FiREFLiES and the Night Sky by Nevill

 Fireflies and the night sky

It has been a long and testing spell of summer this year and it was time to break this monotony; escaping in the Nature, away from the city. And doing so within the confinity of a short time span and limited endurance. For this, time and again, I look forward to my old friend Parin, and his plans at Parvat Buddies. Parvat Buddies is a young Mumbai trek group that offers amazing excursions that generally befit all ages and all fitness levels. Itineraries are very simple yet they leave you overawed with a direct tune-in with nature and a blissful experience for your senses. ‘I should do this more often’ is a common after thought. 

I took up this overnight weekend plan, and this is how it sounds – assemble at Panvel station on early Saturday evening, eat snacks, ride a 30 min taxi, spend the evening on a lake, walk for 2 hours in nearby hills, spend overnight at a tribal village, eat dinner, play games, get up early, enjoy tea and breakfast, start the return walk, taxi back to Panvel and reach home by Sunday afternoon. Highlight activity of the plan – watch fireflies at night.

And this is what I ended up doing for my weekend – a rejuvenating dip in the lake, right before commencing the trek; a 3-hour night walk mostly in total silence and darkness (as I like to walk without torches) through well founded village trails; fascinating visuals of the fireflies during the entire walk – at times lightening up entire trees in flashes and at times sparkling their branches in symphonies; constant ransoms of fresh ‘aamraas’ (mango pulp) upon finishing the walk; spicy and tasty home cooked food in a tribal village; laughter filled memory games with fellow group mates; sleeping below a starry night sky; rising to the morning ruckus of the domestic fowl; a heat-tested trek back to civilizations; and then to cap it all a refreshing dip in that same lake with least intentions of getting out.

Couldn’t have wished for any more off a simple weekend plan. And even after all this, I still had an entire Sunday second half to rest and relax, with my mind stuck on the ‘platonic aamraas’ that never materialized. However, I have less to complain and more to cherish; the shared bonhomie of the group, the newer faces I came across and the unfailing promise of Nature – as it never fails to rejuvenate one’s soul.

Gripped with city lifestyles and materialistic pursuits, we often overlook the inner connections with our existence. Thanks for such occasional departures lest we forget our love for Nature.

Regards,

Nevill Shah