The Lone Ranger of Lonar – Bugdane Sir

The year is 1967. A team of scientists from NASA have descended upon the small insignificant town of Lonar in the Buldhana district of Maharashtra to study the unique crater formed by a meteorite impact, about 52,000 years ago. The principal of the local primary school is asked to depute an ‘English speaking teacher’ who can help the scientists get around. A young teacher, Mr. Sudhakar Bugdane is deputed for this job and thus begins the story of Bugdane Sir, a well known conservationist and the best resource person on everything in Lonar.

On every Breakfree trip we try and meet the local experts and when we visited Lonar last Holi, we made it a point to meet Bugdane Sir. Now, retired from the school after becoming the principal, he devotes all his time to the conservation efforts of Lonar. On weekends, if any group seeks him out then he is more than happy to show them around and not just around the temples of Lonar but also around the lake. He is well versed in the ancient epics and legends surrounding Lonar and explains every little detail in the sculptures that can be spotted on temples. He has amassed a wealth of information – both scientific and mythological surrounding the crater but clearly leans on the former. He dismisses the legends saying they were only created to explain the origin of the crater, for, back then, science was not fully developed.

70 year old Bugdane Sir walks slowly with a stick but narrates the story of Lonar in the most energetic manner. The only government approved guide in the region, he doesn’t charge a fee for his services. One can pay him what you like and nothing at all. The hike down to the lake  from the main road can be quite taxing, especially for those who aren’t used to hiking on a regular basis but Sir manages it well, although he gets breathless during the hike up, he refuses to rest and continues to climb until he reaches the top. Meeting passionate people like him is one of the highlights of our travels. In an age where everything is quickly commodified and sold, showing people around the lake and the main town solely for spreading awareness is commendable.

 I ask him why he doesn’t send someone else on his behalf to show us around the lake instead of doing the entire hike by himself. He chuckles and says that is a good idea, as it takes a toll on him but he enjoys it too. His family is of course worried but he simply loves coming down by the lake, walking along the shaded pathway, sometimes encountering a python, a hyena or a peacock or just the brahminy ducks that spend their winters at the lake.

It is heartening to know that such selfless people exist. It is also very inspiring to meet them. However, not all value his services. He tells me that certain groups do engage him for the day but don’t pay attention to what he has to say, don’t pay him at all and aren’t helpful during the hike up and down to the lake. But he doesn’t let these bad experiences deter him from what he does best – share the story of Lonar. His short book on Lonar is available everywhere in the town.  It is only a surprise that not as many local youth are enthusiastic about the significance of Lonar and although, Bugdane Sir’s efforts at instilling that attitude in the youth seem to be bearing some fruit, it is not entirely relieving. One can only hope, the legacy of Bugdane Sir’s research, conservation and awareness efforts continues to live on.

 

Photo Courtesy: Niraja Bhagat, Meenal Ce, Raylene Monteiro

Media Mentions of Bugdane Sir: Deccan Herald, Times of India, Sakaal ICAST

Media Mentions of Bugdane Sir: Deccan Herald, Times of India, Sakaal ICAST

Waking up in Kalpa

When in Bombay, I am not a morning person. All my meetings are scheduled for post 11 on working days and breakfast meetups are non existent. But when I travel, I like to wake up early. Mornings are the best to experience a place. It is nice to see the town waking up, a welcome change from the fast-forwards mornings that we have in the city. On the recent roadtrip most of us would be up before 630, courtesy: the earlier than usual dawn. By 5, the sky would start losing traces of the night and daylight would storm in within a few minutes. By 6, the sun would be out and by 7 we were chomping down on hot Aloo Parathas and drinking ginger-lemon-honey tea.

Rakpa

On our return from Spiti Valley, we halted at Kalpa. Located about 8km away from the district headquarter – Reckong Peo and 2800 feet above sea level, it is a small village nestled in the Kinnaur district. We were staying at Rakpa Residency, a superbly located property on a green pasture facing the tri-peaks of Kinnaur(Jorkendan, Raldang and Kinner Kailash). That night, I had dozed off much before everyone else (most of them slept after midnight) and woke up to find everyone still sleeping. At 0600, from my balcony, I had an unobstructed view of the Kinner Kailash peak with the lingam-like rock, standing tall in the morning light.

I sat in the balcony for a very long time. The sun was rising and the thin veil of mist that had settled over Kalpa was slowly lifting. The cheerful birds song only added to the atmosphere. I started to write about the trip and I wrote freely. Without struggling for words or thoughts, the morning air gave me a different kind of a high. No wonder, Ruskin Bond never chose to leave the hills. It was still cold when I closed my notebook and walked down to the reception. The manager (who liked to be called – Mister Raj) and the kitchen staff greeted me as I made my way out, past our parked Xylos and downhill to the town.

The birds flew past me and settled on the many apple trees that surrounded me. There were several of them, some that I could identify and several others that I could not. None of the birds were shy and if I remained still, they would forage very close to me. This made observing them a delight! I moved down and found a gurgling stream next to which stood a big tree, I sat down in its shade and noticed many bees around, but they were unmindful of me. They moved from one big flower to another. After a few moments a ferocious looking stray dog appeared in front of me. The mountain dogs are furry and huge and endowed with enough might to take down a big cat in a fight. So when she looked at me in the eyes, I looked back without any emotion. I tried to push my luck and whistled at her and she wagged her tail and came and sat next to me.

My cowherd friend, to the right.

We sat in silence. I patted her large head and she closed her eyes. An old cowherd, whom I had met on the first day walked past us carrying a pail of milk. He was dressed in the same frayed Kinnauri coat and wore the same old cap. He didn’t seem to remember me but he flashed the same toothless grin at me as he disappeared downhill.

There were several others, trudging up and down with goods. The secret to the fitness of the pahadi folks lies in their walking. Hiking up long distances with heavy items isn’t an easy task but is performed without a single complaint by these hardy folks. My new friend remembered a pending task and got up, nudged my arm once and wagged her tail before taking the same route downhill as the cowherd.

Kalpa Village

I stood up and walked across the road to finally settle down upon a log, laid by the wayside. It overlooked the valley and in the distance I could see the Gompa or the Monastery of Kalpa. Before I knew it, I heard the chanting and then the music followed. This most melodious tune of Om Mani Padme Hum reverberated through the small village and up the valley where I sat. It was an amazing experience to hear it play in the background as the small wonders of nature unfolded around me. Not one vehicle passed me by and I was grateful to be breathing in the fresh morning air. I resolved to wake up earlier once I got back in Bombay, a resolution which I have only partially adhered too.

Photos by: Kalindi Manek and Samkit Khatadia

Sun shines over the Tri-Peaks

Afzal – The Bookseller from Matunga

A walk around Matunga is delightful for more than one reason. Be it the South Indian eateries dishing out amazing snacks, meals and filter coffee or the well laid out roads and quaint 3 storey buildings. To add to its charm, there exists a band of bookstores that operate on the pavements near King’s Circle. There are old classics, comics that went out of circulation, first editions of bestselling books and the list can never be complete as each time we encounter something new.

A few months ago, I was looking to buy a copy of  Walden written by Henry David Thoreau. I avoid buying new copies of books published a few years ago, so I trooped over to King’s Circle and enquired with a few booksellers. None seem to know about it until I came to Afzal’s stall. When I asked for Walden, he said “Thoreau?”

“Yes”

“Oh I don’t have it right now, but I have it in my godown in Chembur I think”

“Great! Can you get it for me?”

“Sure, give me your number I will text you if it is available”

A godown, wow, I thought to myself. That meant he could have a treasure of books! I asked if he remembered what other books he had.

“I have over 3000 books, but I have a list of them. It is not updated recently but most of the books I have are on it. I can email it to you”

“Great, I’ll text you my email address?”

“Sure”

And sure enough that night I received an email from Afzal. He had attached a few spreadsheets and the next morning got a text that simply said – Walden (HB) available, Rs. 120. I soon picked it up, I am halfway through and I highly recommend it.

On our every Matunga walk, we make a stop at Afzal’s stall and he shares his story with us, because after all neighbourhoods are built by the people who live and work there. An erstwhile journalist, a book lover, a well spoken and a polite gentleman, Afzal belongs to a rare breed of booksellers. If you are around Matunga, you must make a stop at his stall. He operates on the pavement across Health Juice Centre (close to Mysore Concerns).

I have been sharing this booklist with everyone who has asked for it but now it is available here. Classified as per genre, it is one of the best efforts by a second hand bookseller. Simply view the list, search for what you need and ring him up on 9967960583 or email him on afalam_60@yahoo.co.in.

For the book list: Click here.

Photo courtesy: Mohini Bhavsar and Biswajit Dey

Also meet The Superman of King’s Circle. 

Update:

My friend Jayshree whose poetry I admire, wrote this for Afzal, after reading the post.

He hawks Hard backs and paperbacks

And stuffs my backpack

With traveller’ s tales

In tongues from here and there and across the world

I leaf through them

And wander around

As dreams and reality hold their sway

Wonder if the hands that

Pass them to me

Do they caress and kiss

And gently flip

Or are they just witnesses mute to

a bartered tale

Of coins and notes

And a routine exchange

A Malwani Sojourn in Dadar

Malwan, for the uninitiated is the southern coastal region of Maharashtra. Covering districts of Ratnagiri and Sindudurg, it is famous for its sun kissed, palm lined virgin beaches, the Alphonso and other varieties of Mango and of course the Malwani cuisine. People from Malwan speak a unique dialect also known Malwani which is a combination of Konkani and Marathi. The soil of Malwan is rich in iron and therefore red, the houses are made of red bricks and the sloping roofs are lined with red tiles. The staple food items include Rice and Fish preparations but Chicken (Kombdi) and Mutton preparations are also eaten quite frequently.

But my introduction to Malwani was through the television. Numerous Marathi actors hail from this region and their plays, films and songs have an element of their roots. Vastraharan by Machindra Kambli is a masterpiece. It showcases the plight of a few Malvani actors trying to enact the Vastraharan scene from the Mahabharata. A large chunk of the mill workers came from the Konkan. The traces of their presence can be seen at Lalbaug and Parel where the traditional Malwani masala is prepared and sold along with other ingredients traditional to Malwani cooking. Numerous Malwani joints abound in Bombay, very few are authentic.

One such unassuming, humble place is Raju’s Malvani Corner on Gokhale Road, Dadar, next to Hotel Sachin (which incidentally sells similar fare). Standing tall under the open skies of Dadar, run by Narendra Govind Sawant since over 20 years, the eatery is but a hand cart with a side kitchen, all set up on the corner of the pavement. Raju, as Narendra is known serves up plates of lip smacking Malwani chicken and fish. On the side, in a large wok filled with piping hot oil batches of vade are being fried. A vada is made of rice flour, udad dal and spices, fried until fluffy and enjoyed with the spicy curries. On a weekday, I trooped over with my friend Rithika to try out their famed Kombdi Vade (Desi chicken and not broiler). The seating, as you might have guessed is on the footpath. Plastic chairs and a table make the set up complete. The streetlight nearby provides good lighting. Perfect.

We called for Chicken Saguti and Chicken Sukka, both spicy curries native to Malwan(Although Saguti is served as Xacuti in Goa). The chicken pieces were on the bone and tasted quite awesome with the hot vadas. Our order came along with an extra bowl of curry. There were 4 vadas in a plate but we had to call for another one to polish off all the curry! Folks on the adjoining table called for rice instead. Deep friend Bombil or Bombay duck were next were served hot off the wok. Missed having the sol kadhi but I hear it is very good. Other options include fried Surmai, Prawns and Prawns pulao. The tables are located on a lane going off Gokhale road so it is generally peaceful to enjoy the meal. The only thing missing was the sound of the waves, of the surf breaking on the shore but then again Shivaji Park isn’t very far from there . Service is prompt and the food is fresh. Some of the dishes are cooked at home in the Sawant household and hence run out by 9pm or so, especially on weekends. So to sample the best selling items, do visit early and let me know what you thought of the food!

The items were reasonably priced, Chicken Saguti and Sukka – Rs. 100 each, a plate of Vade Rs. 35 and Bombay duck fry Rs. 70.

Raju can be found on the corner of Gokhale Road and  Anant Patil Marg.

Complete address: 1/23 Kubal Niwas, Gokhale Road, Anant Patil Marg, Dadar West, Mumbai, Dadar, Harishchandra Patil Rd, Chandrakant Dhuru Wadi, Dadar West, Mumbai, Maharashtra 400028 Phone:022 2446 2405 ( he is pinned on Google maps too)

Photos by Rithika Kumar

Breakfree Guide : Kalavantin Durg and Prabalgad

Kalavantin Durg (Ka-laa-van-teen Doo-r-ga) is quite famous on the internet. Somehow it finds itself on many lists that include internationally well known peaks. It is both heartening and surprising. Therefore off late, we at Breakfree, have been asnwering many emails regularly from climbers travelling to Bombay who intend to climb Kalavantin while they are here. Having organised a few hikes to this beautiful peaks of Kalavantin and Prabalgad (Its neighbouring fort, which offers a brilliant view of the pinnacle, from where most of the thrilling photos of Kalavantin have been taken!) I thought it would be better to write a post. A detailed post of our last trip at Kalavantin can be found Kalindi’s blog.

Kalavantin and Prabalgad (from left)

 

So how does one get to Kalavantin from Bombay? 

Assuming you are staying at Colaba, head to Victoria Terminus and take the local train headed to Panvel( Pan-vel) (PL is the station code). 

Trains to Panvel depart from Andheri, Bandra, Kurla and Wadala.

Once at Panvel station, walk straight to the bus stand and wait for a bus headed to Thakurwadi (Thaa-koor-waa-di). Alternatively you can hire a rickshaw and tell him to drop you off at Thakurwadi near Shedung (Shay-doog). From Thakurwadi, continue straight on the asphalt road that ends near a hillock, from here a dirt track snakes to your right. Continue straight on this track which will end on a wide plateau with a few small houses scattered around.

This plateau is Prabalmachi (Pra-bal-maa-chee) Here the first structure you will see is a small eatery run by Nilesh and Balu Bhutambara ( 08056182163, 09167014731, 9209461474) They will organise for a guide to lead the way through the forest, your lunch and also your accommodation (They have good rooms built especially for climbers). From here, the way forks and one route leads to Kalavantin while the other to Prabalgad.

The Climb

The climb is fun to say the least. After the village, the route passes through a thick decidous forest and then slopes uphill. There are a lot of loose rocks and scree on the way. After about 40 minutes, one arrives at the steps. The steps are carved right into the rock so climbing them is quite a delight. However, watch your step and tread carefully. The final climb to the top requires navigating a small problem but isn’t difficult to ascend.

The incline isn’t so steep as it seems in the photos. That is a result of an optical illusion, as the Kalavantin Viewpoint from Prabalgad is considerably taller and causes the steps to look very steep. Taking a guide is advisable as the way isn’t marked.

This could be a comfortable day trip from Bombay. However, if you have the entire weekend to yourself, here’s what your itinerary could look like.

Early morning train to Panvel, bus/rickshaw to Thakurwadi, Climb Prabalgad and explore this vast plateau, retire for the night at Nilesh’s place. Early morning next, climb Kalavantin after breakfast. Be back for lunch and take the evening train from Panvel to CST.

One can climb both these peaks all through out the year but the summers are unbearably hot. The winters are cool but ideal time is in the rains when the steps turn slippery and add to the adventure! No equipment is required but do take a guide along, the way can be quite tricky if lost and not many locals visit both the peaks.

More info:

Here’s the link to a website that Nilesh has set up: http://prabalgad-kalavanti.blogspot.in/2012/07/prabalgad-and-kalavanti-durg-tour.html

Contact Details: 08056182163, 09167014731, 9209461474

For hiring a rickshaw(tumtum – 8 seater) : Santosh – 08898987088

Have a good climb and give our best to Nilesh and his sweet family!

Photos: Abhay Singh, Ameya Bhagat, Neel Dey, Rushikesh Kulkarni

Amidst the Ruins and Boulders

Last year I visited Hampi by myself, impressed by its boulders and monuments I took along 8 other backpackers this year. Our trip in short! Complete set of photos can be found here.

———

Walking in the Hampi Bazaar

It is half past ten in the night when we set out of Bobby’s, the moonlight guiding the way. We are on the dirt track that leads to the boulder lined hillocks, frequented by climbers from all over. We reach the base of the hill and lie down on the hard, cold granitic surface. Not many words are exchanged, there’s only one thing weighing in on our minds – the last night in Hampi. After spending the past few days living like locals, it dawns upon us that after all we are only travellers to this region. A tinge of sadness overcomes us as we watch the bright moon cast its white glow all around us, around then grey clouds march in from the east. This seems like monsoon all over again, the clouds engulf the shining satellite leaving behind only a pale halo over our heads. We wait for it eagerly to appear and it does, after a while only to be covered again by a thin wisp of a cloud that resembles a veil that doesn’t hide everything but that doesn’t reveal too much either. The moon appears elsewhere now and it seems that it is in motion, we feel the earth’s rotation a bit more clearly now and we are tripping on the magic of Hampi without smoking anything. A fruit bat makes its way and we wonder if owls would also fly overhead.

On a coracle

 

Sanapur

We find ourselves fondly reminiscing about the past few days, since the time nine travellers set out to visit this magical land. From the bus ride between Bombay and Hospet to the boat ride to Virupapur Gadde – the Hampi island. The strenuous cycle ride to Sanapur, the refreshing dip afterwards, the lunch at 4pm at Jambhovan (with no sight of bears) and the scramble up the 563 steps of Anjanadri hill to watch the setting sun cast a glow on the erstwhile Vanara kingdom – Kishkinda, a langoor tugging at our bag, watching a pair of Indian Mongoose walk past unmindful of us, the cycle walk on the winding roads under the night sky and the reassuring ginger lemon honey served with love by chef Ashok of the Oh La La Cafe. The early morning runs, the yoga sessions, the birding sessions and heavy but healthy breakfasts, the walks by the Tungabhadra, the rides on the coracle that stops at temples and carvings ignored by guidebooks and blogs, tales of nautch girls and car festivals, the erotic imagery on the walls of Vitthala and the music emanating from its pillars, collectively pausing to photograph the Hoopoe and combining lunch and dinner to dunch at the Mango tree now at an ordinary location in Hampi bazaar, missing the ferry and enjoying the coracle under the moonlight, sharing the silence as waters of Tungabhadra glistened under the moon, more soup, laughter, dumb charades, strange happenings by the river bank and the silence of the night.

 

The moped rides across the ruins, experiencing the grandeur of the kings, imagining Tenali raman sharing his pearls of wisdom and solving life’s greatest mysteries as Krishnadevaraya (with the smallpox mark distinct on his face)looks appreciatively, the wars and invasion, the Kanishka expedition, the dance festivals, the bustling bazaars, the pushkarnis with women bathing – now left alone, ravaged by the invaders, ignored by the rest and now slowly being restored, enjoying the silence amidst the ruins, the successful hunt for hot bondas and another climb up Matanga hill to catch the sunset, exchanging notes with other travellers, watching the moon rise over Achyutaraya temple and another coracle ride under the moon, ginger lemon honey followed by steaming momos and soup and the walk under the moonlight.

 

Bouldering

It isn’t cold that night, maybe the cloud cover is to be blamed. We continue to lie down and stay captivated by the moon that reflects the radiance of the sun but still holds its charm over us. Our final day in Hampi dawns and there is no hint of the sun. It is gloomy, overcast and exactly like our many monsoon treks. Incidentally, we are going bouldering. We try our hands on the huge rocks, small crimps to support us, to test the strength of our muscles and mind, a crash pad to break our fall and a thunderous applause to encourage us, we scramble and we tumble, but eventually make it to the top of a few boulders, the light breeze is our reward and our sweaty brows cool down a bit, a malkoha peeps through a bush while a mongoose ambles about. Sooner, a thunder fills the air as our mopeds, scooters and a Bullet ride away to the lake, where it all began. Some of us choose to float away on the coracle while others ride away to Anegondi, one of us climbs Matanga and each one of us has their own story to tell, all this while there’s a light drizzle, bags are packed, keys returned and as the sun moves westwards, our tumtum roars on the new station road, the last tumbler of filter coffee at Shanbhag follows and a Volvo bus ambles near the Hospet court to take us back home. Just like the lingering taste of strong filter coffee, the flavour of Hampi, the magic of Kishkinda, the grandeur of Vijayanagara will continue to linger on our mind.