“RAW Unleashed”… “Endless Alang” and “Dabang Madan” and “One Desperate Moment”
Purushottam Thakar, Giridarshan Trekking Club (GTC), Pune
17th , 18th, 19th December 2010, Alang-Madan, GTC Get Raw event
Dedicated to those 17 daring Participants who made this trek not only enjoyable with their enthusiastic support but also strengthening the bond of lifetime friendship.
“Ayushyat Ek Mitra Asava,
Rikama Trek la yeun aapli ozi vahnara,
Aaichi taarif karat aaplya dabyatil bhaji khanara,
Swathaha “Anchor” na hota aaplyala belay denara,
Dhur bharlya dolyane chulivarti patele dharnara,
Chuklya waatevar pekatat laath denara,
Ratri gaani gatana patelyacha tablya varti saath denara,
Sarti ratra ghorato mahnun shivi denara,
Pack up kartana aapli pishavi(sack) bharanara”
Ek tari mitra asava…..
--- Credit to Sachin Dhavale, Giridarshan Trekking Club, Pune
(Changed some of the words, so suit to general readers)
PS: - All timings are tentative, believe me, this trek makes you forget time. Also most of the time photo's are used to highlight the participants who played the key role in this trek, endless photo's are available at GTC office, please visit to see them. Although i could add many more important photos, apologies for that.
21st December 9.00 PM Hotel Shreeman, having sip of my Antiquity,
Just Remembered above mentioned short poem; Sachin Dhavale sent few months back to all of us, I guess at the time of Dhodap-Kanchana Trek, and my mind is going back to the memory lane en-route to Alang-Madan. Antiquity doing its job, its warm in here…..
15th December 8.00 PM GTC HQ, Narayan Peth Pune,
Reached in hurry to GTC to do planning for Alang-Madan Trek, but the mood in quorum is tensed. Vikas looks busted, sad. “Uttam, If need be would you do lead climb and lead entire trek?” asked Vikas. Nerve freezing question, although I had prepared my mind for the lead climb and wanted to do it under Vikas’s supervision since we have best tuning. “What’s the matter?” I asked. “I may not be able to come for trek” said Vikas. Vikas had an urgency in his Company which he must resolve. I felt so bad, sad Already Amit Govande, Avinav Rau, Sangram Dhongade, Mandar Borse were out of it and now Vikas….No way…..I told them to postpone the event , honestly I didn’t have the confidence to drive the entire trek without these guys at least Vikas, since we are going to a place where 0.000001% mistake is invitation to the dreadfull accident and I didn’t want to take any chances for the participants. But the show must go on.
We settled on hiring an external expert, Get Nirant Sardar with me and manage the trek. Meantime Vikas was busy convincing his bosses how important this event is for him. It’s not just trek , its more than that. It’s his passion.
Sent Desperate SMS to Vikas to manage somehow.
16th December 10.00 AM
Beep… Beep… Beep! New Message in Inbox, its Vikas
“Done…I’m coming”
My joy knew no bounds that moment and mind started already on Alang-Madan.
16th December 11.30 PM GTC HQ, Narayan Peth Pune,
Bus is ready, Vikas , Harshal doing last checks on the preparations, all are here, we need to pick up Hashmeet(papaji) on Bremen Circle, on board and we started. Some video shooting, initial chit –chat, Ganapati Bappa Moraya!
17th December around 1.30 AM Bota,
Annual Madan Ritual, Must perform, Tea at Bota, Cold here, but less compared to last year. Strange and Unusual. We had our own stories of Cold in Bota, all made to look fake, no chilling factor this time.
Salman Khan’s Dabang is just over.
17th December around 4.30 AM , Udadhavane
School, our sleeping place for the moment, newly painted, clean, No chilling cold here as well, that’s surprising. This is mystic. God knows whether we are being fooled around by nature and will have chiller kept on Alang and Madan, let’s see.
Nitin and I roamed around a bit, got some warmth from bonfire, lit by local workers; road work is going on here.
Asleep, “Grrrrrrrrrrrr!, Grrrrrrrrrrrrr!”, Damn!, “Nishant SSSSSSSSS”, it’s not snoring its roaring. Yeh shanti nahi , Ashanti hai, Restless People, got some sleep, 6.00 AM, Vikas , calling it out for tea.
Finished morning chores, Got some tea and Jam, sauce Sandwiches, called wife and, changed the small sack to big club sack, I tell you, this sack changed my fate ……
Endless Alang
17th December around 8.30 AM
My Goodness! Are Deva! Giant! Mammoth! Whatever big name you can think off, Alang the Endless. At least 2 Dhoadap’s will fit in.
Huge cliffs, the other end is not at all visible. Man, I realized this one is penetrating, I tell you, this one is definitely RAW, and it’s going to kick our asses today. I felt RAW unleashed. Are we supposed to climb this endless thing? Yeah yeah yeah….Khaj kunala hoti? Balach badabd!
On the backdrop of that Monster Alang,
Introduction to the trek, further plan by Vikas , Ghoshna….Chattrapati Shivaji Maharaj Ki Jay!!!, You see the guy in “Jay Maharashtra “ saffron color t-shirt, that’s Madhav Kulkarni(Renamed to Madhav Shastri by Vikas), he was so charged that he extended the Ghoshna “Afazal Khan Murdabaad”, hehehe! LMAO…..
Filled water from the nearby stream, virgin pure water, that’s going to be savior for us since no water on the entire route till we reach atop Alang.
Its 8.55 AM and trek has started. Straight through the paddies, slightly left on the Alang, one can see the route.
17th December around 10.30 AM
Huuuuuussshhhhh!!!! Aaaaaaaaaaahhh! Hhhufffffffffff! Don’t get me wrong ;)! Nitin and me reached first station, the long plateau, one can see Alang and its surroundings clearly, Kalsubai, Ratan, Aajoba, Katrabai, Sceninc Uddhavane, Cool Breeze, Resting for a while, Madan is still not visible clearly.
The straight climb has already started kicking our stamina.
Out comes the Chocolate Sticks, energy bars. We mimicked Chocolate Sticks as Cigars, momentary pleasureJ, Nitin Spilled “ Chortyaa Aafuchi aayat karnari Toli”…..See Vikas bellow, Attal Charsi (btw this is just Gimmick) . Camera’s out, Photography, Rest, Fun, Relaxed and start , keep alang on right start walking and walking and walking and…….walking + n!
Kulang, Madan are in sight, you can see the entire alang traverse till Madan, which we need to cross to reach to the caves on top. I lost, Alang won. Shoots! This is way toooooooo long to finish. Never ending.
Nature has once again reminded that we are nobody in front of it; we are minute particles of this ecosystem. Let’s not challenge it. I’m humbled, all egos burnt, I bowed in respect and surrendered myself to the nature and started.
All people gathering fuel sticks for Food and Warmth, the volume was high this time since we had to take care of fuel for Madan as well, considering the scarcity of fuel on Madan. Stacks are ready, roped on sacks, some in hand, the fleet starts walking…walking …walking……
1.30 hours, no route in sight to go up, Looks like we have come far away from the original route, Vikas disappeared in the forest to search for exact route, he met a localite villager, who showed the way,
By now, energy levels have already started dropping considerably, Shit, this sack, its killing me.
Zig-Zag way through dried water stream, up , up and up….is it going to really end somewhere?
People turned in to walking woodJ by now. The effort was no more manual, limbs were in motion, automatically they were moving and we were climbing up…..
At one point…I could see dead men walking ………Tyres were punctured ……the journey was slowing down….eyes were closing…..
Sacks Down, Men Down, All Down….. The batli point has been crossed.
17th December around 1.30 Afternoon, dried stream.
Lunch packs are out, home food, now we really start valuing that food. The munching is also automatic, no force needed, jaws were moving automatically in the original torque.
Sproutes, chapati’s , Chandrakant’s Happe(Vikas calls it Gappe) , Gul Poli, Paratha’s, Sauce and what not.
Sun on top, glaring with its natural capacity. Rest. Limbs back to normal a little bit. Energized we , started towards Moli Patch.
17th December around 3.00 afternoon, Moli Patch
This should be around 20 ft from its base but a dried trunk of a tree is aligned to its middle to make it little easier to climb. There is a crack on its left on the wall of Alang. Rope must be fixed. As getting to the dried tree and balancing on it is really tricky. One has to climb on dried tree, balance and start climbing the actual patch.
There is dent on the right hand side at knee height where you can fit in your right toe, then fix your left to either on tip of dried trunk or in the gap, take the upper holds and rise and you are done.
Vikas made the first climb, dangerously the belay was with Chandrakant down there on which Vikas, myself and nitin were self anchored, believe me if Vikas falls all fall. But he did it as usual. Fixed the rope above, I did second climb and nitin , the most important part last climb and taking off the rope.
Few hiccups with few people, especially Waghya(Ruishkesh Wagh, Madhav Kulkarni) but safe.
Now comes our Hanuman, Chetan Nike , the hulkJ,
Sack pulling is one painfull task which we have to go through while climbing, and this man(Hanuman) single handedly pulled all the sacks as if his hands were a pulley system and picking up the mithai boxes. He made it look really simple and nothing. Thanks Dude.
Waghya, already started with the batch ahead, good at least few people will reach early and capture the cave.
It’s getting late, sun coming down, intensity low. Up to Ganesh darwaja, and this sack sucks man….
I cant do it…. Vikas pulled up the sack on a small patch on the right of Ganesh Darwaja and I made my way.
17th December around 5.00 afternoons, Great Traverse
And Raw Started, endless traverse on right, valley on left, Kulang and Madan are covered by evening sunlight, golden, McKenna’s Gold as it seems or Gran Canyon.
Walking, Walking, Walking…..I wish I could walk all the way to Pune and grab a Johni Walker …..Dead man walking again…..
Sun is setting, 6.30 , people became dead slow, Zero Energy levels and fall on left side. Feet are dragging, sliding, roughing, exhausted, crawling…walking….walking…..walking…..
God Bless Waghya, he is ready with water bottles in his hands, giving water to everybody who finished walking , what a relief, caves are in sight, somebody please carry me on shoulders, I don’t want to walk an inch more…..
Entire Alang is ours…..nobody else is there….Maaaz!
Sun sets, its dark, up in the cave…..water team is filling the water for food preparations…..
Chandrakant leading that effort, I’ve a question “what formula god has used to make this humanbeing named Chandrakant Mashalkar?”… this man completely finished in that Dried stream, from where he brings all the energy to walk down to water cisterns , and bring the water…..Salute! I’ve seen many participants in other treks, but this Man is of different make and standard. Never seen somebody like him, And the entire team , Chetan, Mrunal, Dinesh and rest, this is a Gang, This is “Band Of Brothers”, Again Salute(For who don’t know what does this mean, please google it, and you will understand what I mean by that).
10 hours…I’m done…..on my back….Don’t want to move a centimeter…. The bloody sack….lying next to me….I hate it….
Steamy tea, in hands (Thanks Madhav, Nitya), My NVIDIA mug out, sitting on the top of the cave on left side….. clear sky full of starts, the Dabang outline of Madan…..and torches on top of it..sight of human beings……
Garam Garam Khichadi...Little Salty but Heavenly Taste (Never tastes like this at home ..heheheehe) ……Commotion……Shouts…Cheers and laughs…….Automatic Munching……Chetan’s Joke’s, Waghya in pain….had a small fall on Moli patch…his forearms are aching….Thinking of Madan……Madan in front of me, from the entrance of the cave….
Enlightened faces, feel of satisfaction for many, sense of achievement through their smiles, giggles, hi-fi’s , hugs…..heavy eyes…..dozed off……
Grrrrrrrrrrr……Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr….Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr……..Grrrrr…..
Not AGAIN….
“Nishant SSSSSSSSS”, it’s not snoring its roaring. Yeh shanti nahi , Ashanti hai, Nevermind , he deserves this sleep after that wreck less traverse….Restless People, got some sleep, 6.00 AM, Vikas , calling it out for tea.
18th December 7.00 AM towards Alang rock patch
Facing towards Madan, from left route goes up from cave to top of Alang, only me nitin and vikas at caves, rest left for top, Old structure and plenty of water cisterns on the top, I decided to back up Vikas, since he was carrying all the load of the activity on his head, I’m sure he was tired, but still lot more to do…..
He went to fix the rope for deadly rock cut steps for alang towards Rock patch. I followed after tea, geared up that bloody sack on my back…..
Chandrakant in the below picture
The path is on the right of the caves down to the water cistern, and beyond that along side of exposure, I was welcomed by a deadly slop, slippery, I could not manage with that sack on my back, slipped 2 times with exposure on right hand side, finally gave up and left the sack their, called out Vikas, we both dragged that sack to safe place, anchored myself and followed Vikas on those deadly rock cut step..at one point…you have to face towards steps…keeping Alang wall on your right…leaning on the wall….taking the holds on steps….holds are good but the steps keep narrowing as you go down….the tricky part was changeover of carabineer , where in the middle two ropes were joint……and fall on left hand side…..done……now turn back….face down…..and carefully take right …….and you are in cave….with Rock patch bellow….
This patch is almost 90 degree straight…….very small place to adjust your rappelling start. 2 bolts one hanger are placed in the wall, also natural hole is present for anchoring.
Sacks were kept in the cave, Hashmeet, he passed on the dabba of Upama which Nitya has prepared, me and Vikas munching it to the fullest, Harshmeet helping people to come down from those narrow steps.
18th December 8.30 AM
I rappelled down first, it was paining. I mistakenly asked Vikas to put me on full belay due to that heavy sack on my back….looks like he didn’t like this considering my trekking experience…..he almost played around and I got stuck in middle…..he was not letting me go down…and mischievously asking me ….”You wanted Full belay? Take it..Take it….”…hehehe…No Pain No Gain….
I’m taking the rappelled participant down, taking off the gear with help from Chetan and Chandrakant(Thanks Guys, you have been a great help), preparing the set and sending it up again.
Meanwhile, Waghya started towards the Madan traverse taking the participants, me and Vikas about to wind up, a group from Mumbai, joined in to climb Alang, their lead climber made the ascent using our rope, he belayed Vikas to rappel.
All down. Safe and Sound.
18th December about 10.00 AM Alang Wire Patch
Shit! Everybody is still here, we thought the people have gone much ahead, but all are stuck on Wire patch, 10-15 ft patch , not that difficult to climb down with the support of a wire attached by Villagers, god only knows why people were struggling, Again Rope setup, sacks down, everybody down and towards Madan,
Damn , this ate our one more hour or so, we are late, by the time we should have crossed Ghoda Patch.
18th December 11.30 AM Madan Khind
Traffic Jam. The group which was on top of Madan last night were climbing down, so we had to wait in Khind. So again, Chocolate sticks, Energy bars, Fruit and nuts, Relax, timepass.
Waghya decided to quit Madan, due to troubled forearms, and started with the other group to descend to the base village Ambevadi.
It’s getting late and late. We are worried that if we could really make it before sunset to the top.
It’s going to be tough and risky in dark to go over the deadly patch and the scree above. Let’s cross our fingers.
I offloaded the rice and other grocery items from my sack to others, but I think the sack had become mentally heavy for me.
Starting towards Madan…..
18th December Around 12.30 Ghoda Patch
Traverse, Some more rock cut Steps and Wow! Here comes the one of the thrilling points of Madan, broken route of almost 15 ft, slanted towards Valley, more than 1000ft exposure, you have to face the rock, valley down and back….sack on your back pulling you towards valley, maintain the weight on the rock….anchored to the rope….First Stretch itself drives your nerves crazy….you go mad…..trembling……’coz you are exposed directly to the valye….you have to fix your fingers in blasting hole. (It is said that this route was broken using Canyons and mines by British to cut the food supply of Peshava's to win this fort in 1760 or so). Then Stretch your right leg, weight on your left leg, stretch as if you are sitting on a horse back (May be that’s why it’s called Ghoda[Horse] Patch, I’m sure if there is other rusting meaning behind its being called “Ghoda” Patch…).
Insert your fingers in the blasting hole on other side, transfer all your weight on your right leg, rise on it….and then slowly, carefully, sticking to the rock, through to the patch…and husssshhhhhhh! You are alive!
Vikas has gone ahead to fix rope to rock patch. Me and Harshal, helping people to cross this death marathon.
All done, Nitin back, wind up the rope and started towards Dreadfull Rock patch…..
Youuuuuuuhoooooooo! This is just the beginning…..more and more thrills on your way….these steps are going to freak you out……full exposure on right side…..full inclined rock on your left side…….no rope support…..sack on your back…..your carry mat brushes on the rock wall…. The rock wall pushes you toward right slightly….and hahahahahaa! You become aware of Almighty God! Wait….there is more to it…. first few steps you still manage…..now comes the turn……you have to go left…..wall is inclined on your body….your sack pulling you towards valley..Heart bits tripled…Cant think much…Focused on the step..slowly….careful….only one foot can be adjusted at a time…..dead slow…..and you are through…… You are torn apart…..l!!!!!! Harshmeet and Chandrakant had been great help on steps!
Hashmeet in bellow picture
Pppphhhhhheeeeewwwwwww!!! And AAAAWWWWWWWWWWWW!!!! No man…..this is cruelty…Dushta…..Dushta pana aahe ha….it’s not over….
Dabang Madan
Just finished this dungeon steps and look…the Dabang and Powerfull Madan is laughing at us…. And calling us out….to dare it…..
40 Ft Rock patch…right in front of us…..Adrenaline pumped, all charged, everybody was ready take it on…thanks to Vetal Tekadi Rock Quarry practice before trek….most of people were well guided, trained so confident. By now it’s 2.30 or so. Clock is ticking, Sunset timing is in head, 6.15…we must get on the top before that….we can’t risk ourselves climbing the last rock cut steps in dark…..
But it was destined…..
Gaurav Bellow
I was finished, for few seconds I thought I cannot make it this time….Madan winked at me….probably it laughed at me mischievously and said, “Come, why worry? I’m there to take you up!” , you have been here last time, and I welcome you this time as well, push a little hard, and you will make it”….and I saw Vikas on belay…..Nitin Anchored me….and I Climbed it again……Vikas smiling….was it Vikas or Madan…..
J
Few guys struggled but made it….they have done it…..they have conquered it…….they have fulfilled their dreams……Yooooooooooooooo Maaaaan! We are RAW…..and it ROOOCCCCKKKSSSS!!!!
Look at them….. Cheerfull…..inspired…..feeling accomplished…something great has been done…..every inhibition won over…thoroughly complete experience…….Top of the sky!
Vikas, me , enjoying the sight of those 13 Madan Aspirants, smiling from the corner of our eyes…..
This patch makes Madan the Dabang!
Madan takes the pleasure to challenge you, to dare you, it forces you to struggle to beat it, but finally it allows you to beat it, that’s the glory of Madan, the spirit of rock climbing Madan has…. You don’t conquer it, Madan itself allows you to win! That’s the generosity of Madan!
It’s done!
18th December 6.30 PM
It’s still not over yet! Worst fears started becoming true….sun set happened….torches out…and we are still at the start of difficult scree. Vikas back again, fixed rope in the dark till the last step. And we anchored, to the rope, one by one slow, dead slow, and extremely careful in moon light and torches….same deadly rock cut steps but this time in complete darkness….Reached the cave….
I’m sure people made it because of darkness since they have not realized its thrill in the dark , they will tomorrow morning…..
Nitin on bonfire, Chandrakant with his usual team for water, nice tea, relaxed in the cave…
Entire Madan was ours…nobody was there…..Parat Maaz!
Chetan’s Jokes are back…Gupshup...top of the cave…Cheers….Khichadi…. Commotion…hi-fi’s …heavy eyes….Disprin……
Grrrrrrrrrrr……Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr….Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr……..Grrrrr…..
And AGAIN….
“Nishant SSSSSSSSS”, it’s not snoring its roaring. Yeh shanti nahi , Ashanti hai, Nevermind , This time its not Nishat it was Chetan, Nishat was punished to sit and sleep….poor fellow….We made him sleep…..
“Chetaaanssssssss……
Grrrrrrrrrrr……Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr….Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr……..Grrrrr…..
Not AGAIN….
Restless People, got some sleep, 6.00 AM, Vikas , calling it out for tea.
19th December 2010 top of Mandan
Kalsubai right infront, the Wide spread Arms of Alang in front, the rowdy Kulang at back, It’s a fair here…..Jatra…. Photos, photos and photos…..poses, poses and poses……styles, styles and styles…..Panorama’s everywhere…..All Dabang……and why not? The madan was Dabang so are we! ‘coz We are RAWWWWWWWWWW!!!!!!! Ger RAW!
Morning Tea and descending, first rock cut steps, scree but It has become a practice for us by now…the limbs were automatically moving…everything was automatic…..
Rock patch…..Nitya Colapsed…Sprain in his leg….Lemon…water…on his feet…..Rapple down….Nitin 1st, I’m 2nd, Chandrakant with me.. Nitin ahead fixing the rope for Ghoda Patch…..Chandrakant And Chetan with me ( Chandu is Duracell, his battery never ends, Chetan as I said Hanuman), he kept all the sacks down to the steps, for which he at least went 6 times up and down the steps, then he helped me to prepare gear sets out of rappelled participants, then he went down, he carried my big sack to ghoda patch, there he helped a lot of people to cross….then he carried the sacks to the khind and he is back with me again at the rock patch. Hats Off!
We will ask somebody to make a movie on them, “Chandu-Chetan ki Jodi No.#1”.
The Desperate Moment
It’s me on the patch self anchored, Harshal really apiring to watch Vikas’s last man rappelling. Vikas done the wind up, sack on his back, U loop is formed, double lock descender, through the natural hole, rope ends are with me…he started….first step….And………
Aaa……break…..silence…..my heart bits almost stopped….Desperate moment…no thoughts…..eyes wide open….jaws wide open…..Can you imagine?
Vikas has lost his balance….the only belay is with me….and he has fallen flat…..with his sack down….and his face up….completely parallel to the valley……and locked….i had made up my mind to climb again if needed and help him….only Harshal was with me….I was thinking of options ….
Few seconds of chilling silence. “Vikas?”, I Called in desperation, “Yes, I’m there…..I’m safe” said Vikas…..
Setup did its job, he was safe, but the question was how will he rise again, but with little feeding of the rope and he was on his feet again and down he comes safely.
I Realized, it’s time for me to learn setup, to off load a lot of burden from Vikas, he had to manage all technical part single handedly , Sorry for this brother….Had I known the setup I would have been a great help….I missed Amit Govande, Avinav Rau….wish they could be here…….but nevermind….. the show was on….
Everybody was content , emotionally charged…..we started climbing down madan at 1.30 in the afternoon, reached the base 3.30. Mrunal “Bhaay” made the descend more enjoyable with his hindi.
After 3 days, finally washed the faces with fresh water ……looking at Madan…..Saluting and Bowing to its Dabangness and promising it to come back……
With new bonds of strong friendship developed and strengthened …..Chandrakant, Chetan, Mrunal, Dinesh, Deepak, Sunil, Gaurav, Suyog, Hashmeet, Nishant, Karmarkar, Madhav
Signing Off….
The glass is filled again…..relishing…..the antiquity and Alang-Madan ….“RAW Unleashed”… “Endless Alang” and “Dabang Madan” and “One Desperate Moment…hoon, hoon dabang dabang….madan…madan….
PS: - Sorry for making it long, but can’t help it, if I don’t capture it, it will not be justice to alang, madan and those 13 participants who made this a lifetime event for us.
