sari - Deoriatal lake and then take a long wilderness trail from Deoria tal lake to Chopta. 

After much planning and long deliberations on stays, travel and trying to accomodate more members which from initial 6-7 people had swelled to 16 member group with kids and family members, We had our final itinerary on paper, homestays booked and tempo traveller who would pick us up from Haridwar station and drop us at Sari village. Our journey from Mumbai to Haridwar included a train travel to Delhi, take a hotel stay and do some rest till late evening and then overnight train to final destination Haridwar.

It was month of April so summer sun heat had just started to gain strength. We had our tempo traveller pick us from Haridwar on time at 5.30am, our estimate was considering the road condition and traffic situations we should be able to reach our destination Sari village at 214 kms in 7-8 hours. But the road widening due to Char Dham road project and road conditions, top it up with traffic jams at many locations just added to the woes and with few group members throwing up, we finally managed to reach Sari village by 5.30pm which was a backbreaking journey of 12 hrs !! The only highlight of the trip was a small halt from where we had a full view of the river confluence of Alaknanda & Bhagirathi to form river Ganga at a place called Devprayag. It is a heavenly sight where the turquoise green waters of Bhagirathi meets the muddy waters of river Alaknanda.

Sari - the base village for Deoria tal is a fertile village located at 12 kms from Ukhimath - the nearest town, The mountain slopes as well as plains around the village has been used for cultivating crops and most of the houses are converted into homestays. Tourism is major source of income now in this sleepy little town. Sari is also the village from where one gets the first glimpse of Chandrashila peak.

The village has not more than 100 houses and gives a first hand experience of what life is in mountain villages. The entire village gets drowned in darkness with sunset as there are no street lights and hardly anyone on the streets, usually most people reach by evening so are tired from the back breaking and long journey and prefer to rest after early dinner. The day breaks early in the village and by 6am most of the villagers are ready with their daily work. We were ready for our onwards journey to Deoria tal lake by 10.30am as it was just 3.5 kms or 2-3 hours uphill trek. We decided to hire a jeep and off we sent our extra luggage to our Chopta homestay as then we didn't have to carry it till we reach Chopta which is approx 20 kms by road or 14 kms trail through wilderness.

The journey to Deoriatal starts from a small entrance indicating the route in heart of Sari village. The uphill journey to Deoriatal is through a well laden rocky path which passes through gardens of red Rhodedendron flowers. Initial climb of 15- 20 minutes is gradual as one passes through village houses and a school which was built in 1947.

On the way we passed the famous Cafe Buransh which is the preferred cafe and home stay for foreigners visiting the village. An ancient temple with old idols is nice resting place with open space outside the temple and a mesmerising view of snow capped Chandrashila peak, look closely and one can also get a glimpse of Tungnath temple below the peak. The priest at the temple explained that Chandrashila was the place where Lord Rama did meditation after killing Ravana, while there is a huge rock near the temple which is termed as Ravana shila.

The forest dept has also constructed a resting place, a sort of gazebo known as "Hawa Ghar". A small stall near by provides refreshments, snacks or bottled water and the only place to get them in two hours trek. Slowly as we climb higher towards the ridge, the base village Sari is no longer visible. After a certain distance one starts walking on backside of the mountain and we start getting view of valley and village of Ukhimath and mighty Kedar peaks.

Our homestay was little aloof on a ridge so after a strenuous climb of 2 hrs we reached a sign board from where we took a slight diversion. The straight road leads one to a dhabba and forest office on a beautiful meadow very close to the lake. Our home stay was a cosy little under constructed house with four rooms and an open space where we had our tented stay. Few hundred meters walk on a path laden with red Buransh flowers from our homestay was the lush green meadow and the mystical, mythical and magical lake of Deoria tal.

It is said that this lake was built by Bheema of Pandava brothers because he was thirsty while another story goes that it is called Devariya Tal also because this was favorite place for gods to bath - God's own infinity pool.

Unfortunately by late afternoon the climate had changed a bit and we could see some dark clouds hovering over Chandrashila peak which was on opposite mountains. The cloud cover soon enveloped over the lake as well and with it went our chances of watching the snow capped peaks of Chaukhambha and Kedar peaks. Though for a short duration the weather did get clear and we could get a sneak peak of the mighty peaks surrounding the lake.

The beauty of the lake is enhanced multiple times with the reflection of the trees covered with Rhododendron flowers. It is said that during August when skies get clearer one can get a beautiful reflection of snow capped Chaukhamba peaks in the lake. It is this picture which has made this lake famous and attracts trekkers and tourist to this place and emerald lake gets a nickname " Reflection lake".

Its a small lake and with time in hand, we walked along the periphery of the lake, explored the meadows and even climbed a watch tower to get a glimpse of sunset in Kedar peaks. With recent ban on camping on the meadows and near the lake, the surroundings have become very clean and beautiful. The lake side is so serene,calm and appealing that one doesn't need to do any activities, just sit and relax near the lake and get immersed in the natural surroundings.

As evening approached, the rain clouds had gotten a firm grip over the area and we were not able to get any view of surrounding peaks. (Else one can get a glimpse of Mt Chaukhamba, Thalaysagar, Mandani I & II, Kedarnath and Kedar dome as well as Bhartekunta). It had also started to drizzle a bit which forced us to return to our homestay. At our homestay I made an attempt to make a buransh chutney with whatever limited things available in the kitchen. The weather in Himalaya is quiet unpredictable and by evening it had started to pour and with it the chillness in the air increased. Had an early dinner and decided to wrap up the day. Some group members had some plans to watch milky way and do star gazing in middle of night but once inside the tent, I felt the warmth of sleeping bag was more appealing than to venture out in cold and chilly nights. I don't know if they anyone even came out in the middle of night from their tents.

Next day the morning call was at 5am and caretaker served us the much needed hot tea. Quick breakfast and packed lunch and with our guide ready, It was time to bid adieu to our homestay and to Deoriatal. The route to Chopta goes from behind the lake and we did get a few final moments near the lake one last time. The sun was also out by the time we started our next leg of our journey to Chopta which is 14 kms trail in pure wilderness.

Deoria tal lake is set amidst beautiful backdrop of mighty peaks of Himalaya. The base village Sari has many home stay options and few are available some metres away from the lake as well. There is a motorable road which connects the village to Chopta just in case one doesn't want to trek. Sari- Deoriatal is perfect offbeat location totally worth visiting for a day or two.

 Yana caves - Unsual rock formation and caves in North Karnataka

November 20, 2019

Yana: Nestled in Sahyadri mountain range of western ghats, surrounded by forest near Kumta - Uttar Kannada lies this unusual karst rock formation called Yana rocks and a cave underneath. About 60 kms from Karwar port, 40 kms from Sirsi and 31 kms from Kumta these rocky sentinels of Yana are a tourist attraction today, reached by a small hike of 1.5 kms in scenic and evergreen forest from Kumta side or 3 kms from side of Sirsi. Yana shot to fame after being portrayed in Kannada movie "Nammoora Mandara Hoove".

Bhairaveshwara Shikhara

Mohini Shikhara

Though there are total of over 60 rock formation in the entire region but nothing huge as compared to two massive rock outcrop known as Bhairaveshwara Shikhara & Mohini Shikhara. Bhairaveshwara shikhara is around 390 ft in height while Mohini Shikhara is smaller at 300 ft. Yana is also a pilgrimage center because of cave temple below Bhairaveshwara hillock where a "Linga" has been formed due to water drips from the roof deep inside the cavernous sanctum sanctorum. There is also a temple of Chandrika - an incarnation of Goddess Durga as they say Linga cannot be alone, Shiva cannot be without his Shakti. Interesting thing is that water which trickles from the roof of the cave on the naturally formed Linga emerges as a small stream close by called "Chandihole", this stream eventually merges into river Aghanashini at Uppinapattana. 

Today at Yana, an annual festival is held during Shivratri and large number of devotees visit this place. They take bath in Danditirtha - a stream close by and worship Shiva Linga. They collect holy water and carry it to Gokarna to perform Maha-Mastakabhisheka of Mahabaleshwara. There is a saying in Kannada that on Shivratri day devotees rush to Gokarna for worship whereas people of that town travel to Yana  for the same purpose.

As with all wonders of nature, Yana also gets a mention in mythology and the story goes that demon king "Bhasmasura"by austere penance obtained a boon from Lord Shiva that whenever Bhasmasura placed his hand over anyone's head, The person would burn and turn into ashes. In order to test his powers, He wanted to place his hand on his patron Lord Shiva's head. This unnerved Lord Shiva who decided to leave his heavenly abode and move to earth and pleaded Lord Vishnu for help. Vishnu appears to demon king in form of alluring Mohini, charming him so completely that demon king proposes to her. Mohini agrees on one condition that he would have to take part in dance with her and match her steps. The demon king agrees and as dance progresses, he forgets his boon. Mohini touches her head and Bhasmasura follows suit and immediately turns into ashes. The intensity of the blast was so huge that limestone formations in Yana were blackened and black soil around the rock formations in the area are cited as proof of the legend. This dramatic tale makes a great fodder for Karnataka's dance-drama form, "Yakshagana"

We started quite early for our one day excursions to Mirjan fort, Yana,Sirsi and Banavasi temple. After our stop at Mirjan fort, our car zipped to our next destination - Yana caves, The scorching sun and humidity of March had already started taking a toll even though it was early afternoon. As we took a detour from Ankola - Kumta road, the forest cover grew thicker and traffic became negligible. The area is known for its biodiversity and leopards are known to be slinking around this forest region.

We were welcomed by huge sign board in Kannada as we enter the parking area. From here one has to do a 2 kms hike which includes 0.5 kms of climbing steps to reach the two jagged peaks. 

There is only one shop in the parking area for everything you need, for the short excursion. As we started our hike through the forest, the humidity was too intense and we were sweating profusely in no time. We walked slowly on the ascending muddy trail enjoying the silence in the forest, Silence broken at times by visitors coming from Yana or someone like us visiting Yana. The forest dept have made adequate sitting arrangements by putting benches at short distance for people who can't take the hike at one go.

Our walk was interrupted by a beautiful overflowing stream with clean cold water, that it was just too tempting to not to wet our feet in the flowing stream. On our way we passed through funnel shaped rock open on one side, small in size as compared to the two giants that we were about to reach, but nevertheless it was huge.

As the forest trail of 1.5 kms ended, what awaited now was 0.5 kms of stairs to climb. At the entrance is a small temple dedicated to Lord Ganesha which was closed.

stairs to heaven 

As we climbed higher we got the first glimpse of Mohini shikhara. The unusual rock formation was massive and sight to behold. As we completed our climb, there it was the imposing peak of Bhairaveshwara !! For a few minutes we simply stood and stared up in amazement. What a sight !! What a size !! 

As one adores the size of the unique rock formation, one cannot miss the cluster of honeycombs right above as one enters the temple below the shikhara. Not one or two but more than a dozen honeycombs hover above.

We pay respect to the natural Lingam and Goddess Chandrika and proceed to circumambulate the rock. Proper route with steps have been made by local administration to enter the cave. As we moved in the cave, unlike eerie of silence it was welcoming. As we made our way to the heart of the cave through the narrow gorge, we could see the bat guano around. As we look up at the sky the sheer enormity of the massif made us speechless. Some light penetrated in the cave from the steep sides of the rock. 

The path opens in the forest as we make our way out through the steep and narrow incline, we walk slowly, reveling in the silence. Once outside we were reminded of the scorching sun as our feet burned on the hot pavement which made us run for the shade and for our shoes outside the temple.

Two tiny shops outside the cave temple complex selling ice cream candies gave us welcome respite from the summer heat. With one last glance at the truly magnanimous monoliths of Yana we made our way back to car parking area only to head to our next destination at Sirsi. There is a beautiful waterfall called Vibhuti around 8 kms from Yana which we didn't visit but can be included during the trip to Yana. Also if one is coming from Sirsi then Unchalli falls is yet another not to be missed destination enroute.

Information: Yana can be reached from Sirsi via Kumta road, deviation towards Hegadekatte - Devanalli - Yana (3 kms hike). From Kumta one can take a cab to Yana or for a budget traveller there are 3 buses plying from Kumta towards Yana. The best season to visit would be immediately after rains but note that the area is infested with leeches so need to take proper precautions. There are no eateries in the area so pack food before you start the trip. 

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Some gangster members of my group without whom this trip wouldn't have been possible nor I would have got the opportunity to write this blog.

Damsel Gangster members

Gangsters on prowl

Kingpin of the trip :-) 

 My Coastal Karnataka Diary - Sojourn of Mangalore and around

November 20, 2019

What is the first thought that comes to mind when we talk about the coastal town of Mangalore - For me since my first visit to Udupi, I was in love with the beaches and veg south Indian food so for me these were the two things topmost in my mind when I set out for my 2nd city sojourn in coastal Karnataka - Mangalore. Though being much larger in size as compared to Udupi it wasn't easy to travel length and breath of the city in a way I love to travel - in public transport and still be able to tick all attractions of the town from the bucket list. With limited holidays in hand I set out on my solo trip to Mangalore and nearby holy city of Dhamasthala.

Mangalore has two train stations and that was something I realised only during my conversation with rickshaw driver, Thankfully I now knew which one I would be travelling for my return journey. Hotels are in plentiful in the city as per budget, Mangalore is one city which has made it big in medical tourism. Lot of hospitals cater to foreign tourist from middle east which in turn has impacted positively on hospitality business. 

Mangalore History: Mangalore is named after the presiding deity "Mangladevi". According to legends one princess from Malabar named Parimala renounced her kingdom and become a disciple of Matsyendranath - the founder of Nath tradition. She arrived in the area with her Guru but had to settle at a place near Bolar where she fell ill and eventually died. Mangaladevi temple was consecrated in her honour.  One of the earliest reference of the city was made way back in 715 CE by a Pandyan King who called the city Mangalapuram. Some historians say Mangalore is corruption of Mangaluru. 

Things to see & do:  Religion is intertwined with the life in Mangalore just like it is often seen in India. 13th century traveller Ibn Batuta has mentioned that Persian and Yemeni traders had settled in the city way back then. The Vijaynagara kings, Portuguese, Dutch, Hyder Ali and his son Tipu Sultan, Britishers, they all came, they saw, they conquered and were in turn conquered by mystical Mangalooru.

European influence on the city can be traced back to late 14th century when Vasco da gama landed on St Mary Island near Mangalore. Portuguese, Dutch as well as British have all ruled over the city so there is sizeable population of Christian community. There are handful of heritage churches in the city. One of them is Our Lady of Miracles situated in the heart of the city. Established in 1680 by Bishop Thomas de Castro, it is one of the oldest churches in Dakshina Kannada. It was razed by Tipu Sultan in the 18th century and rebuilt in 19th century. It had to be rebuilt as it collapsed due to structural reasons and what we see today is the church modelled on St Peter's Cathedral in Rome. 

Tucked away on sprawling campus on a hill is city's famous college and a chapel St Aloysius Chapel built in 1885. The main attraction of this chapel is every square inch and domed roof is covered by frescoes - the painting was done by Italian Jesuit priest Antonio Moscheni. Locals compare the intricate art to Sistine chapel. Unfortunately they don't allow it to be photographed but this is one thing not to be missed when in Mangalore.

The campus also has a museum which is worth visiting. The museum has huge collection of old artifacts.

Like many other cities in India, Mangalore has also been swept by urbanisation and with the ever expanding borders of the city, Mangalore was once city with many hills but with expanding borders of the city they have slowly disappeared in urbanisation. On one of the earlier hills called Light house hill, lies Tagore Garden. A tall structure stands in the park which once served as a watch tower for Sultanate of Mysore navy. It was built by Hyder Ali - father of Tipu Sultan. The watch tower also served as base for British navy, It is from here that British resident commanders would keep an eye on merchant ships movement.

Just opposite to the lighthouse is some heritage house which caught my eye. It said "Ladies club" with year 1923. On more research online found that the club is of women, by women and for women. Since inception it has worked towards women upliftment and is involved in various kinds of social activities.

The Sharavu Mahaganpati temple in the heart of the city is most revered and visited temple. Legends have it that temple inspired Tipu Sultan so much that he gave up his plans to ransack and took to offering gold every year as a sign of devotion.

Ullal attractions: 18 kms from Mangalore city center lies Ullal - Ullal is one of the oldest town in India. It was ruled by legendary Queen Abakka Chowta - a Jain Queen in 16th century. It is one of the earliest examples of women liberation. She is said to have successfully defeated Portuguese twice. Ruins of her forts is seen close to the famous temple of Somanatheshwara temple.

Ullal is known for its beach with same name. A picturesque beach dotted with coconut trees and rural houses. This quaint sea town is one of the earliest examples of coastal erosion which occurred in late 90's. The damage was reduced with huge sand bags placed on its beaches. It can still be seen at Ullal beach.

The town is home to a 16th century Jain temple or Basadi which belonged to Queen Abakka. The temple built in Canara style is quite unique in many ways and completely different to Jain temples seen in western and central India.

Naga stone in temple premises, Naga cult pre dates even before the advent of Sankritised Hinduism in the region.

A short distance from the town lies the famous temple of Somanatheshwara and beach. The temple is famous for the last rituals done for departed soul. Situated a hill, It was built in 10th century by Kings of Alupa dynasty. Inscriptions found at the temple indicate it was renovated in 15th century by Vijayanagara King Immadi Devaraya.

Presiding deity of the temple is Lord Shiva and temple is adorned with beautiful sculptures. In temple premises there is statue of sage Parshurama. As per mythology the coastal regions right from Vasai in Mumbai to Kerala is said to creation of sage Parshurama.

Close to the temple lies the famous beach with same name. It is a very pristine beach with golden sand, greenery and coconut palms. The beach gets divided into two by a huge shile or a rock called Rudra Padhe. Climbing on the shile and watching the mesmerising sunset is a must do and should be on every travelers itinerary when in Mangalore.

No visit to Mangalore is complete without paying obedience to the mother Goddess of Mangalore - Mangaladevi. Its a 9th century temple in Bolar locality of Mangalore. The idol of mother goddess is very beautiful. The best time to visit would be either early morning or in evenings during the time of aarti.

Mangalore city map is dotted with lot many attractions be it beaches, beautiful temples and heritage churches, then there are colonial style villas and watch towers like Sultan battery, old port area etc. If these attractions don't attract you then the food would not only pull you but spoil you by the time you leave the city.

 Oyster Island and lighthouse - A must visit place off the coast of Karwar

November 17, 2019

Ever since my first visit to coastal Karnataka town of Udupi, I had decided to not miss a chance of visiting coastal Karnataka again. What I love the most about it is pretty much everything on offer, Though coastal Karnataka is heaven for sea food, I love the veg options of South Indian food. I love the clean and not so crowded serene beaches and coastal villages, With Karnataka rich in heritage, its heritage temples are yet another attractions. After Udupi, Mangalore and Dharmasthala had been checked off my bucket list and i was looking at some other places to visit. On one of the travel related discussion with a friend, She suggested her native town of Karwar and yet another friend gave the option of Ankola, Voila !! The ball was set rolling for yet another trip to coastal Karnataka towns combining Ankola and Karwar. My earlier visits were solo trip but this time it was with group of friends.

On searching for attractions in Karwar, It came as pleasant surprise that this town known for its naval base has so much to offer. Beaches, heritage temples, river cruise, forts and above all group of 5 small islands off the coast of Karwar. Anjudeep which is now part of navy, Kurimgad which is a private resort island with a small temple of Lord Narsimhan, Sanyasi island, Devgad and Sadashivgad islands. What interested me the most was the island called Oyster rock island and also known as Devgad or Devadgudda, It is home to one of  oldest lighthouse in India which is still in use. 

The lighthouse was constructed in 1860 and became operational in 1864 and ever since then it has been performing its duty diligently of guiding the ships passing through the Karnataka coastline of Arabian Sea. Oyster rock island is located off the coast of Karwar at a distance of 10 kms and has to be approached by a hired motor boat. On the southern end of Tagore beach lies the Karwar port, the boats can be hired from the port if they are free or from Aligadda beach in Baithkol which is just touching the southern tip of Tagore beach. Baithkol has been an ancient trading port and Arabs were frequent visitors here. In Arabian the name means "Bay of safety".

We hired a boat from Aligadda beach after some hard bargaining. The 8-10 kms boat ride takes around 40 minutes to an hour as the sea waves get rough as we move away from the shoreline and it could be a bumpy ride if the sea is not calm. As we moved towards our destination it was quite interesting to see some huge rocks protruding out of the sea at various places.The hill harboring the Karwar port stretches into the sea for quite a distance covered with forest foliage and also is home to tiny beach called "Ladies beach". 

The approach to the island is from the eastern side where a proper jetty has been constructed. The island gets divided into two parts by the sea on eastern front and during a low tide the shallow reef between the two can be seen and area around the eastern side is ideal spot for fishing.The approach area to the jetty is quite slippery as one of our group member had a nasty fall while getting down from the boat. There is a proper uphill path to go to the lighthouse which is situated on top most part of the island hill. It takes a small hike of around 10-15 minutes to reach the base of light house. The island is covered with dense forest and is perfect setup for "stranded on a deserted island".

The base of lighthouse has a small cannon on wheels painted in orange, and solar panels lined around which powers the lighthouse as well as the cottages. One of the cottage even has a telescope but it was lying in shambles. On the western side there are cottages to stay which is currently being used by the lighthouse caretakers, all infrastructure seems to be from the British era, Britishers really had an eye for such beautiful locations.

There are two caretakers stationed on the island while a third joins them during the 3-4 months of rainy season when approach to the island is stopped and they are stationed permanently for those few months. As we spoke with the guard he mentioned that he gets 5 days of leaves in a month during which time he travels to the mainland to meet his family and to buy essential groceries and necessary items for themselves. 

As we descended further towards the western side, there were two wells with potable drinking water which we were told is being used by the stationed caretakers and also storage tanks have been constructed to store water for daily use. It still makes me wonder that right in middle of  Arabian sea on a small island lies a dense forest with mangoes and fig trees and two wells which carries potable water. Only sore eye was that the entire area was littered with plastics and empty alcohol bottles left by picnikers. We were informed that many groups do come here for camping purpose and leave the litter around, drink alcohol, cook food and spoil the serene environment. Though staying is not allowed here but no authority to overlook, caretakers allow them and these activities goes unnoticed.

At the far end on western side, lies the best surprise on the island, There is a natural wall of rocks blocking the sea waves from hitting the island, The ocean waves hitting the rocks forces water inside from between the rocks and during low tide drains it. This has created a small pool, perfectly safe for kids and with crystal clear water. This pool area was the highlight of the visit. One can even climb the rocks and sit on it and see the vast ocean around with waves splashing the rocks below. This was most amazing spot on the entire island. The forest on the island is home to coconut trees, mangoes and even figs. 

On our last leg of our journey, we were given a guided tour of the lighthouse. They charge Rs 20 per person for the tour. The guard updated us with how the lighthouse is operated and its functions. How it is run on dual power of solar and battery. The entire equipment, the lens, lamps is still from the Britishers era. The old lamps and other things have been carefully kept in display for the visitors. It was good knowledge gaining experience.

On our return journey we made a small halt at the ladies beach. A small hidden beach is a beach cove surrounded by the harbour hill and only approach is through motor boat. Though some locals do approach this beach from the hill side. Away from the rush this is the best kept secret of Karwar. The clear water of sea waves, glistening sand, serenity and isolated location is sure to cast a charm on you. You could spend all the time in the world sitting on the beach doing just nothing. Interesting fact about the name of this beach is because it was favorite place to hangout for the wives of British officers in Karwar as it provided seclusion and hence it got the name "Ladies beach".

The Oyster rock island and the lighthouse along with Ladies beach were the highlights of our trip and is must visit places according to me in Karwar. Hope the visitors to these places keep its natural surroundings clean and allow it to prosper as must visit tourist destination rather than litter it and make it a dumping ground.

 My Udupi diary : In search of Hanging Bridge of Kemmannu

October 07, 2019

If you are a Udupi local or even from Karnataka, you would probably know about this place. But for an outsider like me it was just waiting to be discovered. Tourist prefer to visit more popular beaches like Malpe or Kaup & Krishna matt, most famous landmark of Udupi rather than this offbeat attraction, The Hanging bridge of Kemmannu over Suvarna river.

This bridge lies on the outskirts of Udupi in a region called Tonse, around 8 kms from Udupi city centre. Tonse is small but beautiful village which has lush green landscape, creeks and coconut palms every where you look. The surreal beauty of the place is the master work of Suvarna river which flows from east to west creating a number of islands in its delta before it finally merges into Arabian sea few kms away at yet another beautiful place called Kodi Bengre. 

Suvarna river creates a lush greenery all around its bank and some really beautiful islands covered with coconut trees like a coconut lagoons. The houses or bungalows around this place are the perfect homes that everyone would love to live in. The hanging bridge also called Kemmannu bridge connects the mainland to one of the islands called Thimman Kudru. Before this bridge was built the island were accessible only by boats. It was in the year 1991 when Karnataka engg cadets during their annual training built this 280 feet long suspension bridge which is now become a lifeline and boon for the island people. 

The stone slab at the foot of the bridge names it as "Deepak". Though the life of the bridge was suppose to be 5 years but it is going strong and hanging even after 20 years. Walking on the bridge provides a real thrill as it sways as you walk on it or when an occasional biker passes over it. On weekends this place attracts small crowd of tourist as was informed to me by one of the shopkeepers near that place. 

How to reach: Udupi has quite an extensive network of local bus transport, From city bus stand one can take a bus going towards Kemmannu (called as Kemmann) or Kodi Bengre which will cost only Rs 16/- and takes around 25-30 minutes. The bus drops at the village of Kemmannu from where one can cross another bridge and walk 1 km on the path which ends at the suspension bridge. Or one can also take a rickshaw from Kemmannu. 

My Visit: On my backpack trip to Udupi I longed for some offbeat places to visit during my 3 days trip. I was quite excited on reading about this Udupi at traction so on a Sunday morning decided to combine my trip to see this place with some other nearby attraction. So armed with my google maps, I boarded bus to Kalianpur for visit to a famous Milagres Cathedral early morning. After visiting the cathedral. I walked to main highway from where I got into the local city bus heading towards Kemmannu. Being a north Indian and illiterate in Kannada I informed the bus conductor in Hindi if he could let me know once Kemmannu stop arrives. His answer was "Whockay" .. As bus drove deeper into small winding roads with small villages and lush greenery landscape, local kept boarding and deboarding the bus while I enjoyed my bus ride hoping the conductor would inform me when the stop arrives. 

After a ride of over 25-30 minutes when conductor seemed indifferent and in his own world collecting the bus fare from locals. I switched on the google maps only to be horrified that bus was actually moving in opposite direction then the location of the bridge !!!!!! 

Aghast I cursed on coming in search of a place which I didn't have much information about and to top it the language barrier problem I had. I lost all hope of visiting the suspension bridge and at one of the small village called Hoode on the way decided to deboard the bus at the sight of beach nearby. On setting foot on the long stretch of white sand beach of Hoode and the only soul on the beach as far as eye sight could reach. The clean blue water, sound of crashing waves and the white sand beach all for myself brought back the smile on my face. Truly mesmerising !! 

Hoode beach was one of unexpected highlights of my visit and after which I also visited Kodi Bengre village and delta where the Arabian Sea and Suvarna river meet. But more on that in another blog. On my way back I had enquired with some locals about the suspension bridge and was informed it was close by and pretty much doable visit. I boarded the local bus heading towards Udupi and asked the conductor to drop me at the suspension bridge. Got similar response of "Whockay"  !!! lol. Bus conductor did informed me when my stop arrived and pointed to go inland from the main road. Happy I thanked him and got down from the bus. Walked a few yards and there were two bridges, one in a very dilapidated and broken condition while other was newly constructed road bridge over river tributary.  But this wasn't I had come looking for .... and yet again no sight of suspension bridge. Cursing my luck that probably bus conductor felt I was looking for this road bridge.

Disappointed I stood on the bridge watching a local fisherman putting fishnet in the river and clicked few pictures of surroundings. As I was about to leave the place, saw a biker coming in my direction. I stopped and asked him about the Hanging bridge. Luck seemed to be holding up as he directed me to walk down the road without turning left or right and around 1 km ahead was the my destination.

Voila !!!. Elated I headed towards my destination with new zeal as I clicked pictures of river tributary flowing parallel to the road and some amazing houses in the middle of coconut palms. A walk of around 15 minutes, I finally got the sight of the Hanging bridge of Kemmannu - Deepak.

To experience the thrill of suspension bridge I walked from one end of the bridge to other while it swayed and it swayed heavily as I reached right in the middle of the bridge. It was quite a experience when the bridge sway while the river flows majestically below. The bridge has stone slabs on which one walks and you get a feeling that either one of them would break the moment you step on it or you would surely topple due to the swaying but luckily nothing of that sort happened. I even managed to click few pictures standing on the bridge. 

The visit to the suspension bridge was quite an adventurous experience for me and at the end a happy one to say the least for apart from getting to see this unique attraction I was also able to visit the beautiful Hoode beach and the Delta of Kodi Bengre. 

To summarise on this backpack experience of mine, Its absolutely "OK" to get lost while on a backpack trip for their is something more beautiful waiting to be explored. You can never see it all which is why first backpack trip should never be the last. Appreciate everything that comes your way and make every second count.

More on my Udupi backpack trip and other attractions I visited, In other blog coming soon.

 Discovering Mumbai Heritage : Hanuman temple protected with cannons

June 06, 2019

On the eastern side of Thane lies Kopri creek also known as Chendani bunder, Today it is an area where the stench emitting sewage water flows in the creek and is known more for a place where idols of Ganesha is immersed during the festival of Ganeshotva. But Thane was once a flourishing international trading port dating back to 17th century with trades between Kochi  in South & with Middle East. Most residents of Koli village of Chendani, Mahagiri were involved in the trade. "Nakhwa" family of Chendani had 11 wind sail boats called "Phatemari" to transport cargo goods and was truly a Shipping corporation of that era.

During the end of 17th century when Britishers took over the reigns from Maratha Empire they converted the port into main export center due to its peculiar geographical location among the mangroves. The first railway which ran between Bori Bunder to Thane dissected Chendani area into west side and east side. Britishers further developed Kopri (Chendani creek) into major salt exporting port and even built a customs office, a salt department, forest department as well as a separate railway track was laid between the port to Thane station to carry goods. Such was the importance of the place that once over 1000 people worked on this port. Importance of the area dwindled as trade diverted to other more bigger ports on western coast of India and infrastructure built around the port crumbled. 

Buried Raiwaly tracks portion 

End point barrier 

Remnants of the era can be still be seen today with some old buildings as well as the railways tracks which once was used to transport goods to & from the port. Portion of these railway tracks are still visible while major portion lies buried in the ground. There is also "End point barrier "of the railway track, hidden in the road side garden developed by TMC. The administration could have done better by preserving this piece of heritage which now lies in complete neglect and even the beautification done has become a sort of garbage dump.

But amidst all apathy and neglect by the administration, lies one of the last vestiges of the glorious past. At the far end of the road and close to the mangroves lies a temple of God Hanuman. The uniqueness of the temple and the importance of the place can be understood as one enters the temple compound. 

It houses cannons !! Half buried in the ground. One of the local informed us that there were in total 26 cannons which lay scattered in the area, some hidden in the bush while some have been lost in the sea over the years, while some have got stolen or sold in scrap. Two cannons from here were shifted and is on display at Kala Bhavan & TMC office in Thane.

Today 5 cannons of varied sizes lay half buried in the temple compound while 6 large sized cannons have been placed on a raised platform and efforts are being taken to preserve them. The plan is to display them and even put information about them so visitors can get to know the history of the place. 

But the main highlight of this Hanuman temple is only visible once you step inside. Jutting out of the floor of the temple & painted in color matching the temple interior is a three foot cannon right in the middle of temple !! There is no other location from where so many cannons have been found and this shows the kind of importance the place had earlier. Very few people know about these cannon's and history of Chendani bunder as an international port but some efforts have been made in this direction by some NGO who have been in forefront and has made efforts to show case our interesting heritage.  The cannon's of Kopri have been silent spectator of Thane's transformation from a once busy colonial era port to a modern concrete jungle.

Interesting story around the temple : They say that temple was known to have been in existence since Portuguese era but current temple was built during the reign of Britishers. One of the labourer who used to work in the port had a dream instructing him to built a temple dedicated to God Hanuman. It happened thrice with him hence the laborers decided to built a temple and asked for permission from the administration. They rejected the request which lead to a strike in the port. Finally permission was granted and the laborers built the temple dedicated to Hanuman which has been standing since over 100 years.  

Location: Ashtvinayak Chowk - Chendani bunder, 10 minutes walk from Thane Stn (E)

 A slice of Japan in heart of Mumbai - Nipponzan Myohoji (Japanese Buddhist temple)

May 17, 2019

Mumbai is city full of surprises and it never fails to amaze you with monuments or heritage structures which are truly hidden gems. On four road junction which is bustling with ever increasing traffic near Worli Naka and right opposite Podar Hospital lies a secret. The monument which has its own connection with India's freedom struggle, A serene spot in a congested and busy main road, Hidden under a canopy of trees in a walled compound stands the tall stone haven of peace & tranquility, The temple of "Nipponzan Myohoji" - Japanese Buddhist temple. 

Yes, This is a Buddhist temple which started as Japanese Buddhist monastery and it is one of only two remaining monuments in city of Mumbai which has Japanese connection. It was around 700 years ago, a monk in Japan called Maha Bodhisattva Nichiren prophesied that the salvation of Humans would lie in land from where Buddhism spread. So between 1931- 38 a Japanese monk "Nichidatsu Fuji Guruji" travelled to India following the prophecy of 13th century monk and for regenerating the message of peace. He became close friends with Mahatma Gandhi and contributed in India's freedom movement. As a gratitude to Guruji, philanthropist Raja Baldeo Das Birla funded and built this temple in 1956 and till date is maintained by Birla trust which has a Japanese monk as its resident caretaker.

The temple follows the order of Nicherin Buddhism and the main prayer of this school is "Na Myo Ha Ren Ge Kyo", a chant of peace which is chanted twice a day with beat of drums.

As one enters the temple from the main road, the traffic noise outside is exchanged by peace and tranquility. The main door leading to the prayer hall has big bold Buddhist inscription in Japanese.

The hall is adorned with many paintings on life of Buddha out of which the painting of sleeping Buddha is one which catches one's eye. Various motifs & lanterns adorn the walls and ceilings of the hall. Just outside the main shrine is bust of Buddha on the left and standing Buddha statue in black stone adorn the entrance on the right. 

The shrine has a main marble statue of Buddha in perpetual meditation along with other statues of Buddha in gold. The walls behind the statue has framed picture of "Guruji" with beautiful lamps and incense stick stand adorn the small room. Prayers are held twice a day one in morning and other in evening for one hour during which there is continuous chants of peace mantra and rhythmic beat of drums by regular devotees. 

The temple has plaque which mentions that there is no restriction on anyone visiting the temple, no discrimination is done to anyone. In fact during my visit to the temple I was permitted to click pictures and also allowed to enter the shrine hall without any restrictions. Sitting in hall during prayer time with chants of mantra and beats of drums around, one gets soothed with tranquility with musical chants, the experience which was the highlight during my visit. 

Some newspaper article cut-outs in corner of prayer hall mentioned that Mahatma Gandhi and even Dr Ambedkar have visited this sanctuary. One of the other article which caught my eye was about almost forgotten and least known cemetery of Japanese community close by, on E. Moses road which was built in 1907 and is suppose to be the oldest one, Many Japanese citizens  ashes after death have been enshrined here. Even Fuji Guruji is buried in this cemetery. It said that there is prayer service held every year which is participated by Japanese citizens in Mumbai and those working for Japanese consulate in Mumbai. For heritage enthusiast these places are definitely worth a visit and I have kept it for my next visit.

The temple of Nipponzan Myohoji stands out amidst the mundane sights of the city and truly is place of haven for everybody. It was heartening to note that there exist these two places which has such strong Japanese influence and is probably the best bridge of friendship between the two nations. I would certainly recommend stepping in to have a look next time you are at Worli. 

Location: Worli Naka, opp Podar Hospital. 

Timings: 5.30 am to 12.30 pm, 3.30 pm to 8 pm, Prayers timings: 6 am to 7 am & 6 pm to 7 pm.

 Worli fishermen folks guardian Goddess - Golfa Devi, The Goddess of Sea

May 16, 2019

Close to Worli village bus depot and next to Indian coast guard western region headquarters lies a small discreet lane going uphill which ultimately leads us to sea. The tiny lane has small colourful houses belonging to Koli fishermen community, the original inhabitants of Worli village. The lane is called Golfa devi Marg, And as one walks on the inclined road inwards, amidst the houses and shops lies a very simple temple with a large verandah in front of it. This is Worli Koliwada village's best kept secret. The temple of "GolfaDevi"

The temple and the goddess is central to Koli fishing community, So much is the faith of these local folks in the Goddess that they do not start any task before seeking permission, be it venturing into the sea to catch fish or marriage or starting something new or even before travelling. 

The temple priest Sadanand Worlikar whose family has been taking care of the temple for generations is ever happy to narrate the legends of the temple Goddess. The temple has been around for over 700 years, The story goes that three stones were found floating in the sea by the fishermen but when they went to pick them up found it to have substantial weight. They established a small temple with those three stones which was named as Goddess Golfa devi and its two sisters Sakhba devi and Harba devi. 

The fishermen folks usually come here to pray for good catch and before venturing into the sea and to make a wish. The temple Goddess has a unique way of communicating with its devotees. Whenever someone comes for making a wish or ask something from the devi, The goddess would answer in a peculiar "Yes or a No". The priest would say some prayer and put two silver balls on the shoulder of the goddess and worshiper has to ask the question either loudly or in their head. If the silver ball on left shoulder falls first then the answer is apparently "No" and if the right one falls first then the answer is "YES". This ceremony is called "Kaul" .The priest confirmed Goddess is never wrong and hence faith in Golfa devi is very strong among the local villagers.

The legend goes that one fishermen despite Golfa devi denying permission with left ball falling first ventured into the sea and it seems he never returned back, his boat got enveloped in a storm and sea gobbled his boat. There are many such interesting anecdotes about how goddess having answered in "No" warning has come true as well as her "Yes" prophecy has made the task successful for the worshiping villagers. The priest is happy to narrate such stories around it. During my conversation with him on one of weekday afternoon he mentioned that till around 15 years back the stones were heavily covered in vermilion and goddess had no face till then. They asked the Goddess for permission to renovate the temple and remove the vermilion which was answered in "Yes" and that was when they removed the vermilion and her face become visible after a long time again. They have been slowly renovating and expanding the temple since then.

Though Golfa devi is mainly visited by fishermen folks, The word has now slowly spread about this Goddess and her unique way of replying to the worshiper, that people from other cities & sometimes some foreigner also visits after reading or hearing about this temple. 

The temple entrance has two large pillars with guardian lions on each side, there is large verandah outside the temple where the kids come to play in the evening, Inside on a raised platform sits Golfa devi with her two sisters on each side, the stone idols have been smeared with vermilion and idols are adorned with ornaments and embroidered cloth. The two small silver balls lies next to main goddess which only the priest would place it on the main idol's shoulder whenever someone comes asking for something. 

I don't know what is behind this fantastical phenomenon, Sometimes faith works in its own mysterious ways defying logical or scientific reasons. The faith is what draws the villagers and outsiders alike to this small & discreet temple and frankly that is what also drew me to the story in the first place. 

Location: Worli village depot & next to Coast guard headquarters lies the road to Golfa Devi.

 A trip to an ancient wonder - The temple of Lepakshi

January 08, 2019

This post is actually a late post, a throw back, from the date of my visit to magnificent and architectural wonder temple of Lepakshi. I did this solo trip on one of the long weekends of Holi in 2015 but had failed to write a blog on the same. But few inquiries from friends about the place rekindled the thought of documenting my travel adventure from the pictures and notes taken from guide narration during my visit.

As is my annual routine at the start of the year to look for long weekends and visiting places from my bucket list created from various sources, like reading blogs or articles or watching documentaries or some other source. Long weekend of Holi and a place down South was perfect match as Holi is not played with so much zeal and gusto in South of India as compared to North of India. So it was my way to avoid being caught in Holi color riots. Also having read about Lepakshi temple, The stories associated with temple and some of the architectural wonders the temple has, It was on "must visit" place on my list. It was perfectly squeezed 3 days trip with two days in travelling and one day at Lepakshi. I have always loved doing solo trips to places at times and this was one of them. This journey was in a way short but exciting as I was going to explore a new place and short because of 3 days I had in my hand for long weekend, 2 days would be just travelling. I boarded Udyan express from CST- Mumbai for my initial destination of Hindupur which is 3 hours before Bangalore and approx one hour from Sathya Sai city of Puttaparthi. It was a grueling 22 hour train journey before Hindupur arrived at 6 am. Its a small town on both sides of railway station with west side being the old city with bustling market place while east side was quite open with few residential colonies with hotels. But this sleepy town can get quite sleepy and lonely, experience of which I will narrate at the end of the blog.

Hotels in small town offer 24 hours check-in check-out which is an advantage for I checked in at 6.30 am and my checkout was on same day in late evening at 9.30 pm. With my check-in done, a quick freshen up and breakfast and I was on my way to Lepakshi. Since It was month of March so mornings are still pleasant but afternoons can get hot and humid and I was keen to complete the temple visit before the March sun is at it's prime. The nearest town to Lepakshi temple is Hindupur at a distance of 14 kms or 30 min bus ride. Local buses frequently ply from Hindupur towards Lepakshi which drops us just outside the temple complex on main highway. If Hindupur was a small town, Lepakshi is sleepy village with hustle bustle seen only on main road opposite the temple complex. APTDC has its hotel and only one nearby which caters to tourist visiting the temple and this is the only option for stay.

Lepakshi is a small village in Anantpur district of Andhra Pradesh and lies on border of Karnataka and AP. The village is famous for its Veerbhadra Swamy temple which dates back to 1583, built in Vijaynagara style sculptures, Legend has it that temple is built at exactly the same spot where Jatayu fell while trying to rescue Sita while being abducted by Ravana in epic tale of Ramayana. The story goes that Jatayu fell, wounded after a futile battle with Ravana at this spot. When Shri Rama reached the spot, he saw the wounded bird and said "Le Pakshi" which means "Rise bird" and this is how it got the name Lepakshi. The temple is built on a low rocky hill called "Kurma Sailam" meaning Tortoise hill in Telugu by two brothers Virupanna and Veeranna who were governors of Penukonda in service of Vijayanagara King Achutadevaraya. Puranic lore also mentions that this temple was built by sage Agastya. 

As soon as I entered the temple, the splendid creation, the beautiful architecture, shikharas adoring the top of the structures made me awestruck. To get deep insight and to know stories associated with temple complex, It was important to be in the company of someone who has the knowledge of the place. A guide approached me for his service but for me the biggest obstacle was, he was flawless in Kannada and Telugu in which I am illiterate, He could not speak Hindi but he was keen to show me around the temple and solution we agreed was he would give me guided tour in his broken English. Where there is a will there is a way !!

My first stop was to the place which has made the temple famous worldwide, The hanging pillar of Lepakshi. The guide asked me to bend down on the floor and view the base of the pillar which looked like a perfect temple pillar from the top. And here it was, the engineering marvel, the pillar barely rest on the ground and it was hanging entirely from the roof. I even passed a thin sheet of paper underneath it and wow !! it came out absolutely unhindered from the other end. Truly an engineering genius of ancient temple builders of India. There are about 100 pillars in the Rang Mandapa of the temple and this one famed pillar is the only one hanging. It is said that the reason is still unknown as to why this is only one hanging pillar. One of the British engineer tried to move it in an unsuccessful attempt to uncover the secret which has not only dislodged the pillar from its original position but also some of the other pillars. It was thus concluded that probably all other pillars fate is also hanging on this one hanging pillar.  

Another major attractions which one just cannot miss is the roof paintings or murals drawn on entire ceiling of Rang Mandapa or Dance hall & Maha Mandapa which are exceedingly beautiful though some are worn out due to water seepage or due to natural aging. The murals depict marriage of Shiva - Parvati, wars, Vijaynagara kings of the era, scenes from Mahabharta & Ramayana. Just before the main sanctum, apart from the intricately carved ceiling there is a 24 by 14 feet painting of Lord Veerbhadra which is suppose to be the largest in India of any single figure.

Apart from these murals depicting stories there are also various designs famously called Lepakshi designs which have been copied over the years and printed on sarees borders and worn by ladies which is again famously called Lepakshi design sarees. Also there are pillars with design which have been reprinted on saree borders and are well known as Lepakshi Sarees.

The 100 pillars of Rang Mandapa or Dance hall is sure to mesmerize with its artistic beauty, No two pillars has same sculpture and each one of them is intricately carved with life size sculptures of Vastu purush - the perfect male, Padmini - the perfect female, Nataraja, Andhakantaka, Bhringi dancing etc..

After moving further from dance hall, one enters garbha griha or main shrine of the temple. The main shrine is a life size granite sculpture of Veerabhadra - the fiery form of Lord Shiva. Photography is not allowed in main hall but one can admire and capture in their lens the artistic beauty, the place holds in other parts of temple complex.

As one enters the temple, you can feel the vastness of the complex. The outer boundary covers the courtyard which runs across all sides of main temple, The courtyard is neatly lined with verandah on all side with endless intricately carved pillars. As per the guide the verandah was earlier used for pilgrims to stay who would visit from far away places.

On backside of main temple lies another wonder, a monolithic statue of Naga Linga, The seven headed serpent shading the Shiva Linga on a raised platform. The story goes that temple artisans created this entire statue during their lunch hour while waiting for their lunch being prepared.

Behind Naga-Linga lies a huge rock depicting Sri-Kala- Hasti - depiction of bathing of Shiva Linga by Sri (spider), Kala (serpent king) and Hasti (Elephant). All sculpted on the rock. Just next to it is beautiful sculpture of Ganesh leaning against the rock with his ride.

The verandah opposite to this features pillars with some really beautiful fine designs. There are said to be such hundreds of such designs on the pillars which are famed saree border designs of Lepakshi.

As I moved further from these structures, I came across some of the most beautifully carved granite pillars standing on a raised platform. The entire structure seemed unfinished as only some portion of the pillars have roof but even then it won't fail to amaze the fine craftsmanship of the temple architects. The entire structure is called Kalyana Mandapa or the marriage hall. It was suppose to depict the scenes of marriage between Lord Shiva and Parvati. The pillars have sculptures of various gods and family members of Lord Shiva and Parvati.

On one of the pillars, guide showed earliest depiction of Gymnasts showing their acrobatic tricks, while another shows a cow with two heads which is again the earliest known 3D image. Another shows a lady putting Sindoor.

The gory tale behind the unfinished structures is that temple architect Virupanna started constructing the temple while the King was away, On his return the King questioned Virupanna for embezzlement of funds and to prove his loyalty he removed his eyeballs and threw on the wall opposite the Mandapa, the two holes can still be seen on the walls with some reddish color dripping from the hole which is suppose to be dried blood. The entire complex doesn't fail to amaze the visitors even when some portion is incomplete, which makes one wonder if the entire complex construction work had been completed, the grandeurness of the place would have been of a different level.

There are small Vijaynagara style Hanuman and Shiva temples as I continued my pradakshina around the complex. The main temple complex is also surrounded by long verandahs with infinite pillars and there are chambers for meditation accessible through these verandahs.

At various locations there are inscriptions on the rock stating various Kings conquest and gifts made by them. They have also made a sketch of sculptors on the rocks which can be seen at few places.

Moving further, after crossing the Kalyana Mandapa, I came across some huge footprints on temple floor which was almost 2 and half feet long. It is like someone has stamped on a wet concrete surface which has left a mark on the floor. Interesting tale shared by my guide states that this footprint is of Goddess Sita and also the footprint is always wet. The water from some unknown source underneath constantly sips and washes the footmark. If one dries or wipes out the water, it slowly seeps back into the place. My guide also informed me that in Treta yug humans had humongous height of 28 to 30 feet. Sita was petite and had a height of 25 feet and hence the foot print of such large magnitude.

At some distance from the place there are prints of a huge circle with inner middle circle and couple of smaller circle between the middle and outer circle on the temple floor. As per my guide this is the thali version created on the temple floor which was used to serve food to the guest in that era when humans were almost 3 - 5 times the height of present day humans.

Some other interesting wonders shared by my guide was the entire complex outer boundary as well inner boundary wall is made by placing the cut rocks in interlocking mode just like in Machu Pichu and at no place any binding agent or concrete has been used. And on closer look the entire structure is standing on top of megalithic stone. And that there is leafless tree which has been standing since ages but does not bear any leaves.

As I finished my circumambulation of the temple complex, Guide asked me to not miss the Basavanna temple at 1 km outside the Veerbhadra temple. Here lies another major attraction of Lepakshi - a monolithic Nandi statue at 27 ft in length and 15 ft in height, a colossal structure and India's biggest Nandi. Imagine a statue of this proportion carved out of a single rock. As per belief every Shiva temple has a lingam which is protected by a Nandi facing it. But here the Nandi was placed outside the temple complex but when one moves closer to the Nandi statue, then only one realizes that Nandi at Lepakshi is facing the monolithic Naga-Lingam and one can see Nandi's head facing the Naga-lingam statue.

With so many wonders and legends of the place that I had learned during my visit that I was in love with the place even more. It's truly worth visiting and experiencing the magnanimous beauty of the place first hand. It's a very tranquil offbeat location close to Bangalore which is usually not crowded and absolute must visit for history and travel buffs.

As I ended my tour and reached Hindupur station to catch my return train at 22.30 hrs, only to find that the train was late by 4 hours. Most of the trains passing through Hindupur had already left while I waited for my train to arrive. The station had a deserted looks by 22.00 hrs and by the time my train arrived I was the only soul roaming the length and breath of station. But overall it was truly a wonderful journey and more importantly I was glad to strike off one more place from my bucket list.

Travel and Stay options: Lepakshi only has APTDC resort close to the temple for stay and food. But Hindupur which is at 14 kms with local bus / cabs available can be good budget option for lodging and food. One can also combine a visit to Sathya Sai Puttaparthi which is at one hour drive from Lepakshi and is chosen city by many for stay and food.

Lepakshi is at 14 kms from Hindupur, 130 kms from Bangalore and 480 kms from Hyderabad.

 Discovering Mumbai Heritage: Ghodbunder fort - A 16th century marvel

June 03, 2018

Apart from the rich history that is attached to the formation of India and its legend, Mumbai has a unique chapter and can make historian's minds heavy. Mumbai's culture act as pure palimpsest and is a complete meal for anyone suffering from a deficiency in history lessons. The numerous forts scattered around the city are a testimony for the same. It comes as surprise to many that there were in total 11 forts in the city. Sitting on the urban fringe of Thane city and on a hill just south of Ulhas river and overlooking the natural creek on its west side, Ghodbunder fort is one of the forts and Mumbai's 16th-century marvelous piece of architecture.

The humble Ghodbunder road, the state highway that connects Thane with the northern suburbs of Mumbai today once acted as a bridge between different cultures. The significance of this place was such that it is said to have played a crucial role in Indo- Arab trade which the Portuguese later used it to monopolize sea routes in the Arabian Sea. There were several empires that fought wars during that era. Horses were a precious commodity in the backdrop of these wars. The Persian horses came from Arab countries and landed at the port (bunder) hence initially the area came to be known as Ghodegoan (Horse village) and in later centuries got transformed into Ghodbunder. It is mentioned that such was a premium on horses that when traveler Marco Polo visited India, he wrote about how the kings ruling Thane had a pact with pirates that they would not attack ships carrying horses. Horses that would land at Ghodbunder would be sent to Kalyan, Vasai, Naneghat among other places. The place was a center point for trading horses. 

In 1530 the Portuguese came to Thane and began fortifying the hill and completed the construction of the fort somewhere in 1730. They named the fort "Casaba de Tanna" which got renamed later as Ghodbunder fort. Arches built during the Portuguese era can still be seen at the fort at the present day. Portuguese also built a water tank and the church in the fort that still stands. It is said that festivities and congressional activities would happen in the courtyard of the fort. There also exist 6 horse stables with a low arched entrance built by Portuguese within the premises is quite unique to this fort and points towards the importance of the place in Horse trade.

Horse stables

Entrance to Buruj

Marathas under Chimnaji Appa successfully besieged the fort from the Portuguese in 1737. Some strengthening of fortification was done under Marathas which resulted in the construction of buruj or watchtower. This was the second layer of fortification of the fort. The buruj fortification is still intact while the smaller watch tower got destroyed over a period of time but the remnant of it can still be seen. It is said that other forts like Vasai and surrounding areas were connected by escape tunnels built under the river by the Marathas, the authenticity of this is not validated !! The mango tree planted by Chimnaji Appa in the courtyard which was used for congressional activities still stands in the fort premises.

watchtower remnants

In 1818 the Britishers occupied the fort and made it into the district administration headquarters of East India company. Due to natural mangroves habitat around the area with flowing Ulhas river and creek nearby, the fort was also used by Britishers as a meeting point. 

Another interesting thing was that of the church constructed by Portuguese. The church has a dome-like shape and a small minaret which is quite unique and shows the influence of Islamic architecture. This is due to the fact that Nizamshahi troupes would regularly pass by the area which resulted in the construction of a small dargah that also stands to date.

The entrance of the church had two angels engraved on the wall which can still be seen. The church lost its importance post-British era and was converted into a Hotel which was functional from 1960 onward till 1975. Today the church and later hotel lie in complete shambles.

Ghodbunder fort which is one of the 16th-century marvel lies in ruins and stands testimony to the times. It's a dying heritage of Mumbai which needs to be preserved. In recent years some NGOs along with the local Mira Bhayander corporations have joined hands to preserve the crumbling walls of the fort after decades of neglect. In recent years Ghodbunder festival is organized every year in March and there are plans to further convert the historic fort into a tourist destination. 

Close to the fort stands two unique tree species of Baobab, The majestic Baobab trees or also called the Tree of Life in Africa were brought by Portuguese and Abyssinian traders in India. These African tree species are found at 120 places around Mumbai and one of them is at Ghodbunder village close to the fort. (Baobab details).

Ghodbunder village is also home to the beautiful self-manifested (swayambhu) linga temple of Lord Shiva. This 250 years old temple was constructed by Shri Babulseth - grandfather of famous philanthropist Shri Jagannath Shankerseth. He moved from Murbad to do business and constructed a bungalow here along with the temple. The bungalow is not present today but the temple has been able to retain the old charm of Maratha architecture. Ghodbunder fort and village is an interesting place for half-day weekend visit.

How to reach: Get down at Fountain hotel on Ghodbunder road and ask for Ghodbunder village road. It's a 10-15 minutes walk from the main highway. Best Bus plies regularly on Thane station - Ghodbunder village route. Rickshaws are easily available from the highway junction.

 Rock art that dates back 10000 years - Bhimbetka (M.P)

April 22, 2018

What can match the joy of discovering things of different era. A time, place, aesthetic, you know nothing about. Stories etched in stone paintings that tell you about the people of a long gone era, their life, their times and that is historical gem called Bhimbetka located in state of Madhya Pradesh.

Bhimbetka group of rock shelters located close to 45 kms of Bhopal in Vindhya mountain range amidst the Ratapani wildlife sanctuary exhibit the earliest traces of human life in India, number of these analysis suggest that at least few of these shelters were inhabited for over 10000 years ago. Home to the most gorgeous rock painting,. There are over 750 rock shelters in this region and guess what !! 500 of them are adorned with rock paintings. The site remained a center of human activities right from lower Paleolithic times up to medieval period. The subject of the paintings depict day to day activities of ancient man, human figures, animals, communal gatherings and dances, warfare etc.There is also one of the earliest recorded hand print of a kid.

Bhimbetka as the name stands is corruption of the Hindi word Bhimbaithka meaning seat or sitting place of Bhim, one of the Pandava's brother. Bhim is still worshiped as deity to several tribes residing in forest and villages of surrounding areas. It all started when Dr Vishnu Shridhar Wakankar, the discoverer  from Vikram university, Ujjain when travelling along the hills on a train, noticed the spectacular sandstone rock formations along the ridge, He got fascinated by them and their surrounding landscape. He got down from the train to explore and strayed too far from beaten path and thus found himself in treasure trove and discovered the greatest heritage of India. This was in 1957. Even imagining about the moment when Dr Vishnu would have taken a first glance on this rock paintings gives me goosebumps !!

Spread across 1892 hectares covering five hills withing the Vindhyan range, shelters are spread over 5 hills but only 15 shelters are accessible to general public. Filled with narratives of hunting, battle, festive scenes, daily life, royal processions, dancers and animals and birds of all kinds, these paintings shows the dynamics between humankind and nature in all its complexity. Colors used were mainly ochre from haematite and white from lime, plant extracts, animal fat and even rubbed stones.The cover of dense forest and vegetation has protected these rock paintings so far from being lost to vagaries of nature.

During excavation of one the caves some skeletons were also found in disintegrated state. The Mesolithic people (10000 - 2500 years) used to bury their dead within the caves in the living areas. The dead body was placed either in an extended position or in a crouched position with head usually to the east. Stones, rubber, antlers, bone tools were placed with the dead as grave goods.

The earliest drawing of a men which reminded me of good old school days when we as kids have also drawn something similar looking male figures.

Below is the painting with two elephants with long uplifted tusk and man standing on smaller elephant holding a spear in one hand and holding a goad in another.

Domesticated animals like goat, cows, bison as well as Tiger is shown in below pics. In all there has been total of 1377 wild as well as domesticated animals painted on the walls of rock shelters.

Shelter no 4 is one of the most elaborately painted one known as "Zoo rock" due to large number of animal species painted on the rock. There are total of 252 animals of 16 different species seen here.

Historic warriors with different kinds of weapons as seen in below pic. Sometimes the artist has used the same painted surface used earlier without obliterating earlier paintings.Superimposition of such paintings can be seen at many places.

The most famous of all the Bhimbetka paintings below which shows some procession with soldiers, dancers and various animals, birds as well as a scorpion on top left corner.

Panel where a flying bird is shown along with peacock and a snake with some humans forming a chain. Some men painted in white are the probably the newer paintings while one painted in natural dye are from earlier era.

Another masterpiece shown below is that of a mythical boar chasing a man while it is surrounded by armed men, men shown here are quite small in size as compared to the animal. A local tribe called Korkus living in the fringes of the forest still worship wild boars.

A line of galloping horses with horsemen brandishing their swords seen in rock shelter no 7.

Human chain seen here seems to be part of some dance ritual with one person holding some musical instrument.

What makes Bhimbetka even more interesting is that some of the painted shelters are still regarded as sacred by local Hindu villagers including the Gond and Korku tribes who go to them on special occasions in order to perform rituals and ceremonies even today. One of the old shelter converted into Goddess Durga temple is just a furlong away from main Bhimbetka shelters.

At the few distance before the cave, there is situated a flat bed of rocks which gives a beautiful panoramic view of the dense Ratapani wildlife sanctuary, area rich in varied animal species.

Nature has also played its part by creating some unique rock formation, There is a rock mass which looks like tortoise, the uncommon rock formation are due to enlargement of cavities through physical and chemical erosion.

When I and my friend Kiru decided to visit this place in December, we took an early morning train to Bhopal from Vidisha as that was our base for the trip and reached Habibganj. From there we took a public transport bus which dropped us at Obdellatif Ganj (which was a mistake we realised later as we could have continued further on same route towards Hoshangabad on NH12), Rickshaw here charge close to Rupees 400-500 for a round trip of 2 hrs, so instead we took another bus which dropped us at Bhimbetka junction. From here one does not get any transport and has to travel 3.2 kms on foot to the site passing through a check post and railway crossing. We were lucky to get a local bike rider who did two round trips to drop us at caves at a small price.

The ideal season to visit would be from November to February as temperatures are cooler. An early morning visit gives you ample time to explore the place with less crowd, ASI guides are available and at times the security guards also act as guide. Each rock shelter has been marked with sign board but it takes a lot of effort to spot and view the paintings. Though there are only 15 shelters for public viewing which requires a walk of 1.5 kms in well marked pavement, it took us close to 5 hours to view the spectacular heritage of Bhimbetka.

Nearby attractions: Bhimbetka tal around 4 kms from cave site who can't resist taking off beat route.

Bhojpur: On the way return to Bhopal one can also visit the half built Shiva temple of Bhojpur which is a heritage town. The temple is famous for it's unique Shivling which is 18 ft tall and is built out of a single rock.

Bhopal - Bhojpur: 29 kms
Bhopal - Bhimbetka: 45 kms
Bhimbetka - Bhimbetka T point: 3.2 kms
Bhopal NH12 - Mandideep - Obdellatif ganj - Bhimbetka - Shahganj / Hoshangabad

 Sahasralinga - A thousand Shivlings shine here on a riverbed

April 16, 2018

From the depths of the ocean to the flowing rivers, Water- so vital for life to exist, hides within its belly lot of secrets. One such secret lies embedded on Shalmala river bed - A place called SAHASRALINGA. Sahasra translates to thousand in Sanskrit and as name suggest "Thousand linga's or Shivlings".The place is unique because the linga's are situated on rocks of the river Shalmala. Carved on riverine rocks, Sahasralinga looks very artistic and beautiful.

Sahasralinga is a pilgrimage place, located around 14 kms from town of Sirsi in Uttar Kannada district nestled in lush green Western Ghats. River Shalmala which originates from Dharwad flows quietly through the pristine forest near the village of Sonda. The bed of this river has huge boulders as well as small rocks and each one of them have Shivalinga carved on them. Some even have more than one Shivalinga and even Nandi - the vehicle of Lord Shiva. Originally every Linga had a Nandi facing it but now many seems to be damaged due to forces of nature.

In middle of the river bed there are these two huge boulders which has beautifully carved Nandi on its side. It seems as if the artisans have given life to these lifeless rocks.   

The first sight of these engraved Shivalinga is breathtaking, it just leaves one spellbound. The river itself has become a temple with Shivalinga carved stones lay scattered all over. Most of the Linga's are visible when the water level in the river is not high hence ideal time to visit this place would be post monsoon from October to May.

When we visited the place in March, water level was quite low which allowed us the freedom to move around at each rock and get a whole sum view of the carved rocks, though at few places the rocks are quite slippery. Also since it's considered a place of worship so we had left our shoes on the banks of the river which made it little difficult to move around on slippery and rocky river bed. Add to it, March scorching sun had heated the rocks to such an extent that it was difficult to stand on the rocks without the linga's and not burn our feet.

History says that these one thousand Shivlinga's on river bed are believed to have been commissioned to be carved by Sadashiva Raya who was also called King of Sirsi of Vijayanagar kingdom during 1678 - 1718. The local legend says that the king did not have any heir to the throne and hence was advised by a priest to make 1008 Shivalings to be blessed with children. So the king had every stone at the riverbed converted into Shivlinga. The story goes that the king had children, from then on these are called votive linga's, something made to get something in return. Even today the locals worship them as wish-fulfilling Shivlinga's. 

Though there are such Sahasralinga's in various other locations like one near Parshurameshvara temple in Orissa where a huge linga carries on itself 1008 miniature linga's. Similarly near Hampi many Shiva linga's are found on banks of river Tungabhadra. But the spot near Sirsi is unique in a way that here the linga's are carved in various sizes and scattered all over the riverbed. When I spoke to one of the purohit sitting near his makeshift on banks of Shalmala river, he mentioned that at Sahasralinga there would be close to 100-150 Shivalinga's now. But due to forces of ravenous waters during the rainy season many have got destroyed or buried deep in the riverbed or swept away, some were also taken away by the locals but there are many still found in a distance of 8 kms upstream and downstream of the river banks. 

Historians opine that there flourished in India a traditional cult that worshiped Lord Shiva in open. Sahasralinga is therefore considered as a manifestation of such worship.There is also a belief that representing an icon in multiplicity is intended to show the enormous power of the multiplied object.

Interestingly there exist a similar place in Cambodia near the world famous heritage site of Angkor Wat. "Kbal Spean", also known as valley of 1000 linga's. This place also has number of carvings on river bed just like in Sahasralinga. More on this place in the attached link (1000 lingas).

Sahasralinga could have been our own backyard Kbal Spean but what we have done is dirty the place with puja items, picnickers who take bath and litter around. I was appalled when the purohit I talked to said during the day of Shivratri, each Shivalinga is occupied by a purohit offering to do puja to the devotees who come to wash their doshas and sins !!

Sahasralinga is a serene, picturesque location amidst lush green nature, where one can relax, lavishly soak and blend in the glory of unspoiled natural ambiance only if we ourselves take the ownership and ensure that we don't litter around and spoil the beauty of the location. The Shalmala river and its banks are considered as a biodiversity treasure house and is rich in flora and fauna and there is a urgent need to protect this heritage and declare it as a natural heritage site.

How to reach: Sahasralinga is easily accessible from Sirsi at a distance of 14 kms on Sirsi - Yellapur road. Buses plying on the above route will drop at Sahasralinga junction at 1.5 kms from where one can walk down or take rickshaw if available. There is a canteen available for basic refreshments.

Other Attractions around:  Just next to a parking lot at Sahasralinga lies a cable hanging bridge overlooking the river Shalmala where one can take a stroll and get beautiful view of flowing river and pristine forest around. The bridge also connects the Bhairumbe - Hulekal villages. The distance between Sirsi and these villages have been reduced by 15 kms with inauguration of this bridge.

Marikamba Temple: The 17th century temple in heart of Sirsi town is dedicated to form of Goddess Durga. Known as "Doddamma temple" meaning elder sister to all Mariamma's in Karnataka. The central idol of this beautiful temple is an eight armed image of Goddess Durga known as Renuka.
What Goddess Ambaji temple is to Gujarat, Marikamba Goddess temple is to state of Karnataka. Sirsi Marikamba jaatre of deity is held every alternate year in month of February is one of the biggest fair of Karnataka state.

Banavasi: Known for its rural tourism projects, this town was historically capital of Kadamba dynasty and is famous for it's 9th century Madhukeshwara temple dedicated to Lord Shiva. This town lies around 23 kms from Sirsi town. The town is well known for its sugarcane jaggery that you can taste as fresh as possible

 Gyaraspur Monuments - A little known architectural wonders in Madhya Pradesh

January 28, 2018

Gyaraspur - One name which many may not have heard of unless you have some association with Vidisha district of Madhya Pradesh. Its is situated around 35kms from town of Vidisha on Vidisha - Sagar road. The name it seems was derived from a fair which is held at the eleventh month of Hindu calendar hence the name Gyaras and pur meaning a small town. Irony is most don't even know that there is a statue of lady called "Shalabhanjika" kept at Gujari Mahal museum - Gwalior which is considered a matchless beauty by many historians and experts. The statue is called as Indian Venus or Monalisa statue in stone. It was discovered in Gyaraspur.

History: The Kachhapagatha dynasty ruled the North West parts of Madhya Pradesh during the 10th and 12th CE. They are assumed to be progeny of the Nagas and were the vassals of Gurjara - Pratiharas and later of the Chandelas of Central India. This dynasty contributed much to art and architecture and many temples were built under their patronage. Their early work followed the Gurjara - Pratiharas style and later developed unique and new trends in temple constructions. 

Gyaraspur was of considerable importance in medieval India. The extensive ruins scattered around narrate the glory of Gyaraspur in the late and early medieval times. The ruins indicate the place has passed through the influence of Brahmanism, Jainism & Buddhism. Since its a small town all monuments can be visited walking around.

1) Maladevi temple: This 9th century temple is situated around 1.5kms from the bus stand on a small hill overlooking a valley. Its seems part of the hill was scooped out to built this temple on a massive platform and strengthened by massive retaining wall. The Pratihara period temple is constructed on eastern slope and temple structure has an entrance, hall and shrine. The Shrine is surrounded by very ornate passage. As per the caretaker who acted as our guide, the statues of Hindu goddess which though are missing, were present on all the sides of the temple like a garland and hence the name Mala devi.

Front view

Ornamented pillar

Ornate pillars which hides the interlocking

Beautiful balconies

Inside the sanctum four Tirthankara's can be seen seated in padmasana. Ornamented with Jain Yaksha, Yakshini and Hindu deities on outside. The Sanctum entrance has block on outer frame of goddess Ganga & Jamuna while richly carved shikhara above the sanctum has Vaishnavi seated on Garuda. The pillars outside as well as inside the temple is ornamented with beautiful designs. The sculptures probably indicate that the temple was originally dedicated to some goddess and it was subsequently appropriated by the Jains.

Today the sanctum sanctorum is a very crumbling state due to which no one is allowed inside the temple. Beehives can be seen inside the rocks. But good news is that MP tourism & ASI would be jointly commencing the work to restore the temple to its lost glory soon.

2) Hindola Toran: It is one of the most beautiful ornamental entrance arches or Toranas to a now destroyed Vishnu or a Trimurti temple. What remains today is these two lofty pillars with a cross beam intricately carved into panels with insets of ten incarnations of Vishnu. Words fail to describe this intricately carved monument and its a visual treat to the eyes.

3) Chaukhambha: This monument is part of Hindola torana where the Chaukhamba would have been four pillars of mandapa of a Brahmanical temple and torana would have been ornamental entrance arch to the shrine. Chaukhamba, which are equally adorned by ornate carvings on all sides, means four pillars and sadly that is what only remains of what once would have been a beautiful temple complex. The ruins of larger temple complex can be seen scattered around the monuments.

As per our guide and caretaker of the monument, ASI has plans for this monument to be restored back and work would commence soon. MP tourism has created a boundary wall and garden in the complex as there is a caretaker present in the compound 24/7.

4) Athkhambha: Located close to bus stand, is set of delicately carved eight pillars which could have been columns of what was suppose to be a 9th century Shiva temple. Looking at the ornamented pillars shows the high degree of craftsmanship of sculptors of those days.

5) Bajramath Temple: Situated at little away on the south side of the village is the triple shrine temple complex called Bajramath. The entire triple shrine is in single row of same structure. The 10th century temple gates, door and back parts are engraved with Shiva, Brahma and Vishnu. This temple was transformed into Jain temple at a later date during which time the Tirthankara statues were established. Varaha avatar of God Vishnu, Narasimha, Shiva can be seen on the niches on the external wall. Bajramath is yet another fine example of very rare class of temple with three shrines and shows the exemplary craftsmanship of sculptors of the time.

6) Dhaikinath Stupa: This is about 1.3kms from the bus stand and there is straight road near the Athkhambha monument which leads to the stupa. The Hemispherical dome on circular berm is incompletely preserved. Nothing much to see here except the 7th century monument.

Gyaraspur is small village with no proper lodging facility but small eateries can be found on the main road. Regular bus services are available to & from Vidisha where we stayed. Auto rickshaw can also be hired from Vidisha for half day trip to Gyaraspur. Further ahead around 90kms from Vidisha is town of Udaypur which is also famous for its art & architecture that flourished under Parmar rulers of 11th century.

 Udvada - A sleepy Parsi town where sacred fire never goes out.

January 27, 2018

UDVADA - This coastal town lies 200kms from Mumbai and around 8kms from NH8. This town is renowned for Zoroastrian Atash Behram or the holy fire which has been burning for over 1250 years. This place of worship is the oldest still functioning example of its kind. Udvada is to Parsis what Mecca is to Muslims, Kashi for Hindus and Vatican for Christians. Not many would be aware that Udvada Atash Behram (Holy fire temple) is one of the nine Atash Behram worldwide (four are in Mumbai, two in Surat, one in Navsari and one in Udvada), The only place outside India is in town of Yazd in central Iran. 

Legend has it that during the Muslims conquest of Iran in 7th century marginalised Zoroastrians fled to Indian sub-continent to preserve their diminishing culture and populace. It is said that they first landed on shore in small beach village of Nargol from where they settled in Sanjan and over the years due to changing political situation moved places and finally landed in Udvada. The journey of Atash Behram is well documented in Zoroastrian information centre in Udvada which is open to all public.

The Journey of Iran Shah Atash Behram holy fire from Sanjan to Udvada timeline is as follows

Sanjan: 669 years

Bahrot caves: 12 years (1393 - 1405 AC)

Vansda forest: 14 years (1405 - 1418 AC)

Navsari: 313 years (1419 - 1732 AC)

Surat: 3 years (1733 - 1736 AC)

Navsari: 5 years (1736-1741 AC)

Valsad: 1 year (1741 - 1742 AC)

Udvada: 257 years (28-10-1742 to till date)

One gentlemen whom we met during our visit to Udvada said that Zoroastrians from across the world including the ones from Yazd and Homuz in Iran make pilgrimage to Udvada even today.

Weekend wanderer's like A & Me wanted to do visit / trek some place on one wintery Sunday. Once you step out of the house then the travel destinations ideas start trickling in your mind so with 2-3 destinations in mind we boarded early morning 5.47am local train. By the time we reached Dahanu it was decided we head to Udvada for Heritage walk and on our  return journey go to Nargol beach via Sanjan before heading home. On reaching Dahanu we took another 45 min train ride in express train to reach Udvada.

Very few express trains stop at Udvada as its a small station but combining with few local trains  between Dahanu & Valsad / Surat, frequency is quiet ok to have well planned travel to Udvada and back in one day. Sadly there aren't any local state transport bus connectivity as informed by a local. The old Udvada town is around 4kms from station but rickshaws are easily available. A little bit of bargain and you can have share-a-rick for as low as Rs 10/- per person for a 15 minute drive. As we walked from the rickshaw stand towards the fire temple we could see old fashioned typical Parsi bungalow's lined one after another. Some crumbling, some new but many had its own old charm.

Though most of these properties are owned by Parsis, They don't stay here and many may have moved to bigger cities like Mumbai or even abroad, Occasionally visiting them once a year or may be on Parsi New Year of Navroze when this sleepy old township regains its hustling & bustling.

Though non Parsi is not allowed to enter the Fire temple but that should not deter you from visiting this place as still there is lot to see and experience in this town. Udvada as they say is epitome of calm & serenity and as we walked we experienced it through almost empty streets and those locked gates of Parsi bungalows. The quietness is so pervasive that even talking & laughing seems to raise the decibel bar. But then the quietness also allows your mind to be creative as we embraced it open arms and enjoyed clicking the old architecture. The entire town is one horse town and completed on foot in flat one hour but still it will want you to continue walking and enjoying its old charm.

Our first stop was seaside front of the town, The black sand beach and brackish murky water was quite unwelcoming. We saw two fisherman mending their fish nets and some kids playing around. But what had us awestruck since we set foot in the town were these old high ceiling, sloped roof bungalows with trademark double porches and it seems few near the seashore were equally charming.

Close by there is one Zoroastrian information centre which showcases everything about Zoroastrianism and even has a miniature replica of Atash Behram and as well the holy fire replica. The information boards all around provided upto date & amazing information about this unique religion, culture & its history. There was so much to read that it may take one more visit here to only read through this interesting information offering. 

The walk around Atash Behram took us back in time. It was built and designed in 1742 by Dinshaw Dorabjee Mistry from Mumbai. The original temple was renovated in 1894 by Lady Wadia. Two giant stone statues guard the main entrance holding the sword close to their chest. These majestic sculptures greet you in most intimidating manner. The Lamassu guard the entrance hall inside the fire temple.Parsis offer sandalwood to keep the holy fire going and there are small shops in abundance around the temple.

But for a foodie this town has lot to offer, there was these hotels around the town which offer Parsi cuisines. As we spoke to one Parsi gentlemen from Mumbai, the town is heaven for non vegetarians and few hotels like Ashishvangh, The Globe have some irresistible delicacies in their menu. I read somewhere that if good food can kill you, then Udvada would have you dead by breakfast and you would have skipped your lunch and dinner.

The hand churned ice-creams at Dastur Baug dharamshala near the fire temple is also not to be missed but unfortunately it was not being available on day of our visit. There is also a Irani bakery run by a Parsi, He has kept the traditional Irani bakery techniques and recipes alive and has classic range of products like cookies, bhatasa, macrooms which are almost sold out on Sundays due to visiting Parsis. In winters you get delicacy called Doodh puff which I read is prepared in a very unique way and sold in mornings. Basically a chilled milk froth prepared by chilling it in earthen pot and left overnight, it is then topped with nutmeg & cardamom. Something which is very Udvada and won't find anywhere else.

Udvada visit is a perfect weekend destination closer to Mumbai and town may be sleepy but has lot to offer in terms of great food and Parsi heritage in every corner. There's lot for a non Parsi to appreciate here if you are a foodie and fascinated with culture and history.

So if do get a chance, don't miss a visit to this unique town.

On our return journey we visited Sanjan which houses the monument thanking the local Hindu ruler Jadi Rana on allowing them to settle at Sanjan. Also close to the monument is buried time capsule with replicas and miniatures of items which exemplify the heritage of Zoroastrian community for future generation. So much from the dying community !!

Nargol shore which is 12kms from Sanjan is beach side village which has few parsi owned bungalows and closed Parsi agiary. Nargol beach is beautiful beach lined with Causarina trees and perfect gateway for spending quiet evenings at the beach side.

 Trail through woods and Apple Orchards - Hike to Goshal Village in Manali

September 17, 2017

Travelling - It leaves you speechless and then it turns you into a storyteller. By Ibn Battuta 

How true this quote is when I write my experience of a hike to a small village on outskirts of Manali which left us speechless with our walk in woods and through heart of Apple Orchards near old Manali. It all started with culmination of our Leh Ladakh journey and a day to spare in Manali. After a week of travelling by car in Leh Ladakh and ending the trip in Manali, It was a relaxing day for our group, We decided to spent our day by visiting Hidimba temple and do a stroll in old Manali. Old Manali is around 3 kms from New Manali which is separated by bridge over gushing waters of Beas river. A complete uphill climb, Old Manali lane is flanked by restaurants and cafes serving wide varieties of International cuisines from Israel to Korea. More frequented by foreigners, We can find shopkeepers and cafe owners talking fluently in Hebrew or Italian or French.

The last stretch of old Manali lane is a steep climb lined with few village houses and ends at magnificent old temple dedicated to sage Manu who is suppose to be the creator of the world and writer of Manusmriti.

Glimpse of old manali house

Glimpse of old manali house

Manu temple

Just before the temple we spotted a board "Trek to Goshal Village - 2 kms, Trek to Solang Valley - 11 kms". And that just set the ball rolling in our head to atleast trek till Goshal village. It was mid afternoon and we had all the time in our hand and more importantly it was a clear day in rainy month of August. Just a few blocks behind Manu temple lies this last cafe on the road called "Rocky's cafe". The cafe provides one of the most spectacular views of the Manali Mountains. One could spend like an entire day sitting in cafe sipping on tea / coffee reading a book or just plain sit and watch the mesmerizing view of the mountains. They also offer stay in neat & tidy rooms and have a restaurant serving simple lunch and dinner. 

R-cafe location and magnanimous view was too alluring for few of our group members who decided to spent rest of the afternoon at the cafe enjoying the hot cuppa while for four of us, the sign board of 2 km trek to Goshal village was too appealing and we decided to go ahead.

The road ends at R-cafe and steps carved into the rocks leads us into the woods. As it always happens on treks, there were these two dogs which followed us on the trail like our guide in the woods. 

The initial steps gave way to a narrow path in the woods with pine trees on both sides. The rainy season had turned the mountains in green belt with lush greenery all around. 

After a walk of around 30 minutes the path became precariously narrow with deep valley on one side with just enough space for one person to walk and rocky mountains on the other. The trail seemed exciting and we decided to continue as it was only 2 kms and we could always turn back if we got lost. At one of the spots there were steps cut on rocky patch. 

The rocky patch climb gave us the most amazing view of Manali valley & cloud covered mountains on other side. As we walked further from here we were welcomed by trees laden with Apples as far as we could see. This was most beautiful part of hike - A hike through heart of Apple orchard. With no one to look over us and ever inviting apple laden trees, it was difficult for us to stay away and not pluck apples.

We did come across few houses in the orchard but they seemed to be empty. Our trail at some places was confusing with two paths going in different directions but we decided to stick with path which was more prominent. Our walk continued for over 2 hrs but still there was no sight of Goshal village. We blindly followed our path which was now leading downwards away from apple orchards.

To our disappointment our hike ended abruptly on a tar road which was not something we wanted or expected. But we could sense human activity and roar of engine few meters away and decided to walk further on tar road. Around few blocks from where we entered tar road were some shops where Apple was being collected after being plucked from the orchards. 

We asked the villagers around who confirmed that we were indeed on right path and Goshal village was few hundred meters away. With sigh of relief we decided to at least get a glance and few pictures before starting the return journey. We reached a nice rocky spot overlooking a Goshal village where we took our final halt. 

Goshal village was a pretty quaint village with few houses and narrow winding lanes in between. But the best part was the exotic village location with Solang valley further ahead and Vasisht village & temple on opposite mountain. The village is away from Manali hustle bustle, right in middle of mountain and Apple orchards all around. For someone looking to stay in calm and peaceful location then this village would be ideal place. The village is around 3kms from Manali through motorable road while it is 2 kms through the path we took from old Manali.

Happy Happy

Return journey begins

Happy to have reached Goshal village and after clicking few pictures we decided to follow the same path to reach old Manali. Our return journey was bit tough for the downhill path we came from was now our uphill climb and there was no longer any excitement left. 

But we managed to complete our return journey in half the time it took for us to reach Goshal village. Highlight of our return journey was a small spring of water in the rocks from where SB decided to quench her thirst, it turned out the water had weird taste and when asked how was it ? she made a funny face saying "AMRIT "which made all of us burst in laughter.

The hike to Goshal village was worth all the effort and may be on our next visit would love to try 11 kms trek to Solang valley. We signed off our trek with hot cuppa and some rest for our legs at Rocky's cafe before heading down to our hotels. 

From Rocky's cafe 

Our Hot Cuppa

Have you done any treks, trails or a small hike in Manali ? How was your experience ? Do share your experiences.

 Discovering Mumbai Heritage : A quaint village in heart of Mumbai - Matharpacady

March 05, 2017

Mumbai the mega metropolitan city was once a group of seven islands is something that we all know about. The seven islands which constitute Mumbai were home to communities of fishing villages and little hamlets scattered all over. They are chapters of a glorious history that endowed us with such rich heritage and architecture. Mazgaon or Mazagon - part of South Mumbai is one of the oldest suburbs of Mumbai. The original inhabitants were Agari (salt workers) & Koli (fisherman) tribes. Mazgaon has a rich history. It influenced several communities which makes it even more interesting.

In heart of this sprawling suburb of Mumbai lies this quaint village called Matharpacady or Mathar-Pakhadi which was originally a colony of East Indian Catholics but over a period of time came to include many Goan and other families. The village is self contained with artistic wrought iron and wood bungalows, art decor, sprawling porches, verandas and altars. It boast of some of the city's oldest and quaintest houses.

Most of the houses in this quiet, narrow inviting lanes were built almost three generations ago. Many are older than their oldest residents.

As I wander through the cloistered lanes, I came across one gentleman who smiled at me and asked " Are you on a visit ? Go see that cross over there and then take a right to see the village well" He said.

In middle of the village lies the famous Matharpacady village cross. The holy cross oratory was erected in 1875 through the initiative and land donation from local residents. In 1896 when Mumbai was overrun by plague, Thousands died and many fled the city. On May 1st the villagers gathered around the Holy cross oratory and asked that the scourge spare them. Not a single life was lost in this village. More than hundred and twenty years later, Cross Feast of St Rock is still celebrated on May 1st every year by grateful descendants of fortunate fathers.

The village also boast of its own well, preserved even today covered from the top.

Another very interesting thing about Matharpacady is that it is home to handful of "kudds or Cudds" in Mumbai. Mumbai's mini Majordas or Calangutes. It literally means "rooms" in Konkani. They are dormitory style clubs where Catholic migrant worker from Goa can stay for few rupees a month, while they look for work or if they are passing through Mumbai. Each kudd is named after a Goan village and is open to Catholic men or family from that same village only. The condition for the stay in these kudds were rosary every night and lights off at 10 pm !! On my visit I did see few clubs in the village like Club of Paroda, St Lawrence club of Arrossim, club of N.S Dos Remedios etc but they were all closed either permanently or due to lack of visitors.

More on Kudds life in Mumbai in the link (Kudd life)

Although there are handful of entry points from the main road into this enclave, On Ram Naik Marg just opposite to one of the entry point lies a defining landmark of the area. The "LIONS DEN". A Portuguese styled bungalow owned by Mr. Samuel Leao, Built in 1892 by current owners grandfather. The two yellow lions on the gate of the house gave its name - Lions Den.

The narrow lanes opposite Lions Den holds the oldest Portuguese style homes in the city complete with colourful facades, wooden staircases and open balconies. Joseph Baptista - the freedom fighter and close associate of Lokmanya Tilak was a resident of this village. The Baptista family still has two houses and are still the residents here.

A township built nurtured and populated by East Indians once, Matharpacady is an enchanting Portuguese hamlet in the heart of Mumbai city distinguished by its Moorish architecture, split level coloured houses with wooden staircases and sloping brick roofs. Even though Matharpacady has been accorded grade III heritage status by the government which means that it is illegal to alter any residence without sticking to its original plan and materials, The land mafias have their eyes on this prime locality. Matharpacady is changing and changing slowly, too delicate to handle the onslaught of urbanisation. The reason few residents who have moved abroad and are willing to sell their assets while there are some who are unable to bear the cost of continues preservation. 

We of the maddening crowd are scarcely aware of the existence of such islets of serenity. Matharpacady is last among the few remaining iconic islets which are still surviving in Metro city of Mumbai. How far will they continue ? Time will tell  !!!!!!

How to reach: It can be reached from Byculla, exit Byculla station east, take Seth Motisha lane & Ram Naik Marg.  From Dockyard road station, exit on west side, ask for Gun powder lane and then Ram Naik Marg.

 Discovering Mumbai heritage - A temple where cooled volcanic lava is worshiped

February 26, 2017

Mumbai Heritage series of posts is to highlight some unique heritage structures in & around our city of Mumbai where we may have knowledge of their presence but are not aware of their importance or unique facts or history behind them. By highlighting the facts & history we could bring more pride & awareness towards preserving these unique jewels we have in our city of Mumbai.

Ghodapdeo: A predominantly labour class neighbourhood nestled between Cotton green, Reay Road, Mustafa bazaar & Kalachowky areas. This area was known for its cloth mills but post 1990 after the era of liberalisation the mills were shut down and today the area slowly is giving away to redevelopment of chawls and  making way for high rises. This area is located just behind the famous Victoria gardens or also known as Rani baugh or Mumbai Zoo.

Nestled in this neighbourhood is one unique temple of God Ghodapdeo. The area gets its name from this temple.The locals worship it as temple of Hanuman. The temple of Ghodapdeo is a private temple run & managed by Borkar family. Today 6th generation of this family runs this unique temple.

The mythological story goes that man named Borkar had a dream where god asked him to search for him in that area. He found this place and constructed the temple which stands at the same location where it was first built. They say that sea would come right upto the point of the temple and sea water would enter the temple during high tide. Today though the much of the land is reclaimed and sea has dragged itself faraway, Even today during monsoon high tide the sea water enters through a small arch at the bottom of the structure. The reason they know its a sea water is because along with the water, small crabs also enter the temple complex.

There is a festival celebrated at this temple on every full moon of Paush month of Hindu calendar.

So what is so unique about this temple ? 

Well, 66 million years ago a volcano erupted off the coast of Africa on the island of Reunion to create a Deccan plateau. Over millions of years this plateau started moving towards Eurasia and eventually crashed into it creating our mighty Himalaya. On the edge of Deccan plateau was a small island made of solidified lava called Mazghav / Bhaikhala. Which today we know it as Mazgoan & Byculla areas.

What looks like a solidified lava eruption is worshipped as "Ghodapdev" by the local community.The lava is smeared with sendhur and is venerated as God Ghodapdev.

Interesting isn't it !!

(Content idea :Khaki Tours, Pictures taken during personal visit.)

How to reach: Ghodapdev lies behind Rani baugh or Mumbai Zoo and nearest rail station would be Reay Road. On west side come out of the station and walk North for few meters. 

 My coastal odyssey - Beach trek from Kumta to Gokarna

January 02, 2017

I am back with yet another of my travelogue after a real long time !!!

It had been a long 6 months since I did my last trek. Devoid of any trek due to lazyness creeping in and also due to work, I was desperate to be on a trek and the Kumta - Gokarna beach trek by Travel Trikon seemed to have come at right time. Also the journey date was on my birthday so what a better way to celebrate a birthday that too on a trek !! Though the trek batch was full, Due to some last moment cancellation I got my place in the trek. God bless the girl who cancelled it last moment :-) 

My trek always starts from the moment I leave my house and this one was no exception. On the trek day I reached office in formal attire and a hanging backpack for it was a working day. Onlookers on the road glanced with curious gaze. The train we were to board was Mangalore express from CST in the evening. That day seemed to exceptionally long in the office but finally it did end and I was in my trek attire within no time. I knew no one in the trek group except Manoj the founder partner of TT. But then no one stays aloof especially on a trek and this was again no exception. Bhushan was at CST to co-ordinate and receive boarders at CST while Manoj managed it from Thane. It was a pleasant surprise to see for Sumi and Sunith, the travel freek couple whom I had met in my previous trek as part of the group. All in all 37 people group all heading to Kumta for beach trek that we had all heard a lot about.

We managed to get some sleep in the train and with train 2 hours behind schedule, had our morning breakfast in the train itself instead of having it at Kumta as decided.  We must have reached Kumta station by 10.30 am which was like a never ending journey. Finally at Kumta was the feeling of everyone in the group.

Our loader tempo arrived in no time. This was one of the best part of this trek, We didn't have to carry our heavy backpack. Just a small bag with our necessary stuff while the heavy backpack would ride in the tempo all the way to our camp directly and meet us in the evening. So we all got feather light and marched to our first destination which was Kumta bus stand for we had to catch a local bus to the beach which was a ride of around 10 minutes. But before that we all got loaded with oranges as they are the best electrolyte one can get on trek as it was going to be hot and humid day for us.

We had our introduction round just outside the Kumta beach, A varied group of people from vastly different fields but all at one place to soak into the beauty that this trek was to offer.

As we entered Kumta beach, there wasn't a single soul on the beach, waves lashing on the shore. Shoreline lined with trees at the far end. Some boats parked on the shore. Blue sea water. It was all too perfect for the start. Excited we walked our way through the beach and then on to road which was leading us to a small hilllock. Looking back from the small hill that we climbed we could see the vastness of the Kumta beach and a perfect setting for a wallpaper photographs. Few clicks below show the beauty of Kumta beach through my lens.

The hillock near Kumta beach turned out to be an ideal location for a photo shoot with vast ocean in the background. Small fishing boats on their way for the catch were all photographers delight. We had a blast at this place with photoshoots and group photos.

The abandoned house was the only structure on the hill but there was a pavered walkway lined with street lights and benches facing the sea. Best place to spend quality time on a weekend or in the evenings and not get bored at all. 

As we walked towards our next destination which our second beach, This was the one the views I could capture with trees lined near the shore and blue waters and the vastness of the sea. Pure bliss !!

The rustic volcanic rocks with three different shades of colour was sight to behold !! As I was to find out later during the trek that this was just a tip and more beautiful and picturesque rock formation awaited me further ahead.

As we crossed small village close to next beach called Vanali beach. We came across such netted structure used by locals to dry small fishes.

The first sight of our 2nd beach called Vanali beach had me in awe. A perfectly curvaceous beach lined with fishing boats, surrounded by small hills. This was turning out to be a walk in perfectly hidden paradise. 

The entire beach was full of shells, really beautiful & colourful. Sayali - one of my trekmate must have collected a bag full of those.

Out of no where we came across this naturally formed sand structure which someone said were lichens on the shore. 

We walked from one end to the other end of Vanali beach which was our first end to end walk on the beach, enjoying every moment and why not !! we had the entire beach for ourselves. Our leaders had arranged for packed lunch which was delivered in foiled bag by local villagers. It was packed veg & non veg biryani. It smelled awesome which only increased the intensity of our hunger. But we had to wait, for there was yet another hill and rocky patch that we had to climb.

Vanali Beach

Minarat of a local mosque standing tall among the trees

As I climbed and looked back to get one last glance of the Vanali beach. I could see few houses of the village hidden amidst the coconut trees that lined the shore. It seemed these local fishermen had the entire beaches for themselves except when occasional trekker group like ours would intrude and do trespassing !! 

As we moved further on the hill we came across more rocky part of the hill which had a very distinct rusty coloured rocks.

The different shades of colour on these rocks was a sight to behold. What a splendid beauty this was !

Every picture taken till now was almost like a desktop wallpaper. This was turning out to be hidden paradise and probably the best trek I had done till now. If half a day trek could surprise us so much, I wondered what it would be like further ahead as i jumped from one rock patch to another !! My excitement knew no bounds. 

We had no sense of time as we were all deeply engrossed in the beauty the trek had offered us so far. It was around 2'o clock in afternoon when we came across some shade after walking across beaches and hoping over rock patches that we realised that we were hungry and our packed biryani was waiting for us. Sitting on the rocks under the shades offered by trees above us and sound of waves hitting the shore making a rhythmic song we savoured our biryani. It was best biryani I have had in a long time. 

Lunch done, Rest done ..We were back in action and all pumped up to reach our destination - our evening camp on a beach. 

From our lunch point and just round the corner, We moved into yet another beach. It was very small beach nestled between two hillocks and lined with trees. Truly a paradise !! Name of the beach was Mangodlu beach. Quite a tongue twister name. But as the saying goes What's in the name :-) 

This was the first beach among the three we had crossed so far where we saw some kids playing. All in all 4 kids. And even they were happy to see some humans on the beach, waving at us while we walked our way through the beach.

After walking through Mangodlu beach we again climbed another hillock, hoped over some rocks and then landed on another beach called Kadle beach. Our 4th one since we started our trek. 

Crossing Kadle beach and then back on hillock and rocky shores we passed through Holanagadde beach. This beach was one that I really cannot remember. It was only after checking the pics and looking at google map while writing this blog that I realised that I had passed through it and didn't even take a note of it.

After Holanagadde beach when we climbed the rocky hillock, the colour of rocks changed from rustic red seen earlier to yellowish pattern like it was just out of M.F Hussain painting brush. Nature at its best.

Moving ahead there was sight of one of the longest beach seen through the day. Directive issued by the leader - Manoj that rest if you want as we have beach walk of around 1 hour 30 minutes before we move inland. Taking a small break in shade of the rocks we savoured our oranges to gain some energy. 

This beach was our 6th beach of the day called Gudeangadi beach. We came across some fishermen folks catching fish from the shore but apart from 4-5 of them there was no one else in the entire stretch of beach that our sight could go. We were now feeling the heat but we had to continue and that is what we did.. Kept walking !! Meghna one of us was by now low on energy but we kept her motivated that our beach walk was just about to end in next 10 minutes !! That 10 minutes remained 10 minutes for don't know how long. 

There were some ingenious fisherman houses that we came across made out of renewable resources. They clearly know how to optimally utilise the available resources at their disposal.  

Our beach walk by now had lasted more than one hour and tiredness was slowly creeping in. Also walking on a sinking sand on the beach really sucks every ounce of energy from your legs. But finally we reached the point from where we had to move inland. That point was start of yet another beach called Nirvana beach but thankfully we have had enough beach walk by now and it was welcome change to be now walking on muddy village road. Moving from the beach we came out on the main road where we were now to catch a bus. Bus stand came as welcome respite from continuous walk and everyone settled at every inch of sitting space available, some even sat on the road while we waited for our bus to take us to Aghanashini jetty.

A local bus ride for 15 minutes and we were now at Aghanashini village from where we had to do a boat ride to reach the opposite shore. A fishing harbour called Kumta Tadadi.

From the jetty we boarded a boat which was one of the most crowded boat ride i have done so far and not only that the boat was so low that I just wanted to get out as soon as i could. The boat ride was just over 5 minutes but had my balls in my mouth !! But there was more fun awaiting me. At the other shore the boatman tried hard to keep the boat steady while we tried to de-board. It took 3 attempts for me to be out of the boat. Phew !! 

We had now reached the Gokarna side of Karnataka, the place was fishing harbour called Kumta Tadadi. There were hugh fishing trawlers lined by one after the other and all were full of their catch - fish and were being unloaded. So much of fish !!! Really fishy.

From the harbour we walked slowly towards our final destination of the day. Belekan beach where we would do our night halt and setup our tents. Luckily it was just 10 minutes walk from the harbour.

Our backpacks had arrived much earlier and we got settled in a verandah of our host - villager's house. We were welcomed with hot tea & coffee with samosas. Tea & coffee seemed to have had wrong effect on some including Manoj and KC. They started karaoke and sang at the top of their lungs.

Having setup our tents, We had the sumptuous dinner with veg and non-veg options. Night had fallen by now but some in group seemed to have got a booster shot of energy after eating dinner.  They shook their legs to catchy numbers around a bonfire. If that was not enough, after the dance session we had the ghost stories session. By the time all went to sleep it was way past mid-night. 

Morning was quiet early for some, Breakfast of maggi with tea & coffee was amazing. Loading our backpack in the tempo yet again, we were ready for another long day of beach trek on Gokarna side.

Bidding adios to our host we begin our journey through a small detour through fields as it was high tide and was not possible to cross the usual dried stream bed. It was followed by plank crossing over a stream with no support. Scary a bit but not really.

Our day started with first ascend through a jungle route to the top of a hill, passing through an private property which was palatial bungalow hidden in the dense forest cover. Luckily ascend wasn't tough and we reached the top where we were greeted with a surprise. A hidden beach on the other side of the hill called Paradise beach. True to its name it really looked like a paradise. The beach had some tourist but later we realised that they were foreigners, They with the help of locals do come here, setup tents and hammocks and stay overnight or may be a day or two. Locals setup kitchen and prepare food for breakfast, lunch or dinner for them while they bask in the sun or do yoga or read books or just lie around. The tourist boats do come to show the paradise beach to the tourist but they don't land here.

From Paradise beach we moved on the hill again, hoped on the rocks, also found a water spring oozing sweet water very close to salty sea water. From top of the hill watching waves lashing on the rocks below was mesmerising. There were scenic spots down below ideal for camping but not sure if those spots would get submerged during high tide. They seemed to be right kinda spots for a secluded beach camping. 

We came across this strange rock formation on our way. One big rock split into two halves by the force of nature. The water spring that I described above was just close to these rocks. May be someone reading this blog can use this as a landmark on their trek.

As we walked further, out of no where we came across few abandoned shacks and land clearings. Further down there was this shack restaurant or a cafe filled with tourist. We had reached our 2nd beach for the day called Half moon beach. The beach had a shape of half moon. Some foreign tourist were lying on the beach sun-basking while few were enjoying the dip in the sea. The beaches on Kumta side were bigger and more secluded as compared to the beaches on Gokarna side. We took a small break at half moon cafe, enjoyed some cold drinks and interacted with foreigners. 

We met this gentlemen from Netherlands who really surprised us with his knowledge about Hindu religion, Vedas and numerology. Interaction with him left us in awe.

Bidding adios to our newly made friend and the Half moon beach & cafe, We moved uphill again and into denser forest path. Sun seemed to be little harsh then yesterday but some shade provided by forest cover was really welcome.

As we made our way through the forest cover on the hill, watching the sea and some boats cruising below. Meghna's hawk eye noticed some black objects moving in the sea and guess what !! That was the biggest surprise of all till now. Dolphins playing in the sea water !!! That was like Oh my God moment. Not one or two but couple of them .... They moved out and dived in the water so fast and swiftly that we could hardly capture them in our cameras. 

After Dolphin spotting and capturing it was time to move ahead. And we did we now reached our 3rd beach and first commercial beach of the trek. The famous OM shaped beach in Gokarna region. From the top we could see lot of tourist enjoying the sea below, with beach shacks lined all along the beach.

It seemed like we had reached back into civilisation after two days in wilderness.

Worth noticing was that Gokarna beaches were quite popular with foreign tourist just like in Goa.

We walked from one end to other end of OM beach, moving uphill again to reach the parking lot, Sun by now had sucked all energy out of our body and our stomach was calling to be re-filled. Dragging ourselves we crossed over into other side of the hill and descended into another beach called Kudle beach.

Kudle beach was less crowded as compared to OM beach but nevertheless commercial with beach cafes lined all along. Most of the beach cafe's served local cuisines as well international cuisines catering to the foreign tourist. One of beach cafe was our halt for lunch but we were aghast to find that our cafe was the situated at the farthest end of the beach. Somehow dragging ourselves with our stomach screaming with hunger we finally made it to our cafe. Now we had only one thing in mind .. FOOD !!

We were served once again the most tastiest veg and non veg lunch. Having had our fill and with some time in our hand. It was time for some dip in the sea. Few decided to rest in the cafe and skip the dip under hot sun while I and few others couldn't resist going in for a swim. We were now in the last leg of journey. 

From Kudle beach we moved towards the last beach of our journey which was Gokarna beach. The walk was not more than 15 minutes, moving uphill and walking on the plateau before reaching Gokarna beach.

From the temple overlooking the Gokarna beach. We could get the birds eye view of entire stretch of the beach. Gokarna beach was again full of tourist but being a part of temple town it was but obvious. It was more commercial. Before descending we spent some time at the temple, clicking group pics and shooting videos. We had finally completed our two day beach trail starting from Kumta beach, criss-crossing number of beaches on our way and finally ending our journey at Gokarna beach.

From Gokarna beach we moved into the town and with not much time left, hired an auto to reach Gokarna station. Our backpacks also arrived at the station after taking a royal ride in the tempo. 

It was now time to head home by train journey to Mumbai. But the train journey is never complete on a trek without a game of Mafia But all in all it was one of the most memorable trek I had done in a long time, Not just a trek but a beach trek covering some really beautiful virgin beaches and cliff walks. The trek was well organised by Travel Trikon team of Manoj, Bhushan and KC. But surely it would not have been memorable without Sumith and Sumi - the travel freek couple, Sayali, Priya, Meghna, Navin and everyone in our 37 member group.

 An Oasis of spirituality - Abode of Sri Ranchodraiji at Dakor

October 04, 2016

Dakor is a small town situated in Kheda district of Gujarat state famous for it's prominent & grandeur temple of Shree Ranchodraiji. Dakor is approximately 84 kms from Ahmedabad, 66 kms from Vadodra and around 34 kms from Nadiad & 43 kms from Anand. It has road connectivity with every major town of Gujarat. Dakor is considered to be among the Panch Dwarkas (places associated with Lord Krishna) and this city is held in high regard by the devotees of Lord Krishna. Every year countless devotees visit the temple and take blessings from their favorite deity. 

Earlier this town was known as Danakpur or Danakpuri due to presence of Lord Shiva temple known as Dankanath Mahadev temple. This town used to crackle with large number of khakhra trees (Butea monosperma) and was therefore also called as "Khakhariu gaam". It is also said that Rishi Dank had his hermitage here on the banks of lake Gomti.

Present day temple of Ranchodji was built in 1772 by Gopalrai Jagannath Ambekar, a shroff of a Peshwa court in Poona. He had a dream to built a vast and magnificent temple. The main idol is in black touchstone, richly adorned with gold & jewels. The throne as well as doors and windows of inner sanctum of the temple are a masterpiece in woodcarving plated in silver and gold which was presented by Gaekwad's of Baroda. Divinity of Ranchodji is similar to divinity of Dwarkadish in Dwarka, both being made of blackstone. The main gate of the temple overlooks the banks of lake Gomti but has now become crowded though. The gates leads into a huge courtyard and as tradition would have it, drummers sit atop the upper floor of gate in the music room called "Takorkhana" where music is played on shehnai and drums daily every 3 hours. There are three main gates for devotees and the temple is built on a raised platform which is typical of medieval Gujarati temple architecture. 

In the temple courtyard, one can see two tall deep jyoti stambhs which houses a total of 1500 deeps which are lit during main Hindu festival. I am sure 1500 diyas lit at the same time would be sight to behold.

The temple darshans open at 6.45 am and closes by around 12 noon during which there are five darshans and aarti is performed. In evenings darshans resume at 4.15 pm and temple closes by 7.30 pm during which there are 3 darshans followed by aarti. This rituals of different darshans & aartis are similar to what is followed in all Krishna temples. But during Hindu festivals mainly like Krishna Janmotsav, Holi, Diwali week etc and also on full moon days Dakor town is transformed, with lakhs of devotees throng for darshan. The day of Sharad purnima which falls after end of Navratri festival is considered the most auspicious day as it is believed the day on which Lord Krishna came to Dakor as Ranchodrai with his great devotee known as Bodana.  

The History of Bodana
There is a famous legend associated with the religious city of Dakor. It is said that Vijayandand Bodana, a Rajput from Dakor and a relentless devotee of Lord Krishna, used to make a trip to Dwarka on foot every six months. He continued this ritual unfailingly until the age of 72, when Lord Krishna himself indicated to him in a dream that he would not need to make the journey for long. It is said that Krishna asked Bodana to bring a along a bullock cart on his last trip to Dwarka and it was then that the idol of Krishna removed itself from the Dwarka temple and accompanied Bodana to Dakor. 

Later, when the Guli Brahmans of Dwarka came to know about the missing idol, they accidentally killed Bodana. On the intervention of Lord Krishna, they agreed to accept gold equivalent to the weight of the idol of Krishna, which was to be paid by Bodana’s poor widow. However, when the idol was weighed, it miraculously became as light as to match the weight of the lady’s nose ring. Even though the Guli Brahmans were disappointed, Lord Krishna consoled them by assuring that they would find a similar idol in Dwarka after affixed period of time. To this day the idol of Lord Krishna remains in Dakor, which people visit in large numbers to seek his blessings. More on legend of Bodana is here. 

As at Badrinathji in North and Tirupati Balaji in South of India, also at Dakor, the temple of Goddess Lakshmi, wife of lord is situated outside the main temple complex. Lakshmiji temple is situated in residential part of town at a little distance. It is believed that the lord visits his wife every Friday. To depict this visit a courtly procession with palkhi of Lord Ranchodrai leaves main temple with its devotees every Friday down the by-lanes of Dakor town to unite the couple. This unique procession is taken out on all Friday's of the year and this ritual is as old as the existence of the temple.

Goddess Laxmiji

Shree Ranchodraiji

The idol of Ranchodraiji is so realistic that its hard to get your eyes off. You can feel the waves of devotion in your heart and the devotee is bound to be spell bound by the aura of the Lord.

The town of Dakor is also famous for its legendary and unique street food. Also called "GOTAS of Dakor" which are typically fried balls of dough mixed with array of spices. The streets of the town are lined with shops selling instant mixes of the dough for the balls (Gotas) and another famous Gujarati snack Khaman. One literally gets attracted to the unique deep frying smell of this snack in temple town.

The famous shop "Bapalal Maganlal Vallabhdas", situated close to the temple complex on Gomti ghat is run by 6th generation of that legendary person who invented the unique recipe for this snack and which today has become world famous. This family also runs shops selling only this snack - Dakor Gotas in various other towns of Gujarat like Rajkot and Ahmedabad.

There is always a huge crowd in and around this shop either buying or feasting on the freshly fried balls. The yummy fried balls are usually savoured with curd mixed with red chilli powder or green chillies.

Dakor being an ancient town, one can still find streets lined with old houses typically called Haveli's but sadly many of them are in dilapidated conditions. The doors, windows of these houses still stand out as compared to the new constructions which is sadly fused together with these old houses. 

The town economy is centred around the pilgrims visiting the famous temple but also there quite a few shops around the town selling brass artefacts which are used in temples and also at home. There is also a cottage industry where locals manufacture items which are typically used in pooja's and rituals at home.

On my visit, I came across one street vendor selling toys made out of wood which was rare sight as one typically will never find them in major cities and towns but here since lot of pilgrims visit from small towns and villages from length and breath of Gujarat. So there is still a market for this dying craft.

One unique temple located here on the ghats of river Gomti is dedicated for devotees who have typically taken a mannat (vow) at the main temple and on fulfilment of that vow they come here and do offerings of items to deity according some weight. The items offered today are typically things used in temple like ghee, jaggery, rice or at times coins etc. During my discussion with trustee here, he informed that in old times kings, royals or rich people would visit this place on fulfilment of their vow and offer gold & silver coins or ornaments equal to their own weight.

The other attractions of Dakor town are

• Galteshwar Shiva temple which is a Shiva temple of Solanki era around 16 kms from Dakor. Situated on the confluence of river Mahi and Galati. This temple is treasure house of Solanki era architecture. Even today the Shiva linga in the temple is constantly sprinkled with water from the spring of River Galati.

• Danknath Mahadev temple.
• Rabari Samaj temple.
• Temple dedicated to Bodana.
• Mahaprabhuji Bhaitak.

Travel guide to Dakor

By Road: It's 66 kms from Vadodra, 35 kms from Nadiad and 43 kms from Anand. Private and ST buses are available from all major cities in Gujarat.
By Rail: Nadiad and Anand are the nearest station while there is local slow train station at Umreth which is 7 kms away.
By Air: Nearest airport would be at Vadodra and Ahmedabad.

 My Journey to Foodgasm - Chole Bhature @ Sita ram Diwan chand - Paharganj Delhi

August 24, 2016

Typically for many in western part of India, Chole Bhature is a mouth watering Punjabi cuisine and a must have either at home or during a visit to nearby restaurant with family or friends. But with blending of different cultures, different taste buds, the "authenticity of the cuisine" undergoes drastic change and it typically becomes Chole Bhature as per Gujarati taste or Maharashtrian taste or may be Chole Bhature with South Indian flavor.

But here we talking about the typical & authentic Chole Bhature whose taste has remained the same even after being served by four generations. And we talking about the place which is in heart of "Saddi Dilli" and Delhites swear by its taste even after so many decades of its existence or in their words a perfect place for Chole Bhaturas.

Sita Ram Diwan Chand ke Chole Bhature is a mecca for chole bhature lovers. From their small shop near Imperial cinema in Chunna Mandi - Paharganj near New Delhi Station, this place serves the perfect Chole Bhature and is swarmed by hungry faces from morning 8am till 5pm, And for good reason !! 

There are numerous stories of people who grew into legends in their respective fields, some perished while some went on to create history. When it comes to food, Delhi specially the old parts of Delhi boast of many such places where people have setup shops decades back and still serving the same wares, same taste and quality year after year. Sita Ram Diwan chand's little venture is also one of them which has carved a niche. Started in 1947 after Diwan Chand migrated from Pakistan post partition. The father - son duo used to sell Chole Bhature on push carts all over Paharganj for next 20 years until they setup the shop at Chunna Mandi - Paharganj and rest they say is history.  Today it is being looked after by their fourth generation.

Not too big the outlet is located at Rajguru road near Imperial cinema and New delhi station. As you approach the shop, people can be seen in hoardes thronging to this little place everyday for the house speciality - Chana Bhatura. The place doesn't have seating arrangement and people can be seen standing and eating at waist height tables. The interiors is not too fancy but they manage to keep the place clean and tidy.  

The bhaturas are semi cooked at another location and reheated here before serving. But before you sneer at this, Hold on !!! Each Bhatura (is stuffed with shredded paneer (cottage cheese), coriander, anar (pomegranate) seeds and some species which are mixed in dough and made into fluffy,soft, deep fried with loads of butter and they go ridiculously well with the chole served here.

Chole is cooked punjabi style in spicy curry for couple of hours before it is ready to be served. The combination of aloo sabji with cooked chole (pindi style), served with tangy green coriander chutney and salads is brilliant combination. The receipe has been handed down for generations and their mantra is "if its not broken, don't fix it".

The combo of chole and bhatura is served with pickled carrot or mangoes, green chillies and onions.

The result is food insanely infused with love and care and a perfect combination of flavours and textures which like all other street foods in India is a world class feast. Mouth watering isn't it ? and though they can be heavy on the arteries but they are definitely not heavy on the pocket with each plate costing Rs 55/- only. But the cost is bound to increase for one is surely not satisfied with just one plate .. !!

They also provide machine packed boxes of chole bhature which are sold on New delhi stations and ready to serve packets which can be purchased online or from any local supermarkets.

Address for all the foodies: 2246 Chunna Mandi, Paharganj, Near Imperial cinema, New Delhi

Some of other places which serves some of the best chole bhatures in Delhi are

• Sitaram Diwan, Shop No. 2, MD Market, Muni Maya Ram Jain, MD Block, Dakshini Pitapura, Pitampura, New Delhi
• Nagpal’s, Lajpat Nagar Market, Vikram Vihar, Lajpat Nagar, New Delhi
• Chache Di Hatti, Block G, Kamla Nagar, New Delhi- 110007

 Andharban - A trail through the thicket forest and endless trudge.

October 07, 2015

A Jungle trail which passes through the thicket forest where sun rays barely touch the ground at some places, Trail which provides the magnificent and breathtaking views of mountain ranges of Tamhini ghat and Plus valley, known as source of Kundalika river. Trail which is truly a garden of purple flowers called Karvy which blooms once in 7 years and we were lucky enough to get purple Karvy carpet welcome in the forest. Trail passes through numerous waterfalls and streams and which covers you with shade in the first 6-8 kms of the trek and then a complete descend for another 3-4 kms which finally ends at Bhira dam. That's ANDHARBAN, A complete descend trek of 13 kms and one of the most beautiful and must do trek in lap of Sahyadris. Andharban as name itself means Andhar - dark, ban- forest, a dark forest.

Andharban is a ancient Sahyadri pass which joins the ghat with Konkan area.

Type : Jungle trail 

Endurance level : Medium

Trek distance : 13 kms

Landmark start point: GMCKS Ashram (www.gmcksashram.org), near Nive village, Mulshi

Landmark endpoint : Bhira reservoir dam

My Visit: Andharban was on my bucket list ever since I read about it last year. Didn't get opportunity in 2014 and almost missed it in 2015 monsoon also... well almost !!. It's almost end of monsoon and October heat wave had been dampening trek spirit. But seeing Tattva adventures doing their 2nd batch to Andharban on extended weekend due to Gandhi Jayanti, I decided to join them ignoring the Oct heat and hoping against all hopes that weather to turn cooler on the trek day. Our journey started at 11 pm from Dadar by bus with a group of 23 like minded souls. It was bus journey which would take almost 5 hrs to reach Hotel Sunrise which is situated 36 kms ahead of Pali towards Pune. Hotel Sunrise is the preferred halt for all the groups going to Andharban as you can freshen up at the hotel early morning and have sumptuous breakfast before starting the trek. Worth mentioning here was our breakfast of hot puri and potato bhaji - An early morning sumptuous brunch.

This landmark is at Hotel Sunrise towards Mumbai

This is the route to be taken from Hotel Sunrise

From here we have to travel another 8 kms to the start point of trek, passing the TATA power sub station at Mulshi and taking a left on narrow road towards Pathare farms. The important landmark is the GMCKS Ashram which is situated very close to a small lake and check dam which is the start point of the trek.

As we reached the start point, the sunlight was perfect for us to take some beautiful pictures of the landscape and the mountains covered with green forest. A quick introduction round and we started our journey of 13 kms around 9.30 am.

This is TATTVA POSE !!! I dont know how to twist my hand in that fashion 

Passing through a small lake and a dam built over it, immediately we entered the forest which grew denser as we moved deeper inside.

Initial 6-8 kms of the trek is a flat ridge walk through forest cover, passing through some deep valleys, few streams and waterfalls which were loosing steam as it was nearing the end of monsoon season. But it surely would be more worth to visit in the middle of monsoon season if one wants to see and experience more gushing waterfalls.

HAPPY POSERS ON THE TREK

Soon as we reached a point called connection point, a point which offers magnanimous view of Independence point on the left, Bhira reservoir at the farthest and Andharban forest mountain range on the right. Its like we walk from the mountain range on the left and cross over to the mountain range on the right and then move further into the dense forest and only to descend to the endpoint of the trek at Bhira reservoir.

Such a precious sight to behold

Connection point with Andharban forest on the right

As we were on a height of almost 2100 feet, the breathtaking view of clouds enveloping the mountain range, deep valley below, Bhira reservoir at the farthest was nothing short of feeling of being in heaven. The forest had something more and exclusive to offer to us. The Karvy flowers which bloom once in 7 years were in full bloom during our visit. We literally got a purple carpet welcome by Karvy throughout our journey. It seems like the forest was nothing short of a garden full of Karvy flowers.

Moving further, the forest cover was getting denser and thicker but I didn't find much diversion on the way, it seemed there was only one way and that was what we followed, enjoying the beauty and pure bliss that the place had to offer.

On our way we came across couple of deep valleys, gorges, few waterfalls and streams. The temptation of taking a dip soon overpowered few of our group members who took a plunge to get relief from the heat. We had all the time in the world and had come here to enjoy in the lap of mother nature.

On the 2nd stream, water had created a natural pool in the rocks from where it further flowed in the valley as a waterfall. It was wonderful place in middle of forest to sit and relax, most in our group enjoyed a dip yet again before we moved into adjoining mountain range, landscape started to change. Forest cover became more thicker, it seems the sun light was barely managing to illuminate the whole area. This was the main Andharban forest cover. I am sure in the middle of full monsoon season it would surely be difficult to navigate unless we know the exact route.

As we moved further, on a slight left diversion from main route we came to a plateau covered with waist height grass, The plateau offered the magnificent view of the valley below and mountain range as far as we could see. This was the plus valley - yet another wonderful trek which is on my bucket list. The valley is in a shape of plus sign and hence the name PLUS VALLEY.

We were now almost half way through our trek but were still an hour away from a village where we had planned for our lunch break. Moving on we came to a forest patch which was nothing short of a Karvy garden. Karvy flowers blooming everywhere, It was such a amazing sight.

The forest cover slowly started to dwindle as we moved further on a plateau which was covered with white flowers overlooked by hatchback shaped mountain on our right and mountain range above the plus valley nearby on the left. Till now we had just walked and walked, sometimes in the dense forest cover and at times on the mountain ridges. The weather had turned pleasant again and it had started to drizzle.

We were moving closer to the village of Hirdi now as the landscape changed from forest cover to the paddy fields. Among the thicket and nicely camouflaged we saw one trap set up by the villagers to catch wild hogs.

The trap 

Village temple outside Hirdi village

Village of Hirdi is a small hamlet comprising of the few houses and a school. We decided to take shelter in a small temple close to the village which also had a potable water tank and a pond. As soon as we had just settled in the temple shelter it started to pour and it poured heavily. We had walked for almost 6 hours since morning and removing the shoes was such a relief. Our lunch was nothing short of picnic with variety of snacks on offer from bread butter, to sandwiches, to chips, to biscuits and even bhel. But every trek is incomplete without eating "Theplas" and we had no exception this time also. There is hardly any excess food on a trek for it gets gulped down by all the hungry souls, We all had a lighter bags to carry after our lunch break.

From Hirdi village the trek route is a complete descend of almost 3-4 kms. The path is quite slippery as the route is less frequented so the rocks were covered with moss and almost everyone in the group had a slip at least once while descending. Again on the way the view of cloud covered mountain range was breath taking and we couldn't help adore the heaven in the Sahyadris.

We started our descend from Hirdi village at 3.30 pm and by 5 pm we had completed our descend and reached a stream close to Bhira reservoir. The water current was normal and with time in our hand, We couldn't resist taking a dip one last time before we reach the endpoint of the trek.

The last stream and the bamboo bridge over it

The man made bamboo bridge over the stream used by the villagers when the water current is in too strong to cross during monsoon season. From here we walked for another 10-15 minutes to reach Bhira reservoir and the dam over it. The view of the mountain range covering the 3 sides of Bhira reservoir continued to mesmerise.

The walk through the forest cover, changing landscape during the entire trek, magnanimous views was the best part about this trek. We had all successfully completed the trek by 6 pm and after having a light evening snack at the small shop in the vicinity of the Bhira reservoir we started our journey back home with happy memories.

A special mention about Jaal, RD Global, Manish - the Tattva Gang for the wonderfully organised trek.

 My Journey to Foodgasm - Butter Pav Bhaji @ Sardar - Tardeo

July 04, 2015

PAV - BHAJI - It's one quint - essential street food of Mumbai which every Mumbaikar's love. Mumbai's street food was born of the need to quickly put together food that was cheap and satisfying. Stories about the creation of some of the delights are now an urban legend such as the one about Pav Bhaji.

History of Pav Bhaji's origin is as tasty & delicious as the dish itself. It originated in 1850's when Mumbai was textile capital of India. Textile mills has mushroomed all over Mumbai. The workers didn't have lot of time during lunch hours and wanted something fast to gobble and return to their physical work. Someone saw this problem and came up with a solution or better word a "Juggad", Mashed vegetables like green peas, potatoes, generous dose of tomatoes was made into a spicy curry while the Roti was replaced by Pav (Indian bread) and thus Pav Bhaji was born. 

Another version of the story goes that it was invented as dish for midnight sustenance, thrown together with leftover vegetables and mashed to disguise and spices added and served with couple of pav for workers coming off the night shift.

What ever the story, Pav bhaji was quickly adopted in the menu by the South Indian Udipi restaurants which grew as the city of Mumbai grew over the years and today almost every vegetarian restaurant have this dish in their menu & even every nook and corner of Mumbai would have a street side vendor serving Pav-bhaji. There is an interesting rags to riches story of Mumbai based restaurateur who started his journey serving Pav bhaji !!!! Read the story here : Rag to Riches story of Restaurateur 

Mumbai has quite a few restaurant's all over which are quite famous for their spicy, yummylicous Pav Bhaji and one place which tops the chart and has been topping it for quite a few years is the SARDAR PAV BHAJI located at TARDEO. 

SARDAR's pav bhaji as I read somewhere is not just any Pav-bhaji place. It's a temple, its a shrine for all Amul butter pilgrims !!! If butter was a religion and AMUL butter it's religious head then its janmabhoomi would be AMUL factories and it's karmabhoomi would be this SARDAR's restuarant.Of the all the famous restaurants serving this dish, none is as rich, as good for a taste and as bad for the heart like SARDAR's... A STATUTORY WARNING ..only visit this place if you love BUTTER, BUTTER and MORE BUTTER !!

Being a foodie, I have been to Sardar quite a few times and most recent one was with Delhi based friend whose one wish as soon as she planned Mumbai trip was to eat Pav Bhaji and Sardar's was the obvious first choice. 

Imagine the menu consist of only 4 small pages, first contains 5 types of Pav bhaji out of which two are Amul & Cheese, and the Jain version of Amul and Cheese, last one being Khada Pav bhaji.. that is it ...end of story !!! They don't serve any other dish apart from pav bhaji, Rest on the menu is milk shakes, juices & desserts.

We ordered the Amul and cheese variants and within minutes two plates arrive,One containing thick vegetable bhaji with butter floating on it while cheese variant was generously covered with mound of shredded cheese. As usual Pav had a yellow butter bath, what more can one ask for !!!!

Your arteries will tighten at the sight but your stomach will thank you for the feast. All you need to do is sprinkle some onions and squeeze some lemon on the bhaji and dig in with your fingers. 

The taste still remains the same, dollops of butter on bhaji is still the same and what remains constant is the butter bath given to the pav !!! The prices have gone up over the years but then it's truly the best in the town.

Another notable item on the menu is Masala pav which is yet another tasty, mouth watering dish wherein the red chilly with some spices is added along with butter and pav is soaked in it. It is one hell of a dish not to be missed but surely will make you sweat and red faced with teary eyes for it is super spicy but equally tasty !!

Some deserts like custards, mousse, fresh juice, milkshakes are also on the menu but neither me nor VB had any space left to even think of trying one. The Sardar's menu also list one unique item which I have never seen on any menu in any of the restaurants in Mumbai and it's a necessity after such a sumptuous meal and that is PAN !! Maggai and Dry fruits pan

What more can one ask for !!! I couldn't resist Maggai pan, VB and me hogging on to couple of them. It was yet another satisfying trip for me to SARDAR and all VB could say after our dinner was let's walk for a while !!! SARDAR serves arguably the best Pav-bhaji in town and if you are a Pav-bhaji fan then this is one place not to be missed. 

Location: It's a five minutes walk from Mumbai central station and ask anyone and they will point out the right direction. It's just opp Tardeo bus depot hidden behind the bus stop at Tulsiwadi - Tardeo.

For all the Pav Bhaji lovers I have listed the famous and best Pav-Bhaji destination in Mumbai (Sourced from the web)

1) Sardar's Pav Bhaji - Tardeo

2) Maruti Pav Bhaji - Vile Parle West

3) Bhagwati Pav Bhaji - Kandivali West

4) Sukh Sagar - Chowpatty

5) Canon Pav Bhaji - Fort opp VT station

6) Amar Juice center - Vile Parle west

7) Umesh - Matunga east

8) Manohar - Girgaum

9) Shiv Sagar - Vile Parle east

10) Papillon - Vile Parle east

11) Soli Pav Bhaji - Haji Ali

 My journey to foodgasm - Missal Pav @ Aaswad hotel

June 08, 2015

Nowadays I hardly go out to eat in a restaurant for one of my hobby on weekend is to cook myself which is a great stress buster, I take pride in cooking and enjoy eating as well ;-), But I also love venturing out in search of some simple, quiet restaurants or street foods which people swear by in different areas of Mumbai and trust me there is no dearth of such places in and around my city of Mumbai. Been born and bought up in Mumbai, I have grown up eating simple Maharashtrian dishes like our very own Vada pav, or Pav bhaji or Missal pav and list can go on and on

These cuisines which were once poor man's staple food are now not only available in other cities across India but can even be found on menu of some of the best restaurants across the globe.

One of the famous Maharashtrian dish is Missal Pav, Missal being a spicy curry usually made of sprouted moth beans, topped with farsan and sprinkled with onions, coriander and lemon juice, served with bread rolls commonly called Pav. This dish is again served in different versions depending on which part of Maharashtra it comes from typically Puneri missal, Kolhapuri missal, Khandeshi missal, Nagpuri Missal and so on. The preparations and taste varies with different versions.

City of Mumbai specially has many restaurants tucked in different corners of the city which are famous for its Maharashtrian cuisines / preparations especially the one we are talking about - Missal Pav. These hotels / restaurants have served the city of Mumbai for generations and are still serving them with same taste and pride.

One of the them is Aswaad hotel, located in quintessential Maharashtrian dominated area of Dadar just opposite Sena Bhavan which is a famous landmark.This place is one of those "mom suggested" restaurants serving authentic Maharashtrian cuisines. This place is typical eat and go types small eatery famous in the neighbourhood. But recently earned a big name and has been quite a buzz in the city for it won with pride an award for "THE WORLDS BEST VEGETARIAN DISH"for its Missal Pav in London by FOODIE HUB GLOBAL AWARD.

Other day after reading the news, I and Arpi decided to pay a visit and taste for our self the famous Missal pav for which this restaurant has now become world famous. We reached around 7.30 pm and being a Sunday evening there was quite a crowd standing outside, eagerly waiting for their turn.

It was my first visit to the place in all these years so was for Arpi but then she is not a local to the city like I am. I was surprised when I was informed that wait time is typically one hour !!!! Yes it takes one hour wait to just get a seat inside. It surely would depend on other factors like number of people in your group and at what time of the day / evening you are visiting. Typically it is open from 10 am to 11 pm on all days.

Our wait time far exceeded more than one hour but the wait was worth all the pain for once we were inside. It quite cosy with simple sitting arrangements, clean and hygienic. The place is abuzz with waiters taking orders, serving food and cleaners apart from the patrons and first timers like us.

We had decided and were clear in our mind that our first order would be Missal pav, for that was one dish we had come to taste all the way. I was quite delighted to find that Missal was quite upto the mark for which it was rated one of the best vegetarian dish in the world. Arpi also acknowledged in unison that it was the best.

Moving on to the next item, We ordered Thalipeeth which again is a special Maharashtrian dish. It is a multi grain pancake in which onions, coriander and other vegetables are added while preparing the dough. It is served with non salted butter / ghee or "toop" accompanied by curd chutney. The taste of thalipeeth was again awesome and a perfect ten on the ratings.

With our tummy's filled upto the brim as we already had couple of Missal's followed by Thalipeeth. But yet we didn't want to finish before one last item on the menu for which this place is quite famous for. The typical summer drink made out of raw mangoes called "Kairi Panna or kairi panni". It was by far the best I have ever tasted in my life. A sweet raw mango drink infused with saffron. I couldn't satisfy myself with one and ordered a couple.

There are many more dishes for which this place is quite famous like Chura Sev puri, Kothimbir wadi, Sabudana wada, Ras puri and list just goes on. We really didn't have any more space left in our stomach for the day and called for the bill after our eating spree.

It was worth all the travel from our place to Dadar and then a wait for more than one hour. But it was worth all the pain and it was delightful experience to say the least. This place is vegetarian paradise for traditional Maharashtrian food and definitely on my wish list for yet another visit for yet another gastronomic experience.

For Missal lovers like me I am in process of compiling a list of very famous places which serves best Missal Pav in city of Mumbai, Pune and Nashik and will update here soon. Hope you enjoy and have the same best experience like we did. Happy reading.

 Karnataka Camping - Trek from Kalsa to Sural waterfalls

February 26, 2015

_{Day 2 at our campsite : It was time to wake-up at 7 am and to get fresh. Unlike the smoggy mornings in Mumbai, It was a foggy morning at the campsite.} 

_{Winter chill was keeping us covered from head to toe in multiple layers of clothing. Our breakfast was ready by 8 am. Servings of Pavbhaji and tea !!!! Hot food on wintery morning is always welcome and any food on trek is always welcome.} Ready by 9 am, we were off in our mini bus for village of Kankumbi on border of Karnataka and few minutes drive from our campsite. Today our plan was to start trek towards Kalsa waterfall , walk on rocky bed of Kalsa stream and trek would culminate in Sural village passing through the mighty Sural waterfall and traverse through the jungle path. Some 43 kms from Belgaum city in the dense jungles of kankumbi - lies a cusp region in Virgin valleys bordering Karnataka and Goa.... Kalsa stream & Kalsa waterfall also called locally as Barajanacha Vajra. It's a local folklore that villagers on one side of Kalsa river invited villagers on the other side for a festival. Twelve people set out for the village but before they arrived, Festivities had already begun. Humiliated, Those twelve people committed suicide by cliff diving off the waterfall. Hence the name Barajanacha vajra......

_{We drove from our campsite ready to explore the more greener part of western ghats. Passing through the small village of Kankumbi which is no bigger than a hamlet with couple of houses but has its importance as this is one place where you will get mobile network. Little ahead of the village was a muddy path leading into wilderness which was our route for the day. Our mini left us here and will be picking us on our return journey from Sural village.}

Initial path passed through dry grassland but the greener forest area was not far away. Our local guide Gangadhar and Rishi from Camp leading the way. We must have not walked much in the forest and we were welcomed by sound of falling water. Kalsa waterfall was close by. Soon we were standing on rock-bed overlooking the waterfall. The water level has receded in last few dry months after rains but still it was an average waterfall. Kalsa is not a huge waterfall but water-flow was enough to last few kms and merge with few more streams on the way. The same would turn into mammoth and beautiful Sural waterfall which flows into the valley 350 feet down below.

_{After passing over Kalsa waterfall we gradually climbed down on the rocky bed of Kalsa stream, Moving deeper into the forest and were now criss crossing the forest land and riverbed laden with rocks. The cold water was flowing between the rocks but since level of water was not much we were able to jump over the rocks and managed to avoid getting wet.} 

_{One of the occasion we had to cross the riverbed but the rocks were far and wide and only way to avoid jumping into water was to climb and slowly walk over Tarzan vines. The vines were strong enough but would bend with individual weight as we moved forward till we jumped over to the rocks avoiding the cold water.}It was one thrilling experience of its kind, Rima who managed to find another way of crossing the river bed from a different route,was so awestruck watching us walk on the vines that she moved back and crossed the stream by walking over the vines all over.

_{As we moved further into the jungles, we were now walking on riverbed wide enough like a two way road, dense jungle on both sides. Sun was sucking all energy out of our body now so it was time for a dip in the water which at} one spot was knee deep. Time was not a constraint and we had plenty in our hands. Cold water splash was welcome respite from the sun heat and everyone made most of it.

_{One our way ahead we came across huge rock lying in middle of riverbed. They has stood against the mighty forces of water during rains and summer heat, don't know for how long. This was one highlight of the trek so far.}

_{It’s a walk of around 4 kms before one reaches Sural waterfall and we were at mouth of Sural waterfall. Also locally called as Ladkicha Vajra. The sight and sound of flowing water falling into the valley below was enough to make us forget the tiring walk we had since morning.}The sight of deep valley and Lush green mountains surrounding from all 3 sides was mesmerizing. No wonder this is one of most famous treks in Belgaum.

_{We spent quite sometime at this place adoring and admiring what nature had to offer. What a splendid place !!! A trek so far was worth all the efforts we had taken to reach here, with most travelling from Mumbai, few from Pune and Sandhya who came solo all the way from Bangalore. Everyone was indulging in photoshoot while few adventurous among us even took selfies sleeping at the mouth of the waterfall overlooking the valley.}

_{It was now time to reach Sural village which was walk through jungle route and it takes approx 2-3 hrs. Initial climb was steep ascend for 20 minutes which left us all gasping for breath. The climb takes us to the top of the mountain plateau from where it was a plain vanilla walk for another 20 minutes. Even the mountain top was covered in thick vegetation unlike in western ghats of Maharashtra where we are exposed to direct Sun.}

_{Yet another thrilling part of the trek was, After climbing to the top one has to descend wherein the path was full of scree and no proper grip. We literally had to sit and slide ourselves down. This was I think the only patch where it took lot of time as some of us were gripped with fear.}

Successfully descending the sliding patch, we were now in core area where jungle cats encounter were a possibility. Walking among dense overgrowth we moved in alert. Sunlight barely reached the ground. The path was carved among the Karvy like shrubs with long stems. Suddenly a call from our guide to stop and there was a pin drop silence. We at the tail end of the line didn't quite understand what was happening at the front. After a wait for a while and only after the area was sanitized by our guide that we moved forward. It was later that we were appraised of the situation wherein few of our group members sensed something was walking in parallel to our group in the dense overgrowth and then something jumped among the bushes, hide and took cover. All this happened so fast that except for two or three members no one could understand the situation.

_{We had walked for almost 2 hrs from Sural waterfall and all this while we were moving in arc shape path from Sural waterfall and our destination was in the mountains facing the waterfall. Finally we came across some clearing in the forest and woods stockpile lying to be collected. It was an indication that we were now nearing our destination. Also some liquor bottles lying littered in the forest indicated we were now in Goa and our trek was nearing to an end.} 

_{A walk of 2hrs and 30 minutes and we finally reached the viewpoint near Sural village which overlooks the deep valleys and gives a panoramic view of the dense forest cover and Sural waterfall.}

There was a  dilapidated structure nearby the viewpoint, It had stood by the time and as informed by our guide, It was once a border check post of Portuguese Goa and entry point from British ruled India. 

Finally we had reached the quaint village of Sural on Goa – Karnataka border, passing through the village and getting a glimpse of village atmosphere we reached the main road where our mini was waiting for us to return back to our campsite. It was search for Heaven that had led us to Belgaum and we were happy to have explored one part of it today. The trek offers a scope to witness the flora and fauna of the region and walk through dense forest presents a possibility of sighting various animals which inhibits the region but it is always advisable to take a local guide along as the route is tricky and not well marked. A visit during moderate monsoon would present a lovely sight of deep waterfall but the trek through the jungle path would be risky during heavy monsoon and also the place would be infested by leeches.

 Karnataka Camping : A trek to Vajrapoha waterfalls

February 10, 2015

Day 3: It was our last day in Belgaum, Some of us had to return by Puducherry express which arrives Belgaum at 18.02. Our plan for the day was a visit to beautiful Vajrapoha waterfalls and catch our train / bus in the evening to return home. We were running short of the time and as informed by our leader that we will have to do a marathon trek to Vajrapoha waterfalls and back for it takes around 5-7 hrs from Jamboti village and there was fair chance of we missing our train if we delay.

Taking chances we bid adios to our campsite by 8.30 am after breakfast and boarded our mini bus for the village of Jamboti. Jamboti lies around 30 minutes drive from our campsite on Belgaum - Goa route. This is the only place where one can purchase food or bottled water. Here we were joined by few more local friends of our leader Praveen as we moved off the main road towards Katni Dam site on the jungle route for around 4-5 kms.

Vajrapoha waterfalls lies in the dense reserved forest of Bhimgad wildlife Sanctuary, The beautiful waterfall located in the green canopy of western ghat is pretty much less explored and away from routine tourist traffic. The falls created by the gushing water of Mahadeyi river originates from stream nears Degaon village near Khanapur, fed by other streams in the mountainous western ghats in Karnataka,the river flows from elevated region creating a beautiful and mesmerizing Vajrapoha waterfall which falls at a height of 200 feet in the deep valleys and further flows into Goa and then meets the Arabian sea. The waterfall creates a diamond shape droplets while falling at a staggering height and hence the name Vajrapoha. 

Our trek: On reaching the spot from where we had to enter the jungle route, Our guide stopped the bus. There is no indication on the route but I could see a board indicating route to Katni Dam site which was the landmark, just opposite to that signboard we have to enter the dense forest to visit the waterfall. The initial route was walking through knee high grass but the surrounding forest seemed to grow more dense with every steps we took further on. At some point the trail passed through some really dense and high shrubs where we had to bend and walk on the narrow path. Yesterday's close encounter with the what seemed to be a big cat was still fresh in our mind and mere thought of it was enough to give goosebumps in the stomach.

Traversing through the dense forest was challenging and at the same time thrilling as well. We surely got a feel of what a real jungle is. We would have walked for around 40 odd minutes when we heard the sound of flowing water. It was the sound of Mahadeyi river flowing casually between the rock stewn path.

Our path was now a walk along the riverbed and our very first encounter was with freshly shedded snake skin. Wow !!! It was almost 6 feet tall. Luckily or unluckily we didn't see any snake close by. Not that I was interested in seeing one.

It was just a different feeling of walking / jumping on rocks lying on riverbed with water flowing besides you. Dense forest lingered on both sides of the river. We walked at times on river bed jumping on small and big rocks while at times walked on the banks when the water level increased at some places. We kept encountering snake skin in our path and within a few minutes of our walk we must have come across 3-4 of them. The rocky bed seemed to be ideal ground for snakes. Mahadeyi river was regularly fed by water from the mountains at different places which was also our source of drinking water. The river water didn't seems to be potable.

Even though the level of water was not much but the massive size of the river bed gave an indication of what the flow and force of water would be during the rainy season. Our guide informed that in rains it was practically impossible to get down on the river bed due to massive force of flowing water.

Huge boulders and rocks along with elevated path at some places created a sort of mini waterfalls. We came across few of them on our way. The sound of flowing water and wilderness around was truly a mesmerizing experience. Everyone was enjoying the walk in the wilderness and indulging in photo shoots along the way.

As we walked towards our destination, we again came across pugmarks of bigcat in the sand close to the river bed. But the illusive cat was no where in our sight but may be we were in her's. Who knows 

We had been walking for almost around 2 hrs and our destination seemed to be close by. The water level had been steadily increasing as we moved towards our destination. At one point we had to walk on very narrow strip of rock which was underwater close to the massive rockwall. A thrilling experience as the narrow strip of rock was barely visible.

From here we climbed higher on the rocks as it was now not possible to walk on riverbed due to increased level of water. But we could now sense our destination was close by as the roar of falling water increased with every step we took. The sight of swiftly flowing water of Mahadeyi river heralded our arrival at the destination. It was walk of nearly 3 hrs when we finally reached the mouth of the waterfall. Each one of us eager to sight the massive waterfall and deep valley below.

And lo behold there it was, the magnificent Vajrapoha !!!! It seemed more beautiful than the two waterfalls that we had visited yesterday. What an awesome sight it was. Words falls short and feelings is difficult to describe here. Our tiredness of our long journey was soon forgotten.

Removing the burden of backpack from our shoulders, all indulged in photo shoots and admiring the lovely sight the region had to offer.

Close to the waterfall there is way to go few feet below and be at the touching distance of the flowing water from above. The patch is difficult as it involves climbing down with the help of two bamboos which is cut and placed in a strategic way. Few adventurous among us did go down to be at a kissing distance of the waterfall while few among us were content to be at safer higher ground.

Bamboo climb to go down one level for kissing the waterfall

We spent some time here and wished we could stay longer but we had to taken a return journey and then reach the station on time for our journey back home. Time was a constraint for us. With one last glance at the waterfall and gorgeous valley below we started our return journey along the same route. Our return journey was quick as we didn't spent time in any photo shoot and we easily covered the distance back to our starting point in little over 2 hours.

With enough time in our hand, We had a sumptuous lunch at Jamboti dhaba and were well before time at Belgaum station for our return train journey. Some of our group members who had booked return journey by bus had more time in hand to explore the market place of Belgaum while Chari & Neha had planned onward journey to Goa for few days so they took direct bus to Goa from Jamboti itself. It was one hell of an amazing trek in Belgaum region and all were so much in love with the place that planning for next trek to explore many more places around Belgaum had already started even before our return journey was complete.

A special mention requires about our trek leader Praveen Pawar who organised the entire event very well and not to forget Rishi - owner of the campsite and Gangadhar for their valuable support.

 Monsoon splendor – Trek to Tringalwadi fort in Igatpuri range

July 31, 2014

Monsoon treks are trekkers delight and it is this time of the year when Sahyadri Mountains are at their beautiful best. Though rains have been predicted to be less this year due to EL- NINO effect. It has been enough to spread the green carpet on the mountain ranges. After my last week warm up trail in Tungar hills I was getting ready for the start of my trekking season. It was at this time, I got message from ex- TMI leaders Sai & Jaal that they have formed their own group Tattva Adventures and planning their first event under the banner to Tringalwadi fort in Igatpuri range. It's a offbeat location and I was in for this one without much thought.

About Tringalwadi fort: Situated at the height of 3238 ft in Igatpuri range. The fort does not have any fort walls existing except unique entrance door and natural fortification. Forts origins are obscure and not much is documented about the history of the place except that it was among the fort which was ceded by Shahji Raje to the Mughals after battle of Mahuli and it is one of sixteen fortified places which was surrendered to British on fall of Trimbak in 1818. But it’s generally believed to be constructed in 10^th century. There is small cave at the base of the fort dedicated to first Jain Tirthankara – Adinathji but cave is also called Pandav leni. Top of the fort has a plateau covered with lush green grass, remnants of a building and Hanuman temple.

My Visit: Our meeting place was at Kasara station so all landed at Kasara by same local train around 9.30 pm. We were gang of 24 people which included youngest trekkers 6yrs old Reeva and Shreya. I was glad to see some old faces like Parag & Reeva, Mehul, Shreekumar who had come with his family and of course Tattva Bhai’s Sai & Jaal. Our Tum-tum’s had arrived before us and were waiting to take us to base village. Getting adjusted in two tum-tum we started our journey with bumpy ride, a gross reminder of pathetic state of our roads during monsoon season but it was only for few minutes as soon we were cruising on the highway road. Our first stopover was at highway dhabba for morning breakfast as everyone had left home early and breakfast was very much needed to boost the energy before the trek. I had left my house at 6 am without any breakfast and my tummy had caved in like our roads cave in to form huge potholes. A hot chai with piping hot vada pav on rainy Sunday is all that one can ask for. Breakfast was much needed booster. Before leaving the place to grace the occasion of Tattva’s first event and also Mehul’s birthday, Jaal had arranged for two cakes to celebrate,It was time for cake cutting and wishing Mehul & Tattva many years of happy trekking !!

Rains had been on / off since morning but climate was pleasant and perfect day for the trek. And equally welcoming was Kasara ghat which had turned into a green zone. Passing through the ghat road we stopped at Igatpuri phata to pick up two girls,Mayuri and her friend who had missed predecided local train for Kasara and had boarded some express train for Igatpuri. They didn't want to miss the trek by any chance. Trekking spirit was at it’s all time high just like our stock exchange sensex and nifty’s.  Picking them up we started our journey again. To reach the base village we took a left turn from the highway just opposite Shagun resort and before Ghoti Toll plaza. The small road passes through few small villages and farms of Nachni and paddy fields. 

All the hills that we passed looked like forts and each mountain peak was hidden in rain clouds. The base village is approx 5-6 kms from the main highway and the small road ends at Tringalwadi. Finally after a ride of around 40 minutes we reached the village of Tringalwadi which had few houses. Paddy fields adorned the entire neighbourhood.Mountain fort looked inviting and was covered with lush green forest.

A quick introduction round and we were walking among the paddy fields. A local village boy was taken as our guide and was leading the group.

The climb as informed by our leader was not more than 2 hours and we had all the time in the world. It was perfect place for photography and we made the most of it by clicking on everything that looked interesting. Local villagers were working in fields in full swing. It was sowing time for them. It was amazing to notice that the surrounding area of this fort was fully cultivated during the Monsoon season and one has to voyage few kilometres to reach to the base of the fort.

Passing through numerous paddy fields we reached the base of the fort where there is a small Jain cave dedicated to first Jain Tirthankar – Adinathji.  The cave is also called  Pandav Leni for Pandavas seemed to have stayed here.The cave was not in good shape with water sipping in some place from ceiling but the entrance had some carvings and decorations which were more or less intact. Inside the cave there were four pillars out of which only one was standing while remaining three had been broken. The inner chamber wall has carved idol of Adinathji in meditation Mudra which also is badly broken. One interesting thing is found in cave ceiling. There is a narrow hole which goes till the top of the fort. This is known as Chorwaat and must have been used as a secret way to come out of the fort in times of emergency. But inside the cave was too dark and wet due to water percolating from the ceiling. The cave lied in complete neglect and it's the same story of poor state of most of our ancient heritage structures. Something really needs to be done to preserve them, develop such places as tourist destination.

Moving on we started our ascend from left of the cave and soon were standing on the ridge of the mountain. The village from where we climbed looked so picturesque. We could now see the backwaters of Tringalwadi lake.

The path to the fort is well defined and no way one can get lost even if one wants to. It's a small climb to the fort and soon we came across few steps carved in the rocks which was leading to the top of plateau. The plateau was covered with tall grass, We took a right and followed the path in middle of green carpet of grass.  

On a short distance lies a small temple which is dedicated to Lord Hanuman. There is water cistern near the temple which is only source of water on the top but not sure if the water was potable. There is a small clear ground in front of temple which served as lunch point. The temple is on the edge and view of neighbouring mountains and region was mesmerizing.

We had some rest at this point and needless to say did loads of photography. We then decided to reach the topmost point of the fort which is again a walk on a narrow ridge just behind the temple. The topmost peak seemed like elephant head. The wind was blowing at full force and it was difficult to even stand properly. Being in an elevated position, the picturesque scenery of the whole locality, especially the view of the peaks from here was incomparable.

From the top most point we descended a little and then took a right turn and followed a path which was clearly on the edge of the mountain. This path lead us to hidden darwaza or a door of the fort.  This was another entrance to the fort from the valley below. Few slippery steps of climbing down and we were at another entrance to the fort. The carved idol of Hanuman adorn the walls of the entrance. Locals do worship here as the idol was smeared with orange sindoor with small diya lay near the footsteps of the idol.

Just opposite the carved idol of Hanuman is series of steps to come to the fort from the valley. Each step would have been of 2-3 ft. It was slippery and we decided not to climb down from here but take the same route we took to climb up. Though our group had a photo session on the steps and even climbed down some steps to get a glimpse of the valley below.

Moving back from here we now had to descend a path which was steep and full of scree. One slip here and person would go tumbling down on the plateau. It was difficult to get a grip so some of group members made a human chain to descend while I decided not to take any risk and did my descend by sitting and slipping slowly. I do my way !!!!

As we reached the plateau again there was remnants of structure which looked like a “wada”. This is one of the few structures on the top. We had done a full circle of the fort and were now back on the steps from where we had climbed to the fort. We started our descend back and within no time were back at the Jain cave. One can easily do the entire trek in 3 hrs.Our trek was coming to an end . We walked back to base village passing through the paddy fields where our tum-tum was ready to take us back to Kasara station. We had plans to catch local train from Kasara at 6.18pm and had some time in our hand which allowed us the leisure of having another evening breakfast at highway dhabba.

The successful first event by Tattva had come to an end after our visit to offbeat location of Tringalwadi fort. It's a beautiful trekking destination and worth a visit especially in monsoons. This fort visit can be combined with similar smaller forts in the region like Kavnai fort or Budhya or many other smaller destination in Igatpuri range.

How to visit : There are two ways to reach the fort. One can get down at Igatpuri station and walk towards Vipassana meditation center. Pass through Wagh Khind and traverse couple of villages to reach Tringalwadi village.

2nd route is the one we took. From Kasara take a  tum-tum to base village passing through Nasik highway and taking a left turn just opposite Shagun resort and restaurant which is main landmark. There is also a sign board indicating "Rainforest" housing which is 2.5 kms from the highway and continue on the same road for another 1.5 kms ahead to reach Tringalwadi village.

 Chanderkhani Pass - The call of the Mountains Part 8 : Adios to the Mountains and trek to Naggar via Rumsu village

July 11, 2014

Day 9: Adios to the Mountains and trek to Naggar via Rumsu village and back to base camp at Seobagh.

I woke up not at 5 am like all these days though but it was 6 am today. Temptation to capture the mountains one last time lured me out of my sleeping bag. Our camp was empty with only our cooks doing their work. No  one was yet out of their sleeping bag.  

By 6.30 am. The first rays of sun had started to cover the snowy mountain peaks. It was sight to fall in love with !!!  It was really amazing to see the changing colors of mountains as sun rays tried to cover the whole snow capped mountain. I was looking at surreal beauty of mountains for one last time. The realization sipping  in my heart that soon the trek would be over in few hours. It will be time to hug and say good bye’s. Only thing that will remain is memories.

Slowly it was good morning for everyone. All had slept well and looked fresh. Our morning tea was a lazy affair for everyone was looking relaxed. No one was in hurry. People indulged in "chai pe charcha", On chatting with our camp leader, got to know that he was also a Mumbaikar and worked for Indian Navy. His love for mountains lure him every year to become a camp leader for 21 days with YHAI at some campsite. I wish and aim to do the same some day. 

Today it seemed none wanted to leave, everyone was clicking pictures with various backgrounds, group pictures were being clicked... these would make its away in Facebook's and Instagrams of the world !!! Lot many profile pictures were to change and tons of sharing will take place once all reach home ..... And why not !!! These were not just mere pictures getting clicked, It was memories getting framed forever.

Finally with heavy heart we were all ready with our backpacks by 8 am, We thanked our guide, cooks and camp leaders for their support and with chanting of Ganapati bappa moraya we started our descend for base camp.I looked at the mountains we had left behind. Those majestic mountains that we had crossed. I bowed to them for our safe journey and hoped that call of these mountains never stop and I keep coming back to wander among them for years to come. 

We started our descending trek with everyone in jolly good mood. We hopped skipped and jumped on the way. We were back in the woods and among those tall conifers. We also
came across few apple orchards on the way.

The sight of small villages built on slopes of the mountains was back. We were nearing the end of our journey.

We reached Rumsu village around 12 pm. The unique thing about this village is that it's the only vegetarian village in India. We sat in the village square under the shade of a tree for our lunch. It was our last packed lunch.Few of our group members parted from here as they decided to catch taxi to base camp. Our guide also was only till Rumsu and we bid him goodbye. Our journey was simple trek down the hilly road and guide was not needed. After lunch we started our onward journey through the village. Passed by narrow lanes lined with traditional houses. Came across a small school for kids. They were overjoyed on seeing us and lined together to wave goodbye. Some of us who had chocolates distributed it among them. The village was home to many small unique wood temples dedicated to different deities. I checked with some villagers sitting near by if I could take pictures just to make sure it was not restricted, Malana fear was still fresh !!!

It took another hour or more for us to reach Roerich art gallery which is again a must see and tourist attraction in Naggar. Dedicated to a Nicholas Roerich - Russian painter, writer and public figure who settled here with his family. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nicholas_Roerich. The art gallery showcases his painting of Himalayas and is run by a trust. While Ajay,Shreya and few others visited the gallery and Naggar palace and had whole new adventure along with relishing Trout – a local fish. Shreya’s blog describes their wonderful adventure http://smile4shre.tumblr.com/post/89254102336/a-tryst-with-mightiness-royal-bites-a-trout-story

Six of us were too tired and decided to skip gallery visit and head back to base camp. We walked down the narrow lanes of Naggar, passed through a small village fair where jalebis and local sweet delicacies were being made. Not getting tempted we stuck to our aim to reach base camp as soon as we could. 

From Naggar junction we luckily got a empty cab and didn't had to wait for long. On reaching Seobagh we proudly entered base camp like we were victorious and had won a war !!!! Seobagh camp was still the same, Buzzing with activities with people from new batches getting ready for their journey while we had just completed ours. Few of our group members who reached early had already left and we also had planned to skip staying for one more night at the camp. After 10 days of wandering in the mountains, All we wanted was to do was to take a bath !! a HOT WATER bath. Parvesh, me and 2 others collected our luggage as planned and bid goodbye to Seobagh and YHAI for one last time and were off to Kullu bus stand. Kullu being a small town so hotels are not expensive and it was easy for us to find one close to bus stand which provided us with HOT WATER bath facility. Thanks to Vodafone connectivity on the trek, I had forgotten the sound of phone ring and that I also used to carry a Blackberry phone, which unfortunately was now buzzing non stop since I reached Kullu with tons of messages and emails getting downloaded !!! We spend our evening wandering in narrow lanes of Kullu market and I was awake late in night checking on the emails !!!

Next day Parvesh and 2 of them decided to visit Manikaran for they had one more day in hand while I stayed at the hotel and in the evening met Shreya who was now my sole companion till Mumbai. Ajay, Nanabhai, Shiv and others had further plans for Manali and were on their way. Maya gave us company till Delhi from where she was off to her home in Hyderabad while Shreya and I spent half day exploring Qutub complex in Delhi and then returned back home. Our journey had thus concluded happily. 

My First Himalayan journey was more than just a trek – it was an epic journey where I made so many new friends, anxious and joyous moments that we all shared, We would all walk on different paths in our life and may not come together but our journey will go down the memory lane and will be remembered for years to come. A big hug and Thank you to all till we meet once again some place somewhere.

HAPPY READING…….. I will be back with my journey to a new place soon

Here is one more interesting blogged memories of our journey captured by avid trekker and friend Dr Ajay Pradhan who sowed the idea for this trek.

http://acewings.tumblr.com/post/88169920885/photo-story-of-cp17-batch-chandrakhani-pass

Yet another interesting blog describing our journey penned down by fellow trekker, companion Dr Shreya Bala who also encouraged me to write my blog.

http://smile4shre.tumblr.com/post/89257470451/a-tryst-with-mightiness-chandrakhani-pass

 Chanderkhani Pass - The call of the Mountains Part 7 : Crossing of Chanderkhani pass and last camp of Naya Tapru

July 09, 2014

Day 8: Epic journey of crossing Chanderkhani pass and last camp of Naya Tapru (9000 feet, 14kms)

The whistle blew at 2.30 am, Time to get up and get ready for the epic journey. I didn't feel like getting up, I felt lazy and wished I could spend one more day but that was not an option …. I peeped out of the tent, Our camp was lit by moonlight and it was cold and there was chillness in the air. Slowly everyone started to trickle out of their camps.

Time for hot tea, morning chores sans bath (it was 9^th day without bath, not that I don't like to but didn't have the guts to take a bath in such climate, none of members of the group had done it), followed by breakfast and packed lunch (Lunch was frooti, chikki, sakkarpare). Everyone then gathered outside the tent, stood in the line wearing multiple layers of clothes which were still not enough to protect us from cold and chilly breeze, listening to group leaders sermon’s (instructions) before starting the march. It was already 4.30 am. There was worried look on camp leader’s face. We had to cross Chanderkhani pass by noon before sun starts melting the snow. But before we could say goodbye to Nagroni, there was one more important thing we had to do. Celebrate Maya’s birthday !!!  

Maya had traveled from Hyderabad all alone and had planned to celebrate her birthday her way by crossing Chanderkhani pass. But she was not alone anymore and we all had become close friends. She stood in the queue among us ready for next journey unaware of what was happening. Manjusha madam had planned it all. Plate and match box borrowed from kitchen tent, borrowed candle, someone had crumbled mawa cake which acted as her birthday cake. Candle was lit and madam performed aarti for her long life and cake was cut while I clicked pictures and captured the moment. We all sang and wished her happy birthday !!!!  

Bidding adios to Nagroni camp around 5.15 am,We started our journey towards the pass. Today we had 3 Sherpa guides. Initial journey was through last remaining forest but soon we were walking on the mountain slopes. By 7 am the sun was so bright that it felt like it was already noon.  No wonder its important to carry sun screen cream to protect from harsh sun. 

We walked in one line on the mountain slopes covered with snow, following the footsteps of person ahead, thrusting our heals in snow to get a grip. Walking poles coming in handy. There was no ropes or harness to boost our confidence.  Sometimes I avoided looking to my left and looked straight ahead, one slip on the left would have me go down the icy ravine but our guides were closely following us in case we needed any help. They effortlessly did snow slides which we just watched in awe !!!

Everywhere we looked we could only see mountain tops, the tall trees were looking minuscule now. Our first halt was on a snow slope. It was fun time with snow which eventually became a war with snow balls getting thrown on each other. It was refreshing break, Some even had the experience of snow slides and falling on snow.  

As we did our ascend towards the peak the path became narrower at places, had to climb a rock patch, snow whiteness increased while the brown ground reduced. One of our Sherpa guide leading the group with ice axe, making notches which helped us walk on the path. We climbed one peak from left and crossed over to the right side which was entirely covered with snow. I walked slowly, taking baby steps, sometimes my legs going knee deep where snow was not hard enough, Sometimes I desperately digged  fingers of my left hand into the wall of snow to somehow keep my balance.

After laboring for what seemed like eternity, finally little after noon we reached Chanderkhani pass at 12600 feet in Pin Parbat valley of Himalayas. I had summitted Chanderkhani we all had !!!  It was mesmerizing … 

The 360 degree commanding view of Himalayan snow peaks such as Manali peak, Deo Tibba, Peaks of Sar pass, Sarkundi pass, Manali peak, Friendship peak and so many unnamed peaks was all in front of us. Not that I am an expert at identifying the peaks, which one was which but it really didn't matter. Beauty of the mountains was all but lost in me. For a moment I felt as if I had sumitted Mt Everest !!!!!

At Chanderkhani pass there were stones lined and kept one above the other. Seemed like some sort of worship place also I read somewhere that locals also come here to sacrifice animals to please the mountain gods. I bowed to those deities for our safe journey.

Our handover took place to another group of guides here. We were now with new set of guides. We thanked our Nagroni guides for their support, They will go back to Nagroni and will be back again next day with another batch. They would keep doing this work for next 15 days till all the batches had successfully completed the pass.They truly were Gods for us, aptly called snow leopards.

The sun was harsh on the top but nobody cared Everyone was enjoying the moment, It was fun time again with snow ball war erupting more vigorously. We spend time here enjoying every bit of the moment for which we had trekked for last 5 days.

We had a long halt but longed to have a proper lunch. Peanut chikki (Peanut brittle) was our energy dose. Soon we resumed our walk in the snow without any fear, The fear of falling or slipping was overcome. We soon reached a point from where he had to slide down the snow. We now had to descend. Our guides gave us instructions on how to slide on the snow. Experienced among us went first while some had anxious moments. 

Sobia was one of the most scared ones, For she would start yelling the moment she sat on the snow and continue till she had completed her slide. Her yells broke the silence of the mountains, Pretty sure even mountains had a good laugh !! Our guides gave all kinds of assurance which failed to convince her !!! She did all the slides nicely though..Hari had the most horrific first slide, In fact he didn't slide but tumbled down. Luckily no one was hurt during the slides but our hands and bottoms went numb in the snow. 

We did 2 more slides before we reached our lunch point or maggi point. It was around 3.30 pm. The gap between us had increased with me and few others reaching lunch point much ahead of others. This gave us some more time to rest. My hunger had reached a zenith by the time I reached this place, I was so hungry that within no time I had hogged on 3 double omlets and 2 maggi’s. Poor guy was only servicing my order for almost 20 minutes !!! I am sure he was relieved when I said I am done eating, for there were orders for maggi's and omlets flowing in from others in equal quantity. Few of our group members were Jain's and they carried their own maggi masala which they used for special Jain maggi !! Nice idea for treks.

Our journey continued from here. 2 more snow slides followed. Our walk in the snow seemed like a never ending story. Our craving for snow was long gone and now we longed for brown ground. Our clothes were wet due to snow slides and snow walk and they added to our weight now. 

We had been walking since 5 am in the morning and it was well past 12 hrs of walk. Looking back at the mountains we had left behind made me wonder how the batches which encountered snow storm would have  managed in harsh conditions. We surely were lucky enough.

We reached our camp of Nauya Tapru at exactly 6.44 pm and that was an astounding trek of almost 14 hrs !!!!!! Our camp leader was waiting for us. Our camp was welcome sight that we so longed for.  It was good that we reached before sun was completely down. Our love for the snow had vanished after seeing so much of snow. Ajay went to extent of saying that he is not going to capture snow pictures anymore.

I quickly changed my clothes to one solo pair which I had carried all these days. Removing the wet trekking shoes was again a task with my legs giving up. I had no strength left. I soon realized that I could barely walk even a few meters and I was limping in the camp. It was the case with almost everyone with few of us shivering to the core. I don't know what I ate in dinner for all that I wanted was to get in my sleeping bag. Someone suggested that we do campfire for it was our last night in the woods but no one had any strength left. I don't know if camp fire ever happened. 

I was off to sleep in no time taking a pledge not to wake up early next day for sure. I just wanted to enjoy sleep one last time in the mountains.

(Contd :8)

 Chanderkhani Pass - The call of the Mountains Part 6 : Trek to highest camp of Nagroni at 10000 feet

July 08, 2014

Day 7: Trek to highest camp of Nagroni (10000 feet, 5 kms)

It goes without saying that as usual my day started around 5 am. Felt proud of myself !!!. lol Now imagine first thing in the morning you do is to trek down the valley for nature's call because the toilet tent is only 420 steps away !!!! Hilarious ……... and not only that, The tent was pitched right next a ice glacier and its freezing cold, also with wind blowing, our tent was barely able to hold on. What nonsense this was !!! Men were taken for granted for sure in this camp.

Remember this camp was on slope and with overnight drop in temperature, or may be due to rain the ground was wet, I didn't want to take any chances so today I did "some" warm up exercises only by standing. No breaking bones on the trek !!! or Let's be honest I didn't do any exercises because due to intense cold temperature, I was barely able to stand. 

How to exercise !!!

One advantage of waking up first among all on such treks are many and one of them is that you can see all half asleep, funny faces struggling to come / squeeze out of the tents and then trying to wear shoes / floaters etc in half closed eyes ... lol...... It's nice to have a early morning laugh

Morning breakfast was something that I always looked forward to in these camps, Hot and tasty breakfast every day and today again it didn't disappoint me. Hot Chole puri for breakfast !!! Life seems to be so good here in YHAI camps.

Today our journey was to begin for the snow clad mountains and what I had heard from camp leader was that next camp - Nagroni was in snow and Chanderkhani pass with some couple of feet !! I was super excited.  We were just one day away from Chanderkhani pass.  I had goose bumps thinking about it. Our guides arrived on time. We had two guides to lead us. With packed lunch and our guides leading we set off for our next camp around 8.50 am. I sat foot on ice for first time and walked on the glacier with our guides standing by for any helping hand.  Among us Hari was leading the pack with slow walkers in front, I was a back bencher in schools due to my height and here also I was among the people at the back …Sigh. 

Crossing the glacier we moved into the woods. Huge coniferous trees welcomed us with some fallen and some standing tall.  These trees are locally called “Harash”.

We were walking on the slopes of the mountains with bark of trees fallen here and there. We also had to jump many of them. Lot of deforestation has happened with forest land being cleared for farming. These forest of Parvati valley are famous for growing charas. I doubt any government or forest official would ever trek to such heights to keep check on such illegal business and my question to our guide on what was grown here got a cold response. He moved on and so did I. Our walk today included walking down the valley and climbing up, passed by waterfall which was falling from incredible height with mighty force.  On our way we could see the 2^ndMalana dam so we were now top of Behali camp.  It seemed today’s walk was more of a trek and first three days was mere practice!!! 

Today Shreya and Maya had become pink sisters or pinkies!!! Don't know if they were wearing the same color T-shirt / sweatshirt all these days but I noticed it today. They would walk in front along with girls gang when Nanabhai Sir yelled at girls to move in front but then eventually fall back to walk with us. The Pinkies !!! :-) .....

Pinkies !!

Oh, sorry if that was a distraction, Back on the trek now. We had been walking continuously since we started in the morning with just one or two small halts. 

It was around 11.30 am that we reached Maggi point. This was our lunch break – first major halt since morning. It was a relief to get the bags off our shoulders. Today’s maggi cost was Rs 50, maggi’s cost was increasing as we reached higher altitudes. Rs 50 for small 10 Rs packet. At base camp it was Rs 15 and then it increased to Rs 40 between Behali and Waching, Rs 50 for today !!!

Thanks to Shreya for keeping this price list check. She was the one who couldn't resist maggi at all such maggi points. Her argument was "locals take efforts to carry them at such remote places where nothing is available and also our guides run these shops in partnership with them. They not only lead us safely in the mountains but cook for us as well". ok .. Can't argue.. She is noble at heart !! But yes Maggi does taste more wonderful in mountains especially after a trek so any excuse is good excuse .... lol

While sitting at lunch point, Maya spotted “seven dotted lady bug” …. She took all effort to count those dots on that already minute creature and was all excited to point to everyone interested.  

After a rest of one hour we started our trek again. It had began to drizzle after a while. It was rain mixed with snow / ice.  Pearls melted as soon as it dropped on the ground.  Wish we could walk in snow rain but fear of it turning into a snow storm stopped us from making such wish !!! The whole affair didn't even last for more than 5 minutes.

The walk on the slopes in the morning had now turned into ascending walk on the mountains. We walked up while the water from melting ice was gushing down. We reached a spot on the mountains from where the view of deep valleys combined with majestic tall mountain peaks was mesmerizing but before I could remove my camera, it started to drizzle again and I had to remove my poncho instead. I couldn't capture the view but hoped I would get better opportunity ahead.  Our ascending walk became more and more steep as we moved among the last patch of tall coniferous trees. Mountain peaks which seemed so illusive and far away all these days seemed to be at a touching distance.

We walked on ice a few times but it was almost melted making the ground slippery and puddle had formed at some places. Many of us were too tired with the climb and were walking at snail pace. Hari who had been leading the girls pack from the front was suddenly among the back benchers group. On asking he said he got suspended as he failed to keep the girls motivated and in one group. He was happy to be among us. Hari lost his fiefdom to Yatrik who eventually assisted Nanabhai Sir in managing girls gang till the end of the trek.

Hari later got "suspended" ..lol

It was around 3.30 pm after a real real trek for first time in last 4 days we got to see the first sight of the camp. We had reached Nagroni camp. My happiness knew no bounds not from the fact that we had reached the camp but we had reached the height of 10000 ft !!

One sore point was the entry point for the camp was littered with tissues which made it very nauseatic otherwise the camp commanded the most beautiful view of snow peaked mountains, located on the plateau which had a huge flat surfaced rock, The rock saw all the action of people jumping for the photo shoot later.

Falling in love with the mountains

Two of the tents in the camp opened to a fantastic view of mountains, just open the tent flap and all you can see is snow capped mountains. Enough for someone to fall in love. Unfortunately it was given to girls gang. We guys taken for granted again !!! Lol

Flat rock which saw most of the action

We were welcomed by our camp leader who informed us that few days back this camp site was entirely covered with snow and it was freezing cold but we were lucky that weather had cleared and that as soon as we reached here the sun started to shine brightly. The scene of the mountain peaks peeping out of the clouds, every changing color of snow mountains with sun and clouds trying to overpower each other had such a mystical appearance, it was like we were in heaven. 

Nobody wanted to go inside the tent, photo shoots were happening everywhere. The photographers waited for the right moment to capture everything that was on offer.

My Lost and found nieces !!!

I had a one surprise in store here. Two sisters Arshia and Masira who had never spoken a word with me in entire trek came up to me and said I resembled their uncle in face looks and voice. Tears of joy flowed !!! I had two lost nieces which I found at 10000 feet !!!!  Uncle and niece reunion !!! waah waah, waah waah …… I later found that Masira was youngest of us all. proud of my niece’s achievement !!!!

leisurely Tea time

Our evening tea was served with handful of fried peanuts, I had never eaten such combination and it tasted so awesome that each one had multiple peanut rounds. It had become our daily ritual of drinking tea after reaching higher camps and then topping it up with hot tomato soup after sometime. Today was no exception. And I longed for such hot drinks because of one nasty experience of drinking ice cold water at Yosgo was enough eye opener. Our dinner was served at 6.30 pm, I cannot recollect dinner menu and I cannot forget the dessert. It was "Gulab Jamuns" for dessert !! Imagine hot gulab jamuns at 10000 ft !!! Unfortunately it was rationed and everyone got only 2 pieces and none wanted to share it with anyone, Else there would have been queue for it than for dinner. Everyday after dinner one task I really hated was cleaning of tiffin box, Not that I have some royal blood flowing in my veins and I haven't done it at home but water was so cold that after cleaning it took almost 15 minutes to bring fingers out of numb state, I used to wash it everyday in the morning after sun rises but today I couldn't avoid, I had to do .......We had to get up at 2.30 am next morning to start our journey.  What a torturing task that was !!

Washing tiffin in icy water

We had gala time today after reaching Nagroni with beautiful location of the camp, amazing view of the mountains, clear sky, loads of pictures, tasty gulab jamuns !! 

Photoshoot at Nagroni

We sat and talked

Some even did this !!!!! Seriously

Couldn't ask for more. It was getting dark and cold as sun had set. Today's day had a happy ending. By 8 pm I was back in the tents though some stayed out to enjoy and do star gazing, I packed my bags properly and ensured I was ready for the tomorrow’s epic journey, crossing Chanderkhani pass !!!  We also had to wake up at 2.30 am and only had just couple of hours to catch up on sleep. I was asleep the moment I sneaked in my sleeping bag ……….

Tomorrow we cross Chanderkhani pass (contd 7)

 Chanderkhani Pass - The call of the Mountains Part 5 : Trek to 3rd camp – Waching

July 07, 2014

Day 6: Trek to 3^rdcamp – Waching (9300 feet, 7kms)

My day started again at 5 am. I have been waking up on daily basis at 5 am, wish I could replicate the feat back home !! It was freezing cold outside the tent but our cooks were up and busy preparing tea, breakfast and lunch. They have been doing this from last 20 days and would continue till our last batch for another 15 days more!! Had a chat with one of the cooks and came to know that they were exports from Delhi & not locals. They were on a contract for one month with YHAI. I appreciated their hard work of providing us with hot food in such harsh conditions.

Slowly it was good morning for everyone. Nanabhai Sir and few of us started the warms up for the day. It was important to stay fit. Two more of our group members had left at 4 am in the morning unable to withstand the cold climate. Our strength had been depleting on daily basis since we started. If anyone wanted to return back this was the last point as one could get some transport for going back from Malana dam site. 

Sky looked dull and over cast, Sun was playing hide and seek.We prayed and hoped it doesn't rain. We had our tea, breakfast and also our packed lunch was ready but no sign of our guide. It was 9.15 am. We could only wait. But guide did turn up around 9.30 am and immediately we started our march , bid adios to one more campsite. On our way we came across few empty houses. This part of the world is very scantly populated. I learned later from our camp leader at Waching that local villagers from Malana and nearby areas keep these houses and do farming during the summer months and move back to their villages in winters.  

We had walked for a short distance and came across maggi point where we had our first halt. The small tented shop was serving Maggie, omlet, tea and coffee.  These tented shops are only shops selling limited food stuffs on the way.Prices are directly proportional to remoteness and altitude of the area. Today cost of one cup of coffee was 30/-. 

We had barely walked today and we had our first break. For me it was my first coffee break since I left home. !!!! Kaapi aroma was as good i felt, May be I had forgotten what kaapi smelled but I just loved it. Had some rest at this point to get over the hangover created by kaapi !!! lol.....

From here we took a U-turn and started to climb up. The climb seemed tough and I was almost gasping for breath. Luckily it was not a long  climb and we reached a plateau which was almost parallel to Behali camp only that it was at higher altitude. Surprise of the day was this plateau which was size of cricket field with few houses and land ploughed in for farming. But the view of snow peaked mountains was nothing short of spectacular. They were at a kissing distance !!! Just opposite of the plateau. I really envied the villagers who had their houses here, You could sit whole day here and just watch spectacular views and never get bored….  We wanted a halt here to take few pictures and our guide informed that we would be halting here for an hour or more and move only after lunch. Wow this was the shortest trek in last 3 days.

Aamchi Madam's

Yatrik and most of our group found a small companion, a small kid who was playing cricket and they all joined in to play the game.  The kid was overjoyed to find so many new friends and was happy to play with them. I was more interested in capturing mesmerizing views in my camera. Some explored the plateau and indulged in photo shoot while some lay idly on the ground while major chunk was into playing cricket including the gang of girls.

Don't wanna trek today !!!

Our halt was longer than 3 hours on the plateau. Our guide informed that next camp was just a small climb away so was happy to provide us with the extended break.  Sky as usual was overcast since morning and it started to rain. Ponchos were out. Small drizzle was enough to scare the shit out of us for the experiences of our previous batches would roll in front of us. As soon as it started to rain all of us tried to squeeze into one solo tent which was yet another maggi point on the plateau. It reminded of Mumbai local train rush hour. 
Chal andar chal types !!!! 

Few of us decided to have tea here which turned out to be soooo sweet that it would bloody make some syrup look in shame !!!!! I am pretty sure it was idea of two Dr's, Ajay and Shreya who can digest whole sugar factory and still come out smiling ..... lol

Luckily for us it was just a drizzle and as soon as it stopped we started our journey to our camp and within a small climb of 30 minutes we reached our next camp of Waching. Fortunately the camp was not a ship without a captain like in Behali and our camp leader was there to welcome us.  We must have reached by 3 pm. Our welcome was with Lychee drink followed by Tea and biscuits and then hot tomato soup.

Waching camp was also on small plateau with company of only two houses of villagers and their farms. The camp was also built on a slope which makes life hazardous if it rains or if ground is wet. I remember 6 people from earlier batch returned from here after experiencing slips and falls during bad weather. Luck was with us as ground was neither slippery nor it rained  !!!!!

Behind the camp was forest area with trees reaching a height of 50-60 feets.  The snow capped mountains were now moving closer each day we moved to a higher camp. Rains had stopped but overcast sky looked threatening.  Aasifa was our hope as she would say she has made friendship with "sunny paji" and he would come back and as if her prayers were answered Sun was shining again after being in hiding for entire day.

Sky getting clear after Aasifa's prayer !!!

Our camp leader had informed us that male’s toilet tent was down the valley.  Nanabhai Sir on his call for nature went down the valley only to find that tent was deep down at exactly 420 steps from the camp !!!! It was warning call for all males not to wait till last moment and to start the trek for nature’s call at the start of pressure build up ……….. hahahaha

One incident that had few of us running to our tent was sudden shout by none other than Shreya Goshal I mean Bala that there was rats in the tent. God !!! I ran to confirm that my bag was sealed to the core. I am sure rats had a gala time at the camp for a month when everyday a new batch would come with everyone carrying some form of sweets like chocolates, dates and so on…. And they would just sniff and hole it out from their bags. Shreya narrated her story in morning as to how she and her tent members had saved their bags from getting drilled in the night by bundling it in a blanket. I remember someone in my tent waking up in middle of night only to find rats had feasted on his chocolates and some food packets tasted !!!!! I was too sleepy to see who had that experience but confirmed my bag was safe and was off to sleep. Lol

Our Dinner was served by 6.30 pm and we were free by 7 pm.  What a life !!!  Night saw everyone gathered for camp fire where people had fun narrating jokes, ghost stories. That was followed by game of truth and dare. Don't know till what time it went on but I was back in my tent first to ensure that my bag was safe from rats and then into my sleeping bag.  One thing that I had learned to enjoy and cherish after coming to this trek was my sleep. A proper sleep ensured that you were fit for trek next day. 

Tomorrow we trek to next camp which was at 10000 feet, A feat that I had not yet accomplished in my trekking journey and it would be my first time to reach such a height !!! 

(contd :6)

 Chanderkhani Pass - The call of the Mountains Part 4 : Trek to Behali camp via mystical Malana

July 06, 2014

Day 5: Trek to Behali camp via mystical Malana. (8900 feet, 8kms)

I don't know why but I woke up at 5 am !!! I really wanted to sleep a little longer but capturing rays of sun falling on the snow peaked mountains lured me to come out of tent with my camera. It was still time and rest of the gang were still in their sleeping bag burrows. I was in for a nasty surprise early in the morning, I went for a gargle after brushing and moment I filled my mouth with water I just froze !!!! The water was crazy cold. Chill went down my spine, Hair stood on their end …… It was nasty nasty surprise early in the morning.

By 6am everyone were out of their bed. By that time I had done my warm up exercise and was waiting for morning tea. Morning tea deserves a mention as it had the unique smell of burnt wood. You like or don't, This was best substitute for icy cold drinking water. Morning tea in camps is like a small gathering with everyone getting their cups and standing in queue

And here it comes, The first rays of sun on snow peaked mountains !! what a splendid sight. The shutter buttons on everyone’s camera went click click. 

Tea was followed by breakfast, another feast in the offing !!! Aloo sabji with hot puri in breakfast … what else can you ask for . We were waiting our guide to show up but more than him we were waiting for sun to cover our campsite with some warm sunlight for us to bask in it. Our guide turned up and the instructions flowed on how to proceed while in Malana village. No touching any one, no touching temples or houses, Fine of Rs 2500 and they have ATM in case you were not carrying cash. Malana was like a mysterious land of aliens !!! 

Our packed lunch was ready and so were we at 9.30am. Today again our strength decreased by three people as due to health issues they decided to return back. Falling in line for counting, bets flowed on how many times we are going to do the counting. It was our daily ritual. We followed our guide walking on the ascending slopes of the mountain. On the way up our guide showed us snow peaked mountain peak doing a peek a boo. That was Chanderkhani mountains !!! It was first sighting of the mountains that we will be crossing. The peak was not noticed from camp but while ascending to Malana it was clearly visible.

Mafioso look with Chanderkhani in background

Our climb on the slopes must have taken us an hour and we were standing right under the Airtel tower. We were about to enter Malana so again we halted and instructions followed. I think during this time everyone must have called home because we had mobile network on the phone and also to check on our election results. Breaking news at Malana – Narendra Modi had won with thumping majority !!!! Modi supporters were overjoyed that included me but Maya !!!! She sat with sad face, she was from opposite camp, fascinated by Rahul Gandhi’s charm !!!! 

As we started entering Malana village we walked in one line following our guide like an obedient students following their teacher. We were like a terrified lot. Camera’s were packed in the bags. Outskirts of Malana village from Yosgo side was littered with garbage, plastic wrappers, bottles everywhere. It was disappointing feeling. Our eyes rolled everywhere to see the mystical village and locals starring at us while going about doing their routine work. There were 2 kids schools in the village packed with them. BJP and Congress flags flew on some the houses !!! Election 2014 fever had reached here as well. In the middle of village square lies a wood carved temple of Jamadagni – One of the seven great rishis and father of lord Parshuram. Signboard on the temple indicating a fine of Rs 2500 for anyone entering the temple. Local men were gathered in village square, only seems to be puffing away their time while ladies in the village carried with their work. We passed few village folks who moved past us as if we were untouchables. As the story goes the people of Malana consider every non Malani as inferior and untouchable. Malanis are considered direct descendants of soldiers of Alexander The great. Some of his soldiers stayed back while on their way home. The villagers speak a unique dialect called “Kanashi” which seems to be mixture of Sanskrit and several Tibetan dialects. The language is unique to this village and only they can understand it. Another unique thing about this village is that its oldest democratic republic with village administration controlled by village council which has its novel way of electing members. There is one small shop outside the village selling grocery items which was only one shop that I could see. There is guest house outside the village which had welcome sign written in English and Hebrew indicating foreigners are welcome especially Israelis.  The village name is also associated with Malana cream – a costly variety of Charas drug which comes from this part only. They could have developed this village into a unique cultural tourist spot, showcasing their unique culture and in a way preserving it also !!!! Still they can do.... Hope !!!!!

We passed through the village without any eventuality and once out of the village, Out came our camera’s and we captured the village in our frames. From the slopes we could see yet another village entrance similar to one we crossed while coming to Yosgo. Our route was walking on narrow path on slopes of the mountain which was quite boring and it continued till 1.30pm. We had just traversed few mountains by walking on the slopes today which we later climbed after Behali camp.

By the time we reached our lunch point which was also Maggie point we all were dead hungry.  Our lunch point was close to a stream but few of us opted for  empty tent on elevation for having our lunch, it was more comfy and we could stretch our legs. After lunch our walk continued, walking up or down the slopes of the mountain. Could see lot of deforestation with loads of trees fallen, some which seemed to be deliberately cut or burned. We moved past the 2^ndMalana dam which was fed with stream of water flowing from the melting of snow on far off mountains.

On our way we came across glacier with thick sheet of ice, first look and someone commented it was limestone !! It was first sighting of a glacier for most of us. Though thick, it had caved from beneath with water gushing through it. It was by far the most scenic location. 

At a distance and close to flowing stream, We saw two story building which looked tempting and I wished it was YHAI hostel for our stay !!! But no .... our guide took us past that building. It was maybe a dam engineers rest house.

The view of snow mountains in the background, a meadow plain with flowing stream. It all looked so beautiful and I was hoping if we had our camp in such a place and Voila !!! I got the first glance of our tent far away. 

We reached Behali camp at 4.00 pm. Behali camp was beautifully located on a meadow surrounded by mountains with tall coniferous trees and snow caped mountains behind. We were welcomed by our cooks with lime juice and followed by tea with biscuits. Our camp didn't have any camp leader and we were at mercy of our captain Nanabhai Sir !!!! lol

Mafia bugs followed our group here also and most of them were hooked to it as sky was clear today also. Maya and Shreya tried hard convincing me to play but i was not interested. I along with Parvesh and few others sat together narrating each others life experiences. I also had a chance to interact with Aasifa who was lawyer by profession and again solo trekker with Sarpass trek in her pocket. Manjusha madam also joined our talks and I got to know that she had done two yhai treks back to back. It was like...hats off to them. As we moved into evening hours the cold wind started to blow and everyone was seen in multiple layer of clothes. By the time our dinner was served the temperature had dropped drastically. Our cooks were more than helpful in providing us with boiled water for drinking. Though water has retained the aroma of burned wood it was welcomed by most.  Mafia game continued till late outside the tent while I and few of us shifted inside the tent away from the increasingly dropping temperature outside.  I must have dozed off for some time when suddenly woke up to the singing of “Chuma Chuma” cult song. Peeping outside it was Payal, Manisha and her group. Game of mafia was replaced by songs now….. Not daring to go outside in the cold I enjoyed the songs from within the tent. 

Our tent had two members who decided that they couldn't take the cold climate any more and were planning to return back. We tried convincing them that most of the girls were doing this trek for first time and were going strong but they seemed to have given up !! Asked them to think over in the night !!! Bid them goodbye if they decide to leave and went off to sleep.

Tomorrow we will be off to Waching ….. Our destination was getting closer. (Contd part 5)

http://traveladventuresbyme.blogspot.in/2014/07/chanderkhani-pass-call-of-mountains_7.html

 Chanderkhani Pass - The call of the Mountains Part 3 : Trek begins: Our destination Yosgo camp.

July 06, 2014

Day 4 – Trek begins: Our destination Yosgo camp. (9000 feet – 5kms)

5 am in the morning and  it was call for bed tea followed by breakfast at 6 and packed lunch at 7 am. No sign of rains and our fingers were crossed for clear sky. 7.30 am and we got a call to assemble in the ground. Finally that moment had come. I looked with hope on snow peaked mountains… Here I come. 

Kissed my backpack, shouldered it and was ready in line for other groups to see us off. Bid adios to Seobagh base camp with chanting of Ganpati Bappa Morya. Will only come to collect my stuff after completing my trek I whispered. The flag was raised and count was done, Field director and everyone wished us success. We marched out of Seobagh amid cheer claps from newly arrived groups. Our bus and a mini van were ready to take us to Malana dam 1 from where we start our journey.

Malana dam – 1 is on the way to Manikaran. As we drove up the mountains road the tall Majestic mountains with deep gorgeous valleys became more and more stunning. The roads were zigzag and narrow. It was not surely for faint hearted to sit next to window.  Don't know if they drive on such roads in the night. We gained height every moment as we drove and every moment it started to increase the discomfort in me. I was in the minivan with 13 people. I started to feel the effects of mountain sickness, felt nauseatic. I shut my eyes and prayed. It must have taken around two hours for us to reach Malana dam. We waited for the bus to arrive. I strolled around to get some comfort from uneasy feeling and then I threw it out. Hell !!! But instantly it made me comfortable. What a relief that was. Ajay & Manjusha madam were on standby for any medical advise. It's always better to carry medicines for mountain sickness. I was also carrying it but didn't need at that moment.

The station engineer at Malana dam on seeing us had come to speak with us. He gave insight about how the dam works and also talked about another dam at higher altitude. Our rest of the group arrived in sometime and so did our guide – Sheru. He was in his teens. Soft spoken or I should say no spoken. We had been briefed about Malana so much and so many times that it had become one dreaded place on earth and to top it we had this guide, A non talking guide !!!!  

We started our trek from here. It was around 10 am.  This was the start of our core trek. We walked on zig zag road and as we climbed we could see and guage the Malana dam. The feeder stream flowed close to the road which brought water from the melting snow from the mountains into the dam. Ocassional cars and jeeps passed by carrying locals including foreigners, giving us suspicious or starry looks. May be we had become conscious after getting bombarded with Malana village stories !!!! They moved on and so did we.

Clicking pictures on the way we reached what was the tunnel road in the mountains. We stopped here for some rest. The sign board outside the tunnel indicated it was landslide prone area. Crossing the tunnel road and another uphill walk, We reached a proudly proclaiming sign board indicating way to Malana village. It was instant celebrity signboard with almost everyone gunning to click pictures with it. It was another resting point for us. 

From here we climbed steps which was leading us into the coniferous forest.  Someone initiated an argument that we would be crossing Malana village today while the map at base camp showed it would be on 2^nd day of core trek. Everyone pitching in their own version.  We moved on with the argument. We came across a bridge over a stream of gushing water which was nothing but a huge log of wood.  Some girls in the group needed helping hand while crossing it though not difficult. As we climbed our bags seemed to be heavier suddenly, recollecting the words from camp leaders to avoid carrying things that was not required.

We had our packed lunch in middle of the forest but close to flowing stream. It was best place in entire trek for lunch. Under the shade of the tree as we sat and removed our bags, It was so much of a relief. Food tasted its best. I took a small power nap before our guide signaled to move on. We were constantly climbing up since we started our core trek. There was no sign of rain today and sun was out with its full might.  Walking in the forest shade didn't pinch us but the moment we climbed in certain patch under the sun it used to suck the energy out of us. On one of our resting point there was one lonely hut. Wandered how a person would even think of staying here !!! They even had some land clearings on certain places for farming. As we chatted at our resting place a lady carrying a small kid came out of the house. She pointed towards wood stick that she wanted to sell. These sticks serve well as walking stick in the trek and was instant hit. She sold almost all of them.  She spoke very softly and tid-bits of hindi. She was a Malana lady as she refused to take money from our hand and asked us to keep it down on the stone. I could capture her in my lens and today when I look at her portrait it is by far the best picture I have taken in entire trek. She had so much of a simplicity and innocence on her face with her cute little child hanging on her back in baby sling all the time.

We got the first glimpse of our tents around 4pm. We had reached Yosgo camp and shout of joy erupted on its first sight. The camp was surrounded by huge mountains on three sides. Our camp was in the valley and facing a snow peaked mountains in front at a far end. Our camp leader welcomed us. Our camp was just 2 tents for guys, 2 for girls, one for camp leader and our blankets and sleeping bags, one for cooking and one for storing. It was such a joyous feeling of making it to first camp. In no time everyone occupied their place dropped their bags in the tent. It was such a relief.  

Our welcome drink was really welcoming. It was followed by tea and biscuits. Shreya the Mafia leader had injected the virus of Mafia and big chunk of our group was hooked into playing it. Tea was followed by hot tomato soup which again was welcome with sun about to set the temperature had dropped suddenly. Drinking ice cold water was difficult but then hot tea and soup replenished our water requirement.

From our camp we could see mobile tower on left side of the mountain top which was Malana village which we will be crossing tomorrow. It was quite a climb from the base but saw few ladies carrying logs of wood on their back heading to the top. We city dwellers enjoy the luxury and comfort but still crib about everything while these locals in such areas endure hardship in their daily life and struggle each day to keep their life going.

Our dinner was served around 6.30pm which included piping hot sheera. It was feast for Ajay as he doesn't eat dinner but only eats desserts in the evening. Here as well he was serving everyone and himself with sheera !!!! As it turned dark it started to rain but luckily we had finished our dinner so everyone rushed in the tent. Once inside the tent I can only think of getting in sleeping bag and blanket. Another day was coming to an end. Tomorrow would be a new day, new terrain, new experience these mountains have to offer

Trek to camp Behali (contd: page 4)
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 Chanderkhani Pass - The call of the Mountains Part - 2 : Getting acclimatize at base camp.

July 06, 2014

Day 1 – Seobagh base camp reporting

I was awake by 6 am after catching some sleep in our bus. We were yet to reach Kullu. The view of gorgeous valleys with Beas river flowing through it and magnificent mountains was enough to take the breath away. I had seen these breathtaking views in pictures, movies and TV but was my first real life experience. The narrow roads cut through the mountains and deep valleys were also scary enough. One slip or mistake by the bus driver and we would be easily down few hundred feet with really no chance of survival.

We reached Kullu bus stand around 7 am. It was summer month but still felt the shiver from cold breeze. Our base camp was around 4 kms from Kullu and had to go by another local bus. Luckily the bus was standing and empty for us to dump our luggage and ourselves. It was joy ride of around 15-20 minutes giving us glimpse of kullu villages and life in the mountains. Beas river flowing majestically parallel to the road. Bus dropped us just outside our camp.

Seobagh camp site was in midst of flurry of activities. Tents put up on a huge ground on both sides. One side for ladies and other side for gents. Reporting camp was just inside the compound where we completed our formalities of registration. We were allotted our tents with 12 people in each tent. Instructions of do’s and don’t started flowing in moment we stepped in base camp. Some of our group members wanted to do river rafting on first day which is a no activities day but it turned out to be dampener for them as one of lady camp leader informed once you are registered, you will need to follow the rules of the book and first among them was no river rafting !!!! hahaha

We were to strictly follow the rules till we were in the base camp and also when we leave for higher camps and on trek. First taste of military discipline. We participated a see off for one of the batch who had completed 3 days of acclimatization. Wished them luck for successful trek.  Excited that 4^th day we would be the ones to walk through such see off.  

Breakfast was ready, tea with bread butter, bread jam, idli sambhar and only “one egg”.  First day was rest day where in we were told of what essentials are required on trek and if we didn't have that. We could do some last minute purchase and come back to base camp by 6.30pm.  Hints of unprecedented snow on higher camps this year and that its been raining since last one week with Kullu climate cold enough that we Mumbaikersexperience in prime winter months was enough to dampen the spirit. 

Shiv joined us at base camp while we also met few other group members notable among them were Hari, Mayur, Partho, Dharmesh, Parvesh, Laksh.  Our Group was called CP -17 (Chanderkhani Pass – 17). Introducing and making new friends from different parts of India was unique experience and trekking is perfect place for it. Nanabhai Sir advised that we start getting acclimatize from today itself and suggested we walk to nearby town of Naggar. Everyone happily agreed not knowing that the town was 15kms away. Walking on the road we got the first glimpse of snow peaked mountains. 

My first raw look at snow peaked mountains was enough to make me spellbound.  Narrow ascending road with small village huts with locals in their traditional attire passing by was all mesmerizing.  Everything for me was like love at first sight !!!

As we walked on the road, we came across a small patch of land with sort of poppy stems standing tall. What is this !! First thought was it’s marijuana but then Ajay and Nanabhai Sir were quick to correct that its Onion seeds pod. But Ajay also pointed to small plants on the side of the road which was Marijuana. No wonder Himachal is so famous for it. It grows on roadside without much efforts !! 

We got glimpse of some exotic bird species on the way as well. One of them was Yellow billed blue Magpie ....wow, I wanted to say "that's a pretty big name baby" only if could !!!

yellow billed blue Magpie

Parakeet's flight

It must have been a walk of around 3 hours or more when we checked with a local as to how far was Naggar and reply was enough to surprise all. It was around 12kms away that means we had just walked 3kms in 3 hrs … that's it ! We decided to take a bus to Naggar and enough of walking. Standing at corner of a road of what seems to be a bus stand with few locals giving us company. Noticed a glow in the warm smiles of these gentle (Pahadi) people. Simplicity flowed in abundance here like flowing water of Beas river. 

We reached Naggar junction by bus which took around 45 minutes. From  junction it’s a steep up hill climb on tar road to Naggar castle. Naggar is an ancient town on left bank of Beas river and provides amazing view of the mountains with small houses on its slope on right side of the river. It was former capital of Kullu. Famous for its wooden castle, Nicholas Roerich art gallery and few temples which has unique architecture and carvings. On the way to the castle there is this temple called Gauri Shankar temple dedicated to lord Shiva. The architecture and carvings of the temple are charming and quite unique. The temple is protected monument.

As we moved towards the castle, we came across two more temples which had intricate and delicate carvings on the wood.  The temples depicted the Himalayan architecture. The first glance of the Naggar castle is feast to the eye and enough to make one fall in love. The intricate wooden carved walls, windows, doors were truly magnificent. The castle has been converted into heritage hotel with restaurants serving unique Himachali cuisine. The restaurant over looks Kullu valley and provides spectacular view. 

From here Nanabhai Sir and his gang decided to go to Manali for some shopping while Shiv, Ajay, Shreya and me decided to walk back to base camp. But not before we had awesome lunch of Himachali Pulao and Khiru (type of kadhi).It had started to drizzle while we walked towards Kullu.  The pleasure of getting wet in rains is enjoyable only in Mumbai whereas the rains in Kullu was cold enough to make one shiver in no time. I didn't want to take chances with 10 days more to go and was quickly wore my new poncho. We got the bus for Kullu but it took a different route and not the one for our base camp. The route was longer than we expected and bus dropped us near a bridge over Beas river from where it was 3 kms walk to base camp.  It seems that we were getting trained for worst. Walking amidst drizzle and cold wind, we were the only four souls on most part of the road. Reaching base camp I moved in to get some warmth inside the tent. Nothing much to do we waited for others to come back.  Flurry of activities continued outside the tent. Evening tea was followed by dinner. It was now time for camp fire and introductions. Some earlier group members performed and group which successfully completed the trek were handed out certificates. They provided insights of life in higher camps which was more discouraging then encouraging given the rough climatic conditions and fresh snow fall in higher regions. Teja ka gang had also reached in the evening.  Teja was a surprise of the day as she turned out to be sweet, slim girl calling everyone Sir than a muscular guy with his gang !!!!!. 

The camp lights went off at sharp 10pm and no one was in mood to stay awake and sneaked in their respective blankets. It seemed like I was only one given sleeping bag while the rest were not so lucky.

Day 2 – Acclimatize walk day

Rains had continued in the night. Morning call was at 5.30am with one of the camp assistant carrying tea kettle. First instance that I remember in long time when I had tea without brushing. After morning chores it was time for morning exercise but due to overnight rains and wet ground it was shifted to dining area tent. With more people and space constraint people were standing rather than participating in stretching exercise. It was time for see off for another batch who were moving out to higher camp amidst wet day. Not a ideal way but nevertheless we were there to cheer them off with YHAI style clapping of hands and wishing them luck.

It was time for breakfast now. My 2^nd day with YHAI breakfast and I was in love with it. They make a complete wholesome meal full of proteins and carbs required for the trek. Also something hot to eat in the morning in the cold climate of Kullu was always welcome. Not to forget the hot chai !!  Only thing I dreaded the most was to wash the tiffin and mug in the cold waters. Water seemed more like piercing needle. I decided I will not take bath again today.

It was day of acclimatize walk where we pack our bags with as much things as possible and walk up the mountain path with our guide. Announcement came as a surprise for many as there were rumors of walk being cancelled, earlier batch had rock climbing and rappelling session which was cancelled.  Not many were prepared and with instructions flowing in from all sides somehow everyone managed to come in line. Hilarious part was that we did counting of the group couple of times because of some one reaching after the count or someone missing the count. With Nanabhai Sir getting possessed with his professor spirit, His energy and pitch of his voice reaching a zenith to make everyone fall in line and follow discipline. This continued till we had completed the trek… Hahahaha

The walk was uphill walk on the nearby mountains. Rains had stopped but sun failed to shine which was casting doubt on minds of everyone on how would the climate be when we reach higher camps. Hoping for good and prayers in mind we continued with our march. We were all huffing and puffing as we climbed to the top. Our destination was at school compound. We could barely manage to climb while these villagers staying on higher level, for them it must be daily routine or may be more in a day. Lychee juice was distributed to us to get re-energized. 

On the way down we moved to a waterfall site. We were told to only enjoy from far and not enter in it but none wanted to in such cold falling water. After lunch we had our orientation round with field director who instructed us on things to come in higher camp and the dreaded climatic conditions. It was more like we were going for a war and not a trek !!!!

Sun god came out brightly in 2^nd half of that day. Back in the tent whole round of drying session started with clothes, socks, shoes, ponchos jostling to occupy space under sunlight. Some of the group members decided to go to Kullu market to do some more last minute shopping after hearing experiences of previous batches and Chinese whispers floating in the base camp about difficulties that one may face in the snow. I stayed in the camp and mustered courage to take a quick bath in the cold water. This was first time I had taken bath after I left my house and trust me it was wonderful feeling though I had to gather all my courage to pour cold water on my body.

Base camp continued with flurry of activities with people from later batch kept reporting and batch leaving next day depositing their luggage and other stuffs. One area of the camp worth mentioning was the charging point area which had people connecting numerous extension cable and adaptors to charge their mobiles. I also pitched in to charge my camera battery for one last time though I had one extra charged ones for any eventualities. I also got my mobile charged as this is only place where you get the opportunity, Higher camps have no electricity.

Evening dinners was followed by camp fire where some people performed by singing songs or making a dance moves. Cheered by their respective groups which had become one big family.  The batch who completed their trek recounted their horror and valour stories with teary eyes. Ajay and me looked at each other with no hopes, Boy !!! Our turn to leave for higher camp is just a day away. News of few more people coming back without completing the trek was also talk of the town in the evening. Shiv was least tensed lot as he wanted to experience snow storm saying when will we get chance to see one !!! Thoughts rolled in my mind, Experience we may but we can only narrate that incident if we come out alive !!!!!!  

Day 3 – Rappelling and rock climbing day.

Our day again started with bed tea at 5.30am. Sun god continued its good run of shining brightly from yesterday. Our guide also wanted us to make most of clear morning and made us run few kms on the road and back.  It was followed by bending and stretching exercise which would help us in higher camps. It was turning out to be a tough day. Reaching the camp we did a see off for one more batch who left for higher camp and came closer to that day when it would be our turn. It was going to be tomorrow.

A quick breakfast and we were off to rappelling session. Again it was climb up the nearby hill. Instructions were given of how it works and how it will help us. This session is important for us to overcome the fear of heights. It was a fun session with everyone wanted to get a picture clicked while coming down and for few there were moments of anxiety when legs slipped, ropes got twisted but our guides were doing great job as our mentors. With pounding hearts and claps of cheers we all competed our turn. It was now back to base camp for lunch and then it would be rock climbing session. But come afternoon and Sun god decided to take rest of the day off. It started to drizzle and our rock climbing session was called off.

waiting for rappelling to complete

Afternoon was spend in doing balancing act of what essentials to carry and what not to carry. Clear instruction was given to us to only carry 5kg which was to include inner layer given to us. Now this itself weighed 1kg. I had newly purchased camera which I was to carry and it weighed another 2kg so where is the space for jackets,  clothes, woolens ……. Finally I decided I will manage with my woolens and pair of clothes but will skip carrying inner layer. It was time to deposit our extra luggage and my bag was just not willing to shed weight !!! What do I remove

With some tips and tricks somehow managed to convince camp leader to accept the weight of my bag even though he kept asking me to remove something which was in excess. All set and done my bag was finally ready with my camera. With free mind, We wiled away our time for one last time in Seobagh camp that evening. After dinner we had camp fire but  we didn't have any certificate distribution that evening as CP -11 batch couldn't complete the trek and were send back due to bad weather from Nagroni camp. Another gloomy news was three of our group members had decided not to continue further due to various reasons so our group strength was down by 3.  

Before any negative thoughts sneak into my mind I decided to sneak into the sleeping bag and was off to sleep in no time.  

(contd : Part 3 )
http://traveladventuresbyme.blogspot.in/2014/07/chanderkhani-pass-call-of-mountains_6.html

 Chanderkhani Pass - The call of the Mountains Part 1

July 06, 2014

It’s Day 8 and chilly wind is blowing outside the tent. Its middle of the night and time on the watch shows 2.30 am. Just didn't want to leave the warmth provided by blanket and sleeping bag !!!!. The whistle blew and it was the morning call for the bed tea. I had to get up as it was not only most important day of our trek but was also very important day in my trekking journey so far. I had done trekking in Sahyadri Mountains in Western Ghats and this was my first journey in our great Himalayas. Today’s successful climb would be feather in my trekking cap. We would be reaching height of 12600 feet at Chanderkhani pass located in Malana region. Nestled in two beautiful and mighty ranges of Pir Panjal and Dhauladhar. Today we had to climb another 2800 feet, walk in the snow, reach the highest point and then climb down to last camp of Nauya Tapru with estimated walk of 14 kms.

Taking a deep breath, I moved out of my sleeping bag, peeped out of the tent, camp was lit by moonlight with all my group members busy with their morning chores. Hot tea, morning chores sans bath (it was 9^thday without bath, not that I don't like to but didn't have the guts to take a bath in such climate, none of 43 members of the group had done it), followed by breakfast and packed lunch (Lunch was frooti, chikki, sakkarpare). Everyone then gathered outside the tent, stood in the line wearing multiple layers of clothes which were still not enough to protect us from cold and chilly breeze, listening to group leaders sermon’s (instructions) before moving ahead.

Also we had one more planned event to do before moving, Celebrate B'day. Yes, It was also her birthday today, She is Maya. She had come all the way from Hyderabad, all alone and standing at Nagroni camp (10000 feet above sea level) with her backpack at 5 am in bone chilling cold morning to cross Chanderkhani pass on her birthday. What a feat to accomplish!!!!  

Manjusha Madam arranged for a small piece of cake, Lit candle, everyone sang and wished Maya a very happy and delightful birthday!! …........ So much for now, She will come more often later in the blog…...lol

Finally all set and ready, Like the Hitler army offering salute “Heil Hitler”, We saluted our camp leader, cooks, guides and finally chanting Ganpati Bappa Morya, We started our march to cross Chanderkhani Pass……. …It was 5 am in the morning and we were told we are late !!!

As I write my blog, everything is flashing in front of my eyes. It was “the moment” we all had come here for. What a day that was 19^thMay 2014. For this day the preparation had started 3 months back. BBM group created, list of essentials shared, trek essentials purchased, bus and train booking done and then that infinite wait for the day when we started our journey….. This was by far the most memorable trek and most memorable journey I have done in my life.

Getting Ready for the Himalayan adventure: 4 years back I was bitten with bug of trekking. I must have done number of treks in Sahyadris but Himalayas was distant dream. A year back I got my YHAI registration done but didn't enroll for any trek as I felt a company would be good rather than going alone. Then one day got a call from Ajay – Let’s do Himalayas this time !!!. And without even thinking twice registered on pre- decided date.  It was “Call of the Mountains”. I remember doing google on Chanderkhani much later after I had registered for it. Registration was followed by phones call and exchange of emails to office management to approve my leaves, I realized my convincing power than !!!

Our group included Ajay, Shreya, Nanabhai, Shiv and me. Shiv joining us from Delhi while rest would be starting from Mumbai. I was told by Ajay that our group was just a splinter group as there were larger group of all BHMS students of Nanabhai Sir joining us directly at base camp. All in all we were almost 35 out of 50 people for YHAI batch starting on 10^th May !!

We even created a BBM group for daily discussions among us apart from preparing list of trek essentials. This was followed by number of visits to Decathlon and Nandu’s and Avi industries to purchase things, We had 73 items listed in our trek essentials and longest discussion and hunt happened for none other than kurmura, 

I and Ajay had developed liking for wheat puff (wheat kurmura) and wanted  it as our train companion on our 30 hrs journey but after lot of hunting settled for corn puff !!!!.Not to forget the railway booking on IRCTC website. The railway booking was major achievement among other things though we didn't get full confirmed booking even though we were hooked to the website on the day the two months window was open and at 8am on Sunday morning. Our tickets were confirmed much later credit of which should go to Shreya for praying daily to IRCTC god as she didn't want to go on RAC ticket !! . Bus tickets on HRTC was easily available, In fact the day I booked bus ticket, all seats were available for me to choose from !!!  HRTC must be happy to see the booking of bus two months in advance.

After all this, it was endless wait for one and half months, with each one reminding daily that it was one day less. I remember having lost complete interest in my office work in last week before our journey day. One of the days in between I and Shiv even purchased a DSLR with Ajay doing dual work of instigating us to buy DSLR with no personal benefit and also providing us with his expertise.Remembering all these events make me laugh but the adrenaline rush before the trek was so high. We didn't want to miss anything and our single minded focus was to make this trek a memorable one.

Start of our journey and trip to Chandigarh:  May 10^thfinally arrived. We were all backpacked and ready in the morning. Shreya and Nanabhai Sir reached Bandra station to board Paschim express an hour early. Ajay’s excitement was more than anyone else, He went all the way from Borivali to Bandra to board the train even though the train would have halted at Borivali station. His excuse was the train stops only for 2 minutes at Borivali.  Hell !!!!  Half of the train gets filled with people boarding from Borivali. I decided to board from Borivali which gave me another hour more for my last minute packing, thought would sleep for some more time but the excitement was such that I was awake at 5.30 am on that day. Our train was late by 30 minutes. This specially happens with me when I am super excited about something and that something never falls on time.

We were joined by Dr Shukla and his daughter Reem who even though had done booking at last minute had got the seats in the same compartment so now our group was bigger.  Reem was quietest of the lot, sitting in one corner, listening to songs, not interacting much with us. Dr Shukla kept assuring us that she will gel with us once she is comfortable. Now how do you make school girl comfy !!!!!!  We were bluntly refused every time we tried to involve her in some conversation or offered her something to eat. We were like aliens to her !!!

In the train Ajay developed an uncanny interest of taking note of all rivers and rivulets passing by and getting down at all stations where the train stopped to click pictures. He was doing live blogging and keeping his followers updated on his journey. Nanabhai Sir with his numerous years of trekking kept us engrossed in his stories. Our train journey was of 30 hours. I lost count of how many chai we had in our journey while Ajay lost his interest in noting the name of rivers and rivulets but he continued with clicking pictures of all stations. Not sure if he did that also in middle of night. I was off to sleep after Dr Shukla and me had sumptuous dinner meal which was ordered on TravelKhana and was delivered at Ratlam station. Morning again was not much to do in train, we just wiled away time. We reached Chandigarh around 3pm. Jeevan one of fellow trekker whom Ajay and Nanabhai Sir had met in previous trek with YHAI had travelled 200kms from his hometown just to receive us and be with us till we were in Chandigarh. I was truly amazed with his humbleness and hospitality. 

Our first stop was bus-stand luggage room in sector 17 where we dumped our luggage. One thing worth mentioning was fruit juice kiosk. Half glass of any milkshake is enough for any Mumbaite to get a loud burp and full glass is unthinkable from my standard. We settled for half glass of milkshake which was worth all the money.  

Moving on we did rickshaw ride passing through important landmarks in Chandigarh like Rose gardens, Leisure valley. I was in awe with the cleanliness and green cover. Chandigarh is regarded as one of the best cities in India with its planned urban development, wide and well maintained roads. With limited time that we had in our hand we only decided to see one of the main landmark – Rock garden and then if time permits get a sneak peek of Sukhna lake close by. The climate was very pleasant even in month of May partly because it had rained last night so we didn't feel the pinch of summer heat.

Rock garden was truly magnificent sculpture garden spread in area of 40 acres. Built completely with industrial and home waste and throw away items.  Truly amazed at scraps of bottle, bangles, titles, ceramics, electrical waste turned into sculptures and beautification objects. 

Equally amazed was story of how its founder Nek chand secretly started collecting waste and turned into a magnificent wonder.  

Also of interest is that Nek chand’s work has been recognized world wide and today USA owns largest collection of Chand’s work outside Chandigarh.

We didn't have much time but still decided to visit Sukhna lake. It’s again prominent tourist attraction. It seemed like half of Chandigarh had come with their families. Nevertheless we sat on the promenade on the banks of lake for sometime admiring the place. Now it was time to collect our luggage from sector 17 bus stand and move to sector 43 bus stand from where we were to move to Kullu. Rick shaw ride that we did in Chandigarh gave us glimpse of city life and its attractions. This short visit to the city was like a recce for us and would surely help us for more planned visit to the city in future.

Jeevan was still with us till the bus stand and only left after we had settled in our bus. Not budging to our request to go home as he had to travel back 200 kms and it was already 10 pm. Truly moved by his humble nature. We had dinner at the bus stand while Dr Manjusha and her friends and few of Nanabhai’s student also joined us. So our group was now a bigger lot with one more splinter group called Teja ka group joining us next day directly at base camp. Bidding adieu to Chandigarh and thanking Jeevan enough for all he had done for us we started our overnight bus journey to Kullu.  

Tomorrow will be our reporting at Seobagh base camp – Kullu.

(Contd:2)
http://traveladventuresbyme.blogspot.in/2014/07/chanderkhani-pass-call-of-mountains_2505.html

 Night trek to Siddhagad

April 02, 2014

"I have been off the trekking circuit !!!!" "It's been ages buddy since we have seen you " ..... Those were the reactions when I was seen as part of the group to Siddhagad trek. Well !!! It is true to some extent that I have been doing less treks than I used to but still the passion and urge to be in laps of Sahyadris is and will always be there. There is some allure about these mountains that cannot be explained in words but can only be experienced while trekking and this is what attracts me to them.

End of March and the dreaded summer is all set to engulf Sahyadris for next few months making it difficult to do treks during day time so here I was on night trek to Siddhagad. I had missed one of the range treks from Siddhagad to Padargad in October so it was my second attempt to be here. Meeting place for the trek was Kalyan station so my trek started 3 hrs earlier than actual meeting time when I left my house at Borivali to catch local to Dadar and then another one to Kalyan. Travelling in local trains especially from Dadar is no mean feat and probably worth more than a trekking experience. It was Saturday evening and it was more or less a smooth journey till Kalyan. We were to catch a local ST bus from Kalyan at 10.30 pm but as normally happens, some of the group members were late and we decided to catch the last bus to Murbad at 11.00 pm.

We were group of 24 with lot of new faces in the group. May be I need to become more regular on trek circuit !! Our ST was packed as soon as it arrived at Kalyan depot with our group and one more group heading towards Gorakhgad. We reached Murbad around 12.15 only to find from locals that due to bad road conditions the ST buses bound for Milhe village stops 4 kms away. So our actual trek started from the place where our ST bus dropped us. It was walk of around 45 minutes to Uchale village which was going to be base village for the trek. One can also go from Narivali village which is just 10 minutes away from Uchale.

A brief introductions and we were walking inside the Bhimashankar wild life sanctuary. It was surprisingly pleasant climate. We lost our way at the start of the trek and had to back trek and wait till our leaders went ahead to find the correct route. Initial route passed through some fields and forest area before we entered a small village. It was nice to see that all the houses in the village had electricity but lights were kept on in all the houses even though the entire village was asleep, could be because these houses had open doors and windows. We were welcomed by village dogs which eventually woke some villagers who guided us on right path on our way to the top.

It was around 1.30 am when we had started our trek, our aim was to reach Siddhagad machi by 5.00 am, rest for couple of hours and then do the onward journey to the top and be back for lunch at Siddhagad machi by 12.00 pm. The climb through the forest was gradual ascend and we were following the path which would would be gushing stream in rains made by waterfall from the mountains, As entire route was laden with rocks and stones of all sizes with soft mud at some places indicating the water in the rains would have got accumulated at this point bringing soft soil of the forest along with it. Bhimashankar region is famous for its rains and this trek would be an experience to try during the rainy season.

After a climb of around 2 hrs we came across a plateau which housed a lonely hut. It was best place for rest and most of the first timers wanted to rest here till wee hours but then it was decided to at least reach till machi before taking couple of hrs of rest.It was around 4.30 am when we reached a rock plateau and it was virtually a dead end. With dense forest around and no route to the top in sight, We decided to spend time here till first rays of sun.

As we lied down to rest our back, we were in for some spectacular display of stars, with clear sky and Amavasya night so no moon light and zero pollution. It was dazzling display of glittering stars I had ever seen. Due to fatigue from climbing, within no time, I was off to sleep and so were many of group members.

When we woke up, It was around 6.15 am. By that time our leader Aniket and Puneet had searched for correct path to the top. From this rock plateau one has to take a small traverse and then take a path to top, there is clear path with markers on the rocks from here.

Again from here it was a climb of 1 hour and 30 minutes. It was here we got first glimpse of Siddhagad mountains and neighboring hills.

We reached fortified entrance for Siddhagad machi village around 7.45 am. It was then a gradual walk of some 10 minutes before we could see a small hamlet of couple of houses.

Interesting to find a village at such a height and no motorable road to the top, these villagers would have to travel almost 2 -3 hrs one way to get basic things. On inquiring with our host at the village later, We found that they do one trip down and up to get household things every 15 days !!!

From the machi, one gets a clear view of neighboring Dumdumia hills which one has to criss-cross on the way to Bhimashankar. We could also see Gorakhgad top which has temple on it.

Siddhagad fort stood tall over the machi and first rays of sun turned the fort shine brightly. It was still early morning but the heat was too intense. We settled in the verandah of village house which was to be our resting place for the day.

Siddhagad fort top climb from machi is steep and with intense heat and overnight climb exhausting most of group members. Few decided to go up to the fort top while others including me decided to rest at the village. On the way to the top of Siddhagad, there is small cave of Sadhu baba where one can take some rest and it gives spectacular view of Gorakhgad and neighboring mountains. The top of the fort does not have any fortified structure but an entrance and small temple.

Our group decided to explore the village while our lunch was being cooked. The girls gang decided to get first hand experience of pulling water from village well and carrying it in metal matkas.

By the time we reached back to our host house, Our lunch of waran, bhath and spicy sabji was ready. It was again best lunch I had ever tasted.

I have always noticed that the simple food cooked by villagers seems to always have a unique taste, may be because its cooked with lot of warmth in the heart by village host and also because after a long and tiring climb in the forest and mountains we are dead hungry and what is served taste far more as hunger takes control. !!!  By the time we finished our lunch, Our rest of the group had come back from top. On hearing their experience of reaching the top, I felt it was wise decision of not making it to the top in blistering summer heat.

We started our return journey around 12.30 pm, initial descend till the plateau with lonely hut was smooth and fast. We reached within one hour of our descend and decided to wait for rest of the gang to join us, only to realize that 4 of our group members had not taken the correct path from the machi entrance and had gone straight on the way to Bhimashankar instead of climbing down. But luckily on the entire trek there is mobile network available and we were able to guide our lost friends to correct route.

From the lonely hut plateau to the base village it was descend in open with completely no shade and with blistering summer heat, It resulted in couple of group members suffering from dehydration. But luckily again villagers from the nearby village came to rescue who not only provided us with space to settle in their verandah, but also treated us with water, butter milk and chai. Not a single penny was charged from us and we could only thank them from the heart. It was all fine in the end and everyone was safe with no casualty in the group. Our leader Aniket arranged for two jeeps to pick us up from the entrance of Bhimashankar WLS which saved us another 45 minutes walk and ST bus travel to Kalyan.

Trek experience are always wonderful and even trek to Siddhagad was no exception, Barring our return journey in summer heat which took toll on some of our group members but thanks to those villagers for their kind hospitality. I don't regret to have not climbed up to the top of the fort which will be one more reason to trek the same mountains again in some other season.But it's a trek worth doing in winters and hopefully will come again to experience a new face of mountains in different season.

 Madhu Makrangad Trek through Javli forest from Hatlot village.

February 18, 2014

Trek : Madhu Makrangad
Type : Fort
Height : 4056 feet
Region : Satara
Base : Hatlot village
Route : Mumbai - Goa highway - Take Poladpur - Mahabaleshwar route after Mangoan - Take turn for Hatlot village some 1.5 kms after Pratapgad.
Base to Top time : 2 hrs to ascend and 40 min to descend.

History : The Madhu peak and Makrangad fort are situated side by side near Mahabaleshwar above the village of Hatlot. Not much is documented about the history of the place but the fort could have been built to protect Wai before Pratapgad came into existence after which it became redundant.Also other version says it was watch tower to keep an eye on movements in Hatlot pass and nearby areas. The fort does not have any fortification and there is temple of Bhairoba at the top which is taken care by local villagers of Ghonuspur. There is water tank on eastern side of the fort.

Mythological story : They say that during the exile of Pandavas, they have stayed at this place. They dug 6 tanks out of which only one of them was filled with water which is today called Pandav water tank, which is located on eastern side of the fort. Also story goes that nobody has been able to find the depth of the tank and water is filled in the cistern throughout the year though its not potable.

Getting there : There are few routes to reach the fort. Most common is from base village of Hatlot, ST buses ply from Mahabaleshwar to Hatlot though the frequency is not very good. From Hatlot one can reach the Northern side of the fort passing through Javli forest. Other route is from Chaturbet village, from here the route is kaccha road to Ghonuspur village on southern side of the fort. One can get bike all the way up to Ghonuspur village from where its a climb of 20 minutes.

My Trek : This was my 3rd back to back trek on weekend after my stint with Jaundice and out of trek circuit for nearly 3 months. But now back with bang !!!! Hoping to cover the lost ground of not been able to trek in last quarter of 2013. ;-). After my Rajgad - Torna range trek, I was looking for some easy trek as didn't want to stretch myself to a limit. I also wanted to explore a new place and the trek to Madhu Makrangad by Shikharvedh was one that fit my requirement.

We were group of 13 including our leader Jagdish Patil. We started from Dadar east around 11.30 pm. It was overnight bus ride to the base village of Hatlot and our trek was to start in morning after breakfast. I was off to sleep as soon as we started and I am sure others would also have squeezed some sleep as when I woke up around  5 pm we were on the curvy hill road to village of Hatlot. With Mumbai experiencing rain in winters after a long time on day before, it was already cold and chilly in Mumbai and when we reached the base village, no body had guts to open the bus window. It was still dark and we decided to be in cozy comfort of our closed bus than be in cold outside till first rays of Sun. By first rays of Sun we all were out to experience the bone chilling weather of Mahabaleshwar region. In no time, our group was ready with bon-fire and after morning chorus had our breakfast of delicious poha and hot chai at villagers home.

Around 7.30 am we started our trek to saddle-back shaped mountain peak of Madhu Makrangad. At the start of the trek one has to pass through fields and then one has to cross iron bridge over a dried stream. One noticeable thing about the Hatlot village houses were that they had huge verandah. As soon as we crossed the bridge, it was now a gradual ascend through dense forest. Its a proper route to the top and very less chance of one loosing the trek.

With winter chill in the air and shade of the forest cover didn't pinch while doing the ascend. Also its a small trek with ascend doesn't take more than 2 - 2.30 hrs so we were also climbing at slow pace with occasionally stopping for a break and photo session.

After a climb of almost an hour, we came across a small plateau from where one can get a fabulous view of Mahabaleshwar and its surrounding mountain range. With first rays of sun adding to the beauty of the mountains. One just cannot stop but fall in love with Sahyadris !!!! So picture perfect .....

Also the view of Hatlot village with its small houses and surrounding fields make it a perfect desktop wallpaper click. From the plateau it was normal walk for sometime through the forest after which we came at Bhairoba temple outside Ghonaspur village. Its a typical village temple but it was neat and clean with small lit diya. Maintained by villagers of Ghonaspur. Outside the temple they have made covered platform which can be used by trekkers for night stay. We had reached here by 9 am and had ample time in our hand so we spend some time munching on snacks that everyone was carrying.

From the temple the climb to the top takes approx 20-30 minutes but it doesn't have any shade. Also the climb is through a ridge and then some steps to reach the eastern side of the fort.

There is cave filled with water. Though the water is not potable. The brief history mentioned on the board nearby said that this was built by Pandavas during their stay in exile and no one has yet been able to locate how deep this cave is. It mentioned that this is only one cave out of 6 built by Pandavas which has water.

From the cave one has to climb steps to reach the top which though not that difficult is little steep. But it was easily managed by everyone and finally at around 10 am we were at the to of Makrangad. At the top again there is small temple devoted to Lord Shiva. Statue of Nandi and Shivling carved out of stone is placed outside the temple. The surroundings of the temple is covered with tall grass which was dried.

Inside the temple, the walls were lined with stone carved statues of different gods and goddess. The statues indicated the place was part of our rich history. From the top the panoramic view of surrounding peak and mountains was mesmerizing. One can see Pratapgad towards North west, Koyna Backwaters to the South east, Mahabaleshwar on North east, Mahipatgad, Rasalgad and Sumargad on the west.

Madhu peak is connected with Makrangad by very narrow ridge and one has to climb down and then climb up which was quite risky and no one from the group attempted it. The top of the fort has sufficient space and we settled under a shade of a small tree. It was time for munching and photo session.

Outside the temple there is small tree that was full of red berries with some ripe ones were in black color. Some of my trek mates enjoyed eating them. After spending some time at the top, we descended from western side of the fort. The climb down from here is much simpler but one has to be careful as route is full of scree and we had some slips in the group though nothing serious.

Back again at Ghonaspur temple, we now decided to move to the village where our lunch was waiting for us. The village of Ghonaspur is situated on a plateau with handful of houses and fields. We reached one villagers house which was our destination for lunch, We settled outside the house which had a huge shaded verandah.

Our lunch was simple roti, dal and rice with some really hot dry chutney. The villagers still cook food on wood collected from the forest and food had a unique taste and was most tastiest food I had ever eaten. After lunch one of our trek colleague Suhas Sawant entertained us with some Marathi songs. It seems that he was duet singer and was working with celebrity singers of Bollywood. We also met one old villager who claimed to be 110 years old and still was going strong.

We started our return journey around 1.30 pm. The descend was pretty fast and we were back at the base village of Hatlot in almost 45 minutes.

We freshened up at village tank and after some more photo-shoot at the iron bridge we started our return journey around 3.30 pm bidding adios to Hatlot village and Madhu Makrangad.

On the way we decided to visit the smarak of Tanaji Malasure in village of Umrat. One has to drive approx 10 kms from main Poladpur - Mahabaleshwar road after Pratapgad. It was worth a visit to one of greatest warriors of Hindu - Maratha empire. We started our return journey to Mumbai after stopping at Poladpur for some amazing evening snack of Missal pav and hot chai. The return journey was again a dark sore in our entire trip as due to road construction and traffic on Mumbai - Goa road we managed to reach Dadar only at 11.30 pm but it was one wonderful trek in dense Javli forest and one can get to view the village life from close quarters. I plan to be back here again hopefully combine the trip with another well known and famous fort of Pratapgad.

 Kulangad trek - An awesome trek -king awesome

November 02, 2013

Its every trekkers dream to at least explore once the A.M.K range, The sheer look of A.M.K gives you the chill in the spine. !!! Alang, Madan and Kulang forts fall in Igatpuri range and can be seen standing tall from miles on Mumbai - Nasik highway. A.M.K range has always petrified most of the Sahyadri trekkers. Climbing Alang and Madan requires climbing skills due to rock patches on the way while Kulang the easiest of the three offers the highest climb of 4822 ft from sea-level and is one of the longest treks in Sahyadris.

About Kulang : Not much is known about the history of the fort except that they were captured by Peshwas from Mughals in 1760 and British took over the forts from Peshwas after heavy gun battle in 1818. But the number of water cisterns on the top of the fort some of which are huge and deep along with the cave and darbar like structures do indicate that the fort has played important role in the bygone era.

Type : Fort
Region : Igatpuri, Kalsubai range
Height : 4822 feet above sea level
Base village : Ambewadi and Kurungwadi
Time to ascend : 5-6 hrs.
Time to descend : 4-5 hrs.

My Trek : This rainy season of 2013 has been quite fruitful for the trekker in me as I was able to explore quite few trekkers paradise like HCG, Ratangad, Kalsubai and many more places this year. Having been to such places gave me confidence to do treks which are in medium to tough grade and also high in endurance level. So when TMI group decided for a trek to Kulang on 25th - 26th October, I didn't really want to miss out the opportunity. I thought Yes I could do this one as well !!! I have not completely overcome the fear of heights but yes with so many treks completed, I could now withstand the fear and overcome it quickly. Someone in my previous trek said "Dar ke aage jeet hai but mere liye dar hi jeet hai", These words have left a mark, reminding me each time before the trek, not to be complacent but also not to have the fear in me. I had registered for this trek well in advance and waited eagerly for the day to arrive. This trek was going to be of two day trek with one night stay in the caves at the top. The night before our journey day, all I could do was to check the picasa link of trekkers who had been here before to understand how the journey is going to be for me....... fear was back !!!! Today I smile while writing this blog, sitting with ease in my office chair but yes there were anxious moments before the trek.

All packed and geared for two day journey to Kulangad, I left my house for our meeting place at Dadar stn. It was decided to catch the last local train to Kasara at 12.30am. I must have reached half and hour early only to find that there was not a single known face and not only that I couldn't find anyone from TMI. My heart sank again !!! Not that I didn't knew our leader - Vishal but that small comfort of having someone whom you know on trek, could help in overcoming the anxious moments. Slowly after some time, Chintan walked in, I had met him in my previous trek and I felt now I have some known company. And then it was Rids who came in with a backpack equal to her height. I was so delighted to see her that I almost shouted her name !!!, So now that anxious moment of not knowing anyone on the trek was no more. Rids also informed me that Mahen along with his brother, sister-in-law and friend had reached the station long ago and were sitting in farthest corner of the station. So I had few more known faces now. Our group was of 26 people, more than I had expected and I knew now that it was going to be two days of pure fun and pure adventure. Others joined in from different stations as we moved towards Kasara. We reached Kasara by 3 am and were off in two tum-tums to our base village of Ambewadi. On the way we stopped at highway dhaba for midnight hot cuppa which for me had become a routine as had been doing treks almost every weekend but still I do enjoy that hot chai in middle of night on a highway dhaba.

It was 5am when we zipped past the base village to the point which was going to be our starting point of the journey. It was pitch dark with cool breeze blowing, We could only see the outline of the enormous mountain range in moonlight with star lit sky. I don't know when was last time I had looked at the stars and admired them. Our daily life in the city don't allow us this leisure !!! A quick round of introduction followed.

Vishal - our leader suggested that we start our journey without spending any time here as it would help us in climbing early and also we could avoid the hot sun in the afternoon. So with our torches flashing, we started our journey. Initial walk was passing through the paddy fields.With Vishal having informed us that the area was infested with Russell Viper snake, everyone was busy flashing the torch on the grounds just to avoid or stay away from deadly ones. We didn't find any on our entire journey was different story !!!. We lost our way twice but Vishal was able to locate the correct way in no time. After a walk of almost an hour, we halted on rock plateau which was surrounded by paddy fields and also had a stream of running water. This was our halt for morning chores.

By the time we again started our journey, it was early morning with first rays of sun and weather was perfect. We could see the A.M.K range standing tall in front of our eyes. Alang on left, Madan in middle and Kulang on the right. M was showing off the natural hole or needhe carved by the wind in the mountain range. We got the first glance of our destination - Kulang and also could see our path to the top. The first rays of sun turning the entire mountain in golden color was mesmerizing.

Kulang looked massive, huge and challenging !!!!! Vishal also defined the path that we were going to follow. Climbing from the south side close to Madan mountain range and then walk on straight path in middle of the mountain towards North and then take the steps all the way to the top.

The initial walk of almost one hour from the base village passes through landscape and fields after which one has to walk through thick plantation and route is rugged one with steep slopes and stones. We were enjoying our climb slowly, chit chatting along the way. The route also criss crossed dried waterfall path which I am sure would be difficult to navigate during the rainy season with the force of gushing water from the mountains. But today there was no waterfall and we slowly moved our way up.

We must have climbed for another one hour 30 minutes when we reached the first plateau. What a climb it was !!! But having reached this place which was like standing half way into the mountain range. It gave picture perfect view of the landscape surrounding the base village. Nicely carved paddy fields with mountain range overlooking them. We could see the Kalsubai mountain range far away covered in morning fog with first rays of sun falling on them. It was absolute beauty !!!!! Words just cannot describe the beauty of the place.

I read somewhere which is so very true,

" Mountains are not stadiums where I satisfy my ambition to achieve, they are cathedrals where I practice my religion.... I go to them as Humans go to worship. From their lofty summits I view my past, dream of my future and with unusual acuity, am allowed to experience the present moment.... my vision cleared...my strength renewed. In the mountains I celebrate creation. On each journey I am reborn !!!!!"

The group resumed the trek after taking a short halt. The path was now traversing through thorny shrubs and tall plants. After every few minutes of walk, there were dried waterfall path where the rocks were placed one above the other to streamline the flow of waterfall. At every interval we would come across opening among the tall plants giving us the beautiful view of the landscape below. After walking for another hour more, we had now reached the northern part of Kulang from where we now had to climb up the muddy trail amidst karvy like shrubs. But before doing the ascend we decided to take another halt under a mango tree. Our halt was much needed break for all to renergise.  We had done almost 3hrs and 30min of walk and climb till now.

After a long break, we resumed our climb from here which was the most trickiest as now we had to climb the steps carved from the rocks. The top of the fort was still illusive and landscapes at the base village was turning smaller and smaller as we gained height. Mahen who was back lead encouraging us to climb slowly. As we climbed one set of steps, the other would be there to welcome us again as we moved on winding path. Not much shade on the way now, the sun was turning out to be slowly sucking our energy.

After every successful climb of set of steps, we would take a small halt to recoup our energy by gulping on electrol water. Electrol water is nothing short of life saver on treks. There are total of 5 major rock cut steps and 2 smaller ones. Slowly we were inching towards the top but looking down, sometimes I would feel the butterflies running in my stomach. At some point I decided to stop looking down and concentrate on climbing up. The karvy like shrubs growing on the mountain slopes are really the saviours for even if one would slip, you wouldn't be deep down in the valley and these shrubs would come handy.

Vishal had asked us to collect whatever dried stems or twigs that we could find as it was our only source of cooking food. We tried collecting as much as we could as we moved up. At one point, I came across the steps which were bit risky for one side was mountain and other side was deep valley but taking support and moving slowly I was able to cover it up. After this patch was our last patch of proper steps to the fort, we had almost done it after another 2hours of climb so we had now covered almost 5 hr and 30 min of climb. wow !!!! I had done it without much fear ......

The feeling of reaching at the top, at the summit was moment of pride for me. So beautiful. !!!! As I slowly climbed the last few steps, I looked down with no fear this time. 4800 feet above sea level and I was at the top. Just before the entrance there are two small caves where one can also stay but we were going to stay in main cave on the plateau.

I walked on the plateau, completely exhausted and drenched in sweat. But the fatigue disappeared with the feeling of being on the top and the mesmerizing view of the surrounding mountain range. It was pure bliss. The first thing that one sees on Kulang is the water cisterns, 8 of them in all, filled with water but that could wait as I wanted to remove the weight from my shoulders.

Cisterns and Alang point at far end

Chota Kulang point

I walked straight to the cave. Though cave was big enough to accommodate more than 30 people but some corners of the cave was filled with water and ground was wet. Luckily close to the entrance there was enough dry space for us to keep our bags and spread our mats or sleeping bags. Outside the sun was blazing hot but inside the cave it was cool and in no time after some food, some of them including me were off to a small afternoon nap while others had started to explore the place.

After taking rest for in afternoon, some of us decided to first explore the right side of the cave which leads to Chota Kulang point. On our way close to the cave, I saw few more water tanks one of which we used for our drinking water requirement as water seemed clean. Even in hot sun the water of these tanks remain cool !!!!

There are two stone structures close to the cave, they were completely destroyed and what remained was just the foundation. It seemed to be like a meeting place or a darbar place where occupants of the fort must have been using to do their strategy meetings or get together. Some remnants indicated some house like structures did exist which could have been used for storing or staying. The path to Chota Kulang point passes through a narrow ridge, on both the sides we could see the beautiful landscape and farms at the base village. Chota Kulang is extension of the same mountain which has been cut by the force of the wind into smaller Kulang and bigger one !!! The view from the farthest point was truly breathtaking !!!

Alang

Madangad

As suggested by Vishal, that for getting better view of sunset we would need to go to other end of the fort, So around 4.30pm we walked  towards the left side of our cave which was viewing point of Alang, Madan and other forts like Ajobagad, Ratangad and Katrabai range.

On the way again, there were few more water cisterns which were used earlier by our group for a swim. Further away there are 3 large water tanks where water from the top of the mountain flows in. A small dam has been built over it as part of water conservation. The entire plateau of Kulang is massive and it can easily take over 30-40 minutes to go from one end to other.

From here, we got some breathtaking view of massive Alang and Madan. We could see the caves of Alang at a distance. Other forts and range that we noticed was Ajobagad, Katrabai range, Ratangad and Bhandardhara lakes surrounding it. It was still time for sunset and the group indulged in photo shoot at this point. One particular thing that we noticed was the entire plateau doesn't have a single tree. Its just plain rocks and small grass everywhere.

As soon as it was time for sunset, clouds started playing spoilsport. Sunset was completely blocked under clouds. But it was again blessings in disguise as we got some amazing clicks of sun hidden behind the clouds. Also in no time the cloud almost engulfed the western side of the plateau and caves. We all were so engrossed in chit chat and photo shoot that we didn't realize that it was getting dark and we had to cook food in traditional way from wood fire.

Reaching our cave, we all settled while Addi and ladies chef in our group started the preparation for knorr soup and pulao. As it got dark in the evening, the temperature dropped and we were feeling chill in the air with everyone who had planned to sleep outside the cave, slowly deciding to change the plan and sleep inside the cave. Our chefs first served us piping hot Knorr soup which was the need of the hour, giving some warmth to the body and it was followed by amazingly tasty pulao. Now it was time to be little cozy and with food cooked on wood fire having created smoke which drived all mosquitoes from the cave, it was best place to sleep now. With nothing else to do, I was asleep in no time in the cave. I must have slept around 9 pm while others gossiped and sang songs. I had the best sound sleep not aware of what was happening around. We all were awake by 6.30 am as it was time to capture sunrise.

Taking our camera we all headed east towards Alang point. The ground was covered with morning dew to the extent that all our shoes and trousers were wet by walking among the grass. As we were moving towards our point, I didn't noticed the wet slippery rocks and here I was counting stars in early morning !!!! It was nastiest fall ever for me... Lucky that I didn't had a slip disc problem. But the pain vanished with beauty that engulfed again. The first rays of Sun on 4822 feet !!!! Just wow.

Basking in first rays we indulged in capturing it in our lens. The first rays of sun slowly covering Alang and Madan mountain range was the moment not to be missed and we were lucky enough to have witnessed the spectacle. After spending some time at the point, we returned back to our cave. We had some more time before we bid adios to the Kulang mountain. Sitting on top of the cave, getting the warmth on the body from the morning sun rays and waiting for morning tea was all that we could ask for. Addi - our chef, once again with helping hands from his wife, Rids, Neepa and others prepared the nicest tea and breakfast of maggie pulao. It was yummy breakfast from all the mummy's in the group. Not to forget the breakfast of Thepla's which were never ending from the time we started our trek, Someone or the other would come up with thepla's.

Also worth mentioning was Krishna Kaya who carried two papayas, all the way to the top, making this trek as fruitilious trek. But on treks, everything taste yummy no matter what !!!

With all packed again, We bid adios to Kulang at 11.30 am. The return journey was more thrilling then I had expected. The rock steps seemed more vertical and valleys more deep. While climbing I couldn't gauge the depth or may be I was not looking at it but it was all in front of the eyes now. Slowly we began our descend, calculatingly putting each foot on the rocks. that thrill I just cant forget. The thrill lasted for over an hour by that time we were all safely back to the place where mango tree stood tall and from here it was again walk among the thorny shrubs and tall plants to the south. Vishal indicated that we would be taking longer route due to one difficult patch on the way so we descended via waterfall route which was full of boulders and huge rocks. The place would really have waterfall falling from massive height of 4800 feet but now it was all dried up. We came across one small stream from a small waterfall which really quenched our thirst and provided us with cold water, it was welcome relief from humidity and blazing sun.

We were back at the starting point of our trek by 2.30 pm and had descended in around 3 hr and 30 min which was not bad by any standards. But it was not all as we now had to walk to the base village which was 4 kms away. Oh boy !!! Ambewadi village seemed like mirage, we could see the village but just couldn't push that last leg of our journey in hot sun. Finally around 3.30 pm we stepped in the village. What welcomed us was the water tank almost 3-4 stories high was getting cleaned so water was pumped out which served as waterfall for us. Standing under the falling water was all that one could ask for after such a trek. Walking to the house of one of the villagers where our lunch was ready. Spicy sabji with dal and rice was best lunch ever. We all had successfully completed one hell of a memorable trek to Kulangad, words cannot be expressed for this trek it can only be experienced. It was by far my best trek ever. On our return journey, Vishal arranged for a tempo ride back to Kasara which was a joy ride and from there we took the train journey back home.

This was one memorable trek which I would remember for long. Blogged down the experience so that memories would come fresh each time I read about it. Hopefully come back again some other time to explore and experience the same thrill and fun again. I bow to the mighty Sahyadri mountains for getting me one more feather in my trekking cap.

I close with a quote from the famous movie "The way - 2010" where Martin Sheen's son tells him                                                      "You don't choose a life Dad, you live it"

 Ramshej fort - My trek to the fort which remained invincible for Mughals

October 22, 2013

Come weekend and I get adrenaline rush to go on some treks in Sahyadris. This time the visit was to a small fort in North west of Nashik city called Ramsej or Ramshej. The fort is about 3273 ft on Nashik - Peth road. Base village is Ashewadi.

Ramsej fort : This fort lies approx 14 kms north west of Nashik city. Despite its small size, it has special mention in hard hitting battle history between Marathas and Mughals. History reads that after death of Shivaji Maharaj many forts put up strong resistance under leadership of his son Sambhaji. This tiny fort was no exception. Mughals boasted that they would capture the fort in few hours to a day but our great Marathas resisted all attacks by Mughals to capture it for long seven and half years. Mughals were only able to capture it by paying bribe to new killedar after long years of battle !!! Later Ramsej fort was one of the 17 strongholds which were surrendered to British in 1818. Also mythological story goes that it got the name Ramsej which means Lord Ram's bedstead as during his stay in exile Lord Ram had stayed in the caves on this fort.

My Visit : This time on weekend I decided to visit Ramsej fort along with TMI group. They had planned overnight trek to the place starting on Saturday night by bus from Dadar. The fort comes in easy grade and not much effort is required to climb it but on reading the history of the fort, It was quite interesting so I was sure the visit would be equally worthwhile. So here I was all backpacked on Saturday night, on my way to Dadar to meet the group on our quest to explore yet another place which had played important part in our history.

A small group of 19 people lead by Vikram, Sai and Jal drove in mini bus to base village of Ashewadi on Nashik - Peth road. We left Dadar around 11.30pm picking up some group members from Thane. With Jal and Mahen in the group, TMI antakshari started as soon as bus left Dadar and classics was the flavour with probably all classic hit songs were sang by all, Ably joined by Shree, Vikram, Sai and others from Thane. In no time we were cruising on the Kasara Nashik highway as there was not much traffic in wee hours. It was perfect jamming session till we stopped on highway dhaba for hot cuppa of tea & coffee. Midnight tea on highway dhaba has its own charm and is always welcome, at least I wouldn't miss it !!!

Back in the bus to our destination, the singing continued till late in the night I don't know for how long as I didn't realise when I went off to sleep. Itinerary was that we would have to spend some hours in the bus after we reached in the wee hours. We must have reached base village by 4ish when I opened my half closed eyes only to find some of group members busy asleep on bus seat while others chatted sitting in open sky outside the bus. I decided to take finish some more sleep before we get ready for the trek on first Sun rays. Around 6.30am it was wake up call for everyone as Vikram had arranged for breakfast and tea at village dhaba. With hot cuppa tea and whole loads of Poha, we were all now ready for our trek to the fort.

The fort stood tall on the small mountain with small houses lined below at the base village. We moved past the small village houses on our way to the top with curious eyes in the village watching our group go past their houses. Stopping at one of the huge village house which was temple dedicated to Lord Hanuman. As we started our climb up, we could see the fields below and vast tracks of open land as far as eyes could see. At farther distance, some water bodies with small dams build on it, clearly indicating it was effort towards rain water conservation.

Within 30 minutes we were standing below what seemed to be rock cut cave. On reaching the cave we found a small Shivling surrounded by water. We noticed that there was opening right above the Shivling in the ceiling of the cave from where the water would have dropped from the top.

At the entrance there was another Ram temple which was probably another cave converted into a temple occupied by a Sadhu with dreadlocks of hair (Jata). He was busy in his prayers so we decided to visit the temple on our way back. At the side of the temple there were proper steps carved which took us to a small cave filled with water. The temple was built on the cave. Interesting .......

As we reached the top, we saw a huge plateau with picture perfect 180 degree view of entire region with neighbouring hillocks and mountains.

There was small neatly carved entrance which we found was leading to a cave hidden on the plateau. This cave was perfect hiding place which surely would have given the advantage to Marathas fight against Mughals. The fortification was still intact and made one wonder the skilled engineering work done by our predecessors in bygone era.

On the left was huge plateau or so called machi and on the right side there was tunnel with steps which lead to the main fort. The main entrance was still intact and also within that fort was secret tunnel with steps which had small opening, On closer look we found that it was same opening which was right above the Shivling. May be this was secret entrance to the fort and was aptly used by Marathas to their advantage in their war against Mughals. I stood in awe, admiring the engineering and construction skills that went in making this fort.

But this was not all as above the fort there was small hillock which we were yet to explore. There was yet another small temple dedicated to a goddess and as we climbed up the hill, we found numerous water tanks and cisterns. There was small pond with fortified walls. There was almost 10-12 water cisterns carved in different places which was clever work of water conservation. From the top the view of entire mountain range of Trimbak, Satmala, Bhorgad and vast plains was simply breathtaking. We spent some time here with everyone trying to capture the beauty of the place in their lens and Why not ? The place offered some stunning views.

From the top, we could see radar installation on neighbouring mountain. The place is also home to Indian white back vultures and we were lucky enough to spot one flying right above our head.

With very little shade at the top and sun getting blazing hot, we decided to move back to main Ram temple which had some shade. Taking some rest here, we had our lunch that we were carrying. We also explored the Ram temple cave which was neatly maintained by the devotees and the resident sadhu baba.

It was just 11.30 am and we had explored the entire place. Descending back to the base village which hardly took 30 minutes, We sat under a huge tree thinking of what next ?? Someone came up with idea of visiting Sula Vineyard which was close by before we head back home and the plan was unanimously approved by one and all.

On inquiring we found that Sula was just 25-30 kms from the place and would be on our way to Mumbai. So off we were for wine tasting at SULA VINEYARD. At SULA we opted directly for wine tasting rather than the tour which except two, everyone participated in. With some interesting things that we learned about wines and after tasting 4 different wines, we were back on our way home with yet another interesting day coming to an end, yet another interesting fort explored by us all.

Hoping for yet another adventure trip next week to yet another adventurous place, till then ... ADIOS !!!

 A visit to Korlai fort also called "Castle Curlew or EL Moro" and Korlai lighthouse

October 22, 2013

Monsoon was in its end of season mood with rains coming for few hours in a day or at times it was complete dry spell of heat. Taking into consideration the variance in temperature, Dr Ajay suggested that we do some offbeat treks and not go for pure treks. It was finalized that we go for small trek to Korlai fort and lighthouse near Alibaug. It was interesting and I decided to join them. As I had been to Kanhoji Angre lighthouse near Alibaug and this was going to be my 2nd lighthouse visit. It was going to be on Sunday - Oct 13th and meeting place was decided at Churchgate station at 7 am.

Korlai fort history : Korlai also called Castle Curlew or EL moro is a Portuguese fort in village of Korlai. It was built on the island of Moro de Chaul which guards the way to Revdanda creek. This strategic position of fort helped Portuguese defend their interest from Korlai to Bassein. This fort was built in 1521 under the permission from Sultanate of Ahmednagar. The fort moved from hands of Portuguese to Ahmednagar sultanate and back to Portuguese and finally in hands of Maratha's from 1739 - 1818. 

The fort is 2828 feet long and and average breath is 89 feet. It had 305 battlement for guns and could be entered by 11 gates (four outer and seven inner). Vestiges of Portuguese occupation are manifested in distinct dialect spoken by Korlai villagers till date which is "Kristi" which is mix of Portuguese Creole and local Marathi.

My Visit : Since last 15 days there were some news about cyclone Phalin going to hit the east coast of India and as the day came near, it turned out that the cyclone was strongest to hit Indian shores in a decade or more. Though the cyclone was in the Bay of Bengal, the depression caused some rains here in Mumbai a night before our visit. I was hoping that on our day of visit, it shouldn't rain for it would spoil the view and our photo shoot of the place. I woke up early around 5 am only to find it was drizzling a bit. By the time I started my train journey to Churchgate from Borivali, it has started to rain heavily. My heart sank thinking about rains playing spoilsport and visit was going to be a disaster as rains would come with fog and we would not be able to capture the place in our lens. Drenched in rains, I just reached Gateway in nick of time for our yacht was about to depart to Alibaug. We were only 5 of us and some of our group members had cancelled due to Phalin rains fear or due to last day of Navratri festival. 

So here we were, 5 musketeers on the way to explore what Korlai had to offer. Luckily moment we left the shores of Mumbai, rains had stopped, Our yacht was not crowded as compared to normal Sunday's. As Mumbai skyline move farther away from us, we got spectacular closeup of ships docked in the sea. Amazing to see some of them as high as 5-6 stories or more and were as good as small housing societies. Some were dredgers, some like floating oil rigs and multi-purpose vessels. We also got a chance to see a submarine peeping out of the sea !!!!

It took almost one hour to reach Mandwa port and from there it was 40 minutes bus ride to Alibaug ST stand. As everyone had left early from the house, We all were dead hungry and our first stop was at Udipi restaurant opposite ST stand. With hunger controlling our mind, we stopped looking at the ticking time, Consequences of which was that moment we reached ST stand to catch a bus for Murud, one bus just zipped past us and next bus was only one hr later at 11.30am !!!! It was hilarious situation for us that bus we wanted to board just went past us and we just kept starring. Now rather than waiting for one hour we decided to explore the option of tum-tum and Korlai is approx 20kms from Alibaug.

If we hire own tum-tum, it was costing Rs 200/- till Korlai while shared one till Revdanda market would cost Rs 15/- and from there to Korlai would be another Rs 20/-. It was unanimous choice to go for shared one. It was bumpy joy ride all the way to Revdanda and then till Revdanda bridge. We decided to walk down from the bridge as it would allow us to check the Korlai village life.

Walking past the paddy fields on one side and Revdanda creek on the other, we could see the Korlai fort standing tall at a distance. Rains had completely stopped and it was bright and sunny now. Disadvantage was that its was quite hot as we walked towards the village. Korlai village population would around 5000 people. We walked past small row houses and narrow lanes, being a Sunday afternoon, not much people were on the roads. There was one unique temple in middle of village called Bapuji temple. It didn't really look like one from outside. It was huge village house but inside they it housed the local deity and framed pictures of Hindu god's and goddess adorned the walls inside.

On asking direction, we were told that there is one of way to go to fort is from the lighthouse compound and road to the lighthouse is typical coastal road with sea on one side and mountain on the other. We decided to follow the coastal road. The village houses close to the seashore were uniquely painted. Each house wall was painted in different bright colours and it really looked awesome. Some houses in the village were huge ones, may be belonged to the elite class of the village.

Korlai beach was clean and view spectacular. A quite serene beach with alternate white and black sand. It was completely empty and seems to stretch on forever. Would have loved to take a dip in waves hitting the shores but our destination was the lighthouse and then the fort. The way to the lighthouse is narrow strip of coastal road cut from the mountains. On our way, we stopped for quite a few occasions for a photo shoot as the view was spectacular with beaches down below and hill fort above.

Lighthouse from the village is only a small distance away and we were standing at the gate in no time. Gate seemed closed but light of hope was few bikes parked outside the gate. As we walked inside, we found a security and a caretaker sitting inside. The lighthouse compound was neatly done garden and some cannons put on show and there were small cabins just after the gates. It also had huge satellite dish and quarters to stay at the backyard. There was huge steel structure which seems to house something like a telescope which we later found was a radar and a telescope remotely connected all the way to Shipping ministry in Delhi.

On enquiring caretaker was more than glad to give us a tour of the lighthouse, charges were nominal at Rs 10/- per head and camera charges at Rs 20/-. The way to the top was through spiral staircase from inside a room. One thing which was striking was that entire compound was neat and clean. We climbed all the way to the top of lighthouse tower. View from here was simply awesome. The fort was clearly visible at the back and in front it was blue sea as far as we could see.

On talking with caretaker, we found that he was an engineer stationed at the lighthouse. He first asked us to do photo shoot if we wanted and then he would give us insight about the entire place works. Seemed pretty exciting for us. Again photo shoot followed. On talking with him, we found that the lighthouse was built in 1955 and fully automated, helping ships navigate and stay on their channel (route). Also explained in details how there was a set of 4 backups for the lighthouse to function without any breakdown. The tall structure which was close by was radar to keep a close eye and was constantly beaming pictures via satellite to our coast guards. He also provided insight on bright colour of lighthouse and how each lighthouse would have different set of colour combination and how the ship captain would identify on basis of this from his manual of his exact location and his channel. It was truly amazing to know how the entire lighthouse functioned and the caretaker gave us complete insight. Thanking the caretaker heartily we now decided to explore the fort, one of the route to the fort was neatly carved steps from the lighthouse compound.

The steps were steep but not many and in no time we were standing at the entrance of the fort which had stood by time and was reminiscent of our rich history. The fort was covered with thick growth of vegetation.

We decided to first explore the north side. Huge entrances welcomes the visitors on each side of the fort. View of the entire sea and Revdanda creek was spectacular, clearly making one wonder the importance of fort and its strategic location. It was around 12.30pm so we decided to have our packed lunch in shade of the fort gate.

Now it was time to go down south, as we were told at the lighthouse that southern part of fort was where the some attraction was and also it was our way back to the village. On the way we came across some water cisterns.Some canons still hold guard at strategic locations of the fort, they are truly the silent spectator of the forgone years.

The best part of this fort is that on eastern side lies the Arabian sea and on the western side lies the Revdanda creek so if we climb and peep from the walls of the fort on either side one would see blue waters. We also saw some inscription in Portuguese on the two of the gates. At the southern end of fort lies the abandoned church. We spend some time sitting in the church and doing some photo shoots again.

After exploring the fort, We moved down to the village through the western side of the fort. I really wanted to listen to villagers conversation in local dialect of "Kristi" but we couldn't find any. The sun had taken toll on us but small shop in heart of village came to our rescue. The lady at the shop not only sold us chilled water but also gave us lime, sugar and salt which we made into fresh numbu pani. Luckily we also got rickshaw for Revdanda immediately and were back at Alibaug by 4.30pm. On reaching Alibaug we only found that there was no boat for Gateway before 6.30pm and we had almost one hr 30 minutes gap. Again tea and some snacks followed. By the time we reached Mandwa port it was almost 7pm and sun had already set. On the way back the ships parked in middle of sea sported completely different look with full lights on and Mumbai skyline looked like glittering diamonds in the night. Before moving back home by train. We stopped at famous Parsi ice cream shop Warden to feast on their sandwich ice creams which I have cherished from my days in college at Jai-hind in early nineties. It was yet another of my adventures coming to an end.

Next weekend hoping to be on another of my adventure trips to some other exotic locations. Till then Au revoir ......

 Ratangad - Sonki flower special trek to jewel fort

October 12, 2013

Trekking season starts with first rains in Sahyadris mountain range, this year I had a "bucket list of to do treks", It included those spots in Sahyadris which are must do for all trekkers. These spots called Trekkers paradise just cannot be missed. One of them was "Ratangad".... The jewel fort in Sahyadris. It was on my do list for quite sometime and when TMI announced this trek, I just grabbed it with open arms. Another special thing about this trek was that It was organised at the time when Ratangad mountains are engulfed in very special yellow flower called "SONKI" in local language and biological name is "SENECIO GRAHAMII". Its during the later half of September with rains in departing mood and with sun shining bright after 3-4 months of rainy dull, it brings fresh lease of life on these lush green mountains. One of nature spectacle is SONKI flowers full blossom on the mountains creating a yellow carpet amidst lush greenery everywhere. So here I was backpacked and on my way to Ratangad.

Ratangad as the name suggest means 'JEWEL FORT". Its origin is around 2000 years old. It was one of the favorite fort of Emperor Shivaji. The location of the fort is such that it is surrounded by other important forts and due to strategic location of the fort it was called Ratangad. The base village is Ratanwadi overlooking Bhandardhara - one of the oldest catchment area. The famous Bhandardhara dam is just few kms away. One of other main attraction is the "Amruteshwar temple" at Ratanwadi which dates back to 'Hemadpant era which is roughly 8th century. Every trek to Ratangad starts by taking blessing at the 8th century temple.

MyTrek : Ratangad was on my do list for quite sometime and when TMI group organised it, I just didn't wanna miss it. Another advantage of this trek in this season was the Sonki flower bloom on the mountains which again was not to be missed.Our meeting point was Dadar station at 11.45pm on friday night. This was going to be a Saturday event.Our journey started with last Kasara train at 12.30am  from Dadar. People were going home after laborious day and we were off to our trek. As office goers slowly started to get down on their respective station, the train compartment was getting filled with trekkers joining the trek. By the time we reached Kalyan, half of the train compartment was filled with TMI group. Some discussions and gossips were in the air but while some like me decided to catch some sleep. I was off to sleep in no time swaying on neighbours shoulders in sleep and barely managing to hold myself from falling on trekker couple sitting opposite to me. It was journey of around 2hrs. We reached Kasara by 2.30am. Apart from some poor souls on the station platform, we were the only bunch of all charged up people for the trek on the station. Our leader Manoj had organised Trax and tum-tum, in all 3 of them to accommodate 32 of them.

Our tum-tum ride was going to be 3hrs !!!! I cozened at the back seat of tum-tum thinking this would be little comfy for catching up some more sleep. Our first halt was immediately at highway dhaba for midnight tea. Tea / coffee in middle of night is always welcome and specially when you are away from home and that too on a  highway. After a refreshing hot cuppa we were off to Ratanwadi which was our base village for our trek to Ratangad. This Ratanwadi is approx 16kms further from Bhandardhara on same route. I think I was under some deadly spell of sleep as moment I sat in our tum-tum, I was off to sleep again. But this was going to be for short time as moment we cut from main highway towards Bhandardhara road, we were in for bone breaking, horrible bumpy ride on the road. It was just nightmarish.......We were falling on each other and barely managing to sit on our seats. It was worst ride and road was never ending. We heaved a sigh of relief after more then 2hrs ride on such road when we reached Ratanwadi at 6.30am. It was surely a worst road trip ever in my life. And before we has started our trek, I was already thinking about our ride back in the evening on same road. Oh hell !!!!

Moving away from thought of bumpy ride back, We all settled at small veranda of Hotel Pravara where our leader had arranged for breakfast and tea before moving to the fort. Ratanwadi can also be reached by boat as its on banks of river Pravara on which famous Bhandardhara dam is built. Wish we had taken boat ride !! !! The view of the paddy field and calm waters of the river with lush green mountains was enough to energize us. The famous Amruteshwar temple was also just a stone throw away.

The temple was going to be starting point of the trek so it could wait but first it was time for breakfast of hot poha and another round of hot cuppa tea. Poha always tastes good when you are away from home, I still need to figure out the reason for it !!!! With our sumptuous breakfast over, We were off to see the famous Amruteshwar temple which dates back to "HEMADPANT ERA" - roughly around 8th century. It goes without saying that it had some eye popping architecture. Amazingly beautiful carvings dots the walls of the temple. Truly blessed and proud of our heritage.

After taking blessings at the temple, we marched to our destination - Jewel fort of Ratangad. It had started to drizzle which would be a boon while climbing up but also could be dampener once we reach the top as there would be no view. But with high spirit we moved on and crossed our first stream of gushing water. The feel of cold and fresh water from the high hills was tempting us take a plunge in water but our leader informed us that we would get that opportunity on our return journey. Moving on we were all mesmerized with little yellow Sonki's everywhere we could see. A lush green carpet on the mountains and Sonki's adding color yellow on top of it. It was just beautiful. It goes without saying that our photo session had already started the moment we started our trek.

As this season was end of monsoon, there were numerous streams that we had to criss cross, at some point the water force was strong and rocks slippery. One slip could give a nasty bump. Though there were minor hiccups but there were no casualty. On return journey we realized that this numerous stream that we were criss crossing was just one stream formed by waterfall from the mountain. Swapnil our co-leader informed that on their previous visits the flow of the stream was so strong that they had to form a human chain and use ropes to cross these streams but we were lucky to have crossed without such efforts.

After ascending for around one hr we reached first plateau. The view of the river and paddy fields below was breathtaking. This patch was such that we were standing on small hill plateau surrounded by deep valleys. It was amazing to be surrounded by lush green mountains. sound of waterfall and cold breeze with drizzling rains. It was an ideal spot to sit and spend hours doing nothing, away from world, lost in dreams !!

Oh !!! While writing this blog, It all came fresh again in front of my eyes. Coming back on the trek, we after spending some time, were back on our march to the fort. The path from here passes through dense forest. Its gradual climb on rock path.

Everyone was walking at their own pace with group having 13 first time trekkers on their maiden trek so Swapnil was back lead while Manoj was in front lead. Everyone was having fun while climbing with occasional stop for a photo shoot or to catch breath. Shraddha was our camera lady, clicking pictures of everyone. But too many halts by anyone would face wrath from Swapnil who would ask all to keep moving, chala chala chala !!!!!

Harishchandragad bifurcation landmark

One our way we came to a junction where straight road in the dense forest would lead to Harishchandragad, Its entire one day trek from here and route was part of Ratangad - Harishchandragad range trek, It would be an experience to do this range trek sometimes, But today our destination was only jewel fort so we took the route going up to the fort.

Its seems the monkey's of Ratangad have a name of being notorious & aggressive, occasionally taking away bags of trekkers in search of food. Manoj had warned us to keep everything in our backpack once the ladder starts just before the caves. After a climb of around 2.30hrs, we came across our first ladder, Our cameras and anything in our hand was promptly put in bags due to fear of those dreaded gangs. There are total of three ladders that one has to climb to reach first entrance of Ratangad - the Ganesh Darwaja. These ladders though being firmly bolted to the rocks, could be unnerving as these ladders have got rusted and at times shakes to the extent of giving any first timer on the treks a thrilling but unnerving experience !!!!

There is an arch door which welcomes you after third ladder which is Ganesh Darwaja, Some carvings on the door catch our eyes, one of the carvings looked like one of mermaid !!! Some of carvings looked like mythological characters while some where of Gods and goddess.

Taking right from the gate, there were proper railings and path which lead to the main cave. It was here that we saw one monkey coming towards us and after having heard the stories of gang of monkey's, our heart pounded at the sight of the monkey but it just walked past us. There were no sign of others may be because it was misty and it had been raining on and off.

The cave is big enough to accommodate 20-25 people and also there is also a small temple dedicated to Lord Ganesh. Just outside the cave there is sufficient space where one sit and relax. We all settled there. In one corner was small stall set up by a local selling tea, poha and even Maggie !!!! In no time the local stall had orders for 20 odd Maggie's and equal nos for chai.

We had our snacks along with chai & Maggie, Only regret was that there was no view from the cave as entire surrounding was covered by fog. After relaxing at the cave for more than one hr, we decided to explore other side of the Ganesh darwaja, It was still covered with fog but nevertheless we wanted to explore as much as we could.

Other side was like a garden full of Sonki bloom, It was quite exquisite sight. We found one arc shaped water tank which was full up to the brim. Nearby was remnants of watch tower. There was lot more to explore like chor darwaja, tyrmbak darwaja and natural hole created by wind in the mountain called "Nedhe". Nedhe is one not to be missed attraction of this jewel fort. It can accommodate 6-7 people and its literally the high point of the trek but due to zero visibility and no sign of fog getting cleared, We decided to skip these attractions. Manoj also informed that it would quite risky to attempt to go there due to fog and rains would have made the path slippery. There is always a next time.....

We now decided to move back to base village. Descending from the ladders was more than asked for quite few of them in the group but all managed to get down safely albeit with some thrilling experience. While descending one of the our group trekker was a casualty but it was just a sprain but not a serious one. I was also a casualty with slip on the slippery path but no casualty luckily. At the plateau, some realised that Alka one of group member who had hard time while ascending was missing and no one had seen her. Swapnil and some others had already planned to go back searching for her while Manoj decided to check at base first. And here she was with one bunch of group members, lavishly enjoying the stream water, she had descended much earlier than the group and was seen enjoying in the stream water at the base !!!! LoL

Back at the village, we had some amazing different varieties of rotis and classic lunch at our hotel and then moved back after yet again a real bumpy and hellish road ride to Kasara and back home. It was yet another amazing trek I successfully completed and thoroughly enjoyed it in the lap of Sahyadris.

 Jambhulmaal - Hidden treasure in middle of S.G.National park

October 12, 2013

Sanjay Gandhi National park a.k.a Borivali National park - One of the few most visited places in Mumbai is nothing short of Pandora box full of surprises. Little does one know that this beautiful preserve is spread across a region of 104kms and is visited by million visitors every year. Its right in the heart of Mumbai city and is one of the largest real forest in the middle of any city in the world. Apart from being a very popular picnic spot for families and school kids, it has rich habitat of bio diversity and wide variety of flora and fauna can be found here. This invariably attract nature lovers, trekkers, bird enthusiasts who frequent the wild in search of perfect adventure. Not only that It also hides in its belly a cave complex of 109 caves of Buddhist origin from 1st century B.C which is a must visit here.

My Trail : I have been a regular visitor to this national park and I make it a point to visit this place for a morning walk on weekends if I am not going on treks or trails. I have also been to Shilonda trail organised by B.N.H.S which is one of the restricted areas of the park. But last week came as surprise when I got a request to join "Jambhulmaal" trail by T.M.I group. I had never heard of it before and nor a frantic google and blog search got me any details. I was quite surprised and excited that there was more of this Sanjay Gandhi national park that I had not seen and heard for all these years. So here I was on to a trail to a hidden place in heart of National park.

National parks are divided in three parts - recreation areas which will house gardens, playgrounds, periphery of core area where most of the trails are located and then core area which by default is restricted as its home to animals and they roam around free. This trail was in the core area. Nilesh Patil our leader had taken requisite permissions for us to enter the core area. Our meeting point was at S.G.N.P gate at 7.30am. From there we moved by a one hired car, some on their own bikes and one car. In 10-15 minutes we were at entrance of Kanheri caves. A quick round of introduction followed by breakfast of Idli and chutney breakfast brought by our leader. We were group of 19 people which also included 3 kids. One of our co-leader was zoologist who would be sharing knowledge on the way. So this was not merely a trail but a informative and educational field visit along with perfect expert of the jungle.

As we moved inwards from Kanheri caves entrance, first diversion we made was from the closed bridge. We were now walking on different route and not one usually takes to explore the caves complex which is open to public. On our way we came across water storing cave and some half cut caves. These caves were covered by thick vegetation and were almost hidden. One cannot stop wondering how these caves were made without any proper tools and with so much of meticulous planning and engineering skills.There are proper carved steps to take you to the top of caves complex. Our leader informed us that this cave complex was Buddhist university and students from across the world would visit it during its heydays.

It was hot and humid day with no sign of rains, our first halt was on a plateau from where one could get complete view of Borivali skyline and one can see all the way to the famous Pagoda on Gorai island which is another must visit in Mumbai. View gave us perfect understanding of concrete urban jungle and the natural green jungle which is fast depleting and making way to its counterpart our concrete urban jungle abode.

Our first interesting sighting was of flock of butterflies, truly beautiful and multicoloured ones fluttering around one small plant. They were busy in their work and this gave us a chance to capture them in our lens. It was just amazing !!!

Now it was time to enter dense jungle. As we moved deeper inside, we found one small plant called "Touch me not", true to its name, if one touches the veins of the leaves, the two leaves would fold and close. Truly remarkable example of how nature stores surprises in its belly !!!!!

We also saw "SAAG" tree, also called Teakwood tree famous for its wood which is used in making furniture's which are termite free due to natural termite resistant qualities of this tree.

On the way, some more interesting things we came across was lichens on the trees indicating the pollution free environment and one could breathe as much as one could. Wild "Bhindi" - lady's finger flower, some wild flowers, wild "turmeric" plant. some wild mushrooms,

Termite ants nest, pagoda ants nest which is completely waterproof, and harvester ants nest on the way.

We got a glimpse of Tiger spider basking in sunlight in its web. Showing off the radiant colours....Truly national park is a treasure trove !!!!!!

Mountains as they say are deceptive with each route looking the same and wrong ones tempt you to follow them more, but jungles are worst, as always the correct route is always hidden in some dense growth. After our halt at first plateau, we entered the jungle territory. Our route passed through shrubs which were more than 6 feet's tall !!!!!. Walking for sometime, we climbed rock carved steps to move to second plateau. In between the first and second plateau the route is plain walk on grass cleared path. There was not a single living soul on the route except for our group.

As we marched towards our destination, we came across one moth which I had never seen anything like this before. Fluorescent green eyes and some attractive design on the body.Depends how you look at it, it could be yucky !!!! or interesting !!

Another of its cousin was beautiful,completely white and with brown patches. It yet again showed the nature's way of show casing some good colour combination. On one of the plants, moth had eaten the leaves in a manner which created a design in the leaves.

Trees branch had grown in such a way that it entangled each other creating a sort of natural art installation. Amazing !!!!

One of the areas which we passed through was full of bamboo plantation. Huge bamboos as well as tender bamboo shoots growing in wild, It was my first time to see the bamboo plantations and our route passed through these plantations.

As we neared our destination, again we had to walk past some densely grown shrubs which were more than 6 feet tall again and at times we had to bend and walk in between them. This was second such instance of we walking among these shrubs. For anyone who would want to visit this place this info could be helpful.

After this walk we came across one important landmark. It was a board painted in blue with Air force symbol. It was again a huge surprise to find that this area belonged to Air force. Our guide informed us that there was some important installation and one road was leading to Air force installation base.

We took the other route and after a walk for few minutes were at the highest point in Sanjay Gandhi National park. And from here we could see Tulsi, Vihar and Powai lakes in sequence. We could see the Powai Hiranandani skyline and on the left we could see Thane creek and Thane skyline. It was just Wow feeling that there could such a place in middle of national park giving us such a amazing view. There is also a Machaan which one can climb and it gives you a perfect view and feeling of being at the top of the world !!!!

For the first time I also got glimpse of how deep and dense our national park is. Hopefully it stays that way. It took us approximately 2hr and 30minutes to reach here. We had our brunch that we were carrying with us and after spending some time in the shade we bid adios to this perfectly beautiful spot in the middle of our National park. Everyone was quite happy to be a part of this trail and were quite surprised to find that there exist such a place which they had never heard of even after spending so many years in Mumbai.

On our way back, we saw a perfectly camouflaged frog which can easily be ignored as black coloured stone on the way.

We missed our way at one occasion only to find a hidden waterfall in middle of dense forest but luckily we were back on right path in no time and were back at our base at Kanheri caves entrance by 2.30pm. It was happy ending of perfectly spend Sunday exploring the hidden surprises of our very own neighbourhood national park.

                        A wonderful visit to hidden treasure spot called JAMBHULMAAL.

 Kondana caves - Truly our rich heritage

October 12, 2013

A busy week filled with work should always end with a visit to offbeat location, So after week of hardwork at office it was time to unwind. We had decided to do a small trek or trail or sort of outing so as not to be lazying around on Sundays at home, doing nothing. Dr Ajay put a plan to visit Kondana caves at foothills of Rajmachi. It was wonderful idea and in no time we were a group of 20 people on our way to Kondana on a Sunday morning.

Kondana history : These are group of 16 buddhist caves located in village by same name, Kondana or Kondivadi. These caves are on the way to Rajmachi and approx 33 kms from Lonavala. Its part of three sister caves located in and around Lonavala, viz Kondana, Bhaje and Karla caves. Kondana caves were carved in 1st century BC !!!! These caves enclose sculptures, viharas, stupas, chaityas which are all part of magnificent Buddhist architecture. Although earthquake in early 1900s destroyed and damaged many stupas, front entrance and floor of the cave but still some of the architecture is intact and is best example of our glorious past.

My Visit : We decided to meet around 7am at Dadar station. It was group of 20 people which included well known Doctor and avid trekker, Sir Nanabhai. Our adventure starts from the time we leave our home as Ajay and his mom barely managed to catch our pre-decided train to Karjat. As trains to Karjat are few with long time gap in between so if missed the train then its almost certain to miss the trek. But it was all good start. Our gathering happened on Karjat station. It was a hot hot sunny Sunday at Karjat and we were literally fooled by nature as while coming in Train we saw dense fog in Thane, Mumbra, Kalyan, raising hopes of pleasant and rainy Sunday trek but on reaching Karjat there was no sign of pleasant climate.

Karjat is famous for its vadapav and we had sumptuous vadapav breakfast and tea just outside railway station. It was a welcome start. Now it was a walk of around 15minutes to Shriram bridge on Ulhas river. This was nodal point to get tum-tums to Kondana caves. Hiring two tum-tums for Rs 300/- each we were off to our base village. Sitting close to the driver in Tum-tum is nothing short of thriller ride. As we zipped past Karjat town, lush green carpet covered mountains welcomed us. It was ride of 30minutes. 

We got the first glance of Rajmachi mountain range with Manoranjan fort standing tall at the top. There is also a river flowing close to base village but seems there was some dredging work was going on and supposedly a dam was getting built on it. Another instance of man playing with nature. 

We walked past small houses in the village and then past well marked signage indicating our route to the caves. There was one small hut shop selling bottled water and cold drink which after the trek we realised was last place to get water as we didn't find any water source at the caves except for the waterfall at the entrance of the caves but this is only in Monsoons. 

There is a entrance fee of Rs 20/- to visit the caves and forest dept has pitched small tent as collection window. Hope they maintain our heritage.The path to the cave was gradual ascend but we were all walking at our own pace, clicking pictures and with company of Sir Nanabhai who with his knowledge of botany, butterflies and creepy crawlies would share it which was making our walk quite interesting. But also with sun blazing hot after a prolong monsoon was taking toll on our body and we were sweating like hell. Only solace was that we knew the route from base village to the cave can be covered in approx 1hr.

On the way we did come across waterfall but with no rains it was almost dried up so we continued our walk towards main cave. On reaching the cave we were greeted with waterfall curtain over the cave and large chaitya with beautiful carvings. Entrance of the cave has such beautiful carvings that one surely feels proud of our heritage but then one can also see neglect and disrespect for the site with lot of scribblings on the walls of the caves.

The main cave has large entrance which is shape of fig leaf and supported by curved beams. There are many pillars with a large stupa in the cave. Sir Nanabhai gave quite interesting lecture on the caves and also pointed out that small model of the stupa which was carved on the wall. This model showed how the stupa originally was. There was anther 3D version of stupa in neighboring cave also.

Apart from that on the entrance walls were carvings of men and women in dancing form. Dr Nanabhai pointed that these were images of Kings and Queens who had donated generously for making these cave !!!

One eye catching thing was life sized statue of a lady coming out of the rock. Alas the face was completely damaged but her hairs and ornaments were neatly carved in the rocks and were intact. Some thing was scribbled in old Pali language close to it but it also sported someone had scribbled own name close to it which was clearly a eye sore and showed our negligence in protecting this beautiful heritage.

Close to the main cave was another cave which might have been a sort of dining hall or kitchen with small rooms carved in the wall. One can clearly see the "BHOR GHATS" from here and we were also lucky to see trains on Mumbai - Pune route passing through the tunnel on the ghats. I must have traveled on that same Mumbai - Pune route but never saw the caves from moving train..... May be next time !!!!

One noticeable thing about the cave it had carved drainage system on the floor to sip out the water from collecting in the cave. The ceilings of the cave had some square design which Nanabhai Sir pointed that it was engineering skill to prevent the cave wall to collapse. So much of engineering in those days !!!

There are other small caves in the complex but that was nothing to watch as they were only chambers cut in the rocks. With our cave exploration complete, we couldn't wait to get in the waterfall. It was welcome respite from the hot and humid climate. We spend some time getting good massage on head and back from falling water and some photo shoot.

With our stomach calling out loud, it was time for lunch of thepla's and ladoos by chef Bharti, Potato sabji by Neha. Now it was time to say adios to Kondana caves,  Dr Bharat- one of our adventures leader decided to go all the way to Manoranjan fort alone so he left for the top and we left for the base village. On the way we came across one spectacular moth, something not seen very commonly.

Reaching base village, our tum-tums were ready to take us back to Karjat and from there by train to our homes. It was small and wonderful excursion to a important heritage site, hoping that it remains a heritage site worth a visit in years to come. Hope we all strive to conserve and preserve our heritage.

 Prabalgad - Double decker mountain trek in Sahyadris

October 12, 2013

It was yet another pilot trek that Dr Ajay has finalised on Sunday. It was Prabalgad near Matheran and trek was going to start from Panvel. Prabalgad is one of the few beautiful and must do treks in the lap of Sahyadris mountain range. Everyone who had registered for the trek had never done this trek hence it was going to be a pilot trek and coming at right time when monsoons clouds are not gone but since in last leg of monsoons, had transformed the Sahyadris mountain range in lush green carpet with numerous waterfalls and abundance of flora & fauna.

Prabalgad History : This fort was built to keep eye on ancient ports of Panvel and Kalyan.It was built by Bahamani empire. Shilahar and Yadav dynasty has made it a army camp.In the year 1658, Shivaji conquered this fort from Mughals. The fort was then governed by Kesarsingh a Mughal sardar. On seeing his eminent defeat, he along with all ladies on the fort committed suicide to avoid dishonour in the hands of the enemy. In spite of the his order, Kesarsingh's mother and her grandchild hid on the fort. But as act of kindness, Shivaji's forces allowed them safe passage on being captured.

About Prabalgad : It is also known as Fort Murunjan or Prabangad. Along with Kalavantin peak can be clearly seen from Mumbai - Pune expressway. On the east lies Ulhas river and Matheran, west side there is Peb and Chanderi forts, South side its Patalganga river and Manikgad while on North its Karnala peak. It is located at the height of 2300 feet close to the Matheran plateau.

Interesting thing about the fort : Britishers in year 1850 developed Matheran as hill station and also wanted to develop Prabalgad as another hill station but water source though sufficient for villagers was not enough for Britishers requirement. So they thwarted the plan..... Well, we missed one more hill station near Mumbai !!!!!

My Trek : Our journey started from Panvel station at 8.00am, Group of 15 trekkers whose one goal was to explore the beauty of Prabalgad. Dr. Ajay had hired shared tum-tum in which we crawled 10 while rest 5 followed in one car behind the tum-tum. Our base village was Thakurwadi ,Its approx 17kms from Panvel. Local ST buses are also available from Panvel depot but its better to do shared tum-tum which is faster means of travel. We reached base village in approx 45min. From here the view of mountains covered in lush green carpet with splendid waterfalls and thick rains clouds would make one glued for hours. Base village had quiet a lot of beautiful bungalows. Our tum-tum dropped us at the base village and as decided agreed to pick us again from base village in evening by 5pm. It was around 9.30am that we started our journey after initial round of introduction. It goes without saying that our photo session had started even before we introduced each other !!!! That's the fun on these treks .....

We started our walk on the tar road with Kalavantin and Prabalgad mountains overlooking us on the right. It was drizzling on and off which really helped us in doing a nice photo shoot of the mountain range. After walking for few minutes we came across a Orange board giving brief history about the place. This was our indicator and we had to turn right and walk towards the mountain now.

From here we bid adieu to the tar road and were now walking on jungle trail. Green grass with purple flowers adorned both the sides of the road. Not a soul on the road except us. Occasional singing of birds was soothing to the ears. As we moved ahead we came across amazing flower called "Glory Lily".

One of our group member Dr Salil explained that all parts of this flower contains some alkaloid which can be toxic if ingested and this flower was used to commit suicide !!!!! It certainly had some medicinal use in traditional medicines in India and Africa.... Deadly beauty ........ Bharti our dare devil lady of the group nicely plucked it and adorned it on her hairs. Lol. As we moved further the climb became more ascending and winding up the mountains. It was getting hot and humid as rains had stopped and with our body pumping gallons of sweat. Raaghav one of our colleague was facing brunt of the heat and had started getting cramps in the leg. Dr Shruti trying to motivate him to continue slowly. But after sometime it became too much for Raaghav to continue further and he decided to quit and return back. It was disappointing to have him abandon the trek but as we moved further we realised it was wise decision he took as climb was steep and with cramps, He would have been in more pain and trouble. Dr Shruti who was accompanying Raaghav also returned back with him. But there is always next time .....

After a climb of almost 1hr 30minutes, we came across a miniature version of a pinnacle. Its a small rock patch just before Prabalmachi. We all climbed to get a photoshoot. Little further and we saw rock carved with Lord Hanuman and Lord Ganesh. Villagers and Trekkers worship here for safe journey before moving ahead.

As we climbed some steps from here and we reached our first destination. It was Prabalmachi - Machi is nothing but village in local language. It was huge plateau and whole village is settled here. I still wonder how can someone stay here where it takes almost 2hours of climb to reach. No doubt it was wonderful location which gave amazing view of the villages below from where we started and also the mountain forts of Prabalgad and Kalavantin. Prabalgad fort stood tall covered with rain clouds and dense forest below. It was going to be interesting with high endurance to climb till the top if not difficult but that was going to be later, as now all that we could think of was something that we could eat. We noticed first thing when we reached here was a small hut come hotel which would serve tea, breakfast and even lunch, dinner and accommodation. Nothing like it....... Hot cuppa tea on picturesque location with breakfast !!!!! Nothing short of WOW..

The best part about this hotel was that from outside it looked like a small hut but on peeping inside it had comfortable sitting with all arrangements in it. Ordering tea and poha, I moved out for another set of photoshoot. In meanwhile Ajay confirmed with hotel owner and we arranged for a guide - Kisan who would take us to the top and back. It was wise decision as from Machi till fort its a dense forest and we had no intention of staying overnight in middle of nowhere !!!!!

In meanwhile our tea and poha was ready, It turned out that Poha was one of the best we all had ever tasted. We all had second round of Poha and were all geared up for our real trek which was to start from here. On the way, our guide showed us the rooms which if one decides can stay overnight. It was surprising to see rooms were not only neat and clean but fully tiled and even had TV and AC in it. Spot on we decided to have another trip again after rains which would be overnight trek.

It had started raining now and we were moving through some dense forest. It was near zero visibility with dense fog. Though we started our 2nd leg of journey at 12.15pm but it seemed like it was almost evening. Some twist and turns, dodging thick forest growth, we followed our guide, realising that without him we were bound to get lost. We were now moving up the path which was full of rocks and boulders. We came across streams of water but we gave a miss as our aim was to reach top and explore as much while this could wait when we are on our downward journey. As we moved up it was getting more steep  hence it required us to do some act of manoeuvring and balancing on loose rocks. Ashwini had some difficulty in climbing but that's where our team work came handy, Bharti and some others giving helping hand while me and Dr Jinit at the end of the group ensuring no one is left behind.

After a climb of over one hour we saw the fort walls,Our guide informed its long way still but now it was more of walk on a plateau. That was quite a relief from the steep rock climb. Also Prabalgad is so huge that one needs at-least two days to have a full circle of the fort. We were only going to explore the northern part.The forest at the top was more dense with little sunlight reaching the ground. But it was pristine and blissful.

We were now walking in middle of Karvy shoots. Luckily we could see that Karvy stems was covered with tiny white and purple flowers. Karvy blossoms every 7years and it seemed that here Karvy had forgotten their 7 years cycle and it was blooming out of turn.at Lucky we !!!! It was as if we were walking in middle of Karvy garden. Had we come here after a week, we could have seen full bloomed Karvy flowers. Growth of Lichens on trees gave indication that there was no pollution here.

Our guide showed us one water tank on the way. He said it was more than 20feet deep in some part. This was way of storing water for dry season. Moving further we reached another plateau which again had some water cisterns but important part was we had reached a point called Kalavantin viewing point from where one gets amazing view of Kalavantin pinnacle. But it was all covered with thick clouds. Wind was too chilly and to add to that rains drops were like someone throwing small stones at you. Our fingers got numb and cold. From here one could see on a clear day, Matheran mountain range and other forts like Chanderi, Peb, Karnala, Badlapur ranges.

We were about to leave for place with shade so that we could fill out empty stomach and voila !!!!!!! something like miracle happened.......it stopped raining and clouds slowly started to move giving us a spectacular view of Kalavantin fort.........

 It was "the" moment. We all were clicking pictures like crazy. Slowly we got the best possible view of Kalavantin fort and not only that but we could see the scary steps to reach top of Kalavantin. Some dare devil group was slowly reaching top of Kalavantin. Even they could see us clearly. We also were able to see other mountain ranges all thanks to rain god taking a break and wind taking the clouds away. We had our lunch in buffet style with everyone appreciating chutney making skills of Bharti !!!!!

With all satisfied with our clicks, photo shoots and our stomach full, we decided to start our return journey. It was around 3pm, On our way back we felt we were going through a different route but our guide said it was same we came earlier. Good we had taken a guide for our trek as sometimes the mountains can be deceptive in nature.

Our guide informed us that to visit other side of the fort especially to explore Kala buruj it could take another two hours but due to time constrain and with rains playing hide and seek, We decided to skip it for our next trek. On our way down, our guide showed us a rectangular opening in mountain walls, on closer look it was sort of cave or opening which could have been used as secret entrance to the top. It was well camouflaged and one would surely not notice it on the way. Just wondered the engineering skills and meticulous planning our earlier rulers had !!!!!

We were descending slowly on the rocks just to avoid any casualty, rocks were at times slippery and also loose. Luckily we didn't have any casualty and were back at machi by 5pm. We all were completely drenched so high tea at our 5star hotel followed. Hot cuppa tea was most savoured by one and all. Bidding adieu to our guide here we followed our descend to our base village of Thakurwadi. Our tum-tum driver has got impatient as we had promised our return by 5pm. Frantic calls followed from him. But we were able to reach by 6.30pm only. Back again on our Tum-Tum ride to Panvel and then back home.Another successful trek was completed in laps of our beloved Sahyadri mountains. It was literally a double decker trek with one part till Prabal machi and then second part till the top.

I would love to this trek again in winters and maybe do a night halt and explore the entire fort this time.

                                AN AMAZING PRABALGAD !!!!!!!!!!

 Kaldurg fort - A lesser known but beautiful jungle trek

October 12, 2013

It had been almost a couple of months since I had joined Dr Ajay's Wanderlust adventures TTMM trek. I had missed trek to Ajoba gad last week as I didn't wake up in morning. It was one waste Sunday for me. So when I got the invite for Kaldurg fort trek, I was all prepared one day before and was awake 5.30am even though it was decided to catch Dahanu local from Borivali at 7.57am.

Kaldurg fort : Its one of those not so famous treks which can be done in one day. It lies on Palghar - Manor road. The starting point of the trek starts from famous "Waghoba temple" on Manor road. It comes under easy category and it takes only around 1hr 30min to go up and around 1hr to come down. Kaldurg is around 1547 feet above sea level. The fort doesn't have any fortification but there are two water cisterns to collect water at the top. Not much is known about its history but 360deg view of surrounding region one gets from the top surely points to strategic importance of this fort.
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My Trek: It was Sunday morning and we had decided to meet at Borivali station to catch Dahanu local at 7.57am. Our destination was Palghar station which is approx one hour train ride from Borivali by train. Dr.Ajay had confirmed that it was a pilot trek as none of us had been there. Only information we had about the trek was available from blogs of people who has been here before and our GPS device. Pilot treks have there own charm and excitement and its fun to try but surely would not suggest to do at all places. lol !!!!   So here we were group of 7 on our way to explore a new place. All excited we got down at Palghar around 9am and found that bus to Manor was waiting just outside the station. Buses going towards Manor would drop you at Waghoba temple which was our destination. It took approx 20minutes from Palghar to reach Waghoba temple.

Its quite a famous temple of a deity worshipped by adivasis and other communities in the region. Also it was interesting to see that people would stop their cars by the temple and would offer fruits to monkeys nearby. There is only one shop selling temple offerings and also tea & biscuits, lady running the shop gave us the details of how to reach the top. The road to the top is right behind the temple.

The route to the top passes through some dense forest and thick under growth. It had been raining on and off in the morning but when we started our trek, Rains had stopped completely. So as we climbed our way to the top, it was quite humid, I was sweating a lot. I was also doing a trek after couple of days which was another reason it was taking a toll on me. We were taking our time and trying to explore as much as possible on the way, Dr Ajay with his hawk eye, spotting all creepy creatures and with his interest in Biology, taking pics from all angles !!!!!

On our way, we spotted wild turmeric shrubs,mushrooms, harvester ant nest, pagoda ant nest.... It all indicated that the forest was rich in Flora and Fauna, since its ongoing monsoon so the place was a treasure trove in spotting various creepy crawlies !!!! Crabs were very common and could be found running here n there.

After ascending walk of about an hour, we came across basalt rock plateau from where we got the first glimpse of our destination, a flying flag atop Kaldurg !!!!! It was still quite a distance we had to cover. On other side we could clearly spot Devkhop lake, another destination worth a visit in winters when blue sky turns the lake water blue in colour.

It started drizzling and temperature dipped as we moved up and by the time we reached the col also called Waghoba khind, there was cold breeze blowing which was welcome relief from humidity and dehydration. After the col, on the way there were two diversions, we took the one to the right hoping that it would lead to our destination, don't know where the left one lead to. Our decision did turn out to be correct. We were now walking on a narrow path with Karvy like plants growing in abundance. One nice thing about the trek was the route was clear even though we were in middle of dense forest. Finally after 2hr, 15min we finally saw first water tank or cistern and had reached our destination. There is rock plateau which gives amazing view of Surya river and on clear sky, one can clearly see the coconut plantation and Arabian sea.

As we moved up, there was another water cistern and the flying flag. This was the highest point of Kaldurg and we had reached our destination. Moment we reached top, it started raining heavily and clouds covered surrounding hills and valleys. We were on top of clouds literally !!!!!!.  This is exactly the moment which all trekkers would want to experience on all the treks. We spend quite sometime waiting for clouds to clear so that we could click some pictures but rains were threatening and about to disappoint us. We decided to spend some more time in hope that we would  get clear view.

Finally after around 15-20 minutes, rains stopped and clouds got cleared. Lucky we....... We were able to capture our moments at the top of Kaldurg. After spending almost an hour or more at the top and eating our brunch that we were carrying, We started our descend. Ashwini and me had a slip as path was muddy and slippery but no casualties and we were able to descend in 1hr and 30min.

Another moment of the trek was when Avani managed to stop a empty tempo who agreed on Dr Ajay's request to drop us to Palghar. It was another tempo joy ride and one of many rides I have experienced since I started trekking. Overall it was amazing experience to explore a new place completely and we all were happy to have accomplished our pilot trek successfully.

Kaldurg fort is an easy trek and probably a half a day gateway away from Mumbai. Definitely worth a visit especially in monsoons.

Hoping to be on another trek and another adventure in coming weekends, Till then Au revoir !!!!!

 Dudhsagar waterfalls - Gigantic & Stunningly beautiful gift of nature in lap of Sahyadris

October 12, 2013

My treks have taken me to places that I could never have dreamed before. Getting immersed in the beauty that nature have to offer is something every one longs for. This year with the start of monsoon, I had decided to visit places that were trekker's paradise and one's I had not been before. My trek journey had already taken me to Harishchandragad, Kalsubai peak, Avchitgad and now it was time for yet another stunningly beautiful place near Goa called Dudhsagar waterfalls. As soon as plan to visit Dudhsagar was organised by TMI group, the reservation was full in no time. This was in month of June. Train tickets from Pune to Goa and back were booked. We had almost a two month wait before D-Day arrives. We even created a secret group of people visiting Dudhsagar on facebook, discussing and debating how to make it one of the memorable trek, after all it was one of the most coveted place everyone was longing to visit.

About Dudhsagar waterfall : The name literally translates as Sea of Milk and in every way it stands by its name. Its a four tiered waterfall on Goa & Karnataka state border. Located on Mandovi river in middle of dense Bhagwan Mahavir wild life sanctuary. Its around 60kms from Panaji city by road and 11kms from Kullem in South Goa. Dudhsagar is one of the most exquisite falls and 227th in the world at 310m or fifth tallest in India. The water plummets over 1000 feet's in large volumes in rainy season creating one of the most spectacular phenomenon in Goa. As the cascading waterfall resembles like flowing milk hence the name "Dudhsagar".

Legend behind the fall : Legend has it that a beautiful princess lived in a palace in the forest. She loved and enjoyed bathing in a lake nearby and used to drink sweetened milk from her golden jug. One day while she was enjoying her jug of milk, she found herself being watched by a prince, who was standing amongst the trees. Red with embarrassment at her inadequate bathing attire, she poured the jug of milk in front of him to form a impoverished curtain to hide her body while her maids rushed to cover her body. Its is this sweetened milk they say, which cascades down the mountain slopes as Dudhsagar falls to this day as tribute to the virtue and modesty of the princess.

About my trek : After registering for the trek with TMI in June, wait of two months was killing, Having read about the beauty of the place and viewed pics online and then having to wait for the day when we would actually start our journey to get immersed in the beauty of the place was too hard to roll by. Our journey was meticulously planned by Manoj our leader from TMI. Finally the day arrived 3rd August 2013. It was decided to gather at Pune station for our overnight journey to legendary Dudhsagar by Goa express. Such was my excitement that I couldn't get sleep night before.At 7am I was standing at Dadar station for a train to Pune, All geared up, bags packed to the brim, camera ready to capture the beauty that till now I had only seen on Internet.

The group lead by Manoj arrived by 13.00hrs at Pune by Koyna express while due to some work, I had reached much earlier. Our train - Goa express was at 16.30 from Pune hence we had ample of time. After quick lunch, group settled on the station for game of Mafioso with narrator being Jaal. Its game of suspense, allegation, accusation and witty wickedly types, all so engrossed in the game with so much enthusiasm in the air that everyone on the station would stop by the group to see what was happening. Lucky we that we were not evacuated by the Police !!!!!

Our train arrived on time and whistling with excitement we all settled in the train for overnight journey. Train passed through some lush green meadows, forest and deep valleys near Satara. Some group members were catching with some sleep, others back with game of Mafia while Saroj, Adarsh, me and some other members shared our experience and talked our time out. At around 8pm, Manoj called for group meet and were informed that we would be getting down at Dudhsagar where practically train stops only for 30 secs to a minute, Its technical halt. We were in all 55 and getting down in 30 sec was going to be a task in itself, Also there would be others as well who would be getting down at same place. We decided to divide in group of 11 and would get down from different doors. That was going to be interesting. After our dinner, we decided to catch some sleep as it was going to be hectic tomorrow.

We all were awake by 3am, we were getting close to our destination. Dudhsagar lies between Castle rock and Kulem station. From Castle rock its 14kms and from Kulem its 11kms. Everyone wanting to go to Dudhsagar, gets down at Castle rock and take night halt on station and starts 14kms journey towards Dudhsagar via walk on railway tracks or via jungle route. At Castle rock station, its was mad rush with almost 2000 people already gathered and more got down from our train, But we were going to take our chance and get down in that 30 seconds technical halt. It had also started raining heavily now and we were in dense forest area. Between Castle rock and Dudhsagar, there are total of 10 tunnels and one gets down after 10th one. Also one needs to take care that there is no station platform but one needs to get down on side of the tracks. It was going to be a task !!! But in meanwhile Manoj our leader had arranged hot ....piping hot upma packed in containers from Castle rock station. It was best breakfast at 3am, with train passing through some dense forest and with heavy rains and chill in the air. Upma turned out to be awesome. Now as we neared our destination, there was confusion with which side to get down as on one side was mountains and other side was valleys. It was pitch dark outside and to top it up, it was raining heavily. As train stopped, everyone jumped from left door while I took chance on right as there was enough space to get down which I could see with my torch light. But I think its always better to get down from right hand side door at Dudhsagar because there is enough open space as compared to the left side.

There is one cabin close to the tracks which was used as shelter from rains by others, we also joined them. We now had to wait here till first rays of sun. As rains stopped, we sat on tracks but we could hear the sound of waterfall close by. It was pitch dark and only source of light was our torch we were carrying. Main waterfall is around 1km from this place. Around 5.45am we had our group introduction and then we marched towards our destination.

Finally here it was, As we stood in front of majestic waterfall, mesmerised by its beauty, drenched completely from the pouring rain, First view and it had taken us to different level of happiness. The wait for two months and the train journey from Mumbai to Pune to here was all okay, anyday, for this, anyday !!!!!!

I was awestruck. Exquisite sight. Clouds covering and slowly uncovering the zenith of the waterfall. It was massive, It was gigantic and it was something that I couldn't lay my eyes off. I didn't want to lay my eyes off.I stood there watching. I wanted to get immersed in its beauty, I stood there with my open arms !!!!

There are two cabins constructed along the side of the tracks. One cabin provides perfect view of the waterfall and shelter from the pouring rain while other provides perfect view of the deep valley and surrounding forests and cloud covered mountains. There is also a small canteen which provides hot tea and breakfast. One can also do camping in some space outside of the cabin, its available on first come first serve basis. It was occupied by group of people from Bangalore. They had pitched their tents and stayed overnight.We stayed at the waterfalls for over 3hrs, enjoying the beauty the place had to offer. We then decided to move towards Kulem which was around 11kms and it was going to be a walk on the railway tracks.

There are total of 10tunnels before the waterfall while coming from Castle rock and 6tunnels after the waterfall towards Kulem. Our estimate was to cover the Kulem - 11km walk within 3hrs. We walked on the tracks in small groups, clicking pictures and enjoying the rains. Torch coming in handy when we were inside the dark tunnels.

Around 30minutes from the main waterfall towards Kulem, we came across two spots which gave the clear and most spectacular view of the tiered waterfall with railway bridge over it. Now it was a wait for a train to pass over to get that one famous picture of train on the bridge and waterfall behind. Rains were pouring in and out but that didn't deter us as we waited to capture the moment and replicate the famous picture which has bought us all here. Lucky we,as in around 15 minutes we got the chance as one express train came from Kulem and we waited with our cameras ready for the train to pass over the bridge and then in few minutes as the train engine rolled over the bridge, there was clicks in the air........ Yes we had captured the moment, we had replicated the famous picture of the train rolling on the bridge with waterfall in the background.

I along with some group members decided to move ahead while some waited behind. We had all the time in the world as our train back to Pune was at 16.30 from Kulem. As we walked slowly on the tracks, it was becoming clear that walk was not going to be easy on the tracks with stones hitting the feet, making it very uncomfortable. But we were undeterred, enjoying the forest and numerous waterfalls on the way. The gap between our groups widened with some moving fast while some making it slowly. The walk on the tracks was challenging physically as we moved ahead. It was now Shreya, Saroj and me together, while Manoj and some others had moved ahead. Few others were still behind us.

On our way, we came across quite few groups, enjoying the waterfalls on the way but also some indulged in drinking alcohol. Not that it was restricted but it was too dangerous to be walking on tracks in toxicating state when the trains do pass every couple of hrs. As we kept walking, we did see landslide which has occurred may be few days back. Mud and trees from nearby hill were cleared from the tracks but debris were still lying on the sides of the track. My first sighting ever !!!!!

As we were nearing Sonalium station after a walk of around one hour, we could see from far that a goods train was standing on one track for another train to pass by on other and half of our group members running to climb on it. We were too too far to be able to run and catch the train. We knew we had missed the opportunity of a lifetime to be able to travel in goods train. Shreya was most disappointed of the lot.... She was not willing to come to terms that we had missed such an opportunity.... I couldn't control my laughter.Checking at Sonalium station cabin, they said other train would be in next two hours.

We decided to walk ahead as there was no point of waiting for another train in next two hours. As moved more into the Goa part of the dense forest, rains became more tropical types, It rained for few minutes very heavily and in few minutes sun was shinning again. As we kept walking on tracks in middle of forest, we could hear a train coming but we weren't sure if this was towards the side we were going or from their. Sounds can be quite deceptive in middle of dense forest. Shreya was all gung ho that if its going towards Kulem she was going to stop it and take a ride that we all wanted so dearly. After couple of minutes, sound become more intense and finally from the dense forest emerged train engine. The driver stopped the train engine as it moved past us. Shreya jumped with excitement and then slowly Rachana, Yashwanth emerged from behind, the rest of our group was on that engine. We climbed on it and were off to Kulem on a ride of a lifetime - Train engine ride.

We reached Kulem by 12.30pm, it seems the entire crowd on Kulem was trekkers returning from Dudhsagar. We changed and settled on station platform. Tea, samosa and then our lunch of Biryani made from locally grown rice was most cherished food on the station. By time it was 16.30 for our train to arrive, the station was full of people who had come to visit Dudhsagar. We boarded Goa express for Pune which again would be going past Dudhsagar and we would again have one last chance of bidding adieu to nature's marvel. The train got packed at Dudhsagar but lucky we that we had our reservations. Reached Pune at 4am and then reached Mumbai by bus.

As I sat to write this blog, I am short of words to describe what I have experienced, Hence If I have not done justice of describing completely then pack your bags, head towards her before monsoon season ends - enjoy struggle and let her get you drenched and fall in love with her all over again.

(Pics have been sourced from albums of Rachana Shah, Yashwanth Shetty, Paresh Soni and others in same trek)

 Kalsubai peak - Mt Everest of Sahyadris

October 12, 2013

After my first trek of the season at Harishchandragad, I had adrenaline rush to do another trek for which I had registered month in advance, It was highest point in Maharashtra at 5400 feet - Kalsubai peak. Honestly till last year this trek was never or last on my list. I was not confident that I would ever be able to successfully do it. But after HCG trek I had sudden increase in my confidence and was all excited for this upcoming trek and finally the D-Day arrived. It was Saturday 13th July when TMI group decided to take a total of whopping 90+ trekkers to highest peak in Sahyadris mountain range. It was going to be a experience of a lifetime and add to the spice was heavy rainfall that Mumbai witnessed a day before.

About Kalsubai peak : The everest of Sahyadris, Kalsubai is the highest peak of the mountain range of Sahyadris at 1646meters (5400 feet). Its part of Kalsubai Harishchandragad wildlife sanctuary which spreads from Kalsubai to Harishchandragad. There are more than one route to reach the peak summit however ladder route with Bari village as base is the most popular route. Bari can be reached from Mumbai - Nasik route and then taking a left for Bhandardhara. Its 8kms before Bhandardhara.Other route being from Indorey village which is steeper, tougher climb and not very popular among trekkers. One a clear day one can see to the north, mountain ranges like Ramsej, Brahmagiri, Anjaneri, Ghargad, Tringalwadi, to the east we can see Aundha, Vishramgad,Bitangad, to the west its the famous sisters Alang, Malang, Kulang and to the south its Prabhargad, Harishchandragad and south west its Ratangad.

Legend of Kalsubai : According to the legend, Kalsu was household who worked on one condition that she should not be asked to clean pots and sweep, however when she was forced to do it, she did it and then climbed the peak and stayed there till her death !!!!!. A temple dedicated to Goddess Kalsubai is built at the peak and is worshipped by locals. A traditional pooja is performed at the summit temple every Tuesday and Thursday by local priest. On occasion of Navratri, its a festive atmosphere as many people come to worship at the summit and Fair is organised during the nine days of Navratri.

My adventurous trek : It was Saturday night, meeting place Pritam Hotel near Dadar station east.It was from here that our journey to explore (not capture !!) the highest mountain peak started around 11.30pm. Two buses and 90+ all charged up trekkers, many first timers, some repeaters. Our team lead by Manoj Kalwar and ably supported by Rachana, Swapnil, Sai, Puneet, Nishant. We picked some of group members from Thane and had our first midnight tea / coffee at Highway Dhaba near Kasara ghat. Hot brewing cuppa in middle of night at highway dhaba and supported by rainy atmosphere, Awesome !!!!!!!. We must have reached Bari - base village around 4.30am, it was pitch dark as we parked our buses outside the village. It was drizzling on and off. We still had few hours before we start our journey so few decided to grab some sleep in the bus while most of them were loitering around on the road, waiting for first rays of sun, excited to reach the top of summit (5400feet !!!!)

At around 6am, We started our journey by entering the base village of Bari, we could see first line of mountain range covered with fog, it was our destination that we all were here for. First glance of sleepy Bari village with paddy fields, small houses, streams of water, some waterfalls from top of the mountains, it was pure bliss, serene atmosphere, a perfect surroundings one would always love to wake up every morning !!!!

Dumping our bags or things we were carrying extra in one villagers house, we all gathered at temple compound at the village bari. The sight of village ladies filling water from hand pumps and carrying it home, small shops and houses in village giving first glance of life in villages. We had our breakfast of poha and hot tea, it was all prepared at villagers house, arrangements made by TMI. Now it was time for introduction round and do's and don'ts before we start our journey. It was interesting to know the trekking experience of everyone and broad spectrum of industries that we all belong to. Manoj our leader informed that trek was uphill climb and could take 3-4hrs climb and 2-3hrs descend.

Our journey now begin, passing through paddy fields and crossing stream with gushing water from mountain top. Initial climb was through muddy path and it was little slippery as well due to overnight rains. Luckily it was not raining today. After a climb of around 20minutes we came across temple of Kalsubai, which was the base temple at machi. Here we got the first glance of Diety Kalsubai.

Everyone climbing at their own pace, some experienced trekkers moved much faster while some first timers were slow in their climb. Sai, Nishant, Swapnil and Rachana our leaders moving along with small groups while Manoj leading the group from front and Puneet - our backlead ensuring that no one was left behind. On the way we came across one small hut or I would say shop selling tea. lime water and biscuits, One can only imagine the important role they play in our journey to the summit. Place where one can sit and catch breathe, have tea, biscuits, or lime water, reenergise oneself and move up to the destination. After a climb of around 1hr we reached first plateau, view from here of mountains covered with fogs and waterfalls was mesmerising. We had some rest for sometime with group indulging in photo session at this point.

From here I could only see ladders and railings and we had a huge mountain to climb ..... I literally had goose bumps !!!!!!!  All the way I was just wondering will I be able to complete this trek !!!!! and heart in hearts I was trying to motivate myself that Yes I could and Yes I will.. Again this was best season to the trek as its one trek where one can only find water at the top of the summit and at base village but in between there is no source of water and it would be really dehydrating to do this trek in other seasons.

There are total of four ladders on the route and then there are carved steps on the rocks with railings on the side, this really make the route quite safe and easy ..... EASY is the word I really wouldn't have used when I was climbing but yes today after completing the trek and as I write this blog I had change of opinion !!!! We climbed the ladders slowly, taking calculative steps, ensuring one doesn't become a casualty. At times we had to stop on the way as there would be long queue at certain points where it was important to climb slowly and also along with us there were other groups as well. But all ensured that we had fun while going up. Photo session at every point where we stopped. We crossed around three plateaus and three ladders before we reached the final plateau.

We didn't experience rains and it was at times humid but as we moved up, climate was changing and it was getting windy and chilly. On the way, we came across small streams of water gushing down from the top of mountains and it was icy cold. Once we reached third or fourth plateau, clouds had started playing hide and seek. From here we had first glance of last ladder and peak Kalsubai ......... It was our destination......We were at 5400 feet and we had almost reached the top.

Nandini and her group, Sai, Swapnil, Adarsh, Nishant... I am sure I missed names of so many who were with us and we had gala time climbing up.

Just before the last ladder, there was small hut or a shop where one could get hot kanda bhajia, tea and there was small well which was probably the only source of water in entire journey. As we had to climb last leg of our journey and then move down so didn't wait to eat or for hot cuppa. Also we were running behind scheduled as we had taken more then 4hrs to climb and Manoj was getting desperate... Are you reading .....LOL

The last ladder was only way to go up and come down hence there was bottleneck with few trying to come down and many waiting to climb up. Finally after wait of over 30minutes we finally got the chance to climb up the ladder. It was "THE MOMENT"....... I had never imagined that I would ever do this trek initially when I started trekking few years back and today I was at standing at highest point in Sahyadri mountain range.

It was cloudy, it was chilly and to top it up it started raining heavily now !!!! Rain drops hitting us like someone was throwing small stones at you. At the peak there is small temple of Deity Kalsubai and I am sure view from the top would be amazing in non rainy season but all we could see was fog and fog around us.... We were literally standing in clouds. I was carrying incense stick and coconut offering which I offered at temple, small temple which didn't have space for more than 5people. Standing here it really gave first timer like me a sense of achievement and a feather in my trekking history of being able to summit this highest peak in Sahyadris. In meanwhile it was getting more and more cold as we stood at the peak, fingers getting numb, we were all shivering but the it was joy of reaching at the top and experiencing the moment of a lifetime that was holding us back...... Sheetal one of co trekker was literally in demand as she had carried "Bhakarwadi packet" all the way to the top and group members pounced to get a piece !!!!!! Moments to remember .......hahaha

It was now time for descend but again due to bottleneck at the ladder we waited for almost 30minutes before we got chance to climb down. It was thrilling moment for some as it was little difficult to climb down and to top it up there was rains and winds but touchwood we all climbed down safely. We started our descend without wasting much time as only thing that was on mind now was "Lunch" waiting for us at base village. It took around 2hrs to reach back the base village - Bari. We had our lunch - which as usual tastes the best after such a wonderful trek. Looking back I can only imagine how difficult this trek would have been if those railings and ladders were not put in place. All in all it was experience that would be cherished by one and all for years to come.

Here again I say "AU REVOIR" with moments to cherish and would be back next time with yet another feather in my TREKKING CAP. I bow to mighty Sahyadris for experience that would be remembered for years to come...

 Heaven in Sahyadri mountains - Harishchandragad

October 12, 2013

Ever since I started trekking, I had heard about few treks which are not only famous but people swear by it. These places in mighty Sahyadris are trekkers paradise and I just want to visit all of them. One name which rings the bell first is none other than "HARISHCHANDRAGAD". Its one place where trekkers would just want to go in all seasons again and again.I came across one person who has done this trek 60 times and still longs to be there. Whoa !!!!! Today when I sit down to write this blog, the entire place, entire experience is all fresh and in front of my eyes and would be there for long days to come ...... One liner to describe my entire trek "Life mein ek baar -- Life mein baar baar"

About Harishchandragad : Its a hill fort in Ahmednagar region and has played important role in guarding and controlling surrounding region. Its one of the few places in Maharashtra where remnants of Microlithic man have been found. Origin is said to be in 6th century during the Kalachuri dynasty and the caves have been built in 11th century. Great sage "CHANGDEV" used to meditate here in 14th century and cave is still present where he did his meditation. The constructions on the fort point to existence of diverse cultures. The fort houses some fascinating spots like Saptatirtha Pushkarni, Kedareshwar cave, Harishchandreshwar temple, most famous spot "Konkan Kada or Konkan cliff" which attracts people to come here again and again. Taramati peak the 2nd highest point offers Sunset view like none other place and amazing view of nearby peaks and valleys.

My visit : I had heard about Harishchandragad from time I started trekking and was longing to grab an opportunity to visit the moment I get it. So when I got update that TMI was organising the event in 22nd and 23rd June 2013, I jumped to register it and my desperation was such that I confirmed with different leaders in TMI that I was firmly a part of that trek. Lol .....  None of my old trek mates were part of this trek so I was alone but I knew I would be meeting and making lot of new friends. It was decided to leave from Dadar east on Friday night and trek would start on Saturday morning from base village of Khireshwar, stay overnight in cave at the top and back on Sunday afternoon. The plan seemed pretty exciting. Only worry about the trek was its uphill climb of 4.5hours one way and I was convincing myself till I left my house that Yes I could do it, Yes I could do it.

Reached Dadar at 11pm and found that it was group of 48 trekkers, few of whom where newbies and a large group. We boarded the bus and were on our way to most exciting trek I had ever done, The group was full of energy and started playing Antakshari, moment we left Dadar, I wanted to get some sleep before we start our trek so was off to sleep in no time. We reached Malshej Ghat by 3.30am and we just couldn't see anything but fog everywhere. Our driver had hard time driving due to low visibility but hats off to him we reached Khireshwar village by 4.30am. A small hamlet I would say with 15-20 homes scattered with rice fields near each of them. We slept in the bus till 6am. It was amazing to find oneself in such pristine surroundings, lush green mountains, tiny hamlets, drizzling rains and mountain peaks covered with fog. Oh !!!! What a sight it was ......Our leader had arranged for tea and packed breakfast. Hot chai in rains is always welcome and to top it up with such surroundings really adds the spice in it.

With group ready we started the march pass at 8.15am to explore and enjoy what Harishchandragad mountains had to offer. Initial route passes through some dense forest, It was well marked route winding up but due to rains it was muddy with path stewn with rocks. To reach our destination we need to first reach Tolar Khind, as we marched ahead we could hear the sound of waterfall and whistling birds. These sounds backed with fresh dose of oxygen really energies you. Our first main stop was a waterfall on the way, water was clean and really cold but getting drenched in it was really what we wanted to enjoy. In no time everyone was standing under cold falling water. It was much needed break. We had covered a distance in approx one hour. View of waterfall on mountains facing us and rice fields of Khireshwar village was truly amazing. More dense forest as we moved ahead.

After walk of almost two hours we reached Tolar khind from where one straight road goes to another village and one road leading up was our way to the top.

From here as we moved up we came across rock patch which has carved steps in the rocks but over the years have got worn out, in rains this is one risky patch where one needs to take care while climbing and coming down, good samaritarians have built railing which really helps in climbing up and it makes the climb quite safe. Everyone climbed the patch successfully with help from experienced trekkers Nishant, Nilesh and others.

We now were on the plateau where there are small huts to take rest, also best part about this trek is that local villagers sell tea, lime water and biscuits which is blessings for trekkers. View from here is mind boggling. One can see clouds engulfing the mountains and in few seconds one will get a clear view. I can actually spend hours watching and enjoying the beauty of nature which one would surely not get sitting at home wiling away holidays or weekly off from work. As everyone wanted some rest, we decided to take much needed break. Enjoying the serene surroundings, taking pictures and hogging onto snacks each one of us was carrying.

As some of our group members Shaaaiilesh, Pooja, Malvika, Khusboo and total of 8 members had already reached much earlier than entire group, they decided to move ahead after some rest. Here was twist in the journey.There are total of 7 hills that one has to climb up or walk before one can reach main caves and Harichandreshwar temple. The first group took the longer route and left early while Nilesh our leader with rest of the group decided to take smaller router bypassing Balle killa. As we moved ahead we came across wild turmeric flower, Cobra lily - flower which resembles hood of Cobra and also has stem which is like a tongue of Cobra !!!

It was now just a walk on the plateaus but rains and fog were playing hide and seek. Our group moved ahead taking short breaks when needed. We also came across small plants growing in a bunch and with another bunch at equidistant from other creating a amazing design. Artistic work by nature !!!!

We were slowly inching towards our destination, we could see the flag on the caves amidst fog but it was still far away. Again we came across some dense forest with climb down in muddy path with karvy like shrubs growing on both sides. Path was quite muddy and slippery and narrow as well. Here our group had first casualty, Naela one of our members slipped and twisted her legs, she was in pain and tears, her ankle was swollen and had turned black. While Nishant and one of our group member helped her overcome the pain while I ran for our leader Nilesh who was carrying first aid kit. Luckily she was up on her toes with help from Nilesh. Other group members in meanwhile had found waterfall and stream on the way and were thoroughly enjoying every moment. It was now turning dark with rains gaining strength and fog engulfing entire area. We decided to reach for the caves. As we reached the caves, surrounding area was completely in fog and it was dense with zero visibility. Two of our group leaders and experienced trekkers had started their journey much earlier from the base village so as to occupy cave for us and were waiting for us.We had successfully reached our destination at height of 4200 feet in approx time of 4hours.

As we occupied the main cave, It had two chambers and main cave, with enough space outside with adjoining smaller caves. There were other small caves in vicinity which was occupied by other groups or would be by evening. These caves were turned into mini hotels with local villagers making available simple food, tea and breakfast. Getting meal like roti, sabji, rice at such height was so heartening. As we settled in the cave, we realised the twist in our journey, Our group lead by Shaailesh, Pooja, Khusboo and other members had not yet reached !!!!!! They had left earlier than rest of the group  and were possibly lost.Our leaders decided to wait for some more time before launching the "MAN - HUNT" .... We ate our lunch that we were carrying while we were still awaiting others. Naela our casualty member has recovered well, luckily no serious issue and was ready to join the group for exploring the area now.

It was now time to visit Konkan kada, (Konkan cliff) which has fascinated all trekkers for years. Its shape of Cobra hood and at a distance of around 2kms almost straight walk from the caves. On the way we came across more waterfall, one which was just next door to our cave. As we reached the cliff, area was covered with fog completely but still sheer sight of it made the group shout in joy. As we gathered around the railing constructed before the cliff ends, clicking pictures, something short of miracle happened, the clouds began to clear and it gave stunning view of the valley below, waterfalls from the nearby cliff. It lasted for not more than 5 minutes but that time was more than enough for everyone to experience the view of a life time. The wind here is so strong that throwing leaves or small shrubs would not go down but would be thrown back at you. They also say that at times coin thrown down would be thrown back at you due to sheer power of the winds but we were not that lucky.

In mean while our lost group members were back, giving us insight about how they got lost and how they explored the place, reaching dead end,coming across dead Cobra and so on, Shaailesh was culprit they said who took them to adventure trip,  New book coming out "How to get lost in Harishchandragad" by Shaailesh ..... LOL, just kidding

After spending more than one hour at Konkan kada, we decided to move back to our caves before it could get dark, not wanting to loose any more of group members and spend entire night searching for them. As we settled back in our caves, our torch was only source of light. Some members relaxed, some slept while others played game Mafia, cards. With our dinner ready, We hungrily hogged on to roti, sabji, rice and peetha prepared by locals. I still don't know if I liked the food because I was dead hungry or it was taste of rural meal, But it was surely the best one could get in such a location.I was off to sleep at 9pm while group enjoyed their time by playing in their group. It was around 4am when I woke up, all group members were still sleeping and it was raining outside and dense fog. I went off to sleep again and woke up around 6am, it was most amazing foggy morning I had ever seen. It was now chai time, prepared on burning wood, it was just one of best chai I ever had, followed by poha in breakfast.

Around 8am, we decided to visit main Harishchandreshwar temple complex which even though was just bang opposite our caves, we couldn't see it through the entire evening due to dense fog. Our first stop was a lake called Saptatirtha lined with small temples each containing idols of different gods and goddess but now these idols have been moved in main temple.They say the water once upon a time was potable but today its not. It was unique temple I had seen ever.

Moving ahead we entered Harichandreshwar temple dedicated to Lord Shiva, If one looks at pictures of this temple on a sunny day it still looks magnificent on the plateau,standing tall since last couple of centuries.Its carvings are classic example of our ancient fine art which prevailed in earlier century. Its 16m high from the base. There are few caves close by, also one can still see the cave of Saint Changdev where he did his meditation.The river Mangal Ganga originates from one of the tanks close to the temple. The temple was built with interlocking system of rocks, same pattern is used in Kedarnath temple which still stands tall even after recent Himalayan Tsunami.

We also visited Kedareshwar cave, another main attraction, this cave houses a huge shivling surrounded by four pillars and cave is filled with extremely cold water throughout the year. Legend says that four pillars represented four yugs, all but one pillar is intact, other 3 pillars have fallen. One pillar standing tall today represents the "Kal yug", when this pillar falls, it would be end of the current era.

Sourced from internet

We didn't visit Taramati peak, the 2nd highest peak in Maharashtra, but again in rains it was not worth a  visit but with such an amazing experience, we all started our journey back down to the base village. Luckily it was not raining which really helped us in our descend. The rock patch seemed little more risky when climbing down but luckily all were able to do to come down safely. Again we couldn't resist the waterfall on the way  and in around 3hours were back at the base village of Khireshwar. Our lunch was ready in of villagers house and again it was most sumptuous meal I ever had. With such wonderful memories and experience, We drove back in our bus to our respective homes passing through Malshej ghat.We were back to Dadar by 8.30pm, each one bidding adios to other, taking home memories which would surely be treasured for years to come. Words really cannot describe this trek nor can pictures but the experience is all that counts. One liner which really fits this entire journey is "Life mein ek baar, Life mein baar baar"

I bow to mighty Sahyadri mountains for letting me explore and experience a paradise in its lap called HARISHCHANDRAGAD.

 Lonad Caves & Pise dam - Places less travelled near Mumbai

October 12, 2013

Sundays are rare and few that I get to enjoy. I had one more week off on Sunday and I didn't really wanted to wile it away at home doing nothing, Since all trekking events in summer's are night trek so couldn't join as Saturday was working for me. Dr Ajay from Wanderlust decided a half day outing to  some place less travelled and it was decided we go to LONAD CAVES near Kalyan / Bhiwandi and PISE dam. I had never heard about it before and not much information was available on net except from few who had visited the place before. Since it was close to Mumbai and was sort of day outing so I decided to join Ajay.

Meeting place was decided at ST stand close to Borivali station east at 7am, We were only 3 of us, Dr Ajay, Dr Bharat and me, As soon as we reached ST stand, bus for Bhiwandi was ready and waiting for us !!!! Took around 1hr to reach Bhiwandi in the morning. On enquiring about bus for Pise dam, we were informed it was at 8.30am. Since we had time of around 15minutes, decided to breakfast as we all were hungry. One of rickshaw wala informed about famous vadapav wala just opposite Bhiwandi ST stand. The stall person was just preparing hot vada pav and we just couldn't resist hogging on to Vada pav, Bharji pav and Missal pav. I usually avoid eating street food in summer season but then cant resist when its right in front of you and that too its famous and you are on outing !!!!! .We were so carried away with our tasty breakfast that we didn't realise that it was 8.30am and by the time we reached the ST stand, bus had left and next bus was now at 11.30am. First time I realised that buses have become so punctual that we were only 3minutes late and we had missed the bus !!!! As always our adventure starts much earlier. On enquiring about rickshaws for Lonad and Pise dam, first they didn't know where the place is and one informed Rs 500/- one way ride and other Rs 300/-. It was as if we had just landed here from some far off land ........

We enquired at ST stand enquiry counter and person was more than helpful, were informed to walk down to Vanjarpatti phata from where we would get share a rickshaw to our destination. Our rickshaw was already full with 3, surprised to hear from the driver that one can sit behind and two on front sit next to driver. You cannot get more thrilling ride even in Essel world. It was ride of around 15minutes and cost was Rs 20/- per head. We were now at the base village of Lonad. I was amazed to find huge pipelines on other side of the road. These are the same pipes which quenches the thirst of Mumbaikers bring water from Bhatsa dam all the way to Mumbai.

Another landmark for Lonad caves was just opposite to Village Janwal. Few huts below and marked road leading towards the caves. Just a walk of around 5minutes uphill and we were at the doorstep of another spectacular heritage site. Call it our apathy that we are just not bothered to conserve and preserve such an amazing heritage. The caves though small in size had three pillars out of which one remains which also has huge cracks due to construction activity going on just next to the hill, also came to know that it was earlier a quarry and they used to blast rocks.

Some really neat carvings can still be seen on the top of pillar walls. As one steps in, there is a huge hall or could have been meditation chamber. Side of the door had two tigers but were not in good shape. The cave has been transformed into a temple with Khandeshwari idols inside the cave. At the entrance of the cave on one side is carved Ganapati idol on the wall and on other side there is beautiful carving of King sitting in the court along with his ministers. That's one of the prominent carvings and the only attraction in the cave. History says these caves were of Buddhist origin but no trace of its origin has been left and is now converted into Hindu temple. There is a water cistern but its not potable and its used by devotees for cleaning purpose

Moving on we reached main road, Waiting to see what mode of transport we could get to reach Pise dam. Finally after a wait of around 20minutes we came across one tempo which was empty and agreed to provide us lift till Savad naka. Another Joy ride though it was only for about 5 minutes. Lol ....

From Savad naka, we got into another rickshaw to our next destination PISE WEIR or PISE DAM. Another joy ride with Bharat and me sitting in front with the driver and Dr Ajay sitting behind with already four occupants. It was thrilling ride !!!! with my heart pounding each time any vehicle came from opposite side.... Touchwood I was safe and sound as we reached Pise. It was welcome relief from scorching sun with roads lined with trees.

Pise Weir is one of the few reservoirs where water from Bhatsa river is transported via huge pipes, filtered and chlorinated, then piped across the city to quench the thirst of Mumbai. The overflowing water is used by the locals from nearby villages to wash clothes and fishing. The water was at low level due to summer but I am sure this place would worth another visit in rains, We sat in shade of the tree for a while, munching on the food that we were carrying. It was now around 12ish and sun at its peak, we didn't really had the energy left to do any more exploration and we headed back. It was wait of around 30minutes again for the bus but it was direct bus to Bhiwandi bus depot. From there Dr Bharat took bus to Thane while Dr Ajay and me caught the direct bus to Borivali. Except for the summer heat it was a wonderful one day trip to yet another heritage site facing the brunt of our own selfish destruction of nature. Its time for us to start conserving our nature and our heritage before its too late. Else many Mumbaikers would never even know that such a heritage site did exist so close by

With this I complete my narration of one more of my adventure trips, Hoping for rains to come soon I wish to continue my journey to more new places and pen them down in my blogs as memoirs !!!

Till then Au Revoir

 Velas - Life starts from this sleepy village

October 12, 2013

Velas - A sleepy village in Ratnagiri on the Konkan coast lies 200kms and some 7hours drive from Mumbai mostly populated by Brahmin's. The most famous son of the village was Nana Phadnavis - a great statesman in the Maratha empire during Peshwa administration in Pune. But this tiny village is on the world map due to the conservation programme run by NGO - Sahyadri Nisarga Mitra and equal participation of the villagers to save the endangered Olive Ridley Turtles. A few years back these same villagers used to eat the eggs of Olive Ridley Turtles which were on verge of near extinction but today they are the epicenter to save the turtles from near doom.

Velas beach

Its rightly said "A journey of thousand miles begins with one step" and it all starts on the beach of Velas. Its a sheer exhilaration to see hatchings of Olive turtle take their small baby steps - the first step in their long journey of life from here - Velas beach. It is these moments which draws crowds from different parts of India to tiny villages in and around Velas like Anjarla, Kelshi, Dapoli, Harihareshwar.

My Trip: I had missed the trip to Velas last year and I was super excited to watch these Olive turtles take their first step in journey called Life. It was going to be a unique first hand experience in many ways for me. First I had heard about these Olive turtles in news but never seen in real. I had never been to any place in Konkan coast apart from Ganapatipule. 2nd, Velas village is small tiny village with no hotels to stay and for lodging and staying, one needs to stay in homes of villagers who arrange for food and bedding. I knew it was going to be a trip of a life time as I joined trekking group Shikharved by Jagdish Patil for a 2nights 2 days trip to Velas, Bankot fort and Harihareshwar.

We started on Friday night from Dadar around 11pm with group of 27, It was a bus journey for 5hours but when we reached Velas finally it was journey of 7hrs with a bumpy ride in middle of night. I managed to squeeze some sleep before we reached our destination early morning around 6am. Our stay was at villagers house - huge house I would say which not only could accommodate our group but I also found that other families already there who like us were on a trip to watch these tiny todds. It was early morning but the village was full of people who had come to Velas Turtle festival 2013. Narrow lanes were bustling with people heading in one direction - towards the beach. It was quite a walk of around 10-15minutes and we all rushed, keeping our luggage. Morning chores and breakfast could wait !!!

Velas beach lined with pine tree was one of the most clean beach I have seen, comparing it with our Juhu beach or Gorai or few others in and around Mumbai. Crowd easily numbering around 250 - 300 had gathered, I could see a protected enclosure on the beach with baskets covered with gunny bags. There were around 5 baskets lying on the ground. Villagers open these baskets which covers eggs which lies in the dugged hole in the ground everyday at 7.15am and 5.30pm. These eggs take around 2months to hatch. So the mother turtles comes to these beaches between October to Decemeber to lay eggs covering thousands of nautical miles. It still remains a mystery as to how these baby turtles with no knowledge of sea or their mother, like pre programmed robots rush to the sea immediately after their birth. Their instinct and ability still unknown to mankind who uses hi tech   gadgets like GPS and other navigation system but still cannot match these small turtles abilities.

It was around 7.30am when the villagers went inside the protective enclosure to check if there was any hatchings today. Crowd gathered around, waiting with excitement. Though uncertainty prevails, villagers ensures that at least eggs gets descent chance to hatch. They ensure vigils at night on the beach and no one is allowed to enter the beach in the night. SNM and villagers have in total released over 19000 hatching's in the sea till date, ensuring a major drive in conservation of these endangered species and by doing so have not only put this tiny village on the tourist map of India for a amazing offbeat experience of a lifetime but also it helps in bringing a source of income for villagers from tourist  visiting this place.

Finally at around 7.30 am our wait was over, villagers lifted the basket and here it was !!! first glimpse of tiny turtles and crowd shouted in excitement. One by one they lifted all baskets and total of 15 turtles were born. they would start their journey of life from here. Slowly lifting them in the basket, villagers took them close to water from where they took their first baby step !!!!! it was wow experience. It was like a all turtle race, each turtle slowly inching towards sea water. Waving their flippers as if saying "ADIOS" to the crowd gathered, they gave each one in the crowd, pics of a lifetime before slowly making way into the sea.

Will they survive ? Will they ever come back to same place as mother turtles to start a new generation ?  We all in the crowd could only pray for these little fellas to have strength to endure difficult life which lay ahead of them... Bye bye babies !!!

We bidding goodbye to the first batch in the morning, spend some time on the beach in the morning before heading back for first ever unique stay at villagers house - Mr Prakash Doshi. A middle age couple in late forties, who had ensured tea and Poha breakfast was ready for us. The best part of the village is that it doesn't have cell phone towers. So no mobile signals and no contacts with outside world.

Our group was ready by 10am and we now decided to explore nearby small fort of BANKOT. a 15min drive along the coastal road to nearby village of BANKOT which houses a small fort and mango orchards.

BANKOT FORT : A small fort close to Velas village lies around 15min drive away. Best part is the coastal road which leads us to Bankot village. Small and attractive beaches on the way. Bankot was part of Bombay Presidency and first residency of British Raj. The name of the fort derives from "Bavanna kot" - 52nd fort, Shivaji captured and added this fort to his Swarajya and it was 52nd fort, hence the name. One could get good view of Savitri river from the fort. We also saw that efforts were on to conserve the fort with some restoration work being carried on. Not a big fort but worth a visit and is always a integral part of one's itinerary while on a  visit to Velas.

It was afternoon around 1300hrs and sun was in its prime when we decided to head back for lunch and small nap after which there another visit to Velas beach was planned. Our host has prepared complete veg Maharashtrian lunch and was served on banana leaf. The best lunch I had ever tasted. A sumptuous lunch !!!!!

All we needed after lunch was a nap and what better place than the house verandah which was covered  from the top, cool breeze even in afternoon sun. Around 4.30pm we all got ready for another round of turtle watch and to watch Sunset at Velas. Crowd had started to gather again. But evening was not lucky for us as there was not a single turtle hatching !!!!! a disappointment for some who has walked in the afternoon to watch this phenomenon. But we decided to watch sunset from a small hilllock on the beach. I along with few trekmates climbed the hill, experienced cool evening breeze apart from amazing sunset at Velas beach. Crowd on the beach enjoying their share of sunset from the beach. Nothing else to do, we just sat and enjoyed the moment to the fullest away from the daily hustle - bustle of Mumbai life.

With evening getting dark we all moved back to the village, the villagers had arranged a small video session at village temple about the activities carried out by the NGO and villagers towards conservation and protection of endangered species. Not only they works towards turtle conservation but also into Vulture and Indian swift bird conservation in nearby villages. It was eye opener for us with lot of information shared. Evening was followed by a small stage show done by village children which was quite interesting and appreciated by one and all present. Village was host to many groups like us as many villagers earn additional income by being a host to groups like us, providing food and lodging. Our host had already prepared evening meal and again it was best Maharashtrian dinner we all hogged on to. evening was spend by some our group in playing cards while we decided to roam the village, It was pitch dark on the roads except for the lights from the houses. It was amusing to see all most all of the village houses were host to some group of people or families who had come to visit Turtle festival.

Early morning next day again we were back on the beach around 6.30am. And again when the basket were lifted to check for any hatchings and Voila !!!!!! there were total of another 15 baby turtles ready for their first step in journey of life. Crowd was all excited again to bid good bye to these new borns. Another precious moment to see life starting at Velas beach. By 10am,It was now time to say goodbye to our host and village, thanking both for the wonderful and precious memories we had which I am sure everyone would cherish for a life time. Hoping to come back next year to watch another "Journey of thousand miles beginning with one step" at Velas beach.

We now begin our journey to Harihareshwar - again one of the most famous village with its unique temple and famous beach resort on the coast of Konkan. Another surprise was in store for me. We first moved to Vesvi village from where we were to cross Savitri river to Baagmandla village on ferry boats. The boats not only carry passengers but also carry buses and cars along. It was worth watching how buses and cars are maneuvered to fit in the boat and then crossed to other side of the village.

We waited for over hour for our turn to come on the boat, then moved to famous Harihareshwar temple and beach which was drive of around 30minutes from Baagmandla village.

Harihareshwar is surrounded by four hills named Harihareshwar, Harshinachal, Brahmadri, Pushpadri. River Savitri enters Arabian sea from Harihareshwar. Famous temple devoted to Lord Shiva and Kaal Bhairav is here and is major pilgrimage center. After having darshan one needs to do parikrama of the hill which houses the famous temple. We got most amazing view of Harihareshwar beach from the hill as we moved up and then one needs to descend the hill for the parikrama where one can see sheer beauty of the place. It was worth a thousand visit to the place to see how waves from Arabian sea had created natural carvings in the rock.

I really fell in love with the place so did other group members. We had a gala time, taking pictures on the shore and then moving back to the temple town. After having lunch we started our journey back home, cherishing every moment spend in last two days. It was trip worth remembering for a lifetime.

A trip to VELAS, BANKOT & HARIHARESHWAR

 Anjaneri trek - A birthplace of Lord Hanuman & Pandav Leni caves visit

October 12, 2013

Anjaneri - One of the important fort in the Nasik - Trimbakeshwar region is 20kms away from Nasik on Trimbak road. The place is of significance as per Hindu mythology - its a birthplace of Lord Hanuman and there is temple dedicated to his mother "Mata Anjani'. Hence the name Anjaneri. Its much older than Ramayana age and earlier was called "Rishi Mukh Parvat".

Situated at 4264 ft above sea level, its a delite for hikers and devotees alike. They say Lord Hanuman was born here and spend his childhood and grew up on same mountain. Anjaneri is also situated close to Jyotirling of Lord Shiva at Trimbakeshwar and one can also get close view of Brahmagiri hills from where holy river Godavari originates and flows all the way to Bay of Bengal, travelling 1465kms and is 2nd largest river in India.

Brahmagiri

Anjaneri Fort

My Trek: I had not been able to go for a trek in last few months due to work pressure and was looking for a one day trek with some group to refresh myself from daily boredom.So when I saw Night trek to Anjaneri being organised by TMI. I delightedly enrolled for it. The trek comes in easy grade, but yes one needs to climb steps to reach the main plateau and the temple which can certainly take a toll in hot summer but ours was night trek and I was sure its was going to a experience to remember. My only night trek till date was Katraj - Sinhgad moonlight trek few months back so I was sure it was going to be fun !!!! It was decided to catch 11pm train to Kasara from Dadar and meeting place was at Kasara station. One misses the train and he misses the trek as train after this one as 2hrs later and would only reach Kasara in wee hours of morning. We reached Kasara at 1.30am and had three tum-tums waiting for us to take us to base village of Anjaneri. On the way we had chai on highway dhaba and were quickly on our way to base village. The road ride was quite bumpy an pitch dark on the way. It was around 3am when we reached Anjaneri Phata, there is temple dedicated to Lord Hanuman with a huge statue.

A quick round of introduction and we started our upward journey to the summit. It a winding motor able road passing through base village till one comes across the steps which leads to the main temple for devotees and summit for trekkers like me. Vishal Khond who was leading the group informed that its almost a two hour climb on the steps and then we would halt till sunlight. All excited we marched towards our summit. It was dark but for moonlight which showed us our path. Halting at regular intervals to catch the breath we slowly moved ahead, even though it was quite pleasant but climbing the steps had everyone panting and huffing. After a climb of almost two hours we came across steps carved between two mountains. We could see Anjaneri lake even though it was dark. Also just before we reached this spot, there was a 50 meter spot where its little risky but we didn't realise it in the dark. We just walked past it but on the return journey I realised that it was little risky as one slip would put you 500feet down in the valley !!!!

We reached a plateau after 2hrs of climb and there it was.... a small temple clearly seen in the moonlight. Temple of Anjaneri mata which was now going to be our halt till sunlight. The temple was small but tiled floor where 5-6 people could easily sleep. Few tired soul from our group ran flat at the first sight of space to sleep. Others decided to get comfortable outside the temple where there are two flat concrete structures where one can sleep. There is also a small storage tank type structure outside the temple which was empty and dry. One of our group member decided to make it a sleep place.

While walking and climbing one didn't get the feel of chill in the air but as soon as all reached and got relaxed that everyone started feeling the chilly cold wind. Some had sleeping bags and some even had got shawls and bedsheets. We had almost 2-3 hrs before we explore the place and fort nearby our leader informed. Laying flat in open, it was quite a spectacular view of stars above. I had never had this experience of sleeping in open under the sky before, wow !!!!!! It was quite cold and few of our group members decided to keep warm by lighting a bonfire. One group collected all the dried grass, cow dungs and left paper trash and desperately tried to lit fire in the cold wind while other group inspired by "MAN VS WILD SERIES" on Natgeo decided to lit fire using the age old practise of rubbing two wood sticks. It was amazing experience as our efforts paid off and both groups lit bonfire which was welcome warmth in the cold and chilly wind.

First rays of sun was spectacular sight and add to the beauty was the splendid view of the valley and nearby mountains of Brahmagiri. It was sight which just cannot be described in words !!!!! with first rays of sun falling on the mountains turning it in golden colour was sight worth a million. By 8am Vishal our leader informed that there was a nearby pond and fresh water spring, and he was going to prepare breakfast and tea. In fact he was carrying utensils and food materials for Poha and chai. I first couldn't believe that there could be a water body at such a height, pond was covered or I should say hidden by dense growth of trees. One could also see the Anjaneri fort standing tall which was our destination. Girls from the group and some others joined Vishal and gave helping hand in making tasty Kanda Poha and chai. A small walk from the Anjani temple, there was huge pond and it was amazing to find such a place at top of mountain. One could take a swim or a deep dive. Also there was a fresh water spring with drinkable water oozing out of the ground. Nature at its best !!!!  After a tasty breakfast we decided to move upwards to the fort, by this time it was almost 9am. Moving ahead one had to climb more steps and view was getting more spectacular of nearby mountain range.

We also experienced Monkey menace as one of monkey wanted the plastic bag containing utensils carried by Vishal. It was quite a task to shoo away the monkey as we climbed up. More surprise was in store for me as I saw another huge plateau at the top. The view from the top was just breathtaking. We could now see the famous Alang, Malang & Kulang range along with highest peak of Kalsubai peeking out of clouds. Another walk on the plateau and we were now at the famous temple of Lord Hanuman. I couldn't stop smiling and thinking that Lord Hanuman had spent his childhood at this place which was nothing short of amazing and breathtaking and beautiful place.

A.M.K & Kalsubai

After spending some time, We decided to climb down as there was lot more to see. There was ashram of some baba and also Seeta cave. Also we also had to visit Pandavleni caves as part of our itinerary. Ashram was small but in a very quite surrounding with dense forest type cover. Close by was Seeta cave with some still intact carvings on the wall. Story goes that Seeta - wife of Lord Ram had come to visit mother of Lord Hanuman and stayed in this cave. On our way back we captured the place in our lens which we couldn't while coming up in the middle of night. On the way one could also see small caves which had Jain carvings. On our way down we could see some devotees climbing up to the temple in hot sun, Good that we were returning back !!!!!

We were back to the base by 2pm thrilled at having completed the trek successfully, having had amazing darshan and amazing experience which would stay in our memories for long years to come. On our way back, we stopped for much awaited lunch as we were all dead hungry and then some of our group members decided to go back to Kasara as we were running late and also trains from Kasara were only available every two hours towards CST. While others decided to visit Pandav leni caves outside Nasik before proceeding home.



Pandav Leni Caves history sourced from Wiki : Pandav Leni, (also Pandavleni Caves, Trirashmi Caves) are a group of 24 - 30, 1200-year-old Hinayana Buddhist caves.These were built by various Buddhist kings as homes for the saints. Most of the caves are Viharas except for the 18th cave which is a Chaitya.The location of the caves is a holy Buddhist site and is located about 8 km south of Nashik, Maharashtra, India.The caves were carved out from the 4th century BC till 12th century CE as abodes for the idols of the local kings. The caves lodge idols of Buddha and Bodhisatva and the icons of Jain Tirthankar Rishabh, Veer Manibhadraji and Ambikadevi. The name of the caves originates from the legend about Pandavas.Some caves are intricately connected by stone-cut ladders that join them to the other caves. Steps lead to the caves from the bottom of the hill. The peak of the Pandavleni is also accessible by trekking of about 20 mins but the path is well built with steps.

 A trip to lesser known coastal fort - Kanhoji Angre Island

October 12, 2013

Winters are the best season for any outings or treks before the onset of summer when it becomes hot and humid and practically end of trekking & outing season for 3-4 months before the rains starts in June / July in Mumbai. I wanted to get the best out of the winter season this year. So when Ajay invited us to join a different group for a day outing to lesser known Kanhoji Angre island trip, I along with Bharti & Aparna jumped to join it.

Kanhoji Angre island also known as Kandheri is approx 20kms off the coast of Mumbai, built by Shivaji in 1660AD and is part of huge fortification around Mumbai along with small sister fort of Undheri and Murud Janjira fort.

It was decided to gather at Gateway of India around 7.30 am on Sunday morning, the same day Mumbai hosted the famous Stan Chart Mumbai Marathon. Ajay dropped the plan due to personal reasons but B.A.P (Bharti, Aparna & Paresh (me) continued. Mumbai was in midst of cold spell and it was too chilly on the Sunday morning. We met at Churchgate station at 6.30am in the morning and it was still quite dark but could see lot of hustle & bustle from the organisers of Mumbai Marathon going on outside Churchgate station with Mumbai Police doing last minute security checks. Roads leading to Gateway were empty and it was so surprising to find the empty roads as fort area being a business district, it full of people during business hours. We three were the first in the group to reach and it was beautiful to see the Mumbai harbour with yachts and boats docked on sleepy winter morning. Gateway of India being one of the prime tourist areas of Mumbai is practically filled with tourist during the day but in the wee hours, it had a deserted looks.

The group lead by Vishnu Mestry and Rehan Malik, calling themselves "Servants of Nature" slowly gathered.It was bunch of nature enthusiasts like us who organise and go on such outings & treks. Mathesh, Priyanka, Nikhil, Sanjay and total of 16...

We boarded the ferry to Alibaug from Gateway at 8.30am, huge and massive boat with upper deck, can easily accommodate more than 300 people. It was wonderful 40 minute boat ride to Mandwa port with breakfast bought by all, whole range of snacks from dhoklas to sandwichs to biscuits to khakhras..... On reaching Mandwa, we boarded the bus to Alibaug .... best part "Boat ticket ke saath bus ticket free" ...LoL. We got down at Thal village junction on the way to Alibaug. From the junction it was another 15min ride passing through narrow by lanes of fisherman village of Thal. The stench from dried fish was too much for veggie like me and others but was really a feast for non - veggies in the group. For first time in my life I saw a factory to dry small fish (jhinga)... tubs and tubs full of small fish. One of our group member also lay hands on dead snake.... yuk !!!

Walking on road laden with stones towards our boat, we had a pure bliss, surrounding was so beautiful, sea waves reaching the rocks on the shore, fishermen boats waiting to take them deep into the sea, one could also see smaller fort in middle of sea called Undheri - sister fort of the one we were going to visit. 

Our boat to the fort was custom made for tourist visitors, as we drove in water towards our destination, clicking pictures of whatever we could sight we drove past the smaller fort of Undheri - one couldnt stop thinking about how our rulers had constructed such magnificent structures in those times, which still stands tall today. Fort was huge but compared to one that we were planning to visit, it was smaller version of it.....It was another boat ride of 30 minutes and we could see our destination. My first sighting of a lighthouse ever !!!! The island was full of visitors today, with loud music and some kind of festive atmosphere every where. On reaching the shores, we found that today was some annual sacrifice day for fisherman folks and they come to this island to sacrifice and enjoy with families.

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We had hot cuppa of tea, poha & sheera as breakfast, tea was much needed after the long journey of almost 2hours and 30min. After being recharged by tea and breakfast, We moved towards lighthouse our first destination on the island tour, climbing stairs on the small hillock, one could get clear view of the island and it was just amazing. On reaching lighthouse, the guard informed we could have a tour of lighthouse and also can take pictures from the top for a small entry charge of Rs 20. Super excited at the idea of getting to know how the lighthouse works and a 360 deg view of entire island we all climbed the spiral staircase inside the lighthouse. The guard gave us the first hand tutorial of how lighthouse works. It was amazing to know that this has been a daily routine from the time the light house was constructed in 1867 !!!!!!  Imagine 147 looooooooooooong years of doing same job of giving directions to the ships at sea ...................

We also got opportunity to view the island from the top of lighthouse. The entire place has not changed at all from the time it was built except getting fresh paint every 3-4 years. It also housed staff quarters, a typical chawl type houses with staircase to climb. Place was so serene that I just could stop thinking how wonderful it would be to just come here and stay for few days, away from daily routine of work and home. But unfortunately staying overnight on the island is not allowed. After some rest we decided to do a round of the fort island before our journey back home.

As we climbed down, guard showed us a huge rock which emitted metallic sound when hit on one side. Nature at its best !!!!!!!!!

We moved further and came across fresh water tank carved out of the rocks with a temple close by. There were many such fresh water tanks we came across as we moved on the fort walls. The fort covered entire island with huge stones walls, stones perfectly laid one above the other and water tanks carved to store fresh water, small windows carved out of the walls at strategic locations to keep a watchful eye on the enemies coming from the sea and huge canons lay unattended at various points....having served their rulers in their prime. It was pity that nothing much has been done to preserve our heritage which if not taken care today would be a thing of the past soon !!!!! 

It was quite a long walk on the walls of the fort, but it was beautiful to see the waves hitting the shores from the windows carved from the walls of the fort. One could only marvel at the sheer size of the fort and meticulous planning and construction done around 1670 AD. The island fort today had lot of visitors apart from us due to annual festival. History says that Khanderi fort and Undheri fort seems to have served Shivaji to keep watchful eye on British and their counterpart Siddis of Janjira. History also says that British Royal navy had first taste of defeat here in hands of Shivaji. After Shivaji, it was conquered by Siddis of Janjira with help from British and then moved back to Marathas. Angre family ruled it till 1818. Hence the name of the island "Kanhoji Angre Island" Such a historical place needs to be preserved and made a tourist destination for younger generations to know about our rich history.

Back in our boats we moved back to Thal village. Our guide informed us that Kihim beach famous for its water sports was close by and we could also see it while on way back from the island fort. We decided to walk down the entire coast line till Kihim. We were informed it could take 20min but it was more than we were told and what we expected. It took almost 1hr 30min walk along the beach but fortunately sun was not at all harsh and there was cold breeze so walk was pleasant, with some of our group members indulging in shell searching on the beach while Bharti and Aparna had their gala time by playing "Antakshari" while walking... Finally we reached Kihim beach from there we took tumtum ride back to Mandwa port. Tired and exhausted we reached jetty only to find that there was mad rush to enter the boat to Mumbai.It was as if it was last boat to Mumbai. We still managed to get in the boat for our journey back home. Our boat ride was sheer pleasurable one, thanks to seagulls who followed our boat in search of food. These birds really had a eye to die for as while flying they could catch the food thrown in air by fellow travellers. It was fun to see them and I also managed to capture some of these birds in my lens. Back at gateway by 6pm we all bid each other goodbye, happy to have had a memorable and safe trip to island fort and promising to be back again for some other adventure trip to some other adventurous place ..... 

 Birding at Gandheri - Kalyan

October 12, 2013

Start of winter season in Mumbai and the island city becomes home to numerous migratory birds, some come as far as Central Asia. With so much awareness about conserving nature, conserving forest cover in & around city, it in turn helps in making sure that these visitory birds continue to come and excite us. It also helps in numerous people taking up birding as one of their hobbies, some even go to extent of organising free trips to places which are heaven for migratory birds, providing their expertise in birding to others. Every year HSBC bank also organises "Bird Race" which is now become a famous event, eagerly awaited by bird enthusiast across the city, providing them a common platform to reach out to like minded people and also to explore different places around Mumbai to see and watch these famous and beautiful visitors. Popular birding spots in and around city being S.G.National park, Aarey milk colony, Uran, Karnala bird sanctuary, Sewri for flamingos to name a few.

One such event was recently organised by Pravin Subramanian (one of the famous bird enthusiast in Mumbai) and his group and I was invited by Dr Ajay to join him and be a part of exciting trip. Half day event to watch birds at Gandheri. It was first time for me to join such a group, honestly I had no clue what was in store for first timer like me. Excited I was, hoping to explore a new place which I had not heard of. Gandheri - at Kalyan. I and Ajay boarded 4.30am local train for Dadar as meeting place was decided at Kalyan near bridge at Ulhas river and it was at 7.30am in the morning. One of Ajay's friend joined us at Kalyan station. We managed to reach much early at the spot and with winter having set in, it was quite chilly and foggy in the morning. Waiting for others on the bridge, we easily managed to spot couple of birds. Ajay and one of the our colleague, have been doing birding for quite sometime and were quick to spot birds like Sandpiper, common pond heron, Black kite to name a few.

By 7.30am we saw three cars full of bird enthusiast who joined us and we were off to explore the place. The other side of bridge on river Ulhas was more of forest area close to the river and wilderness.  We followed our leader with quick round of introduction, a group total of 20. As soon as we moved passed some small houses, the entire stretch of land was pure wilderness and dried grass land. The leaders with their keen eye for birds started spotting and showing everyone birds which I had never heard of and also never seen. to name a few beautiful ones that we saw were Eurasian color dove, Eurasian marsh harrier, Black drongos, common kites. It was amazing to spot such beautiful birds and it was just within 30minutes of we entering the area. The group had people who even had done bird watching in Himalayas and was amazing to get their share of knowledge about various birds and how to spot them and distinguish them from their very close cousins. Wow !!!

As we moved deeper, the forest cover became more dense and the list of birds that we spotted continued to increase and became even more exotic.The highlight of the trip for me was the Kingfisher in its natural habitat and proudly showing its true and rich colour. It was more than 3hours into the event of bird watching and group was dead hungry. We spotted one comfortable open space covered in shade of trees were the entire group had the snacks which each and every one had got. Everyone enjoyed the snacks as it was as exotic and varied as the birds that we had spotted. Dhoklas, khakras, fruits, biscuits and list would just go on.....

Walking in the forest, we even found rich flora which included "hari patti" which is put in paan and sweet in taste, also one of group members enlightened us by showing the colourful seeds of the tree which are all equal in weight and was used in ancient times to weigh gold. Also found one wild fruit which looks like tamarind but when touched would make ensure the person would have itching for couple of hrs on touched body part. One cannot stop thinking how nature surprises us with such exotic flora as well..

We started our return journey as it was around 12.30pm now, some of group members managed to actually spot more birds and the list end of the event was total of 51 different species of birds in one area itself. Luckily for Ajay and me, We had a couple who stayed close to Borivali and had enough space for Ajay, me in their car and we joined them on our way back home.It was just amazing to be part of such group of people who had so much of knowledge about birds and best part was they all came from different fields and industry. It was one such wonderful memory for me to be a part of such amazing event. As I pen down my blog I am also including the list of birds that we spotted during this event and hope to be a part of such events in the future as well. I also came across someone who has meticulously penned down the birding sites in & around Mumbai and I am taking the liberty to include this here, hoping to be a part of awareness creation for conserving nature and in turn would help us in watching these amazing visitors to our island city called Mumbai.

http://birdinginbombay.blogspot.in/

Sr #	Name Of Species
1	Ashy Pirnia
2	Common myna
3	Green beater
4	Black Drongo
5	Red vented bulbul
6	Asian pied starling
7	Open billed stork
8	Black kite
9	Pond Heron
10	Common Stonechat
11	Yellow wagtail
12	Spotted dove
13	Paddy filed pipet
14	Indian robin
15	Grey Heron
16	Scaly breasted munia
17	Red advent
18	Palm swift
19	Bunting
20	Eurasian color dove
21	Little Cormorant
22	Copper smith barbet
23	Red collared dove
24	Short eared owl
25	Little egret
26	Laughing dove
27	Eurasian golden oriol
28	Rufous  tailed lark
29	Plain pirnia
30	White breasted kingfisher
31	Asian Koyal
32	Purple sunbird
33	Purple rum sunbird
34	Common Iora
35	Tailor bird
36	Common Blue Kingfisher
37	Common sandpiper
38	Wood sandpiper
39	Eurasian marsh harrier
40	Yellow billed river turn
41	White eye buzzard
42	Blue tailed bee eater
43	Wire tailed swallow
44	Barn swallow
45	Indian roller
46	Osprey
47	Sparrow hawk
48	House crow
49	Jungle crow
50	Sparrow
51	Cattle egret

 Sunday outing to Devkop lake

October 12, 2013

It was long since my last outing with Wanderlust adventurers, one due to my personal commitments and also mostly due to my work commitment. So last when I met Ajay for birding at Gandheri, It was again decided to do some outing on Sunday. The place was Devkop or Devkhop lake near Palghar.

Devkop is not a popular destination but its like offbeat place close to Palghar, approx 5kms from Palghar station on Manor road. A very small sleepy village of few tribal mud huts on banks of Devkop lake. The lake water on clear blue sky reflects the sky colour and turns blue. A serene surrounding which is sure to bring the poet and your creative poetry out of you !!!! The place is surrounded by hills on three sides with thick forest cover on the hills and beautiful lake water with small village on it bank. A perfect place to be at on a winter Sunday.

We decided to catch the a slow local from Borivali at 7.25am for Virar from where we would catch the  Dahanu shuttle and get down at Palghar. A group of seven, lead by Dr Ajay. Virar Dahanu shuttle unexpectedly was crowded on Sunday morning also but we managed to get a seat. Its a mere 4 station - 40min run to Palghar from Virar. Something not to be missed at Palghar station are its sweeter than sugar chickoos and vadapavs bang opp station. I didn't miss both !!! Piping hot vadapav surely taste more better on chilly winter morning. Checking with some rickshawalas for a trip to Devkhop and they asked for Rs100 for a single trip. Ajay who had been to this place before suggested to check state transport bus as the place was close by and one way fare in ST bus was mere Rs 4/-. Surely that was the best way as we found that buses to Manor as quite frequent and they all stop at Devkhop. A run of 10 - 15min and we were standing at entrance of Devkop lake.

As we walked towards the lake from the main road, we passed this small sleepy village, made of straw huts plastered with mud. A tribal village and we didn't notice even a single shop in the village.The first sight of lake was like wow, clear & still water with reflections of mountains covering three sides,sun rising on winter day, water dam built at far end, village ladies washing clothes. Instantly we just stood capturing the beautiful sight in our lens. There is nothing much to do at the lake but we had come to explore so it was decided to do a full circle of the lake, capturing and enjoying the moments and the place. As we walked on not so dry & dry banks of the lake we could see empty sea shells or lake shells , indicating rich habitat for migratory birds.

Cormorant was the first bird that we could sight. It was a real pleasure to see the bird flying low on the lake and then jumping in the water to catch the fish. We also spotted small ducks swimming in middle of lake and Black Drongo which is very common during this part of the year.

One of the best thing about the lake was its clear water and it really gave a perfect reflection of its surroundings. To capture the beauty of the place and to have a good view we even climbed a small hillock and spend some time there. Some of the pics of reflections really turned out to be good.

Sun was now almost on the head so we decided to walk along the dam built to conserve the water and find some shade for our packed brunch that we were all carrying. Walking on the walls of the dam one gets a amazing view of both sides. one side was lake and other side was like a heaven, few huts and chickoo, coconut trees as far as eyes could see. It was like a ideal place to have a house amidst green trees and then just a climb on the dam wall and one can spend hours together watching the lake and its surroundings in the evening or early morning. It was such a beautiful sight that it just came rolling in front of my eyes while I pen down my memories of the place.

We had our brunch under a bridge over a well which served the purpose of realising water from the lake to other side of the dam in controlled manner, while we walked around the lake we came across some villagers fishing shell in shallow lake water.

Sun was now at its prime and it was now turning out to be too hot to walk, we decided to quickly complete a full circle of the lake as turning back would mean walking more in the open sun. It was like a walk of around 3hrs coming full circle of the lake.

We reached the village back and from the main road got into state transport bus to Palghar. Bharti -  one of my colleague was full red faced with heat from the sun and everyone else were also exhausted. On reaching Palghar station, it was wait for over one hour for our train to Virar back but drinking coconut water on station was huge respite from the heat and equally re hydrating. I am sure each one of us had at least two coconut full of water.

The train ride back to Virar was one hell of ride as train was jam packed to the brim, standing on one leg and every muscle getting toned by push from fellow passenger, we finally reached Virar and eventually our one more outing was complete and everyone was back safe home. It's a beautiful place and I still feel one should enjoy the beauty of the place in the evening or may be overnight stay in pitched tent. It would certainly be my dream to comeback to this place again some other time, some evening, some morning !!!!

 An excursion to Sakhare lake and Kelwe Beach

October 12, 2013

"Travel bug has bitten me hard" One of my friend told me. She was correct as come Sunday and I get restless for going on treks, trails or excursions. Last week I had a memorable experience at Phansad WLS & this week we decided to go to excursion at some off beat place. Dr Ajay suggested a pilot excursion to Sakhare lake near Vangoan close to Palghar.

Before our visit no one from the group knew where the hell is this place, also google baba who usually is very helpful when it comes to search- failed here as there was nothing that gave any info about the place. Ajay had google map co-ordinates and that nearest station could be Boisar or Vangoan and thus it was pilot trip that we were embarking upon. Meeting place was decided to Borivali station around 7am.Gang of six which included Bharti, Aparna, Sagar, Mark with Ajay and me reached on time whereas our Jatinbhai and Vipul, who were suppose to join couldn't make it as they had a late night party, got up only when they started getting frantic calls to confirm if they were joining us from Dr Ajay.....

Early morning local train journey is always an wonderful experience for there is enoughhhhhhhhh space when one compares to morning rush in Mumbai locals after 8am when you don't get space at times to board the train forget about getting space to even stand properly. Having experienced rush hour in Mumbai locals on weekdays and when one gets a empty train in early morning on weekends. Its always a welcome change. We reached Virar by 8am just in time as our next train to Vangoan had just arrived. But moment Dahanu - Virar shuttle arrived, it was packed to core and I couldn't help but think what would it be like on normal weekdays. And it was just 8am on Sunday morning !!!! We did managed to get enough space to stand properly, also our journey to Vangoan station was only going to be for 50 minutes. One thing about Vangoan that I could find is that its famous for "Vadapav from Satish" - one and only food stall on the station sells vadapav which is very famous and quite tasty but by the time we reached it was over. But we decided to try it on our return journey.

From Vangoan station east to the phata from where one gets shared tum-tum rickshaws is walk of around 10minutes, As one walks towards phata, you will find huge chickoo farms and loads of raw chickoos on it. Also with rainy season in its last leg of journey in 2012, it was greenery all around and wild flowers blooming everywhere.

Its easy to get tum-tums to Sakhare lake from the phata and journey was around 15minutes. We started our photo shoot as soon as we reached the gates of the dam. It was serene and pleasant sight.

The water was filled upto the brim, I am sure if we had come in middle of rainy season, we would have captured the pleasant sight of water overflowing from the dam. Its not a huge water body but it was beautiful sight of lush greenery around the periphery of the lake and mountains beyond that. We asked the gatekeeper if we could walk on the fenced walls of the dam but were informed it requires permission and being a Sunday, the office was closed. We decided to explore the area surrounding the dam as it didn't require any permission also we could see some villagers passing by on bicycles indicating that there were villages around the lake. We moved along the periphery of the lake, we were certainly not disappointed with the sight of the lake and its surroundings and there was proper road leading to villages ahead.

It was getting hot and humid now with sun at the top and we decided to find some shade near the lake shore to have our packed lunch. One patch of lake shore was ladened with trees with some shade and we had our lunch on the lake shore. It was nice small excursion with the group and it was nice place worth a visit on lazy Sunday.

On our return journey we did manage to eat Vadapav at Vangoan station and true to its words, It was one of the best I had in recent times. It was still 1.30 in the afternoon and Bharti suggested that we explore the famous Kelwe beach before starting our return journey back home. With everyone ready for 2nd excursion of the day we headed to Palghar and from station took a 12km tum tum ride to the beach.

Kelwe beach has one of the pristine and longest shoreline of around 7kms. Lined with tall Suru trees on one side and calmed shore on other, its one of the best beaches around or close to Mumbai. Sun was still burning hot so we decided to walk in the shades of Suru trees searching for perfect spot to rest for a while before we walk in waters to capture the sunset. Being a Sunday there were lot of crowd sitting in groups under the shades of trees but the litter left behind by people were a real dampener along the path. Finally managing to find a perfect place to sit in shades of trees waiting for Sunset at Kelwe beach, we had a hot cuppa of tea and other snacks carried by us. It was perfect place for Sunday evening close to Mumbai yet far away from hustle bustle of Mumbai life.

Kelwe beach has two small forts along the coast, one which is on southern side but we couldn't visit that one as its in middle of sea and is in accessible during high tide. On northern end of the beach, there  is another fort which is in ruins but we did visit that one. Its a small fort but looking at the structure it was more like a watch tower hidden in tall trees but would have been a treat to stay in during its prime close to seashore 200 - 300 yrs ago !!!!

It was now sunset time as we walked along the beach, clicking pictures and enjoying the waves hitting the shores, away from the crowd which was concentrated on the southern end of the beach. The waves hitting the shores making the rhythmic sound mesmerising and inviting one to sit on the sands and enjoy the evening. After a stroll for over a hour we decided to head back home as it was getting dark and within no time it was like all hell had broken loose, climate changed in minutes and it started raining heavily followed by thunder and lightning. We all were completely drenched as we headed back to rickshaw stand outside Sitlamata temple which is also one of the popular spots near the beach.  After waiting for over 20 minutes in heavy rain and no tum - tum insight we walked to the bus stand. Waiting for bus back to Palghar we had another hot vada pav which tasted even better in cold rains. Back at Palghar station we boarded the Ahmedabad - Bandra passenger train to reach home. Kelwe beach is a perfect place to spend a nice evening or a lazy Sunday with friends or family members with options of range of resorts for overnight stay. I also came to know that food available in nearby resort is mouth watering and worth a try. So again another exciting excursion came to an end. I say excursion because it was not a trail in jungle or trek to some locations in Sahyadri but it was just like true to our groups name - A Wanderlust Adventure.