Andharban - The dark forest

Beyond the hot sultry summer, when rain start to pour down the subdued droplets reminscing the sweet smell of the mud into our subconcious mind , the very Monsoon becomes a paradise for trekkers in and around Mumbai. One of such a paradise trek route is the Andharban trek (Andhar meaning dark  and ban meaning forest ) . While it cannot be categorized as one the most difficult it certainly can be rated  as one of the most fascinating treks in the shahaydris.

The journey has all ingredients of a dream trek with breathtaking views , numerous waterfalls, flowing streams to cross , waterpools , reservoirs, plateau, green meadows and a dense forest.

We started from Mumbai at midnight reaching our base early morning . Post freshening and a sumptous breakfast we moved to the start point of the trek. We were a group of close to 75 people from sky adventures. The entry point itself was a sight to behold  as One had to cross an overfilled reservoir ensuring that the shoes are wet and conveying that the next 14 kms will be an integral part of the memory. As we went higher the fog engulfed us subsequently clearing with magnificent views of waterfalls and valleys. The further trail led to walking in stream of waters and finally jumping in a natural pool  

The pools , streams and waterfalls soon led into a dense jungle . Deep enough for light view but with sunlight blocked. The jungle led to a green meadow plateau and subsequently a very steep downroad with only large stones to rest our foot one. This was the most difficult and longest part of the trek. The rains had started by then and by the time we reached the foothills we could see a stream in sight. With No water and very less stamina we all just sat in the stream giving ourselves a new breath of life. Further down just before the base there was a huge reservoir . At the base we changed our clothes and were soon filling our hungry stomachs with an aching appetite. The journey back to Mumbai was filled with just the sweet memories of the adventure .

A Place called Maghra

Mussoorie is known as the queen of hills, but it is places in an around Musoorie that actually make you feel and realise the real essence of timeless beauty. Maghra , a small village of 20-30 people and completely hidden from the humdrums of Mussorie is one of these few places in India, worth visiting. If July and August are known to be the rainy months, the month of September brings all the blossom after the rains. It was the September of 1991 and we got our first opprotunity to go for an overnight hike.
If you have at any point of time imagined a place away from chaos , a place very serene & peaceful with a stream flowing and a guava orchid below it, the humming of birds, beautiful sunshine and an old temple to compliment the entire figment of imagination, then it's time to wake up & relive your imagination. It was not just me but all of us, who were simply awestruck with the beauty and the simplicity of the place.
The evening was spent collecting the wood and the night with a grand bonfire filled with songs , jokes and clumsy dance. The day next was trekking day and as luck would have it , our group lost the way. The general trekking rule says, when lost, walk along the stream. In our case it did not help us much.
The more we got lost , the more we seemed to enjoy it. Finally we four ( the lost group) just thought of going uphill and find some new way. It is not eazy to explain how we got back to our base camp but the two hours of journey was one of the best we could ever take. We made our own way.
If at any moment of your busy life , you want to take a break and add another memory to your journey of life, just go to Maghra and get lost amonst the stream ( and yes beware of the monkeys & langoors)