Mahuli Fort At 2815 ft., this is a sought after trekking destination. I first visited this place last year with my friends for a trek and then again for some Waterfall rappelling. The trek is an intermediate one,totally depends on what route is taken to reach the summit. This is one place I’m sure I’m gonna be visiting every year during the monsoons and  This is one fort in Maharashtra every trek lover has to visit atleast once.

It is the highest point in the Thane district. The forest surrounding Mahuli has been declared as a sanctuary. Once Shahaji Raje, father of Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, had this fortress under his belt.

Getting there

The nearest railway station to Mahuli is Asangaon. One can catch either Asangaon or Kasara Local from Mumbai CST, which could also be caught at Kalyan Junction. 4 km walk from Asangaon station will take you to the base temple in 1-1/2 hours. 3 hours trek will take you to the summit.
Asangaon on Mumbai-Nashik highway (91) km from Mumbai. 5 km inside on to the left is the Mahuli village.

History

The creator of this fort is unknown. In 1485 this place came under rule Nijamshahi dynasty. When Shahaji Raje became the secretary of Nijamshahi, Mughals of Delhi tried to end Nijamshahi. In 1635-36, Shahaji Raje transferred himself with Jijabai and Shivaji to Mahuli. When Khan Jaman attacked the fort, Shahaji asked Portuguese for help, who refused and Shahaji surrendered.

Shivaji took this fort from Mughals on 8 Jan 1658. In 1661 it was given back and was won again by Shivaji. In treaty of Purandar, in 1665, Marathas lost these forts again. In Feb 1670, Shivaji Maharaj tried to conquer Mahuli, but failed, thanks to an alert Manohardas Gaud, who was the in charge of the fort. A thousand Marathas were killed. Manohardas Gaud, soon gave up his position and Alveerdi Beg took over. On 16 June 1670, after two months, Moropant Pingle conquered the forts and Mahuli, Bhandargad and Palasgad became part of Swarajya. Till 1817, Shivaji’s dynasty owned the fort but later on it was controlled by the British Raj.

Located just 120 kms from Mumbai, a drive along the picturesque Sahyadri Mountain range and crisp coastal air will take you to Dahanu and Bordi, what one may consider as a small, sleepy coastal town on the shores of the Arabian Sea.

Dahanu is located 65 km north of Virar on the Western Railway line of Mumbai Suburban Railway. It can be reached from the National Highway NH-8, 20 km off from Charoti Naka.

Westward flowing rivers and rivulets emerging from gentle slopes, traversing through thick forests will greet you as you approach Dahanu. There is little chance of you losing the way if you follow the smell of Chikoo orchards. The beaches are very quiet and clean, where the sand is blackish and sticky, and very much in its natural form. It is controlled by the Maharashtra Woods Preservation Department, which is why its natural landscape has been left untouched. The beauty of the place lies in the quiet sea beach, and the surrounding casuarinas and chikoo orchards. Infact, the best way to capture the scenic beauty of the place is to drive down from Dahanu to Bordi, 17kms of it. It also happens to be a safe beach, where the water does not rise above the waist for at least half a kilometre.

The city

The name “Dahanu Gaon” originates from the word “Dhenu Gram” meaning the village of cows. A lot of cattle, particularly cows were owned by the people in Dahanu. Today, Dahanu has become a major commercial and industrial town in the Thane district. It is well known for the chickoo fruit and accounts for over 50% of India’s chickoo production. Rubber balloons, rice mills and manufactured goods, are major manufacturing products which are produced in Dahanu. There is also a 500-MW power plant that supplies electricity to Mumbai

The Beach

It is a quiet and clean beach, where the sand is blackish and sticky, and very much in its natural form. It is controlled by the Maharashtra Woods Preservation Department, which is why its natural landscape has been left untouched. The beauty of the place lies in the quiet sea beach, and the surrounding casuarinas and chikoo orchards. Infact, the best way to capture the scenic beauty of the place is to drive down from Dahanu to Bordi. It also happens to be a safe beach, where the water does not rise above the waist for at least half a kilometre.

Sightseeing

Santoshi Mata Mandir and the Mahalakshmi Temple are the popular temples in the area. Drop in at the famous Vrindavan Studios, where some of historical tele-serials were shot. You could visit the town of Dahanu, either on your way back or on your way to Bordi. See the nearby Bharot Caves and the various other Jain and Hindu Temples there. Udwada, near Dahanu, has the beautiful temple, The Mecca of Zoroastrians, housing the very revered fire said to have been kept alive for a thousand years or so.

For a Pleasant stay at Dahanu, I would recommend Hotel Pearline on Dahanu Beach.

Vajreshwari.. is a place real close by, an approx of 60 kms from Mumbai. I’ve been there a couple of times with my friends and its a really good place to go, specially if you want dat out-of-mumbai feel in the air but still don’t wanna travel too much. Accommodation is really cheap too, you can book bungalows with swimming pools out there for as cheap as Rs. 2500 a day or you can just crash at one of the many resorts that are out there. Both have their own fun into it.

Located at the foot of the Mandakini Mountain, Vajreshwari is a village tucked along the Mumbai-Ahmedabad highway on NH 8, in Thane District, Maharashtra. Believed to have formed as a result of the volcanic eruption, Vajreshwari is famous for the Vajreshwari Temple which was built by Chimaji Appa after the Marathas conquered the Bassein Fort in 1739.
The natural hot water springs at Akloli are a must bathe for Vajreshwari devi devotees. The famous hot water springs here have high sulfur content and is believed to cure many skin ailments. The Hot Springs, stretching about 7 km in the bed of the River Tansa, are mainly situated at Akloli, Vajreshwari, Ganeshpuri & Satvalli (33 km) The temperature of the water in the springs ranges from 43 deg.C to 49 deg.C. At the hot springs in Vajreshwari one can enjoy hot springs baths in exclusive and closed baths called “Kothawalla Baths”. At the Akloli hot springs, there are provisions for long tubs & showers. Siddhapeeth Ashram, established by Swami Muktanand is quite near to the springs. The scenic view of the small Tansa River from the hillock gives a charming effect. Ganeshpuri, famous for the Guru Ashram, is in the neighborhood of Vajreshwari. Nityanand Ashram and Gurudev Ashram are ideal for sojourn.