Madhe Ghat Trek

Since long time,I have been planning a trek till Madhe Ghat but the location of this place is at difficult part in monsoons due to bad roads.
Now there is a good tar road 2 kms away from this place hence lot of people from Pune coming to this place.Two years before,hardly anyone used to come beyond Velhe.This route is used by trekkers who do the Rajgad to Torna to Raigad trek
Madhe in Marathi means 'dead body'
During Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj time,  Narveer Tanaji Malusare laid down his life in conquering the Kondana fort which was later named as Sinhagad.So for his cremation and final rituals were to be done to his native place Umrathe near Poladpur dist Raigad.His funeral was taken to his native place through this ghat hence this place  was named as Madhe Ghat
Location of this place:
This place is located 15 kms from Velhe behind Torna fort and 36 kms away from Khadakwasla dam via Khanapur and 55 kms from Pune.
From Khadakwasla dam proceed towards Panshet,you will reach Khanapur village.Just after end of village,the road to Panshet goes towards right on a hill and a road towards left goes towards Velhe via Paabe Ghat.Take this route
From Velhe village,take right and after some distance(hardly 200 meters) take a left turn going on a hill.Now this road takes you to the backside of Torna Fort.From here you will be able to see Torna fort to left side of road and small valley and Gunjavni dam to your right.
Proceed through this road and in around 4 kms,you will have to climb a small ghat to reach Kanad Khind
From this Kanad Khind,you will be able to see breathtaking views of the Sahyadris.
Budhla Machi of Torna is on left,just on top of your head and deep valleys to right with dense forests all over.
Near Kanad Khind,this place is surrounded by big mountains from three sides hence you will see clouds bouncing over the rocky faces of mountains and in valleys hence even in afternoon in monsoons you will have fog all over.
Also this place is like a hill station because even in month of may there is too much cold that you need blankets even in summer season.Unbelievable!!(especially when mercury levels in Pune which is just 50 kms from this place is around 43 deg cel.)
Further from Kanad khind as the road progresses you will be able to see deep valleys on both sides of road with clouds all over.You will have experience of riding over the clouds.Here you will feel like you are in Ooty because the scene was almost same like ooty with bends and curves on hills,deep valleys,few small houses on the slopes and dense trees all over and clouds bouncing through the valley.
After climbing down this ghat,you reach a village called Pasali from where one road to left goes towards Bhor(35 kms in forests behind Rajgad) and a road to Madhe Ghat in straight 6 kms away.From here the road condition is bad.from here you will see plain area all over surrounded with tall mountains from all side with rice fields all around the road.Continue this straight road and after few time,you will cross a bridge on Velvandi river(on which the Bhatghar dam is built near Bhor).After this bridge again you have to climb up a ghat and from here the weather was too much foggy.One can hardly see beyond 15 feets.
After climbing down the ghat little bit,you reach a plain area all over surrounded by trees like Hirda,Jambhul,Karvand,Jackfruits etc(I was able to collect around 3 kgs of jambhul from one single tree but still that tree was left with plenty of fruits.You will not believe but to pluck out fruits from this Jamun tree,you have to bend down instead of stretching up/throwing stones etc and there were too many such jamun tree where the fruits were just at around 3 feets height till the top of tree) and fnally you arrive Kelad village.This village during Shrimant Pant Sachiv of Bhor dynasty time also was called as anna-chattra(food distribution)
From this village(just before start of Kelad village),take right turn.But from this road in monsoons,no vehicles can go hence you need to park vehicles near Kelad village and have to walk 2 kms to reach Madhe ghat.I have seen two Sumo/Bolero reaching till the end but the road was very muddy.One sumo was trapped in that muddy road and people were pushing it hard.
Finally when we arrive at Madhe ghat,This area is very plain for miles on a high hill top and proceeding towards the edge of this mountain,we are able to see a gigantic waterfall falling over the exposed rock directly into the valley of 2500 feets falling in the Shivthar river in Konkan.
From this area if weather is clear,you can view Varandha ghat to your front,Shivtharghal to your east and Raigad to your west side.But yesterday,the weather was too much foggy.I was not able to see in the valley.Everything was covered in clouds.This gigantic waterfall was falling in valley but I could see it for hardly 100 feets only.
This place is amazing.

This mountain has three ghats to descend into konkan.
The Madhe ghat which descends to Karnawadi village,Gope Ghat which descends to Shivtharghal by joining Varandha ghat near Dharmandap and the Shevate ghat which descends to the Birwadi village near Mahad.
There is a road construction going on for a proposed road to Mahad via the Shevate ghat.The tunnel construction is in final process else from Mahad side and from pune side,there is a good tar road.
If this tunnel is made,then Pune to Mahad will be only 65 kms hence sad to see many part of land occupied by the land/plot developers from Pune Mumbai with cut down trees and fencing done all over.

My other blogs related with treks
www.ratangadbhandardaratrek.blogspot.com


Here are some photos

Guess who is this guy(photo taken from 15 feet)?

Now got who is he(Closeup photo)

From the top of waterfall

Gigantic waterfall

View of waterfall from other side(a valley of 2500 feets cant be seen)

Through the fog

Jamun tree with lot of fruits.There were many such trees