कोंकण प्रवास 2010 -गणपती पुळे,गुहाघर

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आनंदीचा वाढदिवस साजरा करून दुसऱ्या दिवशी  आम्ही हेद्वीवरून गणपती पुळेला जायला निघालो .वाव!!! कोंकणातले नागमोडी रस्ते,सोबतीला घरच्यां सोबतच्या गप्पा,सीडी प्लयेर मध्ये सुरु असलेली जुनी हिंदी- मराठी गाणी.वाह कोंकणातल्या सहलीचा आनंद काही निराळाच. 







पण आमच्या जिजाजींच्या कानात झुरळ गेल्यामुळे थोडसं आनंदावर विरजन पडल्यासारखंच  झालं होतं. त्यामुळे लवकरात लवकर डॉक्टर शोधायचं चाललं होतं.पण डॉक्टर कुठे सापडतोय? तसच आम्ही पुढे निघालो. हेदवी ते गणपती पुळे हे अंतर साधारण 77 किमी  पडतं .पण आम्ही ते अंतर ,जयगड़ खाड़ी वर आता 7-8 वर्षापूर्वी एक नवीन  ब्रिज झालाय ,त्या ब्रिज वरून खुप कमी वेळात कापलं . ब्रिज वर थोडा वेळ थांबुन फोटोसेशन केलं.







मस्तच!!!! खाड़ी च विहंगम दृश्य दिसत होतं .थोड्याच वेळात आम्ही गणपती पुळे ला पोहोचलो .दुरूनच गणपती पुळेचा समुद्र किनारा खुणावतोय असा वाटत होतं.लय भारी! कधी कधी असं वाटतं ,सगळं सोडुन आयुष्यभर भटकत राहावं .पण काय करणार रोजची भाकर कोण कमावणार ?? 




आम्ही मंदिराच्या आवारात प्रवेश करताच आजूबाजूला भरपूर दुकानं ,हॉटेल्स,मोठमोठ्या कार पार्किंग सोबतीला लोकांचा किलकिलाट . सगळं व्यावसायीकरण झालंय .जाऊ देत .आपणच गर्दी करणार आणि आपणच गर्दी बद्दल बोलणारं यात काही अर्थ नाही .तर सांगत काय होतो ?







हा ! गणपतीपुळे मंदिर. हे मंदिर कोंकणातल्या एका सुंदर ,अतिरम्य ,स्वच्छ आणि तितकाच धोकादायक अशा समुद्रकिनारयावर वसलेलं आणि नवसाला पावणारा गणपती ,यामुळं प्रसिद्ध आहे .मंदिर आहे चारशे वर्षापूर्वीचे आणि कोंकणातल्याच पारंपारिक लाल जांबा दगडापासून बनवलेलं.आणि गणपतीची मूर्ती स्वयंभू बरं का ! समुद्र किनाऱ्या वरच्या पांढऱ्या शुभ्र वाळूपासून बनलेली .गणपती बाप्पा चा दर्शन घेऊन आम्ही निघालो पुढच्या प्रवासाला. गुहाघरला ला रात्रीचं थांबायचं ठरलं .तसा पुढचा प्रवास सुरु झाला .





प्रवासात सगळे जांबा दगडाबद्दल बोलत असतानाच निनाद दादाला रस्त्याच्या बाजूला थोडं आत त्या दगडांची खाण दिसली.दोन्ही गाड्या त्या दिशेने वळवल्या.हा लाल खडक फक्तं कोंकण पट्ट्यात  आढळतो. त्या खाणीच्या बाजूलाच ,दगडांपासून विटा पाडण्याचं यंत्र ठेवलं होतं.जांबा बद्दल थोडं ज्ञान पदरात पाडून आणि फोटो काढून आम्ही पुढच्या प्रवासाला लागलो . झुरळ अजूनही कानातच होतं.






संध्याकाळ पर्यंत आम्ही गुहागर ला पोहोचलो.भूक आणि तहान सगळ्यांना सपाटून  लागली होती. पण तेवढ्यात समोर एक सरकारी हॉस्पिटल दिसल्यामुळे ,टपरीवरच्या पाण्यावर भागवून आधी झुरळाचा निकाल  लावायच्या उद्देशाने सगळेजण बाहेर थांबले. निनाद दादा आणि राहुल दादा हॉटेल शोधायला गेलेत. आदित्य आणि मी जीजाजींसोबत हॉस्पिटल मध्ये शिरलो.

पहिली गोष्टं म्हणजे हॉस्पिटल मधला डॉक्टर हा डॉक्टर अजिबात वाटत नव्हता ,पण पर्याय नव्हता. त्याची कानातून झुरळ बाहेर काढण्याची कसरत सुरु झाली. तो काहीतरी सिरींज ने कानात पाणी टाकत होता आणि डिसेक्शन कीट च्या साह्याने झुरळ बाहेर काढण्याचा प्रयत्न करत होता. पण फक्तं प्रयत्न चालले होते,झुरळ काही बाहेर यायचं नाव नव्हतं काढत. तेवढ्यात बाहेर एक पोस्टमार्तम ची केस आली (कुणीतरी म्हाताऱ्यानी आत्महत्या केली होती) आणि ते सगळे डॉक्टर ची वाट बघत होते. पण डॉक्टर महाशय एकदम जोश मध्ये .म्हणतात कसे "आधी झुरळाचा पोस्टमार्तम करतो, नंतर म्हाताऱ्याच्या डेड बॉडी कडे बघतो ".त्याही तणावाच्या प्रसंगी सगळ्यांच्या   चेहऱ्यावर थोडे थोडे स्मित हास्य का? काय! ते म्हणतात ना ? ते  पसरले. आणि तेवढ्यात त्या गडबडीत सिरींज कानाच्या नाजूक जागेवर टोचल्या गेली आणि रक्तं यायला लागलं .मग काय? सगळे टेन्शन मध्ये. डॉक्टर चे पण धाबे दणाणले. क्षणाचाही विलंब न करता त्यानी चिट्ठीमधे एका स्पेशालिष्ट डॉक्टर चं नाव आणि स्वतःचा रेफरन्स देऊन  चिपळूण किंवा दापोलीला जायला सांगितलं. पण रात्रीचा उशीर झाल्यामुळे सकाळी जायचं ठरलं .

तेवढ्यात राहुल आणि निनाद दादा हॉटेल शोधून आले. त्यांनी एक घरघुती रेसोर्ट बुक केला होता. सगळे रेसोर्ट कडे निघाले. रात्रीचे साढे दहा  अकरा झाले असतील.जाताना आजूबाजूला खूप गर्दी होती. रेसोर्ट जवळ पोहोचलो तर कळाले की  मघाशी हॉस्पिटल मध्ये जी पोस्टमार्तम ची केस आली होती तीच आत्महत्या म्हाताऱ्यानी या रेसोर्टच्या बाजूच्या घरात केली होती. काय रे देवा !!!!!!!

गाड्यांमधून सगळं समान बाहेर काढून रूम मध्ये ठेवलं आणि जवळच्या हॉटेल मध्ये जेवायला गेलो. जेवण करून परतलो आणि झोपायच्या तयारीला लागलो.ते चालू असताना भिंतीच्या एका छिद्रातून  छोटासा विंचू बाहेर आला.सगळे चाटच पडले .काहीच कळायला मार्ग नाही ,चाललंय काय?. कानात झुरळ गेल्यापासून सोबत कानात घालायला कापूस विकत घेतला होता. त्याचा एवढ्या लवकर उपयोग होईल असा वाटलं नव्हतं.  
पण काय करणार, सगळ्यांनी कानात कापूस घालून सगळे झोपी गेले.




सकाळी उठून आदित्य आणि मी बाकीच्यांची तयारी होईपर्यंत एक फेरफटका म्हणून गावात फिरायला गेलो. फिरता फिरता एक रस्ता वजा गल्लीमध्ये शिरलो ,तर पुढे गुहागरचा सुंदर समुद्रकिनारा दृष्टीस पडला. मी आपला घाई घाई ने किनाऱ्याकडे निघालो होतो ,तेवढ्यात आदित्यनी हाक मारली आणि बघतो तर काय! आदित्य स्मशान घाटाकडे हात दाखवुन ,खूप मागे उभा होता. लगेच तेथून आम्ही धुम ठोकली,थेट रेसोर्ट कडे. परत आल्यावर असाच एक मनात विचार आला "च्यायला त्या झुरळाचं भूत तर नाहीये ना आपल्या मागावर ?". 

सामनांची आवरा आवर करून आम्ही दापोलीच्या दिशेने निघालो. अजुनही झुरळ कनातच होतं .

To be continued............
Keep watching space for next part of  story  कोंकण प्रवास 2010- आन्जर्ले ,कड्यावरचा गणपती  
गोष्ट एका झुरळाची - भाग 3


Lost & found at Harishchandra gad

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After the jungle trek to vasota and trek through dense of Junglee Jaigad, we were thinking about to plan on ourselves going without any trekking club.  And there was the time for our most awaited trek, The Harishchandra gad. One of the ancient forts in Maharashtra.The trek route is quite difficult for newbie, but we were having enough experience of   Vasota and junglee Jaigad. So we could dare to take on this.


Accordingly I asked Rhishi and Ramesh about this. They both agreed along with my cousin Aditya and his friends.So we started planning and arranging the things. It was winter of 2011, might be Oct-Nov, I don’t remember exactly,but there was enough cool atmosphere and ultimately the best season for hiking.

There are lot of places at Harishchandra gad to explore. So we should have to plan for 2 days. Because of the stay, we needed to have cooking and sleeping stuff. We packed all the things.I would like to thank my bro and sister-in-law , who helped me out  for the packing. And We decided to leave on Saturday morning.

Our journey started form home at 8 AM in the saturday morning. Meeting point was Shivajinagar, from where Ramesh was about to join us ,also we were about to catch the bus for Alephata. Getting stomuch packed with heavy breakfast,we headed towards Alephata.

Around 11:00 AM we reached Alephata. Alephata, one of the most hot spot in terms of road connectivity. From here Kalyan, Nashik, and Pune are just at around 100 km. So the bus stand is always crowded. Next destiny, we needed to reach at Khubi phata.

Unfortunatrely we didnt get bus for Khubi phata,so asked Zeep driver who were wating for passenger at corner. After lot of bargaining with one Zeep driver, he agreed to ride us upto base village Khireshwar in 800 bucks. we headed towards Khireshwar. The Zeep was fantastic, complete safari material .Fully air conditioned(Natural) and double decker. Therefore we could sit on top of zeep, aditya and his friends were enjoying sitting on the top.













Meanwhile we got the lunch parcel at Khubi phata.Passing khubi phata, we were feeling cool air while riding on dam side road. We started our cameras for clicking beautiful images of Pimpalgaon Jog dam.

Around 12:20 PM,we reached the Khireshwar.Little beautiful village.After getting promise to pick ourselves on the next day from Zeep driver,we started walking towards the harishchandreshwar temple. 






Wow ,what an eye sight we were experiencing after hiking little bit.Fantastic! The dam was getting smaller as we were climbing. Everywhere lush green trees as winter season.After walking for half an hour,we decided to take a lunch as everyone's face was looking like a sign of hunger.we finished lunch and started hiking towards Tolar Khind,The first challange,100 Ft Rock patch. 




After walking for 15-20 mins we reached Tolar Khind .There is small temple of Lion and big Upper Arrow sign  on the big rock,showing the way towards rock patch.

Here only our group was divided. Aditya and his friends were walking ahead of us.Finally we came across the little dangerous and risky rock patch.The famous one!!! . however using the fixed railing,we could easily climbed up the patch.

And here after crossing the hill,thrilling challenge was about to start. There are around 6-7 hills we need to ascend and descend,examining the real stamina at every point.Before starting walk, we can see less dense forest plateau.












There are two routes to reach temple from the plateau, one is going through very dense forest,crossing only one hill and other one is through hiking 6-7 hills up and down. We took rest for a while,being only three there , Rishi,Ramesh and me and thinking about which route to take.Rest of our group was ahead. Pushing some buttermilk in tank,we started walking towards temple and decided to go through straight path hiking 7 hills.









We were only walking, walking and walking ,clicking some awesome images.Also we were searching for Aditya and his friends,but no luck.




And at last we could see the Harishchandreshwar temple.uhhh......! Ramesh pull out some eatables from his bag.we started eating,still no sign of three monkeys.we finished eating and drinking.Feeling was like drinking nectar.....We thought of waiting for them,but the sun was about to set in hour,so decided to go straight to catch the sunset at Konkan Kada.


Ramesh was about to stop there.So I and Rhishi were just running to catch sunset,forgetting all the pain.and yes we got there. wowww.... awesome!!!! This is the nature.The small yellowish red sphere was just about to set.We were standing at the very middle of spot.on both the side,being the highest peaks.what a breathtaking view of surrounding! One can see the Kalbhairav pinnacle from here.

At this point one famous Mumbai based Trekker committed suicide in the love of Konkan Kada.One cant see over hang by standing there,one has to be laid on the ground to experience depth.

After clicking beautiful images we started searching for Aditya and his friends.Now the big problem was,the group was then scattered in three.Ramesh,me and Rhishi,Aditya and his friends and enough darkness in which one could lost himself in the jungle.oh my god!

And sigh of relief was the enough crowd,but leading to challenge as all the shelters for night stay was PACKED....

At last ,at around 8:30 PM,we got together after searching each other a lot here and there.And then the problem was where to stay in the night??,but here Monkeys already comes with the solution......"To spend night in the Open space,sleeping on the ground and the vast dark sky to the open eyes" and they already started the cooking for dinner.

So we stayed at open home where three little children used to live with there parents.Unfortunately their parents went to Alandi.House of no walls and no roof on the head.Seems like the whole dense forest and ultimately whole world belongs to them.they also belonged one cow.
I remembered one proverb in the Marathi there
"हे विश्वची माझे घर ".

we did the dinner and thinking about where to sleep. It was risky to sleep in the open space in the jungle at night,but there was no option,so went to sleep thinking about any calamities.After sometime Aditya shouted and we all woke up,trying to figure out what happened. The cow came running directly towards the place where we slept in the night.It was just about to step on one of our head,screwing the sleep.But fortunately we all saved.
















We woke up early in the next morning. . It was too much cold in the morning. Everyone looking for warmth and trying to grab seat near traditional chulha .Body was not responding properly, feeling crams in legs. We finished morning activities and headed towards Konkan Kada again.
On the way ,this is the temple, I was talking about. The Harishchandreshwar temple.It is a marvelous example ancient fine art of all the time.There are lot of places to exlore on the Hirishchandra gad.Taramati Peak,Kedareshwar temple,ShivLinga,SaptaTirtha Pushkarni,Ganesh Guha,etc. We visited place one by one and back to our Jungle temporary home.


































We made Maggie for breakfast.Packed with breakfast,we decided to commence our return journey.And this time we were going another route which goes dense forest skipping up and down hike of 7 hills.We gave money to children who help us in the night and clicking the images with them,started walking towards Khireshwar.






And as promised the Zeep driver was ready to pick us at right time...........Fantastic!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!



Trek Details

History: The fort is quite ancient. Remnants of Microlithic man have been discovered here. The various Puranas (ancient scriptures) like Matsyapurana, Agnipurana and Skandapurana include many references about Harishchandragad. Its origin is said to have been in 6th century, during the rule of Kalchuri dynasty. The citadel was built during this era. The various caves probably have been carved out in the 11th century. In these caves are idols of Lord Vishnu. Though the cliffs are named Taramati and Rohidas, they are not related to Ayodhya. Great sage Changdev (one who created the epic “Tatvasaar”), used to meditate here in 14th century. The caves are from the same period. The various constructions on the fort and those existing the surrounding region point to the existence of diverse cultures here. The carvings on the temples of Nageshwar (in Khireshwar village), in the Harishchandreshwar temple and in the cave of Kedareshwar indicate that the fort belongs to the medieval period, since it is related to Shaiva, Shakta or Naath. Later the fort was under the control of Moguls. The Marathas captured it in 1747. 
[Courtesy: Wikipedia]

Click here for Detail Info


Height: 4671 ft above sea level

Level:Difficult

Distance from Pune: There are many routes by which one can reach Harishchandra gad.we did it by khireshwar way.The very popular one from Khireshwar.There are daily buses from Swargate to Khireshwar.Total 9 km distance foothills of the village,takes around 3-4 hr to reach temple. otherwise one has to alight at Alephata.from Alephata Reaching Khubi phata and start walking towards Khireshwar on Pimpalgaon dam side road.

Sightseeing:Saptatirtha Pushkarni,Konkan Kada, Harishchandreshwar temple,Kedareshwar temple,Ganesh Guha,Balekilla,Taramati peak,etc.

Accommodation:One can stay at Khireshawar village otherwise on the top in Ganesh Guhas which can accomodate around 130 people at a time.