Kalsubai. Standing at 5,400 feet above sea level, it is the highest peak in Maharashtra — affectionately known as the "Everest of Maharashtra." In July 2019, my roommates and I decided we were going to climb it. Monsoon season. Slippery trails. Probably not the wisest timing — but we were too antsy to wait until January, and figured the weather would only add to the thrill.
We left Mumbai at 4 am, a four-hour train-and-bus journey ahead of us. We arrived at Bari village, nestled at the foot of Kalsubai, just as the morning mist was still hanging low. A local was selling hot tea and snacks from a small hut — we freshened up, refuelled, and set out.
"Despite wanting to give up multiple times, I kept going — picturing the view from the peak. And up there in the clouds, it was absolutely worth it."
The final stretch was something else. A long, seemingly fragile staircase rising into the clouds — the kind that looks like it should have collapsed years ago but somehow hasn't. We decided to trust its makers and the mountain's reputation. As we climbed higher, visibility dropped to just a few feet. The clouds weren't above us anymore — they were in our faces.
At the top, the peak flattens out just enough to stand and breathe it all in. We found an old temple dedicated to a local deity, offered our prayers, and took a quiet moment. On the way up, we'd also been accompanied by a wet, stoic dog who seemed entirely unfazed by the altitude — a proper mountain local.
My takeaway? We took a risk going in monsoon season, and we were rewarded for it. The waterfalls were alive, the greenery was electric, and the trail felt like something out of a film. Maybe the deity protects its patrons. Or maybe one of us was a lucky charm. Either way — strength and stamina tested, limits pushed, summit reached.
