Members:
Rajan Rikame(Leader),
Reshma Raikar(Cooking/Welfare Incharge), Krishnadas Warrier(On road expense incharge),
Rishi K.T.(Water Incharge), Jyotish(Entertainment Incharge),
Gopal Shettiger(Fuel Incharge), Anand Choumal(Packaging Incharge).

Route: Mumbai-Banda-Nivti Kille-Devgadh-Harnai-Alibaug-Mumbai
Total Distance By Road: 1550 km

Places covered: 13 Forts, 2 Temple & 1 Sea Beach.

One of my longest pending wish become reality when we had successfully organised Costal Trek. It was one of the plan which I had planned in my college days to cover all costal forts by Sea route. This time we did completed the task instead by road.

" Wedaat Marathe Vir Daudaale Saat"

The seven sardars of Bhramanti finally took the task to concur the costal forts in whatever available ways/means. This time our traveling was using Sumo (the horse of current age). It took seven days to gather all information: 1. route plan, 2. optional route, 3. ration, 4. the driver, 5. emergency local contacts in the respective district, 6. distribution of responsibilities to the right Sardars & finally 7. the fund collection.

While in transit we had the responsibility distribution session where each one understand his/her responsibilities. Initially most of them were having little doubt in there mind since nobody had experienced such type of exploration. In fact Reshma had denied her responsibility but as per my experience about her way of communication I was pretty confident about her acceptance. In fact Gopal bought some fuel for cooking while joining the team. Krishna did some purchase, Rishi started his journey with Water Gallon, Entertainment Dept Jyotish joined us with his Digital Handy Camera, supported by Rishi with audio recording facility, Anand was still undergoing his MBA skills which was supposed to be used to Manage all open objects in the entire exploration.

It was one of the good suggestion given by our Trustee to travel first to Goa and return to Mumbai while visiting those Forts. For me it was first ever kind of experience where traveling in Maharashtra continuously for five days. The National Highway 17 passing through the Sahyadri and surrounded by lush green vegetation/jungle/rivers/mountains was one of the great experience. Once on the way Reshma reminded about Konkan which is California of India. It was true when we raveled through our entire route specially the roads on the costal side. The Sea shore always used to play hide and seek with mountains. Abruptly we used to get the sea view while passing through the forested costal route. We used to charged up due to the sea view. By god's grace we could able to manage our night halt in the safe place. Once in the front yard of a village house(Nivti kille), once in the Village hospital (Devgadh) and once in the Big Temple situated in the valley nr. Harne.

Apart from few minor problems to our two members out of the lot, everything went on smoothly. And after traveling 1300km for 4 days one of the wheel got retired while leaving Alibag. So it took some time to fixed new one but luckily we all were intact without any damages.


Our schedule:

10th Nov 2004.
Mumbai-Banda, Start Time: 9:30pm. Puja with coconut breaking by Bhramanti Trustee Shree Maruti B. Rikame. Traveled along the National Highway 17 throughout till Maharashtra -Goa Border.



11th Nov 2004.
Banda-Nivati, Reached Banda at 10:00am. took rest for next 4 hrs in Subhedar Hotel NR Banda 3 km's away from the Village center. After Rest and Lunch Traveled to Terekhol Fort which is near a Village Reddy. Goa Tourism Hotel inside the fort. Sea View on the back side of the fort. Then we moved to Nivti Kille Village for Night Halt. Took shelter in a front yard of a villager M. Sawant. After Dinner visited Nivti Beach and closed the first trek day by 11:00pm gossiping old stories about my trek experiences.

12th Nov 2004.
District: Sindhudurg
Nivati-Devgadh, Start Time: 7:30am, After Morning Breakfast left the Village to visit Nivti Fort. Had scenic view of Arebian Sea with Dolphin showing there entertainment skills far away from the beach. Left Nivti Village at 10:00am for Malwan. Reached Malwan at 11:30am Visited Sindhudurg fort and left the place for Devgadh One of the last costal fort of Sindhudurg district. We reached here at 5:00pm. The fort looks beautiful. All we were praising about the fortifications. One can see the beach towards south side of the fort. It has 5 layer's of fortifications. The fort wall seems to be still in good condition. It looks latest construction. After the Sunset we left this fort and moved towards Then had a night halt in the Hospital area of Devgadh village which was almost close.

13th Nov 2004.
District: Ratnagiri
Devgadh-Harnai, Start Time: 7:00am, We Traveled on the road heading towards Pawas and reached to Purnagadh which is on the same way. Spent some time to explore and little bolderring practice. Then left to Ratnagiri fort around 12:00 noon. On the topmost point it has a light house and on the right(north) side a balekilla exist in the ruined condition. It has a temple of Devi Bhagavati. The see view is terrific from the balekilla. After the fort exploration we took lunch break and moved towards Jaygadh fort which is at similar kind of destination like Devgadh where one can see sea shore on the three sides of the fort.

Then moved towards Ganapati Pule towards south. Visited Ganapati Pule Temple and then the beach. Spent some time on the beach. As per the locals the beach is dangerous due to it deepness. one has to keep watch on the "Low tide". Since the water drives you deep inside at low tide. Further we left the beach and reached near Harne. We took halt 3km before the main village. So while on search we got a good conditioned old temple Vyaghreshwar where we decided to take our last night halt.

Our friend Anand was most happiest person by day end since he got a chance to swim for 1 hr which he was expressing since the beginning of the trek. But his over exertion made him sleep in the temple as soon we entered and fixed in. Our food incharge Reshma was too active even though everybody were tired due to long travel today. As soon we reached the Temple she started preparing the food supported by me. Water Incharge spent some time to hunt for potable water which could manage from the Temple site itself. Gopal, Jyotish and Krishna too were active for the last hand made food. This time the dinner was with some variety potato+Onion gravy with Malwani Masala and steam rice to avoid the chile effect. I did proposed for a coffee after dinner and everybody agreed but unfortunately the after dinner all went for searching there mats to lie down.

14th Nov 2004.
District : Raigadh
Harnai-Alibag, Start Time: 7:30am, After the puja in the Temple, we Traveled through the Fisherman Colony to reach Harne Fort which was in custody for the tourist. Only way to go inside is from the Rocky side (sea face). Though the fort is very small with less history. It has other name called Goa Fort too. Then we moved towards the sea end where Kanak Durg is. It has a one bastion with steps and a light house. One can have a nice view of Suvarnadurg from the top. There is no official boat service to land up on this fort. One has to bargain with any of the Fisherman for the boat ride.

The boat took us to the main gate of the fort. The fort is not at all maintained by anybody. Its dense jungle inside. We could not able to see the Chor Darwaja where it opens on the opposite side of the main gate. It has around 6 small wells. One of the well which is near to the main gate has potable water which is kind of uniqueness of this fort. After the exploration we took a circular boat ride of this fort. And luckily we could able to see the Dolphins playing in mid of the see, trying to jump above water as much as they can.

We moved further to Murud and reached by 3:30pm. Took a boat ride and reached the Janjira fort within 15 min. We took a guide tour to see the 12 imp. points on this fort. We spent 1 hr on this fort. The returned to Alibag by 7:30pm. So we decided to take final photographs of our trek from Alibag beach itself. And moved to Mumbai. Had to spent some time till both of our tyre's were punctured. We were at around 2 km's away from the main village. Then we reached Mumbai at 1:30PM next day.

15th Nov 2004.
Reached Mumbai

Written By: Rajan Rikame

Feedback:

Reshma:
Dear Rajan and the costal trek TEAM,

Thanks to all of you for the great 4 days we have spent together. For Rajan and Bhramanti it was a successfully organized Costal Trek, it may be a change of routine for somebody or it may be some adventuress activity for someone ....But for me.... no words to explain the joy and satisfaction I enjoyed during all these days. And of course all credit goes to Rajan and all Bhramanti team. During all the time I never felt that we are 7 different people enjoying some trek... rather we all were part of all the moments together...part of the nature, forts,sea,sun, nights and, and the shooting star........ Yes !!! the most wonderful moment of the trek.....deep silence of the dark night.... and more deeper the silence of the waves....all of us were lying at the Nivti beach....though everybody was watching the stars....I know everybody had crossed the barriers of human being...they had crossed the earth and were floating between the layers of earth and the stars... beyond time...beyond everything which reminds us of being human being.....and suddenly a star started coming to us... with its full force...with all his energy...as if he was waiting for this moment....very desperate to meet us........ohh...I still remember that moment as if now at this moment also it will come and lay on my palms...and suddenly it disappeared.....before you could actually feel the moment...it had merged it with the other similar incomplete moment...and left us to wait for the next....oops language stops here...