Trip to Purandar Fort

It was a long time that I haven't gone outside for some nearby trip. The job and my IAS preparation has made my life so monotonous. Programmatically,I would say that i have been put under a recursive loop where I was doing the same thing every day. Now, its the time to come out from the loop to do something new and rejuvenating. Luckily one of my junior Nishant called me and asked to meet ,as it was a long time we haven't met. So, on friday night(festive day) we met and have a blast with some other friends. During discussion one of my friend Anubhav told us about Purandar fort trek. Then what ,suddenly we decided to go for a road trip to Purandar fort. Its one of the fort which is located 20  km from Sasvad, Pune. The fort was having its own legacy during medieval regime. It was a symbol of tussle between Mughals and Marathas. On Saturday ,we four guys(Anubhav,Nishant,Pranjal and me) left from Amanora Park Town for Purandar ,which was approximately 45 km from our residing place. After crossing the dusty fursungi road we came on Sant Gyaneshwar highway and then the adventure starts. Our bikes were guzzling at the speed of 100-110 and I was just feeling like that I have been freed from the clutches of absolute slavery. In 45 minutes we reached to Sasvad which is nearly 2o km from Hadapsar. We reached to a shack and have a tea and a classic bhel. After having a chit chat for half an hour we started our journey again. After Sasvad the ghat section starts . Slowly slowly we were entering into natures lap from the noisy city. There was a classic blend of cool breeze and shining sun which has made the whole environment lively.

Then starts our real biking . The fort was on a height and we have to go upwards following a curly road. Initially the road was quite good but as we move above it started deteriorating. I can say that Sinhgad Fort road was far better  than this and lohgad worse. The issue was that it was highly teared , so as you try to stop on slope  your bike will start skidding back. But it was a cool experience for us as in past we have already done so much mountain biking.

At last, we reached to the fort gate. There we came to know that I was an area under army jurisdiction and gate gets closed at 4:30pm. If the driver is having helmet then he can take his bike inside else you have to go by walk for nearly 1km and then the trekking starts. Luckily we were having helmets(thanks to Pune police helmet drive). On entering inside,there was a statue of Murarbaji Deshpande and a church(looking abandoned but some army person was sitting inside) 

At last our trekking starts. We have to go nearly 1000 m above to reach the fort gate. I would say this sitting job is a curse for physical fitness. In a period of six months only we have got bellies and it was a chance for us to reduce it to some extent may be 200 gram(lol...).

The ways were having Lord Hanuman murals and idols. Finally we reached to the fort. There only, we came to know that it is only ruins of  forts. Nothing spectacular was there in sense of architecture as the mother nature has demolished everything. The ruins were itself speaking about the glorious Maratha history and their struggle with Mughals.Then we came to know that there is a temple some 2 km away and it will be the last point of trek so we started moving towards that. But as always we were getting late because sun starts melting in the sea of cloud  making it tangy orange  with each clock tick and dusk was getting younger with that. So we decided to go back as we have to reach Pune early. At  all it was a nice experience. There was nothing more to see there. Trekking enthusiast can go there to have some fun and the trek is also of beginner to mid level. The only thing you will enjoy was being roady, if you like driving. Overall I can say that if you are getting bored and have some 6-7 hours and live in Pune then you can go there for some fun and rejuvenation.