Bhimashankar Trek 13.8.1994

Bhimashankar Trek 13.8.1994

4 friends, Suwas Darvekar, Salim Fidai, Hemant Patil and Ravi Patil were a group of crazy people, who were recently stung with a trekking bug. A small trek to Matheran was done before and with that experience, we thought of doing another trek.

13^th August 1994. It was a 3 day holiday on a trot 13^th being a Saturday, 14^th a Sunday and 15^th August being the Independence Day. So this 4 crazy people meet early in the morning at Dadar station to trek. Where to trek was not yet decided, but we were all packed for a good trek. Every one of us was carrying water, foodstuff, Torch and a rope. Of course we were carrying spare clothes. All this packed up well in a polythene bag because rains were anticipated. Since most of the treks are in the central railway segment, we boarded a train to Ambernath. We got down at Ambernath and were discussing about which trek to do. Suddenly I remembered that there is a Bhimashankar trek from Karjat. I expressed that to my friends, and since they too were ignorant lot, they said yes, lets do it.

So we reached Karjat station and started inquiring about Bhimashankar. A vegetable vendor lady immediately handed a purse of coins to be put at the Bhimashankar shrine. On further inquiry, we came to know that we have to take a ST bus to Khandas, and from there on the trek started. We were told that the bus was waiting and was about to leave. We ran for the bus and got into it. It was an hour long ride, and finally we got down at Khandas. Before proceeding we thought of eating something, but it was a village where finding something was difficult. Immediately we unpacked our food and had a quick bite. Then we enquired with a few local on how to reach Bhimashankar. We were told, there are 2 routes to reach Bhimashankar. One was via Shidighat, which was dangerous and the one from Ganesh Ghat. We were tod that we should reach Bhimashankar in 4 hours via Ganesh Ghat. It was 2pm in the noon. We calculated and said we can do it before sunset. Meanwhile a large group of boys and girls had also desendended at Khandas for a similar trek, but somehow they decicded to postpone the trek to another day.

So we were on for the trek, and this started our walk. All four of us were enjoyin our trek, walking and having fun. Our pace was genteel, as we were not professional trekkers. It was around 4pm and we say a clearing and a small plateau. There was a person selling tea and jus enjoyed it. We also ate the food that we were carrying. We asked as to how long Bhimashankar is and the tribal, serving tea said that its just a couple of hours from here. Till now we had a continuous cloud cover and occasional drizzles. This had kept us fresh and we were not tired. But despite the company of four people, we were wondering about the wilderness and its inhabitants, the wild animal. We were more worried about the snakes, but our footfalls and constant chatter was perhaps driving out all those animals from our path.

Since it was a path that is taken but numerous devotees and trekkers, it was a path that would not be missed. Coupled with that the path was throughout littered with tobacco and Gutkha pouches, which was showing us the way.

So now we proceeded further and at a  junction we were puzzled as to which path to take. Salim’s astute vision found a twig place across the path, telling us not to take the path. We followed Salims’s advice and took the other path. The path had got a bit strenuous now, and it was getting dark now. As the sun started setting we were a worried lot, worried as to spend that night in the unknown wilderness. But at no point did we panic. We were enjoying the walk, and now it was pitch dark. Outcame out torches and our trail continued. After trudging for approximately half an hour in the pitch darkness of a jungle, we heard human noise. We were happy and we called them, and surprisingly that voice stopped. It was a dark foggy night, where visibility was very poor. On walking a little further, we reached a flat place. It had three paths and in that dark foggy night, we could barely see a couple of meters . Visibility was poor and we all huddled together to decide on the future course of action. We decided to go to one lane and after walking found it narrowing and leading nowhere. We turned back an came to the same spot where 3 lanes met. In that pitch darkness with limited visibility, it was difficult to tell which lane we had taken before. So as a mark we kept stones there. So we proceeded on the second road and we found tyre marks on them. We concluded that we were close to the town, but which way was the town was difficult to say. WE found an abandoned house there, and we decided that if we didn’t find the town in an hour, it would be our abode for the night. With great trepidation , fearing for a wild animal inside, I opened the door of that house with a big swing of my feet. The door nearly crashed with the impact. Fortunately there was no wild animal. We sat inside and had some snacks and water. In a few minutes we were back on the road. It was drizzling and was getting cold now. We walked on that road a little further and then decided to turn back. On reaching the marking on the road, that we had done before, we marked this road too, as traversed and headed to the third lane. A barely hundred feet of walk and we could see the ST buses parked. And then to our surprise electricity too was restored. On seeing this we were literally jumping with joy. We walked a little further and a man came to us. We asked him if food was available, as it was 8pm. We also longed to rest our tired body for the night. We had trekked for almost 6 hours and were thoroughly tired. He said he can make arrangements for both stay and food. He took us to a hut which was already occupied with a few boys. We found the voice of the boy familiar, it was the same that we had heard on our last lap, and which didn’t reply to our calls. We asked them and he said, yes he was there, but got afraid after hearing our calls and came back into the hut. That means we were so close to the Bhimashankar , but were searching for it for almost an hour, because of darkness and poor visibility.

The man took us to another house for food. The food had finished, but the lady made fresh potato vegetable and Mataki usal and chapatti for us. For hungry souls it was god send, and we voraciously ate whatever was available. Our hungry tongue enjoyed the taste, whatever it was. While having food, the locals recounted stories where trekkers got lost in the jungle for 3 days, and there being tigers in the jungle. This stories really terrified us and it is here we understood the magnitude of daring that we had done.

Having a full tummy, we went into the hut again. Our bed was laid down. It it was a blanket down, a pillow and a blanket above to cover ourselved. To make matters worse, the hut was dripping. But this tired bodies wanted rest desperately, and the blankets were pulled over the head as it was dripping exactly over the head, and thus we went into deep slumber.

14^th August 1994

We got up early in the morning, took bath and went into the temple for darshan. Ater darshan we mulled over our next plan of action. We all collectively decided that since there was not much to see here, we can proceed. After having a full breakfast, we enquired for a bus to go back. We actually couldn’t dare to walk back that, now dreaded streach. We got to know that a bus was available . We had planned to go to Mumbai back. We were told tol that if we board this bus, we can get down at Manchar, and from Manchar, we can get a lot of Buses to Mumbai. So we boarded the bus. We reached Manchar by noon. Had our food quickly and waited at the ST stand for a bus to Mumbai. The wait was getting longer and longer, with no bus in sight. Salim suggested, that we can walk to the main road and we can get a truck on any such vehicle. The main road, a highway was close by and in a few minutes we were on highway. We waived at a truck, and the truck stopped. We enquired with him about his route, and he said he too was heading to Mumbai. We said we would like to take a hitchhike in his truck and he was ready. We asked him money and he said some nominal amount, which was I think Rs 50. We were ready, and thus were travelling in a truck to Mumbai. By evening we had reached Lonavala because of massive traffic and were literally stuck up in the traffic. At the spur of the moment we decided to disembark from the truck and spend the night at Lonavala. We paid him, and got down from the truck which was not moving anyway. We walked for a few minutes and found a man. For our surprise that man was askin us if we need a place to stay. We were happy, but the man was drunk and we were a bit skeptical. But we being a strong gang of four, didn’t have to worry about this wild man. So we followed him, and he was talking incessantly and Hemant was giving him wonderful company in disoriented talk. We were all laughing from behind at the spectacle.  In a few minutes we were at his house. The family was expecting us it seems, because it seems it was a regular affair. We were given a small room near the door, and the family was to accommodate themselves in the inner room. I was dark now, almost 9pm, and we were hungry. This family prepared food for us and we enjoyed it. And we went to sleep. Thankfully this room was not dripping and we were comfortable.

15.8.1994

We got up early in the morning and bid adieu to the man, who was out of the stupor by now. We paid him, and started walking to Lonavala, and the famed Bhushi dam. But we were told that it was far of. So we took a rickshaw to reach the spot. After keeping our bags in the dry place, we reached the famed Bhushi dam, and enjoyed it to hilt. Once out of the dam, and after the revelry, we were to out for food and some shopping

Now with the stomach full, and chikki shopping done, we decided to walk to Khandala, because we were told that a train plies between Khandala and Karjat. So we started walking walking on the tracks towards Khandala. We were careful to glance every few minutes behind, to watch for approaching train. After a wonderful, hilarious walk full of jokes, we were at Khandala. After sitting for a few minutes, a shuttle train arrived, which moved between Karjat and Khandala. We boarded that train, and reached Karjat. From Karjat we boarded local train to Mumbai VT, and thus ended a wonderful expedition which  is still etched in our mind, as if new, and whenever we friends meet, we always talk and discuss this adventure, which still sends chill through the spine. We have recounted this adventure to our kids and they too enjoy listening to it.