Ghorawdeshwar - May 5, 2013

If you ask any fitness-freak from Pimpri-Chinchwad about the place he'll visit on a holiday, it is Ghorawdeshwar. A hillock situated right on Pune-Mumbai Old Highway (NH-4) just after Dehu Road.

We office colleagues visited this place one Sunday morning; the most exciting part is we went by a Local train; with Begdewadi Railway Station at a walking distance.

I was only one from Pune; 3 others were from Pimpri. I caught a 5.51 am Lonavala local from Shivajinagar. They joined me from Pimpri at 6.08 am. And we reached Begdewadi at 6.30 am.

We started walking towards the nearest hill that is seen towards the highway. There are two ways upwards - by steps or trekking through the hillock.

We took the trekking option. 1/2 hour later we were on the top. There are caves cut in the rock at two different locations one above other. These are believed to be during 3rd or 4th century, later taken up by a Shiva shrine.

Shiva Temple inside one of the caves

The view from top is spectacular with the NH-4 highway & the railway lines running parallel on one side while the Pune's own international cricket stadium on the other. Similarly the large statue of Birla Ganesh as well as the Prati-shirdi (Shirgaon) is also seen.

Subrata Roy Sahara Stadium - view from Ghorawdeshwar

We decided to return using the steps, 300 odd of them, some nicely constructed while some still broken. We rushed down and in 20-25 minutes we were back to the railway station. It was 8 am in the watch.

The Talegaon-Pune local was on time - 8.13 am at Begadewadi. My colleagues got down at Pimpri, while I reached Shivajinagar station at 8.45.

Local time-table here. Total expenses incurred, Rs. 20 only. Rs. 10 for 2-wheeler parking at Shivajinagar Station and Rs. 10 as a return ticket for Begadewadi.

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