Date: July 18 and August 1, 2009 (Two events)
Destination: Visapur Fort
Altitude: 3400 feet above sea level
Located Off Mumbai Pune Highway near Malavli (Around 5 to 10 minutes drive in rickshaw from Malavli) around 15 km drive from Lonavala.
Ideal one day trek with a good balance of Adventure; Nature, Archeology and History.
Camp contribution: Rs. 950 per head (Rs.100/- discount for members)
For Registration Click here
(Includes Travel by private transport, Standard Breakfast, Evening Tea / Biscuits, Tolls, Management charges)
Kindly carry your packed lunch and water (this is not included camp fee)
Who can come?: Anyone with basic fitness, love for nature and zeal to be part of a adventure team. Minimum age 12 years.
Adventure Category: Mild to Moderate
Parameter for Categorization:
Terrain – Hilly Terrain; Non-technical mountain climbing & trekking through rough
Terrain in monsoon conditions
Tentative Schedule:
Pickup Points:
6:00 am – Andheri West Near S.V. Road, Outside Bus Depot near Merwans Bakery
6:25 am – Kalanagar Bus Stop (Bandra – Western Express Highway), near end of Sky walk
6:30 am – Sion Lunch home; around 50 meters from Sion station
6:45 am – Chembur Opp to Akbar Allis Departmental Stores
7:00 am – Vashi (Junction of NH4 and Station Road)
Induction / Introduction during bus journey
8:30 am – Standard Breakfast on the way
(South Indian Snacks and Tea/ Coffee)
9:45 am – Start of trek
Activities – Moderate, will comprise of:
Trek Duration – two to two and half hour hike one-way
Fort Exploration – 1 to 2 hours
15 minutes of Bhaja Caves exploration in case we get time
Chill out with friends (Old and New)
Transport and travel time:
Mumbai to Lonavala – 3 hours one-way travel
Lonavala to Mumbai – 3 ½ hours, depending on Mumbai traffic
About Visapur
Visapur and Lohagad the twin forts are located near Malavli station seperated by just a small valley with Visapur to the east of Lohagad. This fort can be easily identified by its "tat-bandhi"(fort walls) which can be seen prominently from the foot hills.
Visapur is another fort left alone to live its own fate. Not much history is known about this fort. But it still makes it a wonderful vantage point nevertheless. Some of the forts that can be spotted from here are Lohgad, Kathingad, Tikona fort and Koraigad. You can also get a majestic view of Pauna Lake from this fort. We can walk about the entire periphery of the fort in two hours to view other forts and surrounding lush green meadows. Its bastions, water cisterns in caves, ornamental arch, several images of Maruti carved on the rocks & scattered cannons gives it a lost in time effect. Maruti seems to be the presiding deity of the fort.
A huge stone on the grind wheel
This stone was used for mixing lime, jaggery & tin, which was rotated with the help of bulls & cows. The mixture was used as cementing material for building purposes
Lohagad & Visapur were both conquered by Shivaji and later lost to other rulers. The last owners of the fort have been the British since 1818. Visapur being the lesser fortified fort among Lohagad & itself, the British took advantage of it. They conquered Visapur & then Lohagad which was within the cannon firing range was easy to take control of.
Bhaja Caves
Bhaja caves also share the same importance as those of the others in Maharashtra, including the Ajanta, Ellora and Elephanta. These are, believed to be built during the Mauryan rules, in the early Theravadin phase of Buddhism.
The caves, 18 in number, are beautifully sculptured with many images of different postures of Buddha, some animals and situations of some stories of the tales of Buddhism. There are some representations of Buddha, in symbolic terms too.
Cave 12th is a prayer hall, worth a watch, and represents a fantastic example of ancient Buddhist architecture. It's the biggest of all the caves, and the tilted vault is worth a interesting notice. The last cave is also a must see, due to the "Dancing couple" structure.
There are many Viharas in Bhaja also, which, most probably, served as hostels for the learning Buddhist monks. You can see similar structures at Kanheri caves in Mumbai.
Rock cut architecture are said to have come into fashion in India in the time of Emperor Ashoka of the Mauryan Dynasty (273-232 BC). Structures excavated in stone were the most durable and Emperor Ashoka was looking for a lasting medium to commemorate and spread the teachings of Buddha. Besides according to ancient religious ideas, asceticism and the pursuit of a monastic life meant retirement to mountain caves.
This style of architecture turned out to be especially suited to the Western Ghats (within the state of Maharashtra the Western Ghats are known as the Sahayadri ranges) the hills being composed of alternating horizontal strata of harder and softer volcanic trap rock making excavation easy.
These rugged hills of Shayadri’s are studded with proud fortresses and cave temples – telling silent tales of the valor, heroism, courage and tenacity. Built along trade routes linking the tiny harbors on the western coast, through well marked passes within the sheer Sahayadri scarp that lead to the hinterland, the Buddhist monasteries were important stages on the journey, resting places for the trading caravaneers, as well as supply-cum –banking houses for them. .
Obviously in order to protect the religious centers i.e. the cave monasteries as well as the commercial nerves i.e. the ghats, forts came into being and in all probability the process of cave excavation, pass construction and fortification were parallel and all complementary activity. These monuments stand witness to incredible journeys and legends of long ago, having played host to many a caravan.
For Registration Click here
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