Picnic Adventures--- Part 1

The moment I entered in the classroom, I noticed some extra-ordinary uproar and questions in the air. It was quite a different scenario from the regular days and as I came back after a break of two weeks, it was very surprising for me. However, soon I came to know the whole story, Mister Anthony Christie; the Director of our Coaching Institute has planned a “Picnic” and he wanted all of us to be a part of that. But he denied to explain much about the “picnic”, e.g. exactly where are we going and to how many places we are going etc… this last question rose up because sometimes he was saying, we are going for lake side picnic, sometimes a historical tour of the monuments of City and so on.. Need not to say that it raised the anxiety and curiosity of students.  However, as soon as I took a seat, Sir asked me or told me, “Bhavana, deposit your picnic fee also, as we are going for it on tomorrow morning at 8:30am.”  I was also curious but thought..OK..let’s go and see where this Man wants to take us.

So next day at sharp 8:00am all of us, I mean those all who wanted to go for “picnic” reached at institute. Many of us were thinking..”ohk. ..Yet another day of school style picnic, same old fort and nearby lakes”. Nevertheless, this was the half-truth; there was something bigger, waiting for us at the valley of our Mehrangadh Fort. When our bus reached there, first of all, Sir asked us to have breakfast (pastries, kachories, patties and rest things I forget..all I remember that we had a heavy “Breakfast” ). There were some new faces also; (may be from other batches whom I had never seen before). Anyway, now our anxiety was on the last stage and we wanted to know..”what’s the plan”.. Finally, Sir pointed out towards the foothills of fort and said, “We will start walking from there and our destination is “Bhooteshwar Mahadev Van Khand”.  Now I was listening this Name first time..where is it, what is this..but for some people in group this wasn’t a unfamiliar word. Hummm…ok..get set go.  

The valley of fort was covered with slippery black rocks, and it was too tough to walk upon them, especially when someone is wearing high-heeled sandals (Like me). Yeah..that was me, need not to say that every now and then I was taking help of other mates to cross the hillocks and stones. Those rocks were so slippery that it was almost impossible to walk without even a minor slip. However, somehow the group reached to the twin lakes of Rani-Sar and Padam-Sar. Here the Big-Show took place. 

We all were standing at the stairs of Padam-Sar, when a person from our group found a “secret” door in the tall wall of Baradari of Lake. It was a tri-angular shaped small hole at the end of wall on the ground. One by one, we all walked in-to that “door” on our knees (if it could call Door).   The hole was getting open in another tall chamber that had a pillar in the middle of it. There was a plat-form built at some 5-6 feet height of pillar. If one could climb up to the plat-form through the pillar then he could directly step on the roof of Baaraadari. However, it was not as easy as it seems. The down portion of pillar was again made of slippery black stone and my heels were not allowing me to climb on the pillar (Like a monkey). Most of the people climbed on pillar and reached to roof, now only me and a couple of other people were left. One was Manoj and other two were standing on platform to give a hand to a needy one (though,only a few group members needed hand). Now it was my turn and obviously, I refused to indulge in that exercise, 

“I can come by stairs also, I don’t want to slip down from pillar”, I spoke with a hesitating tone and an indifferent mood.  Manoj looked at me with an irritating mode, “why so, do you think you are somewhat special, so you will take easy way of stairs, you too have to climb on pillar.”

“But, I can’t, I will sure slip”. I tried to convince him but then Yogita and a couple of other friends also asked me to give it a try. So first of all I hold the pillar and put my right foot on the black stone and tried to pull myself upwards ( that moment I understand that I am the true successor of our monkey ancestors). I made a few attempts but in vain, each time my feet were slipping down due to those heels that I was wearing. I felt embarrassed and even heard  few laughter voices so finally I stood in a corner and raised my hands to show that I have given up. But Manoj was not in a mood to spare me so easily, so when I said "now you have seen, how tough is this, I don't want to fell down." I did all possible efforts to make my voice soft and humble to get some sympathy...but you know this materialistic world is full of cruel people.

“You won’t”, he almost shouted, “first put off your stupid sandals and through them on platform and this idiotic handbag too (Idiotic!!!...I have purchased it just two days ago)…hurry-up”.

I understand that there is no escape and I have to follow the orders. Somehow, this time I climbed on pillar (yes that too with the weight of 75kg) and then I listened another order, “give your hand to Pankaj and Sumit:”. I did. They literally pulled me up on the platform and then asked, “Are you OK Bhavana?” but I made a counter question to them.” I am fine but are you guys ok?” they laughed and I wore my sandals again. We spent some half an hour or more at Padam-Sar and then started moving ahead.

After crossing the hilly area we entered in the desolate semi-forest area, I was in a good mood and singing also. we were moving on zig-zag and dusty paths of forest;  pushing the dry twigs or thorny bushes aside.. Suddenly Manoj interrupted me and asked, “Bhavana, where is your hand-bag?”, now what’s this..I almost forget my handbag once I climbed on that platform…I started looking here and there but it was of no use, in fact now we were very far from Lakes. This situation made me very sad, but now nothing could have been done. I inquired to Manoj, Pankalj and Sumit regarding the bag, but Manoj laughed loudly and said, “What do you think of me, I don’t touch ladies hand-bags.”  “Than, where it has gone”.. I was very disheartened. Now we could not go back to search the bag. It was gone. 

My friends sympathized with me and tried to cheer me up again with some nice songs, slowly -slowly I too joined the chorus. Soon I was singing in the high pitch and for the time being I forget about my bag. I was walking and singing ahead of the group, when Mister Pandit; (Christie Sir’s friend) asked me, “Bhavana, how would you feel if suddenly you look back and do not find anyone, all alone in the middle of this Jungle; then which song will you sing?”  

Here I think a short introduction of Pandit Jee would not be inappropriate. He was wearing a Saffron Rob and a Chandan Tilak on his forehead, a small Choti was visible on his almost bald head. His overall personality was impressive and himself; he was a warm and lively companion. Therefore, when he asked this question he was a few steps behind me, first I laughed then answered, “In such a situation I will either start shouting in loud voice or my throat will get choked due to fear.”

“Hmmm, I see.”

Meanwhile, I continued my walk and singing, I was still ahead of the group; I was singing, “dil hai chhota saa, chhoti si asha…” , suddenly I saw something in the middle of the path. I was about to put my feet on that thing, but after seeing it, my feet remained in air and I quickly took it back, for a while a forget singing, stood still and numb. Somehow I shouted, “Sirrrrr..” 

 Pandit Jee and Christie Sir along with few other students quickly came towards me, “what happened Bhavana?”

“Sir…look over there”, I pointed out towards the ground, skeleton of an animal’s head (may be a wolf) and other bones of its body were lying there, its mouth was opened like a big bowl. Pandit Jee and Christie Sir both broke up in laughter and so the other people too. Sir told me that it seems more like a dog’s skeleton (don’t know how he reached to this conclusion) and assured me that there is nothing to worry about and this is a normal thing in this remote area. He even said, “aww Bhavna don’t be so loud on this poor creature, see it is already dead and can not harm you at all.”  Anyway, these words did not please me at all, and we continued our journey in to that jungle….

To Be Continued…

second part of the story is  Here