INTRODUCTION
SGNP is the world Biggest national park within city Limit.It is still home to a population of Adivasi, or forest-dwelling tribal communities.Most of the areas are restricted ,so i would say it is more of a business/Picnic spot rather than Exploring site.Anyway we are here to explore the hidden spot named 'Gau Mukh Temple/plateau'.
INSIGHT
SGNP opens at 7:30 Am for visitors and closes at 6 pm.Ticket prices has been increased compared to my last two visit here.Area is way more guarded and secured.If someone want to visit SGNP or kanheri Caves i would say weekday would be more preferable, however if one want to visit Gau mukh temple any day of the week is good.
JOURNEY
On 21st June 2017 which was Wednesday, i met mandar around 6:30 am who headed from lokhandwala in rickshaw to veera desai where i was standing, as soon as he arrived i took the sit then we headed to andheri station, after arriving at station we boarded Local train to Borivali which costed us 20 Rs per person Return Ticket then Rickshaw to SGNP entrance which costed us 10 Rs per Person, One can take a walk also to reach the entrance,it is nearby only, it will take you around 10-15 minute.
We reached 10 Minute earlier I.e 7:20 Am, Once the gate was opened we took the entrance ticket which costed us 48 Rs per person which was quite shocking i thought it was for 2 person, after that we confirmed with forest guard about the Shuttle bus timing it was at 9 Am so we decided to take a walk all the way from SGNP to kanheri caves which is like 7 km.
During our Walk, cloud was playing Hide and seek, there was drizzle of rain every now and then.On the way Mandar talked about a horrible incident which happened to his Fathers Friend Daughter in Vasai recently, she was kidnapped from Building compound premises and month after she was found in Truck along with other school girls in southern India Area by police however her tongue was slashed.
Camera Incident
After 40 Minute of Walk we came to the point where there was Water Pump beside Forest Guard station so we took a pause to wash our face, within a minute it started to shower down heavily so we took a shelter outside Forest guard station which was providing us enough cover, during that time i took out the camera for the first time in our journey to snap pics, all of a sudden forest guard said ''Did you took ticket for camera at the entrance? which is 3000 Rs'' to which we said 'No' as we were not aware about the Camera charges and told a lie that our Bag was checked at the entrance, He said ''Wait i will check out On walkie Talkie'' but there was no one on walkie talkie, i don't know whether he was bluffing or it was really some connection problem! He Said ''You will be charged 2100 Rs neither camera will be taken'' so mandar took out the entrance ticket and we had a little heated conversation with guard - where on the ticket it is mentioned about Camera charges?, after a while he too looked little confused and let us Go.
Next Day i checked on the Internet, On some site it is mentioned about camera charges but it is not clear which camera.On some site it is mentioned that it is only charged for videography, not for snapping Pics.
Upper Kanheri Caves Trail
After that camera Incident we reached entrance of Kanheri Caves, Entry fee was 15 Rs Per person which was increased from 5 Rs and Camera Charges were 25 Rs Per Person .
There were group of watchman roaming around the caves, they were too suspicious, this time what i noticed was - there has been a new door and frames installed at caves.
Talking of 'Kanheri Caves Idol face', many are Destroyed by British during Pre-independence era.
In above Pics those Steps you see is way to Upper Kanheri Caves Trail, back then it was rocks and mud instead of staircase.
After climbing those steps, you will reach a cave as you can see in those above pics,way to upper kanheri caves is from side of those caves.We went in to sneaky mode and reached Upper kanheri Caves Trail, if they came to know about you trekking to Gau mukh temple,Probably they will not allow it.
Once you reach Upper kanheri Caves trail, you will spot small hill ahead of you.just follow the trail.After that one need to trek for 10-15 minute to reach Gau Mukh Plateau.
Gau Mukh Plateau
On gau Mukh plateau we took a little bit of Rest by drinking water, out here we heared echoes of people screaming at kanheri Caves.
Keep following the straight Trail on Gau Mukh Plateau, you will enter forest, from here you will see Gau mukh temple, the route goes little downward.
Talking of Gau Mukh temple, it is semi demolished by forest officials since it was illegal.It used to be crowded in 90's era during mahashivratri times, Idols has been removed.Now it looks more like a drug spot. there are Names and Naked Girl graffiti on the walls.What surprised me the most that there are barely any Info and no Newspaper articles on this temple ,like when it was constructed or demolished.It is Abandoned and Hidden site.The main reason i think it would have been demolished was because of 'Army Air Station' in the region, 'place is So confidential that there are not even single photograph available of that station on the Net.One can view it on Google Earth to get an fair idea how it looks.
There is also way to a Jambhulmal point which is highest point of Mumbai from around Gau mukh plateau region, i am not specific though from where exactly.If you want to visit Jambhulmal, one need to take permission from National Information Center, they charge a specific fees along with Guide fee and they need to be informed well in advance.It is advisable not to Visit that place alone due to leopard,venomous snake found in the region and if officials found you around that place without permission you will be fined.
Once the rain got stopped, we headed back and drank cold drink at Canteen near Kanheri caves, there one of the man who was in charge of construction going around caves asked 'Y'all both went all the way to the top, Right? We said Only Upper Kanheri Caves Trail,not above that,he had that very angry look on his face.
After that we headed to Bus stop waiting for like 25 minute or so, finally the bus came at 1 pm,bus driver told us ''Bus will head back after 1 hour as it is our lunch time'' so once again we walked all the way to SNGP entrance then took rickshaw till Borivali station which costed us 9 Rs per person then Local train till andheri then metro till Azad Nagar which costed me 10 Rs, I was home till 3:50 Pm.
OUR EXPENSE
Travelling/ Entry,Camera Charges - 148 Rs per person
Snack/Drink Charges - 55 Rs per Person
SGNP is the world Biggest national park within city Limit.It is still home to a population of Adivasi, or forest-dwelling tribal communities.Most of the areas are restricted ,so i would say it is more of a business/Picnic spot rather than Exploring site.Anyway we are here to explore the hidden spot named 'Gau Mukh Temple/plateau'.
INSIGHT
SGNP opens at 7:30 Am for visitors and closes at 6 pm.Ticket prices has been increased compared to my last two visit here.Area is way more guarded and secured.If someone want to visit SGNP or kanheri Caves i would say weekday would be more preferable, however if one want to visit Gau mukh temple any day of the week is good.
JOURNEY
On 21st June 2017 which was Wednesday, i met mandar around 6:30 am who headed from lokhandwala in rickshaw to veera desai where i was standing, as soon as he arrived i took the sit then we headed to andheri station, after arriving at station we boarded Local train to Borivali which costed us 20 Rs per person Return Ticket then Rickshaw to SGNP entrance which costed us 10 Rs per Person, One can take a walk also to reach the entrance,it is nearby only, it will take you around 10-15 minute.
We reached 10 Minute earlier I.e 7:20 Am, Once the gate was opened we took the entrance ticket which costed us 48 Rs per person which was quite shocking i thought it was for 2 person, after that we confirmed with forest guard about the Shuttle bus timing it was at 9 Am so we decided to take a walk all the way from SGNP to kanheri caves which is like 7 km.
During our Walk, cloud was playing Hide and seek, there was drizzle of rain every now and then.On the way Mandar talked about a horrible incident which happened to his Fathers Friend Daughter in Vasai recently, she was kidnapped from Building compound premises and month after she was found in Truck along with other school girls in southern India Area by police however her tongue was slashed.
Camera Incident
 |
| View From Forest Guard Station |
Next Day i checked on the Internet, On some site it is mentioned about camera charges but it is not clear which camera.On some site it is mentioned that it is only charged for videography, not for snapping Pics.
Upper Kanheri Caves Trail
After that camera Incident we reached entrance of Kanheri Caves, Entry fee was 15 Rs Per person which was increased from 5 Rs and Camera Charges were 25 Rs Per Person .
 |
| Kanheri Caves |
There were group of watchman roaming around the caves, they were too suspicious, this time what i noticed was - there has been a new door and frames installed at caves.
Talking of 'Kanheri Caves Idol face', many are Destroyed by British during Pre-independence era.
 |
| Way to Upper Kanheri Caves Trail |
After climbing those steps, you will reach a cave as you can see in those above pics,way to upper kanheri caves is from side of those caves.We went in to sneaky mode and reached Upper kanheri Caves Trail, if they came to know about you trekking to Gau mukh temple,Probably they will not allow it.
 |
| Upper kanheri Caves Plateau |
Gau Mukh Plateau
 |
| Gau Mukh Plateau |
 |
| Gau Mukh Plateau Trail |
 |
| Way to Gau Mukh Temple |
 |
| Gau Mukh Temple |
Talking of Gau Mukh temple, it is semi demolished by forest officials since it was illegal.It used to be crowded in 90's era during mahashivratri times, Idols has been removed.Now it looks more like a drug spot. there are Names and Naked Girl graffiti on the walls.What surprised me the most that there are barely any Info and no Newspaper articles on this temple ,like when it was constructed or demolished.It is Abandoned and Hidden site.The main reason i think it would have been demolished was because of 'Army Air Station' in the region, 'place is So confidential that there are not even single photograph available of that station on the Net.One can view it on Google Earth to get an fair idea how it looks.
 |
| Army Air station (Google Earth) |
Once the rain got stopped, we headed back and drank cold drink at Canteen near Kanheri caves, there one of the man who was in charge of construction going around caves asked 'Y'all both went all the way to the top, Right? We said Only Upper Kanheri Caves Trail,not above that,he had that very angry look on his face.
After that we headed to Bus stop waiting for like 25 minute or so, finally the bus came at 1 pm,bus driver told us ''Bus will head back after 1 hour as it is our lunch time'' so once again we walked all the way to SNGP entrance then took rickshaw till Borivali station which costed us 9 Rs per person then Local train till andheri then metro till Azad Nagar which costed me 10 Rs, I was home till 3:50 Pm.
OUR EXPENSE
Travelling/ Entry,Camera Charges - 148 Rs per person
Snack/Drink Charges - 55 Rs per Person
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