Ratangad To Harishchandragad

Ratangad – Katrabai – Kumshet – Pethe chi wadi – Pachnai – Harishchandragad

- Amit Joshi

Day 1 – 22nd Sept 2010
It was one of the most awaited treks of We-Dare group but this time only five of us could make it. Swapnil, Rahul, Thapa(Sushant) started from Dombivli/Thane by 6:20 Kasara local. Milind and I started from Pune by 5:45 Nashik ST Bus. It was a long journey for us from Pune to Ratanwadi as we had to change bus at Sangamner, Akole, and Rajur and then from Rajur to Shendi by private cab which should accommodate only 10 but was actually carrying 19 seats. All five of us met at Shendi, from there on we hired another private cab to Ratanwadi as the bus to Ratanwadi from Shendi had already left at 11:00. We were there at Ratanwadi by 1300 and really enjoyed our home cooked lunch at Amruteshwar temple. This temple is beautifully carved and is definitely a sight you will remember forever especially when everything around is delightfully green. We marveled the sculptures, the temple and nature for a while and also had light nap of 15 minutes inside the cool Amruteshwar temple. We started from Ratanwadi to our destination of the day Ratangad at around 1445. We wasted plenty of our time at the start while crossing river on multiple occasion showing off our dissent towards getting our shoes wet and even before we knew we had been struggling to reach the base of Ratangad for almost an hour. We started our real climb through the forest by around 1600. The first climb is always the one which takes a lot out of you and leaves you winded and how this could be an exception. We were wheezing at the 1st plateau at around 1645. Further climb leads you to a pass .One climbs to Ratangad, the left one takes you to Harishchandragad (which we had to take later) and one route to Ghatghar. The route from here climbs quite steeply and takes you to the two ladders. The 1st ladder is in good shape. The 2nd ladder is precariously positioned making it very tricky, risky and hard for the trekkers with sacks. The iron platform where it ends i.e. supposed to be landing for it is all torn and broken. Thus, one has to take help of age old rock cut steps only. There is a short rock patch kind of steps leading in to the 1st “darwaja” of Ratangad. This small rock patch is very notorious in rains and proved to be real nasty for Swapnil who was struggling for grip with his shoes. The position is such that if you miss/slip one step then you are straight down into the valley. Once thru this, a small but tricky patch of rock cut steps takes you to the right of the 2nd “darwaja”. You go thru this darwaja and it will take you to “Ranicha Hooda” and the other takes you to a very small temple. Next to temple is the cave of Ratangad. We reached Ratangad cave at around 1815. It was a mind blowing view atop Ratangad, just sitting there, to your left you can see one of the best ranges of Sahyadri, you can see Sahyadri’s tallest peak Kalsubai with Alang, Madan, and Kulang and in front of you lays the vast backwaters of Bhandardara. Thapa cooked a new kind of “khichdi” which we all ate to the fullest and prepared ourselves for a long and tiring day ahead. We stayed in the cave the whole night with the malicious rats that left some of us sleepless.

Day 2 – 23rd Sept 2010
Our original plan was to get up at 0530 and leave Ratangad by 0630 and try to reach Harishchandra by the nightfall, but for Thapa’s “khichdi” and the rat trouble saw us actually get up by 0700. As you climb up to see the “Ranicha Hooda”s, one has to be ready for a sight which can be seen only in these days (at the end of the rainy season) i.e. the whole mountain is a bed of “Sonaki” – yellow flowers. The sight is straight from Bollywood only exception would be hero-heroine running and singing. We left the Ratangad guha at 0900 and you would not believe that the rock patch cum rock cut steps took Swapnil half an hour to descend thru ladders (shidis). It was indeed very tricky especially due to rains in the night and the shoes which I am sure Swapnil will have thrown away by the time I have completed writing this. We were at the pass where the right trail leads to Harishchandragad via Katrabai, straight left goes to Ghatghar and left down goes to Ratanwadi. We took the turn towards our destination. This path goes thru dense forest where sometimes you won’t see the trail just below your feet. Though, we all must admit, this path is accurately marked by directional arrows on crucial junctions. You can also see the majestic Agnibaan pinnacle on your right. You have to keep Agnibaan on your right and traverse the mountain thru to Katrabai. You have to climb the Katrabai to its “khind” (pass). This pass is at such height that once you reach the highest point of the pass, where on right you will have Katrabai, one can feel that it is one of the highest khind in the Sahyadris. This khind is at such height that you will notice that you can reach Katrabai top in another half an hour from here. We took lot of time and loads of rest while reaching this. We reached this khind at around 1315 making us almost 2 hours behind schedule. From here the descend starts for Kumshet which is base village for Katrabai and Ajoba too. It took another 2 hours for us to get to Kumshet. We reached Kumshet at 1530. We took a halt in local school which was needed. From kumshet one can get the majestic views of Ajoba and Katrabai. These two are so huge that only eyes can take them in at a time and no camera in the world can. The views are such that no expressions are adequate to portray and you have to admire nature’s beauty even when one is late by 2 hours. Swapnil stayed at Kumshet and did not want to continue to the dream destination as he had enough from his shoes and stamina. Now, it was only four of us on our way to Harishchandragad. From here it takes 4 hours to reach Pachnai, base of Harishchandragad. One can see breath taking view of Mula river and the valley from Kumshet. You have Pethe chi wadi in between at an hour’s distance from Kumshet. Once you descend from Kumshet, you have to cross Mula river, this knee deep crossing is a real enjoyment though it might be dangerous while in full monsoon. We four were now making the distance quite on time and the last one and half hour we walked in the best possible light on this earth i.e. full moon’s soothingly cool light. You have to walk 7kms from Pethe chi wadi on a road. We reached Pachnai at 2000 and completed our exhausting and physically as well as mentally demanding 11 hour journey for the day. Every one of us had the toe boils due to continuously wearing shoes and that too water soaked. We got a good place at GramPanchayat office which was the only place on village with a battery light. It was Rahul’s special rice that night which we had with lots of papad and dozed off.

Day 3 – 24th Sept 2010
We started our climb to Harishchandragad at 0900 from Pachnai. This route is the shortest and easiest to reach the top. It takes just 2 hours to get the first glimpse of the temple atop and what a scenic view it was. The Temple was surrounded by “Sonaki “and water was over flowing in all cisterns. After a short rest in the temple, we quickly marched towards “pindi” in the cave with water, the cave is such that 3 of its pillars have broken off but still going strong on one left, from here we walked at our fastest speed towards the star attraction of the Harishchandragad , yes you know it, it is the konkan kada. Though we could not see the famous scoop we definitely enjoyed the clouds and them rising from below. We came back to the temple, had some “theplas “for lunch and started our descend thru tolar khind. You have to cross seven “lavan” (hillock) to reach to the rock patches of the tolar khind. You descend to Khireshwar thru Tolar Khind. This route gives you the chance to look at the enormity and the “rangadapana” of the Harishchandragad. This also shows you the “nedhe” of the gad. It takes 4 hours in total from temple to Khireshwar. From Khireshwar it is a 4km tar road to Khubi Phata from where one can get STs to Kalyan or Pune. There are continuous buses for Kalyan and there is one direct Pune bus at 1730 which I missed. We hired a private cab from Khireshwar to the Phata and it proved to be the right decision as we witnessed heavy rains on our journey till Khubi Phata. This ends one of our most anticipated treks. All the fatigue, pains vanishes away in those yellow beds of flowers atop Harishchandragad and its temple surroundings. It was a dream come true and a delight for eyes.