Mapping the epic Sahyadri trail route

This 34-year-old is documenting 2,000km of ancient Sahyadri trails before they get lost

- Shail Desai

Long before roads brought people closer, trails scripted a region’s history.

They took traders and scholars across the high passes. Resourceful kings, familiar with the terrain, strategised important battles and claimed territories along the way. For the locals who lived in these regions, survival depended on the link provided by these pagdandis.

Once different modes of transport replaced foot journeys, the functionality of most trails was lost over time. Those that survived were in places where roads still hadn’t reached; some gained popularity with hikers like Jaipur-based Manvendra “Manav” Singh Shekhawat, 34, who soon arrived at the idea of documenting them.

In 2021, Shekhawat began exploring trails in the Sahyadri mountain range of Maharashtra. He returned each winter to walk different sections and over four years, hiked about 1,500km in all. While looking for a longer trail for his next project, he arrived at the thought of stitching a route through the Sahyadri.

"The idea was to make hiking accessible for everyone. This is possible only when there is strong infrastructure and safety information in place. And the first step towards it is to map the route,” Shekhawat says.

Around the world, there are well-documented trails that run through stunning wilderness landscapes, frequented by hikers and runners alike. The Appalachian Trail in the US is around 3,500km long; Te Araroa runs over 3,000km from the north of New Zealand to its southern tip. Mountain ranges in India too have a network of trails, though most are accessible only through guided treks or while walking alongside a helpful local.