Torna Trek

Drenched Camera, cellphone, wallet and Me ....Means rocking trek....

I went to Torna Fort this weekend (5th Aug, 2007). This was amazing trek in more than one ways. We started from Katraj bypass at around 8 o'clock in the morning. We were 4 people- My room partner Chandru, my cousin Pravin, our friend Gautam and Myself with 3 bikes. With superb road as Pune-Blore Highway it took less then half hour to reach Nasarapur phata. Trekker's delight - today rain didn't have any excuse and was soaking all of us. We took right from Nasarapur phata. It is around 30 kms from here to base of Torna. We could see Rajgad from the road. After a very cool and green road which was better than any road in Pune we reached Velhe which is base camp [;)]....We parked bikes near police station and had some breakfast in Torna Hotel. Now the trek starts, and so does the adventure. It greets you with a small Stream which was flowing on it's full force. We crossed it using some rocks thrown by considerate someone already. We reached small hill and started climbing. It was raining heavily and Chandrakant lost his camera, cellphone and wallet to rain as water got through his camera bags chain locks... [:(] ...fortunately my camera was still working. Road was slippery and we had to climb carefully. After reaching the top was a small plain strip on even ground to the main fort hill. But....here there were no obstacles for wind and it was flowing at rate of around 60-70 km/hr (Probably more that this), And with rain to accompany it It was like someone is throwing hundreds of needles on our face and it's force was throwing us sideways 2-3 steps until we can stop ourselves. All we could do was call names to wind and try not to get overthrown from hill. That was just coool experience. We Named that place detention room [:D]. Now the main climbing starts with small jungle and tricky corners. With fort bastions in sight comes the last rock patch. It's a around 60-70 degree climb. Poles were there for support but still it was a killing experience. One wrong step and you get a good flying experience...ammmm...landing may be little rough though [;)]...We climbed one by one slowly and...found a breath taking waterfall at the end....A big one falling directly from fort...The water was chilly and clear....After having a small photo session here and there came another small rock patch which took us to first Door of the Fort...small climbing and the Fort's main door greets you ...We took rest in the Temple there....The visibility was very low due to the fog...we wandered around the fort for some time ..had lunch (better I call that snacks)...and started downward move a around 3:30 pm. Now the rocky path was more frightening as we couldn't see where we are putting out step. After twisting and turning and sitting down on lot of places we crossed it. On the way down all of a sudden atmosphere cleared for 5 minutes...we took our time clicking aways as many snaps as possible. Ohhh but we forgot our detention room...and as sson as we entered that part...wind started flowing again ...and this time with more force than climbing time..we were forced to stop and sit sometimes due to it's force...that small road of around half km took us around 10 minutes to cross.Mayank's camera also accepted defeat at last sand shut itself down. After that it was a piece of cake getting down with some ups and downs. We reached velha at around 4:15 pm and everyone had 2 cup of hot steaming tea gratefully. Then it was ride back to pune. We reached back around 7:30 pm. After being at such an amazing natural beauty Pune traffic struck us hard [:D]...

Yeh and as a final note our cameras, cellphone and wallet...I dissembled them as much as I could...put them all on table under the fan...and in the morning they all were back to life...with three small lines on camera screen to remind me when I go for next monsoon trek.

Its an awsome adventure, but not for the week hearted.....