Trek to Mahuli (7 Aug 2004)

It was again decided at the very last moment. Soon after convocation the plans for the mahuli trek was finaled. It would be my last chance to trek in monsoons in sahyadris. Me and Sameer Kelkar (Sam) decided to do a quick and short trek to Mahuli next day. I had been to the place couple of times, though was lost on second time.

So we took the first train from CST for Asangaon. I joined Sam on train at Dombivli. Alighting at Asangaon we had a breakfast of vadapavs and took some for eating on the way. We took a rickshaw till the base of the fort. Its about 6 kms from Asangaon. Though we could have walked the way we wanted the trek to end quickly. We reached the base by 7 in morning.

It was the same mistake I did in the last trek here, I took a wrong turn.Left was right and so right should have been left.In short one should keep left at start. This time I was aware of that, so got the right track quickly. The whole way then is marked by arrows showing the way.In way we found a huge snake on the road, later realised it was dead! There are some 3-4 patches of steep climb, however we both having same speed climbed the whole, about 2300 feet in one go. The old ladder at the top has been replaced by a new one, better one. This has railings on the side. We were at top by 0830. Then walked the plateau on top to the cave. There was fog out everywhere, whole top was covered by clouds. The common seen at Mahuli in monsoon, the same wavy elephant grass, the horizontal rain drenching us at times. It was a pleasure spending sometime in Sahyadris after a long time. We then went to the lake on the top which is hidden in bushes and trees. It was still 0930, but no view from top, clouds everywhere. Hence decided to leave. It took us an hour to reach the base.

We couldnt find rickshaw on our return journey, else we would have reached home by 12. We had to walk some 3 kms when we found a rickshaw. Reaching at Asangaon station we had to wait for another half hour for the train, alighting train we reached home by lunch.

Finally,story is I am posted to Pondicherry by my company, Whirlpool. So it would have been my last trek till I come back to Mumbai. I was really short of time. But this short and fast trek gave me enough time with the Great Sahyadris. Will be missing the Sahaydris the most.

NOTHING ELSE MATTERS!