Friends, Fort, Fatigue

& the unexpected Magical "F......."✨✨

Last weekend, I did something I truly want you to experience too.

Dukh. Dard. Peeda & the view!

Rajgad Fort: a historic, rugged piece of the Sahyadris near Pune. Akele jaaoge toh bhaut uncha jaaoge, saathi k saath jaaoge, toh mazee leke jaaoge. In this trek were : Anita(the OG planner), Hridhaan(the unexpected Guide), Uddhav(the guy who suddenly becomes Sandeep Maheshwari in such moments), Sayuri(the curious eyed radio element trekker) & I.

We thought it’d be a quick 6 hour round trip. A day hike. Stretch the legs, click some pictures, eat some chikki: call it a day. But nature, as always, had other plans. Beautiful ones.

The ascent took us a solid four hours. We underestimated it to the max! Under the blazing sun, every step was a mix of challenge and curiosity. Long winding trails tested our stamina, rocky boulders required focus, and some stretches went nearly vertical: testing our grit.

But the Sahyadris, like a tough yet generous host, kept gifting us relief: cool mountain breeze that appeared just when we needed it, and views so vast and humbling, we’d often pause just to soak it in. It was our solo titanic pose moment, but amongst the greens around, with unexpected chirps from the reptiles to keep moving.

We witnessed a Bengal monitor with amazing bright red chin, climbing up the tree, which looked like a slow mo version. But wait! Such animals are Slow mo in real too, apan insaan hi hai jinko har jagaah jaldi hoti hai.

Kya natural highlights hai! This one can give the Paradyes’s stock a run for their money!

While Bengal monitor had enough insects to much around, we were stuck with packaged food + walk in stalls offering some hydration. Fuel came in sips of limbu paani, bites of chips, chikki, and chocolates: nothing fancy, but just right. Water was a scarce resource, we realised late.

We stopped first at Chor Darwaza. What an entrance!! No, it is not how we see Deepee in Sanjay Leela Bhansali movie..It’s chor darwaza - hidden, difficult to enter, tiny. Legend has it : there was a passcode to be mentioned for the door to welcome you. The 1.5ft high 15 stairs post the darwaza were something that no one prepared us for.

Then made our way to Padmavat Mandir. That’s where it hit us : the silence. Not the absence of sound, but the presence of peace. The single rock carved sculptures of Devi, the flickering diya, the stillness. After a sweaty climb, sitting in stillness felt like meditation, like we had reached a destination, we didn’t know we were heading to.

And then came the moment. My moment

So I have this ritual of playing “bombay theme music” whenever i feel, it is the moment. The flute, the stillness, eyes closed with a big smile on my face. It is my way of experiencing joy. Of reliving the moments & thanking all folks around me who made it possible.

A mountain edge, surrounded by endless green, gazing at six cascading peaks, freshly touched by the monsoon. We sat there : five people, breathing slowly, without speaking : just existing with the wind and the view.

That moment… was the moment.

I felt how tiny we are, just specks in this vastness of nature. How fragile life is, swayed by events beyond our control. And yet, how hard we try to grip the illusion of control. It was humbling and oddly comforting.

By this time, we ran out of our supplies. No water. No chikki to munch. But well, it’s only downhill, so will be easy, quicker too. Also, It was around 4.15pm : ab toh suraj doobega.

The descent has its own battles. It’s no longer about strength, but balance. Your knees take the hit, your toes get jammed, and every step demands focus: one slip could ruin the day. Like a Panda rolling down the hill.

What kept us going was each other. Banter, jokes, silly comments, relatable Pak Chik Pak Raja babu mimicry: those tiny sparks of energy that only loved ones can offer.

And speaking of sparks, our son Hridhaan blew us away. He led us like a seasoned trekker. Always ahead, yet within view. Pointing out safe spots to step, warning us of tricky patches, slowing down when needed. His confidence, maturity, and sense of responsibility left us stunned and proud. Ekdum se MS Dhoni ban gaya re..! (His fav is RoHit Sharma).

Just when we thought the journey was done, magic showed up. It was 6.30pm by the time we reached the foothills. The base/ Car park must be 30mins of walk away from us. The villages started showing up within distance. However, the trail was still dark with a silver of moonlight watching over us. Phone Torch lights on.

Sayuri had never seen fireflies before. As we crossed a dark patch surrounded by trees, the forest lit up: hundreds of fireflies blinking in the dark like stars on land. It felt like walking inside a living Christmas tree, minus the tinsel. We stood still. No hunger. No thirst. Just awe. Like hungry kids salivating on candy. Sayuri was ecstatic with what she just experienced. No Santa could ever recreate what nature gifted us that night.

Treks can never be explained in words : written or verbal. It’s an experience. An experience worth having when your limbs are supporting you. Pack light, go slow, and go with people who lift your spirit.

Make friends with nature. And maybe… with yourself, too.