Mini Trek to Kondhane Caves, Karjat

Posted: by Pulsurge in Labels: , ,
4

I think that wherever your journey takes you, there are new gods waiting there, with divine patience -- and laughter....Susan M. Watkins

A boring Saturday afternoon at home doing nothing except exercising my fingers on the TV remote. Thought to head out somewhere, but no idea where. Decided mid-way to go to this unknown caves of Kondhane. These caves are on the western slope of Rajmachi plateau (on Karjat side) and were carved in the period around 200 BC.


Its an easy half an hour trek from Kondhane village passing through a nice blanket of trees- so no sunny exhaustion. The caves too are not huge and vastly spread as Karla or Kanheri, but such beautiful ancient architecture situated deep inside a forest is something amazing. I was slighly exhausted- but the first sight of the caves just sucked away all the tiredness.




On the return thought it wont be dark as early as 6.30- but it was. Lost my way and landed up at a farm of Emu birds with 4 huge and dreadful looking dogs coming running towards me. I always have a knife in my pocket whenever I go on treks- and I can repel one dog, but 4- no ways. A quick scamper backwards was a better option that time and a quick walk bought me to the right diversion. Came back to where my bike was parked- was already very dark then.



The moment I switched on the HID it was insects all over the spot light, the front of the bike and lot of them on my body too.


A short slippery and bumpy and near-crashing ride bought me back to Kondhane village. It was an easy ride all the way home.


Not much of a great ride- but it was worth the time and felt privileged of having explored a relatively uknown place and experiencing exotic examples of ancient architecture which still exist. Dont know when they might just disappear.

My route: Mira Road-Thane-Vashi-Panvel-Chowk-Karjat-Dahivli-Kandpe-Kondhane and back.
Didn't note down the distance but would be around 220-240 kms both ways.

The complete set of pics HERE

4 comments:

  1. Pradosh says:
    March 3, 2010 at 3:38 PM

    Its not such a unknown place
    We had done an organized waterfall rapelling from above the caves ..

    And the caves are rather simplistic compared to the Karla caves (or the Pandava Leni caves near Nashik)

  1. Daniel D'Mello says:
    March 4, 2010 at 11:10 AM

    Yeah, we came close to the caves on our way to Kargat from Rajmachi last year. Adventure groups organise rapelling there. Heard about the emu farm too. I see a waterfall in the pics. Is there a lot of water there at this time of year?

  1. Nishant says:
    March 17, 2010 at 3:33 PM

    Interesting place. Seems like a one-day ride .. Will try visiting this place and the EMU farm too :D

  1. Pulsurge says:
    April 23, 2010 at 9:43 PM

    @Pradosh: It is definitely an unknown place as most of the population (me included) are not aware of :)

    Yeah the caves are simplistic..but to stumble upon an architecture in a deep jungle...the pleasure is something else.

    @Daniel: Not much water was there, but enough to refresh you if tired.

    @Nishant: Yeah do try.

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