Mahabaleshwar on my mind: Pratapgad from Kshetraphal

the long ridge to Pratapgad

After a gap of two years the August 15 hike took place this year; the choice as always was the Mahabaleshwar region in the rains. This time Pratapgad and Makarandgad were on the agenda though ultimately only one fort was conquered. I am still recuperating from the after-effects: normal life feels boring and the memories of the weekend seem wispy as if they belong to another age; its probably the fact that we had to travel so far: four hours to Poladpur from Mumbai and then another 30kms to the base village of Kshetraphal.

I had heard about an alternative route to Pratapgad on my winter trek last year with a trekking group. A bit of research showed that a visit to Kudpan village (which has the distinction of being at the border of three districts- Raigad, Satara and Ratnagiri) was a high point. The village consists of three separate wadis, the first of which itself is about 6 kms from Kshetraphal. There is a newly built road connecting the two but due to a confused driver we had to do this on foot.

Exhausted by the walk on metalled road, we reached the first wadi of Kudpan. Outside the village, past the rice fields we walked to a gloriously scenic valley; this is where the Mahipatgad range joins the main Sahyadri range; at this valley lies a beautiful waterfall from where water crashes down, carving out a gorge in the steep valley. From the same valley rises Bhimachi Kathi – a tall column of rock that rises from the valley completely detached yet close to the main wall of mountains. These were sights to remember; absolutely breathtaking!

All that scenic pleasure came at a price because in another stroke of bad luck we took a guide who made us walk back on the tar road towards Kshetraphal. Later we came to know there were routes from Kudpan too. It was after two that we really started ‘trekking’. The route went climbed up from a bell by the side of the road, going up to a ridge which snaked its way ahead. Our guide was left us halfway asking us to hold on to the path which would go along the top of the ridge. Unfortunately it didn’t.

We reached an enclosed valley as mists began to envelope us. The rain began and we were worried since it was past three. Luckily we found a villager who said he would give us a guide from his village but once we neared his house, our ‘weak link’ complained of cramps. We decided to camp reluctantly as the rain intensified.

We stayed for the night in a hospitable villager’s hut; it was clean and comfortable and lights came on after eight. Sleep when it came was welcome and deep; after all we had started at around five from Mumbai. Next day we woke up refreshed, a bit sad that our plans to reach the other fort would not materialize.

We climbed from the valley up onto the ridge. The ridge continued up to a high point where another route came from an adjoining mountain. Here we met another villager who like our new guide made the trek everyday selling milk to eateries in Pratapgad. Life may seem romantic in the villages but it’s definitely not easy.

The route now began to descend a bit through woods until the growth cleared off into grass. Now we could see a long ridge that connected to the far-off citadel of Pratapgad which was obscured in misty clouds. However it was to be clear day; no rain but endless views of valleys on either sides. The route is clear cut but very slippery and hence a bit tricky. We walked for almost two hours on the grassy ridges as they meandered towards the fort; it is one of the most beautiful ridge walks in Sahyadris – I can’t say anything more to do justice to nature’s glory!

A final ascent took us into a forest at the foot hills of Pratapgad. Since it was a bit hot after the climb, we were glad to be inside the cool shade. From here on the presence of plastic wrappers meant that we would soon be near Pratapgad. It was Sunday and Independence day; when we reached the fort, there were few visitors but villagers were ready with their wares. Our guide delivered the milk; some of it had gone spoilt; we bought some food for him but he shrugged off and smiled about the milk.

After the incredible beauty witnessed, the commercialized fort seemed like an anticlimax. Still, the fortification was impressive; a guide lamented on how the state was spending crores on a Shivaji statue in the sea while Shivaji’s forts crumbled under apathy. We made our way to Wada Khumbroshi below the fort by a nice path (not the motorable road) that starts behind the parking bay. At the end there was a small stream in the woods which we just could not resist. Fresh and rejeuvanated we waited for the bus which took us down to Poladpur along a route that stood exactly opposite the long ridge that had taken us to Pratapgad. Seperated by a valley, the ridge stood far-off and gave no indication of a walking route; which was just as well, some things are better off being lesser known secrets. Hope things stay that way because I plan to return.

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Monsoon at Mahuli

Mahuli is synonymous for me with my college hikes when over-enthusiastic students were in the mood just as the colleges had begun and monsoon was unleashed on the hills around Bombay. Those hikes were over-crowded, hectic and tiring but every year that we went to Mahuli heavy rains were a constant. This year too, after a last minute decision to go to Mahuli, the rain gods delivered!

It was yet another wonderful monsoon hike with great weather, lovely forests, good climbing, splendid views and an invigorating session in beautiful streams. The rain started as a drizzle on the hike but was light enough to give us views of the surrounding countryside and mist-crowned mountains. As we reached the top into the clouds, it began raining heavily and did not stop until we reached down.

The peace and quiet on a Saturday was a welcome relief considering that Mahuli with its proximity to the city must see loads of visitors on the weekends, especially Sundays. The litter at the fort top ruins was a testament to this traffic. Most of the time we were alone until after mid-day a few young trekkers noisily announced themselves.

It was a good hike done with a bit of leisure and other than the sluggishness of a slow train on the way back home, it was a great trek. Revisiting old places seems to be thing for me this year and Mahuli (visited last in 1999) was still holds the charms it always had. I’ll let the pictures do the talking.

The facts:

Mahuli fort (2501 ft)

Nearest rail station: Asangaon

Alternatively from road you can reach Shahpur and take a bus to Mahuli village. The village is 4 kms away from the train station. Walk along the tracks towards the overhead highway bridge and turn left. A metalled road leads to the village and beyond.

Time: 3 hours from Mahuli village

For more information the good people at Trekshitiz have an exhaustive webpage: http://www.trekshitiz.com/EI/EI_DefaultUser.asp?SearchValue=M&FortName=Mahuli&SearchChoice=Alpha

Mahuli fort in clouds

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The Awesome Beauty of the Bhimashankar trek

Bhimashankar cliffs from Khandas

What makes a perfect monsoon hike? A great place, an interesting route with some thrills thrown in for good measure, great views, the company of friends and above all good weather with lots of rain. It all came together at the end of July at Bhimashankar to make one of the best hikes of the year.

Bhimashankar (3500 ft) is a famous Shiva temple situated between the Malshej and Lonavala regions. Declared a wildlife sanctuary by the state government, it is lies in a beautiful sacred forest. For trekkers it is a long hike with a choice of two routes: the ‘treacherous’ tricky Shidi ghat or the long, arduous Ganesh Ghat. We had the good fortune of doing both in a day.

We took a local to Karjat and met my uncles from Pune in a perfect stroke of timing. But we almost missed the 8:30 bus to Kashele from where private jeeps and ricks take one to Khandas, the base village.

From the moment I stepped outside my house, it was drizzling and I knew it was going to be a wet hike. It was raining in Karjat and at Khandas, dark clouds were above us shrouding the mountains; the row of cliffs was adorned with a row of gushing waterfalls. Sipping tea in a leaf-topped hut beside a roaring stream, we searched the tall forested cliffs where the faster but steeper Shidi ghat route was hidden.

Around ten, equipped with a local guide, our group of six (two seniors over 50, two adventurous girls and two veterans of Bhimashanker) took on the ladder strewn route. I think I did this hike last time in 1997; that time the ladders were either made of rusty shaky metal or worse, wood and bamboo. Things had changed; a trekking group has gifted a bright green metal staircase to all. After this ‘ladder’ things get interesting; from my previous attempt I clearly remembered the spot where there are only hand holds and hardly any place to take a second step. A fall at this point is fatal but the hand holds are excellent.

Past this point came two more rusty ladders wedged in the narrow clefts of rock with water gushing through so that it hits you in the face. Wet, drenched, exhilarated, a bit shaken we continued through swollen waterfalls to reach a cave curtained with streams of water. Through the glistening beads of water you could see the vast expanse of green and the adjacent row of cliffs that ended into the sentinel-like sharp peak of Padar Killa.

We reached the first plateau at the point where both routes meet; nearby is Koli village idyllically surrounded by lush paddy fields. Enterprising villagers have erected little huts for tired trekkers to rest to whom they sell tea. Yet this was the half-way point. A steep route climbs up and the forest wears down to bushes and grass. Skirting the edge this route zig-zags steeply and then traverses towards the north, each step proving that the view only gets better before you reach the mists.

The rain gods had quite a treat for us and poured their offerings generously; just in time we reached the upper plateau of Bhimashankar which is covered by a dense, dark forest made all the more mysterious by the dark clouds. There was so much rain that it compensated for all the lack of it in my previous three hikes. We walked through this gorgeous water drenched forest for about an hour until a final climb took us to a foggy top marked by the small Hanuman pond. To the right a route goes to Nagphani, the highest point and the left to Bhimashankar temple.

The fog had come stay; the swirling mists and pouring rain meant that there would be no chance for sightseeing. Shivering and cold we rushed towards the motorable road that comes to Bhimashankar from Pune, which is hugged on both sides by little eateries and shops. It had taken us four long hours to get here and our sprightly seniors from Pune would end their trek here. For the rest of us it was a choice and we chose the more difficult option of returning. A darshan at the temple was not possible because of a long waiting line and so after cups of rejuvenating hot tea and going through everybody’s food stocks we bid our goodbyes and started the long way back home.

It was past three when we made our way back; initially we lost our way in the white mists but luckily grasped the right route and held onto it firmly. We made our way back, past the tall dark forest, down the long walk along the edge, down to the forests till we reached the tea-stalls. The last of the trekkers were making their way up, hoping to stay at the top or take a bus away to wherever. We were the only group moving at our top pace to reach Khandas.

View from Ganesh Ghat

Our newest trekker was a novice and on her first trek she showed admirable reserves of strength to not only complete hike but also keep up with our pace. The Ganesh Ghat route is scenic and in absence of any trekking groups the silence in the beautiful forests was soothing. Water flowed everywhere; scenic streams and gushing cascades met us on our way only to appear later on facing cliffs as a chain of milky waterfalls. On the way back, we took pictures, posed under waterfalls, surveyed the heavenly views, cemented our friendships and stolidly walked on till we finally reached the base just in three hours totally. At the base we booked a tum-tum to Neral station and changed and relaxed. A last look behind showed us that Bhimashankar had retreated back into the clouds. We had made it just in time, as the light of the day slipped away. A perfect ending to what had been an almost perfect day.

Pictures by Shannon & Vikram at:

http://picasaweb.google.com/upsidedownv/Bhimashankar2010?feat=directlink

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