NirvanicM: An Unforgettable trek....

We were planning for a trek from a long time. The Shiva Jayanti day turned out to be THE day and we decided to trek Harishchandra Gad (Fort) located near Malshej Ghat in Maharashtra. There are 3 to 4 ways to reach the temple. We chose the Nashik highway route and ended up in a small village called Kotul. The trek is exhaustive and you really should make up your mind before starting it. I had an opportunity to shoot some pictures and luckily there were many good scenes and people to shoot.

For detailed information about the temple, visit http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harishchandragad

Here are some memories

No, there's no train travel involved! We had planned to meet at Ghatkopar. Just a random pic in the train. Just a proof that sometimes trains are empty in Mumbai!!

The temple! The trek is exhausting, but once you reach the top, the view is exhilarating.

The water reservoir at the top. People flock the site to get clean, just before entering the temple. MH clicks is my photo signature (ignore please).

The Shiva idol is located inside this cave like structure. The water level inside it is 2 feet or so. The specialty of the cave is, however tall or short a person is, he is submerged till the waist.

The Shiva temple, said to be built in King Harishchandra's reign and has references in the puranas. It's dated back in 6th century. It is a very beautifully carved temple, but needs to be renovated and maintained.