One day trek to ‘Ajoba’ on 28th July 2013

One day trek to ‘Ajoba’ on 28^th July 2013

Dear All,

We at ‘Nisarg Trust’ invite you for one day trek to ‘Ajoba’ which is also known as ‘Aja Parvat’ near Shahapur on 28^th July 2013

Minutiae:

Height: 4511 ft (Above MSL)

Grade: Medium

Time: 4 hrs from base

Location: Shahapur region.

Ajoba lies in a huge mountain range, situated to the east of Shahapur village, surrounded by Harishchandragad and Naphta to the South east, Naneghat at the South, Ghanchakkar to its East, Katrabai and Ratangad to the North side.

Ajoba is famous for the Valmiki ashram where goddess Sita was said to be staying after being separated from Lord Rama. After ascending for a while, we reach the Lav-Kush cave where a cradle is placed. One more interesting fact about Ajoba which many people do not know that the forest at Ajoba is one of the ‘Sacred Groves’ in Maharashtra.

About Sacred Groves:

                Presence of such sacred groves has been documented since the early 1800s. Believing trees to be the abode of gods and ancestral spirits, many communities set aside sanctified areas of forest and established rules and customs to ensure their protection. These rules varied from grove to grove but often prohibited the felling of trees, the collection of any material from the forest floor, and the killing of animals. Presiding deities administered punishment, often death, to individuals who violated the rules, and sometimes to the entire community in the form of disease or crop failure. As a result of these protective restrictions, preserved over countless years, sacred groves are now important reservoirs of biodiversity.

Sacred groves are often the last refuge for endemic and endangered plant and animal species. They are storehouses of medicinal plants valuable to village communities as well as modern pharmacopoeia, and they contain wild relatives of crop species that can help to improve cultivated varieties. Sacred groves also provide for the water needs of nearby communities. Many sacred groves contain water resources such as ponds and streams, and the vegetative mass that covers the floor of a grove can absorb water during rainy seasons and release it during times of drought. Trees also improve soil stability, prevent topsoil erosion and provide irrigation for agriculture in drier climates.

As it is a sacred grove, it has varied flora and fauna. Hence we might get a chance to see monsoon migrant birds viz. Cuckoo, Pitta, Oriental Dwarf Kingfisher (Also known as Three Toed Kingfisher)

Itinerary:

Meeting Point: Asangaon Railway Station

Sunday 28^th July 2013

Kasara local timings as given below:

CST: 7:05 AM

Dadar: 7:18

Ghatkopar: 7:30

Thane: 7:45

Dombivali: 7:57

Kalyan: 8:05
Asangaon: 8:42

Please do carry your return tickets for Asangaon.

8:00 am: Move to base village by public transport.

10:00 am: At the base. Have breakfast and start trek towards Valmiki Ashram.

11:30 am: At Valmiki Ashram. Rest for a while and move to top.

2:00 pm: At Lav-Kush cave.

2:30 pm: Start descending

5:30 pm: At the base. Start return journey

7:00 pm: Asangaon Station

Estimated Expenditure is about 500/-

This includes transportation charges from Asangaon to Asangaon by public transport, Ready to eat Breakfast.

For registration, kindly transfer Rs. 500/- in the following account:

Axis Bank Account No: 911010053009069
Branch: Badlapur, Thane(MH)
Name: Ruturaj S Joshi
IFSC Code: UTIB0001342

Things to carry:

A Water Bottle (~2 litres is a must)
Camera, Cell Phone (Optional)

Something to munch on (Plum cakes etc.)
Please avoid wearing Gold and other ornaments.
Personal medicines if u require usually (Optional)
Personal basic medical kit (Containing an antiseptic, few bandages, personal medications if any, Antibiotics for stomach infection)
A haversack to put all these things.

Wear proper trekking shoes.

Pack your bags properly to protect your valuable things from getting wet.

Registration / Queries:

Ruturaj: 9158266904

Anup: 7798050085

Email: nisargtrust@gmail.com (Please write participant names with a mobile number)

Regards,

Team Nisarg Trust