Hiking, Fireflies spotting, Village life, Tents, Sleeping under stars, tough 70* inclined Trekking to Prabhalgad.
There are many ways to celebrate an anniversary and it is always nice to do something different. So if you are in a mood for some adventure, then you take advantage of that rare time of the year, just before the monsoons when the fireflies come out in huge numbers to glow in the dark as they attract their mates.
So what started as a fireflies spotting trip, morphed into an intense trekking trip, 2 hours of physical activity on the first day and 5 hours on the second day.
Our vehicle could only be driven up-to the base village called Thakurvadi which is around 17 kms from Panvel station. Around 5 pm in the evening we started our upwards climb and we were lucky to have local villagers for company pointing out the correct pathway. At some places the rocky way was filled with loose mud, so I had to be careful to ensure a firm foothold.
There was a nice big rocky formation on the way which seemed like a bigger version of the 7 tile game arrangement that would make as kids. Also there were many points that gave us stunning views as we climbed higher and higher.
Being a Friday, it was surprising to see the frail looking local ladies and men, climbing up the way, balancing huge loads of provisions on their heads, that would cater to the weekend rush of tourists.
The local men carried heavier stuff at the mountain and at one point, I heard a villager, pleading to Lord Hanuman to give him extra strength to carry a huge bundle of firewood. An orange Hanuman diety carved on the rocks seemed to give us all extra motivation when our ascent suddenly became extra steep and rocky.
Finally after lots of sweating, we reached the mid point of Prabalgad mountain, a relatively flat land or plateau called Prabalmachi.
Here an enterprising local called Namdev, had set up a hotel to cater to the needs of the trekkers, and we were welcomed with good local Powa snack and tea.
We could choose our own spot to pitch our tent, instead of the lower spot overlooking the majestic view, we chose a higher spot with a valley view in the front and many trees in the back.
It was a good decision to pitch our tent in a place that was surrounded by trees. As soon as it became dark we suddenly saw a small flicker of light among the trees…and then another in the corner.. And then one flicker just next to us… And another and another..within minutes there were a whole lot of fireflies all around us…we gasped in excitement and just did not know which direction to turn into. It felt like a festive season with lights adorning the garden, but the flicker was just enough to be seen for few seconds and could not be captured on our mobile phone cameras.
As we sat in silence soaking in this marvel of nature all around us, I just had to bow down in respect to this amazing natural phenomenon among insects that we were lucky to witness.
After a simple local spicy dinner, we again went for a short walk to some more places to see the fireflies. We were lucky to be just 17 tourists that night, and have the place almost completely to ourselves. The tourist number on the next day being a weekend was expected to cross 400 in number.. Imagine the huge crowd of enthusiasts waiting to see the fireflies before the rains!
Our tent looked too tiny to fit us two well grown adults, but once we got in, we tried to adjust to the cramped space. However the heat and stuffy feeling was too much to bear. Within minutes I decided to come out and enjoy the expanse of the starlit sky and the twinkling lights of the Panvel city below.
It was a fantastic decision to get out the mat and blankets and to sleep under the vast open sky above, with the twinkling fireflies behind us and the twinkling city lights below us. And suddenly the moon crept out from behind the mountain, giving us enough natural light, in the midst of the dark night. It was a fantastic way to start our 33rd wedding anniversary out in the open… Our adventure crazy son said that he was proud of us as his parents to try out this new rustic holiday plan…
It was only next day that we realised that we were probably the oldest couple in the area. Many more young energetic trekkers had joined in the night and slept in the open like us. The few bathrooms with minimal water is one of the downsides that a woman adventurer has to face when travelling in India!
The consistent crowing of the local cocks, made sure we got up very early in the next morning. We did manage to freshen up, change and get ready by 6.15 am.
Being our wedding anniversary, we wore our new clothes and intended to go for an easy long walk to the top of the flat land of the Prabalgad fort. Next to it was the steep Kalavantri fort, which I was told was a tough trek and I did not think I could do that.
We started with enthusiasm, marvelling at the early morning views, and passing a local village with early morning risers too. Instead of asking for correct directions, we just followed the obvious pathways, not realizing that we had chosen the steeper road to the top.
And what a tough trek it was for me! A faithful local dog accompanied us for a long distance as the pathway kept getting narrower and got strewn with rocks, stones, pebbles, gravel and loose soil. One wrong footing and there was a risk of sliding down the slopes of the mountain.
With a prayer in my heart, a strong stick in one and with the supporting presence of my husband, I somehow made it to quite a height of the mountain and decided to sit down to admire the view from the slopes. My husband at 60+ years of age went still ahead up to the spot where the Prabalgad and Kalavantri peaks merged. It was more of a merging of us with nature, the top view from a mountain is always an unforgettable experience to cherish for life!
Coming down the steep mountain had even more scary moments, as I tried to get my foothold on the uneven terrain. At some points I had to sit and haul myself down, without bothering about the impractical new dress. The confidence in God and in my life partner is what helped me to get down the whole mountain, sweating profusely all the time.
In my mind I likened this trek on our anniversary to how we both handled the ups and downs of life, and what mattered was that we went through everything, by always holding hands with each other!
We were welcomed in the village with a local fruit called ‘Karvanda’, I cherished it’s sweet taste, earlier I only had it in pickles! The child of the fruit seller was happily playing with it’ s seeds in a plastic bottle. Yes it was sad to see so many plastic bottles and wrappers lying around, a shameful intrusion of city pollution into the pristine rural surroundings.
I also saw some local children playing with marbles and it brought back memories of our own outdoor childhood pastimes.
After many pictures of stunning views it was time to get back at the midpoint hotel. Our host Namdev was sweeping the place at his own pace, for almost an hour, with a toothbrush casually hanging from his mouth… We too sat patiently for almost an hour to enjoy some good local breakfast of ‘ragi flour rotis’ with cabbage vegetable.
By 10.45 we began our trek from the midpoint Prabalmachi plateau to the base at Thakurwadi, this time accompanied with the scorching sunshine. Compared to the tough morning trek, this route seemed less treacherous but it was more tiring because we were sweating profusely in the heat and high humidity.
We saw a local almost running fast through the shortcuts down the mountain, while I walked gingerly for every step. Around noon we made it to the base of the mountain, to the comfort of our waiting vehicle as we bid goodbye to this mountain of special memories on our special day.
Near Panvel station, I ensured that being our anniversary, we visited the famous Sai temple, where I received the miracle Sai Satcharita mantra almost 25 years ago from Narayan baba.
I smiled when I realised that on our 33rd wedding anniversary we went to a place where most of the tourists were less than 33 years of age!
So in 2018, do notice these simple smiling moments.Have a smiling year!
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