A trekker’s paradise: Matheran

I have been meaning to write on this trip since ages but some how found time and inclination to do that today.
Whenever I think of Matheran, I remember the long walks or treks…and scenic beauty.
When Muharram came joining Saturday and Sunday, it was a long weekend. A dream come true, for extra sleep and peace and relaxation, extra chores done, extra guitar practice, extra reading and extra studying. But who knew that these plans would go for a full toss.
Fully drained after dinner making and winding up chores, a brush to clean teeth and warm bath finally found way to the cool bed. “shall we go to matheran?” was the question my better (?) half asked. Disinterested and a bit irritated I almost said no. but then I saw his enthusiastic face and said a sleepy OK, sleeping catching the weary body a bit too soon.
Something rude woke me up. It was morning already. “What?” I barked sleepily. This was not the time for pleasantries. “We need to take the train to neral…from there we will go by car to matheran and we need to catch the train in ½ an hour” “what…” all the sleep left my eyes. “The packing is not done…and I need ½ hr to do puja and bath…I am not going without it” I said angrily. “We just need do jodi kapda and your bath and puja will be done within no time” he said calmly. Grumblingly I got out of the warm bed. No time for warm water, I hurriedly had bath and did puja…with mantras continuing as I packed do jodi kapda. I wore the tennis shoes and trudged behind him.
“I will punch the tickets and you proceed in the direction of the platform…else we may miss the train” and without waiting to hear my question on train timings he went in search of ticket punch box. I saw a train from the “fast” train platform leaving. Almost panicking I called him. “I guess we missed the train” I said. “no…the train still has ten minutes to go” he said calmly “OK you come here…I guess I have less amount of tickets” furious I climbed down the bridge. Anger slowly building in my head. “you didn’t even tell me the train time…how am I supposed to know” I said. After a bit of arguments, both of us proceeded in the direction of the platform. A chai was what I needed. But a few sips later some one pushed and the tea graced the floor. Trying to maintain calm we boarded the train. We reached Neral and searched for an ATM. A single one graced some distance ahead. Now the misfortune started. It didn’t accept my card nor my better(?) half’s. we tried and tried. For few others it did. But we were not so lucky. After a lecture of how we should have withdrawn money at thane etc and me insisting to go home. We took train back to badlapur where we finally could withdraw the money. Grumblingly we finally took train back to neral. After booking a medium priced ‘hotel’ and car to matheran, we set our journey. The “zup and zaaap” of the swift turns at the curves of the Ghats. My mind refused to dwell on what would happen if…
Getting down at “dasturi naka” (the start of matheran), we trekked our way to “railway station” (the main point of matheran), paying less heed to the insistence of horses and that the distance was huge. I enjoyed the feel of cool air on the body and how sun didn’t make me perspire or seek cover. We followed the rail tracks. And in some time reached the “railway station”. A quick lunch of strictly OK biryani, we met the escort who would take us to the hotel. Now hotel would be a misnomer. It was more like a lodge or a house, converted into something livable. “who is going to stay here…we just need it for the sleep” I said consoling my disappointed better(?) half. After taking our forty winks, we started our exploration on feet. Taking backside road parallel to the station, we walked ahead, clicking photos and chitchatting, the earlier big fight totally forgotten. The roads were red and dusty and uneven and definitely not tarred. But that was OK. the scene around was too gorgeous to pay attention to roads. Dense trees on both sides. We first went to charlotte lake, that provides water to whole of matheran, and where swimming and rafting and boating is not allowed. The expanse was beautiful, and so was the steep cliff at almost another end of the dame, which served its purpose mostly in the rainy season. We walked back and saw echo point where no echoes took place. The navigation was a bit tough since everywhere there was lack of signboards, but it was OK, since the localites where helpful enough. The walk was hectic for us city people and we dragged our selves back to the market place. A bit of rest and parcel of food and we slept like logs on that night, after having a whim of ice-cream. The bed bugs drinking to my blood with their natural straws.
The next day we got up early and refreshed, we started our trek again. This time to Alexander point (my favorite), rambaug point, onetril ( one tree hill) point, little chowk and chowk point. Alexander point was my favourite as roads were wider and better. There were ancient houses from British era that we saw as we passed the road. There was so much air that it made that it made that typical “ghu ghu” in the valley. The view was fantastic and I believe the best in whole of matheran. We took nimbu pani at little chowk point and after seeing onetrill (one tree hill) point which was actually a small shrub, we walked back in search of civilization. We had piping hot “kanda poha” and adrak chai (finally) which refreshed our senses and soul and headed back to our “thamba” or stop. Refreshed , we changed to our early afternoon trek. Before trek we took a “real” heavy gujrati meal at gujrat bhavan. After this, the trek resumed. This time we saw a so-so lousia point ,coronation point, lords point and lastly porcupine or sunset point. This place buzzed with activity and we saw the sun setting in absolute V. we saw a complete baby green peak amidst all dusty browns. And before the sun completely set, we trekked back to the market. Completely sapped out. After having an OK Chinese starter, soup and palak paneer at a joint we headed back, feasting on fudge. Sleep already on our eyes. The next day we took our sack and overnight case. I had a “kadak pav”, for my small hunger. We unexpectedly went to garbut point, and later took return car and after feasting on garmagaram vada pavs, we took return train back home. Totally refreshed to start the daily life again.