Hello Folks,
My name is Jaydeep Deshmukh. I live in Mumbai and I have been participating in Nature Lover's Rajgad Pradakshina for 4 years. My fellow trekker, volunteer and good
friend Shantanu asked me to put down my memories and thoughts about Rajgad Pradakshina. So here is a brief writeup
My tryst with Nature Lovers (who have been organising the Pradakshina for 33 years as on the day I write this blog) started while I was attempting to summit Everest Base Camp
in 2010. Unfortunately, I suffered altitude sickness at Pheriche and had to turn back and descend to lower altitude to recover from condition. As I was recovering from
the sickness (not to mention the disappointment) at a teahouse in Phunki Thanga, I met Navin Kandekar(a core organiser of Nature Lovers) at the tea house.
Navin was leading a group of trekkers to summit EBC
on behalf on NL. I struck a conversation with him and for the first time I was introduced to the concept of Pradakshina by him. Navin came across to be a very amicable
person. Not to mention, after I mentioned I had exhausted most of my hard cash in treatment of altitude sickness, he gave me 2000rs inspite of having just met .
After my return from the EBC adventure or rather misadventure (remains my worst trekking experience till date due to sickness, inefficient leadership and a very indifferent
callous group members.), the idea of Pradakshina stuck in my head and I wanted to do it. I was in regular touch with Navin and often mentioned my eagerness to be a part of
this innovative and wonderful endeavour. Due to my mother's fragile health and the difficulties I faced to arrange proper help for her while I was gone for 3-4 days, for the
next two years I was unable to make it.
Come year 2013, luck finally shone on me. My mother's health got better, found a proper help for her. Come december 2013, I called up Navin again and told him I was ready to take
the plunge. He promptly booked my seat in the bus and I promptly transferred the fees of the trek. A day before the programme started, me and fellow trekkers assembled near Dadar
Station. There was introductions, apprehensions about the programme were expressed as this was our first time but there were a lot of positive vibes. All of us wanted to
be a part of the programme and experience history, hear stories and accomplish our goal of finishing the Pradakshina. All of us boarded a prebooked bus from Dadar and our journey began
at around 1am in the morning. Though the bus wasnt particularly comfortable, the cool December breeze gave us a few hours of sleep. At around 6.30 am we reached Gunjavne village, the
base village from where the ascent to Rajgad fort begins. After freshning up and having some hot tea and eating piping hot POHE on a fairly chilly december morning, we started
our ascent to the king of all forts, the imposing, magnificient RAJGAD. For a trekker like me who doesnt get to trek often, I reached the summit in 2 hrs. On reaching the top, and
catching our breath, we registered ourselves at the makeshift office of Nature Lovers, we were alloted tents for our stay for the next 3 days. 4 of us were alloted to our tent. There
were brief introductions, our sleeping mattresses arranged properly and we settled down. After an hour of rest, the programme started. For the day and the next day, we were divided in two groups for "GAD DARSHAN", or information about the fort at the site by noted Chatrapati Shivaji historians, Shri Appa Parab or "Appa" and Shri Bhagwan Chile. Over the 2 days, we were shown and explained the various aspects of the construction of the fort and the various fortification or "MACHIS" namely, "Sanjivani Machi" and "Suvela Machi" and "Balle Killa", the residential complex of Shivaji and his family. The information was extremely fascinating and made us all proud of our history. It was a lot of walking for the 2 days but the walk physically conditioned
us for the reason we were all here, the Pradakshina, a 21km walk circumventing the fort through the outgrowths and bushes and a "kacha" road. Come sun down, all the participants gathered
at the Padmavati Devi temple to offer our prayers, do pooja and listen to fascinating stories of Shivaji from Appa and Bhagwan Chile. Around 8pm daily was dinner time, we had
our fill of good wholesome tasty food after a hard day's walk and by 9.30/10pm we were all off to bed or rather our tent.
The big day or Pradakshina day arrived on the 3rd day of the programme. We were instructed to rise early that day, freshen up and stay ready. As per the volunteers' andn organisers advice
we were instructed to wear full sleeve tshirts, full length track pants and a small backpack to carry water and food to eat. We were alloted to various groups, particularly kids were in one
group. Every group had a leader and an LV or last volunteer who tails the group. My group took around 6-7 hours to finish the pradakshina and t the near completion of the trek, we were
treated to a wonderful meal of pulao and dahi kadhi by the the organisers and volunteers. Especially, after a hard day's walk, the food felt well-timed and heaven. It is hard to mention
the feeling in words. You have to experience it for yourselves. The pradakshina generally starts at Chor Dindi or Pali Dawarza and ends at Pali Darwaza. The evening after successful completion of
the pradakshina by all groups is very festive, torches are lit, saffron flags are carried by participants and orgarnisers alike and all dance to the dhol taasha. After that Devi and Shivaji Maharaj's Palkee is carried around certain sites of the fort and all pay their reverence to the great KING and LEADER. Of course there is a pooja to thank the DEVI for successful completion of the
endeavour. The festive atmoshpere carries on late in the night even after the official celebrations, with all the participants, volunteers and organisers come up with their interesting trekking anecdotes and
yes, everyone's favorite, ghost stories.
After sticking to a fairly tight schedule for 3 days of the programme, the last day is a relaxed one. We get up fairly late, pack our bags, dismantle the tents. A small certificate
distribution ceremony follows which ushers in the end of programme. Pictures are clicked with the new made friends, phone numbers are exchanged and we start our descent down to Gunjavne where a hot meal of Jhunka-Bhakari awaits us.
There are too many good memories of the programme to encapsulate it in this memoir. They have to experienced in person. I made a lot of good friends. The cordial, amicable yet professinal
attitude of the organisers (Nature Lovers) brings me back to the pradakshina year after year. People ask me, why do you go over and over again each year as there is nothing new after a while. I tell them its the people I meet, the friends I made and the rich history of the place that makes me come again and again. Even if I cannot make it to the programme, come december
my heart and mind is in Rajgad while I am physically in Mumbai.
