Personally, hill walking is like
introspection and Sandhan valley trek was one of the best experiences till
date. The trek was descending through the greatest canyon in Maharashtra, only
of its kind I have ever been to. It has a beautiful path with iridescent shades
and shadows of mountains running on the side, short walks in knee deep waters,
spots where your eyes just want to absorb the beauty, but cautioning to watch
ones steps. I couldn’t help comparing it with life, while moving through
depressing downhill turn, can suddenly slip away. Everything else is exciting
around you; however, life is testing you at every turn - flinging the worst it
can – coercing you to turn away. The path was sliding gradually for miles to
ground level, negotiating way through rough rock patches. It had rappelling,
hopping over rocks, however, with enough time for deliberations, star gazing at
night, swim in natural pool and napping under the sky. Drawing a parallel to my
life, after MBA my social venture went bust and brought me to ground zero
costing a year and half among other things, but at the end life seems beautiful
with or without complaints.
It was very last minute plan; busy week had ensured no time to plan for the
weekend. I knew I had escape from Mumbai for two days, didn’t know where. On
the Friday noon, a friend goggled TMI, a group leaving late night for some
Sandhan valley trek and luckily had space for few. At 7 o’clock I called them,
doing last round of query, still to finalize between the option of trekking
Harishchandragad peak by ourselves, one I was longing to go for some time
now or this descend we had just googled and saw some snaps . We decided to
decide after reaching a Ghatkopar station, least common denominator for both
destinations. We left for dinner around 9, packing the bags after buying new
pair of shoes; old ones had ended their support on the last trip to Naneghat
Jivdhan.
On station we met few people from the same group, we all boarded 11:17 PM local
to Kasara. At Kasara we joined rest of TMI group and finally knew were we were
going (still joining the group I was nt sure where I was going…lol). It was a
group of 30 individuals from different walks of life; all struck a formal
friendly chord instantly. This was first time I was traveling with an unknown
organized group. Around 2:30 AM we boarded local jeeps from Kasara to Samrad
village (3000 fts above sea level). Reaching there around 5 AM, while rest of
group decided to sleep, three of us went for late night stroll. Few miles from
village, lying on the rocks by country roadside with silhouette of mountain at
a distance in front, sky watching – saw few shooting stars, slice like moon
hidden behind some hill. It was worth skipping the sleep, I had already started
enjoying the place. About 7:30, we started descend, after having breakfast of
PoranPoli, chapatti made with jaggery – Marathi special.
Sandhan valley is situated in the Sahyadri, Western Ghats, near Samrad village
in Nagar District near Ratangad peak. Few minutes in the canyon/ gorge, it
becomes clear why it’s called valley of shadows. Valley of Shadows is
surrounded by Alang, Malang, Kulang, Kalsubai, Ratangad and Ajoba peaks, at
some places has just few feet of space to walk and sun rays fail to touch
ground between the natural walls of mountains. It’s a water carved ravine two
km (approx) long and 50 to 400 feet deep, with few water filled patches, making
sure it drenches you waist deep.
Gradually place sinks in, if rocks make the knees crack and shadows of the
mountain with each step promise eyes the more magnificent views. As soon as you
start enjoying the trail, spot comes where the way forward is walking through
waist deep water. Out of water, drained energy makes you forget about drenched
cloths. Before one reaches the sudden fall of 50 feet (rappelling point); the
walk through water faints into memory. This was first time, I would be doing
rappelling, walk till now had silent and retrospective for me. At beginning, I
was walking with friend made in local, after water patch had separated. It was
insightful silent watchful walk, only few instants getting or extending support
on uneven surface to each-other in the group. The ways through hills are
like ways through life, intriguing personal and impersonal simultaneously. In
between, I started walking with a group singing songs – old melodies in most
unusual of the places may have disturb some but it made my journey more
relaxing and thoughtful.
Mentioning the above brief, was important as discussion with few of these
people, which started at rappelling point continued till end of the trek and
was in continuation of my deliberation about society and life in last few
years. It also reminds me of few similar discussion at other unusual (may seem
awkward places to many) places with people I had just met – like at Brighton
beach, Humpi Badami trip or talks at UP election travel with strangers. The
discussion engulfed the topics ranging from society, economics, spirituality
and India vis-à-vis its spiritual traditions.
The rappelling may have been one of the most existing new things I may have
done in couple of years. Though I was profusely sweating when reaching down, I
thoroughly enjoyed it. Seeing sudden fall of 50 feet didn’t give as much thrill
as rappelling it down. The next four rock patches till roping were I guess most
difficult ones on the track. At second last of them one has to slip through
cavity in the rocks and one drops down from hole below to ground below it.
Thanks to shouts, we wouldn’t have found the hole in the rocks. Most of the
tiring trail was covered, with only a roping point, once doing it was all
smooth walk. However, majority of best scenic place had past too. Sun, shadow,
walls and falls with breeze passing through the greens, make the ravine delight
to eyes and mind.
Henceforth, the discussion developed, becoming more stimulating and insightful.
By evening time we reached our resting site for night. Leaving our bags, most
of us jumped in the pond in vicinity (I guess a small waterfall in monsoon),
big water hole between the massive rocks. The way pond was laid out by nature,
it seemed as much a wonder as the valley of shadows we had just passed. Pond
had big rocks on three sides, in front a flat entrance side and rock bang
opposite entrance side had feet long space above to sit or dive in deeper side.
As others cooked dinner, the discussion picked up again till night sky was
filled with start on a no moon night, Amavasya. The yesterday’s sky watching
gave way to star gazing, (of course a new friend knew most about them, and was
kind enough to share). After, school may be locate Orion, Sapt Rishi, Milky Way
and lot many others till I fell to sleep.
In morning, it was swimming time again in the pond. It seemed private pool then
as hardly anybody dared to get into water, maybe wrongly presuming it was cold
or may be disinterested. For me it was more relaxing than the night sleep.
After breakfast we started again for end base village and end of my weekend. It
was a walk on relatively flat ground towards the Dehane village (Base of Ajoba
fort) in Thane district. It seemed the valley, pool and nature were tempting
one to stay back, and forget the tiredness. The descend, like spiraling down
phase of life, too just leaves enjoyable memories and rest all would be a
passing phase. Back to ground zero, we had Marathi lunch of peetla, bakri, kadi
at a house in the village with friendly kids and got in jeeps to catch local.
You can desire to get away from maddening life of concentrated human
habitation, called cities, however to escape is different game altogether.
Still to visit: Harishchandragad peak, Aswala Fort, Bhairavgad Fort, Pabargad
Fort, Ratangad, Alang –Madan-Kulang Fort, Kalsubai (5400 ft. highest peak in
Maharashtra)
Travelogue 9 -
Sandhan Valley Trek– February 8-10, 2013.
