Monday, April 14, 2014

Mama Bhanja Hills, Thane West

Mama Bhanja is a hill located in Thane West at Hanuman Tekdi at a height of appx 400m above sea level. It is a prominent mountain and can be seen from anywhere. There are two hills, one is Mama Hill and other is Bhanja Hill. Mama Hill is at the top where as Bhanja Hill is little lower than Mama Hill.

Mama Hill is full of hard rocks as shown in below picture. At the top there is a shed of Mama Dargah.
Mama Bhanja Hills base is at Lokmanya Nagar. The base is  full of dense trees as shown in below picture. But its full of plastic bags and bottles as there are many slums at base. But as you start to climb the place is clean. On top its again litter with bags. Parking facility is available at the base. One has to walk 50 meters to the start of the climb to the hills.
The base is full of dense trees spread widely across and is beautiful.
There are steps provided all the way to the top. The steps are made of rocks.
It will take an hour of a climb for a fit average man. Pretty wide steps are made all the way to the top through the forest. During rains there are many small streams across the steps.
Above photo is of a place called Mastan Darbar which is in middle of the climb. One can rest here. It is quite a wide place to relax. There is a small house and lot of hens. 
After climbing and reaching top you will come across a junction from where if you turn left you will reach Bhanja Hill and turning right will take you to Mama Hill as shown in above picture.
This is the Mama Hill as you can see in photo. There is a shed at the top. That is the point which we see from the city anywhere. Whole Thane city and Mumbai can be seen in clear weather as shown above. 
Thane city from Mama Hill


Above photo is of the Mama Bhanja Hill Ridge. You can see the junction on the center. Left takes you to Bhanja Hill as seen on far background where as right takes you to Mama Hill from where the photo is taken. The ridge is quite wide and one can see whole National Park and Thane City. You can also see Tulsi and Vihar Lake at far background.
Above photo is of Bhanja Hill as seen from Mama Hill
This is Mama Dargah at the highest point. Bhanja Dargah can be seen in Bhanja Hill at far background.
Mama Hill as seen from Bhanja Hill
Above photo is of Bhanja Dargah
One can see whole Panoramic Thane City from Mama Bhanja Hills as seen above. The dense trees at the base can be seen on bottom. The open space seen below beside the dense trees is for parking vehicles.
Mama Bhanja Hills BNP, Thane West offers a majestic view of the National Park as well as Thane City
History says the Mama Bhanja Hills are very old dating 400 years back.



Tips: 
No water up there, please carry your own water. (One can drink from house of caretaker up in Mama Hill but its very less)
Please do not spoil the environment and do not litter garbage
Do not enter at evening