Conquering the Ratangad Fort!
If someone had asked me a year ago, "Do you know anything about Ratanwadi Village or Ratangad fort?", my answer would have been "No". But now, whenever I hear the name, beileve me, I still feel the Adrenaline rush! The journey, the rains, the greenery, the streams, the hills, the waterfalls, the forest, the ladders, the caves, the fort... Oh god! It certainly is not for the kids!
It all started with a forward mail! The first time I saw the pictures, I was shocked!
Is this in India!... That too... near pune!! Just 5 hrs from Mumbai!!!
Anyways I knew it in my heart that I have to go to this place! No matter where it is! Googling for "Ratangad Fort" provided Terabytes of information that even Shivaji Maharaj himself would not have known about his fort!
As usual, I Begged, Brainwahsed and even Threatened my friends to come with me on this trek. As usual, my friends didnt disappoint me! Some went absconding, Some got deadly diseases, Some went to coma! But 3 came forward! (well 4 actually) Sarfaraz, Yusuf, Renji and Mrs. Renji. After exhausting unlimited kbps and calls we planned our trek to Ratangad fort.
We will be going to Bhandardara in 2 groups. Me, Yusuf and Sarfa in one group. The Renjis and a few friends in another group!
I will reach Mumabi on Aug 4th Morning.
We 3 will catch a fast local from Thane to Kasara.
From Kasara, we'll get a bus or jeep to Igatpuri.
From Igatpuri, we'll take another bus or jeep to Bhandardara. We'll stay in some resort in Bhandardara and do the trek next day.
Return to mumbai on the same night.
But what to do? When has everything gone as per planned?
When I reached Mumbai it was raining heavily. I came to know that, the rains had started 2 days back only!
What a timing! Will it spoil our plans? Will we be able to do the trek at this time?
Wait a min!
If Amir khan had said, "Barsaat Ke Season Mein Hi To Maza Hai Meri Maina" then there should be some truth in it!
Chalo woh bhi dekh le the hain!
As soon as I reached Mumbai, I called Renji. "The subscriber you are trying to reach is out of coverage area" !!! I tried Yusuf... No reply!
I called Sarfaraz... Luckily he answered. I came to know that Renjis has started early morning as planned. But theres a change in the plan. They'll do the trek and come back that day itself! So that meant only the 3 of us.
Will Yusuf agree to come if he knows its only the 3 of us? Will we be going at all? All the time we spent planning, all the money we spent on calls, all the company's bandwidth we exhausted was all for nothing??? What about my dream of conquering the Ratangad fort... will it remain a dream only?
Sarfaraz cheered me saying he'll come with me even if no one is ready! That was more than enough for me! "Ok maamu.. We ARE going! Meet me at Thane Railway station at 12:00 noon." I went to my Big Bro's place in Vashi, took bath, met another friend Chirag, and at 12, he dropped me at Kopparkhairne station. Sarfaraz waiting for me with Yusuf! I was surprised and so happy that Yusuf also made it inspite of the rains and poor strength!
While we were catching up with each other’s lives and happenings lately, a Nasik Express reached our platform. Someone suggested instead of waiting for the fast local to Kasara, we can go directly to Igatpuri in this. After checking with the TTE and a making ourselves poorer by Rs 300/-, we were sitting comfortably in the reservation compartment!
The Journey to Igatpuri was too good remembering our good and bad past, present and future! The scenery was awesome and the rain was making the greenery more beautiful!
We reached Igatpuri around 4:00 pm. Our TTE safely escorted us till the gates of Railway station incase theres any checking! We had some hot milk, gulab jamuns and bought some eatables.
We got a Shared Auto and reached Shendi around 4:45 PM. From Shendi we got a Shared Jeep which was filled more than its capacity with passengers, vegetables and even goats and chicken! It was 6:00 PM when we reached Bhandardara Village.
On the way, we asked Rajan, the jeep driver whether there'll be rooms available for our stay in Bhandardhara. He said there are resorts available. However they are pretty costly! He said you people can stay in my place for Rs 400/- Anyways we decided to keep it as a last option. There were 4 or 5 resorts in that area. Unfortunatly, some of them were full and some were asking for 1500 and above for a small room with a small cot! It was getting dark the rain didnt have any intention of stopping!
Luckily, there was a boy who said he'll get us room and he took us to a doctor's clinic. The doctor had a small room in the first floor and it was neat. He asked 500/- and after some bargainig we banged the hammer and fixed the deal for 400/- It was 7:30 PM and it was too dark outside. There were only a few shops in that area and there were no one in the roads. (a typical village we see in movies)
After washing ourselves and changing into some warm dress we felt better! Ok its dinner time! What to eat? Should we eat the bananas we bought enroute or shud we try some village cusine? Bananas can wait! Lets go out and see whats available. However there was no hotels available. The only option was a Bar! After going through the menu, we felt the Bar owner was charging his semiconscious customer double the price! Then we came to know that a lady will prepare chicken at her place... so we went in search of the chicken shop and then the chicken waalas house. After walking for half an hr in the darkness, we found the chickenwaala's house and he robed us 14/- for 2 chicken! Finally it was 10:30 when our dinner of the chicken, Roti and Rice was ready!
The next day we were ready for the trek before 6:30 AM. However we had another shock waiting for us! Due to the heavy rain, the boat to Ratanwadi village was cancelled. That means we have to go there in a jeep. And the driver was demanding 600/- for one way! We were expecting that whole expense for the trip would come around 600/- head. So we were not carrying excess cash with any of us. And the previous day's unexpected Train charge and the 'Chicken' had burnt a big hole in our pockets! Now we were having something around 1000/- only. If we give that to the driver, how will we go to Igatpuri and how will we go home???
Suddenly we saw the Renji's and his friend sitting in a tea shop. They had done the trek the previous day and when they came back it was very late. So they had to say in Bhandardara itself!
And they were waiting for the first vehicle back to 'civilization'. Unfortunatly, they too didnt have extra cash with them (hmm.. they too didnt expect it would be this costly at this place!!!)
When all hopes were lost, and when we were thinking of trekking to another place, 3 fellows from pune came to us. They were also wondering what to do like us! So we decided to join together and share the travelling expences! We said bye to the Renjis and started to Ratanwadi village from where we start our trek to Ratangad fort with a guide from the village.
The trek from Ratanwadi willage to Ratangad fort is classified as a moderate one. We took around 3 hrs to reach the fort and it took around 2 hrs to come down.However the rain and the strong currents in the streams made it a bit tough one! I should say, this trek will test your stamina and courage in 4 or 5 places. For example, you have to trek uphill continuously for 3 hrs and cross many streams. At last when you reach the top of the hill and come out of the forest, you have 3 ladders to climb to enter the fort! One has to see these ladder themselves to get that feeling. What was more scary was the fact that we had to climb down the same way! Now when I remember those moments, I still feel the goose bumps!
Checkout some photos of our trek to Ratangad Fort!
Sarfaraz, without whom this trek would not have been possible!
Yusuf, who surprised us and stood by me till the end!
Enroute Igatpuri..
Enroute Igatpuri..
Houseful!
Bhaise ki eyes!
Poor Chicks!
After the Dinner!
Ratangad... here we come!
With the Renjis!
It all started with a forward mail! The first time I saw the pictures, I was shocked!
Is this in India!... That too... near pune!! Just 5 hrs from Mumbai!!!
Anyways I knew it in my heart that I have to go to this place! No matter where it is! Googling for "Ratangad Fort" provided Terabytes of information that even Shivaji Maharaj himself would not have known about his fort!
As usual, I Begged, Brainwahsed and even Threatened my friends to come with me on this trek. As usual, my friends didnt disappoint me! Some went absconding, Some got deadly diseases, Some went to coma! But 3 came forward! (well 4 actually) Sarfaraz, Yusuf, Renji and Mrs. Renji. After exhausting unlimited kbps and calls we planned our trek to Ratangad fort.
We will be going to Bhandardara in 2 groups. Me, Yusuf and Sarfa in one group. The Renjis and a few friends in another group!
I will reach Mumabi on Aug 4th Morning.
We 3 will catch a fast local from Thane to Kasara.
From Kasara, we'll get a bus or jeep to Igatpuri.
From Igatpuri, we'll take another bus or jeep to Bhandardara. We'll stay in some resort in Bhandardara and do the trek next day.
Return to mumbai on the same night.
But what to do? When has everything gone as per planned?
When I reached Mumbai it was raining heavily. I came to know that, the rains had started 2 days back only!
What a timing! Will it spoil our plans? Will we be able to do the trek at this time?
Wait a min!
If Amir khan had said, "Barsaat Ke Season Mein Hi To Maza Hai Meri Maina" then there should be some truth in it!
Chalo woh bhi dekh le the hain!
As soon as I reached Mumbai, I called Renji. "The subscriber you are trying to reach is out of coverage area" !!! I tried Yusuf... No reply!
I called Sarfaraz... Luckily he answered. I came to know that Renjis has started early morning as planned. But theres a change in the plan. They'll do the trek and come back that day itself! So that meant only the 3 of us.
Will Yusuf agree to come if he knows its only the 3 of us? Will we be going at all? All the time we spent planning, all the money we spent on calls, all the company's bandwidth we exhausted was all for nothing??? What about my dream of conquering the Ratangad fort... will it remain a dream only?
Sarfaraz cheered me saying he'll come with me even if no one is ready! That was more than enough for me! "Ok maamu.. We ARE going! Meet me at Thane Railway station at 12:00 noon." I went to my Big Bro's place in Vashi, took bath, met another friend Chirag, and at 12, he dropped me at Kopparkhairne station. Sarfaraz waiting for me with Yusuf! I was surprised and so happy that Yusuf also made it inspite of the rains and poor strength!
While we were catching up with each other’s lives and happenings lately, a Nasik Express reached our platform. Someone suggested instead of waiting for the fast local to Kasara, we can go directly to Igatpuri in this. After checking with the TTE and a making ourselves poorer by Rs 300/-, we were sitting comfortably in the reservation compartment!
The Journey to Igatpuri was too good remembering our good and bad past, present and future! The scenery was awesome and the rain was making the greenery more beautiful!
We reached Igatpuri around 4:00 pm. Our TTE safely escorted us till the gates of Railway station incase theres any checking! We had some hot milk, gulab jamuns and bought some eatables.
We got a Shared Auto and reached Shendi around 4:45 PM. From Shendi we got a Shared Jeep which was filled more than its capacity with passengers, vegetables and even goats and chicken! It was 6:00 PM when we reached Bhandardara Village.
On the way, we asked Rajan, the jeep driver whether there'll be rooms available for our stay in Bhandardhara. He said there are resorts available. However they are pretty costly! He said you people can stay in my place for Rs 400/- Anyways we decided to keep it as a last option. There were 4 or 5 resorts in that area. Unfortunatly, some of them were full and some were asking for 1500 and above for a small room with a small cot! It was getting dark the rain didnt have any intention of stopping!
Luckily, there was a boy who said he'll get us room and he took us to a doctor's clinic. The doctor had a small room in the first floor and it was neat. He asked 500/- and after some bargainig we banged the hammer and fixed the deal for 400/- It was 7:30 PM and it was too dark outside. There were only a few shops in that area and there were no one in the roads. (a typical village we see in movies)
After washing ourselves and changing into some warm dress we felt better! Ok its dinner time! What to eat? Should we eat the bananas we bought enroute or shud we try some village cusine? Bananas can wait! Lets go out and see whats available. However there was no hotels available. The only option was a Bar! After going through the menu, we felt the Bar owner was charging his semiconscious customer double the price! Then we came to know that a lady will prepare chicken at her place... so we went in search of the chicken shop and then the chicken waalas house. After walking for half an hr in the darkness, we found the chickenwaala's house and he robed us 14/- for 2 chicken! Finally it was 10:30 when our dinner of the chicken, Roti and Rice was ready!
The next day we were ready for the trek before 6:30 AM. However we had another shock waiting for us! Due to the heavy rain, the boat to Ratanwadi village was cancelled. That means we have to go there in a jeep. And the driver was demanding 600/- for one way! We were expecting that whole expense for the trip would come around 600/- head. So we were not carrying excess cash with any of us. And the previous day's unexpected Train charge and the 'Chicken' had burnt a big hole in our pockets! Now we were having something around 1000/- only. If we give that to the driver, how will we go to Igatpuri and how will we go home???
Suddenly we saw the Renji's and his friend sitting in a tea shop. They had done the trek the previous day and when they came back it was very late. So they had to say in Bhandardara itself!
And they were waiting for the first vehicle back to 'civilization'. Unfortunatly, they too didnt have extra cash with them (hmm.. they too didnt expect it would be this costly at this place!!!)
When all hopes were lost, and when we were thinking of trekking to another place, 3 fellows from pune came to us. They were also wondering what to do like us! So we decided to join together and share the travelling expences! We said bye to the Renjis and started to Ratanwadi village from where we start our trek to Ratangad fort with a guide from the village.
The trek from Ratanwadi willage to Ratangad fort is classified as a moderate one. We took around 3 hrs to reach the fort and it took around 2 hrs to come down.However the rain and the strong currents in the streams made it a bit tough one! I should say, this trek will test your stamina and courage in 4 or 5 places. For example, you have to trek uphill continuously for 3 hrs and cross many streams. At last when you reach the top of the hill and come out of the forest, you have 3 ladders to climb to enter the fort! One has to see these ladder themselves to get that feeling. What was more scary was the fact that we had to climb down the same way! Now when I remember those moments, I still feel the goose bumps!
Checkout some photos of our trek to Ratangad Fort!
Sarfaraz, without whom this trek would not have been possible!
Yusuf, who surprised us and stood by me till the end!
Enroute Igatpuri..
Enroute Igatpuri..
Houseful!
Bhaise ki eyes!
Poor Chicks!
After the Dinner!
Ratangad... here we come!
With the Renjis!
hey nice writeup!!! in fact this was my first exclusive trek and i must say that rock climbing was the deadliest one :o
ReplyDeletewe Hope to at least join yu once again this year.
Regards
Donna
Hey Donna..
ReplyDeleteThanks a lot (sorry for the late reply) all the best. Hope to hear the good news from Renji soon!