Kavnai - A night trek in the starry night

19th Dec 2015

 

           It had been some time since I last trekked, so I grabbed the first opportunity that came my way. With Tattva again, Kavnai it was! And the exciting element here was that it was a night trek.

Though the thought of travelling all the way to Kasara and then Igatpuri played a lazy ruckus in my mind till the last minute, I finally shoved myself into the last train to Kasara.

The base village of Kavnai is around 18 kms from Kasara station. Jeeps are lined outside the Kasara station to take you to various destinations like Igatpuri, Bhandardara, Nasik etc. but to find a ride at such an unearthly hour, one has to call and book in advance which our trek organisers had already done. The ride costs around INR 100 per person up to Nasik. We reached Kasara around 2 am, the train running late and after refreshing ourselves at a dhaba on the highway en-route, we reached the base village of Kavnai at 3 am. There are 2 temples dedicated to Shri Ram and Sita and Hanuman.

We had a local guide for assistance. So finally at 3:30 am we embarked on our journey to the top of the fort. Like ghosts, swaying our torches as we moved through some houses, we were welcomed by barking dogs ready to pounce on us. Thankfully, they kept their shiny pointed teeth to themselves and were satisfied killing the silence of the night.

                In the darkness we could barely see the top of the fort. The initial part of the trek was covered in scree and was very slippery. Without a torch, on these narrow twists and turns, it would be very easy to take a wrong step and reach the base of the village tumbling in no time. All of us expected a cold night and we were dressed accordingly but the climb had us sweating in no time. Halfway through the trek, one comes across a small hillock giving you the first glimpse of the Mukane dam. The lovely waters of the Vaitarna can be seen from the top on the other side. As I have experienced on most of my other treks, the sky was crowded with the twinkling gems and someone pointed a satellite as well.

Our trek guru briefed us that the great Maratha king Shivaji Maharaj secretly visited this fort and had included this fort in his kingdom after his coronation. This fort, like most other forts in Maharashtra was captured by the British and was under their rule for a long time. Another few minutes of trekking over the hillock and we reached an iron ladder. The climb from here is nearly perpendicular and needless to say a bit challenging. It would be more challenging in the monsoons I’m sure. A little above the iron ladder is the door to the fort and seems to be the only structure that is in a relatively good condition that assures you of an entry to a fort, not just another mountain.

We reached the top of the fort in the dark in less than an hour. There is a big pond on the right of the plateau. We decided to explore the fort post sunrise. So, after transferring the cakes, chaklis, wafers etc. from our bags to our stomachs, the melody of the guitar strings was brought to life by Sai, and a romantic rendezvous began in the still of the night.

A few hours later, the children in the sky made a disappearing act back to their homes as the reddish hues spread across, asserting the arrival of the Sun god. The tranquil waters of the Vaitarna were set on fire as the glowing orange sphere grew in proportion. We caught the neighbouring mountains and the beautiful landscape quietly waking up to the mesmerizing sight of the first rays. Sublime scenery for the greedy eyes! One can catch a glimpse of the Kalsubai range, Trimbak range and Tringalwadi from here.

We wandered on the plateau. The calm waters of the pond looked soothing. We met a Sadhu baba feeding fish; he lives in a hut near the small temple by the pond. Less than an hour is sufficient to explore the fort and after we had our fill of sightseeing and photography, we headed back for the descent. The descent almost always proves to be a bit more challenging than the ascent. As we were descending, we could hear the temple bells clanging in the distance. Carefully treading back, we reached the base village of Kavnai in about an hour.

We visited a huge and beautiful temple of Shri Ram. This is not the same temple as I mentioned before. Ask the locals for it. A giant Hanuman keeps watch over an artificial pond outside the temple. Just outside the sanctum, guarded by four elephants, is another small pond and it is said that a saint brought a child back to life by immersing him in this pond (source: our trek guide).

Kavnai is a relatively easy but enjoyable trek and it can also be clubbed with a trek to the neighbouring mountains. A night well spent singing songs under the stars!!

Neighbouring peak

....and the sun rises

Pond at the top of the fort

Remnants of the fort

An open temple by the pond

Temple at the top

Entrance to the fort

The waters of Vaitarna

Temple at the base village from where the trek starts

A beautiful temple in the  Kavnai village

Magical healer

 

Vikatgad or Peb fort - Romancing the clouds

26^th July, just a date on the calendar? Not for many Mumbaikers a few years back in 2005, when the torrential rains created havoc in the city and the metropolis was flooded causing deaths to many, disrupting lives, destroying infrastructure and bringing the city to a standstill. To all the lives lost, may their souls rest in peace!

26^th July 2015, a Sunday, another day on the calendar, an unforgettable one for a batch of 30 trekkers on their way to Vikatgadh or Peb killa. The monsoons are a trekker’s delight and the skies promised us of a nice wet day. A few first timers, a few experienced ones, we were an odd lot but the enthusiasm was just as much as needed. Vikatgad is so named as it is claimed that it’s shaped like Lord Ganesha. It’s also called Peb killa, deriving its name from the Goddess Pebi.

Vikatgadh is one of the many forts lining the Karjat range of mountains in district Raigad, standing tall at a height of 2100 feet. From Neral station, one needs to take a share auto to a village called Fanaswadi, about 3-4 kms from Neral. On a weekend, Neral station is flooded by the multitude of trekkers and tourists on a trip to the hill station of Matheran. Outside the station is a vegetarian restaurant ‘Sai Shraddha’ which is where most of the trekkers halt for a quick bite before they embark on their trek, hot wadas and missal paav being the all time favourites. There are also other stalls outside Neral station and it is advisable to get something packed before you start your trek if you are not carrying a packed lunch.

The trek starts from Fanaswadi and at the base, surrounded by the village and farms; one can see the ‘V’ shape in the mountain ahead which happens to be where one is heading. The peak of Vikatgadh is marked by the temple of Swami Samarth. This is an arduous trek and tests your endurance. Completely uphill and through the jungle, it took us almost 3 hrs to reach the summit. We were guided by a local villager. Treading over rocks of various shapes and sizes, one needs to be extra careful in the rains. Walking the ridges, there are places where all there is space for is a single step and a slip could have you tumbling, bouncing and landing in the valley below. And after about an hour and half of trekking, one comes across a rock patch which is a difficult one. These are actually two patches bundled into one, the latter almost impossible to be done without a helping hand or a rope unless you are an experienced rock climber. I and many others were literally pulled up by our guide and the trek leaders. I, for sure couldn’t have done it alone since its right in your face, almost 10 feet tall and there is hardly any foothold to stick your foot into and heave yourself upward. There are a couple of other rock patches which are not as difficult as the one mentioned.

Once the first rock patch is crossed, the scenery opens up to a visual delight. What we saw is near inexplicable; rather words are a futile medium for expressing the ravishing beauty. The canvas of tall green mountains, the vast landscape, the lashing rains, tricking waterfalls, the dark clouds and the strong wind calms not only your soul but eases the mind off the pain in your legs. The highlight of the scenery was the scattering and playful clouds. Hiding the landscape, and magically making them appear the next moment, the clouds were romancing the mountains like never before. Enchanting, enthralled!

Another 30 minutes of climb and one comes across a big cave at the edge of the mountain with an idol of Shivaji Maharaj and a Shivling. The cave is maintained by disciples of Swami Samarth. This is a good place to have lunch if you want to but take care not to litter. Walking against the line of the cave, about 200 meters ahead comes the first ‘shidi’ or ladder. An iron ladder which sways midway, how adventurous and the weak hearted dare not see below. Once the ladder is crossed, there are a few other rock patches but not as difficult as the first one and then you come to an open space from where you can see the other side of the valley below and the temple above you. This is where we had lunch, saving ourselves from the wrath of the chasing monkeys. Beware of the monkeys; they won’t stop short of slapping you at the cost of grabbing your food. A climb of another few minutes and you reach the temple. Oh, what a sight, a temple almost suspended in air, at the peak, at the edge and wherever your eyes roam, the sight is a joy to celebrate. Experiencing the magic is what needs to be done; this blog is too small to portray what you actually see and feel there. Into the distance, one can see the Chanderi pinnacle and Doodhani dam.

Spending some time there, we moved ahead. We didn’t go back the way we came, thankfully for many of us. We crossed two more shaky ladders, one person at a time, and took the path which leads to the toy train tracks of Matheran. Walking to Dasturi Naka along the tracks, from where we were to catch a shared cab to get down the Matheran Ghat to reach Neral station, you come across a huge beautiful idol of Lord Ganesha partly carved out of rock. Zigzagging and zooming down the ghat, we reached Neral in no time and were on our way back home.

This by no means is an easy trek, rather a wee bit more than ‘medium’ grade but one of the best and most enjoyable treks I have ventured on till now!