The Konkan Kind – III

Various gods and goddesses are worshipped around Konkan region. Believers flock in from many states for blessings. I saw a few of these deities during my three-day trip. Hope you enjoyed the journey so far and love this last read in the series.

One friend was supposed to leave us after dinner but her thing at work got sorted and she could stay. I asked her to treat us all with ice cream. After a wonderful day at so many forts and then the beach and now I ice cream. ‘I was dancing of joy inside’ could definitely be an understatement!

We went to the place we were spending our night. I didn’t even keep my bag down as I got busy with a fur ball. And there were two of them, two furry cats! I got busy playing with them and in a while slept.

The room was small for us and heat was terrible. I got up after an hour’s nap, irritable and angry because of incomplete sleep. I asked a friend awake for a similar reason and we stepped out. The moon was there, calm and as if awaiting my arrival.

I realized there is no way out and I have to sleep in there and went to give it another try. The cats and other nuisance woke others sleeping by now. So five of us awake stepped out. Unable to sleep, unable to do anything, damn irritable, we decided to have a walk.

We walked, talked about music, shared random thoughts and stories and finally went in and got a few hours of sleep in that hot pot. Five of us turned an irritable night of restlessness into a memorable one where we talked, laughed and shared. Moments as such with people you travel adds to the glory of a trip.

After morning tea we left for Ratnadurg fort. We had been to this fort before, yet saw it in a different light this time. This is a must visit fort if you plan to land in Konkan anytime, the placement of it, the structure, the view, it is all a delight not to be missed!

Next, we saw the Velneshwar Temple. The Shiva idol is the prime attraction of this place, especially during the Mahashivratri celebrations. The pristine clean beach behind the temple is mesmerising but not open for tourists now, perhaps why it has managed to stay clean.

We now went to the famous Kalbhairav Temple, also known as Bahiri Temple. It is constructed by the Gujar family. This temple is known to have not only Hindu devotees but also Jain and Islam origin devotees.

After this, we quickly saw the Jogeshwari Temple, commonly called the Jugai Temple. This is a shrine of Shree Jugaidevi. The structure of this temple is beautiful and has a calm ambience for anyone to sit and connect to the superpowers.

We now headed to Ganpati Phule. This is a Ganesh Temple on the base of a small hill and has a beautiful beach in the front. I loved the various kinds of Ganesh idols on the structure of the temple.

We had a quick breakfast and then went to a fort finally. I was done with watching various deities. And Jaigadh proved to be love at first sight. The fort has a deep pit at the entrance (khandak) and the fortification walls still stand strong around the fort.

There are many structures still in good condition in the fort, including temples, wells and even a few rooms. Our timing I felt was perfect as the light’s romance with the structure made for many beautiful frames.

I felt very content after exploring this fort. Now, we took a jetty ride with our sumo in it. It was an amazing experience to be in sumo, then have the sumo in a jetty and then again riding the sumo to the next place planned, Vyadeshwar Temple.

This shrine is dedicated to Lord Shiva but has several other deities like Talkeshwar, Udaleshwar, and Balkeshwar. The idols of God Ganesh, God Vishnu, and God Surya are also there.

After this, we saw the Gopalgadh lighthouse and also learned from a person working there how it functions, what are its functions mainly etc. It was the first time I saw a lighthouse so up close, it was a beautiful learning experience.

We now headed to Goaplgadh, the gates were closed because apparently, this fort isn’t a public property anymore. We don’t go by the rules and figured our way in and the experience of this fort was fun, full of laughter and madness. Also known as Anjanvel, this fort was also part of the trade route at the time.

After such a big day, we were blessed with a kind stay at one of our friend’s house in Aare village. It was a beautiful night and I had one of the best sleep of the entire trip. On the ride to the house, I noticed a river and it could be heard from the house as well. I had to had to go there but it was dark

So, as planned, I got up early, woke my cousin and two friends. One decided to sleep and three of us headed out towards the river. We saw a land full of coconut palms. I danced around the trees as if in a dream and then we walked into the river.

We found a place, sat there for a while and in some time got joined by our sleepy friend. He found us and now four of us spent time talking and clicking with our feet in the river. For a while, we all were quiet, I could hear only the river, fluttering of the palm leaves and some birds and yes it felt like the Konkan kind of goodbye.

My heart sank as I walked back to the house. We noticed a big spider eat a grasshopper. We noticed another spider and stood and clicked photos in awe for nature. When we finally reached the house, we had our morning tea and breakfast and left for our bus to the station.

The stay was too emotional as I helped the lady cook. I do not step in the kitchen at home often, and the warmth received in a span of hours filled me with joy. The fact that the trip was about to end killed me more.

I was super quiet and sadly my face depicts what I feel and I am bad at hiding sorrow. I am blessed with great friends in life as the amazing playlist and care by a friend helped me not choke and bid Konkan gratitude filled goodbye with a smile.

We had lunch and got on the train and managed to get comfortable seats. This train journey back home will be marked as the most epic fun journey I have ever had. The jokes, the laughter, the games, the talks of the trip, each person present made me feel so blessed.

This was my first ever big trip of four days in total with my trekker group and I am so glad it was Konkan Kind. I built stronger bonds with people, learned about many new places and experienced Konkan truly. Blessed with the best people to trek and trip with is something I will brag for as long as I shall live!

(I couldn’t add in detailed information about the places I visited but have managed to put all the links to sites I took the information in a word file. If you wish to check this bibliography along with the entire itinerary, click here!)

October 14, 2018

My Spiti Saga – IV

There are two ways to reach Spiti Valley. One is through Manali crossing Lahual before reaching Spiti from Kumzum Pass (15,059 ft). This route gets cut off during winters. The southern route from Kinnaur from Shimla is an all-season route. We took the southern route to reach and left Spiti Valley by crossing Kumzum Pass.

A headache in the mountains means a symptom of altitude sickness. When I got out of my bed I was so relieved to know my headache was gone. Do read about altitude sickness before you head to the mountains, prevention is always better than cure!

As planned we ate breakfast and reached Koumik. It is the highest village with a motorable road in Asia and is at a height of 15,027 feet above sea level. The land is considered barren for cultivation. And like many parts of Ladakh, it is cut off completely from the rest of the country during winters.

We entered the Lundap Tsemo Gompa Monastery, famous for being the highest motorable monastery in the world. The 14th-century monastery has a fortified castle made of slanted mud walls, representing the murals, scriptures, and arts. This Monastery has ‘Matrey Buddha’ or ‘the future Buddha’ and believed to be the one who looks after the village.

I was observing the place is awe when Sir mentioned that Koumik village has severe water struggles. He gave us time to take pictures of the place and spend time in the village. When I stepped out, I saw a local drinking water from a stream and I approached him.

I drank water with him and initiated a conversation. He told me that for two years they have a ‘kull’ (like a dam) that has reduced their water problems. And the information about land being barren turned out to be false as he said they do cultivate peas, coriander among a few leafy vegetables too. They mostly cultivate it for their homes but sell the rest in Hikkim, a village 5km from Koumik.

According to the man I conversed with not water but a hospital is a bigger concern. There is only a dispensary that they have access to which is also in Hikkim. On the brighter side, I was happy to see a school at such a height. This proved the importance that people have for education here.

Now we left for Hikkim, this place is known for it has the world’s highest post office. No other place at such a height has a post office! Sir being Sir had carried postcards for all of us and everyone sent postcards.

I like to write but it is a task to write to someone and give it to them. I have books filled with thank you letters, birthday letters, random poems I have written for people and never given. So obviously, I wasn’t thinking I’ll be sending postcards.

But something in me challenged me. I wrote and sent four postcards from Hikkim. I was so emotional on the ride back from Hikkim because I couldn’t believe I did it. A part of me was hoping that the postcards don’t reach. A part of me was dying to know when it reaches!

With such mixed feelings, I got down at the next stop. It looked like a beautiful patch of green land with mountains at the back. It was a fossil bed. Sir asked us to find fossils. I couldn’t but a few in our group did find fossils. This fossil bed is little away from Hikkim on the way to Kaza near a stream.

After lunch, we left for Manali, a long bus journey from Kaza. I decided not to sleep and watch the change in terrain like I had done on the ride from Kalka to Sangla. I was done with singing, but as I looked at the mountains and streams pass by, my mind couldn’t stop playing something.

After crossing the beautiful Kumzum Pass, we reached Baatal. We were now to face the most difficult road patch according to Raju, our beloved driver. He was so scared that it was evident on his face. But we managed to cross it and do so before it got dark.

It was dusk but someone was out to say hi. It was a big full moon smiling at us between the big mountains. It looked grand and gorgeous! The smile became brighter as I saw the sky become darker. This transition from dusk to dark was the most enchanting one I ever saw!

We stopped for a pee break after which people in bus asked me to sit ahead, next to the driver. I couldn’t have asked for more. The moonlight reflecting off the ice made the ride sparkly! I took videos for a few people and we sang some beautiful songs.

The sparkling road, the smiling moon, some breeze and my mind singing romantic songs for the moon, I couldn’t have asked for a better way to cross the Rohtang pass!

We reached Manali late in the evening, had some dinner and slept. Next day we spent some good time in Van Vihar forest and also visited the famous Hadimba temple. We saw the Nagar Castle and also Roerich’s museum. After lunch, we headed to our meet with Dr. Vaji Varghese at his place.

IMG_20180529_130012166 — Mesmerizing pine trees of Van Vihar forest

He has worked with many people around Spiti Valley for various illnesses and has tremendous experience working in Manali from the time he came here in 1979. He showed us pictures he clicked of people and places as he traveled. We saw some jaw-dropping pictures of Zanskar Valley and more likely, next May that is where we will head!

Sir gave us the night to explore eateries around Manali and be back by 9pm to the stay. We had some good dinner and wine and got back to the stay just in time. The rest of the night was spent well laughing, joking and making the time together worthwhile.

The next day we left for Jibi. We reached in the night, had some delicious dinner and slept. I attempted to talk to people now. This is how my mind is, usually quiet and loves to be away from people, but when the trip is going to end, like a reflex, blabbers with everyone around!

Early morning we left for the waterfall. The walk to this waterfall is one of the most serene walks I have had during this entire trip with dark, lush green trees around. I felt like walking into the soul of a forest and the serene look of the waterfall felt like reaching the heart of it!

After spending some calm time we came back and left for Chehni Kothi. It is believed that Chehni Kothi was built in the 17^th century by Kind Dhadu therefore also referred to as Dhahiya Kothi at times. The tower is assumed to be used as both temple and a watch-tower.

The architecture of Chehni Kothi is a special technique known as Kath-Khuni where blocks of stone and wood are placed alternatively to create a strong earthquake-proof structure. This sort of architecture even the Nagar Castle had and also some structures seen at Chitkul.

After lunch, we went to Bahu Temple. This temple is in the middle of a beautiful pine forest. It is famous for it has an offering place where there is a lot of iron offerings done by people. There are wheels, trishuls, cookers etc found as offerings.

On the way back it started to rain. It was such an amazing feeling, amidst tall pine trees rain trying to find its way and kissing me. I felt so loved on the way back, I couldn’t help but smile all the way through.

We had some dinner and slept. I talked to a few people for a while before I dozed off. Next day Sir took us to the waterfall again. It was the last thing after which we left for Kalka. Yes, it was going to be a goodbye mountains moment and I wasn’t really prepared.

We got up and we reached the waterfall, and Sir asked us to do our own thing, to bid goodbye our own way. I looked at the waterfall for a while, after which I started following the stream down.

It is so easy for me to open up to flowing water. I talked about the entire trip, about everything good and bad, and about the challenges that lay ahead once I am back. This time, I didn’t cry, this time I smiled. I was happy and content with a cherishing experience and I promised to stay happy once back home.

We left for Kalka later that day. We reached by evening, had dinner and slept. Next day morning we took the train back to Bombay. This time the train journey wasn’t weird. I had managed to build some good bonds with people. I surely had many moments to cherish again and again with people and also the places. Blessed is the word I truly felt as the overall vibe of the trip.

July 2, 2018

My Spiti Saga – I

In the north eastern corner of the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh dwells Spiti Valley. To the east of Spiti Valley is Tibet, Ladakh is to the north while Chamba and Kullu districts of Himachal Pradesh lie to the south and west.
This is my account about Spiti, I hope you enjoy reading this series, get to know the place a little better and perhaps have something to take back too.

As I hardly had any friends coming for this trip, it meant higher chances of building bonds and I was all up for it. Yet, I felt a little nervous and a little excited as I hopped in the train.

It was more than a day’s travel from Bandra Terminus to Kalka. We reached in the evening, ate and slept. Next morning we left for Sangla in two buses. The shades in the sky, the changing terrain was all worth to stay awake on the long bus ride. It was around sunset when we reached Sangla.

After being briefed for the next day we had dinner and got some time to walk around. The moon lit road was perfect for a peaceful walk. I and a friend headed out. We had seen the stream on our way and wished to go near it, however couldn’t find the way.

We decided to try to listen to the stream and so picked a spot and stood there quietly. The sound of the stream from a distance became more soulful with calming breeze and smiling moon. After a while we headed back to our rooms. The serenity of the moment stayed in me, I hadn’t felt that beautiful in a long time. But I decided to do something more.

I never talk to my college professor with whom I travel, because of various reasons, mainly because I don’t feel knowledgeable enough to begin a conversation with him and that I never have the courage to do so. But, I decided to change that. I bundled up courage and walked to his room.

‘Sir,’ I knocked his door. ‘It is open, come in.’ he replied.

‘Sir, thank you. I wish to say thank you.’

‘For what’

‘For letting me come for this camp. The moonlight walk was beautiful. I am just grateful to be here. Thank You’

Then I saw the rarest sight ever, he smiled. He gave a smile to me. I had tears in my eyes, I fumbled a thank you and left. I rushed to the washroom in my room and wept. I never felt so happy before. In that moment I knew that there was much more joy awaiting me in the entire trip and I need to be prepared.

I got out, scribbled in my book for a while and slept. Next day we left for Chitkul at 4:30am. We reached this last village before Tibet around 5am. It was a delight to see the quite village next to Baspa River in the backdrop of giant mountains.

Sir took us near the river and asked us to spend some time alone. All my preparations from last night went in vain. The flowing river, the steady mountains, the chirping birds, the colorful pebbles, I was so full of joy that it had to flow out through my eyes.

IMG_3574_1529121253003 — Thank You Abhishek Vidhate for clicking this picture

I sat there and opened up to Baspa, about my life struggles, about last night, all about Maa, about everything I had in my head and heart, it was so serene receiving responses from the river in various ways. I felt so much lighter after this, I could totally fly!

Time is never enough when I begin talking to the river. Half-heartedly I followed everyone into the village. We saw the Buddhist temple but it was closed. The deity is related to Deity of Gangotri and the pundits had taken it to the Deity of Gangotri.

We saw another small temple but it was closed too as the Pandit had gone out. We saw the structures of both the temples in awe and left to our vehicles. On the way back a lady sat outside her stable and looked at us in wonder.

As I passed her, I smiled and said Juley (hello)! She smiled back. She belonged to one of the first families that dwelled in Chitkul. There were only five families here when she was a kid and now there are over seventy. She told me that the place has changed significantly but not the people.

There was a friend ahead of me as I stood talking to this lady. I saw her take a right. After my warm conversation I went to the turn and saw two buses, recognized them as our buses and waited there. By this time the quite city of Chitkul had awaken. There were people all over, the lady I talked to, had left to graze her cattle, tourists had also started to move around, I couldn’t see a known face, and I panicked.

I went to the buses again to realize they weren’t our buses, I froze completely. My worst nightmare had come true. I stood there blank trying to gulp the truth of being lost. I was about to cry feeling extremely sad and stupid.

I finally saw a known face waving at me, it was Sandesh Dada, and I rushed towards him.

‘Is Sir angry? Will I be punished?’

‘I don’t know, walk fast’ he replied

We reached where the buses were. All were inside the bus waiting for me. Sir was about to leave in search for me. He caught my hand and I managed to fumble a few words like-I was here only, I am…’ Dada said ‘she was right here Sir at the turn’. Sir saw my face that was about to cry, so he gave me a knock on my head asked me to be careful and let go.

I got in the bus, curled up in my seat and tried to breathe in everything. I saw the mountains pass by, saw Baspa flow through, saw clouds, bright meadows and so with such ease I calmed down.

We reached Nako around afternoon and headed to the monastery. I have been to many monasteries before and Nako is surely the one in a real bad shape. Nako monastery is a testimony of well-developed Vajrayana Buddhist iconography in India.

However very difficult to understand figures in the condition it is now. The paintings on the walls are ruined, many structures are lost. There is a board outside that gives details of the monastery but not all of it is seen. The monk we met didn’t allow us to take pictures as well.

He did tell us that funding is an issue and that the monastery got ruined with an earthquake a while ago but no real help was received. We wished to click pictures and spread the word about the state but he was bounded by rules and didn’t allow us to click.

After we had seen the entire monastery he headed in and got us all postcards. He said I couldn’t allow you to click pictures but I can give you some.

We had postcards in our hand as we headed to Nako Lake. It is said that the lake attracts boating in summers, and when frozen in winters, attracts ice skating. However, when we saw the lake, it looked more like a pond. There wasn’t enough water with algae layer forming on top.

We left from Nako to reach Tabo late in the evening. We were going to be in a homestay and I was excited. Prior home stay experience went back to Nhatang valley in Sikkim in a small, cosy place with delightful food!

When we reached we entered a huge bungalow. We entered the spacious dining area with small dining tables. We had dinner after which all girls were headed to another place. This time we entered an even bigger bungalow.

It was only two of us in one huge room. I was shocked to the core looking at the luxury of this home stay. I slept that night on a bed which could fit me four times! I got up with zeal to know the reason behind such luxury at a home stay.

June 16, 2018