Photo Travelogue :
It was raining quite heavily last couple of days. Suddenly the sun appeared and I was like - I wanna go some place for a quick adventure. I have a list of places to explore not far from the city. So, out of several spots I zeroed on Malang Gad fort. Because, by the time I boarded the train to Kalyan it was almost 11am already and this was the closest of them all. Others needed early morning preparations as they were in remote areas. But this one was not far from the city and very popular, as it was also a religious site with devotees thronging it daily. By 12.45 noon I was standing at its base. The journey was quite simple, after getting down at Kalyan, I boarded the bus45, which was near the station itself. So everything was smooth and I was excited. I was also little apprehensive, because, not long ago I had leg problems back to back on both my legs - so, I was not sure I could make it to the top. However, I wanted to go as far as my legs could carry. The climb up, I discovered, was not easy as going against gravity makes you go huffing and puffing in no time. Coming down took me about 1 hour - it wasn't easy either. But, going up took me almost 3-4 hours. I reached the top around 4 pm or so after sitting at many shacks for rest. Couple of times I had even thought of quitting, expecially, when I saw the stair conditions - but, somehow, I kept pushing myself. So, now I have my own story to tell - that of my incredible and unbelievable trek to malang gad/ hajimalang.
17 kms from kalyan, once you leave the city behind...the hills start appearing...btw the hills are visible from far too...
as the bus races towards the hill, I can't help but go click, click...click...
3200 ft of glory stands right before my eyes...
what a lovely sight...
monsoon weaves its green magic all over...
the base...on left goes the road to the funicular train...and, on right, is the steps to the fort - which I take...
view from the bus stop below...bus number 45 drops you right at the base...
lush green hills inviting...
buy a Rs.20 walking stick, Rs.50 onwards chaddar for the shrines and a Rs.5 ticket for the trek... I skipped the stick...
left, is the ticket; but, one can avoid these donations ( on right ) even if coerced...
malang gad here I come...starting point is near the bus stop...
it keeps popping up throughout the trek...
the steps are broad and wide with railings in the initial phase...so, I'm quite enjoying the trek so far...
those thick green dense forests houses some nasty leopards and also monkeys...so, beware...
taking in the breath-taking views as civilisations far away gets smaller and smaller...
those heights keep beaconing out to me...they look far big and awesome in real...and there's a fort on top...
malang gad fort...its majorly an all natural fort...
plunging deep valley...
and then, all of a sudden nightmare appears...how on earth do I climb these :o ?
the higher one goes, the sight becomes pretty but the broken and steep stairs get freaky...
as the railings vanish and steps get scarier, I get bit demotivated to climb further, but, somehow manage not to give up...
jo dar gaya...samjho mar gaya...
not my prettiest picture...but after climbing 1500 steps, what did ya' expect, lol...I was exhausted as hell...
Midway, I reached a smaller shine and gave a chaddar and lit 5 candles. The chaddar cost 100 with agarbatti and flowers. The person ( moulvi? ) who conduct dua asked me to go half-way around and held half the chaddar while I held the other half and laid it over the grave :o Then, I was asked to lit the candles
which he'd blow off later for other devotees to lit them again with their wishes. I found it bit weird. As these candles were lit, put off in a loop with every comming devotee. There was a donation box where I was asked to donate. A person also sat outside with a reciept book asking for more donations. The people out there nearly coax you to buy or donate. The same process happened in the upper main dargah. So, I think its more a money-making scheme going on up there. I'm not a believer, so, although I gave chaddar, my mind was quite blank throughout. I was not going to ask dead people to fulfil any wishes. Anyways, my purpose to visit was hardly religious. I just visited for the adventure I got. To each their own. I have no disrespect either for the shrines or the devotees. I took part, because, the people up there nearly kept coaxing me and it'd be rude if I flatly refused. So, I just went along with it.
The fort is on three levels. The place where the shrines are located is called the 'pir machi' which is a long plateau and on the lowest level - after climbing 1500 steps
nonetheless! There are couple of hindu temples along the way too - devoted to shiva, maa durga, hanuman etc. Till the dargah, there are plenty of shacks all the way offering refreshments; and near the dargah itself, there are restaurants too offering food and other souvenir shops. Here, there are also dormitory if one stays over night. There are quite reasonable. The place offers some awesome sunrise and sunset views. Above it, going through a lane before one reaches the dargah is a small path leading to the next level 'sone machi'. Towards sone machi there are no food stalls, so, one needs to equip with food and water for the onwards climbs near the dargah itself. Here the steps too become almost suicidal and its just stones and rocks. I went till I could muster the courage. Its recommended to halt overnight for the more dangerous part of the fort exploration. I didnot go beyond half way of sone machi. The views of the pinacles are something I won't forget for a long long time. On the extreme top is the Bale killa, the highest level, which can be climbed only with proper equipment and under guidance of experts. There is the remnant of the old fort and couple of water tanks which are connected with pipes and water then taken below. On this fort there are no gates as it is naturally fortified and the main entrance is barely visible. It also has a 'chor darwaza' from where one gets the view of deep valleys.
BTW, There are more graves further up ~ of the 'panch pirs' who had accompanied the main sufi saint, along with grave of 'daadi maa' and her helpers. There's also 'pathan sa baba's dargah ( highest near the pinacle devni shrine ), 'sher gufa', 'sikke ki chattan', 'gufa wala baba' and 'ghode di tap'. I was not interested in going to these shrines, although, the places where they are located are more of an adventurous walk and further up. Daadi dargah is farthest and is through a jungle - not recommended to go alone. There's also the fort path which is really threacherous. I personally don't agree to worshipping of dead bodies which the sufi sect does.
Throughout my trek, I encountered many donkeys carrying crates of bottled water and a lady herding them up with a stick ( beating occasionally ), men carrying heavy sacks of goods on their heads, one carried a gas cylinder, one carried several luggages on top of the other, some labourers carried stones and rocks as they repaired parts of the broken stairs. I also, met a lady, who walked up the steps - she said she lived up there and had gone to see off her married daughter. I was quite amazed how the inhabitants carry out their daily activities living so high up.One juice wala said - it was so 'sokoon' up there. I rolled my eyes...I wouldn't climb so many stairs everyday for that sukoon, even for free. He smiled at that :-)
Spook Quotient - Besides the adventure bit, this place certainly has lots of mysterious spook quotient. Battles have been fought ( between marathas and british ), many have died in the past, many climbers too fell and died while attempting the dangerous terrain, along with death of locals too; and not to mention, presence of so many graves of the sufi saints all scattered over the vast hill. The history of the hill is also quite spooky and controversial. Its also claimed by hindus as the samadhi site of Sage Machindranath and Gorakhnath, who used to live and do 'tap' in the hills in ancient times. As per the muslims, it is said, these hills had lots of demonic activity going on so Allah instructed a saint from Yemen to come and establish islam and control the demons. So, Hazrat Haji Abdur Rehman Malang along with his companions came and it is said he turned the evil king and queen into stones; and their daughter converted and came to be known as fatima. Her grave is along side Haji Malang in the main dargah. Haji Malang refused to go back and spent all his life in the hills. It is also said, the hills were previously thrice the size and visible from Yemen, but, Haji Malang's horse once stomped and the hill got reduced to its current size, and the place where the horse stomped water started coming out which till this day appears in a small 4 feet deep tank - no one knows the water source. From Hindu perspective, it is said, it was originally Machindranath's samadhi which over time got converted into the dargah. There are religious clashes from time to time over the different beliefs - Hindus come and do arti and puja in the graves claiming it to be Machindranath's samadhi. Well..whatever one cannot deny the fact that its an important place for both the communities. My own experience was freaky. And it happened after my return. I had extreme dehydration and food poisoning for almost a week, and some strange nightmares :|
Malang Gad,, also known as Haji Malang Dargah, is a hill fort located in the Matheran Hill Range, Raigad District, Maharashtra. It's situated approximately 17 km from Kalyan. The fort is a popular trekking destination and holds religious significance as it houses the Dargah of Sufi saint Haji Malang ( wiki ).
Address : Kalyan, Maharashtra, India.
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