Tuesday, December 25, 2012

Chaligaon range

Chaligaon range

During Christmas time.....
Will write in detail....
Mulund 11:30
Manikpunj 05:30
Start to climb 7:30
reach within 20 mnts
Down by 8:30
Left at 9:30
Pedkawadi 11
Pedka fort 12
Roaming 30 mnts
Snacks
Down by 1:45
4pm Ganga Ashram
4:30 Rajdehare [near rockpatch]
Didnt climb the rockpatch
watch sunset
Descend at 5:30
Left at 6
PatnaDevi BhaktaNiwas 7pm
All facilities available stay food water
Next Day
Mahadev Mandir 7:30
Kanher Fort 8:30
SitaNhani, Nagarjun Mandir
There is a rock patch, one should carry rope. We didnt.
First time i didnt took risk, may be because Sony's wedding was after 15 days. Except me all went to the top.
At Kanher fort water tank,  fortification is there.
We descend and reach Patnadevi mandir by 11am.
From temple the road goes to Pitalkhora caves where we started at 12:30 and reach Pitalkhora by 2pm.
We halt for an hour, took pictures had snacks and left by 4.
We crossed Gautala Autrum Ghat and reach Kholapur which is base of Antur fort.
The road goes upto Antur fort. We did lot of timepass here and left by 11am.
Droped Bandya at Nagad at 12pm.
Reached Lonja base at 1pm
Took 20 mnts to reach top.
Back by 2:30pm
Left at 3:30pm
Reach Banoti at 5:30 but since it was too late stayed at village
Next day Sutonda
6:45
7:30
8:30
Down 9
Left for Mumbai 11:30
Snaps: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.515244478509714.126928.100000724990816&type=1&l=5e4629e15b

Sunday, December 9, 2012

Vardhangad, Santoshgad, Vaarugad, Mahimangad

Vardhangad, Santoshgad, Vaarugad, Mahimangad

December 8-9 2012

Dipaali, Vaishali, Paresh, Sanjiv and Kunal at Koregaon range.

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.507937615907067.125499.100000724990816&type=1&l=585081e420

Sunday, August 12, 2012

Puducherry et al

Hey check out the snaps!

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.461984553835707.114408.100000724990816&type=1&l=0ac95d49eb

Saturday, July 21, 2012

Telbaila Sudhagad

Hey check out the snaps!

Thursday, June 21, 2012

Chandan - Vandan, Kalyangad aka Nandgiri Fort, Sakhargad


Been to Chandan, Vandan, Kalyangad aka Nandgiri fort, Sakhargad on 15-17 June 2012 with Vaishali Haldavanekar and others.

Nature's Wonder
One can go to Chandan - Vandan both from Belmachi side and Banawadi-Ibrahimpur side.
We started at 8:40 from base village, Ibrahimpur and reached the top at 10. There is huge banyan tree and Shiva Temple. There is also one Durgah on top. Water wasn’t available when we saw but post monsoon one can use the water.  To go to Vandan,  we thought to take traverse to Vandan fort.
Then we again descend till iron shed and took traverse towards Vandan. On the way we found one small temple we followed the same route which goes from behind the temple and came till pass in between Chandan and Vandan. Chandan to Vandan by traverse takes 45 minutes. One can either ascend the rock or traverse further to Vandan till you see Buruz.
From here go upward to Buruz and you will see the main entrance.  After entering the fort you will come across Ghana. From here when you will see the Devdi type construction, which they says were for prisoners. From here you come across second entrance which is totally ruined and the Shilalekh cannot be seen. One cannot go from entrance we have to go up from left side of the entrance. After climbing the steps you can see Masjid on the top. On the way there are two water cisterns. We eat at Masjid and started roaming the fort. There is also one place where one can stay.
After roaming on fort for a while we started descending and went to Satara Road. We have tasty Misal at Hotel Anandashram.  We thought we will do Nandgiri same day but since it was slightly dark and late we thought to do it next day. We went to Sakhargad, which has Yamai Devi temple on top. The temple has beautiful structure like Jejuri temple. We enjoyed for few minutes but then we had to move because the door gets closed by Sun-Set.
We halt at my house at Kinhai. Vaidehi made yummy DalKhichadi. Next day morning we visited old temples in the village and palace of Pant Pratinidhi of Aundh. We also saw common krait[Manyar eating other snake].
After this we went to Kalyangad aka Nandgiri. Nandgiri is now becoming famous as Atishay Kshetra.
This is a fort named as Kalyangad because Kalyan Swami, follower of Ramdas Swami had Samadhi on the fort. The fort has long tunnel type cave and in the cave one has to bend and go through deep water. Since it was after summer there wasn’t water and also now for devotes, they have build a pathway at a height so water level goes down. The cave has idol of Parshwanath, Dattatreya and Padmavati.

After getting out and going further up on the fort you come across Hanuman temple.
From here when you come up you see Kalyan Swami’s Samadhi. Going further ahead there is also one guest house to accommodate people.  The famous only one Banyan tree now has durgah in square area.

But after that there is nice plateau which gives you a feeling of peace. You are so close to crowd still away from them and enjoying being with nature.

This is was the highlight of the trek.

We started our journey back. Oh ya by the way both Sakhargad has tar road and Nandgiri has mud-built road to go to the top.
We came back to my mom’s place and went to Mama’s farm house. Then we came to Mavshi’s hosue and had delicious PuranPoli.  

After a nap we started our journey back to Mumbai.


Check out the snaps
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.436545453046284.107334.100000724990816&type=1&l=fe5883a289

Sunday, May 20, 2012

Desi Canyon Valley - Sandhan Valley


Sandhan Valley

Sandhan valley made me get out of my photography hibernation.  It was one of my dream treks so got immediately ready to do even in the summer. I went with Sanju and his Mulund Tekdi Group and few YHK trek mates.

Sandhan valley is geographical wonder in Maharashtra [or may be in India] where you will find a gorge which is 1.5 km long and which starts from 20 ft to 500 ft high cliff wall at the end. Gorges are usually very deep and narrow, formed from the movement of water or lava.

On Saturday May 19, 2012, we left around 10pm from Mulund and had dinner break of an hour at Palash hotel at Shahapur.  Thanks to Sanju’s friend who is related to the hotel, we got tasty Veg Biryani and Pav Bhaji.  We reached Samrad village at 3.30am. Samrad is peaceful place near Bhandardara dam. From Warangushi fata you need to take right to reach this village.

The distance from village, at the back side of the school till the start of Sandhan valley is 20 minutes.  It was wonderful experience which till then I just saw in photographs. It reminded me a canyon valley, the huge, the narrow, the tall and it was spectacular.

We started out trek at 7:45am and reach the end of gorge at 8:45am. In between two places we got knee level water.  Even though it is summer but in gorge it was cold and sometimes breezy. I enjoyed photography and also the serenity of the place but no where I felt scary. Some places you may feel suffocated if there is no breeze.

There are three rappelling patches and also before first patch there is one place where you go down from in between two big stones. Out of three patches, the first patch is of 50 ft where it is good to have rappelling equipment for safety. The second patch is interesting where go down in between two stones and then you crawl under another stone and come out again another side and then do rappelling, this patch is of 15 ft. The third almost at the end of the valley is 15ft.

One need to be careful while crossing the valley as we saw some small rocks falling down as those are loose one. Also, if you hire local people as a guide or to arrange food, be careful about your equipments because we lost few of our stuff. This is not to blame all villagers but just to be safer on our part.

For me this trek was like Fantasy land where I entered from one gate, the entrance actually looked like three side cut door of stones and then going from water, going from the gap in between two stones, landing on the other side of the stone, crawl, hold the stone and slide and what not!

We reached down at the pool spot at 5:30pm and within next two hours reached the base village,  Dehene.  Around 8:30pm We started our journey back to Mumbai. 

Check the snaps: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.418714168162746.103948.100000724990816&type=1&l=f758f9e2b4


Monday, February 20, 2012

Alang Madan

Alang Madan Climb on 18 February 2012

Etni shiddat se maine tuze pane ki koshish ki hai
ke har jarre ne muze tumase milane ki sajish ki hai!

check the snaps

Thursday, January 26, 2012

KokanKada Rappelling

Kokankada Rappelling on 26 January 2012

Organised by Hemant Salunkhe and team
Went with Onkar Ketkar, Kunal Sawla, Kunal Wishe and Soumit Sardesai
It was my long cherished dream...finally!!

Check the video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_TNSIOFGcmc

Check the snaps

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.343292985704865.89672.100000724990816&type=1&l=62d99d4fc6

Thursday, January 19, 2012

Mahimandangad Chakdev Parvat Sankranti 2012


Mahimandangad Chakdev Parvat Sankranti 2012
On Friday, Jan 13 night we left from Mulund for Shindi. On the way at Poladpur and Bharana naka it was freezing cold and foggy so we sipped the tea and also enjoyed fire/shekoti. Raghuveer Ghat route by vehicle at some places it is dirt road so small cars are not advisable. The entire area is now declared as Tiger Project there is forest post at the entrance of Shindi Pass but it is closed till date. We heard that soon Forest department will have restrictions on this area.
Morning 6 am we reached Shindi village and had breakfast at Chandrakant More’s house, he have Kirana shop so even if you don’t carry ration for breakfast he can arrange for breakfast. The Shindi village is ahead and for Mahimandangad you again need to go back. We took 45 minutes to reach the top of Mahimandangad from base but I guess it depends on season and also number of peole. On the top there are water tanks and the temple of Bahiroba. Whenever Vaishali is there Aarti is must so we did Aarti and also had Prasad of Royal Anjir Burfi given by Kishore.
After Lunch we started ascending Chakdev. The route for Chakdev is from Shindi side is easy. Initially ascend then flat again some ascend and you reach the plateau of Chakdev. We took 2 hours to reach Govind Jangam’s house at top. After some rest we left for temple and most attracting part of the trek i.e. 300 ft ladder on Ambivali route. One can also see the place from where Ram hit his arrow.
The Choukeshwar temple is now newly constructed but inside it is still with old construction.
The big Nandi welcomes you the moment you enter the temple. One can see the statues of Ram, Laxman, Bharat, Shatrughna, Sita and Parvati along with Shiva’s mukh. We took 45 minutes to reach Ladder. The view from ladder is amazing. The forest is so dense from both the side of ridge to ladder. One can see Makarandgad, Rasalgad, Sumargad and Mahipatgad from top.
The myths about Chakdev are When Ram came in Vanvaas period; the Shankar tried to test him and where Ram’s arrow slipped-‘chakala’ that is Chakdev. There is also stone statue in the remembrance of this story. Another story is when Ram [? Parshuram] came he created Konkan from here. But I guess first goes with the name of Chakdev. Choukeshwar temple on Chakdev is one of the ShivPuri-Shiv Temple created in ChandraRao More’s era.
Parvat also has story as in when Arjun came in Vanvaas, Shankar-Parvati took another form and when Arjun failed to hit them he recognized it as Shiva. That is how the temple at Parvat is known as Jom Mallikarjun. Another concept says it is related to Malla King who used to rules this place.
Coincidentally we met Hira Pandit Sir and Jignesh Lakhani at temple who came from Ambivali side for Chakdev and Parvat. It was indeed pleasure to here informative stories from both Hira Sir and Arun Sir about Himalayan rescue operations, virgin pinnacle climb and their fellow trekkers.

In the night, with the help of villager and with Arun Sir’s initiative we got delicious food. We had fresh papdi bhaji on Bhogi day along with tandul-bhakri.
Santosh Jangam from the vasti came to collect the donation for temple even though personally I am opposed to such things we gave money to him.
Next day we had ready to cook Upma and started our trek from dense jungle. After 45 minutes we reached Jangam wadi and kept our sacks as Jivaji Jangam’s house. From there we crossed lot of ridges up and down. We also halt near water stream on the way and had some snacks. After an hour we reached the top of Parvat. Parvat as name suggests is huge in length and very isolated. It was very quiet and peaceful on both the forts. We celebrated Sankranti with Tilgul and Gulpoli. We took the same route to come back as our sacks were at Jangam wadi. Hira Sir and Jignesh left for Ambivali from Khind route.
The hired vehicle was waiting at so we got freshen up and had mini lunch. Bhagirathi Ajit gave us sweet tea but I enjoyed that
At Poladpur, we had yummy Samosa at Samadhan hotel thanks to Arun Sir. We also halt as Karnala Hotel for tea and other breaks. We were glad that we been to all three forts before it gets jam in forest departments restrictions.

Check out the snaps:

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.333317353369095.87722.100000724990816&type=1&l=d01d9aad89