THE SANCTUARY NOBODY TOLD THE SQUIRRELS ABOUT
The giant squirrel was in the canopy above the temple. I know this because I looked up at exactly the right moment — the particular quality of movement in the upper branches that makes you look up even when you did not intend to — and there it was. Ratufa indica. The Malabar giant squirrel. The state animal of Maharashtra. Rust and cream, larger than any squirrel I had seen before, moving through the canopy with the unhurried confidence of an animal that has not been informed it is rare.
The Bhimashankar Wildlife Sanctuary exists primarily to protect this animal and its habitat. The Jyotirlinga exists because Shiva manifested on this hill when he destroyed the demon Tripurasura, and the sweat from the battle formed the Bhima river, which runs from these Sahyadri hills to the Krishna. The forest department and the temple trust share jurisdiction over the same piece of geography and manage this with the pragmatic coexistence that Indian institutions develop when neither side can remove the other. The squirrel, for its part, does not appear to have been informed of any of these arrangements. It is here anyway.
I took the Ganesh ghat trail from Khandas village. Seven kilometres ascending, three to four hours, through forest that closes overhead in the lower sections and opens as you gain altitude. The trail is not difficult by Himalayan standards but it is not a casual walk either. The forest department checkpoint at the base requires registration. Above the checkpoint the trail enters the sanctuary proper and the quality of the forest changes — denser, less disturbed, the sounds of it different from the sounds of the approach road. I saw the hornbill somewhere in the middle section. The Malabar pied hornbill — black and white, the bill enormous, the wingbeats heavy and deliberate. It crossed the trail ahead of me and disappeared into the trees.
The temple at the top is Hemadpanthi — black basalt, 13th century Yadava dynasty construction with 18th century Peshwa additions funded by Nana Phadnavis. The shikhara is visible above the treeline from the approach path. The Garbhagriha is small and dark and the Shivalinga is large and naturally formed and the space between the pilgrims and the stone is minimal. This is a forest shrine. The architecture is not trying to be monumental. It is trying to be present in its setting, which it is.
I had carried food and two litres of water as advised by everyone who had been before me. The advice is good. The options near the temple are limited and close early. There is a Maharashtra Forest Department rest house near the shrine — basic, bookable through the forest department office — and a temple trust dharamshala. I stayed at the rest house. The night in a wildlife sanctuary at 1,000 metres in the Sahyadri is completely dark and completely loud in the way that forests at night are loud — the insects, the occasional bird call, the sound of the forest being a forest at night without any human activity to interrupt it.
The Bhima river's origin point — a spring near the temple complex, marked and accessible — is worth finding. Most pilgrims who come for the Jyotirlinga do not look for the spring. It is unspectacular. A trickle of water emerging from the hillside, gathering itself, beginning the journey that will take it through Maharashtra and Karnataka before it joins the Krishna. Standing at the origin of a river that runs 861 kilometres is available to anyone willing to look for the marker. The marker is there. The spring is there. The river that begins here will outlast everything we build in its basin.
The squirrel was still in the canopy when I started back down. Or a different squirrel. The forest makes that distinction meaningless.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS — BHIMASHANKAR
Where is Bhimashankar temple and how do I reach it?
Bhimashankar is in Pune district, Maharashtra, in the Sahyadri hills, approximately 110 kilometres from Pune. No railway. From Pune: MSRTC direct buses from Shivajinagar bus stand (early morning, approximately 3.5-4 hours — confirm timetable the evening before). Private taxi from Pune approximately ₹2,000-2,500 one way. From Mumbai: approximately 4.5-5 hours via Karjat or Khopoli.
What are the two trekking routes to Bhimashankar?
Ganesh Ghat trail from Khandas village — approximately 7 kilometres, 3-4 hours ascending, more gradual, through dense forest. Preferred for most visitors. Shidi Ghat trail — shorter, steeper, significantly more demanding. Experienced trekkers only. Forest Department checkpoint at the base; registration required.
What are the Bhimashankar temple timings?
Temple opens at 4:30 AM and closes at 9:30 PM. No online booking — walk-in darshan only. Entry is free. Photography not permitted inside the sanctum.
What wildlife can I see at Bhimashankar?
Indian giant squirrel (Ratufa indica, Maharashtra state animal, rust and cream, very large), leopard, Indian bison (gaur), barking deer, sambar, Malabar pied hornbill, Oriental dwarf kingfisher. Squirrels most active early morning and late afternoon — the canopy above the temple complex is one of the best spotting locations. Forest Department guided nature walks: arrange at the sanctuary office near the temple.
What should I carry to Bhimashankar?
Food and at least 2 litres of water (options near temple are limited and close early). Trekking shoes. Torch (essential for pre-dawn darshan). Warm layer (Sahyadri at 1,000 metres is cool at night and in winter). Mobile network is unreliable inside the sanctuary — download maps before arriving.
Where should I stay at Bhimashankar?
Maharashtra Forest Department rest house — book through forest department office, approximately ₹300-600. Temple trust dharamshala — minimal cost. Small private guesthouses in the village. For more comfort, base in Pune and make an early morning start — 5-6 AM departure from Pune works for a day trip.
What is the best time to visit Bhimashankar?
October to February for wildlife sightings and comfortable trekking. Monsoon (June-September): extraordinary green Sahyadri, active waterfalls, but slippery trails and leeches. Serious trekkers and naturalists prefer the monsoon.
What is the Hemadpanthi architectural style?
A style of temple construction from the Yadava dynasty period (12th-14th centuries CE) in Maharashtra, named after Hemadri (Hemadpant), a minister of King Mahadeva Yadava. Characterised by dark basalt stone, corbelled arches, restrained ornamentation and structural solidity. Bhimashankar's main structure dates to this period with later Peshwa additions.
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