Last month, at the end of monsoon, I stayed at Mahabaleshwar
for a couple of days. There at Arthur’s Seat, along with my uncle, we
reminisced about our memorable monsoon trek years ago from Dhavle Ghat which
lies way below Arthur’s Seat. Right there the germ of returning and doing a
similar trek took hold. So three weeks later we were back after negotiating
with a local guide for a cross country trek.
Arthur’s Seat was off-limits for some railings maintainence
so we descended from Old Mahabaleshwar. A little path from the main temple
leads to another deserted temple at the edge of the mountain. From here the
plan was to climb down into the valley, climb the huge mountain plateau of
Koleshwar, descend and then climb Raireshwar. Next day we would do the same in
reverse, with Kamalgad instead of Koleshwar.
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| Koleshwar |
For an overnight trip we had packed a lot and as a result the heavy load impacted our speed. Initially the
weather was great with a cool morning breeze (we started at eight). Down in the
valley, we crossed the river that feeds the Balkewadi reservoir and walked
towards Jor village (which we had visited years ago on that hike).
Koleshwar is another huge mountain plateau that stretches as
long as Mahabaleshwar. Climbing it was tiring especially in the sun-exposed
parts. However the top was wonderful and large with a variety of scenery:
grassland meadows, fern-filled expanses, dense forests. The views were
wonderful too. On the large top there is only one habitation where only two
(hospitable) families stay isolated from modern life.
Crossing Koleshwar, we soon could see another huge mountain
that was Raireshwar. The descent was long, steep and tiring. By the time we
reached a reservoir at the bottom, my shoulders were tired and everyone else
was equally exhausted. It was four and the huge hill of Raireshwar loomed in
front. Climbing was not an option at it would take us another three plus hours
with our heavy loads so we decided to take a vehicle towards a motorable road
that passes just below the Raireshwar top. From here one has to walk a little,
climb some steps and ladders on the final cliff and then walk for a kilometre
across to the settlement. By the time we got our vehicle and finished off the
steps, it was nightfall and the moon
shined brightly.
Staying facilities at Raireshwar are good: the villagers are
ready to house and feed trekkers. There is only one settlement on this vast
plateau. The next morning we woke up late from exhaustion and hence skipped
over the sightseeing. Kamalgad was also too much to handle (its an equally huge
mountain) and so we took another vehicle that took us to Balkewadi dam. From
here we planned to climb up to Kate’s Point of Mahabaleshwar.
Starting almost at noon, this was an arduous climb with our
still heavy sacks. On a day with little weight this would have been easier but
we were panting and puffing in the heat by the time we stood below Kate’s
Point. By the time the hike was over (we relaxed by the spring near Kate’s
Point where the water was wonderfully cold) we knew this was one of the
toughest hikes so far.
Still it was memorable not only for the heat and endurance
but also for the beautiful vistas;
flowers were still blooming at the end of monsoon, springs still had
some water left, butterflies were flitting around.... The pleasure of hiking
around Mahabaleshwar is the unspoilt wilderness around. Nature at its best!
https://picasaweb.google.com/115394767952469723630/MahabaleshwarToRaireshwar
https://picasaweb.google.com/115394767952469723630/MahabaleshwarToRaireshwar