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

Raireshwar Fort Trek

रायरेश्वर 

Raireshwar Plateau is one of  the most important historical places in Maharashtra, where The Great Shivaji Maharaj taken the oath of ' Swaraajya' at the temple of Raireshwar on the plateau.

How to Reach : Its approx 95-100 km from Pune

1. Pune-Bhor- to varandha ghat road- Ambeghar- Ambawade-right turn- Mhakoshi road-Vadtumbi-Korle-Oholi (Car up to Oholi, can drive but little difficult n rough road) - Ghera Kenjalgad ghat- Raireshwar Plateau

2. Pune-Wai-Menwali road-Dhom dam right side road-Khavli-GheraKenjalgad- right turn to Ghat- Raireshwar Plataeu

In Both direction road is heavenly Beautiful. Journey itself is full of natural landscape especially in Monsoon. Ghat roads are rough but scenery is wonderful and refreshing !

Food :          Local Home made Food (पिठलं भाकरी ) is available on fort village i.e. Jangamvadi but bottled water is not available on Raireshwar fort. But due to human settlement on the top, home made food n water may available on request. Better to carry food from Bhor or Wai.

What to see :

• On the top the historical Temple of Raireshwar where Shivaji maharaj took the oath of Swarajya against the Mughals with his collegeus worriors at the age of just 16 years. Unfortunately the temple is not glorified properly. It looks like a small hut. It should be Preserved properly.
• There are some houses, along with a primary school where you can meet the people and get the info about the fort. 
• The monsoon waterfall is very beautiful in the season, it flows upwards due the velocity of the wind. So you can enjoy the waterfall bath by standing upward direction of the waterfall.
• The biodiversity is incredible. Flowers and insects are unique.
• Wai, Panchagani, Mahableshwar,Dhom dam, Varandha ghat, Kenjal gad,Meavali,Kamal gad, Pandav gad, Mandhardevi, Neera devaghar dam, Konkan Sahyadri etc such a vast and wide panoramic region is visible from the top.

Parking : No official parking. But Parking place is there at the base of trek. On weekdays hardly trekkers can be seen. So lock the Vehicle properly. two wheeler or SUV vehicles are preferable. Avoid car.

Trek : Easy. Railing and steps are there, so easy to climb. Slop is steep. so take care of children and senior citizens. Plateau is vast in size so see the time available then roam around. it will take three hrs to cover all the sides of the plateau.

Nearby Tourists Places :    Wai, Panchagani, Mahableshwar,Dhom dam, Varandha ghat, Kenjal gad,Meavali,Kamalgad, Pandavgad, Mandhardevi, Neera devaghar dam, Bhor-Bhatghar, Ambwade pot holes on river Neera and Hanging bridge of British period.

 

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