Baneshwar ~ Unexplored Kool Place Near Pune

Pune is surrounded on all sides by places worth visiting. These include forts, hills, temples and ancient and modern architectural wonders. Baneshwar, located approximately 35 kms to the south of Pune is one such spot that combines spirituality with entertainment. We did this little picnic cum trek in the first week of this June. We were 6 of us and none of us been to this place before so its a completly new and unknown place for us. We started our journey with just a name of this place and a lot of enthu ofcourse!!Baneshwar is a trek cum picnic location about 35KM away from Pune.There is Narasapur fata(junction) on Pune-Satara road. Infact Nasarapur village is a junction for Rajgadh(50 KM) andTorna (35KM away).Baneshwar is 2.5 Away from Narasapur.One can take a pleasent walk to Baneshwar temple which is surrounded by lush green hills and deep forest maintained by 'Baneshwar Temple's trust'. Baneshwar basically is a Shiv temple founded by first Peshwa 'Shreemant Balaji Bajirav' in 17th Century. At around a 1 KM from Temple, there is an amazing waterfall. One can get breathtaking view of waterfall from the 'Pagodas created at the topmost point near waterfall.The route towards waterfall is again very beautiful through green forest.Baneshwar is not so famous tourist place as of now(thankfully), so it has maintained the beauty and purity:)
How to Go : You can get a bus to Baneshwar from swargate bus stand , Pune. U can take a bus to velha , and get down at Narasapur fata (junction) . From there six seaters/ private jeeps are available to baneshwar which is 3 KM from narasapur fata. Baneshwar is just 35kms from Pune. So you can go on bikes also.

Best Period : Monsoon

Thrilling Trek to Duke's Nose

The rains offer the best reason for anyone to make a quick getaway. So this time we planned a trek to Duke’s Nose after meticulous planning and chat conference discussions. Nagphani, later known as Duke’s Nose, is a cliff at Khandala near Lonavala. The Cliff is pointed like a snake's pointed head portion (hood) and hence the name Nagphani (Nag means snake and phani means hood). The name Dukes’nose is derived as the cliff looked like the shape of the Duke. Nature makes you feel so insignificant at times; you can’t help but continue to stare at this beauty. There’s a small temple on top of the rock and ample space to just lie down and stare at the sky. If you’re in Lonavala this is a place you must visit. Duke’s Nose can actually be seen from the Mumbai-Pune expressway.
At around 7 am in the morning we gathered at Shivajinagar railway station. The Sanhyadri Express was the ultimate choice we made.
Everyone was dressed in a typical hiking attire with shorts,three fourths,loose jerseys etc. Yepp we were off for a hike !! I could see the excitement in everyone's eyes. To our surprise the sahyadri express was almost empty. Without any hassles we got complete bogie for our group of 14 people. We landed at Khandala at 9am. We decided to have some snacks. After having tasty Misal Paav and a hot cup of tea, all got refreshed. Atmosphere was very pleasant. We started walking towards Mumbai direction. First we came across Khandala lake just adjacent to the main road. We took a left turn from Khandala Lake and reached the old rail tracks. The rail track which was not functional and heading upside hill was the one we choose. We came across Tata Power Station. Even though the entry was restricted from Tata premises one of the Tata employee told us to go from premises itself. After 20 minutes walk from green woods and slippery slopes we reached a plain land. We started climbing and reached at the top in about 45 minutes. The trek was scary especially for gals but everyone was enjoying the adventure. Your footwear has to have a good grip. You keep reaching grassy plains along the mountain's slope where you can relax, take snaps of the mountains and valleys and move ahead. The last few hundred meter path towards the Duke's Nose is quite challenging. Once you reach the top, you will be astonished to see a small Shiv Mandir built there, and the Shivling alongside it. The fog was dense. We had our Lunch at Duke’s Nose with paratha, chatni and Pickle. It was too much enjoyable. Then after having few snapshots we started our return journey. It was a truly memorable and refreshing trek.
How to go : From Pune, preferably go by Sahyadri Express and get down at Khandala railway station. From there the old rail track goes towards Duke’s Nose.

Best Season : Monsoon.

So frndz, pack the bags and e'joy the beauty of monsoon. If you need any info just drop me a mail on writeabhijit@yahoo.com or buzz on 098223 54348
Cheers!

In the lapse of nature ~ Trek to Lohgad

The rains offer the best reason for anyone to make a quick getaway. so this time we planned a trek to Lohgad after meticulous planning and chat conference discussions. At around 8 am in the morning we were all at Shivajinagar railway station. Everyone dressed in a typical hiking attire with shorts / three fourths / loose jerseys etc .. Yepp we were off for a hike !! I could see the excitement in everyone's eyes. At 9.15 am we reached Malavali station. Had a quick breakfast and started heading towards Lohgad. As soon as we leave the station, we can see the Mumbai-Pune express highway. There is a small flyover bridge crossing the expressway. We walked across, and for some distance after that, we followed a tarred road. Our first stop was Bhaje caves. We had to climb some steps to get to the caves. The caves themselves were quite narrow and deep, and had narrow small doorways. We imagined that this might be where the prisoners were kept. It sure was the perfect place to play hide and seek! The main cave was the only one with some kind of decorative structures, all the others were crude stone caves. We explored the caves a bit, and then decided to move on. From here, the climb to lohagad took around 1 hour. The climb was breathtakingly beautiful, and the climate made it only better. We were surrounded with dreamy clouds of fog. Every thing around us was covered in greenery, including the walls and stone strairs. Small waterfalls littered the stone cut mountain, all the way to the top, giving the caves cut into the stone a water curtain like appearance. As soon as we were on the top platue, we were welcomed with heavy rain and gutsy winds. I could have sworn the wind could easily carry away small animals. It was becoming increasingly difficult to see anything. We found a small stone temple and glued our backs to it and waited for the rains to thin out. It was not helping, the rains still lashed at us. it still has its fortification and doorways in pristine condition. The fort dates back to the Satvahan Era and was mainly used to keep a watch on the trade route passing through the Sahyadris.As one starts ascending the fort, 4 massive doors have to be crossed namely Ganesh Darwaza, Narayan Darwaza, Hanuman Darwaza, & Maha Darwaza. The top of the fort is expansive and has a huge lake built by Nana Phadnis. The most interesting feature of this fort is the ‘Vinchu Katta’, which stretches for almost 2 kms and is slightly detached from the fort. The end of this katta has a bastion which was used for keeping a watch on the region.As the name itself suggest, the ‘Vinchu Katta’ when viewed from the top of the fort resembles a Scorpions Sting.

At the top we were in the lapse of nature. finally at 4pm we started back. After 45 mins, we were at the base village, trembling, shivering and chattering due to the cold winds. we caught Lonavla-Pune local and reached Pune by 6.30pm. Sahyadri was calling us to visit again :)

How to go : From Pune, take Lonavla local and get down at Malavali railway station. Then cross expressway and road leads you to Lohgad.

Best Season : Monsoon.

So frndz, if you need any more info just buzz on 098223 54348 or drop a mail to writeabhijit@yahoo.com

Happy Monsoon :-)

E'joying Rain at Fort Tikona ~ ~

I always found trekking in monsoon very exciting. Last year we frndz experienced a thrilling trek to Visapur. So this year my office group planned trek to Tikona.
An old deserted fort that not many trekkers too are aware of is Tikona, a little known peak pyramidal near Lonavala. The trek is in itself a very rewarding experience what with mist-drenched paths, the wet earth, and wild flowers dotting the countryside.
The fort gets its name from its pyramidal shape, which is instantly recognizable at the end of a gently arching mud trail. This mud trail like most others tends to get very slushy after a shower. In case the showers are heavy then one can always take shelter in the old temple at the base of the fort.
It is also called as 'Vitangagad'. Saturday early morning, we started by Lonavala Local. Reached there at around 9am. Enjoyed delicious breakfast with missal pav and then we started moving towards Tikona. From Kamshet we went to Kale colony and then we hired a jeep to reach base.village 'Tikona Peth'. The locals can be very helpful and their guidance should be solicited for the beginning of the trail leading to the peak. Once the climb begins then it is easy to follow the path. Weather was pleasant and it looked like we might get rain showers on our way to top. As usual we had few photo stops till it started drizzling. En route we came across a cave with rock-cut water tanks the origins of which can be traced to the reign of the Silahara Dynasty, not before the Satvahan period.
There are few monuments on the fort to see like the big doors, the temple of 'Trimbakeshwar Mahadev', a water tank and few caves of Satvahan era. The view of Pawna dam and other forts like Tung, Lohagad and Visapur is beautiful.
Once reaching on top one is either greeted with a spectacular view or is enveloped in mist.

After around 2 hours, we reached on top. It was an amazing view. One can see all near by forts like Tung, Lohgad, Visapur from there. It's always great fun trekking in rains. Wind and rain became more strong so we decided to start our descend. Tikona is located at a height of 3580 ft. above sea level once on top, one really feels like the king of the world.

How to Go : Get down at Kamshet Railway station on Pune-Mumbai train route. From there go to Kale Colony by S.T. Bus or Auto and from there we can hire jeep to reach Tikona base.

Best Period : Monsoon.

So frndz explore this wonderful trek to Tikona sure! If you need any more info, just buzz on 098223 54348 or drop a mail to writeabhijit@yahoo.com
Cheers!

Monsoon Magic ~ Trek to Visapur Fort

On Friday evening we, L&T Infoknightes planned a trek to Visapur and packed the bags. The adventure began on Saturday morning at 6:30 am, from Pune - Shivajinagar station where we had to board a local train to Malavli - a small station near Lonavla. The short journey to Malavli was even more enjoyable as all started an enthusiastic and cheerful round of singing. As soon as we leave the station, we could see the Mumbai-Pune express highway.
There is a small flyover to cross the expressway. We were in the midst of an adventure. The climate was amazing. It was slightly raining. The fort was entirely covered by fog. Waterfalls were flowing all over. The road was very slippery and through dense forest.

As we covered some distance we reached Bhaja caves. The caves, 18 in number, are beautifully sculptured with many images of different postures of Buddha, some animals and situations of some stories of the tales of Buddhism. There are some representations of Buddha, in symbolic terms too.Cave 12th is a prayer hall, worth to watch, and represents a fantastic example of ancient Buddhist architecture. It's the biggest of all the caves, and the tilted vault is worth to see. The last cave comprising of "Dancing couple" structure can’t go unnoticed.As usual with cave culture, there are many Viharas in Bhaja also, which, most probably, served as hostels for the learning Buddhist monks. The caves are also interesting for the fact that they are one of the oldest among all caves in India.
Then we proceeded towards Visapur fort. The trek was happening quite adventurous! With perfectly vague directions from the guy at the ticket counter to Bhaje caves that went something like "Us aam ke ped ke peeche se raasta jaata hai upar tak" , we started towards what we thought was the "aam ka ped". Beyond that there was a track, which disappeared every now and then, only to be found again by our ever-enthusiastic trekkers. As we were climbing up and up it was amazing to see the panoramic view around the fort. The team of L&T Infoknightes was approaching their final destination of reaching Visapur Fort top. We were exploring the magic of monsoon. The ride was amazing in the rains with hilltops covered under palls of misty clouds. Finally at 1pm we reached at the top. The main characteristic of this fort is the strong fortification built on a large plateau, to make it one of the strongest forts. Atmosphere was windy. We enjoyed snacks, which we carried along with us. Suddenly heavy rain started. But it was a great fun, which we were enjoying at 3500 ft atop. Finally at 4pm we started moving back. It took 2 hours to reach Malavli station. And we started our return journey for Pune.

It was a thrilling adventurous trek, which we will never forget in lifetime.

How to go : Get down at Malavli Railway station on Pune – Mumbai route. Cross the expressway and trek starts. Approx distance from Pune 55kms.

Food Facility: We have to carry our own food. Also available at base village.

Best Period: Monsoon

So frndz, pack the bags and enjoy monsoon magic ! You can buzz me on 098223 54348 or just drop a mail to writeabhijit@yahoo.com if you need any more info.
Cheers!

Monsoon Trek to Korigad

This year, a team of L&T Infoknightes planned to celebrate monsoon at Korigad Fort. The adventure began on Saturday morning at 8.00 am, from Pune - Shivajinagar station where we had to board a local train to Lonavala.

The short journey to Lonavala was even more enjoyable as all started an enthusiastic and cheerful round of singing. At around 9.30am we landed at Lonavala. The climate was amazing. It was slightly raining.


We hired a jeep to reach the base Village ‘Shahpur’ which is located near famous Amby Valley.

The fort was entirely covered by fog. Waterfalls were flowing all over. The road was very slippery and through dense forest. The trek was happening quite adventurous. As we were climbing up and up it was amazing to see the panoramic view around the fort.

The team of L&T Infoknightes was approaching their final destination of reaching Korigad Fort top. We were exploring the magic of monsoon. The ride was amazing in the rains with hilltops covered under palls of misty clouds. Ganesh temple and caves are situated half way. Finally at 11.30 am we reached at the top.

One can have a wonderful view of Sahara Amby Valley and Tung fort is a pleasant sight to watch. Temple of Koraidevi is situated at the top.

The main characteristic of this fort is the strong fortification built on a large plateau, to make it one of the strongest forts. Atmosphere was windy.
We enjoyed snacks, which we carried along with us. Suddenly heavy rain started. But it was a great fun, which we were enjoying at 3500 ft atop.

Finally at 4pm we started moving back. It took 2 hours to reach Lonavala station. And we started our return journey for Pune.

We truly celebrated monsoon in the midst of nature.
How to go : Get down at Lonavala Railway station on Pune – Mumbai route. S.T bus or Jeeps are available to reach base village ‘Shahpur’ which is located near Sahara Amby Valley. Approx distance from Lonavla is 25kms. Then trek starts.

Food Facility: We have to carry our own food. Also available at base village.

Best Period: Monsoon

so frndz e'joy monsoon magic...if u need any info buzz me at 098223 54348 or drop a mail to writeabhijit@yahoo.com

Cheers!

Murud Janjira Seashore Outing

As summer was catching Tushar and i thought to plan a Seashore outing. This time the first place came into our mind was Murud Janjira. Since long time we were planning and this was the perfect time to go. Murud is popular for its alluring beach, whispering casuarinas, coconut, betel palms, and historical fort Janjira. We drew the detailed travel plan and put infront of our ever enthu L&T Infoknightes. All were excited for a seashore outing. As usual, Sarang, Tiru, and Balachandar were ready immediately. This time Jalpa, Janhavi and Shwetali were also eager to join. We planned to hire a Qualis so that we can roam around nearby places too. We planned to go on friday night to reach Murud early morning.

Now another thing we needed to plan was accomodation. Tushar and me quickly started seeing for Resorts addresses on google and immediately we got one Resort named 'Apna Ghar' located in the midst of nature. By our luck, we got the bookings on phone and all were ready for a thrilling outing. We started our journey on friday night. All were enjoying a lot. Just before entering Murud, we halted for a tea. All got refreshed. Early morning at 6am we reached our destination. Atmosphere was amazing.
We started capturing lovely moments in camera. Then after having a morning walk on the beach we went to our resort 'Apna Ghar'. We received a warm welcome from the owner. We decided to take some rest and after having delicious breakfast with 'Poha' and 'Kanda Bhaji’ we headed for Janjira fort. The road was through Ghat region. From the top we saw the breathtaking view of Janjira fort standing in the middle of the sea.
We captured few snapshots quickly and reached the 'Rajpuri Jetty' from where we travelled to Janjira fort by boat. We all enjoyed the thrilling boat ride. The Arabian Sea crashes relentlessly all around the fort, which lies 2 kms into the ocean. The Janjira fort, built in the mid-15th century, was originally a wooden fortress built by the Murud fishermen to protect their village from pirates.

Janjira fort had a number of towers where huge guns and cannons were kept in perpetual readiness to ward off enemies. Shivaji, Sambhaji and the Peshwas tried, in turn, to take over the fort, but the Marathas, British or Portuguese could never capture Janjira. We clicked lots of photos and with the historic memories in mind we headed for our next destination Nandgaon beach.

There we had a great fun. It's a picturesque beach with lovely coconut tress adding the beauty. Then finally at 6pm we started our return journey.
Entire day we were in the midst of nature. In nutshell, it was a refreshing seashore outing, which we cannot forget in lifetime.

Getting there: Murud is 230 kms from Pune by road, a journey of about 5 hours. ST buses operate from Shivajinagar Bus Depot. Preferable to go by private vehicle.
From Mumbai buses ply from Mumbai Central to Murud's Durbar Road. Trains will get you as far as Roha and Panvel from where you can take a bus to Murud. But the most convenient way to get here is by ferry from Mazgaon's Ferry Wharf, to Rewas, 23 km from Murud.

Best time: Murud has a coastal climate and can be visited at any time of the year, avoiding the monsoons. Carry plenty of sun-protection and light cotton clothes.

Accommodation: MTDC has simple cottages and rooms near the beach. You can also stay with residents who have rooms and shacks on rent.

So friends if you need any info just buzz on 098223 54348 (Abhijit) or 09881254458 (Tushar).

Happy Freaking :-)