Closed house, Matheran.

Closed house, Matheran., originally uploaded by quasi's mobile.

On the path to Shabbir Bhai's biryani.

The lonely lane, Matheran

The lonely lane, Matheran, originally uploaded by quasi's mobile.

The lonely lane, Matheran, originally uploaded by quasi's mobile.

The charcoal study and the pastel study. The Matheran lanes are so beautiful – one can walk hours and hours through their mysterious turns.

Matheran Dec 2009

To Matheran (part VI) : of day wonderings and the exit

sunset at echo point

Next day we went out for lunch and came back only after dinner having roamed around aimlessly. At the lake we were invaded by a school picnic. Caught the setting sun at Echo point. The sky lit up crazily for about 5 minutes 10 minutes after sunset with fantastic colours when the upper clouds still reflected the set sun's light.

Next day we got up early - 5am - and left by 05:50. It was an 90 minute walk to Dasturi. We crossed a mini dust cloud in the village were teams of 2 sweepers were cleaning the main street in tandem. Then there were the early leavers, mostly on horse back or the early sunrise seekers also on horseback. We trodded on on foot.

At Dasturi, the bikes were warmed up, helmets collected from the shop there, bodies wrapped for the bike ride - and on the way we were. The sun was just rising and the low hills were just poking theirs heads out from the fog shrouded valley. It was comfortably cold. Then we crossed the hump at the Neral fork and entered the valley on the other side. The sun, which was a white disk till now, suddenly completely vanished and we were immersed in the thick fog. Visibility came down to a few meters and all the denizens of the road switched their lights on. It became teeth chattering cold. Water condensed on everything, including the eyelashes. Thus we rode into Karjat, wet, shivering, from this unrelentingly cold white world.

Here we found warmth in tea, vada pav's and kanda bhaji's. All fresh from the stove. Then we headed back to our old world ...

Note: All the photos have details which are better enjoyed in larger size: click on the image and then 'all sizes'. They are part of the Matheran Dec 2009 set on Flickr.


flowers on the lake Charlotte


Lake Charlotte


Tea under the trees


overgrown


old house


old house


broken wall


ghat


fog shrouded valley

To Matheran (part V) : Night at the house

Relaxing after we reached home

So after food and rambling around in the night, we went home to roost. We were tired. We relaxed. Cracked jokes from a different dimension. Talked. Photographed sundry stuff around.

Matheran with its heavy rains and being in the clouds for 2-3 months every year takes a heavy toll on all material which do not like water. Iron supplies rust super fast. Other things rot if not taken care of. The monkeys make it necessary to bar and grill and mesh everything. You dare not leave any doors or windows open otherwise ...



Percy


rust


an old lock


anti monkey grill


decay


gates


'on'

To Matheran (part IV) : Night Ramblings

where the path meets the road

After the sunset we left to find food and take in the village and its lights. I love photographing in the night. The darkness and the light are very moody. The shadows makes mundane things appear interesting and mysterious. To capture that feeling and ambiance is the interesting challenge.

A few years ago, on my first trip to Matheran with Batata, I had roamed the streets in the night armed with a tripod and my Dynax 5 film camera.

The photos are best enjoyed in large size to see all the details of the night. Click on them to go to their flickr page and do 'all sizes' to see the larger version. They are part of the Flickr Matheran Dec 2009 Set.



Harshu's house


Tiwari's place in the background


Street Scene


an entrance


small restaurant, freshly painted


resort for the tourists


barred entrance


a house and a board


door


fence


a cross


chatting while I photograph


street lamps and wires


wall and path


overgrown


cobbler


giant wheel


decked up, come into my parlor

To Matheran (part III) : The glade

The galde near Harshu's house.

Deep in the forest, at the edge of the valley, there is this glade. We can see Irshal and Prabal and the sunsets. We can see airplanes passing by high above. In a silent night we can hear the murmur of the traffic from the expressway and see its glow. We can see stars galore and the occasional man made satellite as it makes it way across silently reflecting the sun's light. We can sit and talk endless wisdom. We can sit still and listen to the forest and its myriad sounds. We can go mad and laugh till it aches. One of those places you feel comfortably secluded.

After the refreshing walk from Dasturi we reached the market and had breakfast of bhaji chapati and ussal-wada pav at Katkar's. Then continued to Harshu's place, which is a further 45 minutes walk. We had had only a few hours of sleep the previous night so we crashed when we reached. Got up and went to the glade just in time to catch the sunset.



Percy and the Gavankar residence



Going to the glade



yellowed grass




Percy and Harshu



Percy clicking the sunset

 

To Matheran (part II) : The broom seller and the cold drink stall

The broom seller

This woman was carrying that huge load of brooms on her head and a child in a sling. Her older kid walked alongside. They both were bare feet. The train track is treacherous on the feet - even with shoes on - with all the stones. She stopped by the cold drink stall for a rest. I guess buying a cold drink was out of question, but the company of people was better than sitting alone. Such is Irony. Such is life.

We have had limbu or kokum sherbat at this stall for a few years now. He had started with just a table in a clearing next to the tracks. Slowly the place has transformed into a nice clean joint where people rest. The journey from Dasturi to the market takes about 45 minutes of pleasant walking. One can follow the road or one can hop onto the tracks and follow them from Aman Lodge station. Just before the stall, the track passes near the edge of the valley and you have a fantastic view of Garbett point.

After the 26th July 2005 rains much of this side was washed away and the tracks had hung in empty air. I had crossed them in the night in the following November without knowing about the landslides. It had been scary to see them in the daylight when we were returning. Now the tracks have been restored and also the train service. But all along the tracks at regular intervals they have put up advertising poles which are very ugly and are an eyesore. But I guess it was an attempt to collect money for the tracks as well as for the village.



The cold drink stall at "Stop and Rest Point"

To Matheran (part I)

Break of dawn, Goregaon.

So we were on our way to Matheran again. After more than a year. Batata, me and Percy. We left at 6:30 in the morning, only half an hour later than planned. It was one of those rare occasions when I get to see a day break in the city.

The ride to Panvel was uneventful and pleasant. Batata was waiting for us at Shri Datta Snacks. We waited among the hordes of weekend travelers for our chance at one of the few tables to eat. The missal here is hot and spicy. Tea after the missal is like liquid chili on the tongue.

We left, making way for Chowk fata and then further on to Karjat. The road is in bad shape now. We took a short contemplation break at the base of the Matheran ghats where the roads forks. The ghat climb is exciting and refreshing. As we go up and up the surrounding countryside unfolds magically. The air develops a nip and you can smell the forest and its wildflowers. At Dasturi while parking Batata met with one of the employees of their school - the same dude we had shamelessly gotten our dinner from in the past. Because of him we could take advantage of the exemption of tourist tax and parking fees for people who have houses there.

There were lots of people on the way, this being Sunday morning. We had a chitter chatter walk to the market.


Pylons and Mudflats on the Thane creek.