The Adventure On Kahooli Mountain

That isn't the name, but it sounds better that way

Two weeks into Pune and I had my first 2 day weekend. I don’t always get two enjoy the weekend..it is usually the ‘end’ by the time I get there. This called for celebration and I and two close buddies of mine decided to head out to Lonavala,a nearby hill station. They were to come from Mumbai and I, well, was to move from Pune.

The train ride from Pune to Lonavla took just 13 bucks..but, first time traveler-cum-tourist (read ‘sucker’) that I was, it took me 80 bucks to get from the railway station to the bus stand, in the same darn town, where my friends were. And this inspite of me putting on my ‘knowledgable look’*

We decided to do away with the tried and tested tourist routine..No dams, no suicide points(every hill station is bound to have a suicide point! Wonder what it is with high places and jumping!) . . Jana suggested that we head to Korigad -.a fort not much frequented by tourists but ideal for trekking..Aparna and I were game.

The ride to Korigad was errmm..rather uncomfortable.It wasn’t a taxi in the conventional sense..it was more like a pickup truck which locals used to transport goods and themselves to their far flung villages...The problem wasn’t that we 3 had to squeeze in next to the driver, and it wasn’t that he was charging us 150 bucks (our return cost us only 60..so we were suckered again)..it was that I was sitting next to the driver..and as the front seat was made for 2 passengers and not 3, the gear stick was right between my legs..It wasn’t a problem most of the time..but whenever the guy switched to second gear, it was ..well..it was very discomforting to say the least..and on top of that, the ride was uphill all the way!

When we got down at Korigad, the fort stretching way above our eye levels, we wondered how we would get on top..it looked unsurmountable – that was until Jana said that there were steps going up the fort..Didn’t sound very adventurous when he said that..

I couldn’t have been wronger..

There were steps alright, the problem though was that there were cascades of water running down those steps, and when you have running water, you have smooth slippery stone steps..and when you fall down steps, you keep falling down..well that was the image I had in mind, and needless to say, every step was taken with great care..we stopped every now and then to take a breath, and take in the “view”..there was the odd cave too, full with echo and lovers’s names scrawled on the wall for that authentic effect..fortunately or unfortunately, there weren’t any lovers around that time..there were only the 3 of us..except ofcourse for the security guard we saw on the way up..

Nothing prepared us for what we were to see and experience on top..I know I am starting to sound like one of those awful serial-story writers, but it’s true..If the steps leading to the summit of the fort were pure stone, and water running down, the grounds of the fort, high above man’s usual ground, was breathtakingly green..there were small yellow flowers, and we were reminded of the fields our filmy couples used to run through before the flowers used to kiss each other. If you want a more classical simile think Lord of the Rings and Gladiator..green, mist...Beautiful was an understatement..

We climbed onto the wall of the fort and looked down into the valley..it is difficult to describe..you are the only people there, it’s all silent, you hear only the sound of the wind asking you to make way for him, and before you, you have this splendid creation of God and Man..You think back to an era when people who stood where you did didn’t have the luxury of enjoying the view – but they lived up here and looked down at the valley all the same..

The rest of it was a blur..there we were, 3 of us, on the high walls of the fort, looking at the canvas before us, and rather quickly I thought, clouds moved into the frame..I thought it looked like two lovers kissing..converging from two sides..Appu thought there were more than two.. Soon, the colorful scene before us had vanished, and it was replaced by a somber and moody grey.. We looked behind us, and it was grey there as well..

Slowly but steadily, it started to rain..we were stranded..

I don’t know if you have ever been caught in the rain, on top of a high fort, that too on the very edge of the fort, with nowhere to go. I was worried about the wind getting all excited at that height, and of us toppling over..it was quite difficult to see the way ahead of us, and we couldn’t go back either..and no, we couldn’t jump of the wall either..one side of it was like 12-15 feet high, the other was like 2000 metres high. Neither was enticing. Luckily, there was a little stone cover behind us on the valley side, and that protected us from being toppled over, in case the wind grew that strong..so we decided to remain there, and we squatted, in a huddle, heads down, braving the gently pounding rain..

The rain god’s show lasted around 20 minutes where we did nothing but crouch, wait, and get wet. We had windcheaters on, but that wasn’t of much use up there..thankfully, there was no thunder and lightning as part of the package. When it was all over, we were very very wet…but it was a relief to know that it was over..atleast we could get off the wall now..we didn’t savour the thought of being caught yet again..

Our jeans were soaking wet, and weighing us down and we half thought of leaving the fort, beautiful and isolated as it was,..but Jana wanted us to see the lake too..yes..the place had a lake..this was where the little waterfalls came from..With the rain gone, the place looked renewed and greener than before. And then it started raining again..

We longed for some sun, but he never came..we climbed down the fort..coming down was dicier than going up..chances of slipping were higher and this time, we were tired..but we made it down without incident..We were in the mood for some hot tea but there were no tea shops in the area..there was a shop, and when we asked for tea, the good shopkeeper complied…nothing like steaming tea when you are soaked to the bone!

It was time to head back into civilization now and we wondered how we would get back..there weren’t many vehicles going that way..I thought that it would be cruel of our wet clothes to leave an impression in any car that stopped to give us a lift..but I was unnecessarily worrying..no one stopped.$#%#%^#ers!.

What finally stopped was another pickup..this time we got into the back. There were no seats and we had to stand inside..there was just enough space to stand straight..we had 4 villagers and 3 sacks of coal for company..the driver was Schumacher’s long lost brother..that was the way he drived, that too downhill. We were hanging on to whatever railings there were inside. Everytime there was a bend, our bodies would go in that direction, the only things holding us from falling over were our grips on the railings.

Half an hour and 60 bucks later, we were back amidst civilization..Teeming tourists, noisy cars, street side vendors..all a far cry from the rained out and isolated hill top where the only faces we saw were ours..I was to go along with Aparna and Jana to Mumbai, and return the next day. But we all had more than our share of adventure, we were all tired, and were not in the mood for anything more other than a warm bed..so I decided to head back to my den in Pune..

Moreover, I SO needed to get out of those wet jeans and squishy shoes!

The next weekend is also a two day affair..and yes, plans are open!!!Coming???


*knowledgable look - this is where you don’t gape all around you with your jaw dropping in wonder..you just put your hands in your pocket, look straight ahead, and keep walking straight..you can always backtrack and turn right once you make discrete enquiries about the way.