Friday, February 09, 2007
Speed Dating Anyone?
A speed dating event with a twist! Only wealthy men and beautiful women may apply!! Can you believe it? It can't get more politically incorrect than that, right??
The organisers Pocket Change (and I seriously recommend visiting the link to see the criteria they have laid down) have come up with this concept called 'Natural Selection Speed Dating'. They went ahead with the event with 40 men and women participating, and of course these were people who met the criteria.
What the organisers say is that they have latched on to folk wisdom. Men seek beautiful females for partners while females seek men with wealth and power. As you would expect they have got flak from many for being so blatantly 'sexist' and 'crass'.
You might notice that I have marked the last two adjectives above in quotes. Do I agree with what they are doing? Well, I have no comments to make on that. But there is quite some interesting background to what these people are saying.
A field of study called evolutionary psychology gives a nice angle to this whole 'wealthy men, sexy women' concept. The whole premise behind this field is that our mental makeup, behaviour and hardwiring that goes into what the brain is, has been shaped by thousands of years of evolution. The environments that we as a species have been through have molded your brain, your emotions, the way you react when you see a sibling, parental love, the choice of mate, why someone cheats on a partner among many other things. Not to say that, we are automatons without conscious control. But, accepting the fact that we have hardwired logic governing our thoughts, choices and interactions with others.
Does it sound too far fetched? Well, we agree with things evolution tells us like why people around the tropics have dark skin, right? The pigment melanin protects again sunlight, for example. Its an evolutionary development shaped by exposure to strong sunlight (environment). So, if you can extend the logic to the realm of the mind, many things can be explained in this framework.
From a purely reproductive angle, males look for a beautiful female, in the search for a healthy set of genes and females seek a male with status and wealth to further the benefits accruing to the potential offspring. Simply, put, evolutionary psychology says that sometimes folk wisdom has in-built logic. It did not get adopted by 'folk' if it did not have inherent sense. If it did not make sense, it would have withered away from collective memory.
But the twist about evolutionary psychology is that the adaptations are made for the environment that shaped us. If the environment changes drastically, the adaptations will not be particularly helpful usually. In the case of mankind, the environment (not environment in the conventional ecological sense, but that governing our interactions with others) has changed so rapidly over the last few thousand years that we are sometimes at the whims and fancies of commands from the past in a different today.
What the speed dating event has done is brought a fact of life forward. It is something that most know but few are ok with, accepting publicly.
As a side note, I would suggest reading a book called "Moral Animal - Why we are the way we are" by Robert Wright. Its rich and stimulating. For those who like their books with the thinking cap on, I assure you its a good read.
The organisers Pocket Change (and I seriously recommend visiting the link to see the criteria they have laid down) have come up with this concept called 'Natural Selection Speed Dating'. They went ahead with the event with 40 men and women participating, and of course these were people who met the criteria.
What the organisers say is that they have latched on to folk wisdom. Men seek beautiful females for partners while females seek men with wealth and power. As you would expect they have got flak from many for being so blatantly 'sexist' and 'crass'.
You might notice that I have marked the last two adjectives above in quotes. Do I agree with what they are doing? Well, I have no comments to make on that. But there is quite some interesting background to what these people are saying.
A field of study called evolutionary psychology gives a nice angle to this whole 'wealthy men, sexy women' concept. The whole premise behind this field is that our mental makeup, behaviour and hardwiring that goes into what the brain is, has been shaped by thousands of years of evolution. The environments that we as a species have been through have molded your brain, your emotions, the way you react when you see a sibling, parental love, the choice of mate, why someone cheats on a partner among many other things. Not to say that, we are automatons without conscious control. But, accepting the fact that we have hardwired logic governing our thoughts, choices and interactions with others.
Does it sound too far fetched? Well, we agree with things evolution tells us like why people around the tropics have dark skin, right? The pigment melanin protects again sunlight, for example. Its an evolutionary development shaped by exposure to strong sunlight (environment). So, if you can extend the logic to the realm of the mind, many things can be explained in this framework.
From a purely reproductive angle, males look for a beautiful female, in the search for a healthy set of genes and females seek a male with status and wealth to further the benefits accruing to the potential offspring. Simply, put, evolutionary psychology says that sometimes folk wisdom has in-built logic. It did not get adopted by 'folk' if it did not have inherent sense. If it did not make sense, it would have withered away from collective memory.
But the twist about evolutionary psychology is that the adaptations are made for the environment that shaped us. If the environment changes drastically, the adaptations will not be particularly helpful usually. In the case of mankind, the environment (not environment in the conventional ecological sense, but that governing our interactions with others) has changed so rapidly over the last few thousand years that we are sometimes at the whims and fancies of commands from the past in a different today.
What the speed dating event has done is brought a fact of life forward. It is something that most know but few are ok with, accepting publicly.
As a side note, I would suggest reading a book called "Moral Animal - Why we are the way we are" by Robert Wright. Its rich and stimulating. For those who like their books with the thinking cap on, I assure you its a good read.
Monday, December 25, 2006
Tikona Fort Trek
The trek destination chosen this time was Tikona Fort. We set off from Khadki station to reach Kamshet (2 stations before Lonavala) by local train. We got an 8:15 PM train which takes around an hour to reach Kamshet. There were 11 of us from Pune and there was a group of 3 from Mumbai, who were going to meet us at Kamshet. There was some chaos as we reached Kamshet because one of us missed the station and got down at the next station Malavli. So there was an extra six-seater ride from Malavli back to Kamshet.
It was already around 10 PM and the sun had ascended in the sky and was blazing away. We quickly made our way down the station road to the bus stand. Here we negotiated a ride in a Trax jeep for Rs. 300, to the Tikona Peth, which is the base village for the trek. In case you did not add up the numbers I mentioned earlier, the question of how to fit 14 adults in a jeep would have hit you! It was not exactly comfortable and on every bump and crater, along with the creaks the jeep let out, there were muffled groans from the occupants as well. But on a trek these are trivial concerns and only led to rounds of jokes and manic laughter.
After a 30-40 mins. ride we reached Tikona Peth, having passed Kale Colony and the Pavana Sagar dam on the way. We tumbled out of the jeep and started off on the trail to Tikona Fort. This trek is a simple one, with a well-defined path to the top and absolutely no technically challenging aspect.
As the name suggests, this fort is located on a hill with triangular faces. In fact, it looks like a pyramid as you approach the fort. There are two paths up the hill. One goes straight past the fort does a U-turn and then ascends up the ridge. The other will not be easily sighted but it is much shorter. You have to go right, off the main path, and go up the first pyramid edge of the hill that you come across. Past the geometry , time to go ahead. :-)
The path went past the fort and for the first time we got a clear glimpse. The fort looks like impenetrable if you go by the sheer cliff below the fort walls, which fall rapidly down to the ground.
After some time the ascent started. At a fork, we turned right and were greeted by a beautiful landscape opening up before us. There is a small lake that can be seen on the other side of the ridge. Further up, the climb was steep but never exhausting. This being a short trek the fort was always in sight and this also was encouraging in a way.
Halfway up we came across a huge water tank and a temple. The shorter route that I mentioned above, meets the water tank towards the right. We went left and soon encountered the steepest staircase I've seen in some time. The angle is very sharp and each stair is actually a huge carved stone block more than a foot high. Some trivia that I picked up on a past trek was that, the Maratha's used rocks carved out of the mountains themselves and built fortifications as needed. They avoided hauling them up, smart, eh?
Just below the fort there is a water tank that has chilled water that is drinkable. Hunger pangs found voice and we decided to have food right there in the cool environs. It was a funny sight as we laid a newspaper on the ground and out tumbled assorted food items from haversacks. The ubiquitous bread-butter was followed by sweet lime, namkeen, Parle G, cheese spread and bananas. All wolfed down with gusto! Satiety is to be experienced on a trek. True hunger kicks in only when you push yourself. And then you can feel like you've had a meal fit for a king with the simplest of foods.
From here it was a 5 minute walk to the highest point on the fort. The most beautiful scenery unfolded before us. We could see the Pavana lake in a shimmering azure, mirroring the open sky. Tung fort stood serenely yet majestically, held by the lake waters.
With the high point reached, we went around the fort walls and took in the landscapes. There was a window that gave an awesome view off the ridge which we had just climbed up. Must say that a sentry standing here would have ample time to ring the alarms if any enemy made his way up.
We then made our way down the steep stairs again. In the monsoon these stairs would be extremely slippery and trekkers would need to exercise caution, because there is less room for mistake. Overall, the way down was simple though and we made our way towards Tikona Peth village via the shorter route. In an hour we were back. Then followed the comparatively boring part - waiting for the State Transport bus to take us back to Kamshet. It finally arrived and we hopped in. And then the local train from Kamshet back to Pune followed.
Back to the concrete jungle, with enough raw beauty imbibed, to keep me satiated till the next trek!
It was already around 10 PM and the sun had ascended in the sky and was blazing away. We quickly made our way down the station road to the bus stand. Here we negotiated a ride in a Trax jeep for Rs. 300, to the Tikona Peth, which is the base village for the trek. In case you did not add up the numbers I mentioned earlier, the question of how to fit 14 adults in a jeep would have hit you! It was not exactly comfortable and on every bump and crater, along with the creaks the jeep let out, there were muffled groans from the occupants as well. But on a trek these are trivial concerns and only led to rounds of jokes and manic laughter.
After a 30-40 mins. ride we reached Tikona Peth, having passed Kale Colony and the Pavana Sagar dam on the way. We tumbled out of the jeep and started off on the trail to Tikona Fort. This trek is a simple one, with a well-defined path to the top and absolutely no technically challenging aspect.
As the name suggests, this fort is located on a hill with triangular faces. In fact, it looks like a pyramid as you approach the fort. There are two paths up the hill. One goes straight past the fort does a U-turn and then ascends up the ridge. The other will not be easily sighted but it is much shorter. You have to go right, off the main path, and go up the first pyramid edge of the hill that you come across. Past the geometry , time to go ahead. :-)The path went past the fort and for the first time we got a clear glimpse. The fort looks like impenetrable if you go by the sheer cliff below the fort walls, which fall rapidly down to the ground.
After some time the ascent started. At a fork, we turned right and were greeted by a beautiful landscape opening up before us. There is a small lake that can be seen on the other side of the ridge. Further up, the climb was steep but never exhausting. This being a short trek the fort was always in sight and this also was encouraging in a way.
Halfway up we came across a huge water tank and a temple. The shorter route that I mentioned above, meets the water tank towards the right. We went left and soon encountered the steepest staircase I've seen in some time. The angle is very sharp and each stair is actually a huge carved stone block more than a foot high. Some trivia that I picked up on a past trek was that, the Maratha's used rocks carved out of the mountains themselves and built fortifications as needed. They avoided hauling them up, smart, eh?
Just below the fort there is a water tank that has chilled water that is drinkable. Hunger pangs found voice and we decided to have food right there in the cool environs. It was a funny sight as we laid a newspaper on the ground and out tumbled assorted food items from haversacks. The ubiquitous bread-butter was followed by sweet lime, namkeen, Parle G, cheese spread and bananas. All wolfed down with gusto! Satiety is to be experienced on a trek. True hunger kicks in only when you push yourself. And then you can feel like you've had a meal fit for a king with the simplest of foods.
From here it was a 5 minute walk to the highest point on the fort. The most beautiful scenery unfolded before us. We could see the Pavana lake in a shimmering azure, mirroring the open sky. Tung fort stood serenely yet majestically, held by the lake waters.
With the high point reached, we went around the fort walls and took in the landscapes. There was a window that gave an awesome view off the ridge which we had just climbed up. Must say that a sentry standing here would have ample time to ring the alarms if any enemy made his way up.
We then made our way down the steep stairs again. In the monsoon these stairs would be extremely slippery and trekkers would need to exercise caution, because there is less room for mistake. Overall, the way down was simple though and we made our way towards Tikona Peth village via the shorter route. In an hour we were back. Then followed the comparatively boring part - waiting for the State Transport bus to take us back to Kamshet. It finally arrived and we hopped in. And then the local train from Kamshet back to Pune followed.
Back to the concrete jungle, with enough raw beauty imbibed, to keep me satiated till the next trek!
Monday, October 23, 2006
Waxing Lyrical
This post is about some of my all time favourite lyrics. One of the questions that I have always had about songwriting is how the writer can come up with myriad emotions in a song through evocative lyrics. Has the writer already gone through the same situation which is put down into words? Because sometimes the lyrics are so emotionally charged and feel so personal that anything otherwise seems too difficult.
All I want is everything - Def Leppard
All I want is everything
Am I asking too much?
All I want is everything
Like the feel of your touch
But all I have are yesterdays
Tomorrow never comes
Its hard to hold your head up
When you're kneeling down to pray
And the talking doesn't come easy now
When the words get in the way
And if you could see what's going on
Behind these private eyes
The truth would look so easy now
But I'm running out of lies
You Oughta Know - Alanis Morissette
Cause the love that you gave that we made wasn't able
To make it enough for you to be open wide, no
And every time you speak her name
Does she know how you told me you'd hold me
Until you died, till you died
But you're still alive
And I'm here to remind you
Of the mess you left when you went away
It's not fair to deny me
Of the cross I bear that you gave to me
You, you, you oughta know
Unchained Melody - Righteous Brothers
Lonely rivers flow to the sea, to the sea,
to the open arms of the sea.
Lonely rivers sigh, wait for me,
wait for me.
I'll be coming home, wait for me
What it takes - Aerosmith
There goes my old girlfriend
There's another diamond ring
And all those late night promises
I guess they don't mean a thing
So baby, whats the story?
Did you find another man?
Is it easy to sleep in the bed that we made?
When you dont look back I guess
The feelings start to fade away
I used to feel your fire
But now its cold inside
And you're back on the street
Like you didn't miss a beat, yeah
Tell me what it takes to let you go
Things have changed - Bob Dylan
People are crazy and times are strange
I'm locked in tight, I'm out of range
I used to care, but things have changed
Brothers in Arms - Dire Straits
Now the sun's gone to hell
And the moon's riding high
Let me bid you farewell
Every man has to die
But its written in the starlight
And every line on your palm
We're fools to make war
On our brothers in arms
Thousand Years - Sting
A million roads, a million fears
A million suns, ten million years of uncertainty
I could speak a million lies, a million songs,
A million rights, a million wrongs in this balance of time
But if there was a single truth, a single light
A single thought, a singular touch of grace
Then following this single point , this single flame,
The single haunted memory of your face
I still love you
I still want you
A thousand times the mysteries unfold themselves
Like galaxies in my head
One - U2
Have you come here for forgiveness?
Have you come tor raise the dead?
Have you come here to play Jesus
To the lepers in your head?
Did I ask too much?
More than a lot
You gave me nothing
Now its all I got
We're one
But we're not the same
We hurt each other
Then we do it again
There was a show they did at Belfast where Bono, the U2 frontman, spoke this beauty of a line before heading into the song.
'To be one is a great thing, but to respect differences, even greater'
All this might seem dry in this blog if you are not familiar with these songs, but I strongly recommend listening to these songs and sinking deeper into the rich emotionscapes!
All I want is everything - Def Leppard
All I want is everything
Am I asking too much?
All I want is everything
Like the feel of your touch
But all I have are yesterdays
Tomorrow never comes
Its hard to hold your head up
When you're kneeling down to pray
And the talking doesn't come easy now
When the words get in the way
And if you could see what's going on
Behind these private eyes
The truth would look so easy now
But I'm running out of lies
You Oughta Know - Alanis Morissette
Cause the love that you gave that we made wasn't able
To make it enough for you to be open wide, no
And every time you speak her name
Does she know how you told me you'd hold me
Until you died, till you died
But you're still alive
And I'm here to remind you
Of the mess you left when you went away
It's not fair to deny me
Of the cross I bear that you gave to me
You, you, you oughta know
Unchained Melody - Righteous Brothers
Lonely rivers flow to the sea, to the sea,
to the open arms of the sea.
Lonely rivers sigh, wait for me,
wait for me.
I'll be coming home, wait for me
What it takes - Aerosmith
There goes my old girlfriend
There's another diamond ring
And all those late night promises
I guess they don't mean a thing
So baby, whats the story?
Did you find another man?
Is it easy to sleep in the bed that we made?
When you dont look back I guess
The feelings start to fade away
I used to feel your fire
But now its cold inside
And you're back on the street
Like you didn't miss a beat, yeah
Tell me what it takes to let you go
Things have changed - Bob Dylan
People are crazy and times are strange
I'm locked in tight, I'm out of range
I used to care, but things have changed
Brothers in Arms - Dire Straits
Now the sun's gone to hell
And the moon's riding high
Let me bid you farewell
Every man has to die
But its written in the starlight
And every line on your palm
We're fools to make war
On our brothers in arms
Thousand Years - Sting
A million roads, a million fears
A million suns, ten million years of uncertainty
I could speak a million lies, a million songs,
A million rights, a million wrongs in this balance of time
But if there was a single truth, a single light
A single thought, a singular touch of grace
Then following this single point , this single flame,
The single haunted memory of your face
I still love you
I still want you
A thousand times the mysteries unfold themselves
Like galaxies in my head
One - U2
Have you come here for forgiveness?
Have you come tor raise the dead?
Have you come here to play Jesus
To the lepers in your head?
Did I ask too much?
More than a lot
You gave me nothing
Now its all I got
We're one
But we're not the same
We hurt each other
Then we do it again
There was a show they did at Belfast where Bono, the U2 frontman, spoke this beauty of a line before heading into the song.
'To be one is a great thing, but to respect differences, even greater'
All this might seem dry in this blog if you are not familiar with these songs, but I strongly recommend listening to these songs and sinking deeper into the rich emotionscapes!
Saturday, September 23, 2006
Charged and adjudged guilty!
Yesterday I was travelling by the usual Volvo bus from Pune to Mumbai and I had a experience that troubled me. A Volvo bus has a 2x2 seating arrangement. I was seated on the left pair of seats with one seat vacant. Similarly there was one female sitting immediately behind me with the other seat vacant. Three stops down from where I had got in, a female got onto the bus, came down the aisle, and stopped near my seat. I got up to let her move in towards the window seat. I could not sit immediately because there were some more people moving up and down the narrow aisle. And then I saw the first female sitting behind talking with the second one who had just come in and gesticulating. I sat down and was quite taken aback to hear the first female going on and convincing the second female quite fervently to come and sit beside her instead and avoid a male on the other seat. Not that the second female needed much convincing. So I moved aside and let her pass....
This bothered me. I can empathize with their case, because their fears were valid - on an average, yes! But at the same time it felt quite rude and insulting deep down. Because I heard stuff like "it would be a problem", "its not comfortable", "its safer", which were really politically correct ways of saying "Hey, this guy beside you might be a pervert or the sorts who likes to grope in the dark".
Feels weird to be considered equal to a lecherous male, high on hormones and low on self-control. Hey, I need another seat. I'm not comfortable in this position!
This bothered me. I can empathize with their case, because their fears were valid - on an average, yes! But at the same time it felt quite rude and insulting deep down. Because I heard stuff like "it would be a problem", "its not comfortable", "its safer", which were really politically correct ways of saying "Hey, this guy beside you might be a pervert or the sorts who likes to grope in the dark".
Feels weird to be considered equal to a lecherous male, high on hormones and low on self-control. Hey, I need another seat. I'm not comfortable in this position!
Saturday, August 26, 2006
Biking and Rafting on Kundalika river
I had been planning a rafting trip since a long time. To be precise, for more than a year. I have done whitewater rafting on the Ganga , from Shivpuri to Rishikesh. Now that had been one super experience, so I was quite keen on going headlong into the churning waters once again.
So finally, we decided to go rafting trip on the
Anyway, back to how it all started. Neelaksh and Hitu on one bike and Sumit and I on another, met up at Chandni Chowk, Pune at around 7 in the morning. It was pouring already and our clothes were soaking wet. The windcheater was doing a perfunctory job of keeping the rain out. We took off on the Paud road which is in very good shape, compared to the sorry state of Pune city roads. It was awesome weather, provided you don't mind being drenched to the bone. For those who understand what I'm saying, the natural beauty of the monsoons in this part of the country more than makes up for any discomfort.
As a biking quote goes, "If you don't ride in the rains, you don't ride".
It was around 30-35 kms down when we first sighted the Mulshi lake. It suddenly came into view and we were simply left speechless. When seen with the misty hills in the background that surround it, it gives you an impression of arriving in some undiscovered mystical place. The lake was “filled to the brim” if you could call it so. Where it met land there was submerged trees with their dome like canopies standing out of the water. The Mulshi lake feeds water into the Mula river that flows through Pune and the recent flooding in Pune was partly due to the excess buildup of rain water in the Mulshi lake. The route circumnavigated around the Mulshi lake. Increasingly the road became foggy and it started raining heavily. Our speed went down and we tried to make the best time possible as we were running late. But also, going slow, let us soak in more of the environs, which were uplifting to say the least.
Soon we started ascending up Tamhini Ghat. From descriptions on the Net I knew there was amazing scenery in store. And we were not let down. Now it was no longer fog. The clouds had descended down to earth. We had no other option but to switch on the headlight and the turning indicator. And even that did not help much in the viscous, swirling greys around us.
Every now and then there would be roaring waterfalls coming into sight beside the road. Apparently there was a deep valley to our right, but we could never see due to the low visibility. After some time we reached the top of the Tamhini Ghat. Finally we could see down below to the plains stretching far away. Clusters of tiled roofs marked villages below. Roads took on the appearance of glistening silver ribbons in the distance. The descent consisted of winding roads blasted through towering rock formations and hairpin bends. The engine finally got a breather and I could gently ease it into 4th and 5th gear on the straight stretches down. In not more than 20-25 mins we covered the descent and came out near a junction in Kolad.
From here we went to Sutarwadi and reached the rafting point, besides the banks of the Kundalika. It had taken us 3 hours from Chandni Chowk and we reached in the nick of time, for the rafting was about to begin. The jolly instructor Pawan, took us through the commands, safety drills and general instructions to be followed. The raft was gently pushed into the water and we were off on the way. The rafting on the Kundalika is good for people who are yet to get over their fear of water, or for whom Rishikesh is too far away. Having done Rishikesh, I frankly was a bit bored with the rather dull Kundalika rapids. The websites advertise Kundalika saying "Grade II and Grade III rapids". In my opinon these were Grade II (Grade V being the toughest) at the best. My friends who had never experienced it before though were enjoying it to the hilt. There are 3-4 rapids on the rafting run. The best one was actually like an aquatic roller-coaster.
After around an hour of rafting, we entered the calmer section of the river, where it widens significantly. Here we went into the water with life jackets on. For those who haven’t done it before it is actually a “leap of faith”. But you don’t need to worry much. The life jacket is sufficient to keep your head safe above the water, so don’t picture yourself gasping for air. This is where the Kundalika scores above the
This time we had more time to spend on the way back at all the various “points” and waterfalls on the way. Retracing the road back, we soon went up Tamhini Ghat. From then on it was a leisurely ride back to Pune. Just that now it took us more time than in the morning, due to the huge crowds of picnickers who had come to make merry at the numerous waterfalls. They also afforded us some very comic sights. Indian males are much castigated for being boors. Well, these guys were visual evidence. Clothed with nothing but very brief “briefs”. huge potbellies, drunken gaits, tottering all over the road, with a bottle in the hand for company. And the more enthusiastic ones had come up in Sumos, with stereos on full blast and had set up their dance floors beside the road. Negotiating their next drunken move on the road, we passed by each group and carried on.
Finally, we reached Chandni Chowk around 7 in the evening. The legs were weary, muscles knotted, and clothes drenched completley. But there was a wistful smile on my face as I looked back at the day gone by. We bid goodbye and departed for our homes.
Oh, one important thing. The rafting guys mention Rs. 1100 for a rafting run. You can bargain and easily get it down to Rs. 750. Spread the word :-)
Sunday, July 16, 2006
Matheran Trek
Last week I went with my usual gang of trekkers to Matheran. We intended to go via the Garbett Plateau route from Bhivpuri. For those who don't know Matheran is the only hill station in India that does not allow motor traffic. It has definitely helped preserve the pristine beauty of this place. Monsoons bring out the best in Matheran and we definitely had one awesome trek.
The Pune junta took the 6:05 Sinhagad Express towards Karjat and then a local train towards Bombay to get down at Bhivpuri station, which is the next station after Karjat. The Mumbai junta had an easier option of taking one local train from CST to Karjat. All of us assembled at Bhivpuri. One of the trek site descriptions mentioned that we have to start walking from the Karjat end of the platform. Well, we didn't and that was the source of so much confusion on this trek, because we never reached Garbett Plateau. We reached Matheran directly and came out somewhere near Garbett Point (from where you get a good view of the plateau itself). Well, that surely is not cutting a long story short, because even though we took another route and found our way serendipitously, we had an amazing trek nonetheless.
So as I said we started off on the other end of the platform, after we filled up on some hot tea at the station. We started walking on a tar road that goes towards Neral (the next station). Now a motor road from Neral goes right up to Dasturi Naka, after which you have to walk 20 mins till you reach the Matheran Market. We wanted to go offroad, so after asking some local villagers, we started towards a village called Bekra. As soon as we climbed a small ridge we saw a gentle stream that we had to cut across. In went everybody and it was not long before a water-fight erupted, leaving everyone drenched.
After cutting across paddy fields for around 20 mins we reached Bekra. We got several conflicting answers about the route to Garbett. We could not make out whether the villagers were referring to Garbett Point which is at Matheran or Garbett Plateau which is at a lower altitude. So, going roughly in the direction we thought was OK we followed a trail to the left , which quickly became steep enough. We reached a small grassy ridge which widened across ahead. To our left was a magnificent waterfall. Then followed the mandatory photo sessions with people outdoing each other in their modelling poses.
Travelling further on the scenery became even more breathtaking and the colours more vivid. Green dominated the landscape for as far we could see. It was as if a carpet had been laid out to welcome us visitors. The route gradually ascended higher up the hill and the views became even more captivating. It was harder to resist turning around and staring at the panorama behind us.
We had been climbing for more than 2 hours. The pace dipped a lot on this trek, because there was a bigger group than usual, with around 23 trekkers. We halted and out came lunch, which provided a much needed break, and fuel for the body. Exotic combinations like boiled eggs and pickle were gulped down without complaints. Table manners were done away with and hungry hands clamoured for more. With renewed vigour we again started upwards. The route became steeper and more rocky as we ascended. Part of the group who had gone ahead at this point went astray and turned right towards a trail which went towards directly towards Dasturi Naka. They had a lead of around 20 mins and finally when the trekkers at the rear correctly took the correct trail to the left, the leaders were spotted far below in the distance. With loud calls they were called back. From that fork the Matheran plateau is not more than half an hour away. It was not much time before everyone regrouped at the top.
It was then that we realised our blunder. We were right on the dirt trails of Matheran and we saw other human traffic going past us. After asking someone we realised that Garbett Point was not more than 10 mins away to the left. We scrambled over a portion of the trail which had seen a recent landslide and made our way to the Point. What followed was the best part of the trek. We could see the Point as we approached. A tongue of land jutting out narrowly from the plateau. Whipped by winds so strong that you actually felt like someone was pushing you over. Rain which came in horizontally and stung your skin. And waterfalls in the distance that played a game of hide and seek, with the clouds that billowed and buffetted across for one moment and cleared away in the next.
We had a good look at the Garbett Plateau - the route that we were supposed to come up from and had a hearty laugh. It did not matter for we had enough fun anyway. After enough exposure to the elements we turned back and started off on the trail towards the Market. From Garbett Point the Market is around 45 mins away. The trail took us through the thick greenery which Matheran is famous for.
Some trivia which might be of interest to you. Matheran was a hill station developed by the British. One of the British Collectors was walking near the base of this hill and he asked a villager what was the place above. The villager said "mathe raan aahe" meaning literally "there is a forest at the head of the hill". This was how it got its name.
We finally reached the Market and had grub. Omelets and pav and steaming hot chai were downed with gusto. The stall owner had a hard time refilling our plates that day. Few words were exchanged as we got busy with food. We didn't have time that day to roam around all the points in Matheran so we started walking back on the narrow gauge tracks towards Dasturi Naka. Matheran is one of the few hill stations that had a toy train with a steam engine. But after the 26 July 2005 torrential rains and ensuing landslides, the train has stopped running as portions of the track are suspended in the air, even today.
The taxi trip from Dasturi Naka to Neral cost Rs. 50 and the drivers skillfully negotiated the steep hairpin bends and brought us back to Neral Station. From here it was departure for the Pune and Mumbai junta as we both headed in opposite directions. Back to the concrete jungle!
Reference:
Timetable: Karjat local, Kasara local
(For travelling from Mumbai to Neral/Bhivpuri)
Timetable: Pune-Mumbai or Mumbai Pune
(Click on Trains between Imp. Stations)
The Pune junta took the 6:05 Sinhagad Express towards Karjat and then a local train towards Bombay to get down at Bhivpuri station, which is the next station after Karjat. The Mumbai junta had an easier option of taking one local train from CST to Karjat. All of us assembled at Bhivpuri. One of the trek site descriptions mentioned that we have to start walking from the Karjat end of the platform. Well, we didn't and that was the source of so much confusion on this trek, because we never reached Garbett Plateau. We reached Matheran directly and came out somewhere near Garbett Point (from where you get a good view of the plateau itself). Well, that surely is not cutting a long story short, because even though we took another route and found our way serendipitously, we had an amazing trek nonetheless.
So as I said we started off on the other end of the platform, after we filled up on some hot tea at the station. We started walking on a tar road that goes towards Neral (the next station). Now a motor road from Neral goes right up to Dasturi Naka, after which you have to walk 20 mins till you reach the Matheran Market. We wanted to go offroad, so after asking some local villagers, we started towards a village called Bekra. As soon as we climbed a small ridge we saw a gentle stream that we had to cut across. In went everybody and it was not long before a water-fight erupted, leaving everyone drenched.
After cutting across paddy fields for around 20 mins we reached Bekra. We got several conflicting answers about the route to Garbett. We could not make out whether the villagers were referring to Garbett Point which is at Matheran or Garbett Plateau which is at a lower altitude. So, going roughly in the direction we thought was OK we followed a trail to the left , which quickly became steep enough. We reached a small grassy ridge which widened across ahead. To our left was a magnificent waterfall. Then followed the mandatory photo sessions with people outdoing each other in their modelling poses.
Travelling further on the scenery became even more breathtaking and the colours more vivid. Green dominated the landscape for as far we could see. It was as if a carpet had been laid out to welcome us visitors. The route gradually ascended higher up the hill and the views became even more captivating. It was harder to resist turning around and staring at the panorama behind us.
We had been climbing for more than 2 hours. The pace dipped a lot on this trek, because there was a bigger group than usual, with around 23 trekkers. We halted and out came lunch, which provided a much needed break, and fuel for the body. Exotic combinations like boiled eggs and pickle were gulped down without complaints. Table manners were done away with and hungry hands clamoured for more. With renewed vigour we again started upwards. The route became steeper and more rocky as we ascended. Part of the group who had gone ahead at this point went astray and turned right towards a trail which went towards directly towards Dasturi Naka. They had a lead of around 20 mins and finally when the trekkers at the rear correctly took the correct trail to the left, the leaders were spotted far below in the distance. With loud calls they were called back. From that fork the Matheran plateau is not more than half an hour away. It was not much time before everyone regrouped at the top.
It was then that we realised our blunder. We were right on the dirt trails of Matheran and we saw other human traffic going past us. After asking someone we realised that Garbett Point was not more than 10 mins away to the left. We scrambled over a portion of the trail which had seen a recent landslide and made our way to the Point. What followed was the best part of the trek. We could see the Point as we approached. A tongue of land jutting out narrowly from the plateau. Whipped by winds so strong that you actually felt like someone was pushing you over. Rain which came in horizontally and stung your skin. And waterfalls in the distance that played a game of hide and seek, with the clouds that billowed and buffetted across for one moment and cleared away in the next.
We had a good look at the Garbett Plateau - the route that we were supposed to come up from and had a hearty laugh. It did not matter for we had enough fun anyway. After enough exposure to the elements we turned back and started off on the trail towards the Market. From Garbett Point the Market is around 45 mins away. The trail took us through the thick greenery which Matheran is famous for.
Some trivia which might be of interest to you. Matheran was a hill station developed by the British. One of the British Collectors was walking near the base of this hill and he asked a villager what was the place above. The villager said "mathe raan aahe" meaning literally "there is a forest at the head of the hill". This was how it got its name.
We finally reached the Market and had grub. Omelets and pav and steaming hot chai were downed with gusto. The stall owner had a hard time refilling our plates that day. Few words were exchanged as we got busy with food. We didn't have time that day to roam around all the points in Matheran so we started walking back on the narrow gauge tracks towards Dasturi Naka. Matheran is one of the few hill stations that had a toy train with a steam engine. But after the 26 July 2005 torrential rains and ensuing landslides, the train has stopped running as portions of the track are suspended in the air, even today.
The taxi trip from Dasturi Naka to Neral cost Rs. 50 and the drivers skillfully negotiated the steep hairpin bends and brought us back to Neral Station. From here it was departure for the Pune and Mumbai junta as we both headed in opposite directions. Back to the concrete jungle!
Reference:
Timetable: Karjat local, Kasara local
(For travelling from Mumbai to Neral/Bhivpuri)
Timetable: Pune-Mumbai or Mumbai Pune
(Click on Trains between Imp. Stations)
Saturday, July 15, 2006
Kamshet Bike Trip
This blog entry comes in after quite some time. My new workplace is not too liberal with net access, explaining the delay.
2 weeks back, I went to a place called Kamshet, which is around 15 kms before Lonavala when you approach it from Pune. I had an opportunity to take my new bike out for the first long ride.
The destination was a quaint place 12 kms off the NH-4 (old Mumbai-Pune highway) near Vadivali Lake, Kamshet. I had gone to meet a very interesting acquaintance who has set up his farmhouse on a huge plot quite close to the lake. With promises of misty hills, lush greenery and rains I was already enthusiastic as I set off. I had packed my bag with water, some rainwear (which I didn't hope to use) and some sausages which were to be delivered to my host for the day at Kamshet (they have severe load shedding which means that stored meat often goes bad).
Since the bike run-in of 2000 kms hadn't been completed I couldn't raise the speed too much. This meant that the 60 km trip to Kamshet was going to take more time than usual. At first this irked me, but as I started off from Aundh, Pune I wondered what the hurry was all about anyway? I had plenty of time to kill.
First, I entered Khadki and hit the NH-4. This stretch of the NH-4 till Pimpri-Chinchwad has a fair amount of traffic and the ubiquitous junctions with the red signals (Murphy's law at it again). But once I cleared this stretch it was smooth sailing all the way. The NH-4 used to be in pretty bad shape a few years back but this time was a pleasant surprise. There just were smooth tar roads with no signs of potholes.
There was little traffic in the morning. The azure skies above raised my spirit. There were hints of dark clouds gathering but it never rained more than a slight drizzle for most of the way. Periodically sunlight would burst through and leave me enthralled. I had read "Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance" and had always wondered what kind of an experience it must be to ride for miles and miles and take in the elements. I got close to my own Zen experience! I hardly had to bother about changing gear or braking. With minimal intervention, I soon succumbed to the hypnotic beat of the engine and entered a different state of mind. If someone would have seen me it would surely have been a funny sight. Here I was grinning ear to ear, for no apparent reason on my bike and chugging away peacefully at a speed of not more than 50 kmph. And I swear it felt blissful. There was nothing on my mind except pure, unadulterated, enjoyment. For those who haven't experienced this, it might feel like an over-glorified account. My suggestion would be simply to try it out for yourself!!!
After an hour and fifteen minutes, I reached Kamshet junction. There's a famous landmark. Ask anybody for Hotel Rangoli. From here, I turned right and went towards Vadivali Lake. This final 10 km stretch has got bad roads and it was a test in patience. There were sugarcane plantations on either side. I also saw farmers wading in calf deep water and planting paddy in their fields. I stopped by to take a look at a way of life quite different from what we normally see. People were actually doing hard, physical work, using their body like the way it is meant to be. Made me ponder - all the backaches and sprains that we complain about are a function of the laziness we are getting used to in our sedentary lives.
After around half an hour I reached up a slope (for landmarks ask for Raikar Farm) and then the Vadivali lake came into view. It was a beautiful sight that left me spellbound. Again stopped for the umpteenth time to soak it in. By now I'd got used to leaving the bike in neutral on the stand and getting off, instead of stopping it and starting it up again.
The greenery was overpowering. Towards the far side of the hillock which overlooks the lake there was one of the most wonderful sights I have ever seen. I visited a friend of my host. Was it a house with a view?? A panoramic visual of an unbroken hill running across an arc in the distance. There were easily more than 15 waterfalls gushing down at various points, each emerging somewhere from the clouded hilltop.
I had a nice day in these pleasant environs with my host who showed me around the place. In the afternoon I had a simple lunch of pulses and chapati. Mazaa kuch aur hi tha! Spent the rest of the day discussing some plans he has in mind for developing the place. We had long walks around the area. Then around 4:30 I departed for Aundh. Overall it was an awesome day, one I will remember for a long time!
Statutory warning: Long bike rides to places like Kamshet are highly addictive and are recommended for better physical and mental wellbeing :-)
What are you waiting for? Go hit the road!
2 weeks back, I went to a place called Kamshet, which is around 15 kms before Lonavala when you approach it from Pune. I had an opportunity to take my new bike out for the first long ride.
The destination was a quaint place 12 kms off the NH-4 (old Mumbai-Pune highway) near Vadivali Lake, Kamshet. I had gone to meet a very interesting acquaintance who has set up his farmhouse on a huge plot quite close to the lake. With promises of misty hills, lush greenery and rains I was already enthusiastic as I set off. I had packed my bag with water, some rainwear (which I didn't hope to use) and some sausages which were to be delivered to my host for the day at Kamshet (they have severe load shedding which means that stored meat often goes bad).Since the bike run-in of 2000 kms hadn't been completed I couldn't raise the speed too much. This meant that the 60 km trip to Kamshet was going to take more time than usual. At first this irked me, but as I started off from Aundh, Pune I wondered what the hurry was all about anyway? I had plenty of time to kill.
First, I entered Khadki and hit the NH-4. This stretch of the NH-4 till Pimpri-Chinchwad has a fair amount of traffic and the ubiquitous junctions with the red signals (Murphy's law at it again). But once I cleared this stretch it was smooth sailing all the way. The NH-4 used to be in pretty bad shape a few years back but this time was a pleasant surprise. There just were smooth tar roads with no signs of potholes.
There was little traffic in the morning. The azure skies above raised my spirit. There were hints of dark clouds gathering but it never rained more than a slight drizzle for most of the way. Periodically sunlight would burst through and leave me enthralled. I had read "Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance" and had always wondered what kind of an experience it must be to ride for miles and miles and take in the elements. I got close to my own Zen experience! I hardly had to bother about changing gear or braking. With minimal intervention, I soon succumbed to the hypnotic beat of the engine and entered a different state of mind. If someone would have seen me it would surely have been a funny sight. Here I was grinning ear to ear, for no apparent reason on my bike and chugging away peacefully at a speed of not more than 50 kmph. And I swear it felt blissful. There was nothing on my mind except pure, unadulterated, enjoyment. For those who haven't experienced this, it might feel like an over-glorified account. My suggestion would be simply to try it out for yourself!!!
After an hour and fifteen minutes, I reached Kamshet junction. There's a famous landmark. Ask anybody for Hotel Rangoli. From here, I turned right and went towards Vadivali Lake. This final 10 km stretch has got bad roads and it was a test in patience. There were sugarcane plantations on either side. I also saw farmers wading in calf deep water and planting paddy in their fields. I stopped by to take a look at a way of life quite different from what we normally see. People were actually doing hard, physical work, using their body like the way it is meant to be. Made me ponder - all the backaches and sprains that we complain about are a function of the laziness we are getting used to in our sedentary lives.
After around half an hour I reached up a slope (for landmarks ask for Raikar Farm) and then the Vadivali lake came into view. It was a beautiful sight that left me spellbound. Again stopped for the umpteenth time to soak it in. By now I'd got used to leaving the bike in neutral on the stand and getting off, instead of stopping it and starting it up again.
The greenery was overpowering. Towards the far side of the hillock which overlooks the lake there was one of the most wonderful sights I have ever seen. I visited a friend of my host. Was it a house with a view?? A panoramic visual of an unbroken hill running across an arc in the distance. There were easily more than 15 waterfalls gushing down at various points, each emerging somewhere from the clouded hilltop.
I had a nice day in these pleasant environs with my host who showed me around the place. In the afternoon I had a simple lunch of pulses and chapati. Mazaa kuch aur hi tha! Spent the rest of the day discussing some plans he has in mind for developing the place. We had long walks around the area. Then around 4:30 I departed for Aundh. Overall it was an awesome day, one I will remember for a long time!Statutory warning: Long bike rides to places like Kamshet are highly addictive and are recommended for better physical and mental wellbeing :-)
What are you waiting for? Go hit the road!
Saturday, June 10, 2006
Lohagad, Visapur Trek in the Monsoon
This is the second time I went to Lohagad in a span of not more than 5 months. The last time I went we covered Lohagad only. This time we made sure that we covered Visapur too.
I won't blabber on too much about how to go there, etc. For that refer the link above. This is just to share some of the photos that I could get this time. I recently purchased a Sony WSC-D50 digital camera and I should say that its a nifty model. Quite compact, nice features, especially the various modes and photos which come out great.
Until now whenever I've been going out to treks I have been at the mercy of other people who carry their camera. I don't mean to be dramatic, but at the end of the day when I look at the past photos, I see that there aren't too many pics of the place we went to itself. Agreed that if pics were only taken of the place without any of your fellow trekkers in the foreground it would be the most boring thing to do. But there should be a balance.
So here are some of the better photos that I managed to capture. The initial pictures are from atop Visapur which has comparatively lesser construction and simpler architecture as compared to Lohagad.
Visapur fort (as seen when approaching it from Malavli)
Visapur fort wall (west side)
Stairway to heaven?
Visapur - Hanuman Idol
Visapur - Fort walls on the Malavli side
Lohagad - Ganesh Darwaza
Lohagad - really impressive fortifications
Lohagad - One more Darwaza
Lohagad - Strange hole in the rock (btw, thats a person up there)
I won't blabber on too much about how to go there, etc. For that refer the link above. This is just to share some of the photos that I could get this time. I recently purchased a Sony WSC-D50 digital camera and I should say that its a nifty model. Quite compact, nice features, especially the various modes and photos which come out great.
Until now whenever I've been going out to treks I have been at the mercy of other people who carry their camera. I don't mean to be dramatic, but at the end of the day when I look at the past photos, I see that there aren't too many pics of the place we went to itself. Agreed that if pics were only taken of the place without any of your fellow trekkers in the foreground it would be the most boring thing to do. But there should be a balance.
So here are some of the better photos that I managed to capture. The initial pictures are from atop Visapur which has comparatively lesser construction and simpler architecture as compared to Lohagad.
Visapur fort (as seen when approaching it from Malavli)
Visapur fort wall (west side)
Stairway to heaven?
Visapur - Hanuman Idol
Visapur - Fort walls on the Malavli side
Lohagad - Ganesh Darwaza
Lohagad - really impressive fortifications
Lohagad - One more Darwaza
Lohagad - Strange hole in the rock (btw, thats a person up there)Go ahead and plan this trek in the monsoons. Its one where you really get to see the grandeur of the place. Most forts in the Sahyadris are lying in a bad shape. Lohagad and Visapur still hold strong and give you a vivid glimpse into history!
Saturday, May 20, 2006
God and heights
I am an avid trekker and on many of my treks I have noticed a pattern. So very often, why are there famous temples at the peaks of hills and mountains? Devotess throng these places by the hundreds. Think Tirupati, Badrinath, Tungnath, Kedarnath, Bhimashankar or Vaishnodevi, to name a few across India.
I've got a really wacky theory about why temples were constructed only at the peaks. Why never at the base? The really beautiful ones are reached only after a tiring struggle. I am not religious so I am never overcome by strong feelings of devotion and faith as some people experience.
I think it has something do with very smart application of some common facts.
Think how you feel after a nice round of cycling, swimming or when you are back from a jog. Feel-good factor reigns high, right? Well, today, science shows that endorphins are (a type of chemical) released into your bloodstream when you indulge in vigorous physical activity. These are responsible for that high/kick that you experience.
Given this context, what better place to build a temple than at the top of a hill? The devotee huffs and puffs his way up, straining every muscle to reach elevation and seek happiness and release (side-effects of believing in God). Nature is already helping out halfway in achieving a very conducive state of mind. The other half is the devotee's faith kicking in and delivering a knockout punch!
Might seem really blasphemous and outrageous, but I feel its an angle worth exploring!
Feel free with your comments, I really am interested in some discussion on this.
I've got a really wacky theory about why temples were constructed only at the peaks. Why never at the base? The really beautiful ones are reached only after a tiring struggle. I am not religious so I am never overcome by strong feelings of devotion and faith as some people experience.
I think it has something do with very smart application of some common facts.
Think how you feel after a nice round of cycling, swimming or when you are back from a jog. Feel-good factor reigns high, right? Well, today, science shows that endorphins are (a type of chemical) released into your bloodstream when you indulge in vigorous physical activity. These are responsible for that high/kick that you experience.
Given this context, what better place to build a temple than at the top of a hill? The devotee huffs and puffs his way up, straining every muscle to reach elevation and seek happiness and release (side-effects of believing in God). Nature is already helping out halfway in achieving a very conducive state of mind. The other half is the devotee's faith kicking in and delivering a knockout punch!
Might seem really blasphemous and outrageous, but I feel its an angle worth exploring!
Feel free with your comments, I really am interested in some discussion on this.
Saturday, May 06, 2006
Thank you for the music
Music makes me smile, laugh, sing along, cry, sink, soar, all pumped up, melancholic, ecstatic, and other myriad emotions that really just have to be felt to be known.
Some of the best moments that I've felt ....
Lying on my back in front of the hostel mess, looking up at the starry sky, listening to "Echoes" by Pink Floyd (the 23 minute version) and slipping away into the soundscape.
Dim lights in the room and listening to Ghulam Ali ghazals, with his mastery over voice modulation, and that hint of playful mischief when he stretches the timing of his smooth voice over an extra bar. I almost see him smiling through on some of his classics like "Hungama kyon hai barpa" though I have never seen him live to have memories of the same.
Being part of the crowd at Independence Rock/Mood Indigo and headbanging away to some classic heavy metal without worrying at all about the headache that I would be having for the next two days.
Alanis Morissette's angst-ridden lyrics and unconventional singing, Kishore Kumar's voice crooning out those golden melodies, Hemant Kumar's soulful numbers where his voice quivers and brings on those goosebumps, Dave Mustaine (Megadeth) when he bites on his angry lyrics and riffs away on some really complex rhythm pieces, Hetfield's (Metallica) deep baritone on Nothing Else Matters, Whitney Houston or Mariah Carey when they soar away to the upper reaches of singing limits, stay there and deliver a lungful, Mark Knopfler's staccato song delivery and beautiful finger-picking, Pantera's complex structures, throaty growls and blazing, killer leads, grand Western Classical pieces, Joe Satriani when he creates path-breaking music on his guitar that most just hope to learn in a lifetime, Bob Marley's reggae which almost makes you start hopping on your feet and sway along, 80's pop with its wonderful tunes, Karen Carpenter with her poignant lyrics and emotion-laden voice, the crazy antics of The Doors, Nirvana's radical chord progressions, Eddie Vedder's (Pearl Jam) unique singing style, Slash's leads that cut through and countless other gurus!!
Music takes me places far away. Immersed completely, I don't need any other "influences" to get high as can be.
Thank you for the music!
Some of the best moments that I've felt ....
Lying on my back in front of the hostel mess, looking up at the starry sky, listening to "Echoes" by Pink Floyd (the 23 minute version) and slipping away into the soundscape.
Dim lights in the room and listening to Ghulam Ali ghazals, with his mastery over voice modulation, and that hint of playful mischief when he stretches the timing of his smooth voice over an extra bar. I almost see him smiling through on some of his classics like "Hungama kyon hai barpa" though I have never seen him live to have memories of the same.
Being part of the crowd at Independence Rock/Mood Indigo and headbanging away to some classic heavy metal without worrying at all about the headache that I would be having for the next two days.
Alanis Morissette's angst-ridden lyrics and unconventional singing, Kishore Kumar's voice crooning out those golden melodies, Hemant Kumar's soulful numbers where his voice quivers and brings on those goosebumps, Dave Mustaine (Megadeth) when he bites on his angry lyrics and riffs away on some really complex rhythm pieces, Hetfield's (Metallica) deep baritone on Nothing Else Matters, Whitney Houston or Mariah Carey when they soar away to the upper reaches of singing limits, stay there and deliver a lungful, Mark Knopfler's staccato song delivery and beautiful finger-picking, Pantera's complex structures, throaty growls and blazing, killer leads, grand Western Classical pieces, Joe Satriani when he creates path-breaking music on his guitar that most just hope to learn in a lifetime, Bob Marley's reggae which almost makes you start hopping on your feet and sway along, 80's pop with its wonderful tunes, Karen Carpenter with her poignant lyrics and emotion-laden voice, the crazy antics of The Doors, Nirvana's radical chord progressions, Eddie Vedder's (Pearl Jam) unique singing style, Slash's leads that cut through and countless other gurus!!
Music takes me places far away. Immersed completely, I don't need any other "influences" to get high as can be.
Thank you for the music!
