I love trekking.. I always have. Just never had company, or was too shy to go on my own and really missed a lot of fun. So lately I have decided to take the lead, and just go and not wait for anyone.
Saturday, 22nd September 2007 6:45 hours:
Arati and I set out for the rendezvous.. FC main gate, 7 am. Ppl showed up till 8. Till then we managed to get to know a few people that had managed to get up on time.
The route was Pune à Ale phata à Village of Khaireshwar at the foot of the fort Harischandragad. We reached khaireshwar around noon, and had lunch 2 hours later. During which time, we took as many shots of the fort as possible, had a brief intro session, and distributed the weight of polya ani puranpolya amongst all :D. After lunch, the whole group was split in 3: fast, medium and slow… we were the last.
Saturday, 23rd September 2007 16:00 hours :
Sacks strapped to our backs, caps out, and water bottles full, we took off around 4pm. Everyone brimming with enthusiasm, stomachs full, but not very, and the fort standing clear in front of us like a challenge… and then it started raining. And we were all wet within 15 minutes :D
The The fort can be divided in 3 stages:
Stage 1 is from Khaireshwar to the Tolarkhind. This takes around 2 hours for someone with a good stamina. We took a little more, and thankfully it was still daylight when we reached the khind.
Stage 2 is the steep climb that ends in the rock patch. Now this one depleted our strength. And by the time I stood facing the rock patch, I was exhausted and my feet felt like rocks in my shoes. The rock is steep, and looked very slippery. There are 2 railings made in between. But where there are none, you have to trust your shoes. I climbed without a glance back down. On reaching the top, a few moments of celebration for having reached without slipping, and we realised that we still have to go back down the same way!!! we decided to leave that thought till the next day. ignorance, u see, is bliss.
Stage 3 is the the 9 hills and 8 streams on the top of the fort, till you reach the caves. Now by the time we had managed to get past the rocky patches, it was dark. And there was a need to get the torches out. And the road was slippery, and the sky was cloudy and moonless. And someone told us there are snakes and leopards in these parts of the jungle…
Sunday, 23rd September 2007 0:00 hours:
We reached the cave around midnight. .. that’s after around 5 hours of torch-light walking. The organizers had a simply amazing menu of corn-mushroom soup planned. :D it was yummy and was just what was needed for us cold, wet and tired souls sitting in the cold dark cave. They also cooked ‘batatyacha rassa’ :) Then some songs, then Pinakin played the Harmonica, and we all slept like dead on the lumpy rock floor. It was a small cave for 30 people. And somebody’s feet poked my back a lot :(
Sunday, 23rd September 2007 07:00 hours:
We woke up to a clear and beautiful morning. And realised, that the dark cave had a view of the temple and the vale far behind. The ‘kokan kada’ is about 45 minutes walk from the caves.
And in the clear and rainless morning, we all went happily snapping away with our cameras. Flowers, hills, insects, streams, .. and finally u reach there. And the view makes it all insignificant … the climb, the cold, the darkness. They told us that once, a man stood there, said that this is the most beautiful sight there can be, and jumped off the cliff… it would be fun to jump… with a parachute on, of course :P
So when we drank in the view till we were full, all turned back, as the brunch was yet to be cooked… all except us five lazy people. We hung back to take snaps of all possible flowers we saw on the way back. Kunal, Chetan, Rucha, Arati n I… and we reckoned that lunch would still take an hour to prepare itself.. (under the guidance of those that had gone ahead ;) ) so we took our time. That was the one hour I enjoyed most in the whole trip :)
Sunday, 23rd September 2007 11:30 hours:
Quick lunch and we set off. Ready to face what lied ahead…
We were supposed to reach the rock face by 4. we were half way there by 5.30. 4 of us. Chetan, Arati, a guy with plastic shoes who was trekking for the first time (BTW for a first trek, great choice of the fort) and I were the last of the group… with a lot of help from Pinakin, we managed to reach the rock face by 6. It had rained. They told us it wasn’t, but it sure looked slippery, and a really fast way to the bottom and then forever to the place far above… It is said that when faced by danger and trials, and a possibility of the ‘end’ staring you in the face like that valley, for example… you remember whom you love the most…… true. (konala tari laaai uchkya lagat asnar tevha ;) ;) )…
when we had climbed up that patch, it was quite foggy and we could not really see the valley … not this time tho!....
When we finally stood looking UP at the rock, and I realised that I was still alive and the material earth still below my feet, I felt really hungry, so we relished the famous Parle-G biscuits: Guaranteed to get your Red blood cells running around again.
On the way down, and just as we were getting used to being alive again, it became dark, and we were out of batteries, and strength. And scared of the dark, and snakes, and the moonlight seemed more welcome than ever.
When we finally reached the base, (All thanks to Chetan, the savior of 2 lives) we were greeted with claps! :D
Well, dinner was something… don’t remember.. didn’t care.
Slept like dead on the way back.
Alive,
Madhura.
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