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!
More photos at: http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/upsidedownv/2008junnar