A stroll through Matheran
There goes a tiny road,
curving around the hills,
where winds are fast, trees high,
and sunlight filters through the leaves.
Through there dense woods,
the road reaches up to the top,
where your heart melts, mind sways,
and soul starts to float.
Reaching Matheran
Reaching Matheran is an experience in itself. Situated at top of a hill. I had climb distance from the taxi stop. In old days they used small narrow gauge train line built by Britishers, but now my feet are the only option (other than khachhar of course). The walkway consists of small trails sometimes above, sometimes below and sometimes intersecting the railway line. This gives quite a drama to the journey.
My companions are children living in mountains going school at Matheran, local people, labors bringing goods to Matheran and fellow tourists of course: these varying shape size companions, walking consistently along the varying walkway.
But this is not it, as our other companions are our far ancestors who prefer to travel above the land, through the branches, from one tree to another. However, they don’t resist to touch soil, once a fruitful occasion arrives. Every once in a while, there is a sudden attack on any person carrying something to eat, but the attacker does not harm the victim, just takes what it came for: a banana, vegetables or even a packet of lays.
However going to Matheran is not just about trails, woods, and monkeys. The most interesting things that I found were the small towns located on the way to Matheran. Towns which may not have an official name, often as small as a few houses. As the old proverb says, “The life in mountains is like mountains”. It’s hard to believe that some people live among the wilderness, where nobody would dare to walk alone, they call it home.
The town of Matheran
Through these ups and downs, roads and rails, humans and monkeys, I reached the town of Matheran. And it welcomed me as well, through vada paav vendors and juice wallas, restaurants and fruit sellers, people selling hats and selfie sticks. I may not call it a busy street but amidst the forests of Sahyadri mountains, it was a delightful sight. But I was not there for them obviously, so I carried on, crossed the town of Matheran and returned back to nature.
The trails of Matheran
After going for a while, I reached upon a point where several trails were going down, giving a feel of Frost’s ‘ The road not taken’. I enjoyed the resemblance but was not going to do that. I found a map of Trails of Matheran and it took me a while to understand it, and I must admit it was only after I roamed around the Matheran that I truly understood it.
So I chose a trail going to Lord's point. On my way to Lord's point, I found this small alone lake known as Charlotte. It was a little surprising, finding a lake on the top of a mountain, but this contrast makes it even beautiful. Its solitude becomes its seduction.
Continuing my journey, I headed towards the Lords point, which I later realized, is one of the best viewpoints of Matheran hill. As soon as I reached there, I was caught up in its magic, everything else became so unreal.
After my first view point, I had to pull myself back into track and head towards another: Echo point. Along the way, I met with King George point and Edward point. As the name suggests, the Echo point forms a natural echo of sounds. It is pointed out-rock in the mountain, placing you in between of a valley so that you find yourself in between of free sky, or at least it seems to be.
From Echo point, I went to Louisa point and Malanga point. The path goes through those woody trails again, playing with light and shadow, sometimes revealing something, sometimes hiding. I find nature childish here. Some of the things it shows are buildings, perhaps built by Britishers, now fallen off, occupied by overgrown trees and animals. A beautiful and creepy sight at the same time.
Malanga point is a bit different from other viewpoints. It is filled with a vast grass cover and a pristine valley to look below. It’s kind of a place that everyone dreams of. So I took some time out and sat below a large tree, beneath me is soft moisturized grass and in front a large open valley.
Continuing my journey, I headed back towards Louisa point, which to become the final point of my journey. And it did not disappoint me. For it showed me the whole panorama of the beautiful valley for the first time and however had seen it in parts, it seemed truer when I had seen it from Louisa point.
Coming back towards Matheran town, I looked again at the map of Trails of Matheran and as I said before, it was now I understood it fully, it’s trails, it’s signs, it’s secrets. And realized that I have covered only a fraction of hill and there was much to explore. However, my time was running out and I had to pick up a taxi back to Mumbai, so I decided to left the rest of Matheran a mystery to me: until I come back, again.
