Thrills At Karnala

Despite being close to Bombay Karnala always escaped my trekker’s radar and So when it turned out a simple trek was wanted, finally Karnala’s chance came and my small group of fellow trekkers boarded the six o’clock train to Panvel. We got an auto from the bus stand and within a few minutes we were outside the sanctuary looking at the map at the entrance.

Perhaps we should have paid more attention to it. Turned out that we started off from the wrong route which starts from a small pond. For two hours we walked in the beautiful environs of the bird sanctuary (yes you could hear them!). All the time Karnala with its funnel shaped top stayed at a distance. After a long two hours wondering if the way was ever going to turn towards the fort, we realized we had to return or take a DIY approach.

Taking the second strategy we began to climb through a dry stream bed; unfortunately the stream became a narrow trickle of rocks and we were forced to climb the slope. Soon the growth gave way to grassy steep slopes. Now our group consisted of me and three girls and a German guest. Two of the girls were newbies while the third one must have been a nimble goat in her past life. The novices found the climb increasingly difficult as the slopes became grassier and slippery. At places it became difficult if one stood too long at a spot as the earth slipped under the boots.

Meanwhile the nimble climber decided to take the lead and moved ahead pausing at every lone tree around. I began helping the girls but the going was getting tough for them and they were mentally tired. Also it was getting difficult to move downwards for me since the slope got even more slippery and rocks started slipping. We had high drama with tears, threats of not moving up and flinging our windcheaters (since no one expected ropes on this hike).

Luckily our lead trekker had managed to get near the fort and call for help. Our help came in form of Ravi, a guy who works around Karnala and comes there on weekends. Being a villager he practically danced on the slopes and gave a helping hand to everyone. The girls tied their scarves and he used it as a rope to help them! Luckily we reached under the fort walls in one shape. Now to enter the fort walls! (there had to be a way because how else could Ravi have come to us otherwise?!)

We had to finally climb a tree and from the tree there was one branch wedged in the wall’s rock which provided shaky support for the leg. Luckily trekkers on the fort (at least there were a few real trekkers among the silly gawkers) came to help us and gave us a hand and pulled us into the fort. Finally we were inside and for the newbies the harrowing ordeal was over!

It rained well towards the end of our climb. The mists played hide and seek but it was almost an anticlimax wandering around the ruined fort. There are tanks, crumbling walls and several doorways on the fort. The normal route is quite easy and clearly demarcated and climbs a ridge. It began raining heavily on our way down and I felt at peace after a long time; even my nerves were strained helping damsels in real distress (even if I personally thought we were never in a life threatening position).

Back at the base we realized the correct route lies behind a cluster of buildings. Funnily they have no boards indicating the route to the fort. So if anyone is going to climb Karnala, the right route is behind the resthouse. We finally found out we weren’t the only ones who had made that mistake; but we probably were the only ones who did not turn back!

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Saturday Special: Sagargad

Sagargad is a small fort near Alibaug. About 410m high it is an easy fort to climb and luckily does not see much traffic in form of trekkers compared to other places close to Bombay. But a temple and a waterfall nearby are liable to attract people on Sundays; since we had chosen a Saturday wisely we had some peace and quiet for most of the time.

We reached the fort by the way that most trekkers do. Take a train to Panvel (harbour line) and catch a ST bus to Alibaug (good frequency). Get down at Khandala village, about 7 km before Alibaug and start walking towards Siddheshwar muth. The route is mostly flat and partially tarred; cars can go a little further but only till the steps.

We caught our train at 6 and were on our way to the fort a little before 9. The area is quite beautiful; paddy fields give way to a verdant forest. It was cloudy and cool as we walked and on our way we saw a field full of cranes, several birds and colourful butterflies. The steps were easy but in absence of rain we began to sweat. Luckily we saw the beautiful Dhondane waterfall which involves a diversion. The route to the waterfall is along the edge of a hill which might be a bit tricky in heavy rain. The waterfall has a sharp drop and is dramatic. More drama happened when I realized I had lost my phone (for the umpteenth time!).

We returned to the main route that goes to the Siddheshwar muth which involved a little climb. We went beyond the temple to a stream that feeds Dhondane waterfall. Upstream we found another waterfall which was perfectly small and intimate and had a little dunking session. Wet and refreshed now we started towards Sagargad fort which is about an hour’s distance away.

On the way you come to Siddheshwar village but ahead the way is a bit confusing as there are too many trails and not seeing the fort anywhere around can be misleading. There are arrows marked on rocks to help but we still saw one trekking group lost. The fort is actually attached to the Siddheshwar hill at one end; we could soon see it separated by a valley. A beautiful walk lead us towards the fort.

A small climb leads to the fort where there are impressive remains of crumbling walls. One has to climb through a broken part of the wall to get inside the main fort area where there are crumbling structures, an odd water tank or two, crumbling walls and a temple. At the very end of the fort is the Vanartok pinnacle seperated from the fort. The peace and beauty of the fort in monsoon is enjoyable. Sagargad by its name evokes the sea of which you get fantastic views. We could even see an island or two.

The clouds started descending upon the fort soon and rain arrived as we made our way back. Finally a real monsoon hike! The rain died down in some time as we started descending but the mist still remained; luckily we had got all our views. On the way back it started pouring again. After the descent we had a flat long walk to Khandala village but luckily midway we got a small open air tempo that gave us a lift to Alibaug. We stood most of the way (to save our butts from feeling the bumps on the road) and it was a thrilling ride in blistering rain. From Alibaug we managed to change near the bus stop under a rickety shed (it was a feat in that heavy rain!) Dry and relieved I sat in a semi-luxury bus back home looking at the rain outside that had brought so much joy! Felt like a monsoontrekker again!

Pics at: http://picasaweb.google.co.in/upsidedownv/Sagargad?feat=directlink

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Rajmachi version 4.0

It was my fourth time going to Rajmachi. We were just four of us finally going on this trek. Four is among one of my lucky numbers. Would it all come together and create a great hike? The sun that was shining through the windows of the Karjat local seemed to dim my chances. All the rain clouds had disappeared and all the weather forecasts consulted would be proved wrong.

So it was on a clear sunny day that we found ourselves deposited at Kondana village from where we would start our ascent to Rajmachi fort. Most trekkers choose the long but mostly flat route from Lonavala to reach this well-known twin-peaked fort. To avoid the crowds I chose this route; plus there was the attraction of Kondana caves.

I visited the caves after a long time (might be ten years or so) and now there was a board by the Archaeological Survey. There were proper steps at the entrance. As for the caves they seemed to be in the same dilapidated state but I must admit the villagers (who have a stall or two on the way) have kept them clean. A few miscreants have written on the walls but in this country, it could have been worse.

After resting and taking photos we were on our way to the fort. The route goes through the forest ascending steeply at places. Luckily the forest was verdant and the shade was a relief on a hot and humid day. It seemed it had rained before since water drops fell from the trees now and then. The route passes two flat levels but we rested more than often due to the rising heat. However the views kept getting better.

By the time (about three hours since we began) we had reached the Rajmachi plateau and were drenched in sweat and exhausted. Most of us did not even want to climb the fort in front of us. Though we had a laugh about a topless male trekker who needed some ‘support’ according the girls!

We soon made our way to the Rajmachi village; now even a car can reach it on a dry day. Some people had even come on motorbikes; so much for escaping noise and pollution! Excellent village fare is available though we were told to wait for an hour because of the rush. So we decided to tackle one of Rajmachi’s twin forts.

Between the two forts is an old temple. While we were deciding which fort to ascend, we had nimboo pani sold by another enterprising villager. We chose the higher fort and climbed easily the dry steps (in rains it’s more thrilling!). The fort has good walls and even in its ruined state is an impressive reminder of the heydays of Maratha glory. The views from the top were fantastic; Matheran range, Irshal, Karnala, Shirota Lake, Lonavla were seen. We also saw clouds approaching from a distance and by the time we reached the topmost point, we were surrounded by them. Soon nothing was visible and a light drizzle started. It was a wonderful moment that unfortunately didn’t last for long. By the time we started returning, it was clear and sunny again!

Back at the village we had a delicious lunch of rich bhakris, vegetables, pickle and papad. It was almost three when we left and started to go back. It was hot again despite intermittent cloud cover. But descending was much quicker and we had several trekkers making the same trip (including the topless guy who had now covered his modesty with a big hanky). Towards the end we lost our way, got separated and re-united and realized that we were going to another village because of a longer route. Luckily there were a few tiny streams on the way to refresh us. A trudge of two kilometers on the tar road and we were at Kondivde jostling with other trekkers to get a vehicle to Karjat.

It was a tiring trek on account of the sultry weather and it almost did not feel like a good monsoon hike. Just then the rain gods decided to get smart upon us at the last minute. Oh, the irony! Still waiting for a wet, soaked-to-the-skin hike this year!

As usual photos are posted here:
http://picasaweb.google.com/upsidedownv/RajmachiAndKondanaCaves?feat=directlink

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Historic Strides

Pune is close to some of the most historic forts in Maharashtra. So its no surprise that many Puneites go often to Sinhagad fort, which is the closest to the city. Whats a lesser known fact is that many people fit it into their weekend fitness schedules; morning buses leave from the city as early as four at dawn.


Last month I joined my uncle who climbs Sinhagad every fortnight, on a Sunday morning, just to keep fit. A good change from the usual morning walk at the park! We left at around 5.30 for Sinhagad and reached in less than an hour. There was already a line of cars in front of us and the parking space was getting full. Meanwhile the path was full of avid early morning trekkers with their torches, so that a row of lights illuminated the path right up to the citadel on top which itself was barely visible in the darkness.


We started climbing without torches; soon the day began to dawn slowly. Meanwhile as we climbed there were already people descending down. There were people of all ages – children, teenagers, aunties and uncles, grandmoms and grandpas. The climb took us about an hour or so. I was a bit out of breath probably because of a cough; it was steeper and longer than I had anticipated. But when we reached the top at around seven, the sun was shining on the surrounding countryside.


We were rewarded for our efforts by a row of vendors. Dahi, buttermilk, nimboo-pani, cucumber….take your pick! Evidently Sinhagad at morning is very popular and the villagers are using that to advantage. I and my cousin Ameya rambled a bit at the top but we decided to hurry back before it got too hot to descend. For early March, the air was still cool and pleasant.


It was great to see people of all ages trek up the fort. With the amount of visitors involved it was also a surprise that littering was kept to a minimum. My only complaint was that people carry pesky mobiles with music blaring out; the whole mountainside doesn’t want to listen to what you are listening! Stick to etiquette with headphones!


Descending was a quick affair and while the rest of us managed as fast as we could Ameya charged ahead with lightning speed dodging the latecomers who were climbing up in the rising heat. A good morning workout that got finished off with a round of poha and chai at the base village. At it was not even nine in the morning! This was a rare summer hike for me and probably the one that finished so early in the day!

Ameya at Sinhagad

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Walking in Matheran

A Colonial Relic at Matheran

On the long Republic Day weekend instead of doing a long trek, I spent my days walking in Matheran. My trekking bible – Harish Kapadia’s “Trekking The Sayhadris” mentions Matheran as:


“This is a well-known hill station and a paradise for hikers, particularly in the monsoon. It has many routes and one can always spend an enjoyable hiking day exploring these…The soil is red and on top excellent walking paths and a lake are the charms of Matheran.”

The ‘excellent walking paths’ cannot be stressed enough; there are several roads to explore around Matheran, either going deep in to the forest or skirting along the edge.


Since a cottage in Matheran has been in my family, I have been lucky to spend several holidays there over the years and they all have been memorable experiences. After all as my cousin Ameya who accompanied said where else, so close to Mumbai, could one experience such wilderness and yet have basic comforts at hand. The cold wave up in the north blessed us with good weather and early mornings were appropriately chilly.


I mentioned before in my blog that the late rains in 2009 have made all winter hikes great because there is still so much greenery around. Matheran was especially verdant at this time of the year.


Most of the crowds at Matheran indulge themselves in the noisy market which is best tackled only for meals. Some venture to a few popular points around the market or visit Charlotte Lake, Matheran’s primary source of water. If you leave early in the morning (even eight is fine if you can’t always get up early like us!) you can visit most of the points and enjoy the views in peace. We visited Louisa Point and Sunset (Porcupine) Point in the morning and enjoyed the wonderful views of the Matheran range right up to Mallangad near Kalyan. Since I had visited Prabal the earlier weekend, it was nice to view the fort from its more famous neighbour.


One of the evenings we did a long circuit to the south of Matheran. A lot of people go to Charlotte Lake but a few continue beyond. At the end of the Matheran towards Karjat lies One-Tree Hill which along with the adjacent Chowk point gives great view of the valley in between Matheran and Prabal, Irshalgad and the Morbe dam reservoir. We watched the sun set from One Tree Hill which requires a bit of climbing. We continued in moon-light to Rambaugh point and then finally trawled to the market. The route is beautiful for walking with thick forest around, a few old Parsi bungalows here and there in the woods. One of the hill station’s charms, are the old properties which are beautiful even when dilapidated; some, like Barr House near the lake are lucky to be converted into tasteful classy hotels.

 As I walked through Matheran I also thought about all the hikes I have done there; Matheran in rains is always great. There are so many routes up; there’s one going down from almost every point! I am just listing a few that I have done: via Peb fort (Panorama Point), Bhivpuri Hill & Garbat point, Rambaugh Point, Sunset Point, Lord Point (Charlotte Lake), from Dasturi to Neral (not by the metalled road)….;if there are others feel free to let me know – I’ll try them this monsoon!

This post is dedicated to the house in Matheran and to my little furry friend there!

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