A blog on trekking in the Sayhadri or Western Ghat mountains. I have been fortunate to trek in Maharashtra for two decades; trekking in the rains is an experience unique to this region and this blog seeks to give information to like-minded trekkers looking to hit the hills on a wet weekend!
We make ambitious plans. On any given hike, everyone makes grand plans to climb two, maybe three mountains or take a longer, harder route. There are also enthusiastic participants before any given hike actually occurs; people who promise to come and back out at the last minute. So this weekend, there were only two of us (myself & Lobhus) left with some ambitious plans to do two or say three forts on a single day. We were really desperate to go because we hadn't gone as yet on a monsoon hike and though it must have been the dryest July for decades, we decided take a chance on rain.
We decided to go to Junnar since we thought once we are on a higher altitude, rain or no rain, it would still be pleasant. We caught an 11 o’clock bus from Bombay Central depot, which though labelled as an express, halted at every other place, right up till five in the morning.
First on our agenda was Shivneri, which we could just about see in the dark sky. We started on the tar road behind the bus stop which goes to the fort. However we got bored of walking on the road and decided to take a short cut. A short wall has been built around the fort by the locals and there is a breach in the wall from where we entered and started on a payvaat. It took us first to a cave which was a dead end, then we went back and took another direction but eventually we had to jump over the aforementioned wall and took to the tar road again.
Fortunately we had skipped much of the tar road and soon we were at the steps that take one into the fort complex. Unlike most forts visited, Shivneri is well maintained with cemented steps, tended gardens and reconstructed gates. On the top there are several ruins to see, most important of which is the birth place of Shivaji Maharaj. It was about seven in the morning and the fort was very quiet and peaceful.
To return, we decided to hunt for the alternative route which a local had told us about. This starts from a monument just before the birthplace monument and goes on the side facing Junnar town, past a really dirty tank (it stank!). The route goes through the woods and then descends downwards over the cliff face. Metal rods have been inserted for support over rock cut leg holds. It’s definitely a route for trekkers and in pouring rain, might be a bit tricky. The route descends down into the forest and reaches the newly built boundary wall at the bottom, over which you need to jump to reach the road to Junnar. This way saves you from walking most of the tar road. Looking back, it was almost impossible to figure the route among the cliff wall.
Back at the bus-stop we had just missed the 8:20 bus to Hadsar village and had to wait nearly for an hour for the next one to arrive. Any bus to Rajur-1 or Nimgiri goes via Hadsar village and the journey is about 20 minutes or so. From Hadsar village, one has to walk on the road towards a well from where the route climbs up to a plateau. From the plateau the path moves towards the left and one has to go around the mountain to reach the rock cut steps to the fort.
There is not much left on Hadsar fort but the entrance is impressive. It is squeezed between two walls of the mountain and a long series of steps takes one through a couple of darwajas till one reaches the grassy summit. The fort is divided into two unequal halves and the larger one contains water tanks, a small temple and a pond, where we decided to take a dip. Later we realized that the villagers took the buffaloes into this pond, but then it was getting a bit hot and the water was cool!
We went up to the highest point which is behind the temple from where one can see the entire fort. Adjoining is a steep ridge that takes one to Hatkeshwar plateau (which we had planned to do, but looked like a really long hike). We could also see one of Nimgiri forts. Since it was a hazy cloudy day, we could not see far, but we could recognize Shivneri, Jivdhan and Chavand forts among the shadowy shapes on the horizon!
After the dip, we had theplas for lunch and made our way back to Hadsar village where we had again missed our bus but jeeps come from time to time. In a stroke of luck we got an empty one – a pleasant contrast from the usual cramming that happens in these rides! We returned to Junnar to wait for a long bus ride back home. There was hardly any rain worth mentioning but on our way back it rained not once, but twice. Oh, the weather gods can be cruel!
I had to post this account months ago, but some how it just did not happen on time…..
I have never been a fan of night trekking but I believe in trying new things. So I agreed upon a night trek in May hoping that a night on any hill would be cooler than one in sweltering Mumbai. Since we were totally against walking in the sun, our options were limited as the hike had to be nearby and not too long. So we settled on to Peb or Nakhind or both (we are always ambitious in our intentions!)
There were only three of us on the hike and we took the last local to Karjat and alighted at Neral station, which was expectedly deserted. Now though I have been to this hike many times, we always make some common mistakes. Predictably we had trouble searching the way in the dark and after many detours and dogs howling about in the night, we found ourselves on the right road.
It was a pleasant night with an almost full moon (one day before pornima). There was a slight breeze but in no time we were all sweating with the climb. We reached the first TV tower and then the second and we knew we were on the right way. However as we started moving towards the col between Peb and Nakhind, we lost our way and we took some wrong turns. After almost an hour of mad exploration and discussions, we turned back and fortunately on our way back we got hold of the right path.
I found the night hike experience very surreal. It’s deadly quite and a bit eerie, everything is dipped in darkness and there’s only your torch to guide you. It does bring memories of….well, those children in the dark getting caught by leopards or those horror camping movies!
We made it up to the point between Peb fort and Nakhind and rested a bit, deciding where to go. We were drenched in sweat by then and I had never sweated so much on any trek. We decided to go to Nakhind and then made up on the steep incline to the right. The narrow ridge walk soon became forested and the eerie impression strengthened. We reached the high point but decided to go further. As there was nothing to see we decided to turn back after 30 min of more walking and came back to some rocks where we watched the sun rise. The view was nice with Prabal, Chanderi and Peb forts around us. During this we didn’t even realize that we dozed off and soon we were on our way back.
Walking down was quick but we should have been quicker. My shoe was biting me and soon by seven the sun was beating down upon us. By eight we were down and almost roasted by the sun but still alive to catch the 8:30 train which was late. We entered the platform and the train door just appeared before us and surprising we had seats. No waiting time for the train, just made this experience even nicer!
Ratangad by its very name (jewel among forts) attracts hikers and rightly so as it offers shelter, water, ruins and some of the finest views. I’ve made the trek in monsoon when the fort is surrounded by fog and nothing is visible. So to enjoy the fort for all it offers, I decided to go in winter.
The most used route to reach the fort is via Ratanwadi village. If you live in Bombay this means a long route to Igatpuri, then to Shendi (Bhandardhara Dam) and then a boat to Ratanwadi. Being late for booking train tickets (as usual), we took the first bus to Nasik that would drop us to Igatpuri. Unfortunately we got stuck in the mother of all jams and after four hours of being stuck (we got by with playing cards), we got down at Asangaon, took a train to Kasara, then a bad jeep ride to Ghoti and by rickshaw to Shendi and after an hour’s wait, the boat to Ratanwadi. To save time and money, I would suggest the first train to Kasara (if not a late night bus to Igatpuri) and then a bus to Rajur which would drop you at Shendi.
We spent the night at Ratanwadi as we reached there at six in the evening. There is a beautiful temple (Amruteshwar) and an ancient tank in the village. One can stay in a hall besides the temple and villagers are quite helpful. You will have every second fellow asking to be your guide! Post-dinner we went for a night walk without torches, as the moon was unusually bright and with a tripod we were shot some snaps.
We struggled to wake up at six; it was dark and freezing cold, possibly 5 degrees. We had asked one of the villagers to be our guide and when he did not show up by seven we were off. The route to the fort is forested but quite easy and distinct. At one point, it bifurcates to the route going further to Kathra and thereafter to Harischandragad (a circuit I want to do at least once!) Our guide did join us just as we started hiking and kept a good pace for us to follow.
We made it to the top in a couple of hours; there are two steel ladders just near the entrance to negotiate a rock face. After biscuits and kachoris, we went to the top where one gets excellent views of Ajoba. The highest point of the fort is the Nedhe – a hole in the rock where one gets fantastic views – as far as Jivdhan and Dhakoba. We planned to go down by the Trimbak Darwaja on the other side of the fort, which meant traversing the entire fort. The darwaja opens up into the ground and in monsoon would be real adventure. The huge steps descend steeply between huge rock walls, then the narrow route passes under a rock wall towards the Khunta Pinnacle. On one hand you can see the drop into Konkan, with another pinnacle called Baan at half level. On the other side you see the Kalsubai range up to Kulang. After going around the Kunthapinnacle, we descended down and had a long walk to Samrad village.
Our plan was to do down Karoli Ghat from Samrad. We had a lunch break of sandwiches, while our guide gave us some delicious thecha with rice bhakris. From Samrad we walked further towards Ghatgar village where another dam has been built. This route is largely on a pucca road and luckily we got a rick to cut it short. Dropping us near an abandoned school (now submerged by the lake behind the dam) we went to the edge of the ghats where our guide left us.
We had realized by now this was not Karoli Ghat but as we did not want to be late we were fine with it. This ghat called Devicha Ghat or Chondacha Ghat, has man-made steps and because of the new dams that are below and above the ghat, is used by workers. It is an easy route that takes one to a proper road (not for public use and part of a hydroelectric project). If you are lucky (as we were!), you can get a lift till Chonda Colony. From here we quickly took jeeps to Dolkhamb, then to Asangaon/Shahpur and on to a local train and were home at six. It was a twelve hour journey right from the time we got up to the time we reached home. Fast but cool!
