Andharban Trek, Fun Way to Spend a day near Pune

 ANDHARBAN, AN ENERGISING DAY TRIP FROM PUNE

Are you tired of a back-breaking work schedule? Is frustration taking over your psyche? Are you seeking a challenge to get over all these?

Andharban Trek, just 70 km from central Pune has the perfect answer. Let's go.

Andharban can be reached by any mode of transport like Bike, Car, Taxi or bus. The route goes through Chandani CHouck and then on to the Tamhini Ghat route. The start point is about 3 km off the main Tamhini Ghat road and the route to this start point is available on Google Maps.

Andharban Trek Start Point

What are the ways to do this Trek?

Andharban Trek can be done in two ways, from the start point at Pimpari Village to a viewpoint about 5 and a half km and back to the start point, in which case, your transport can remain parked at the start point or Start your trek from the start point and go all the way to Bhire dam, covering nearly 13 to 14 km. Your vehicles will have to be taken by the drivers to the endpoint because if the trek is done with this option, the start and the ending points are different. 

One of the Restaurants and Parking

Let us call the first option a round trip and the second option a full trip. For doing the full trip, apart from the requirement of your vehicles going to the end point after dropping you at the start point, carrying packed lunch and having some trekking essentials like ropes, etc are a must. While one may choose to do a round trip without a guide though taking a guide is recommended, for a full trip, taking a guide is a must unless one is a regular at Andharban.

Any which way this trek is done, few things will remain constant. They are the fun, the adventure, the natural beauty and the magical effect.

Andharban is mostly a plain and downhill mixed trek but if you are doing a round trip, the downhill turns to uphill, but the elevation gain or loss is not much. The whole trail is over mud walkways, crushed stone pathways or rocky pathways. 

A stream, See the clouds around the hill

Kundalika Gorge and Bhire Dam at a distance

What to Wear?

A good pair of trekking shoes are recommended though regular sports shoes can do. A Hiking Pole also is recommended (I did the trek without one but those who had the Hiking pole were happy about it). Attire should be a trekking trouser (No Denims) and a half or full slive comfortable T-Shirt and a cap. One must carry a change of clothes in a waterproof bag and also a polythene bag to put wet clothes in because either rain will make one wet and if the rain does not (if you are lucky) the call of waterfalls will lure you under them. That simply means you will be wet either way.

Any Possibility of staying DRY`

What will you see at Andharban?

Andharban will mesmerize the trekkers. The trek has lush greens all around. The deep valley of Kundalika River is always with you, There are lots of waterfalls, small and big, some accessible and some on absolute vertical sheers of Sahyadri hills. The Music of flowing streams is yours to enjoy, Crossing fast-flowing streams will add to this adventure. Sometimes thick fog, rain clouds, mist or all three of them will accompany you. And rain? Andharban is a monsoon trek. Rain is the most essential element of this trek and in this season, if you don't get the rain, your trek is not counted as done😉😉😉.

When you Trek the Andharban, you are in Sudhagad Wild Life Sanctuary

Valley covered in Mist

The trail

Constant companions, Streams

It can really get dark (Dark = Andhar in Marathi) in this forest 

Waterfall and its downstream flow

Shivaling!

Clear View of Kundalika Valley and Bhire Backwaters

The Trail

Who can do it? 

Practically anyone who can walk about 12  to 13 km at a slow pace with adequate breaks can do this trek. Children and children within we adults will love this trek. But if I have to be precise, a child of 10 years till a not-so-old adult of 75 years, can certainly enjoy this trek.

Most people in this photo (Faces erased) are between 55 and 70

And when to Go?

Monsoon is THE season to have the best of everything. Waterfalls can be enjoyed till the end of October, otherwise for its natural beauty, this trek is a year-round trek.

Chalo Andharban!

Guys and Girls, what are you waiting for, let out the child inside you, have fun and have a good time. Heed the call of the great Andharban. 

Malhar Gad, Last and smallest fort built by Maratha Empire

 Malhar Gad

Situated just 30 kilometres from Pune, off Pune Saswad Road, Malhar Gad which is also called Sonori Fort because it is situated very close to Sonori Village, is a small yet beautiful fort close to Pune. It holds the distinction of being the last fort built by the Maratha Empire. This fort is accessible by car to one of its bastions and also by a trek starting at Sonori village, which can be accessed by car or a bus (from Saswad).

Grade of the Trek.

This trek is considered an easy trek suitable for children also.

How to Reach.

By Car - When one goes by car, following Google Map, after crossing Dive ghat. one goes through Kalewadi village and then up to the parking very close to the entry at the rear of the fort through the "Chor Darwaza". 

By Trek - If one wishes to trek by foot, the trek starts from the village Sonori village, a few more km down the road after crossing Dive Ghat beyond the turn for Kalewadi. Sonori village also has two more attractions, namely, Sardar Panse Wada with six watch towers (Mostly in a dilapidated state but it has got two temples worth visiting)  and Shri Krishna Temple. An easy trek over a ridge takes the trekkers to the fort. To reach the fort from here, one can climbe up to this fort along the ridge of the hill and thereafter moving along the side of the tower to the main gate of the fort.  One can climb up the fort along the ridge of the hill, and moving along the side of the Tower, we reach at the entrance door of the fort.

Note - I have followed the Kalewadi route. The information about Sonori route is researched on Internet.

About this Fort

Built in the year  1775 by Krishnaji Madhavrao Panse, Chief of Peshwa Artillery, this fort was meant to keep a watch on Dive Ghat as it was those days. Thorale (Elder) Madhav Rao Peshwa is said to have visited this fort. 

There are only a few structures on this fort including one well, one step well and two temples (in fairly good condition) dedicated to Lord Shiva and Lord Malhari Martand (Hence Malhargad). The Foundation of a Mahal also is visible within Bale Killa (Inner Fortification). A Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Bust is carved on a rock in this Bale Killa.

Food and Water

Please carry your own food and water since these are not available on the fort. No natural shelters also exist there. Food and water are available on the Pune -  Saswad road.

Virtual Trip to Malhar Gad.

First Glimpse

Small Climb from Parking

Chor Darwaja (Secret Door)

View for a Gun Position

View from the fort

View from Malhargad

View of the winding road to the fort

Lone Sentinal

One of the Step Well inside

Saffron Flag on an Outcrop outside this fort, Photographed as if it is flag of Japan

Swarajya Dhwaj

Bust of Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj on the fort

Door to Bale Killa, viewed from inside

Shri Malhari Martand Mandir

Another view

Deep Stambha (Lamp Post)

Mahadev Mandir

Bale Killa Door as seen from outside

Bale Killa Seen from the wall of the main fort

Two Bastions on either side of Mahadwar. See also the protective wall in front of the door

Protector Bastion of Maha Dwar

A well

Fort Wall

Bale Killa Bastion

Maha Dwar of Malhargad

Our own Belur/Halebidu, Miniature one, just 50 km from Pune.

 Chennakeshava temple at Belur and Hoysaleshwara Temple at Halebidu (both in Karnataka are world-famous temples built in around 1200 AD. Their fame comes from intricate carvings found on the inside and outside walls of these temples. Belur is about 750 km from Pune.

But to see the beautiful carvings shown below, one need not go that far, we have our own mini Belur and Halebidu, which is about 400 years older than both these temples. We need to travel just about 50  kilometers from Pune. Let us watch the photos first -

Kaurav Pandav War (Mahabharata(

Another Angle

Draupadi Swyamwar (Arjuna taking aim at the Fish target)

Dwarpal on the Stairs

A Beautiful Statue

These and some more carvings are present in this temple. As you reach closer to this temple situated on a hill fort (now in ruins), you get to see these three Shikhar.

First View of Gopur

Once you park your car and climb about 15 odd stairs, you reach an elevated platform where you see the exterior of the temple complex (the temple lies in this outer shell.

Entrance to the Temple Complex

Carving on the roof boundary

From the main gate seen in the photo above, one enters the temple complex and then one has to take a narrow flight of stairs to reach the main temple where a great Black Stone Nandi, the Bull of Lord Shiva.

Nandi with his eternal wait for Shiva

Another View

And finally, in the Garbha Gruha (sanctum Sanctorum) we get the darshans of the presiding deity, Bhuleshwar, the Shiva. See the beautiful image below -

Morning Darshans of Shri Bhuleshwar

After Darshans, one can enjoy the rustic Misal Pao or Wada Pao in one or two clean and simple hotels at the foothill of Mangal Gad.

A trip to Shri Bhuleshwar Mahadev Temple at Mangal Gad, about 60 km from Swar gate is a great trip which can be done in half a day or it can be clubbed with other attractions like Bhigwan on one side and Narayanpur Datta and Narayaneshwar temple and Prati Balaji Temple on the other side to convert to a day trip.

If enjoying a drive, enjoying a trip, seeing something spectacular, and sampling rustic Marathi food is the objective, go to Shri Bhuleshwar Remple