my first date with heavens

After a long time I had this opportunity of being close to nature. I was all excited about visiting Malshej Ghat and the historical Shivneri fort.

You may not believe it, but it’s true that all five gals turned on time. (Some actually woke up at 3.00 am to cook food for the trip…amazing). As usual after I got my seat in the vehicle next to a window, it was me, my thoughts and nature. My friends were kind enough to leave me on my own.. I actually love a situation like this, enjoying the every moment and every path that I pass through with my thoughts and me.

As we passed through the green patches, I was busy capturing them, with the help of my friend’s camera. Mesmerized with the green shades and mountains covered by fogs, it was like the heaven was down on earth to meet me. We slightly tweaked our plans and decided to go to the fort first, and then come down to the ghat to enjoy the waterfall.

The winding narrow roads made us think if we were on right track but the villagers helped us clear our doubts. We finally reached the fort. What continued next was a thrilling view of an historical architecture thousand feet in heights surrounded by greens. As I took the rough old steps to walk, ignoring the well made ones; I wondered the manner in which Shivaji Maharaj in his childhood may have walked this way. The old wooden doors with huge nails on them greatly astonished me. It made me think of Vasai fort, where I had seen similar huge doors with nails on them. I wondered how these lifeless structures stood witness to the great historic period of Maharashtra. I enjoyed capturing every wall that took my attention. What further took me by surprise were the names of the various gates.

I was lucky enough to explore the place well as me and my friends took the wrong way while walking towards the birth place of Shivaji Maharaj. We walked the steep slippery rocks even when we could have taken the comfortable path built for tourists. The sight at the top was marvelous. But to my bad luck, the battery of the camera got over as we reached there, thanks to my photography through out the past three hours. And we had no extra batteries. My friend managed taking few shots with her cell phone. I couldn’t as my cell battery was low.

After entering the main place where Shivaji was born, my curiosity to see the small dingy place behind the locked door with grills increased. I was amazed looking at the cradle through the grills, hung with the support on four side. The same cradle in which Shivaji Maharaj grew. We went upstairs at the dingy place and the silence there was incredible. Actually felt like staying there forever.

Felt good that the crowd was less and the Archeological Society of India has at least worked here by maintaining the fort better in comparison to other forts in the state.

Exhausted after walking the hilly terrain we desperately needed to eat. Inorder to make our lunch even more adventurous we sat down to eat on the green grass in open field. Ignoring the looks given by passers-by we started gulping the home made food. It tasted delicious after the hard work. After an hours break we got back to reach the waterfalls, the most awaited site of the day.

Sigh, as we reached the foggy and cloudy place after crossing sunny skies and zigzag lanes, we found no single waterfall was left alone. All the lesser waterfalls were occupied by guys who were hooligans dancing to cheap music and starring at women like never seen before.

Worried over the fact that we may have to go homes without getting wet under the waterfall, we decided to take the plunge. We found a small place under a waterfall where each one of us got wet one after the other, it reminded me the way we exchange seats in local trains. I wished we had 33 percent reservation on dhabdhabas (waterfall) too. Finally after getting drenched for more than 20 minutes, we decided to leave.

Soaked to the skin we sat in the vehicle and were off to out homes.

Will always remember this trip 1 because it was my first date with heaven including fogs 2 coz it was all gals outing 3 coz I am more determined after this trip to practise nature photography and last but not the least it gave food for my dreams… 