Kalavantin Durg (कलावंतीण दुर्ग) - Way to Heaven

This is the first time I am writing about my Trek experience. Because even I Google for information about trek & how to go there and other stuff. So to contribute something that might be helpful for other trekkers and beginners, I am writing this blog & here is my first post.
It was decided to go trekking  on 29^th July 2014 – Holiday (Eid) a week before. But as the day came nearer everyone got something important & they didn’t make it. At the end … 3 people left. Me, Maitreya & Prasanna. A day before, we decided to go to KALAVANTIN SULKA.

Prasanna , Me , Maitreya

And the day came."Me ,Maitreya aani Prasanna VISHAL SANKHYENE Gharun nighalo." No one was late. Took the 5.08 AM Panvel local from CST. The Train was very less crowded. Reached Panvel by 6.45 AM. We headed towards ST stand which is 5 min walk from station. Bus was scheduled for 6.55AM. There are buses after every 90 min to go to Thakurwadi. For Thakurwadi Bus go to Plat Form no.9. Bus came at 7 AM. It is about half an hour journey. Reached Thakurwadi at 7.30 AM. It was raining. When we got down from ST. …….. It was a magnificent view. It was like a beautiful picture stuck on the wall. Ohh!! That was amazing… But the thing was that because of the fog we couldn’t locate the Kalavantin Durg and Prabalgad and were guessing any random peak which was visible as Kalavantin!!!

I asked one villager the way to go to Kalavantin. He showed us the way. It is a left turn before the actual stop where bus stops.(no stop like structure. It is convenient place where bus can take U-Turn). It is a tar road. To ensure right path, one can see Dharap Associates on the right hand side of the path. Then the road takes so many turns. Before that, a group of 4 got down from the Rickshaw. I asked them whether they know the path. But like us they were also first timers. We started together. My net surfing to find accurate route became useful. I read about a Banyan tree from where there is a right turn. It is opposite to Banyan tree. There is a board giving Basic info about PrabalGad. We followed that route. Now the group of 4 was busy in photography. As the saying by PureBloodKing – “Even though we are not in race, we should come first”. So me , Maitreya and Prasanna continued to walk. 

After about 1 hour we found a rock where no one can leave without taking pictures. (And there is exceptional case. Me, Maitreya & Prasanna, we didn’t take pictures……while descending we took …that’s the other part)  

Again the group of 4 and ""VISHAL SANKHYENE AALELE "" Me , Prasanna and Maitreya met.. Again their photo session started at the rock. We saw carved statues of Bhagawan Shri Ganesh and Bhagawan Hanuman. After about 15 min (at 9.30AM approx.) we reached PrabalMachi - Actual base village of Kalavantin Durg and PrabalGad. Here we came to know that what was seen from below was nothing but this village only. Not the peak. One can stay in this village if want to do both Kalavantin and Prabalgad. We had tea and breakfast (POHE) over there. Again grp4 came. N then onward we were together for entire trek. And we were like GRP7..!!!!

GRP 7

The interesting thing about Fantastic 4 is reference… Let me explain this one with ABCD. Four people A B C D.  A and B are cousins. C and B are college friends.  And C and D are school friends. No reference between A and C,D……… B and D.

We asked for the route for Kalavantin, which was gone just below from a mango tree. There are markings… but….but….but. "If u want find it you will never see. And if you want to see don’t try to find it.-PureBloodKing" .  It’s  not difficult to track the route. Just follow the path. We were stuck at a straight rock patch. But came back and found the right way. There is other route for PrabalGad from PrabalMachi.

Fantastic 7

At about 10.30AM we reached the V shaped place between Kalavantin and Prabalgad which can be seen from Thakurwadi. From the start upto this point we couldn’t see the top because of the fog. And here comes the breathtaking part. The carved steps.  Steps to heaven. And nothing to hold but fog. We couldn’t see anything far than 1 meter.  And suddenly VarunDev became happy & it started raining. We all were frozen. Wind was blowing from everywhere & that made it difficult to climb. But Fantastic GRP7 made it easy.

Fantastic 4

 And now it was the last rock patch. This is hard to climb in monsoon.The guy amongst Grp4 now in GRP7 tried to climb it. But he slipped from the middle and fell down.(At the top only.) He was not injured. Now it seemed difficult to climb that rock patch. But the one amongst fantastic 7 took initiative and climbed that patch. After him every one climbed that patch. 

And everyone thrown into a fright. How to descend this patch? While ascending we have 2 options ascend or not. But at the top we don’t have option. We have to descend. We kept our bags below. But then decided to get them up to eat something. We thought that it’s raining only below that rock patch. We are at top i.e. in the clouds so it won’t affect us. So some of us got down and brought the bags. While bringing bags, VarunDev again started showering his PRASAD… it was poor decision to bring bags up. We all were shivering. We took shelter of a big rock to rescue ourselves from rain and wind. Then someone shouted, “Mard ki tarha .. Samna karo” & someone replied “Mard ko bhi Dard hota hai..”.

@ Top in fog

After spending about 1 hour at top we started descending. It was not at all difficult to descend that rock patch as we thought while climbing. Then we came again to PrabalMachi. Ate what we had and had tea. And enquire about the ST for Panvel. It was 2 PM.  There was ST at 3 PM. Started descending from PrabalMachi. After 1 and ½ hour we came to Thakurwadi. Obviously we missed ST.  After some time finally ST came which was scheduled for 4.30 PM. Reached Panvel. Took Panvel local to cst.


Timing and Expenses

5.08 AM-6.40 AM             Local - CST to PANVEL                                                   20
6.55 AM-7.30 AM             ST – Panvel to Thakurwadi                                             16
7.30 AM-9.30 AM             Walk Thakurwadi to PrabalMachi
9.30 AM-10.00 AM           Break Fast & Tea                                                            40
10.00 AM-11.45 AM         Ascend upto top
11.45 AM-12.45 PM          Rest
12.45 PM-2.00 PM            Descend upto PrabalMachi
2.00 PM-2.30 PM              Lunch (we carried) tea and some snacks                      30
2.30 PM-4.00 PM              PrabalMachi to Thakurwadi
4.30 PM-5.00 PM              ST – Thakurwadi  to Panvel                                           16
5.00 PM -7.00 PM             Local – Panvel to CST                                                    20
                                                                                                                   -------------------------------
                                                Overall                                                               Rs.142     

Something from my side for beginners - Overall a great experience.  One experienced person should be with you. Not dangerous as other describe. But be cautious.