Bhandardhara

It was the holi of 2013 and if you know India and fun, it won't be difficult to guess that I was very very high. That evening a friend of mine called and suggested we drive down to Bhandardhara, by the Pravara River over the Good Friday weekend. It was hardly 185 km down Bombay, on the western ghats studded with a lake and a dam.The bhang in me spoke without a second thought I was set to go to. 

We drove down jolly and singing. Little did we think about accommodation, money or even safety, being sure to get a booking in the MTDC resort. But presto! It was the Good Friday weekend and the whole of Bombay had left the city in search of nature. Everything was booked!

After an hour's search, we got a couple of rooms in a hotel for Rs. 1200 each. After a lazy lunch, we were to go sight seeing. But then who wants to work on a holiday? We climbed trees instead. Then jumped into the lake. Fishermen and motormen passing by kept cautioning us but the swim was way too refreshing to bother. (In case you want to step into the lake, remember that it's very rocky and not only swimming will help- please be careful!)

As evening approached, we walked around the village, getting shampoo and conditioner sachets and lots of cigarettes, trying to keep us warm in wet clothes. Reaching the hotel took another 20 minutes and a lot of teeth tattering. Once we had bath and dried ourselves, syrupy sweet tea awaited- we hated it for the tea but loved it for the warmth. But then there was homemade Gujju thepla with pickle. Yum!

A game of cards, 2 of dumb charades and a few here and there, it was dinner time. I still don't remembering enjoying any particular dish- just that there was enough to feed a couple of people more. We had seen poverty through the day. And simplicity. The village folks would come and offer to wash the car in the hope of a fifty rupees note.

Next morning we drove back to Bombay, spotting faces on the barren ghats and just relishing the 1 day of the weekend left to relax.

Find more about Bhandardhara.