सिंहगड - राजगड - तोरणा २०२१

।। श्री आशापुरी देव्यै नमः ।।

Same time, same place.. another year, different mates.. SRT

Exactly same as last time, it was last weekend of February, to this very same location, range trek involving highest forts 🏰 from पुणे district.. ⛰️ सिंहगड aka कोंढाणा (गड आला पण सिंह गेला), ⛰️ राजगड (गडांचा राजा, महाराजांचा गड) and ⛰️ तोरणा aka प्रचंडगड (स्वराज्याचं तोरण).. should this be set as a trend? only time will tell.. but if that indeed happens, you'll be reading another post 🗒️ in a year's time on the same topic, and trust me, nothing of this will be a repeat ☺️.. read post from 2020 here and you'll know why..

During milestone of 300th trek to सिंहगड (youtube link here), 3 of us discussed 🗣️ also about re-visiting and repeating 🔄 the adventure of going those extra miles on the marathon long hike, once I return from my 'work from नाशिक' cum trekking stint (read post here).. after returning, checked with few others, and they also agreed instantly..

On the course of finalizing the date 📅, we decided to treat ourselves, yet another full moon / पौर्णिमा 🌝, which coincidently also happened to be a weekend.. a WhatsApp group was created for the co-ordination that initially had 6 members and in the next 3 weeks, surprisingly 😯, the count remained unchanged.. if the names were the same? let's skip that part / should be an easy guess 😉..

26-Feb-2021

It was late 2007, when PMT and PCMT, individual bus services in पुणे and पिंपरी-चिंचवड regions, merged 🤝 into Pune Mahanagar Parivahan Mahamandal Limited, PMPML.. today being 🔒 भारत बंद (protest against rising fuel prices), had to confirm twice their operations, sparing us any Plan B thinking 💭.. as pre-decided, we all were to board स्वारगेट-सिंहगड bus 🚌.. according to one of the conductors 👷 whom I met couple of days ago at सिंहगड base, one starts from स्वारगेट at 07:30 p.m., a perfect fit to our plan.. 2 of us boarded the same from राजाराम bridge 🌉 and others from धायरी फाटा.. 

Fittingly, it kicked-off with the highest individual score for India 🇮🇳 in Tests 🏏, 319th trek to सिंहगड, that did not need any other than one of natural sources of light to follow the route to the top.. at पुणे दरवाजा (सिंहगड entry), after introduction round ℹ️, we resumed towards fort's other end, कल्याण दरवाजा (सिंहगड exit).. everyone was carrying their packed dinner 🌯 🌭 🍌 along and the beautiful moonlight cared enough for us.. so, we opted for a happy 🥳 option to postpone our dinner for a while and to a non-manmade region, anytime preferred over a hotel-made under candescent lamps 💡..

After descending कल्याण दरवाजा and hiking 🚶 for another hour or so, we rested for dinner on a ridge, away from city lights, surrounded by mountains 🏞️ and in the middle of mild breeze 🍃.. सिंहगड was visible clear in North-East and some hazy appearances in South-West were guessed to be our next targets from the agenda.. after that weight relief to our backpacks, it was time for another go-through of that risky traverse around the last mountain before descend towards विंझर.. Manjit's step 👣 slipped, his companion stick 🦯 went rogue and he hurt his knee 🦵.. spoiler moments are bound to happen for a plan this big, but this one was just way too early.. read here about first attempt of सिंहगड-विंझर, also a night trek..

The next-in-line slippery descend meant cautious efforts from all and extra caution for him.. without any next mis-happening till विंझर, with small water breaks 🍶 in-between, we were doing pretty well time-wise.. inevitably, he suggested us to carry-on 😔.. Amit decided to stay back with him.. with a hurting knee, at least the descends can be miserable, if nothing else..

Negotiating a tar road 🛣️ is undoubtedly the last thing anybody would want on a hiking activity.. 3rd and any next time I am doing SRT, these 9.7 kms will sure be a planned drive 🚘.. that's just those this-cannot-be-happening kind of things, we have to deal with.. last time / year, we had managed to bypass it halfway, but were not lucky 🤞 enough..

Night 🌃 curfew since last few days had evidently induced uncertainties of patrolling 🚓.. and only because of this tar road thing, a 👮 police jeep found us near मार्गासणी.. कुठे चालले? राजगड. कुठून आले? सिंहगडहुन आलोय, पुण्याचे आहोत, राजगडला जातो आहे. ठीक आहे, लवकर जा. रस्त्यात थांबू  नका.. and later in the day, around 07:30 🕢 a.m., Manjit WhatsApped "reaching धायरी in 5 mins" (he had parked his bike 🏍️ at my place).. thank God, there was no police drama.. you must be disappointed though, sorry for that 😁..

Sufficient rest at गुंजवणे meant significantly cooling selves down, resulting in realization of 'real feel' of the 4 a.m. cold ❄️ weather.. 'real feel' बोले तो side note 🔖, which you see on weather 🌡️ forecast sites / apps.. it's a combined effect of actual temperature and its +/- adjustment due to flowing wind (but that's only my understanding 🧠, facts may vary)..

Nakul already gave cramp hint and moon was in its second half in the West.. that's approximately the same direction in which one ascends to चोर दरवाजा (राजगड entry) from गुंजवणे.. needless to mention, moon was getting behind the fort and since inception of this adventure, we were to first time use torches 🔦 in full force.. that's such a beauty of full moon night treks, where unlike day treks, you fatigue less but like day treks, needs of artificial sources of light are marginal..

During all of राजगड's ascend, we were all together.. at the last rock-based-climb 🧗, sensing the slightly gained distance and clock ⏳ advantage, Mahesh and me decided to rest near सईबाईची समाधी ⚰️ at पद्मावती माची.. सईबाई was the first (of total 8) and short-lived wife of छत्रपती शिवाजी महाराज 🤴 🚩 and mother of संभाजी महाराज.. checking if they got any transport option, Manjit shared some bonfire 🔥 snaps, still at the same place.. least we knew about ourselves was - blisters were now making their way.. after a while, as we saw only Girish approaching, we learnt that Nakul had decided to and went back, reducing the count to 3, rather final 3 🥉.. when should we have breakfast 🍔? at the plain beneath संजीवनी माची..

credits: Manjit

If you were taught 'sun is yellow' and 'moon is white', it's time to change that perception 🤨.. those were moments of breaking dawn and so was moon nearing its set.. bidding adieu to our night long companion, we euphorically captured 📸 the final glimpses of the yellow sphere over अंबरखाना.. at the opposite end, more or less at the same time, the rising 'source of life' red sphere was establishing its foundation..

yellowset, credits: Mahesh

redrise, credits: Mahesh

संजीवनी माची - seizing the spellbinding views of this engineering marvel in our smartphones 📱, we were on our way to exit राजगड from व्याघ्रमुख / अळू दरवाजा.. it is amazing, how each time coming here can only make you wonder 🤔 more of its expanse and architectural details.. built in twin fortification and having about 18 bastions, it was used to protect the राजगड fort from any attacks / intruders from South-West.. माची also comprises of huge water cisterns, a सदर 🏢 and much more.. 

संजीवनी माची

As if a signal to helicopter, multiple stones were kept in an arrow ↗️ formation to indicate the direction in which we were to proceed towards our next and last destination of this range trek.. after another round of weight relief to our backpacks 🎒, breakfast, we pulled out to put on our caps 🧢 and started the descend on / of prominently angled slope, first through the rocks, then the scree.. tea ☕? please wait.. at भुतोंडे खिंड, realizing we 2 were regularly marching ahead, checked with Girish if all was fine.. legs were paining and we were determined enough to not let anything go, before we live through it all..

From our first range trek to तोरणा-राजगड (read post here), we were aware, first half 🌗 from this side (राजगड-तोरणा) will be a jungle 🌴 walk.. and as it ends, there is a facility where we could buy water.. thus, we had planned accordingly.. that also meant, we were soon to run 🏃 out of water.. if tea could also be arranged, was an open topic.. he has placed multiple पाट्या 📋 on the way, of which, first one addressed that open topic 🍵.. with alive hopes, finally, when we reached his home, it was a huge sigh of relief.. refilling our bottles 🍶 and relishing the tea, what awaited us, was the second half 🌓, devoid-of-trees, shadow-less land..

Ever wondered why do clocks in the shops (not just any shop, referring to clocks' shop here) always show the time ticking at 10:10.. that's because of its appearance as a smile 🙂.. imagine how depressing a clock appears at 08:20 🙁.. missed mentioning this in the post on भैरवगड ते रतनगड (read post here) that also has an event around 10:10 (p.m.), but 'there is always a next time'.. this time a.m., was exactly when बुधला माची (तोरणा entry) was getting closer and a time-check was done to judge if its schedule was still within practical reach..

Sun 🌞 was loud and clear, and Mahesh was now new Girish.. it was still 10 minutes to go according to the plan, when we climbed up the बुधला माची.. but this lead was soon a history ⌛.. could we rest anywhere? a shadowy patch at the railings before कोकण दरवाजा came to the rescue 🚑.. blisters had gone bad to worse, few to many.. "सुशिक्षित अडाणी" म्हणतात, ते हेच.. I was well aware of this risk, but did not plan any mitigation 😞.. anyways, we can't change, what's done or not done, and hindsight has always been a wonderful thing.. 

After another round of water refilling at कोकण दरवाजा, we were off to बिनी दरवाजा (तोरणा exit).. indicatively, there was no more elevation to be gained, but loosing elevation at तोरणा takes a bit longer.. starting a night before from सिंहगड base at 08:50 p.m., 17 hours and 45 kms later, we reached तोरणा base at 02:00 p.m... enquiring 🗣️ bus options while having lunch 🍱, we were enlightened about a 03:15 bus, that never turned-up.. hopping from one option to another, we finally reached home 🏠 at 06:00 p.m...

bus time-table

Kudos 👏 to Mahesh and Girish, who maintained "Never Give-Up" attitude to reach the finish line 🏁.. Nakul, Manjit and Amit - "there is always a next time".. not everything has to go as planned, but the most that matters is being at par with it.. with hovering uncertainties / unforeseen events of night curfew 🚫 and भारत बंद, it was another successful attempt, a full moon 🌕 treat 🎉, through the marathon trail, सिंहगड-राजगड-तोरणा aka SRT, from moonrise till आपल्या आमच्या आगमनापर्यंत..

In general, have followed a practice till date, to share trekking experiences to the same location or within a defined duration in a single post 📄.. so, that makes this post also first of its kind - being written typed twice 👯 on same topic.. naah, second actually.. there are 2 separate posts on नवसकाळी too.. from 2019 here and another one here from 2020..