Unfinished business. Starting this race report on a dramatic note may have piqued your interest already. Backstory: The रथी-महारथीs of our running group started running the various races at the Sinhaga-Rajgad-Torna (SRT) trail ultra marathon in 2019. What started with a couple of folks became a mass movement with most people from the group participating in it since 2021. After running the 25km edition in 2021 and doing the other parts of the 53km route during different hikes, I also…
Prescript Before I even begin to document the journey to the land of Buddha i.e. Nepal, let me first note down the technical basics. When I went to Nepal my website was up and running. When I came back the account was suspended. Of course, my hosting renewal was due and I forgot to renew before leaving. After coming back I tried in vain for a week to change the hosting provider. My impatience to document the 2 weeks in…
Where shall I start to try to capture this adventure? Let me begin at the beginning. As the popular version of the great battle of Pawankhind goes, Shivaji Raje was under siege at Panhala fort surrounded by Siddi Johar’s forces for months. They broke the siege and escaped the enemy forces on 12 July 1660. The ensuing battle is well known in Marathi history where a handful (600) brave warriors including Baji Prabhu Deshpande fought the enemy forces and lost…
I am struggling for words. Not the written kind. But after being silent, for most of the time in the past 10 days, my brain seems to have given up on talking. I have listened so much in the 7 days in the mountains, I hope I am able to carry that silence and calm through me, with me as life moves forward. Getting on a flight after the past 1.5 years felt unreal. From the logistics required to plan…
Baths/showers are for the weaklings. If you are from the drylands or plains (or cities) and want to live in the mountains, then, forget what a bath feels like. Because when you are up there freezing your exposed body parts, read toes and fingers (if not wearing socks or gloves. But why will you do that in December, I ask!) nose, cheeks, mouth, making water touch them will feel like saja-e-(thanda)-pani. As if drinking water to stay hydrated, as drilled…