Mahuli Fort Trek - Asangaon

If you are a fan of rock-climbing, then this is the place you definitely want to visit. Mahuli fort is also known as the 'Everest of Thane' which at a height of 2815 feet (815 meters) above sea level, the highest point in the district of Thane. The trek route offers some exceptional views of adjoining mountain ranges; also being a part of the Tansa Wildlife, Sanctuary there's a chance of spotting some rare species of flora and fauna.

How to Reach?

Base village for Mahuli fort is the Mahuli village itself. You need to get down at Asangaon Local Station (central line) and from there autorickshaws are available that charge you Rs 250 for three persons or Rs 350 for four persons. Also, a cheaper option would be to go to the Highway and board an ST bus that charges Rs 10. Autos and buses leave you till the foothills of the fort. Upon reaching one needs to pay Rs 20 charged by the local Mahuli Paryatan Kendra. The route is well marked and also has a waterfall on the other side towards the left, boards and marking towards the waterfall are provided.

Difficulty Level:

People with prior trekking experience will find it easy to trek Mahuli fort and for intermediate or beginners it is a medium level trek. Route is well-marked and easy to trek and has very less risky rock patches as compared to other places like Kalavantin Durg or Harishchadragad. Railings and ladders are provided at risky places, though one needs to take proper care while rock climbing especially in the monsoon. After trekking for around 2-2.5 hrs, you will encounter an iron ladder, put up by the local authorities. This marks the end of the trek. Descend time is about 2 hrs.

What to see?

Mahuli fort area is large and is a combination of two other forts - Bhandargad and Palasgad. Top of the fort has markings to guide you towards these forts. On an average it takes 45 mins to reach Bhandargad and about 30 mins to reach Palasgad. There are also some caves on the way towards the 'Mahadarwaja'. One can take overnight shelter here if planning for a night trek.

Best Time to Visit:

Monsoon (June - September).
In the monsoon season, the trek route is flooded with water hence water is thoroughly available but one needs to carry at least 3-4 litres of water if trekking in summer.

History:

The creator of this fort are Mughals. In 1485 this place came under rule Nijamshahi dynasty. When Shahaji Raje became the secretary of Nijamshahi, Mughals of Delhi tried to end Nijamshahi. In 1635-36, Shahaji Raje transferred himself with Jijabai and Shivaji to Mahuli. When Khan Jaman attacked the fort, Shahaji asked Portuguese for help, who refused and Shahaji surrendered.
Shivaji took this fort from Mughals on 8 Jan 1658. In 1661 it was given back and was won again by Shivaji. In treaty of Purandar, in 1665, Marathas lost these forts again. In Feb 1670, Shivaji Maharaj tried to conquer Mahuli, but failed, Manohardas Gaud, was the in charge of the fort. A thousand Marathas were killed.Most of them were from nearby villages.Shivaji Maharaj said to his dead kadam sardar he is our gold. So maharaj gave the Sonare surname to this family. Manohardas Gaud, soon gave up his position and Alveerdi Beg took over. On 16 June 1670, after two months, Moropant Pingle conquered the forts and Mahuli, Bhandargad and Palasgad became part of Swarajya. Till 1817, Shivaji's dynasty owned the fort but later on it was controlled by the British Raj.
(Credits: Wikipedia).

My Experience:

I started my journey early in the morning at 4 am from Kandivali, Mumbai with a mate coming from Mira Road. We took the first train from Dadar at 5.18 am and reached Asangaon Station at 7.15 am. Outside the station, we met a group of 13 people and joined them. Now we were a group of 15. After an autorickshaw ride of about half an hour, we reached the base of the fort. Had refreshments (Bhaji, Misal Paav and chai) and started trekking  at 8.30 pm. We reached the top within 2.5 hrs explored the entire Mahuli fort and other adjoining places and started descending at 2.30 pm. It took 2 hrs to descend. After reaching down we called one of the auto-wallahs and reached the Asangaon station at 5.15 pm. Finally after a local train journey of 3 hrs I reached home at 9.30 pm.

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