Rajmachi October 24, 2009
A lot awaited trek was brought forward and again plenty poured in and poured out. Interestingly in the trek three people turned up and the DIL CHAHTA HAI scenario continued. As always Manohar without hesitancy opted in and his parents checking him up every moment. To my surprise Anil showed up at the last moment at the station completing us for the three. The plan was to catch the last local, poor Anil was already at the station around 2200 on Saturday without knowing much of the plan. Manohar and I where on time as we where supposed to meet up around 2300.
Locals that day were late, way, way late coz a pipeline bridge had fallen near Mulund Thane area causing a malfunction in the lifeline of Mumbai. Our local was of 0035 Karjat which was at least way late and came around 0130 which we had no problem. We reached Karjat around 0330 in the morning and saw the first local living for CST from there filled with people. Our option was to spent night in train itself, but we were asked to vacant the train. So we slept at Karjat Station and for the first time Manohar had bought a mat, the debut of a mat, which of course was not used by Manohar coz he does not feel sleepy and was used by Anil. Well Manohar for the time being was jogging all around the platform keeping himself warm as the night was cold. We later around 0500 moved towards Karjat ST station where we found place more good to sleep, well the bus was around 0530 so I decided to sleep while Manohar and Anil had a nice kadak chai at a stall early up.
The bus to Sandshi was on time 0545 and it dropped us at Khandpe where we had to walk about 2 to 3 km for Kondivade village. The walk was a pleasant one before the sun could have rise. There was even a nice river beside our route with early morning fumes coming out. Well we did a mistake we kept walking and walking into the village instead of taking a left, but then the villagers showed us a shortcut. Early morning trek was way pleasant we must had walked about 1-1/2 hour, awaiting for Kondana caves to show up, but we missed it. It was only when a old villager bring a huge pile of wood showed up and trekked us down to show that place.
We almost had to trek 45 minutes down the hill and then he showed us a left turn, which we had to take towards the cave. I was frustrated to return down as it would harm our further program, but this place was worth to see. Just a flat walk around this plateau for next 20 to 30 minute took us to this place. Out of nowhere in this jungle a huge carved cave showed up of Buddha with well architecture and design though it was dirty with all our human plastic but a wonderful site to see. This was not a monsoon season but our guess that during monsoon this place must be hidden behind the falls. Having a little breakfast out near a monsoon fall we moved ahead.
We trekked for the next 2 hours, we could see trains in the ghat probably Indrayani, Intercity, Deccan, Udyan, and Koyna had all showed up by that time. Anil was below pace with Manohar just driving freely, poor Anil was his first time for such one though he lived up to the promise. We reached I guess crossing at most 6 plateau as mentioned by the markings on the place. Finally around 1030 or 1100 something we reached up near a hut from where we could see the fort.
After resting in the hut we moved ahead when we crossed few trekkers who where going towards table mountain for valley crossing. Within 10 minutes we were in Rajmachi village were we picked out a house. Note all houses over here accommodate trekkers and if ordered serve food too. We had our khandapavah and tea and moved towards the fort.
On the way a small cave was found. Furthermore the fort was divided into two by a col separating them. These are two forts Shreevardhan and Manoranjan, I call them Twin Watchtower of Rajmachi. Between the col there is Bhairav’s temple whom the locals worship. We walked towards the tallest one and one which had an access a little steep kinda.
Manohar led us to the fort, but it was me who discovered a secret passage and decided to have rest over here as there was a marvelous view, shadow, cool breeze, combining combinations over here. After an half hour or more we left this place and walked towards the highest peak around the place. And thoroughly this one gives a magnificent view Karjat, Lonavala, Khandala, Dukes Nose, Thakurwadi Ghat, valley, etc. too good.
As the sun was over our head we came down from this place and with hunger striking us decided to go to that house for food. We had a homely food comprising of dal, roti, bhaaji, rice, a perfect food, and for that Manohar ordered us to pay more as he has this nagging habit of paying extra towards the chef and waiter in restaurants.
After finding out the route going from here to Lonavala which is fairly a flat trek though about 3 to 3-1/2 hour long, and Anil scarred to go back the way we came from we opted to go to Lonavala. It was fairly a flat, U turned kinda encircling the plateau long, long walk. We walked for almost 3 hours but looking behind the fort was hard far from us, coz we had to walk in a U shape manner with a beauty valley between the place. Walking right below the hills was a sensational and thrilling experience with sun dawning down picturesque Khandala and Ulhas valley was mind-blowing though our body was tiring we kept on and on and special thanks to Anil who kept up to our pace.
Finally after 4 hours on long walk we made it to Lonavala and further more 45 minutes to the station. Train was not our option as they would be full and it was too late to opt for them. Buses were all full and not going to our destination. Sunday plenty of people travel. We spent at most 2 hours at the station and then decided to get into the Jeep, which were around 200 rs. This was expensive but no option.
Our pockets were all emptied we not more then 1 rs also left. On the way Manohar and Anil went fast asleep. I was kept awake and a fellow uncle sitting opposite me was just thrilled up hearing how long we walked and from where we came. Sion arrived and I got down, those two got down at Bandra as they had passes.
In all we saw Kondana Caves, Rajmachi, Shreevardhan, Manoranjan, TwinTowers, Ulhas Valley, walked almost 32 km, for about 14 hour trek…..great experience.
Thursday, November 26, 2009
Sunday, November 22, 2009
Raigad fort October 4, 2009 Meeting our King
Trek to Raigad Fort the Gibraltar of the Sahyadri is perhaps one of the most awaited treks we had decided. Not only this fort is the palace of the king, but also one of the best we had ever seen with the weather favoring us. It was five years ago when he had decided to trek this fort, but unfortunately and fortunately the date never arrived until October 4, 2009. There were lot of people who had volunteered as always for this fort but only three turned up.
With the monsoon gone we thought this trek would be under the bearing sun, but when a postmonsoon season arrived the weather had turned bizarre. I even remember Mano’s mom and dad calling me up and asking me to change the spot, which I blind fully did. Even in the office when I was working my frequently site visit that day was the Indian Weather Forecast. It was 2130 hours on Saturday when I left my home at Sion to reach Mumbai Central by train where Manohar had already reached. At last minute Swapnil my Bhanja also opted into this program. It was Kojagiri Pornima and their society was conducting some program, which fortunately was stopped by Police mama late hours. Swapneel joined us at the MC railway station around 2230 with Manohar friend who had lift from Kandivali opting out as he was late.
At MC ST station Swapnil found a mama who he always finds one who would help and he too was going towards Mahad. From MC ST station there are lots of buses plying towards Mahad and we got one around 2300. Ganpati Bapa Morya and the bus took off, these guys had opted to sit at the last seat and as always the buses were bumpy. Swapnil though went fast asleep once we crossed Vashi, but Manohar was busy with his girlfriend on the cell as she like him does the nightshift, for the matter of fact Manohar after doing yesterday’s nightshift had done Saturday’s dayshift too and was joining, he just was a person who could control sleep wonder how his immune system worked. While driving I remember Manohar was on the cell when the bus bounced of and his cell fell down with his girlfriend on the other side wondering what happened. The bus in midnight had stopped to at Indapur station where these two had some tea and me joining them for misal pav our local favorite. I also remember we three were sitting at the back seat and there was one more guy next to me though there was a gap he was at the window side had shifted towards me coz feeling cold.
Right around 0430 our bus arrived at Mahad, from enquiry we found first bus from Mahad to Raigad is around 0530 so we had a sip of tea again with a slight drizzle around. 0530 the bus was on time and there were few groups going to the fort, our journey still in darkness when first stroke of light arrived when we where amaze to see out of our window watching all fog and fog with us traveling ghats, I wished I had my Sau’s camera Sony Cybershot HC50 which is more magnificent in capture. Before the sunrise we where at the base, the bus actually lift us at the trolley center which goes upto the fort, but that would start at 10.00 and price was 120 or 140 rs. We had already opted to walk, but before that some peethpooja at the local restaurant we had some khandapavah and misal pav again. The trek base from here was actually 2 km away, which we had to walk back on a tar road.
This trek started right where Omkar hotel is present with steps though steep with steps with 2 to 2-1/2 hour of climb the weather favored us completely. Following with us where two dogs husband and wife I guess who acted as our local guide. There were plenty of picturesque scenes while going up there, plenty of waterfall, plenty of rain and ha plenty of dead earthworms and frogs, people coming down told us that they had heavy rainfall yesterday and even landslide, fortunately we did not get to see that though there were few rocks misplaced on our path. Finally after two hours or less, we all reached the gates where we had to purchase tickets to enter and this was a very big gate as one we had in Lohagad. After the gate there were few cannons also around. The main fort still far from here took us another half hour or so to reach.
Finally we were at the fort and the way here was slightly confusing because of few restaurant the dog guided us well and when we did not follow the dog we where lost. I guess we had named the dog Vithal. Finally Gangasagar the pond where Shivaji had brought River Ganga water to be stored and behind it the forts. Swapnil wanted to bath in it but was advised not to as the water was used for drinking. There were beautiful Minar and fortress, the queens palace, the king palace and then the storeroom. We even found the place where MTDC and trolley reached top. By this time there were lot of people on top as the trolley had started and peoples with guide where all around us. We opted not to use a guide and discover things, but my advise do use guide as they have par knowledge than us and we only assume things they inform us about it.
Finally we reached the Court Of The King and the King’s Thrown where our King, the King of Maratha Warrior, a King not by blood but by his own Right’s his own way of doing was sitting. This place is marvelous to see a courtier sitting 100 meters away also could be clearly seen that well was the architecture of this place. On the gates there was one tiger and four elephants which were symbols of Adilshah, Nizamshah, Aurangzeb, etc. Walking further away we found the statue of the King that haunted all of us for years, yes this place was the place where all Marathas must meet with the King watching far, far beyond the horizons. This place was thoroughly special for all of us. A walk from there was the market and this market was almost 3 to 4 km in length built on top of a steep fort. Further from there we visited Jagdishwar Temple and then the place of Shivaji Samadhi. Behind it was Waghya the loyal dog’s Samadhi who died for Shivaji. And truly we thought the legend of Waghya is alive around in form of Vithal dog who followed us.
From here we walked toward Takmak Tok and this is a place where Shivaji punishes the culprit by making them jump into the cliff and believe me this cliff was vertical limit. When we reached this place it started raining and the place was full with clouds. We stood at this place for a while, our ears and most facial parts where all anesthetized we did not have any feeling we where completely froze by simply the raindrops hitting one part of the face. Later we decided to get few snaps for Takmak Tok where I bravely sat on the rock, as the cloud cleared I saw the vertical limit of the cliff and for a while me too had a vertigo and decided better to get out of this rock. We watched this place this probably must be the highest place around with all four sides steep to the steepest and Shivaji had also summed a high amount for people finding different ways of coming up but undetected.
Further walking ahead the rain drizzled heavily and we had to rush, we reached JunaBai a locals hut for food, which was okay sort. After food the rain was still heavy and heavy and our way back down was toughed up with us shivering. Swapnil suggested we bathed beneath the waterfall though bad idea though worked very well for us to stop shivering. Just on the way we where fortunate to find a Green Viper in front of us, I wanted to click a pic, but the rain forbidden us. We reached the base within an hour or so with these two hungry we had omelet pav and snacks. The hotel guy had already fixed up our transport jeep to Mahad.
On the way all of us slept very well in deep, deep sleep. We reached Mahad and realized we have not changed of yet right in middle of the station we stood and changed that was embarrassing. Later we found a bus going towards Borivali, and got in it, but took a ticket till Panvel, got down at Panvel and changed into the train and reached home. All in together one of the perfectionist trek we had on time, perfect travels, everything from start till end.
With the monsoon gone we thought this trek would be under the bearing sun, but when a postmonsoon season arrived the weather had turned bizarre. I even remember Mano’s mom and dad calling me up and asking me to change the spot, which I blind fully did. Even in the office when I was working my frequently site visit that day was the Indian Weather Forecast. It was 2130 hours on Saturday when I left my home at Sion to reach Mumbai Central by train where Manohar had already reached. At last minute Swapnil my Bhanja also opted into this program. It was Kojagiri Pornima and their society was conducting some program, which fortunately was stopped by Police mama late hours. Swapneel joined us at the MC railway station around 2230 with Manohar friend who had lift from Kandivali opting out as he was late.
At MC ST station Swapnil found a mama who he always finds one who would help and he too was going towards Mahad. From MC ST station there are lots of buses plying towards Mahad and we got one around 2300. Ganpati Bapa Morya and the bus took off, these guys had opted to sit at the last seat and as always the buses were bumpy. Swapnil though went fast asleep once we crossed Vashi, but Manohar was busy with his girlfriend on the cell as she like him does the nightshift, for the matter of fact Manohar after doing yesterday’s nightshift had done Saturday’s dayshift too and was joining, he just was a person who could control sleep wonder how his immune system worked. While driving I remember Manohar was on the cell when the bus bounced of and his cell fell down with his girlfriend on the other side wondering what happened. The bus in midnight had stopped to at Indapur station where these two had some tea and me joining them for misal pav our local favorite. I also remember we three were sitting at the back seat and there was one more guy next to me though there was a gap he was at the window side had shifted towards me coz feeling cold.
Right around 0430 our bus arrived at Mahad, from enquiry we found first bus from Mahad to Raigad is around 0530 so we had a sip of tea again with a slight drizzle around. 0530 the bus was on time and there were few groups going to the fort, our journey still in darkness when first stroke of light arrived when we where amaze to see out of our window watching all fog and fog with us traveling ghats, I wished I had my Sau’s camera Sony Cybershot HC50 which is more magnificent in capture. Before the sunrise we where at the base, the bus actually lift us at the trolley center which goes upto the fort, but that would start at 10.00 and price was 120 or 140 rs. We had already opted to walk, but before that some peethpooja at the local restaurant we had some khandapavah and misal pav again. The trek base from here was actually 2 km away, which we had to walk back on a tar road.
This trek started right where Omkar hotel is present with steps though steep with steps with 2 to 2-1/2 hour of climb the weather favored us completely. Following with us where two dogs husband and wife I guess who acted as our local guide. There were plenty of picturesque scenes while going up there, plenty of waterfall, plenty of rain and ha plenty of dead earthworms and frogs, people coming down told us that they had heavy rainfall yesterday and even landslide, fortunately we did not get to see that though there were few rocks misplaced on our path. Finally after two hours or less, we all reached the gates where we had to purchase tickets to enter and this was a very big gate as one we had in Lohagad. After the gate there were few cannons also around. The main fort still far from here took us another half hour or so to reach.
Finally we were at the fort and the way here was slightly confusing because of few restaurant the dog guided us well and when we did not follow the dog we where lost. I guess we had named the dog Vithal. Finally Gangasagar the pond where Shivaji had brought River Ganga water to be stored and behind it the forts. Swapnil wanted to bath in it but was advised not to as the water was used for drinking. There were beautiful Minar and fortress, the queens palace, the king palace and then the storeroom. We even found the place where MTDC and trolley reached top. By this time there were lot of people on top as the trolley had started and peoples with guide where all around us. We opted not to use a guide and discover things, but my advise do use guide as they have par knowledge than us and we only assume things they inform us about it.
Finally we reached the Court Of The King and the King’s Thrown where our King, the King of Maratha Warrior, a King not by blood but by his own Right’s his own way of doing was sitting. This place is marvelous to see a courtier sitting 100 meters away also could be clearly seen that well was the architecture of this place. On the gates there was one tiger and four elephants which were symbols of Adilshah, Nizamshah, Aurangzeb, etc. Walking further away we found the statue of the King that haunted all of us for years, yes this place was the place where all Marathas must meet with the King watching far, far beyond the horizons. This place was thoroughly special for all of us. A walk from there was the market and this market was almost 3 to 4 km in length built on top of a steep fort. Further from there we visited Jagdishwar Temple and then the place of Shivaji Samadhi. Behind it was Waghya the loyal dog’s Samadhi who died for Shivaji. And truly we thought the legend of Waghya is alive around in form of Vithal dog who followed us.
From here we walked toward Takmak Tok and this is a place where Shivaji punishes the culprit by making them jump into the cliff and believe me this cliff was vertical limit. When we reached this place it started raining and the place was full with clouds. We stood at this place for a while, our ears and most facial parts where all anesthetized we did not have any feeling we where completely froze by simply the raindrops hitting one part of the face. Later we decided to get few snaps for Takmak Tok where I bravely sat on the rock, as the cloud cleared I saw the vertical limit of the cliff and for a while me too had a vertigo and decided better to get out of this rock. We watched this place this probably must be the highest place around with all four sides steep to the steepest and Shivaji had also summed a high amount for people finding different ways of coming up but undetected.
Further walking ahead the rain drizzled heavily and we had to rush, we reached JunaBai a locals hut for food, which was okay sort. After food the rain was still heavy and heavy and our way back down was toughed up with us shivering. Swapnil suggested we bathed beneath the waterfall though bad idea though worked very well for us to stop shivering. Just on the way we where fortunate to find a Green Viper in front of us, I wanted to click a pic, but the rain forbidden us. We reached the base within an hour or so with these two hungry we had omelet pav and snacks. The hotel guy had already fixed up our transport jeep to Mahad.
On the way all of us slept very well in deep, deep sleep. We reached Mahad and realized we have not changed of yet right in middle of the station we stood and changed that was embarrassing. Later we found a bus going towards Borivali, and got in it, but took a ticket till Panvel, got down at Panvel and changed into the train and reached home. All in together one of the perfectionist trek we had on time, perfect travels, everything from start till end.
Which is our color?
Whenever I wear green color my friends always criticize me that I am a Pakistani coz of green color. How many of us have really forgotten that the Indian national flag also has green color in it. Young people think that blue color is ours patriotic color coz lets see the Indian cricket team, sports team carry the color blue that is why if we have to show patriotism towards our nation carry blue color. So please which is our color?
Saffron Flag over Shivaji Fort
Once while climbing a Shivaji fort a fellow trekker asked me, is that a ShivSena flag on top of the fort. I was astonished to hear that coz simply he did not knew the history…..that Saffron flag was simple of Maratha Warriors given to Shivaji by a great Saint Ramdas Swami. ShivSena was far from the time history…. Today that Flag is used by ShivSena as their symbol for their political needs, but please don’t forget that the Saffron flag belongs to Maratha Warriors of Shivaji and a symbol of Ramdas Swami.
By making such blog I don’t want to criticize ShivSena its only to make the other Indians aware about the Saffron Flag.
Jai Shivaji and Jai Bhavani
By making such blog I don’t want to criticize ShivSena its only to make the other Indians aware about the Saffron Flag.
Jai Shivaji and Jai Bhavani
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