Abhijeet Jadhav's Blogs: October 2014

Trek to Kulanggad

Level: Moderate ( steep climbing )
Height : 4820 feets
Special Equipment : Not required
Shelter : Caves at the top
Potable water : Yes
What to see: Caves, Water Cisterns, old Bhandara, view of Sahyadri Ranges and neighboring forts.

Date : 4th Oct, 2014 Night to 6th Oct, 2014 early Morning. ( Saturday Night to Monday Morning)

Group Members : Abhijeet Jadhav , Anil Kukreja , Onkar Honmukhe , Sunny Bhoir , Viraj Vadke , Yadnesh Birwadkar , Yogesh Dhemre

It had been a long time since our last trek to Dhak Bahiri! Yadnesh messaged me that we should go for a trek next week. I said cool! As usual Anil, Onkar & Sunny are always in for any trek!

The place was not yet decided, we then finally decided to trek Kulanggad. I posted a picture of Kulanggad on Facebook and Viraj Vadke joined us... same way I posted a message in our college group on whatsapp and Yogesh was ready to come! PS- This was the first trek of Yogesh Dhemre.

So now we were 7 friends ready to go for longest net climb of Kulangad!

Trek route: Thane-Igatpuri-Ambewadi-Kulanggad

On 4th Oct at 11.45 pm we had planned to meet at Thane Station platform no. 7. Yogesh & Viraj were going to join us from Kalyan. Me, Onkar, Yadnesh, Sunny & Anil boarded the Amritsar Express which arrives at 12.10 am at Thane, we got into a general coach and as usual we could not get a seat! The train was crowded as it was Eid on Monday! But who cares about the crowd..somehow we managed to get some space to stand in passage...! A man was sleeping and had occupied seat of 4 persons! I told him to get up and sunny and anil got a place to seat... soon Yogesh and Viraj joined us from Kalyan! Viraj was new to me, Sunny, Yogesh and Anil ...we introduced each other and got mixed up very soon!I was standing and talking with other passengers in the train....as usual everyone started pulling each others legs..cracking jokes...! In this fun the time passed away very soon and at 2.30 am we got down at Igatpuri Railway Station!

As there was no cab outside station, we waited for some time and cherished juicy apples and oranges!

After 15 mins a Cab arrived! Unfortunately the driver was not knowing the route towards Ambewadi he asked his other friends and decided to take us! we didnt had any other option and after bargaining the fare we all decided to go! At 3. 15 we left from Igatpuri and within 90 mins we were at Ambewadi! Everyone was hungry so we decided to have some snacks and fruits before we start walking towards Kurungwadi! At 5 am in the morning we started our 7 kms journey towards Kurungwadi! After clicking few pics on our way and getting fresh near small water streams....we met a villager who told us that dont go to Kurungwadi and there is a shortcut from here which will take you directly towards the top! we all were confused as everyone goes via Kurungwadi and why this man is telling us to go via shortcut! LOL!! Everyone decided lets explore the new route towards Kulanggad! We were unaware about the difficulties which we were going to face after an hour!

That villager guided us...but his every word was a bouncer for us! Finally we thanked that villager for telling us the shortcut which no one understood and we left from there! Sunny insisted to go with shortcut as he is an lazy ass..everyone then agreed to go via shortcut! Maratha Warriors!

PS: Always bargain with taxi drivers! Choose shortcuts at your own risk!

After walking for an hour we came towards a waterfall and took a small break! We cherished boiled eggs with shezwan sauce, apples, chivda, etc! The route was becoming narrow! damn confusing! rock patches after every 10-15 mins.. no human traces! Dense forest! Slippery! As the route was not the normal one it was full of hurdles! I slipped almost 10 times as i was wearing sandals! My hunter shoes were not in a good condition! so i had no option but to wear Sandals! Finally we reached a dead point...hahahaha! Everyone started bombarding Sunny! LOL! There is no leader is our group...we all are leaders! Jai Bhavani..Jai Shivaji..! Viraj , Anil , and Yogesh started to search for new route! wasted almost an hour and energy! while me, yadnesh , onkar & sunny were chilling..lol! Then me and Yadnesh finally got a route ..God knows where it will take us..but at least there is a routeh! Ah! sigh!

PS: Always take local guide with you!

After every 10-15 mins there was a small water fall! It was 10 am and now we were on the right path! the route was becoming steeper and steeper! Breathe taking view of valleys! Rocks were wet and slippery! We took a break and had Glucose! So much to climb! After walking for an hour we came towards the rock patch..sipping the water from water bottles we had limited stock of water! I had told everyone to carry at least 3 liters of water! Sunny was carrying a side bag! And it was becoming little hectic for him to climb as his bag used to slip from his shoulders! Viraj was walking as if he is walking on road! Anil climbed the rock patch like a cake walk! Yadnesh was carrying utensils and his sack was damn heavy...but he managed to maintain pace with everyone. Yogesh was enjoying his first trek. Onkar was in a hurry to reach the top of Kulunggad...without any breaks. And I was thinking..' now we have almost reached the top, but how we will get down ' For me its very easy to climb but little difficult to get down..as i was wearing slippery sandals..who cares! We are Maratha Warriors. One has to be alert while climbing the stairs...one mistake and you land up in the valley..quite risky..! Try to stick towards the wall and climb tension free...if you panic then there are chances that you might slip down in the valley...

PS: Carry 3 liters of water ; Avoid wearing slippery sandals ; Dont carry one side bags. The rock patch is not at all difficult just be calm and you can do it.....like we did it!

View of Madan & Alang from Kulanggad

Finally we did it...warriors at the top of Kulanggad at around 12 pm. That shortcut was actually a long cut for us! Chuck it..it was thrilling! the view from the top cant be expressed in words! ETERNAL BLISS! The breathe taking view of valleys from the top..the cool breeze...! Its perfect! A heaven for us! We approached towards the cave...wtf the cave was full of insects, muddy , moist, scrap! I just hate the ones who just dont care and throw garbage. We then decided to keep our bags outside and then Yadnesh & Viraj explored the fort if there is any other place where we can stay at night. Now there was a big question in our mind where to sleep??? We had our sleeping mats but there was a mixture of mud and water in the cave! As we all were hungry we decided to fill our water bottles and get fresh. The water tastes good..its cold..no need to filter. Coming back towards the cave we decided to have our lunch outside the cave! The menu was brown bread with mango jam, mixed fruit jam, butter, sugar, shezwan, etc! it was yumm! I was carrying 2 kgs of cucumber..haha ..tummy was almost full after that so called lunch..We then decided to take a small nap outside the cave and after sometime it started raining! Small crabs and insects were sleeping on us! Guys its raining in October??? I think we came here at wrong time. vaat lagli aata..haha! As we had planned to cook our dinner on a "chul" ....the plan was a big flop. There was no dry place on the entire fort..the grass was 2-3 feet tall...there was no dry wood availability..SHATTERED DREAMS

PS: If you are planning to stay in the caves, please dont visit Kulanggad during rainy season till mid-October as the caves will be wet and there will not be any firewood available!

By now it was 3 pm..and everyone was chilled..no worries about the night! Hey guys look...there is one more group on this fort..but unfortunately they just came here for one day...a local guide was accompanying them. All were uncles they explored the fort and they had planned to descend by 4.30 pm. I just went to have a word with them...and when i told them that we reached the top without a guide...they were shocked!! internally i was feeling about our achievement..haha
The local guide warned me that its not safe to stay here at night as the caves are wet and its quite risky to sleep on rock..only 3 people could sleep on that rock outside the cave! NO DINNER! NO SHELTER! If we decide to stay at the fort! We all were tired ..no sleep on 4th Oct night and now again no sleep on 5th Oct night! I decided that we should descend with that local guide...the other group who had hired the local guide was good and friendly! Those uncles looked professional and experienced....and they said " ghabru naka balanno aamhi aahot, ratri ikde sarp khup astat...tumhi thambu naka "
LOL...no other option but to descend...that group started to descend and just vanished...we were still packing our bags..changing clothes..haha. It was 4.45 pm and we finally started to descend...shouting "kaka thamba aamhi pan yeto..." pan kaka tar gele phude in speed!But those uncles told their guide to wait for us...and that was a blessing from God. A local guide named Pandurang was waiting for us.."dev pawla" we all thanked that guide for showing courtesy towards us... as we all knew that by the time we reach Ambewadi it will be dark..and chances of getting lost were very high. Our speed was very slow as we all were tired ..and the path was quite steep and slippery. I slipped and injured my knee..everyone in our group slipped at least once..including the guide...but we were happy that we are with a local guy..yo!! We just took one break in between to drink water..and continued to descend...it was 6.30 pm and total DARKNESS...we had just 2 small torches and others used flash lights of their phones. It was challenging...a real adventure for everyone. Pandurang (villager) had never descended at night time...he was getting late...we all were carrying heavy sacks except Pandurang..and his speed was high...I think he was a music lover..he was playing songs on his phone from past 2 hrs..after crossing valleys..waterfalls..we reached a point were we had to walk straight for at least 30 mins...Finally at 8 pm we reached the base..now we were at a distance of 2 kms from Ambewadi!
All of us just slept on the road..yeah finally we are out of the jungle.
Pandurang didnt even asked us for a penny for showing us the right route...humanism was flowing in his blood!! We all then contributed some money and gave it to Pandurang..he was happy..he didnt even count that money..and kept it in his pocket!
Then we called our taxi driver...and finally he came at Ambewadi after 2 hrs. We reached Igatpuri by 12 am...and then there was a howrah express by 1.. there were no vacant seats..haha ...we reached Thane at 3.30 am on 6th Oct!

PS: Dont think twice, its alright! We are free ..to be whatever we..whatever we like..if its wrong or right..its alright!

Our 2 days trek was a one day trek!!

Even though the trek was not as per our plan..we all enjoyed to the core..had fun on our way...learned many new things. All the group members were understanding..fun loving..jolly..

From start till end ..our trek to Kulanggad was ful of hurdles..adventure at every point..

How to reach Kulanggad from Mumbai , Thane, Kalyan!

Our Route: Thane-Igatpuri-Ambewadi-Kulanggad

4th Oct, 2014- Amritsar Express from Thane at 12.10 am (5th oct) reach Igatpuri by 2.30 am (Fare Rs. 50)
Hire a cab till Ambewadi ( Fare Rs. 900 )
Ambewadi to Kulanggad actual trek ( go with a guide if you are going for the first time )
Ambewadi to Igatpuri , we hired a cab ( Fare Rs. 900)
Igatpuri to Thane by Howrah express..approx at 1 am (Fare Rs. 900 )

Other Route: Thane-Kasara by train ; Kasara- Ghoti bu ST/Taxi ; Ghoti-Ambewadi by ST/Taxi- Ambewadi to Kurungwadi walking OR you can take your taxi directly to Kurungwadi..distance between Ambewadi and Kurangwadi is 7kms. ( 2hrs walk)
PS: The first ST from Ghoti to Ambewadi is at 10 am. Its better to go by taxi as you can save time.

Below contact details might help you out if you are going for the first time:

Mr. Lala ( Pathan ) - Taxi Driver - Owns a Omni- Mobile no. 9273010910 ( call him 24 X 7 ...he will be there )
Mr. Pandurang - Local Guide- wont charge you much..he is honest and does not have much greed for money- Mobile no. 7657913982.

Jai Maharashtra.

Please feel free to comment.

Regards,

Abhijeet Jadhav