I was stuck on a small patch with hardly some grip and a group of thorn shrubs, trying to find my way up. Three people crossed me, I tried to follow but just couldn’t. I felt stuck with three people ahead, rest too behind to help. What next?
A fourth person came by, I followed him, figured my way to top, and oh my, it was all so worth it! I could see layers of mountains before me romancing with clouds. The breeze welcomed me to their world and within moments I was lost! I poured my heart out in that moment, hoping that the mountains would listen, understand and help. Aha before that, time for a two-day flashback.
The first long weekend of the year was planned. Thursday night to Sunday night, all set to cover the Balgan Range in Maharashtra. I came home from work and within an hour left for the big trip ahead of me, and of course felt I didn’t pack properly.
We took a train to Kasara and had a 4-5 hour night ride to the base village of the first fort in plan-Nhavigadh. Hardly a few slept in train and everyone tried to sleep in the vehicle to the base village, I still wonder how many succeeded to get some sleep.
Outside the window I could see the moonlight shining on the fields though I couldn’t see the moon. There were thoughts about the day, my work, home, decisions about education I need to take etc. My head going in pace with the vehicle, I tried to sing along the songs but it didn’t work, my mind just loves creating chaos. This is when I realized, I hadn’t packed properly, I didn’t pack myself.
We were 14 people cramped up in a vehicle for 12 I suppose, so when we finally reached the base village Nhavigadh, we all did some stretches. But normal stretching is so bore, I instead had a race with my cousin, it was so refreshing, I finally packed myself, out of my chaotic mind, into a few days of just nothing, but me, the places I was going to and the people I was with!
Finally the climb of the first fort began, and the sun decided to rise up with us and bless us as if wishing us luck for the entire trip ahead. Wherever we were, we all sat down in awe.
No one amongst us had been to the fort and hence finding a way to the top was a task. A few went up, tried to find a way but couldn’t. A friend ahead of me said, we could try a route he could see ahead, I said let’s try and we did, we found the right way! A yay moment for me as I am pathetic with directions & everything in geography that way, but this changed in the course of the trip!
We hoisted the national flag on this fort as we do always when we trek on national holidays and began to head down. We had some amaze chai from a local house and headed to the next forts in plan.
We barely had some breakfast and took some cucumbers and other fruits to carry as we started the climb of Mangi-Tungi. Both are nothing but caves with jain structures carved in them. This place gives the feel of a typical tourist spot, with chitter-chatter and trash all over.
I was walking with a friend and talking about how there are two parallel worlds we are living in, one where we are reaching the best of technology and the other where we are simply destroying the way nature has always been.
I hadn’t even finished saying my entire thought when a monkey came by and snatched the fruits out of my friend’s hand. This took me back to when I saw the langoors ruling the Ranthambore fort. What are we doing to the wild? Where are we heading? This thought still makes me numb.
There were about more than thousand steps to the top and from there another 300 something to Tungi and over a 200 on the other side to Manghi. Whoever decided to not let the climb to these two places be naturally through the mountains as with other forts in Maharashtra and create these steps and make it touristy, thank you, you ruined a beautiful mountain and probably its soul will come and haunt you. When we reached the top, I saw newly made structures kept in front of the old carvings, this to me felt like flowers on the tomb of the dead mountain.
When we finally came down, I was hungry but my wish to eat had died. I didn’t feel too good about the experience. But as the good old saying said by nobody goes, ‘a dog can change your mood’ is true! I met a cute doggo and it all got undone.
We went to the base village Mulher, of the next forts in plan and climbed up half way to stay in a temple. People from the group cooked some amaze dinner as I slept through the whole process, woke up only to enjoy the pulao with some pickle. Next day morning, we got up, had our “pahado-wali-maggi” and left for the big day ahead.
This trip I didn’t carry my camera because I had a terrible pain in my left shoulder. I didn’t wish to make my camera a burden for someone else to carry. A decision I still can’t make peace with.This decision caused me a lot of frames, as they will now be only in my mind.
I did manage to capture a few from my phone and few in the phones of people I walked ahead with. The only positive part of this decision was I felt I lived in the moment, helped finding ways, more than I do usually when I trip with camera and phone on me.
We figured our way to Hargadh with a lot of trial and error. I had wild flowers on my head for company throughout, the time spent in the shades and the frequent embrace of the breeze made the journey magical. We took our group picture with the huge canon on the fort, saw the massive view of the mountains and moved to the next fort in plan, Muler.
Now the heat was creating hindrance in the climb but we managed to reach Muler as the way wasn’t as tough as the previous fort. We had lunch and explored the fort. We completed Muler and left for Mora immediately. The map below shall help you figure this out.
I was ahead most of the time with a few people for company. And as the two forts done in the day were tiresome the speed of the group had slowed down. This to my advantage gave me some time with the mountains just below the base of Mora fort.
I began to pour my heart out and felt like I was being heard. The mountain responded with the help of breeze and the swifts trying to fly. I decided I won’t climb up Mora and be here with the mountains for a while. My cousin convinced me otherwise and I began climbing with him.
When we reached the top, the sun decided to bless us again, this time it showed in slo-mo how it goes down. This was one of the best sunsets I ever saw. It felt like I ticked off from my bucket list in one trip, the best sunrise and sunset!
We got down from Mora fort and reached the base village Saler of next forts in plan, Saler and Salota. We ate breakfast and left early as planned. I had ignored my shoulder pain all this while but it was the third continuous trek day and now my shoulder said it couldn’t take anymore.
There was no moving back, there was no other way, I told my shoulder to take in one more day and then no more. The conversation with my shoulder ended abruptly as my mind had a new thing to focus on, to get out of the no grip with only shrubs around situation.
When I got out of the place I was stuck, I went up and lied down for a while begging my shoulder to shut up, it kept saying give up give up and I kept ignoring. I finally was woken up by a really strong breeze as if sent by the mountains to wake me up.
The mountains said, the no grip-shrubs around situation you were stuck in, is just like you in your life right now. There are successful people ahead of you and there are people way behind as well. You took one leap of faith and you reached here to converse with me. That’s all you need to do, have faith, and take a leap of faith.
I received the answer I was looking for during my Ranthambore trip. Within a few days after this trip I put down papers at my job and enrolled myself in a course I always wished to do. A leap of faith taken, what lies ahead, time alone shall tell.
I was happy high the rest of the climb to Salota and Saler. I sang and danced to the mountains to thank them the entire day. The two songs on repeat were “Aas Paas Hai Khuda” and “Tu hai Aasma Mai”
When I saw a new trekker with us reach Saler, the last fort in plan, I felt motivated. It made me realize, that this trip was all about faith. She had faith and she did it. At Saler, the highest fort in Maharashtra, the clutter in my find finally cleared.
As always, I didn’t wish to leave the mountains, with a heavy heart and happy mind I trekked down. We reached back to Kalyan in time as planned and a beautiful trip ended with some tasty chicken and chapatis.
I hope this blog inspires you to travel and makes you believe in the power of nature.
I am planning to have a solo trip this year, to explore more facets of me & my bond with nature , if you have any suggestions, find me on Insta @nishanavgire !
