Participants:
Pranav Joshi, Anand Sohani
Date:
About:
Harishchandragad is on border of Thane, Pune and Ahmednagar districts. It is once of the most ancient forts in Sahyadri ranges. It is a dream destination for all trekkers. Everyone should do this trek atleast once in a lifetime. The fort is situated in Malshej ghats. If you happen to go there in monsoon days, you will feel like you are in heaven. The fort is in Kalsubai-Harishchandra forest region. This is not a single day trek. It takes atleast two days to see the whole of Harishchandragad. There are 7 known ways to reach top of Harishchandragad. We followed the medium difficult route i.e. via Tolar khind.
How to reach:
We started from Thane @ around 4.30 a.m. From thane we got down at Kalyan. From kalian bus stand take any bus going through Malshej ghat and alight at Khube Phata. There is a bit of confusion aming bus drivers as to which is Khube phata. So best thing to recognize the correct route is you will see a reservoir and a road going by its side-perpandicular to the main road. As soon as you get down you will see a board showing way to Harishchandragad. From here proceed towards Khireshwar village. It is around 4kms from main raod. If you are licky enough you may even find a taxi to go there. From Khireshwar follow the route as it goes and very soon you will be inside a dense forest. This is the way to Tolar Khind. From here, it takes around 3 to 3.5 hrs to reach the top. For most of the time you are in dense forest. The way is quite steep and exhausting. The main trek is easy except for the last rock patch. At the top of the khind you will find a engraved statue of sharabhsinha on your left. You will find this type of statue in almost all khinds and passes. It takes around 2.5 to 3 hrs to reach here. From here the main trek starts. As you proceed further, there is no turning back. The rock patch awaits you. I do not want to scare anybody! This part is also quite easy. But take precautions since it can be slippery in rainy season. After first rock patch there is some distance to walk, then the second and final rock patch comes. At the end you will find remains of a wall. From here take right. From here it takes around 1 hr to reach the main temple. You have to cross 7 hills to reach the temple. There is lot to see near temple. The most beautiful thing to see is obviously Kokankada. If you go to Harishchandragad in monsoon season, there is very less possibility that you will be able to see kokankada because of fog. There is one thing you can try anytime @ kokankada. Take any light object like a twig or something like that and through it below from kokankada. The wind blowing is so high that it will come back!!!! There is one small ditch on edge of kokankada. Get down in this ditch and look down!!!! It is so amazing view and feeling that you will feel lost for sometime.
Then there is Taramati peak to see. We were not able to go there because of fog and bad conditions of my shoes. So I will not write about Taramati here. There are lot of dewalis nearby Harishchandra temple. In late 1800s a british officer came to Harishchandragad. He liked the place so much that he built a bungalow there for himself. Later the bungalow was destroyed by fire. The officer also left. But while going, damaged much of Harishchandragad. We do not know why he destroyed it. The Harishchandra temple was said to be decorated with precious stones on all sides. He looted these too. Only plinth of his bungalow can now be identified.
Near the entrance of Harishchandra temple, there is an inscription on wall in pali or some ancient language. By reading this inscription, it was concluded by researchers that the great sage Changdeo (yes the same one who came to meet Dnyandeo sitting on his tiger) meditated here for quite some time and also completed his book Tatvasar. Behind the temple there is a underground cave. This is said to Changdeo’s meditation place.
The priest of the temple can provide you with food. After so much of exhaustion, even simple food of pithale n bhakari tastes very good!!!
Getting back:
You can return by same route of tolarkhind. Once you cross the rock patch then there is nothing much as walking down and going back to Mumbai. We were not so fortunate. First there was fog and then my shoes were damaged and I could not take grip on rocks and was constantly falling. So we decided to stay in the cave overnight and then descend next morning by Pachnai route. We started at around 9.30 a.m. next morning. It is very simple route and we reached the base in around 2 hrs.(We came very slow). Now this is very important. There is only one bus in 24 hrs from Pachnai Village to Rajur at 11.30 a.m. If you miss this bus, then you are in very bad position. The village is very small. Population may not be more than 100. So there is no place to stay overnight. No food and nothing. If unfortunately you miss the bus, like us, then walk to next village of Vaghdari which is about 7 km from here. From here also there is one bus in a day to Rajur. So for God’s sake do not miss this bus @ 2 p.m. From Rajur, there are jeeps for Karjat. They charge around Rs. 60/- From Karjat there are n number of options to go to Mumbai, Pune or Nashik.
Friday, May 29, 2009
Thursday, May 21, 2009
Tung Fort (Kathingad)
Participants:
Pranav Joshi, Anand Sohani, Sushant Kelkar, Amit Ramani
Date: 16th April 2009
About:
This fort was not as significant as others in the history. In 1657, it became a part of Maratha Empire with all other forts situated in Maval region. In 1660, Netaji Palkar was appointed to protect this region. In 1665, Jaysingh invaded this region. Dilerkhan and others destroyed the villages around Tung & Tikona, but were unable to conquer these forts. Then, according to Treaty of Purandar (signed on 12th June 1665), Kubadkhan with Halalkhan and others took over fort on 18th June.
How to reach:
We all came from Mumbai, except Kelkar who came from Pune. So I will elaborate on our route from Mumbai. We took Indrayani Express from Mumbai and reached Lonavala. At Lonavala please take some light breakfast and also take something for eating enroute. Once you leave Lonavala there is very less possibility that you will ever get anything to eat. From Lonavala bus stand, take a bus going to Ambavane or Sahara city or Bhamburde and get down at Ghusalkhamb. There is also a direct bus to Tungi – the base village. But I am not sure of its timing. Once you get down at Ghusalkhamb there are two routes and in between there is a small shop. Take left route. Then after some 20 meters there is another diversion. Here also take left route. From here, the base village Tungi (Tungiwadi) is around 8 kms. Start walking and follow the road as it goes. If you are fortunate enough then you may find some truck or jeep going to the village. It takes around 1 hr to reach Tungi village by foot. Once you reach Tungi village, there is small Maruti temple at the base. From here proceed towards right. At some distance ahead you will find some concrete steps. There are only 5 to 6 concrete steps there. Take this route and follow as it goes. It is fairly easy but it can be quite tiring since the gradient is very steep. It takes around 45 mins to reach the main entrance of the fort.
There is not much left to see on this fort now. There is one Ganesh temple here. Behind temple there is a small water tank. Water in it is not potable. Behind this temple, there are two separate routes. When you face the temple, the left route takes you to top of the fort while the right route will take you to a small water cistern. The water was potable when we had gone there even in summer. I advice that you should NEVER drink water from unknown sources unless necessary otherwise, even the water LOOKS clean. On top of the fort you will find a temple of Tungaidevi. The temple itself is in ruins now. The top of the fort is very small. There is a small cave there. It takes around 10 minutes form Ganesh temple to reach the top. From top you can easily spot Tikona fort, Pawana dam etc.
Start decending. When you reach the main entrance, there is a way on right from where one can reach the ruins of a buruj. I advice not to go there. Because the way to reach there is not is good condition. We did go there, but faced a lot of problems while coming back since there is no scope for mistake.
Misc:
This is quite simple and enjoyable trek even for first timers. Do carry lot of water with you and something to eat. Do not litter the place. Carry all the waste which is created by you with you back to your homes and dispose it off in dustbins.
Pranav Joshi, Anand Sohani, Sushant Kelkar, Amit Ramani
Date: 16th April 2009
About:
This fort was not as significant as others in the history. In 1657, it became a part of Maratha Empire with all other forts situated in Maval region. In 1660, Netaji Palkar was appointed to protect this region. In 1665, Jaysingh invaded this region. Dilerkhan and others destroyed the villages around Tung & Tikona, but were unable to conquer these forts. Then, according to Treaty of Purandar (signed on 12th June 1665), Kubadkhan with Halalkhan and others took over fort on 18th June.
How to reach:
We all came from Mumbai, except Kelkar who came from Pune. So I will elaborate on our route from Mumbai. We took Indrayani Express from Mumbai and reached Lonavala. At Lonavala please take some light breakfast and also take something for eating enroute. Once you leave Lonavala there is very less possibility that you will ever get anything to eat. From Lonavala bus stand, take a bus going to Ambavane or Sahara city or Bhamburde and get down at Ghusalkhamb. There is also a direct bus to Tungi – the base village. But I am not sure of its timing. Once you get down at Ghusalkhamb there are two routes and in between there is a small shop. Take left route. Then after some 20 meters there is another diversion. Here also take left route. From here, the base village Tungi (Tungiwadi) is around 8 kms. Start walking and follow the road as it goes. If you are fortunate enough then you may find some truck or jeep going to the village. It takes around 1 hr to reach Tungi village by foot. Once you reach Tungi village, there is small Maruti temple at the base. From here proceed towards right. At some distance ahead you will find some concrete steps. There are only 5 to 6 concrete steps there. Take this route and follow as it goes. It is fairly easy but it can be quite tiring since the gradient is very steep. It takes around 45 mins to reach the main entrance of the fort.
There is not much left to see on this fort now. There is one Ganesh temple here. Behind temple there is a small water tank. Water in it is not potable. Behind this temple, there are two separate routes. When you face the temple, the left route takes you to top of the fort while the right route will take you to a small water cistern. The water was potable when we had gone there even in summer. I advice that you should NEVER drink water from unknown sources unless necessary otherwise, even the water LOOKS clean. On top of the fort you will find a temple of Tungaidevi. The temple itself is in ruins now. The top of the fort is very small. There is a small cave there. It takes around 10 minutes form Ganesh temple to reach the top. From top you can easily spot Tikona fort, Pawana dam etc.
Start decending. When you reach the main entrance, there is a way on right from where one can reach the ruins of a buruj. I advice not to go there. Because the way to reach there is not is good condition. We did go there, but faced a lot of problems while coming back since there is no scope for mistake.
Misc:
This is quite simple and enjoyable trek even for first timers. Do carry lot of water with you and something to eat. Do not litter the place. Carry all the waste which is created by you with you back to your homes and dispose it off in dustbins.
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