Kalvintin Trek

(This particular trek began with us heading to Prabalgad, but ended with us sitting atop Kalvintini.)

Height: 2300ft.

Route: (train) Bandra →Wadala → Panvel → (bus) Vashile → Shedung Phata → (rick) Thakurwadi → (walk) Kalvintini

For Akshay, Mamma, Ashith and Asmat, the journey began with the 6.59am local to CST. I joined them at 7.02am and in a short while we alighted at Wadala station and sat waiting for the train to Panvel. From Panvel we had to get to Thakurwadi by ST bus which meant waiting for anhour at the depot. So we boarded the bus to Vashile and got off at Shedung Phata from where we caught a rickshaw to Thakurwadi. Once we alighted, we began our trek.

The path uphill has quite a few diversions and it’s easy to go off track. Ask the locals for directions, if you meet anyone, that is. At many places the path is roughly tarred and quite clear. After a while we passed what must have been a waterfall (if it was raining), the remains of an old fort and a little shrine dedicated to Lord Hanuman. At this point stone steps take the place of the beaten path.

There is also a lovely, green plateau from where you get a great view of the villages in the distance. It’s a pretty sight.

Next, we made our way through a thick cluster of bushes and shrubs and found ourselves facing the little village of Prabalmaach. This is a good place to fill your water bottles, but do remember to give the helpful villagers a little…er..something.

We found two very willing little tykes to be our guides from this point on. We cut through the village and continued our climb up what we thought was Prabalgad, but, as we later learned, we somehow took a wrong turn and moved towards Kalvantini.

On reaching a cluster of rocks, our guides left us to fend for ourselves, so we stopped a while wondering which way to go as there wasn’t any clear path in sight.

After a moment’s thought, we decided on a path and climbed using both, our hands and our feet. The soil was quite loose and slippery due to the monsoons and it was very important to find a firm foothold/grip. Also, I had made the mistake of wearing jeans. As it is, they are heavy, and I’d added to their weight by frisking about in what little water was trickling down the waterfall. Now, I didn’t know whether to hold my pants up or hold a rock to keep myself from slipping.

After much slipping, sliding and climbing we finally reached the top. Almost. All that was left now was a steep flight of steps cut into the rock and the peak beyond. We first sat and ate a light lunch of parathas and cheese before Mamma and Akshay decided to conquer the final peak. I stayed back because I’m chicken. Climbing up is no problem for me, but my feet refuse to move when it comes to getting back down, especially if the climb is very narrow and steep. So, the chicken stayed back to admire the many butterflies that were flitting about while the two mountain-goats tripped up the final peak.

(I must inform you at this point that Ashith and Asmat had left us a long time ago as Asmat wasn’t feeling all that well.)

Soon, the two brave mountaineers came back looking rightly proud for having completed the trek successfully. We then re-traced our steps and headed back to the base. Somewhere along the way, Akshay’s shoes decided to die and set free their soles. Mamma managed to hold them together with kerchiefs and shoe laces making his feet look like two, very ugly Christmas presents.

From Thakurwadi we took an ST bus to Panvel station and boarded a train home.

Bhandardara.

Route:  Mumbai – Igatpuri – Ghoti – Bhandardara.

Distance from Mumbai:     163  kms.

Off we go:

Our trip began at 7am on a pleasant Saturday in March. Our destination was Bhandardara, a picturesque little village situated at the foothills of the mighty Sahyadris. As we stopped for fuel, we sat deciding the various route options available. One led through Ahmednagar, the other, along NH3, through Igatpuri, while the third cut through Shahpur, a village off the NH3.

After consulting the all-knowing, all-seeing blackberry with its ever famous Google maps, we settled on option three. And so began our pleasant, yet very long drive.

A very important bit of news for all those who think the BB never fails – well, it does. Not only did it take us off the NH3 and through Shahpur (where the roads are terribly narrow and ridden with pot-holes), it also led us through a couple of other villages with equally bad roads. We did stop at a little local stall for a fairly tasty and cheap breakfast of samosas, vadas, bread and coffee, before driving on for another 45 minutes or so. Then, we came to a checkpost where we were informed that the rest of the journey would have to be made on foot as vehicles were not permitted beyond that point. Since BB had no other route to offer, the helpful guard pointed us back the way we had come and asked us to cut through Kasara.

So, we turned back and, after asking a few villagers to guide us, we took another narrow, 26km long, rugged, deserted road leading to the village of Kasara. As luck would have it, the road led us back to NH3 (where we should have stayed, in the first place) We took the NH3 all the way through Kasara Ghat right up to Igatpuri. Once we crossed the Ghoti Toll Naka, we turned right towards the village of Ghoti. From here it’s another 25-26kms to Bhandardara. Don’t worry about getting lost - there are excellent markers pointing the way all along the highway.

The NH3 is the shortest and most comfortable route to follow if you plan to visit Bhandardara. The roads are of excellent quality, and you need only to stop at three toll nakas along the way, each charging Rs.30, 29 and 50. If you keep to this route, you can get from Mumbai to Bhandardara in a matter of around 3 hours.

Bhandardara:

From Ghoti, it’s another stretch of empty roads that snakes through fields and open plains, and winds around mountains before a sign by the road informs you that you are in Bhandardara.  You can look out for the mountains lined with wind mills. Once you spot them, you can rest assured that you’re on the right track. The village is located in the Ahmednagar district of the state of Maharashtra, about 163 kms from Mumbai.

Although there are a couple of boarding options, we had booked ourselves into the MTDC run resort which offers, by far, the most spacious accommodation…although the service isn’t much to speak of. We had chosen to spend our weekend in one of their lake-side cottages. Each of these cottages comprise of a large, clean bathroom, a fairly comfortable bedroom and a sitting room complete with a little fridge and TV. The hall opened out to a eucalyptus lined backyard that overlooked the beautiful Arthur Lake. Park benches are placed at the fringe of the yard so that visitors can enjoy the view of Arthur Lake in simple comfort.

(Although MTDC offers fairly good and comfortable accommodation, the restaurant and its service isn’t much to speak of. The waiters are extremely slow, half the items on the menu are not in the kitchen, and do remember to wipe your plate and glasses before using them.)

If you’re looking for a place to spend the weekend in peace and quiet relaxation, then Bhandardara is the place for you to head to. Bhandardara sits by the Pravara River, and is a blend of natural beauty, waterfalls, mountains, tranquility, greenery, invigorating air and pristine ambiance. The Bhandardara Lake and the Randha falls are major tourist attractions. Bhandardara is full of attractions – from Wilson Dam to Arthur Lake. As legend has it, Shri Agasti Rishi meditated here for a year, surviving only on water and air, pleased with this display of devotion, God came down to Earth and blessed Shri Agasti Rishi with a stream of the Ganga river, which is now known as the Pravara River.

Bhandardara is famous for Kalsubai (1646 m), the highest peak in Maharashtra. This little village is often visited by trekkers, but mostly during the monsoons. It is also the best time to enjoy the many waterfalls and scenic beauty of Bhandardara.

Apart from what this quiet village has to offer in terms of tourist attractions, there is something truly beautiful and heart-warming about the place.

I suppose it’s because of the quaintness of the narrow village streets lined on either side by little, brightly painted houses. Everywhere we looked, we could see the locals going about their business of living their simple yet seemingly happy lives.



WILSON DAM



Unfortunately for us, it is the beginning of summer, so didn’t see any waterfalls. Even the famous Wilson Dam was shut to visitors. Having very little time at our disposal, we skipped the tour of Bhandardara and made the most of what the village had to offer us.

The climate is extremely cool and pleasant at this time of the year and it’s a pleasure to sit by the lake and watch as the rising sun casts its rays on the water and lights up the surrounding mountains.

Returning:

The check-out time at the MTDC resort is 9am. We spent some time clicking snaps beside the lake and then, after a breakfast of omelette-pav, we began our drive back to Mumbai. This time we stuck to the NH3 and were back home in just 3 hours.