It was the month of January and I was pumped in to begin my year with the most thrilling and scary trek of the Western ghats of the Sahyadris - Dhak Bahiri
I had signed up with a local trekking community group for an overnight trek on 20-1-19. Because of the difficult grade of the trek my friends who wished to join were not eligible enough. So it was just me with a group of around 15 strangers on the go!
Little information about the trek..
Dhak Bahiri is a cave in the Sahyadri hill range situated around 15 kms from Karjat, Maharashtra. In the cave there is a Bhairavnath Temple until where you need to reach. The cave is big enough to accomodate 50 people. This trek is not for the faint hearted as there are certain patches to climb which look dangerous. Also, make sure you do your research before signing up with the trekking unit you wish to join.
My Journey of the trek..
We started our trek on the night of 19th Jan from Dadar station and reached Karjat around 1 am. From there we got in the cabs and reached the base village of Sandashi in 45 minutes. We had an overnight stay at one of the local houses, who were kind enough to let us stay in exchange for a minimum price. The next morning after having our breakfast we started the journey by 8am. The view of the mountain range from the balcony of the house was beautiful with the morning colours painted in the sky!
We filled our bottles, packed our bags, tightened our shoelaces and started the trek with full enthusiasm! The weather was cool and sunny at the same time. The initial 60 minutes were easy with flat walking trail. Later, as we started gaining ascent, the rays got stronger and slowly we were getting exhausted! An hour or two, after stopping for the water breaks and making our way through the forest, we reached a zone from where the Dhak bahiri caves were first visible. The cave looked like a small hole carved on the giant mountain wall.
After reaching further close to the mountain, what looked like an easy climb up to the top was indeed the scariest and the bravest climb I have ever experienced! This final patch climb is technically divided into 2 parts. The first is climbing the rock cut steps on the mountain with the support from the ropes that are already attached. One step at a time and one person at a time is the rule to be followed as one wrong step and you are down in the valley! What made it more exciting was that we had around 50 people ahead of us who were climbing which made us wait for almost an hour.
The second patch is where the real thrill begins. There are 6 to 7 feet high branches, secured by iron rods and ropes which is to be climbed upon to reach the cave. And this is an 80 degree straight inclined slope. You climb on the limb stumps of the branches while taking support from the rocks. Here, you have to be extremely careful while climbing and avoid looking down in the valley. (If you fear heights but you are up for a challenge, then this might be your shot!) Well, after successfully overcoming the fear and making it pass the final patch, we reached the cave, removed our shoes and offered our prayers at the temple. We rested for a while, grabbed a bite, cherished the views, clicked a few photographs and then made way for the descend.
Having won 50% of the game, we were in for a real treat for the rest of it! Descending the ladder patch looked so scary that I had second thoughts on how am I going to get down. I was so scared and nervous that it took a lot of courage and mental strength for me to get on! But thinking about the adventure I was about to experience and the challenge to test my fear gave me the confidence I required! Finally, after getting the right commands and help from our trek leader on putting which foot where, I got down on the first patch which again made my knees shiver as I had the valley on my left, mountain wall on my right (so close as if attached to my shoulder) and the space that I was walking on was just as wide as my foot! Slowly and steadily I made it to through the steps and then on the ground. After everyone got down safely, we started our descend again. In about 3 hours we were back to the base village.
Now, what made this trek difficult and exhausting was the scorching heat! It was around 3pm then. We also had ran out of water (there is no water source at the top) by the time we reached the base village. After having our refreshments and food, we hopped in the cab, took the train and reached home by 8pm!
Now that I recollect that day, I have a proud smile on my face thinking of how I overcame my fears and literally pushed my limits to the next level. Though it was exciting at first, it sure was even more adventurous to have scaled it successfully! No matter how unachievable things look from a distance, if you have the will and courage you can definitely surpass it!
Out of all the one day hikes that I have climbed, Dhak Bahiri sure tops the list!
Extra Info..
1. This trek is not advisable in the monsoons as the rocks get very slippery and there is a high risk of accident attached. The preferred season is, however, from October till early March as it would get extremely hot and tiring in summer.
2. While descending from the top, there is also an option to rappel down if you have the ropes and expertise.
3. There is no water resource on the entire trail so make sure to carry 2-3 litres of sufficient water.
4. Do not try to capture photographs/ record videos using a mobile phone in one hand during the final climb as it will increase the risk of any imbalance or mishaps.
P.S. Do not litter the place and if you find any plastic, wrappers or litter then please make sure you collect and dispose it off correctly.
Thankyou and happy travelling! :)
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