Weekend getaway to Sudhagad

Weekend getaway to Sudhagad.

Monsoon in Mumbai was just over and it was October end with scorching heat over our head. Generally, I prefer to take a break in this month from trekking but this time could not sit idle , so just thought of planning something of a easy grade trek where it could be a refreshing day out and hiking as well. While just planning about where I could go SUDHAGAD came up in my mind and I asked 2 of my friends and we worked out our plan for the following weekend.

History:

Sudhagad also called Bhorapgad a hill fort situated in Maharashtra, India. This fort is said to date back to the 2nd century B.C the same age as the Thanale caves and Khadsamble caves nearby. It was then called Bhorapgad after its presiding deity, Bhorai devi. In 1436, it was captured by the Bahamani Sultan. In 1657, the Marathas took over and renamed it “Sudhagad” the sweet one. It was a large fort and Sudhagad was considered by Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj as the capital of his kingdom. He surveyed it, but instead choose Raigad because of its central location. In the regime of the Peshwas, the Pantsachivas of Bhor became the custodians of this fort. After the annexation of princely states in 1950 the fort became patron less. As a result, the fort is in a state of ruins, even though it escaped the wrath of the British.

Place to visit at Sudhagad Fort

Temple of Goddess Bhorai Devi, Lord Shiva and Hanuman
Pantsachiv Wada
Two lakes and water cisterns
Maha darwaja
Dindi Darwaja  Pachchapur Darwaja
Chor darwaja (Secret door)
Ambarkhana
Bastions of the fort well in condition
Remains of old structure
Takmak Tok
From the fort top we can have glimpse of Sarasgad, Tel-Baila and Ghangad.

Most important ' Map'

Grade: Easy to Moderate(It takes about 2 hours to reach the top of the fort from Thakurwadi, gradual inclination)

Height = 620 metres (2,030 ft) above sea level.

My Experience:

It was Saturday the 27th , to avoid October heat we had planned to climb SUDHAGAD fort in the late afternoon. I was going to join 2 of my friends from  Pune at Khopoli.
Around 2pm with our personal vehicle we headed towards Sudhagad fort enroute Pali and reached base village Thakurwadi around 4pm and started with out trek.

Sudhagad from Thakurwadi 

It was a peaceful evening where only 3 of us were climbing the fort, the sun was on the verge of setting and we had our head torch handy, the target was to reach the plateau before its dark because the perimeter of this fort is quite big and one can get lost.
The incline to the fort was slow and gradual we enjoyed the scenic beauty around us of Akola valley.

                                Gradual Incline

A message for all humans

Ladder 1

Ladder 2

Indian Black Scorpion

There are 2 ladders which we come across on this way, we saw a black scorpion on our way, it was my first time to see a Scorpion and thought this trek is going to be adventurous.

Sunset and some experiments

We experimented few shots(pictures) at sunset and moved on.
Almost around 6pm we were on the plateau and started walking facing towards Tail Baila, we could see the markings on our way and so were relieved that we were on right track.

Walk on a plateau facing Tail Baila

One of my friend had done this trek before so he was aware of the route and where we can get accommodation so we headed towards Pant Sachivancha wada where we reached around 6.30pm.


While taking a round of the wada, I heard someone calling me out and was surprised to see a friend with whom I had trekked earlier, along with her were 4 more people from Trek Shitiz group had come for cleaning the debris of the entrance of the fort.

Cooking 

Delicious food

We prepared our dinner together Veg Pulav and Maggie and went around the palace after the dinner was done and on our way there here was a tiny fellow waiting for us Saw Scaled Viper.

Saw Scaled Viper

Almost for the next 2hrs the 3 of us sat on a rock with a shining moon above us enjoying the breeze and a dog accompanied who was guarding us.
Around at 11.30pm we decided to go back and sleep as we wanted to witness sunrise from takmak tok.
At 4am there was a group of people who came doing a night trek and were continuously talking, my sleep was disturbed tried sleeping for little more but could not and so got up by 5am.
Freshened up and started walking towards takmak tok, once you leave the palace you come up with the steps and turn to right hand side of the route.
It directly takes us to one peak.  From this peak Ghangad, Korigad, Tel-Baila can be seen very clearly.

Worth the Wait

Sunrise from Takmak Tok

 From 6am we were waiting for sun to rise almost after half an hour  wait, we could see one of the beauty rising up behind the mountain range changing its colour.

Now was the time where we could explore the fort and so we started by visiting the main entrance of the fort (Dindi Darwaaja).This door is exact replica of the ‘Mahadarwaaja (main entrance) on Raigad. The construction and arrangement of this door is of the type called “Gomukhi” (in shape of cow’s mouth). This door is well protected since it is hidden in between two huge bastions.
 This door was submerged completely in the debris which was further escavated by fewer groups like Trek Shitiz, Ba Raigad and they are still working on it.

Mahadarwaja

                                          Entrance

Further we visited Bhoreshwar temple on the way we could see the molted skin of Cobra followed by Shiva temple.

Molted skin of Cobra

Tail Baila

Bhoreshwar temple

Hanuman temple

Shiva temple

There is a Pachchapur Darwaaja If we enter to the hill through this door, we come across a plateau after climbing some distance. To the left is the temple of ‘Siddheshwar’, storehouses of food grains, some cisterns, a lake named “Hawaldar Tale” and “Hattimaal”.

Lake

It almost took 2 hours to explore the fort we started back with our return journey at around 10.30pm and this time even while descending we actually were exhausted with scorching heat and humidity it usually takes 1.5hrs to descend.
One can also visit Sarasgad which is a nearby fort which approximately takes 3hrs to climb.

Highlights of the trek.

Accommodation Facilities
1.Approximately 50 people can stay in palace of Pant Sachiv.
2. Even Bhorai Devi temple is good place for a stay on the fort.
Drinking Water Facility :There are many cisterns, lakes and tanks on the fort. Hence drinking water is available throughout the year.
Transport:Regular buses are available from Nagothane to Pali Village. Change bus at Pali village for Thakurwadi the base village for Sudhagad Trek.
Food Facility: It’s better to make food arrangement by yourself.
Best time to visit: Monsoon to Winter.
How to reach Sudhagad Fort ?
. Sudhagad route from Pune – Lonavala – Khopoli – Durshet – Pali – Sudhagad
Sudhagad route from Mumbai – Panvel – Wadkal – Pali – Thakurwadi – Sudhagad
Sudhagad distance from Mumbai 135 km approx
Sudhagad distance from Pune: 145 km approx
Total time required for climbing Sudhagad Killa 2.5 hours
Total distance for trekking Sudhagad Killa 5 km one way.
Expenses-₹ 300-400/-