Mountains Calling @Singhgad

Hi All,

          After much hussle & tussle...we decided to go for a trek...on friday late night...& on saturday afternoon caught Nagarcoil Express.. for Pune...The day was very hot..not because we all stars were out on that day.. but because of summer season...common sense...haaa..

Singhgad is very famous fort in pune...Most of the punekar visits the fort on weekends..as the road goes till the entrance of the fort...so there is not much info about the fort in the net...so this time i am not going to write how to reach & from where to go....but I’ll write about journey..our experience...&..how we enjoyed every bit of it.

so to begin with... I am mentioning it as "AdventrekT presents the Mountains Calling..summer treks....Thrill is here!!!!".....

Pravesh. Sunit & rohan Caught the train from Dadar  at 12.o8pm.. & then they called me to leave … as the train  is supposed to reach by  12:45pm at thane station…I met shailesh there at our regular meeting spot on platform no1.. we went to platform no5 to catch the train. I was trying to reach KV.. he was suppose to meet @ platform no1.. After 5 mins he also met us at Platform no5…while coming to thane station..pravesh called me saying “ arey yaar TC ne pakada…” , which was all because of me. I suggested them not to sit in General bogie but to sit in reservation bogie… Bechaara Pravesh. But eventually they got away with the TC, as he was not in a mood to impose fine on traveling in reservation bogie. Apparently, he was also feelin the heat of summer.

The train arrived on platform no5.. as train lambi thi - more than 12 coaches  toh platform khatam hua to train shuru hui..aur hamarey dost  darvajey pe swagat karne ke liye khade they….andhaaa kanoon (pravesh) bahar aakey haat dikha raha tha….bas bahar kudaneka hi baki tha….so with a warm ..naa naa with halaa gulaa…bomabomb..we entered the train….Rohan….was  wearing a T-shirt..that too round neck..... so having general tickets we sat on the darwaja….KV got the window seat shared with chotu (a kid – passenger)…mast do koney main 2by2 ka jagey main char lok bet gaye….Idhar udhar ki baatein..karjat ka vada-Pav…pravesh ne kidhar sey toh Chaas dhoodhkey laya..that was awesome…fullon garam ho raha tha…doorseat thi isaliye jyada pasina nahi aya…..we reached  Pune @4pm..train was late by 15min…

We headed towards bus stop..to catch the train for Singhgad…the TC signled to go towards next lane…we went there, udhar ka Tc bola go to swargate u will get bus from there…again we came back to main depot..swargate ki bus dikhi…bhaag bhaag key bus pakadi…reached to swargate.. After reaching swargate, udhar ka TC bola cross the road there u will get the bus for singhgad…we crossed the road…udhar ka TC bola go to next lane.. u will get the bus there frequency is high…OMG everyone following statistics..max frequency..Average time for waiting..etcc etc…baparey… so we went  to next lane… thoda halka ho gaye..then ek sumo waley ko pucha..he told per person 40rs & bus tckt was 22Rs so we discarded his offer…Bus stopke baju main ek lassi wala tha…I went there took one…achha tha..to sab ke liye liya….of course from contribution money….

So after waiting for sometime we decided to hire Sumo..thoda bargaining kiya…& deal closed at 200Rs...for 6 people….Me & Sunit  sat on front seat , that reminded me of bhimashankar where we had the same sitting position .. so thoda thoda time pass chalu ho gaya…..Pravesh was complimenting me for some special hair cut….haaa haaa….

We reached to base village …there we took some khaney piney ka samaaan..& took another jeep to reach Singhgad fort entrance…500Rs for 6….Of course we reached to this amount after much of negotiation…

As the jeep was going up & up….excitement also went up..hey that reminds me of my favourite animated movie “UP”… & we are drinking…7up…. & balaji ka snacks…

KV finally took out  his camera & started taking pics..which he is very good at it…

While going up there are lots of small food stalls set up by villagers…there are kairi, email, limbu sarbat,…kanda bhaji..chai…tak, kakadi etc….everyone was calling…& as I thought Shailesh & Sunit..tut padey kairi..pey…Me & pravesh going ahead..it was a sunset time..the moment we reached top..mast thandi thandi hava chalaney lagi….sabko kisi na kisi ki yaad aane lagi….evryone was like..sahi hai…superb…mast..hai yaar..& it was really cool breath of air….maja aa raha tha…as the sun gayab hone laga ..andhera chaney laga…so we started searching for raat kidhar nikalneka..there are many small huts on the fort which serve food in the morning & in the night they close  it…so we found two huts where we can easily spend night .. & planned to leave the hut before sunrise…we went to explore more..reached to the north-west corner of the fort..that corner was very beautifully renovated by rocks…we then decided to spend the night at that corner…&  adjacent to that there was small hut..so even if thandi lagegi to usmey ghus jayengey that was the plan..None of us had proper food in the afternoon..sab chakna item kha rahey they…bhuk lagii thi solid…that reminded me of the Malvan trip..& Bapu…bhook lagi..bhook lagi…& pravesh fakt “BAMBOO madhech jevayacha…”..

We went on searching for food… and there we found one place ..It was a MTDC resort under construction ..there was a family who was taking care of that place..so we asked them about the dinner.. & they said yes…they gave us mats..& we finally got the place to rest..not in the MTDC rooms outside..bolega to khuley asamaan ke nichu…then we washed our hands..fresh ho gayey kapadey badal diye..aur mandali beth gayi…..yaar pataa laya nahi..shailesh said, then I took out the cards from my bag…all thanks to BANE..who had made us understood the importance of cards in our malvan trip…….then we ordered some Kanda Bhaji…followed by another plate..& sponsored by Rohan..the chatani along with bhaji was awesome…started playing black black…haa I mean to say “Khel Sawalyancha”…then we had food…sabney dabakey khaya…pet full tight..then all of us went to that renovated stone corner….

Haaan…two people joined us late..after dinner….haaa.haaa

Aur bas sab mandali jam gayi…aur ganey ka session chalu ho gaya…as usual rohan started the session by Kumar sanu song…bas aur fir ek ke baad ek ..fullon dhamaal…session closed by 1am..we went to sleep..then sab ko Rohan ke saath soney ka tha..each one of us wished to sleep alongside rohan …hey hey..stop thinking something weird..k..because only rohan was the one amongst us to have  the chaddar…& thandi thandi hava chal rahi thi…so I was the first one to grab the chance and slept alongwith rohan, ofcourse to share his blanket…after sometime pravesh suddenly hamarey beech aagaya..haaa haa..after sometime one of the villagers offered us two blankets..which gave us a sigh of relief and we had some sound sleep @ night.Still I needed a chaddar in the morning it was cool.

We woke up early morning I think @7am..quickly had tea..& rushed to valley crossing point..sabki fati thi..whose gonaa first that was the primary question..& I was ahead talking to that person..so we decided we 5 will go..rohan decided not to come..pravesh took the camera from KV & quickly rush to take position to capture the best possible view from the camera..they tied me first with their equipment..I was standing at the corner of fort looked down it was deep deep valley and steep one too..the crossing was 700ft long..one mistake & life gone…I was standing at the edge of valley almost for five minutes with all my gearing equipments…the guy who was making me ready to cross the valley was talking to his colleague & that’s where the fear factor showed its real colors and started building in my mind…I took a step backward..& said I am not going first…then shailu aya bola “main jaata hoon”..sunit said….”ja ja jyada sey jyada kya hoga”..& all of us laughed..& shailu did it quickly…hoooooooooooo…….then I took the second position ..saying “ Darke aagey jeet hai…Aur rassi chooti to maut hai”…BANE rehata tobolata..”aey yogya yogya..swatacha jeev dhokyat ghaltoy..dusaryancha kashala…” haa haa…Bapu could have done easily..I think reshim could have not done…..Namrata karti ki nahi pata nahi..but she would have tied all the belts.& definitely told us for 5-6 photographs..showing off watch..& V rocks figure…..& could have asked “ yogya ..safe aahe na..” ……Rajbir ko rope ka jarurat nahi tha..edhar sey fek detey to udatey   udatey..padate ke pass pohoch jati…Jasbir could have done it easily…so all of us ended doing valley crossing or fox flying..or Zip crossing..whatever…

So we started moving to base village…me & rohan & Kv was going ahead..suddenly pravesh ka awaaz aya…”Ruko..ruko..wait bhai lok wait…”….we turned back..& infact pravesh was calling us to take a shorter route by trekking downwards instead of going down by jeep…..Pravesh commented “chota chota bachha lokj aa raha hai, so why cant we… Really, such inspiring lines can be said by praveh only and eventually we decided …lets go…So Now,  the real trek started..going down the route was not so difficult..but the sun was making it worse, and it was almost 11am .. the road was slippery completely dry…rock was ekdum gram..haath rakha to mast chatka bethatha tha…& as usual I was wearing sandals…& shailesh & Sunit too…So it was really more slippery for us…..Rohan was ahead of us..Ipad sey gana soon raha tha..aur bhag raha tha …followed by sunit..& Me & shailesh …pravesh was with KV…so we completed trek in almost 1hour reached to the base village ..it was not the same place from where we came ..it was the actual base village…so me & sunit was ahead..& looking for a water for bath..it was really hot..& we found one place where we asked for some water for bathing..sunit quickly washed his hands ..& rushed for bus..the bus was already there..I thought the bus will take time to leave…so I was doing maska polish to village aunty that if she could offer us more water so that we can have a bath…I was just about to ask for bath..& bus came so I rushed to catch the bus..& we took bus for shanivarwada..where dipti was waiting for us..so thoda fresh ho gaye they..there was another group of girls & boys who just came down from the fort they were really very tired…everyone was sleeping….& the last seat of bus were occupied by couple..so we thought to add little flavor to their mood & started singing as usual..started with pyaar hamein kis mod pe ley aya… & then we went on with all pyaar bharey song…..& suddenly TC chi satakali..bolla..”bas zal ki, awaaz jara band kara” typical puneri style….

Then the bus stopped at shanivaar wada…we met dipti..by the time she came we all had bath there only..peeney ka pani tha..aur hum lok naha rahey they…in historical place…but kuch option nahi tha..we drank lot water…I changed the kapda also their..ek zadi main ghusakey..mast change karkey aya ….. then we clicked some photos …with dipti & gauri..shailesh had some very interesting dialogue with gauri when she came..couldn’t remember it now…then we went for lunch & from there we headed towards sneha’s home..we met her & left from their to catch 5:55 intercity express but.. we unfortunately we missed that train & took 6:30pm intercity express…..Rohan switched on his I pad song & the journey began not to end but to continue……love u friends….