Trek to Mahipatgad [21n22Jul2012]

I am just back from a lovely trek. Trek to a fort in Kokan.. the green greener greenest kokan! :) Trek to Mahipatgad.

Below was the planned schedule.

Friday, 20th Jul 2012	22.30	05.00	Mumbai to Khed (We will catch ST MUMBAI CENTRAL to BAHIRAVALI PANHALJE)
Saturday, 21st Jul 2012	06.00	07.15	Khed to Dahivali
	08.00	12.00	Trek
	12.00	13.30	Lunch
	13.30	16.00	Fort Exploration
	16.00	17.00	Tea Break
	17.00	18.30	Fort Exploration
	20.00	21.00	Dinner
Sunday, 22nd Jul 2012	05.00	06.00	Morning  and Packing
	06.30	10.30	Back to Dahivali
	12.30	17.30	Khed to Mumbai

And below is the actual schedule :)

Friday, 20th Jul 2012	11.25	05.00	Mumbai to Khed (We caught ST from Nehru Ngr Kurla  to Khed)
Saturday, 21st Jul 2012	05.30	06.15	Khed to Dahivali
	07.30	03.00	Trek
	4.00	5.00	Lunch
	13.30	16.00	Fort Exploration No fort exploration as it was watery/foggy everywhere and too much rains
	07.00	7.30	Tea Break [after than gappe stories time pass and sleep]
	17.00	18.30	Fort Exploration
	20.00	21.00	Dinner
Sunday, 22nd Jul 2012	05.30	08.00	Morning, Maggi and Packing
	08.30	01.00	Back to Dahivali
	02.15	03.10	Dahiwali to Khed

                  04.30        10.10     Khed to Mumbai 

Mahipat gad is in Ratnagiri... my very own Kokan area. I was very delighted and overwhelmed to go there. Though Mahipatgad is not a difficult trek, its toooooo lengthly. I can divide the route into  3stages. 

The 1st stage is the steep ascend which starts from the Dahivali village, till we climb up the 1st hill. This is the only stage which is trek like and can be rated to be of medium difficulty. 

After that once we reach this level, at this same level, we keep walking crossing trespassing different hills. I think they may be 3 hillls that we cross walking at the same level. 

This is the most easiest, amazing, beautiful, heavenly piece of the trek. Plenty of water falls on the way, crossing of numerous streams, surrounded by clouds most of the time, rain rain rains... SIMPLY HEAVENLY to its meaning. 

You only keep walking. The route is very clearly. but need to be careful, as there are many clear ways which can mislead you. BUt still not that confusing. Only thing, we were proceeding hesitantly and doubtfully, so we were extremely slow and took many halts. 

So this is the 2nd stage of the trek I would say. This stage is THE ATTRACTION of the trek. It treated me all that I asked for. I named it and it was there. :) Water, Rains, Waterfalls, Fog, Clouds, chilled weather, breeze, winds..valleys, fresh air, voices of birds... just everything that I wanted :)

After this 2nd stage, we reached the village Beldarwadi (or Mahipat gaav). It was 1pm when we reached this village. We had already walked/treked for 5.5hrs by now, and still no traces of Mahipat gad. So we went inside the village and we finally got to know that we are at the base village and its just 1more hr from there. We got the directions from one of the old women, who welcomed us with tea and gave us wonderful roses to wear. for the 1st time in my life I put a rose in my hair. 

From this village, we started our final stage trek, which was a easy ascend following the electricity cable wire. Yes, Mahitpat gad has a temple, till where electricity wires have reached, though not the electricity itself :)

AFter finally reaching the top, we saw the 1st signs of foritication from where a pipe came out and water rushed out like waterfall. All of us now gave up our sacks and rejoiced in this chilled water. We thought we were done. After spending around 30mins there in water we went up to find nothing.

The place up there was full of water logging, algae and fog. Nothing was visible, and we had walk in dirty algae water logged grounds. There was  just cow which was grazing. O man.. where is the temple!

Durwas and AMol went ahead to find the traces of the temple in that low visibility fog. Finally Durwas spotted a laminated paper drilled on a tree far inside in one direction. Really appreciate Durwas for cleverly spotting that paper. It said that temple is towards the left :) 

From that spot also we walked around 15mins inside to finally reach the temple. 

It is a properly built structure with poor roofing, due to which water leaked from everywhere. The floor was totally wet, and the room was filled with fog. In front of this temple is well which gave us potable water. Water was really nice and clear. 

But sleeping there was a real issue. Caves are better than this. They are warm and no leakage. 

We tried to dry the floors by using 2 rough clothes there. To some extent it did. But not of much use. From somewhere came a old man like angel. And he told us that there is a drum inside, which has a long huge carpet which we can use to put on the floor for sleeping. He was god! really. That huge matt saved us from the cold. I really wanted to click his pic. But it didnt happen. 

Then we cooked maggi and then coffee. CHanged our clothes and then stricked out dinner. Everyone was tired. So we prepared our bedings  and all set in our positions. We played cards before sleeping this time. Then very little chats. And then DISHKYAAVVVV>.... ALL ASLEEEP.

5.30am in the morning Amol awaked everyone. All were up. Got ready. Prepared Maggi again n had it as breakfast. Then at around 8.15am we started our journey back. 

Return journey we had decided to trek down to Wadi Jaitapur instead of Dahilwali from where we ascended. But in the morning again like God came the same man. He asked us we were all alright and if that mat helped us to sleep. We said yes. And from him we came to know that route to Wadi Jaitapur is shorter but is steep descent and last ST bus from wadi Jaitapur is at 1pm. So if we miss that that we are gone. This man again helped us change our decision and trek back down thru the same route to Dahiwali, as from Dahiwali the ST freq is better in comparison. 

So there we started at 8.15am, in full swing down to Bedarwadi in 1 hr i.e. by 9.15am. From here to the next milestone we reached by 10.15am. And from here the actual steep descend started, which took us a little more time and we reached Dahiwali by 1pm.

So our descend was smooth and fast as were sure of the route now, as compared to our ascend. At Dahiwali we got ST at 2.10pm to Khed. Reached Khed at 3.10pm. And then back to Mumbai.

Back with all tight stressed thighs and shoulders. Wrinkled feet due to wearing of damp wet shoes n socks all time. But back with lot fresher mind, stress free heart and brain :) Full of energy and recharged mind ... 

Truely fullfilling trek. 

Thanks Amol for arranging it. Thanks always. :)

क्षितिजा वरचे सारे

[© Copyright 2012, All Rights of/for this poem reserved by author of this blog]


असे वाटले कि, सापडले तारे,

हरवलेले कोणे काळी, हाती आली सारे.

असे भासले कि, आले मी आता रे,

तिथे जेथे बंद होती कायम आधी दारे.

असे काही सुटलेले चैतन्या चे वारे,

जणू काही संपलेच, काळोखाचे झारे.

जरा बसते, मनी जपते,तर गायबच झाले,

पुन्हा बघते, तर कळते, ते तर क्षितिजा वरचे सारे...  :-(

- अल्पना अ साटम

To Lonavala With my RITZ - My 1st LONGGG Drive

7th Jul 2012, Saturday:

Today is another remarking day of my life as one more item in my wish list or actually my imagination list has got TICKED :) -

"Me and My RITZ alone on the Mumbai-Pune express way!"

Nothing was planned. I just reached Belapur for some work and after it was done, I called up my friend Kedar, as he stays there, and asked if we can meet up. As he had not yet seen my car, I thought we could meet up today. When I called him up, he said that he has already reached his Factory in Khalapur, and asked me to come there. I was like "WHAT!" 
He said it so naturally, and laid that expectation from me so smoothly. I was shocked. I replied.. "How can u expect that from me? Me! ALONE!???"
He replied - "Yes.. come over. Just join the expressway from Kalamboli, drive in left lane, and stop before the 1st TOLL Plaza of Khalapur, and give me a call. Thats it."
I was just shocked by his expectations from me. I was not prepared for it mentally :) A whole round of thoughts started in my mind. I felt like doing it, but was getting goose bumps :) Should I do this courage???
I replied - "Are u CRAZY! Me? ALONE? On Expressway???"
He was so natural - "Yes. Its simple. Come over"
OMG!!! I was getting that urge of taking it up, but was afraid. I hung up on the call that time, and told him that let me think a bit, and I will call u back.
I waited there in car for some time. Thought for a while. Should I do it?? I called him back. I asked - "Tell me once again. Road jyada challenging nahi hai na? Kuch challenges aayenge kya? Its just straight road na?" I asked some stupid questions like this to him. And he replied again very easily and naturally -" Its simple. But you first decide on ur own, whether u wanna do it or not. Dont come in my influence. You first gather the confidence, and then call me up." Saying this he hung up.
O man... I waited for a while. Called up my mom, and told her that I am in Belapur and going to for a long drive with Kedar. She confirmed that Kedar is there with me, and she was fine. She asked me to Drive safe. HUsh... Then I felt better. I said to myself,, chalo now..  
Lets Go!
I called up Kedar and told him " I'M COMING! :)" hehehehe and this time, he was shocked. :)
He had not expected this answer from me :) But I surprised him. I asked him what will we do in Khalapur? He said we can go to Lonavala, as he has to buy some pipes and connectors from there. HUH! Wow.. This was another item in my wish list. So it was a good deal actually, ticking 2 items in my wish list viz.
1) I drive on Mumbai-Pune expressway
2) Long drive to Lonavala in my RITZ
hmm ok.. chalo. And I confirmed him, that I am coming. I started at 1.15pm from Belapur
And there I start for one of my dream journeys!
Me with my humsafar RITZ on Mumbai Pune Express way.
When I saw the Expressway bridge approaching, I was really excited. I drove over the Bridge and I was on the expressway. O man... really. Its a dream come true to me. Never thought this will be true some time. I know its really small for MOST OF THE GUYS. But for me it really a dream come true.
When I started, my car indicated some where around 895kms I guess. And I knew.. I was going to complete the Milestone of 1000kms in next few hours. So I skipped over the strategy of driving till max60 till 1000km.
As soon as I started over the expressway, I crossed 60km/hr and drove at 80. With that came the 5th gear. YES. Gear which I had never yet put ever. Not even when I used to drive our old indicab. I always feared that I will not be able to put 5th gear, if  put, I will not be able to get it back to lower gears. I had these myths which I know are silly. And here was the time, when it was mandatory that I put the 5th gear. And I did it. O man... another new thing done. Wow. I felt amazing. The road was superb, the weather was superb, the car was really responsive. And I realize that I was crossing 100 !!!!!! :)
OMG~! I was like, am I driving on 100??? really?? And I dont even realize the speed. Soon the arrow on speedometer touched 110. O man.. I was like, expressway par toh Speed ka pata hi nahi chalta. even 110 seemed so slow. :)
But  I didn't go beyond it. Because I realized that  at 100 and 110 I was not able to keep the Steering Still. So I released the accelerator and came down to 90-100.
In some time, I saw the tunnel was approaching... O man.. Tunnel~ :) My 1st expressway tunnel experience. 
As I moved in, I caught the left most lane, I started the head lights and as well as the parking lights. I was at 80 that time. Besides me passed a BUS, in which there were ppl who probably were going for picnic, and were screaming in the tunnel. I knew this. This is what I have been doing always when I m in any car/bus, and it goes thru expressway tunnel :) But today I could not do that. I had switched the shoes. I was driving the vehicle. I was feeling different, my mind was just lingering in these thoughts, and the tunnel got over. Hmm.. I told to my self - "Congrats! you crossed the 1st expressway tunnel :) that you only crossed in thoughts till now :)"
Then there was 2nd tunnel in some time.
I kept driving, testing my self at speed of 110, and then coming back to 90.
I was wondering to myself - "How much more is this KHALAPUR plaza? Have I missed it? Can I miss it rather? O no, its a Toll plaza one cannot miss it. So I am on right way." Anyways, I enjoyed my driving, and was getting such silly questions in my mind on the way.
I realized that I was discovering my unknown self. I could do it. Its not that big deal. May be I underestimated myself w.r.t to driving skills.
There in some time, I saw sign boards of "Toll Plaza 1000 mtr away" and soon I reached.
I stopped few mtrs before Khalapur Toll Plaza in the left, and took a deep breadth :) .. actually I wanted to Pat my back :) [heheheh come on, I was alone. so I had to do that myself :)] I had reached KHalapur Toll Plaze at 2pm. So I had taken 45mins from Belapur to Khalapur Toll Plaza.
When I check my phn, there was no netwrk. O god! I felt agar network nahi aaya toh main kya karungi?
But after manually searching it, I got the n/w and I gave a call to Kedar. And he sounded relieved on the phone that I reached :) I am sure since the time I started from Belapur and till I reached and called him up, Kedar must be in Tension. And he admitted that when he met me. As he had just thrown a unexpected offer to me, and I had accepted it :)
He came from somewhere, and met me at the toll plaza. As he entered the car, he seemed overwhelmed. He literary patted my back and was more excited than me :) He was really shocked, surprised, happy that I actually drove all the way alone and came. On the top of that he said, I took the optimum time. Belapur to Khalapur toll plaza in 45mins by me, was a good time as per him.
 From there we started for Lonavala. I drove on the ghat, hilly ways, lovely weather. It was really nice. I thanked Kedar, for asking me to come to Khalapur. Otherwise I dont know when else would this have happened that I get such a chance. 
Inside Lonavala there was lot of traffic. We had lunch in one hotel, and went to the hardware shop where Kedar wanted to pick his factory stuff. There we got to know that his goods i.e some long pipes and connectors were going to take some time. So we went on a drive inside Lonavala. The way towards MUSHI DAM. We didnt really go till the Mushi dam, but half the way. It was one dam, long vast Lake types, so much windy. I was not able to open the car door. I had to push it against the wind and come out :) It was superb. But it was crowded, as it was a weekend. There was no parking, so were waited outside the car for fews mins, and started back again.
On the way back, Kedar directed the ways, and brought me thru some lanes which for me were challenging :) I was scolding him, that kaha kaha se leke ja raha hai. He was expecting things from me, as if I was an expert driver. But ALL WAS WELL. No issues.
We came back to the hardware shop, and His goods were ready. I was sitting inside the car, and he was putting his pipes etc in my car.
In the process, one bad/sad thing happened. My car's back seat's door hurt Kedar on this forehead so badly, that there was a slit. It started bleeding. O man.. I couldn't believe that the door can hurt someone so bad. He said that he was use to his car's back seat door, and carelessly he opened and headed ahead. Ritz back seat door tapers towards its topside, unlike other cars. And this is what hurt him that bad. I was a little sad for it. But he was pretty cool, he was not that worried bout it. He acted like nothing happened. I told him its a slit, lets show to a doctor here in lonavala, and get the bandaid. But Lonavala was full of traffic, and hence, he said that we will directly goto the factory. I didnt argue on it, as he knows better.
From there we started at 5pm, and by 5.25pm we were back at Khalapur, this time in his factory. Kedar said that I drove better, as I reached Khalapur in 25mins :) I said this was shorter path, he replied, it was the same path, how can it be shorter :) hmm fine.. so may be I got the comfort & confidence of the speed and road now.
At the factory we dropped the good, and from there I was to go alone back. I was a little worried about it. There was no reason to worry, but fir bhi.
At the factory I met Raju. He also was seeing my Ritz for the 1st time. We first aided Kedar's forehead slit, I spent some more time in the factory. They showed me over their machines and what they do there. And then at 5.44pm I started my return journey from there. Now! it was 1019kms
I had crossed the milestone of 1000kms, and I had not even realized.
On my return journey to Mumbai, I missed the Express way turn, and I came from the NH4. I drove confidently now at 80-90 speed at the 5th gear. It was really nice. I reached Belapur at around 7pm. So from Khalapur to Belapur I took 1.15hr, as many a times I had to slow down, there were mostly loaded trucks, and goods carriers on the way. Mostly they use that road. Had I not missed the right turn of expressway, it would have been earlier. Anyways, I got to drive on another road. That is also an experience.
And then eventually I roamed a bit in sanpada, and then came back home with a HIGH of
1)having driven on the Expressway alone
2) Having put the 5th gear for the 1st time
3) Having allowed the speedometer arrow to touch 110 for some time at least :)
4) And having done the trip to lonavala in my RITZ finally!
So there I was back home, with reasonable tick marks on my wish list items :) Narrating this entire thing to my Mom and then on the computer, documenting it on my blog :)
Yes, blogging it! because I know it will be worth reading it few years down the line!

And Thanks Kedar for throwing that offer to me to come to KHalapur, else the above tick marks would not have happened so soon :)

चौकोन षट्कोन

[© Copyright 2012, All Rights of/for this poem reserved by author of this blog]

तोड ते मनातले, गोल गोल  रिंगणे,
काम रे तयांचे, पुन्हा पुन्हाच गुंतणे.
सोड तू त्या चौकटी, तयातले ते आकडे,
तेच न्हेत रे तुला, पुन्हा पुन्हाच वाकडे.


काय त्यात मांडले, अन काय कुणी वाचले,
कुणा कळे किती खरे, किती कुणाचे वाचविले.
कोण आखतो रे ती, कुणा कडे ती योग्यता,
कुणी दिलेत त्यान कडे, नको नको ती यंत्रणे.


बघ तू जरा पुढे, कधी वर डोकाऊनं रे,
पळून लाव आकडे, मनातुनं तू त्यातले,
ऐक काय सांगते, तुला तुझे हृदय रे,
बजाव ते मानस तू, कि तेच "त्याने" योजिले. 


योग काल साधुनी, वेळ ती येईल ही,
वाट पाहुनी किती, निघून ही जाइल ती.
तुझ्याच जे हातात रे, निसटून नको जाऊदे,
तुलाच ते करायचे, विसरून नको जाऊ रे. 


- अल्पना अ साटम