Participants: Ketan, Mandar, Nikash, Rohit, Sandeep, Sanket (alphabetical order J )
1) To go or not to go
After our last trek to Rajgad-Torna (26-27 Jan 2k6) I was bit reluctant to visit the places I have been before. It’s like listening to same song again with lyrics on your lips. But like some musical symphony, this recent trek also made us feel light and gave us sense of some achievement. It won’t be good to say this was just like every other trek we did in last 2-3 years. Sanket said most of us are now on the new juncture of our careers and in very much possibility we will take different paths may be 6-7 months from now and this trek gang won’t be the same at that time. We decided about this trek and almost sealed this as the last trek for us this season. Manoj dropped out at the very last moment and
We (me and Rohit) decided to join this trip. Finished packing bag and food within 45 minutes and called Rohit. Me and Rohit reached Kalyan by 11.30 a.m. as decided.
2) Bus and walk till Khireshwar at night
Finally all of us headed to Khubi phata by 12.30 am bus. Me and Sanket were talking on myriad topics throughout the journey. I guess that’s why we have lot of enthusiasm to arrange such awkward treks which most of the normal guys and our parents didn't comprehend. When we say we are going to trek; there are lot of different reactions to that. Some people say it as rubbish idea. Some say just ‘well’ and ignore the whole thing. Some are enthusiastic to join us but will never do so. They themselves know this and we tooJ. Some are interested in reading our trek accounts and pictures onlyJ. Let it be. We don't care as we our self don't know what drives us to mountains. It makes us calm; helps to strengthen friendship. Somehow it also makes us pure in thoughts and makes us bold to take decisions in split second in real life too. I agree that Trek is not the only thing for that but for some of us it is and it will be. Bored ;) Ok We reached Khubi phata at 3.30 am. After searching for 5 minutes using torch we started walking on road beside Kukdi-dam. This walk itself takes around 45 min- 1 hour. We reached at around 4.15a.m. /4.30 a.m. to Khireshwar. We slept outside one of the house cum Hotel. Rohit forgot to bring bed-sheets/sleeping bag. I opened my sleeping bag fully and then all of us had a small nap till 6.30 in the morning.
Please add meanwhile stories. I was fast asleep and didn’t heard any of those screams and running helter-skelter by Mandar. It was quite cold and it was good after humid Mumbai weather and dripping sweat.
3) Climb
We started Climb after tea and Pohe at Hotel Tejas at Khireshwar. Khireshwar is the base village for Harishchandragad. Original Khireshwar village is now under dam and this new village is relocated Khireshwar village (Courtesy: Sanket). Five of us were there for our last visit to Harishchandragad in July 2006. We realized that we slept at some other place. Last time we had our tea in Hotel Aishwarya whose owner had told us at that time that there is no danger as rain had stopped since last night. But he had also refused to accompany us at that time. He knew that we are the same people who had had terrible night on Harishchandragad in July. I waved hand to him in anticipation. We then started walking to our destination. Everyone seemed to be validating the path we lead at that time. The way till Rock patch is very dense so didn’t faced any problems from scorching sun. We had enough water with us. That also helped a lot. We reached halfway to Tolar Khind. This is the fantasy spot of Sandeep where he wants to do romance with his would-be. It is a good location and you can see whole dam from there. In our last visit one school picnic was arranged till this spot. Good idea and really good location especially in monsoon where you can enjoy lot of waterfalls on the way till and in scenery till this spot. We took another 15 minutes to reach Tolar Khind. Khind is the place where two mountains are connected. We had long halt there. Enjoyed cucumber/carrot with water J. We had good photo session there. This khind also connects to Kalsubai Sanctuary and way through it leads to some village called “KotuL”.
After 5 minutes we reached first rock patch. We finished it quite easily and then reached to the base of second rock patch. This one is more dangerous than first. Everyone recollected where Manya and vinu had there date with destiny in last visit. They were survivors or victims. That is the point of major discussionJ. We will take that offline.
We reached top of Harishchandragad in flat 2 hours and another 15 minutes.
4) Old Memories
We knew mistakes we did last time. Every time you reach to top of the fort you are relived and can enjoy some time. In case of Harishchandragad it is quite different. The game is not finished yet mate. You have to cross another 6 small hillocks to reach shelter. We recalled the last photo of our last visit. That was there at that very spot. No one had pleasant memories after that. This time there was no danger of Rain and it was 10.30 a.m. We started walking after 15 minutes break and crossed around 3 small hillocks. Memories started to gather about those dreaded moments where we were clueless and nothing seemed to be helping us. Last time we were there at that spot but had barely 30 odd minutes before it gets dark. We walked and walked then but no obvious sign of shelter. At last we had reached one small temple (ghumaTi) then, we debated a lot and decided that we have lost our way. It would be better; if we go to some place where we could hide our self from raining sky. This time we reached the same place where we sat whole night for first ray of sun. We also took some snapshots there. I guess that was longest night for all of us. And now we realized that we were actually only 50 meters away from temple last time. We laughed at ourselves now. But such was the nature’s show that time. It showed us the cruelty of nature. So Man is not a man as he is now without nature. Protect nature and it will protect you sometime. That was the lesson
5) Temple
We soon reached temple at around 11.45 a.m. One group has reached there earlier. We decided to stay in one of the rooms opposite to Harishchandreshwar temple. We offered our prayers after coconut breaking ceremony which we could not do last time. It was good choice to stay there as it was quite warm in the night also. We had 2-3 hour nap in till 4 in the evening. The temple was really marvelous piece of architecture and is the gem of the old era. It had survived centuries for now.
6) Evening at Kokankada
In the evening at around 4.45 we stared marching towards Kokankada. It was the only motivation for me to climb 3500 feet from base of Harishchandragad. When we reached Kokankada everyone was speechless to see the wonder of nature. It is completely concave semispherical structure. It has spellbound height of around 1500 ft and circumference of around 3 quarters of kilometer. One of the mavericks of Kokankada threw himself down from that place some years back. That was sad but true. Some one for other trek gang started talking about other accidents on such peaks. Everyone was listening to him. Actually it was quite disgusting for that moment to listen and talk such things. We walked on one side till the place where “nalichi vaat” connects Kokankada at its top. We had lot of solo pictures to remember this visit at that spot. Some one threw water down the kokankada. It went around 15-20 meters high above our heads and came back as rainJ.
Go and visit this place and enjoy the sunset there. It depicts the true picture of beautiful nature in your mind. We said bye to sun and headed back towards temple.
7) Night dinner and some songs
We settled soon in our room opposite to temple. Also finished whatever we had brought for dinner. We also ordered Pithala-Bhaalari for 2 of us. That was good really for my appetite. Soon we started singing all melodies. It started with Sandeep Khare songs then to Sonu Nigam then Shaan, Euphoria. Meanwhile one Powada from Sanket also some oldies like “Kisaka rastaa dekhe”. It was fun singing together. Later we shifted to other place where camp-fire was lit by other group. One of them had such a good command over his voice; he left everyone spellbound by his singing.” Myanaatun UsaLe taravaarichi paat, veDaat maraThe veer douDale saat” then he also sang ons “shetakari geet” (farmer folk song). It was sort of really good mehfil of all unknown buddies having common interest “trekking”.
8) Climb down
We had good nights sleep. I woke up at around 6.15 with first ray of sun. Finished my chores in open air J. By 7.15 everyone was up and everyone was happy for coming for this trek. We had tea and biscuits and then started to pack up our bags. Finally we left temple at 8.15 and reached the starting point of HarishchandraGad by 9.10 or so. Descent was simple and less toll-taking on our bodies. After rock patches it was routine job to walk and walk down the descent. We reached Hotel Aishwarya by 11 or so. Sanket discussed with hotel owner about different way which is shorter and reaches temple faster. We had Upma and tea there and after that regular “Joy” session.
9) Khireshwar temple and walk back to Khubi phata
This time we decided to visit another temple in Khireshwar village which is also centuries old. Everyone was happy about mission accomplishment and hence quite lazy to reach khubi phata. On the way to Khubi Phata after visiting
No comments:
Post a Comment