cruising through the western ghats
(ok, aai helped pack the picnic box and knead the puri dough, while I deep fried them!)
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| the temple of wai! |
On a certain level calling a day's outing 'a picnic' sounds even more fun! Remember the anxiety with which one used to sleep before a school picnic day and wake up all full of 'picnic energy' ? No ? OK. then you were not the *hyper excited about picnics kid* that I was. Anywho, the point is we went on a picnic with the parents. Wheeeeeee!!!
Starting off with the village of Wai, we took our first halt at the table top of pachgani. <inserts bollywood movies boarding school reference>. Moved onto eat to our stomach's content at Mapro gardens. <ate the most awesome pizza, better than any 'traditional' pizza outlets>
| <3 from google |
Then baba started telling his tales of 'being a roadie' in the 1980s. He along with like minded friends toured various parts of India on their scooters/bikes. Starting point of all journeys central part of India.
1988 - Jabalpur, Bedaghat on his LML Vespa.
1989 - Aurangabad, Mahabaleshwar, Goa on his LML Vespa.
1990 - Kanyakumari via Mysore, and other southern cities on his LML Vespa.
Petrol prices were between Rs. 20 to 25 during that time FYI. Also how they would decide on where to halt and the difference between things back then and now, was most fun to hear! Also I think must have been romantic for aai to wait for father, to come home after his myriad adventures! <she would, of course, shy away from these speculations and tell how difficult it got not having the 'husband' around>
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| picturesque valleys around mahabaleshwar |
Dhananjay, the most exciting and quite experienced driver to have on these ghats, joined in with his tales. To the cult music from the 80/90s playing in the background.
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| the entrance to the fort |
Aai and baba were really excited to visit Pratapgad. The place where Shivaji killed Afzal Khan using ganimi kawa (guerilla tactics). We hired a guide, Jadhav, who along with some exaggerating insights told us the most fascinating story of the 'kill' and the battle that ensued.
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| posing outside a more than 100 years old school in the hills! |
There are still some 84 families living inside the fort. Life full of adventure and mystic!
And if you visit these places and don't eat the typical Maharashtrian food of 'pithla-bhakri' 'kanda-bhaji' 'thalipith' with a light drizzle in the background, then you are missing one of the most *worth it* and *cliched* experience in the world. Every visit to such places and not eating any of those feels almost like a crime!
And the journey wound up, with visits to two more Ganpati temples in Pali and Mahad. With sore legs from climbing the fort and a rejuvenated mind after breathing in the fresh air of the hills, last night was the longest and most peaceful I have slept in days!
How was your weekend ? :-)
~nightflier