Lohagad – one of the forts situated in Sahyadri ranges. This fort was captured by Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj in AD 1648 but he forced to surrender it to the Mughals in 1665 by the treaty of Purnader. Shivaji Maharaj recaptured this fort in 1670 and used this fort to keep loot from the Surat. I wanted to visit this fort for such long time and finally we office colleagues decided to go for trekking. We started early morning on Saturday. It was in middle of August, Monsoon season but chances of rain was not much so we decided to go on this day. Due to traffic faced by the guys travelling from Mumbai it took almost 10 to reach them at my place. After picking me up, we picked another two friends. We reached at base of fort around 12 noon. Vehicles can go up to the village Lohagaonvadi which is at the foot of the Lohagad fort and from where the steps of the fort start. However trekkers walks all the way from base of Bhaje caves. From the parking we could figure out that plenty of crowd. We had snacks there and started walking. For Bhaje caves only you have to take small diversion. Bhaje caves are visible from the base and it might be around 100 steps to reach their. We decided if we get time on our return from fort will visit it. The walk is very enjoyable especially the picturesque scenery, lush green grass, cool mountain air, waterfalls and the pleasant salubrious climate. After walking for 5 we saw nice waterfall. Lots of people those specially came to enjoy monsoon waterfalls were enjoying in that water. Water was giving feel of milk falling from the mountain. We hold ourselves back very hardly and just took some snaps with the waterfall as we don’t wanted to get late to reach on fort.
On our way 3 guys from our group got separated. They took some other way and we took other road thinking it could be shortcut. Shortcut was very mucky and it made us tired. We took some rest once we back on main road. Scenery from that spot was breath-taking it shows us how much we have climbed up. After walking for about 15 minutes we gain stopped for few cucumbers. You can see many cucumbers & lime juice stalls on your way. You will get so many cucumbers and lime juice stalls on your way. By now for was totally visible, mainly the vinchukata – fortification resembling scorpion tail was looking awesome. Suddenly clouds started coming and it started wrapping fort from vinchukata and quickly it took whole fort in it making fort disappeared. We all 5 guys were enjoying the nature. We wanted to take our group photo in this beautiful nature and we saw two small village kids. We requested them to take our snaps and one of them took us very good group pic. We thought we should have had some chocolates that time to give them little kids.
After walking few more we reached to the Lohagaonvadi. At the entrance of the village we saw few guys taking pic of something present on ground. We rush to see what it is and it was ‘Mandhul’. I have never seen that before but village people told us about it which I hardly heard. It was totally black and like stick to the ground. From this village the step for the fort starts. At the start signboard which tells the history about fort, and shows map about it is placed. We started climbing the fort. From one point while climbing the fort you can see panoramic view of Pawna dam. Very first you will be welcomed by “Ganesh Darwaja” of the fort. You can see some mini guns there. Little ahead fort has got one more “Darawaja”. We kept climbing the steps. Most of the guys already started to get down from the fort. At one turn I and other girl from our group stopped to take some snaps. I heard then voice from my back “Maja yet aahe na” and I said “Ha khup maja yet aahe” and I turned back to realise it was not my friend and some other girl from other group. I turned quickly to the opposite, my other friend also realised what has happened and after that group passed we both burst into laughter. Other guys started asking us what happened but we kept both laughing. Little ahead one family with small twin girls were going down. Both twins were very cute and we all greeted both. They both were shy and Mother of them was telling both say Hi to us and told us that till now both were making so much of noise and all on their way was shouting “Jai Shivaji, Jai Bhavani”. Then we crossed the “Mahadarawaja” which is the main gate of the fort. At the entrance you can see “durgah” and one saffron flag hosted. We started exploring fort more and then we found one lake which is good place to take rest, we removed our shoes and placed our feet in water. It was so relaxing. Small fishes in lake came near to our feet and started pinching our feet. It was great feeling of getting massage to feet after walking so much. 3 guys separated from us finally showed up. They came at right time because they were carrying all the food. We had food and then thought to go extreme end of vinchukata. On your way you can see other spots of the forts like “Ashtkoni Lake”, “Lakshmi Kothi” & “Solakoni Lake”. While we are going to Vinchukata we saw clouds are started coming towards us and slowly it took all of us in it. Suddenly everywhere it was fog and visibility becomes very low. After few minutes everything got cleared and fog place taken by rain and all fun turn into kind of mini disaster for us. One of our friend got cramp on her leg, road becomes slippery and top of that I felt very bad not only once but two times on my butts, small cuts on my hands but it was not very dangerous. We cancelled our plan to go end of Vichukata and returned back. Rain stopped after some time and now we started getting down. We reached to the Lohagaonvadi, had Poha’s and Tea. While travelling to our vehicle one of our friend went to the waterfall which we saw while coming up. She enjoyed a lot in that waterfall and others enjoyed just by taking snaps of each other on that waterfall. We grabbed our seats in our quails and headed back to the Mumbai thinking of the location for the next trek.
How to Reach?
From Mumbai, you can take a train to Lonavla. Malawli is the next station from Lonavla in the direction toward Pune. There are a number of local trains operating between Lonavla and Pune; you can take any of them. From Pune, you can take any of these locals. From Malawli railway station, the fort is just 9 km away
Or if you are travelling by road, From Mumbai, You can exit from Mumbai-Pune express highway from Lonavala and after going little ahead you will see one left turn goes to famous “Ekvira temple/Karla caves” and opposite to that right turn will go to Lohagad fort/Bhaja caves.
On our way 3 guys from our group got separated. They took some other way and we took other road thinking it could be shortcut. Shortcut was very mucky and it made us tired. We took some rest once we back on main road. Scenery from that spot was breath-taking it shows us how much we have climbed up. After walking for about 15 minutes we gain stopped for few cucumbers. You can see many cucumbers & lime juice stalls on your way. You will get so many cucumbers and lime juice stalls on your way. By now for was totally visible, mainly the vinchukata – fortification resembling scorpion tail was looking awesome. Suddenly clouds started coming and it started wrapping fort from vinchukata and quickly it took whole fort in it making fort disappeared. We all 5 guys were enjoying the nature. We wanted to take our group photo in this beautiful nature and we saw two small village kids. We requested them to take our snaps and one of them took us very good group pic. We thought we should have had some chocolates that time to give them little kids.
After walking few more we reached to the Lohagaonvadi. At the entrance of the village we saw few guys taking pic of something present on ground. We rush to see what it is and it was ‘Mandhul’. I have never seen that before but village people told us about it which I hardly heard. It was totally black and like stick to the ground. From this village the step for the fort starts. At the start signboard which tells the history about fort, and shows map about it is placed. We started climbing the fort. From one point while climbing the fort you can see panoramic view of Pawna dam. Very first you will be welcomed by “Ganesh Darwaja” of the fort. You can see some mini guns there. Little ahead fort has got one more “Darawaja”. We kept climbing the steps. Most of the guys already started to get down from the fort. At one turn I and other girl from our group stopped to take some snaps. I heard then voice from my back “Maja yet aahe na” and I said “Ha khup maja yet aahe” and I turned back to realise it was not my friend and some other girl from other group. I turned quickly to the opposite, my other friend also realised what has happened and after that group passed we both burst into laughter. Other guys started asking us what happened but we kept both laughing. Little ahead one family with small twin girls were going down. Both twins were very cute and we all greeted both. They both were shy and Mother of them was telling both say Hi to us and told us that till now both were making so much of noise and all on their way was shouting “Jai Shivaji, Jai Bhavani”. Then we crossed the “Mahadarawaja” which is the main gate of the fort. At the entrance you can see “durgah” and one saffron flag hosted. We started exploring fort more and then we found one lake which is good place to take rest, we removed our shoes and placed our feet in water. It was so relaxing. Small fishes in lake came near to our feet and started pinching our feet. It was great feeling of getting massage to feet after walking so much. 3 guys separated from us finally showed up. They came at right time because they were carrying all the food. We had food and then thought to go extreme end of vinchukata. On your way you can see other spots of the forts like “Ashtkoni Lake”, “Lakshmi Kothi” & “Solakoni Lake”. While we are going to Vinchukata we saw clouds are started coming towards us and slowly it took all of us in it. Suddenly everywhere it was fog and visibility becomes very low. After few minutes everything got cleared and fog place taken by rain and all fun turn into kind of mini disaster for us. One of our friend got cramp on her leg, road becomes slippery and top of that I felt very bad not only once but two times on my butts, small cuts on my hands but it was not very dangerous. We cancelled our plan to go end of Vichukata and returned back. Rain stopped after some time and now we started getting down. We reached to the Lohagaonvadi, had Poha’s and Tea. While travelling to our vehicle one of our friend went to the waterfall which we saw while coming up. She enjoyed a lot in that waterfall and others enjoyed just by taking snaps of each other on that waterfall. We grabbed our seats in our quails and headed back to the Mumbai thinking of the location for the next trek.
How to Reach?
From Mumbai, you can take a train to Lonavla. Malawli is the next station from Lonavla in the direction toward Pune. There are a number of local trains operating between Lonavla and Pune; you can take any of them. From Pune, you can take any of these locals. From Malawli railway station, the fort is just 9 km away
Or if you are travelling by road, From Mumbai, You can exit from Mumbai-Pune express highway from Lonavala and after going little ahead you will see one left turn goes to famous “Ekvira temple/Karla caves” and opposite to that right turn will go to Lohagad fort/Bhaja caves.
Mayuresh
Ohh yes, I forget to mention, on our return journey we visited, Varadvinayak Mahad temple
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