Anghai Fort Trek

Anghai fort trek is a difficult level trek in the Raigad region of Maharashtra. It is nestled between the Raigad and Pune districts. The height of the top most point on the trek is only about 1350 ft above sea level, however the steep gradient of the slopes and multiple rock patches make it a difficult trek.

History

There is not much documentation about the history and origins of the Anghai fort. Even the locals are not aware about it’s history. The locals pronounce the name as Anaghai or Aanaghai because of the presence of an Anghai Devi temple on the fort. It seems like the fort along with Mrugagad fort was used as a watchtower to keep a check on the Korigad, Pali and Khopoli area.

Geography

Anghai fort is the leftmost peak of the three peaks that you can see from the base village. The fort is geographically located in Pune district but the road passes through Kalamb village near Jambulpada on Khopoli-Pali road, which is in Raigad district.

To reach the fort one has to climb a steep rock patch of about 60-70 degrees through the gorge between the Anghai fort and the adjoining hill. On both sides of this gorge there are ramparts of the fort. A second rock patch of ear 80 degree ascent has footholds carved into the rock. It has one small cave that accommodate one or two people.

There is a small circular water cistern carved into the rock. There are tow more water tanks on the hillside, one of them is partially dug. There is an idol of Goddess Anghai in the open. The perimeter of the fort is about 1.5 acres. The height of the Anghai fort trek is about 1350 ft. Apart from the first three water cisterns, there are 5 more water cisterns on the fort. It takes about 15 minutes to exolore the top of the fort. Tail-Baila, Duke’s nose and Sudhagad can be seen from the top of the fort.

The trail

The climb the fort one has to climb the gorge between the Anghai fort and the adjoining hill. From the base village Kalamb, one has to walk in the direction of this gorge from the village. A 15 minute walk through the fields brings you to the Amba river bridge.

The bridge leads a small hill with a lot of trees on it. A short climb on this brings you to a house besides a mango orchard. The trail continues beyond the house to the gorge between Anghai fort and the mountain on the right. The trail leads you into a dense forest for a while which opens up into an open plateau and then again leads into a dense forest.

There trail is marked till the gorge till it leads you to a small 15 m rock climb. There is a cave on the left just after this patch. On right side of this cave there are rock cut steps leading to the base of the cleft which goes to the fort.

The way up from here is through a dried up waterfall and so narrow that only one person can go through at a time. There is a thick cover of vegetation on the trail after this patch till it brings you to the col between the two mountains.

The last rock patch is very steep and exposed. There are handholds carved into the rock wall to aid climbing. There are a few rock cut steps as well. Just before reaching the summit, there is a difficult manoeuvre on a boulder. The short trail beyond this leads you tothe top of the fort.

How to reach

Khopoli can be easily reached from Mumbai or Pune. From Khopoli one has to reach Jambulphada, which is one the Khopoli-Pali route at a distance of 29 kms. A small diversion leads us to the Kalamb village.

Altervnatively one can reach Khopoli by train or a State Transport bus. From here one can board a bus or a share rickshaw for Pali and get down at Parali village. Auto rickshaws are easily available from here to take you to Kalamb village.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the duration of the Anghai fort trek?

It takes about 3 hours to reach the top of the fort from the base village. The trail has a lot of rock patches that should be negotiated carefully.

What is the height of the Anghai fort?

The height of Anghai fort is between 1200 ft to 1350 ft. It is a conical shaped mountain which makes it look attractive from the base.

What is the base village for the Anghai fort trek?

Anghai fort mountain lies in the Pune district, however the base village lies in the Raigad district. The base village for the trek is Kalamb which is 6kms from Jambulphada.

What is the difficulty level of the Anghai fort trek?

The steep gradient of the slopes and multiple rock patches of the Anghai fort mountain classifies it as a difficult trek. The trek is not recommended to be done in the monsoon season.

Are Anghai fort, Anaghai fort and Aangai fort the same?

Yes. Anghai fort, Anaghai fort and Aangai are the names given to the same mountain. The fort derives it’s name from the temple of Goddess Anghai which is found on the top of the fort.