Alang Madan Kulang
Alang Madan Kulang |
Alang has a more easy route from the Ghatghar vilage side and mostly done from there.. it takes around 6-7 hours from there to reach the fort top. From ambevadi side, if you have a very experienced climber who can climb the 50-60 foot vertical rock, you can be on the top in about 5 hours max. This rock patch is very difficult to climb and usualy people dont prefer to climb they rappel down this face. The approach to the forts from Ambevadi is preety obvious. You need to reach the col between Alang on the left and Madangad on the right. The col is very prominent and very easy to climb. During the winter season direct sun light never reches the col floor so it is always a cool place to climb. From ambevadi it will take an average trekker like me 3 hours to rech the col. If I remember the time correctly We left Ambevadi at around 0815 and all 13 heads were in the col at around 1045. Because of the climbing equipment and the food that we carried we took 3 porters from the Ambevadi till the top of the fort We had 3 imported 50mt climbing ropes line, one 50mt indian rope also known as "TODI", a seat harness, a quick draw, and a screwgate perhead. In addtion to this we had 8 decscenders, many pitons, hammer,friends,hangers,bolts and the list goes on.... All in all we were 100% safe on a rockpatch which is categorised simple for an experienced rock climber. |
| Once in the col all you need is to bear left for Alang and right for Madan. We were going to stay our first night on Madan caves so we did Madan first. The rock patch in question is not visible from the col as the trverse takes you to the other side of the col where the valley below makes your dizzy. Thats wher you start realising you are on Madangad. the route till the patch is preety staright forward traverse with steps carved in rock and the jaw dropping valley view, enuf to make your throat go dry.. Especially be careful at one spot where the traverse is cut and u need to take a big step as if u wud mount on a horseback or a getting on a bicycle.. in marathi "Tang TakNe" .. its actually called "Ghoda" or Horse. There are bolts put on either side of the Ghoda for the rope, which would make it easy. Other than this tricky area all of the traverse can be negotiated easily even with your back pack. After a pretty long break in the col we all headed to the Madan rock where Bhushan had already fixed a rope and was ready for the train rail on. The climbing system to the best of my knowledge was we were belayed from the base of the patch and we pulled ourselves using a rope so there was very less of traditional rock climbing and more of rock walking. There is very small area at the base of the patch only 3-4 people can stand and not with great comfort. If you are planning with a big group then the best place is to make people wait is on the traverse and the steps which is pretty wide. Our train reached the top of the fort by 1500. You can tie a rope for additional safety on the traverse after the patch but it is not required. This traverse though dangerous and over looks a scary valley below, one can get around it. I wouldn't worry about it actually to me the valley may look scary but at the same time it is the most spectacular sights one would ever see. Kalsubai and Alang in the east, Kulang in the west, back waters of Ghatghar, Ratangad, Ajoba, Sitecha palna... this range is just awesome...! The most spectacular awe inspiring sites to me personaly was Alang. This is a big guy...the col between Alang and Madan is just 200-300 ft wide at the top and people can actually talk to eac othere here.. though talk is a understatment they can shout.One can see every bit of Alang from the top of Madan. With a good binoc you may even see the route that climbs up from ghatghar. The cave on Madan gad is extremely clean and a superb feat of engg.... it can house upto 50 ppl easily.. i was just thinking was it really necessary to carve such a big cave up here.. this also suggestes that this fort in its glory days wud have many visitors... there is nothing else on the fort except his cave and good clean water... and above all the views...just fabulous...bcos of very less visitors the cave is amazingly clean... | ||
 Sunrise |
 Gang on Madan |
 Madan Cave |
| Day 2 :: Alang As planned we all left the cave by 0830 and were at the rockpatch wher we were going to rappel down.. we started of well and with preety good pace.. after all the the phot shoot and other things alll came down in the col once again and i remember it was 1130.We regrouped and turned towards Alang. The tarverse to the Alang rockpatch almost kisses the alang massif as we wlak along and sometimmes enter the thick Karvi shrubs..after 15 min may be less from the col you get the firt sight of the steps and the rock patch you would climb or Jumaar. There is a small rock patch around 20-30 ft very easy one that takes you to steps then on to a ledge where we all sat comfortably.. its a big ledge around 20 ppl can sit easily. Oce you see the structure you realise that there were superbly carved steps till the top on this side.. The Britishbastards cleaned them off by canons. The 50 -70 feet patch is deadly, vertical, and really really difficult to climb. When you compare this patch with Madan rock patch, you will realise that tihs is not amateur stuff... this is why ppl go from Ghatghar side...Bhushan stsrted the climb and fixed the rope. we then pulled every buddy up on a pulley. All were up by 1600. It took us almost 8 hours from Madan to reach here and the actual distance between the two forts is 200-300 fts max.. how starnge is the all because of the brits...Once on alang the caves can be located immediately the caves on the right are more clean and can be used for stay...These caves are huge with separete rooms/compartments..almost like a 3 bedroom apartment.. there is water near the caves but its not potable..The very famous Alang tanks are on the top of these caves and can be reached easily.. the water here is good no problems at all...but they are far away from ur cave... there is small pond where you enter the fort ater the rockepatch but I dont think water will be here in late winters Jan-Feb..One word of caution..do not roam on the upper plateau after sunset its very difficult to find the cave entrance as you never see it... the caves are carved in the plateau so u are actually on the roof of your house trying to find the entrance.. this is same as finding Bhaje caves if you are coming down the visapur massif from behind not from the Lohagad side...the upper plateau has a well built strong walled building never figured out what it would be ... there are many reamins of other such structures..but stragly ther isnt a temple up here of any sorts I mean no gods on the fort.. We only found a small shiv ling but no temple... just a few rockes constructed around it to give a temple look and feel... the caves also do not have any "Murtis" of Gods, which one expects on the fort.. |
 Huge Alang |
 Alang Rock patch |
 Sunset on Alang |
| We slept in the caves after a great khichadi and soup... We had to rappel down the same way we came and reach Ambevadi ... the porters were going to come back at 1000 at the base of the patch we all were down comfortably by 1200 and they took us from a different route and not from the col we climbed.. This route starts exactly after you get down the steps and the easy rock patch and enters the karvi shrubs.. the route is full of scree so be carefull the scree slide can taken you down in the valley...along the way you would find steps carved in the rocks suggesting this route was well developed and used by ancient people.. its like big gaint staircase up the mountain...this route is fairly simple and well beaten but becos its full of traverse its better to take the col route unless you are confident.. The fact that you always see Ambevadi your chance of getting lost are minimal... you may end up reaching Ambevadi with many cuts and bruises or meerily chatting about the first thing you want to do when you reach home... We all reached ambevadi together at 1500 and me and Lalya made some khichadi again and we eat a lot .. Loaded our 4 by 4's and hit road towards Pune by 1600.. After a chai break at Rajur and dinner at Narayangaon.. I did the FIRST THING I WANTED TO DO... HOT WATER SHOWER...... | ||
 Kalsubai, Alang, Madan water tank |
 Caves on Alang |
 Rock climbing lessons |
| Well it was really a thrilling 3 day trek and was end to a great 20 days vacation.. Its feels strange when I look back over these 20 days.. I met my sweet dear wife after 5 months we had great fun time in Atalnta with friends, South Carolina, Universal studios LA, Big Bear lake San diego, and playing cricket with kids in remote village like Ambevadi,India...All in 20 days vacation.... what else can you ask for.. Feels refreshing.. Life is Great..!!! | ||
Location : Bhandardara, Igatpuri range, Nashik Getting there :(ST bus) Pune - Sangamner - Rajur - Ambevadi Best time to visit : Winters (Oct - March) More Photos : Madan - Alang |