1. कळसुबाई Elevation 1646 m (5400 ft)
Kalsubai – Highest in Maharashtra Location Bhandardara

2. Kalsubai
The highest peak in the world is Mount Everest. Likewise, Kalsubai is the highest peak in the
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Sahyadris in Maharashtra. Kalsubai is the Everest of Maharashtra. To climb this Everest, you
need no climbing equipment. To climb this 4500 feet peak, it just takes one day for either a
Mumbaikar or a Punekar.
On the top of the peak is a small temple, which can seat at the most 3 people. The vastly spread
out backwaters of Bhandardara attracts ones attention from the top. On the north we see the
mountain range having forts like Ramsej, Achala, Ahivant, Saptashrungi, Markandya, Dhodap,
Rawlya , Jawlya and Koldher. To the east one can spot Aundh, Vishramgad, Alang, Madan,
Kulang, Matheran and Harishchandragad. There has, however, been a massive deforestation on
this mountain. One can spend around an hour on this peak before starting to descend back to
the village.
the village.
To reach this peak there are various trekking routes and animal grazing tracks. The main route
however goes up from the village of Bari. This village is at a distance of around 6 km from
Bhandardara. To reach Bari, one has to reach Igatpuri i h M b i N ik
Bh d d T hB i h hI i in the Mumbai ‐ Nasik route. From Igatpuri
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take the early morning S.T. to Pune and alight at Bari. It takes 3 hours to reach the top from here.
There are three iron ladders along this route. You can reach the top and return back in around 5‐
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6 hours if you leave your sacks at the base village. As soon as you leave the village, u come
across a stream. Within a few minutes of crossing the stream you come across a temple. The
route going from behind this temple takes us straight up to the top of the peak.

4. From Igatpuri/ Ghoti
Bari
B i

5. Well
Kalsubai Temple
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7. Tea break at Ghoti
- Anil, Yuvraj and Sandesh

9. From GHOTI
Sinner

13. Rajeev

14. Sandesh and Rajeev

15. Sandesh, Rajeev and Yuvraj

16. Sandesh and Yuvraj

20. Typical House of a
well-to-do farmer

21. Reached village Bari
Anil, Sandesh, Yuvraj

22. A religeous function is
going on in the village

26. Sandesh and
Yuvraj mingle with
the crowd

28. The Hanuman Temple
- each village has one

30. Sandesh, Rajeev
and Yuvraj

31. Kids from village

32. Winter night in a village hut
Anil, Yuvraj and Sandesh

33. Good Night!
Yuvraj, Anil, Rajeev and Sandesh

39. The Kalsubai Peak

40. Hut where we had our
dinner and spent our night

41. Morning rituals in
open air

42. V for Victory.
What a relief!

43. Yuvraj fresh from good sleep

44. Garam Garam Pohe

47. The Vaini and her
smart boy

48. Dev Anand would
love this hair style

49. A Good Cuppa of
Tea after Pohe

50. Ready to go. The hut
owner is our guide.

54. Rajeev, Anil and
Sandesh

55. Yuvraj

59. The First Iron
Ladder
- Anil

60. Sandesh

61. Yuvraj

69. Second Iron Ladder

74. Well at this height was a
surprise. And there was Butter
Milk. You have to taste it at that
height to feel it...

75. And you thought the
milk came from village

78. The Third Iron
Ladder

81. The Kalsubai
Temple at the top

83. Kalsubai - The
Goddess

86. Sitting at a height of 5400 ft, the
topmost point in Maharashtra

87. Yuvraj on highest point of Maharashtra - feeling like a King

88. Bhandardara lake
Dam

92. Food brought by Yuvraj made
by his sister and mother was
always more than enough

108. At the Bhandardara Lake

114. Randha Waterfall

118. Un spoilt
Un hurried
Un touched
Un confined
Un expected
Un conquered
Un paralleled
Un paralleled
Un matched
Un stressed
Un stressed
Un limited
Standing as silent sentinels to history are the 350‐odd forts of Maharashtra. Beaten by
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the sea waves, lashed at by the torrential Deccan rains, or scorched in the blazing sun,
stand imposing ramparts and crumbling walls , the last lingering memories of
Maharashtra's martial times. Nowhere in the country would you encounter such a
profusion of forts. And such variety. Sited on an island, or guarding the seas or among
the Sahyadri hills, whose zig‐zag walls and rounded bastions sit like a scepter and
crown amidst hills turned mauve.