The hills and mountains that cover the entire western part of Maharashtra have many forts. Most of them have seen hectic activities from 1400 to 1900 AD (an average, and an assumption). After the Mughals, the Dutch, the Portuguese, the Marathas and the Britishers finished their party, what was left were more often only rubbles of forts. Except in very few cases, where the government has taken up maintenance for archeological reasons or those maintained as places of worship.
From 21 century onwards, it was the turn of city slickers to lay hands (and legs) on these forts. People who choose an active weekend as against plunking in front of idiot box. Those who wanted to take a break from the city life to have some adventure and some refreshing air. And it is monsoons that these mountains are at their best. It is also the time that gets the best out of us. Pouring rains, lashing wind, gushing waterfalls, slippery rocks, slushy pathways…
Season 2009 started with a trek to Kohoj fort. This little, relatively unknown fort, at a height of 3200 ft, is off the Mumbai-Ahmedabad highway, a little inside from the Manor-Jawahar road. Not much historical information is available about Kohoj. The remains of the fort and the well dug cisterns suggest that it is from Bhoj-period. Portuguese is supposed to have captured the fort in the16 century followed by Peshwas in 1737 and later by the British.
Many pairs of footwear became casualty – including our three pairs. Our new trekking stick from China could not stand the terrain and weather of India, but it was not a bad product.
Lashing rains also meant the camera remained inside for a reasonably good time. Yet the photos will tell a visual story. Click here.
The trip was organised by Nature Knights.
Kohoj is accessible from the base village, Waghote which is on the Manor – Jawahar road. Manor is about 120 kms from Mumbai on the Ahmedabad highway.
