Kasarsai Volacanic Tube

 

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How to Reach : The place is visible on Google Map. Search - Kasarsai Volcanic Tube or Waghjai Devi Mandir, Kasarsai.

It is about 30 km from Pune and near Kasarsai Dam besides Hinjwadi. Maharashtra. 

Pune- Marunji - Nere - Kasarsai - proceed on Chandkhed road after Kasarsai Village - There is a small hill on the left side after 5-minute ride next to the village - take a left and park your vehicle at the open place. Many people come here for a morning walk. 

We the members of Trekking Paltan group visited on the 1st of January 2023

There is 30 mins hike to go on the top of the hill

Waghjai Temple, Sasarsai

Go behind the temple and follow these steps

You can see the natural tunnel/ narrow cave/tube

Carry the torch, there is a dark inside. Be aware of the snakes, bats and other reptiles and insects.

We could reach 20 feet, then it is too narrow to enter. 

Narrowing tube

While returning back, we collected the plastic waste as usual we do.

Kasarsai Dam view

Dnyaneshwar Puri, Sandeep Chaudhari, Amol Gore, Vilas Karpe, Pradeep Patil, Dr. Suresh Isave

We started 5:30am form Pune and reached at the base 6:30am. Then reached the top 6:50am to see the sunrise of the new year. We carried our own snacks. Food and water is available in the Kasarsai Village. We returned to the base at 10:30am. 

Pandavgad Fort Trek

Pandhavgad 

Pandavgad is not well known fort for trekking ! You will hardly meet any trekker on the fort. It is one of easy trek. The fort top is a private property, how dont know. 

How to Reach :

Its about 75 km from Pune. There are two way to reach the base village  Gundewadi.

1. Pune-Bablore Highway-Shirwal-Surur-right turn to Wai- from Wai city go to Mandhardevi-at the beginning Mandhardevi ghat-Gundewadi village-park vehicle ( 95 km)

2.PuneBanlore highway-Kapurhole- right turn to Bhor - Bhor city-take left turn from Shivaji maharaj statue in Bhor city to Mandhardevi road-ride up to Mandhardevi ghat-take right turn on the top of ghat to Wai road-ride down the ghat-at the end of the ghat you will reach Gundewadi-the base village- park vehicle (75 km)

From both side roads are in good condition.

Parking : No specific parking place, but villagers have kept place for parking for trekkers in theor farms with no charge.

Food and Stay : Carry your food with you. No food and water at the base and on the fort as well. Although there are many restaurants nearby area of 5 km to the fort e.g. Mandhardevi ghat and Wai city.

About Trek :

The trek is simple. It will take around an hour to reach on the top. There is medium ascend. Start from the house near the road. Ask them in case not find a path.

 Once you get a path follow the trail which is ascending in zigzag manner. after 40 to 50 minutes you will be on the top. There is house of care taker of the owner of the fort. You need to make write your name and contact numbers in entry registration. Then Explore the fort.

What to See : 

There are not much left on the fort.  There are many water tanks (Taake) on the fort.take left after care taker's hut to proceed the Main Darwaja of the Ballekilla of the fort which tall but fallen with top ark. The Darawaja is in good condition. Further you will see wall of the ballekilla. Its called the Nana Fadavis wada. Then there is a Temple of Lord Hanuman. Nearby there is a grinder made of stone. Take a right side path which takes you to a Temple of Pandajaidevi temple.

There is one buruz at the east side from where you can see beautiful landscape of Wai Panchagani area.
The fort top is vast and plain like a plateau. From the fort we can see Panchgani, Wai, Dhom dam, Menvali village, Mahabaleshwar, Kamalgad fort, Mandherdevi temple, Rohida fort, Kenjal fort and Raireshwar fort etc.
There are cave on the other base village i.e. Dhavdi village.

Nearby Places :
Following places can be visited during you visit of Pandavgad fort - Bhor, Bhatghar dam, Neera devghar dam, Varandhaghat, Rohida fort, Raireshwar fort, Kenjal fort, Wai Lord Ganesh Temple, Shooting points of Menwali, Dhom dam, Panchgani, Mahabaleshwar, Kamalgad fort, Mandhardevi ghat and temple etc.

Our Activity :
I visited on 24th June 2018 with my team mates of Trekking Plaltan group. Trekking platan group is self motivated group of members who loves trekking and loves to forts, so we make destination clean from harmful components to  environment. In this trek following members of Trekking Paltan group participated in the campaign - Sainath Jagdale, Parhuram Bhangare, Hanumant Londhe, Sandip Jadhav, Nitin Kulkarni and Hemant Patil. We carried out cleanliness campaign on the fort. We collected plastic bottles, food rappers and carry bags etc.
We also clean the holy walls of Pandajai devi temple on which names of lovers, mobile numbers and vulgar words written on it by careless tourists.

Dr.Suresh Isave,Hemant Patil,Hanumant Londhe,Parshuram Bhangare,Sandip Jadhav,Sainath Jagdale