Another Time Another Place

As the lyrics of Another time, another place go...
"Bright morning lights
Wipe the sleep from another day's eye"
Walking at Matheran and at Bhuigaon, one a hill station and another a sea side village, I see the common thread of grace and dignity running each day through the lives of local people.  The work is physically hard, monotonous, the returns are meagre and sometimes non-existent.  They do as routine what we do as 'adventure',  but they are always pleasant, courteous and industrious.

Done the washing
It is morning on a beach at Bhuigaon, the sun is up and it is breeze-less hot,  these ladies have just washed clothes and utensils, they walk home, chatting as they go, but they are not complaining. Early morning bikers have criss-crossed the beach with trails before the tide comes in to wipe the slate clean before yet another day.

The lady from below
This lady has carried a heavy load up to Matheran from a village in the plains below. She has walked nearly two hours vertically uphill and she does this every single day in the tourist season. She carries fodder for the horses that take well fed tourists for a  ride (sometimes literally).  What is matter of daily fact for this tough lady is a herculean adventure  for a group of hikers nearby, congratulating themselves at the climb they had done in over three hours,.

Maruti the milk carrier
He comes up the hill to Matheran each day, a climb of over 600 metres altitude over four kilometers, balancing about 40 litres of milk (that's forty kilos) and not spilling a drop.  He doesn't cry over spilled milk, and the climb is only getting here, after that he has yet to walk to market and supply the milk to buyers. I was told that there are 19 ways to climb up to Matheran and villagers from below come up each day. 

Perfect Balance
These ladies are off  to work at dawn.  It promises to be a hot and humid day, so they carry a  plastic bottle with water for the day.  Chatting as they go, their elegance and poise is visible in the ease with which they carry their head loads. Small loads or large ones, men and women carry them easily, the natural poise and gait this develops would teach finishing schools a thing or two.

Aged beyond his years
this fisherman balances a load on his shoulder as he heads towards his boat. He had had a neat haircut, wore clean clothes and was well turned out.  Despite the early hour I found the men and women well groomed before the day's labour. The close-to-shore fisherfolk, and I saw many women in the boats, get  just a few kilograms of fish after hours out in the broiling sun.

Off to market
these folk climb a 600 metre hill in under two hours with a huge load, then pause for a few moments to rest.  I saw a group of women and children come up, they were strung out based on their ability to climb, there were old matrons, I am guessing in their 60's, and young kids not even in their teens.   As each reached the top, she waited for those behind, finally when all had gathered at the top, they headed off into town on their business to sell fodder, act as tourist guides, or work in the many holiday homes in the hill station.  The lady in this picture hid her  walking stick in the bushes by the track,  to be picked up on her way back.

At the end of a day
Most of the tourists have gone,  waiting for a stray tourist, this cobbler enjoys a pensive moment at the end of the day.   Did he earn, did he not, who knows. These people at different places begin the day before dawn, work hard till sunset and sleep only to awake to the bright lights of another day. The lyrics of this song says it beautifully...
"At the end of the day
Some you win, some you don't
So I am glad that I'm here
With some friends that I know
Always there with a smile
Saying you are not alone"

Sojourn in the Sahyadris - Kalsubai

Kalsubai


“Every mountain top is within reach if you just keep climbing.” 
― Barry Finlay, Kalsubai is the highest peak in Maharashtra, but that is not saying much; as at 1646 metres it is hardly the "Everest of Maharashtra" it is made out to be. Nevertheless it is an invigorating climb and though not a technical ascent it is steep and tests ones stamina. The panorama from the top make the arduous climb worth it.

Vishnu, the guide 
 There are many "how to" blogs on the net so I will refrain from a travelogue style, rather giving a potpourri of my experiences. Kalsubai is about an hour from Igatpuri and there are many ways of getting to Bari, the village at the base.  I drove from Igatpuri and taking a wrong turn finally ended up at Jahagirdarwadi, a few hundred metres short of Bari. It is possible to start climbing from here as well, so good luck for my guide Vishnu whom I found here, he was waiting and hoping for a stray tourist like me. I recommend that you engage a guide for two fundamental reasons, firstly you are contributing to the economy of relatively poor people; and secondly getting out of the cluster of huts in the village in the dark of early morning can be confusing. Besides, for a lone walker like me, Vishnu was great company.

The first temple about an hour into the walk
Start in the dark to avoid the heat of the day. I started at 5.30 am in January, it was pitch dark and I needed my head torch continuously  till the sun rose over the horizon at about 7.30 am.   Early in the morning at this time of the year it can be quite chill, specially before I started climbing.  I quickly warmed up into the walk and in a short while had to roll up my sleeves. 

Sunrise 
Due to the haze and hills on the horizon, the sun becomes visible a while after actual sunrise.Because I started early, I had finished the three hour climb (for me) before it became too warm. Once the sun is out it gets hot. Carry lots of water, as there is no natural source and the bottled water at the stalls en route are expensive.  I met families who had started on their "picnic" at about 10 am, I wonder how many reached the top in the heat later in the day?

The climb is steep
and there are iron ladders at three places to enable walkers to cross tricky rock walls. My walk-meter showed a climb of  900m in a little over a kilometer. Be that as it may, the steepness is evident in the thighs and calves on the return.  It took me three hours to reach the top and about two easy hours to return.  Being a Sunday, there were many people on the route, hundreds, and at some ladders one had to step aside to allow people to pass. 

Kalsubai, the top
is on a rocky promontory at the top of the hill. The rocky top is accessible by going up a steel ladder for about 20 metres.  Just before the final ladder, visible in this picture, there is a flat ground with many stalls selling food and drink.  The 'kanda bhajjia" were deliciously hot and tasty but the tea was insipid.  Most people stop for a snack here on their way down and on Sundays the crowd can be large. The flat ground around allows groups to gather and some to even camp for the night.

Kalsubai, the temple
is located at the apex, a tiny temple, but it has a flourishing economy of stalls selling "peda" and other pooja ingredients outside. During various auspicious festivals, I am told, crowds throng here for the pooja.  In this picture one can see some of the number of walkers at the top.  Some trekkers come the previous evening and camp here and around, or start climbing at 2 am so as to be at the top at sunrise.  The views from the top are breathtaking and despite the haze one can see the range of hills around. The view is enhanced by the long shadows of the hills in the range in the early morning.   

A hungry monkey
has two fruit,  one gripped in each set of paws.  Trekkers feed the monkeys who have become bold and aggressive, grabbing anything loose.  My guide told me that unattended rucksacks and water bottles  are often picked up by these animals. The route is dry and dusty at this time of the year; a fine dust is kicked up by those passing and many stall operators are seen covering their nose and mouth.

Stalls everywhere...
Most flat spaces have a local selling something, from the ubiquitous nimbu pani and  guava grown in home gardens, to the more commercial bhajjia and packeted eatables. The route is lined with commerce, a cloth spread on the ground, a table with the makings of nimbu pani and well covered stalls with tables and chairs. There is someone selling something somewhere.

And finally...
having been up and down, I drove off to a wayside dhaba and treated myself to the most delicious hot and fresh tandoori rotis and tadka dal.  The resort town of Bhandardara with its famous dam and waterfall is nearby and the route is lined with eating places big and small. Climbing is hungry business and so till my next walk I leave you with this sage advice:

“Climb if you will, but remember that courage and strength are nought without prudence, and that a momentary negligence may destroy the happiness of a lifetime. Do nothing in haste; look well to each step; and from the beginning think what may be the end.”  -Edward Whymper

Karnala - Thumbs Up to the Nature World

Beacon to nature lovers and trekkers far and wide.
Located just off the National Highway Mumbai-Goa, the central basalt rock pillar of Karnala Fort, often referred to as 'Pandu's Tower', is visible from great distances. I saw it close while up in the air flying by in a helicopter, picture here. It was then I decided to climb the fort.

An encouraging 'Thumbs Up' 
Generally built on two levels, the landmark pillar is at the higher level of the fort which is at a strategic location guarding the Bor Pass.  It has changed hands many times and Marathas, Portuguese and the British have all in turn held this important fort. Today it is far more peaceful, beckoning birders, walkers and picknickers from afar.  There are two distinct aspects to Karnala, a climb to the fort itself and nature trails in the forests around.

The Climb
The trek to the fort starts at the forest office complex inside the park gates. It is about an hour's moderately stiff climb for the fit, an hour and a half for couch potatoes like me. Initially it is a vertical climb along a clearly discernable but very uneven path consisting of  steep steps, roots and boulders.  The walk is through thick forest in the lower reaches, part of the bird sanctuary where one sees a variety of birds and troops of langurs and macaques. 

Along the Ridge
After climbing uphill for a while, one reaches a pass, where the path turns right along the ridge to the north of the fort. The wily builders to the fort had ensured just one approach along a narrow ridge, this ensured that the attacker could not concentrate sufficient  troops to storm the fort, making it easier to defend.

Approaching the fort
The ridge is about a kilometre long, with beautiful views on both sides. While walking towards the fort one can see the dense forest of the sanctuary on the west (right) and the Patalganga river in the distance to the east (left). The path is not in good repair and large parts are cross-country rough terrain. The vegetation to both sides of the path has been burn by the forest department to 'manage' the growth.

Calotes
This calotes tries escaping the heat of the burning vegetation.The forest department takes great 'trouble' to keep the path clear, I saw an official, supervising a gang of labour who simply burnt the grass and small vegetation on the sides of the path.  Ever wonder why there is a constant haze everywhere?  This random burning doesn't care for the little animals and insects that are killed, the large living trees that are burnt and of course the possibility of the fire spreading.

At the main level
There are walls that denote structures of yore, but these seem more European in shape, possibly added on later by the Portuguese or British. The stories these stones could tell if they could talk!  These could be barracks for the defenders or powder magazines for the cannons.  The cannons deployed here could not have been very large as there seems to be no large path to get them up, also as is evident from the small embrasures in the walls.

An empty gate stares
Flanked by two trees, an empty gate opens out to what may have been the main approach to the citadel. There appears to be signs of a larger path below it, now unusable. Behind the gate are rock-cut cisterns.  Water was the lifeblood of these forts, and they had to have a sufficient stock of water to withstand long sieges of months or even years. These cisterns were rain fed or filled by springs.

Stairs to a lookout
These stairs go to a lookout at one end of the fort, there is a steep unguarded drop on either side. Most forts such as these based their defences on inaccessibility, the more difficult to climb or gather large forces, the easier to defend. So often the attacker had only one recourse, the siege, these lasted months or even years. 

Karnala Bird Sanctuary
The eponymous bird sanctuary, surrounds the base of the fort. The slopes are thickly wooded, providing residence to a variety of birds, insects and mammals. An early morning walk along the trails is a rewarding one, allowing glimpses of the denizens going about their daily lives.  Beware weekends, as a little later in the day, a very destructive species of the Great Indian Picnicker strikes these cool and silent forests. Throwing thermocole plates with gay abandon and catcalling, they quickly destroy the environment and solitude of these wondrous forests.

Forest Trails
There are many trails in the forest of the sanctuary, the longest takes about an hour of slow walking. One can combine trails, switch trails midway or do them sequentially. Some trails have grasslands and most have forests astride them.  Besides the ever present macaques and langurs, one can see a variety of birds and insects depending on the season.

Sunrise
My favourite time in the forest is when the sun rises, actually the sun rises behind the fort hence becomes visible in the sanctuary to the west much later. The rays are highlighted by the smoky haze of early morning inversion.  The effect is ethereal. 

Drop of gold
The sun backlights this dewdrop, the drop is so clear that it acts as a lens, reflecting the forest behind it. As the rays peep over the fort, they slowly percolate the forest canopy, warming plants, insects and birds. The best time to photograph insects is when they are slow before being warmed by the sun.

Breakfast
This is one of the best times to see birds as well as they are busy in their early morning feed or on tops of trees soaking in the sun. Here is a green bee-eater with a tasty grasshopper morsel. Behind is a sunbird, well ... sunning itself!

Salmon Arab Butterfly
Butterflies are plentiful, and as it gets warmer, they get more active, so go early for good pictures. On my many walks here, I have seen some amazing sights real close. It is nice to see the serious effort put in by the forest department in preventing litter  I hope it is not a losing battle, as unless we discipline ourselves, we shall end up neck deep in a pile of paper plates and plastic bottles.  Worse, I have seen birds snared in plastic bags and people feeding monkeys non-monkey food.

Lemon Pansy
I recommend spend a day going up to the fort and another half day walking the trails.  each has a lot to offer.  Don't miss breakfast and lunch at the little cafe inside the park, run as a cooperative by local ladies, they offer veg and non-veg food, both delectable.  The glutton in me orders the non-veg thali accompanied by the vegetable of the day, getting the best of both worlds. Spending a day or two, specially mid-week, in and around Karnala is a true communion with nature. 

The People of Tirthan Valley

The Tirthan Valley
Solitude of the upper reaches 

The lower Tirthan Valley is slowly being strangled by the tourist rupee, ubiquitous resorts and hotels mushroom along the river. it is a moral dilemma, tourism begets income but with it also come also indiscriminate construction and garbage. But beyond Gushaini towards the Great Himalayan National Park (GHNP), the area is only accessible only by foot and perhaps this inaccessibility to traffic still keeps this corner of paradise relatively untouched. Compared to our lives, local people live in comparative physical hardship. Long mountain trails mean walks of many hours to work and back to their lonely homes.  Carrying heavy loads, as everything is backpacked up to great heights, I saw ladies carry 35 kilograms of flour to villages three hours away. Harsh weather ranging from mild summer storms to bitter winters lashed by snow and wind. All these take a heavy toll on these people who age before their time. But irrespective of the hardship, the people in the interior are wonderful, always welcoming and ever smiling. This is a photo blog of some of these happy, dignified, trusting and warm people.

Lalchand guided me for three days.  
Young and agile as a mountain goat;
he carried a load almost his
own weight easily.He cheerfully helped
 me up ice-slippery mountain slopes
while going for Shilt Hut.
Ever resourceful, he "managed" a hut
instead of using the tent we carried in the park

Lalchand coaxing a fire from wet straw and wood in 
minutes from absolutely wet wood.  He fed me constantly. 
Wearing worn out keds and a faux leather jacket, 
he was comfortable in rain (more often) or shine.
His prized possession through the trip
were the pair of sun-glasses he found on the trail.  

Chandi Devi - Lady of the GHNP, has a hut between the
Park gates and Rolla camp.Here she emerges from 
the living area of her hut in the GHNP.
See the beehive holes on either side of the door
at the lowest level. Symbiosis with nature at its best,
she coexists with the bees and other animals, each giving the 
other something.

  

Stiff at first, Chandi Devi was a feisty lady
with a great sense of humour. The only inhabitant of the Park,
living alone in the hut by the side of the path, she is almost
 entirely self sufficient. She has children and grandchildren
who visit and supply her, but she chooses to live alone.
Reticent at first, she stood stiltedly for a photograph,
then as I got her chatting, she spoke animatedly
about the leopard that roared the previous night 
and other things.

I will not let the forest department move me out of here she says; 
She talks about how the forest department was trying to get her to move 
and why she was the most photographed denizen of the park!

Her hut has three levels, animals and beehives at the lowest, 
her living space in the middle and a small cooking space at the third tier.
 Unfortunately a camp site has come up around her abode,
an attempt, I think to dislodge her.

The Mother -  While walking up a steep forested hill
 I came upon a large dwelling. There was a single lady nearby,
she was very elegant and young. As was common among these
wonderful hill folk, in a very short while she got very chatty
 and extremely hospitable, offering me a chair and lunch
 (regrettably I declined). 

Wistfully, the Mother tells of
The pride of her life, her two sons, both toppers in school
and both studying in college. She ran in and got their photographs,
in which they were receiving a prize from a dignitary.  Her husband
 was a school teacher, walking two hours each way
five days a week to get to the school where he taught.

Anjali's younger sister whom I first stopped to photograph. 
A tiny little urchin, at first she was self conscious but  slowly she 
got used to me  finally giving me a bemused smile.

Anjali's mother seemed a harried lady, 
Anjali and her younger sister seemed great kids till the mother 
came, when they would behave spoilt and petulant.

Anjali -  An amazingly precocious girl of six,
I met her at a village on the way to the waterfall above Sai Ropa. 
Around her mother she was  spoilt and brattish but when alone with me
Anjali of the impish smile, never stopped chatting or laughing

striking a pose for me on the way, she spoke of her dreams and hopes,
her life today and what she intended it to become.  
She was acutely conscious of her looks and was
 constantly brushing and clipping her hair.

miss photogenic herself, Anjali was posing for me without
any trace of embarrassment. We parted good friends.

A grandmother of indeterminate age, this wonderful lady was coy,
aggressive and humourous in turn. I met her on a trail in the forest
behind where I was staying. She was laboriously limping her 
way to her children's house some distance away from hers.

Her face was richly wrinkled with each wrinkle probably a story to tell.
The harsh climate and hard life probably has taken a toll on her
as she seems to have aged beyond her years. But she retained
her wry sense of humour.

This gentleman was a bit redolent of some local liquor, however he took
me under his wing in a climb to the temple at Bandal Village.  Even
trying, unsuccessfully, to find the keys to the temple which was locked.

Very gentle and humorous, he explained various aspects
of the temple to me.  Also explaining the local custom of 
restricting access in most temples to people who were 
somehow connected to the construction of the temple.

I stopped to ask this lady directions, she had a delightful manner
and a bewitching smile. She willingly allowed me to photograph her
losing her awkwardness after a few moments.

She gave me directions and chatted awhile, but the effect of
 her hard life was evident in every crease on her face.  
While she was wrinkled on the exterior, there were no wrinkles
on her humour and patience with this city slicker with a camera.

A forest guard I met at a tea stall in Ropa,
 he had a very dignified manner. He allowed me to photograph him,
having a very pensive manner about him all the while. I ordered tea and 
the ubiquitous "Magi" noodles (which were actually
Wai Wai) for him too. Magi has become a generic term 
for noodles in the mountains.

Later I found that he was also moonlighting as a guide to a couple
 who were trekking in the park. Here he is washing utensils
 in the mist at Rolla. The couple he was supporting came dressed 
in biker studded boots and T-shirts to match, 
drank till late at night and left in the morning.

The Shepherd, was on the trail to GHNP, I requested him to gather
his sheep so that I might take a picture and he obliged. There were 
many such herders, what was remarkable is the care and concern with which 
they tended their sheep or goats. It was really touching.
 It was getting dark and I hastily took the pic.