Tandulwadi Trek - A Day to Remember

Tandulwadi trek was one of the most adventurous treks of my life. It was a summer of 2011, and we (Rahi, Mohit & me) were at Rahi's place in Mumbai. Initially, we had plans to visit all the famous places in Mumbai that included, Gateway of India, Haji Ali Dargah, Girgaon Chowpatty, Essel World and Nehru Science Centre. After finishing the visits to these places we still had two days remaining with us and that is when we decided to go for a trek to Tandulwadi Fort. As Rahi had read about the place and he knew it very well, we didn’t face any sort of problems reaching there.

Tandulwadi Fort

Tandulwadi village (named after the fort) is located about 8 km away from Saphale. One needs to board a passenger train from Virar and get down at Saphale Railway Station from where you can get an Auto to Tandulwadi Village.

As we had planned for a night out at the fort we had to carry all the necessary things like huge amount of water, glucose, tarpaulin, knives, torch, and antibiotics. Considering the night stay, we had also carried the packets of Maggie and a pot. We were staying in Andheri West and had to cover a large distance so we preferred to leave as early as 05:00 AM from room. After Reaching Saphale, We took Dukkar Rickshaw(Dukkar means Pig, and here the word is used as the front of the rickshaw looks like mouth of pig) from Saphale Railway Station to Tandulwadi Village, it was a journey on the road that made its way through the tiny hills which felt quiet refreshing. Finally, We reached Tandulwadi Village by 09:00 AM and the fort was within our sights by now. Some people over there guided us to the way of fort and we started moving slowly.

Rahi & Me Heading Towards The Fort.......PC - Mohit

 The village people showed us footsteps and told to follow it and said that it will lead to the fort but something different was destined to happen with us. By that time, sun had came over the head and we were starting to feel the heat. We had carried a total 10 liter of water which helped us to keep ourselves hydrated for a long time. We kept moving towards the footsteps but after sometime footsteps disappeared. We were taken a back by this...What to do now? Whom to ask? What to follow now? What followed was unexpected.

We decided to move towards the fort as it was still within our sights. We were climbing the rocks, over-passing the steep ascent that too while carrying huge load on our shoulders and it was becoming difficult to move on by each passing moment. After some time, we reached mountainside and decided to rest for a few minutes.

Mohit & Rahi by Mountainside...

We halted for 15-20 minutes on the mountainside, fed ourselves with some fresh cucumber that we had bought at Saphale Railway Station, drunk some glucose water and were ready to go. As the rock in front of us was very big we decided that Rahi and Mohit will climb it first and will pass the rope to me...to which I will tie all the bags and after pulling the bags up, I will be climbing the rock. After both of them reached the top of the rock I didn't hear a word from them. Firstly, I thought they were playing a prank with me but as I called them again and again, there was no reply from their side. I was yelling at them and what I saw was quiet disturbing, I saw the glasses of Rahi falling down in the valley. Without getting any time to realize the situation, I was attacked by a bunch of wild honeybees. Bees started biting me and I didn't had any sort of land to run away. So helpless was I am that I decided to jump down but to my goodness, I remembered that we had carried blankets with us. I just wore that blanket on my body and sat to the side in pain waiting for my mates to return to me. I sat there for around half an hour wrapped in the blanket, in bright sunlight when sun was spitting the fire.

Trying to Smile Through all The Pain of Bee Bites

 After some time, I was delighted to hear their voice. They came back to me and told all the happening. Initially they were attacked by the bees and to save themselves they ran the whole ground and in the process, glasses of Rahi felt in the valley. Our Skin was burning with the bites, we were exhausted and most affected was Rahi. He has been bitten by the most number of bees. As the bees were gone, we rested there for few minutes, took antibiotics and started to climb the rock. When they were attacked by the bees they had initiated a small fire to keep the bees away, now that fire had spread long by the time we reached on the top again. We made sure that it will not spread further and started to move on.

Sunset was about to happen and We were on the eastern side of the hill so it started to become dark very early. We were battling for a survival now, we had ran out of water by now. we were just moving downwards and downwards and during the process we saw some footsteps which we started to follow and kept following for about one hour. After so much hard work we saw a lady walking on the same footsteps with some wood pieces on her head. Firstly, we were afraid to ask anything to her as it was a desolate place but then we had no other option. We approached her and she told us that there is a village nearby and she was going there only so we started following her. 

We reached in the village Lalthane which was 3 km away from Tandulwadi. There was a school, and few huts and little homes where we asked for water. The man who gave us water asked from where we are and where we are heading towards. We told him that we had came for a trek and will be staying in the school for a night and will leave in the morning. He told us that there is no issue but to pack up and leave by 07:00 AM as that was the school timing, we agreed.

Making of delicious Jungle wali Maggie

 As desired, we went back to the open area of the Forrest to cook our dinner. While Rahi and Mohit went to bring some wood for burning, I was searching for a better place for cooking and trying to build a stove of some stones. When you have done so much of hard work and you are hungry, any kind of food tastes heavenly delicious and same was with us. After finishing our dinner, we returned to the school, spread the tarpaulin over the open gallery space and instantly we were in the dreamland of serenity.

Place Where We Slept Overnight

 It was around 10:00 PM when some people from village came to us equipped with sticks as if we were thieves. We had to make things clear to them that we are here only for trekking purpose and they told us to leave by 06:00 AM. We were about to leave for a return journey, then a man from nearby house (Mr. Vasudev Gangade) called us, he was very polite, he served us with a cup of tea and cookies. He also told about the happening in the night that a few days ago there were three men who came to the nearby village in same fashion and had killed one child and were escapee. so villagers just wanted to confirm if these are the same ones. He also asked if we visited the fort or not to which we replied negatively. He suggested that there is a little boy who can lead us towards the fort and we agreed to go there again.

The Boy & Man Who Helped & Guided to The Fort

Once again we were on the track and heading towards the fort and to my bad luck I hurt my right leg and there was a niggle in my knee and it was unbearable pain. I decided to stay back While Rahi and Mohit went on to visit the fort. Sharing some awesome photography here.

Some Beautiful Photography

I waited for them and they came back after around 4 hours. It was time to leave for the return journey we were about to leave that is when we came to know that Maa (Mother) of Mr. Vasudev had cooked food for us and they asked us to have some food as we had not eaten from morning. It was very kindness from their side, we were really pleased with the way they had treated us. That time we really felt like...Yes..Humanity does Exist.

After having some food, we interacted with Mr. Vasudev for some time, also took his contact number and left for the return journey. The fact that I had experienced all this in 2011 and writing now in 2016 says all that how memorable it was. In near future, If I got to travel to same place with same buddies, it will be a treat for me.

It's been a marathon blog for me and to all dear readers also. Thank You for having patience of reading such a huge post and showing interest. Its been the first time I've crossed 1500 words of writing in a day.

Thank You One & All. May God Bless You.

With Love, 

Dhiraj (DK)