DAY 1
9th April, 2013
DADAR to THANE – 25 kms
Dadar – 11:30 AM
Reached Sai Sevak mandal, waited till our group gathered. I
got a sample of the heat, as of today, I am on full energy. My battery is
charged. I have my cap and I am wearing loose fitting cotton clothes. We are
waiting for the Noon Aarti to commence. The yatra begins after.
A lady standing behind me fell down due to fatigue; she is
resting by the wall. It’s the heat. A group of us were waving our caps near her,
trying to get her some cool air. We gave her water.
After Aarti, we begin. Nine days of walking. 264 Kms to be
covered. God bless us all.
Chunabhatti – 02:43 PM
Walked around 4 Kms and stopped for lunch here. A lot of
people distributed water bottles, biscuits, sweets etc. It’s very hot. Feeling
a little tired already.
Sat down for lunch. Sandwich. Heavy sandwich though. We will
rest here for an hour and continue to walk.
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Crowded flyover |
Vikhroli – 06:30 PM
Two and a half hours of continuous walk. Drank plenty of
water. Did not pee at all. Body is absorbing all the water. The place here is
well decorated and huge stages have been set up. It’s like a festival here.
Lights, crowd, firecrackers and songs.
Stopped here for Evening Aarti. Massaged a few people’s
legs. We will get used to this walking soon.
Drank one bottle of sprite, a litre of water and a bottle of
fanta. Thirsty all the time. I think there is another 8 Kms to walk.
Mulund – 09:50 PM
After the evening Aarti, we left Vikhroli by 08:30 PM,
walked for an hour to reach Mulund. Stopping here to rest until the Night Aarti
gets over. Thane is just 1Km from here. We could have walked and then rested.
My neck hurts. It is because I am carrying my bag, my SLR is
heavy. My leg does not ache much though.
Thane – 10:30 PM
Thane will be the halt spot for the day. Mats and pillows
are set for us. Dinner is ready too at the camp here. My legs hurt bad now. Got
my bag from the truck and searched for my bed sheet. It’s 12:30. Will sleep
well I think.
DAY 2
10th April, 2013
THANE to PADGHA – 35 Kms
Thane – 06:00 AM
Woke up at 03:00 AM. Two dogs fighting near where we were
sleeping woke us up kicking mud on us. Pebbles, sand and dirt came flying.
Hardly slept for two hours. I guess today is going to be very difficult. Had
tea, ready to leave.
Kasheli – 08:15 AM
Usually everyone wakes up at 03:30 AM to take a dump in the
dark in some barren wasteland nearby. This will be the case for the rest of the
days. But I am not going to wake up that early. I need my sleep. I will find
public toilets, dhabas or restaurants on the way to relieve myself.
Reached the first rest spot for the day. Didn’t have
breakfast. Was not hungry. Took a power nap and stretched my legs up on a
railing nearby. There is shade under this neem tree and the breeze is perfect.
I just want to sleep for the whole day.
Rest for an hour and off again.
Bhivandi – 12:00 PM
Very tiring walk. Muscles are aching a lot. Got a chance to
lift the Palki and pull the Rath.
Took forever to reach Bhivandi. Stopped for rest, bath and lunch.
We rested in a classroom of a school. All the benches and chairs were shifted
aside, so we could lay our mats down. Took bath from a nearby restroom. My pain
was unbearable now. Took a painkiller and off to rest. Lunch was hosted by a
friend who lives here. Lunch was very good. Will start again at 04:00 PM.
Bhivandi Bypass Road – 06:30 PM
Stopped near the highway. Palki has stopped for Aarti. Our
group is resting. The highway is dusty, some construction is going on nearby. I
am not lying down as it will hurt when I get up.
A guy is massaging everyone here with his massaging tools. I
just heard we have a lot more to walk. We will rest for an hour and leave.
Pagdha – 10:15 PM
Very tiring walk. Our camp for tonight is very dark. The
mats have been spread on a weigh bridge. A very good uncle of mine has prepared
dinner at home and has bought it all the way here. I haven’t clicked a single
photograph. Not carrying the
camera anymore. I am feeling feverish, shivering. Had food, took tablets and am
going to sleep. If I am not well tomorrow, I have to give up. I will travel by
the car that comes along with us providing water. But I don’t want to give up.
DAY 3
11th April, 2013
PAGHDA to KHARDI – 32 Kms
Paghda – 05:30 AM
Lat night, another uncle massaged my legs. Bless him. If not
for the massage, I would not be able to walk. By massaging, the muscles loosen
and make it easy to walk.
I am very weak. Just mixed a bottle of water with isostar.
Started to walk at 06:00 AM.
Highway – 08:30 AM
We have stopped in a hotel near the highway. Walked for
around two hours. Had idli and mosambi juice. Used the restroom as well. Feel a
little better now. Got to walk till afternoon. The sun is starting to burn us
all.
Shahapur – 11:30 AM
Highway and more highways, I am surprised I made it this
far, drinking lots of water on the way. Basically, a car accompanies us, which
stops at certain points to supply us with water, cool drinks, tender coconut or
any other supplies like medicines etc. It also carries essential luggage. Bigger suitcases come in
the truck, which halts at the final camp for the day.
We deviated from the highway and took a shorter road until
we reached a house with a well. The mats have been spread out under the shade.
Will take bath from the well and have lunch. Then rest till 04:00 PM.
The bath from the well was very refreshing. Since it was so
hot, the water from the body dried real soon.
Chappathi and rice for lunch, provided by the owner of the
house. The curry was very spicy.
Today is a new year for the Marathis., Gudhi Padva. We massaged each
other’s legs.
Highway – 06:30 PM
Don’t know the name of this place, stopped for Aarti.
Feeling better than yesterday. A little pain still exists. Mats spread by the
highway. Vehicles speeding by. Will stop for an hour here.
Khardi – 10:15 PM
Long long walk as usual. Got chance to lift the Palki two
times. It is very heavy completely made of silver. I think it weighs over 100
Kilograms.
One thing I have noticed is that, you don’t get tired if you
walk at your own pace slowly, if you walk fast, you exhaust yourself. Also your
groins hurt bad because of the friction due to constant walking. The skin tears
and may cause bleeding. Coconut oil to the rescue!
A lot of mandals were set up, people distributing
watermelons, oranges, water bottles.
This place we are stopping today is basically near a
flyover. The mats have been laid nearby, right at the doors of a complex
parking area. Had noodles for dinner.
DAY 4
12th April, 2013
KHARDI to KASARA GHAT – 32 Kms
Khardi – 05:30 AM
Didn’t feel like waking up. I am still getting used to this
whole thing. Today is going to be a bit difficult they say. Because we have a
steep ghat to climb.
Highway – 08:30 AM
Stopped near a restaurant on the highway. Had a lot of
Lassi. Those things are really delicious. Had poha for breakfast. I want to lie
down and not walk. I feel so tired. Never imagined it would be this exhausting.
The roads keep going up and down because this is basically a ghat area. We will
rest here for a while and walk for an hour until we reach our stop for lunch.
Tanaji Nagar – 10:30 AM
This is where we stop to take bath and have lunch. Then we
rest till 04:00 PM. We have stopped a t a small house. I take bath from the
tank in the house. They ask us to use water wisely as there is drought in this
area. Only one bucket of water per person.
Had more Lassi. Could not rest because the room was so hot.
There is no breeze, not even in the open. I wonder why I took bath. I am
sweating badly now. We will resume walking at 05:00 PM. More like climbing, not
walking.
Kasara – 06:00 PM
I walked pretty much alone today and not with the group. Got
to sit with the Palki for Aarti. I was waving the 'chamar' (fan) throughout the
Aarti.
I have mixed glucose to a bottle of water. Will need it for
the climb.
Ghatan Devi Mandir
(Kasara Ghat)– 10:00 PM
I walked real slow. Actually the journey was not that
difficult as I had expected it to be. Walked for more than 90 minutes and that
too at a stretch. Did not stop walking even for a minute. The Ghatan Devi Temple
was at the top of the ghat. I could hear the bells of the temple as we neared.
Had Darshan and walked a little farther to reach the camp for the day.
Another dear uncle bought us dinner, home cooked, back in 'Kalyan'. He even massaged my neck and it felt so good. I went to sleep
immediately.
DAY 5
13th April, 2013
KASARA GHAT to WADIVAHARE – 32 Kms
Ghatan Devi Mandir – 06:30 AM
Woke up late at 06:30. Got an extra hour to sleep, because
of the tiredness from yesterday. Had coffee and some biscuits. Had Palki darshan and lifted it at the
start of the journey.
I took out my compact camera and decided to click pictures
on the way.
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Palki |
Igatpur – 08:30 AM
We will be stopping near this small town with a railway
station for breakfast. Found a vast ground for breakfast. Got to leave in a bit
and walk till after noon I guess.
|
Miles to go |
Ghoti – 11:30 AM
The walk till Ghoti was very frustrating. One because it was
very hot and two, we passed a small town again which was heavily polluted and
very dusty. I got some fruits to eat on the way.
We reached our halt for lunch. This time under a flyover.
There is so much dust everywhere.
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Yup, Cups and saucers on a push cart! |
Took bath from a nearby well. It was a good experience to
fetch water from the well with a pail.
It is a headache to get in the cargo of the truck, find my
suitcase among others, there are twenty people in our group. Then to take my
clothes out is another task.
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Under the flyover |
Had curd rice for lunch. It was delicious. Then we took
rest. People were resting on mats laid on both sides of the area under the
flyover and there was this place to walk in between. Then suddenly, goats,
bulls and cows decided to cross creating havoc and chaos. We will leave at
04:00 PM as usual.
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Suddenly bulls! |
Highway – 06:30 PM
This is the Mumbai – Nashik highway. I sat down for rest.
Had some biscuits and nuts. Will leave once Aarti is over. Roughly one hour. I
can rest till then.
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Resting near the highway |
Wadivahare – 10:00 PM
The camp for today is near some electricity board by the
highway. It’s so nice to sleep under the stars. It is very dark here and I can
see them clearly. I had plain bread for dinner. Did not feel like eating.
At night, while walking, the car, which accompanies us,
stops at various places ahead of us, in our path with a red lantern so we can
find them easily in the dark.
DAY 6
14th April, 2013
WADIVAHARE to SHINDEGAON – 28 Kms
Wadivahare – 05:30 AM
Today is the Malayalam/Tamil New year. I woke up to see
beautiful stars in the sky. Had coffee and left.
On our way, people were selling idli for breakfast. Many
poor children stand on the way begging for money and chocolates.
Dad and I,
being new year, fed four poor kids on the way. We bought for them four plates
of idli and chutney.
Nashik Outer – 08:00 AM
Stopped under another flyover for breakfast. I took some pictures.
|
Breakfast |
Nashik – 10:30 AM
Reached Nashik city faster than expected. Today, we will
take bath in a friend’s guesthouse. I can actually shower and scrub the dirt
off me. After sleeping under the open sky for days now, this is the first time
we get to take rest in a guesthouse. I shower for almost 30 minutes. We order
lunch from a nearby hotel.
I actually prefer the roadside to this guesthouse. We will
rest and leave at 4 again.
Nashik – 06:30 PM
Nashik is quite a big city and we have almost reached the
outer I guess. Stopped for evening Aarti. Will leave once over. On our way, we
purchased grapes and oranges. I had tender coconut from a stall. The kid there
was staring at me for long.
I hate to walk in the city. So much pollution and because of
traffic, the pace slows down as well. The highways and the villages are better.
This rest spot now is so crowded, so many people. So much congestion.
Shindegaon – 10:00 PM
Today, being Dr. Ambedkar’s Birthday, there was celebration
in the city. People were dancing to funky Marathi songs and green disco lights
attached to moving vehicles. We passed and walked atop a series of flyovers.
Our stop for today is a village. The owner of a house here has been very kind to
offer his terrace for rest. There is just one incandescent bulb here. We had
dinner near the bulb and slept. It is quite cold. I am very sleepy and I know I
am going to sleep immediately the minute I lie down.
DAY 7
15th April, 2013
SHINDEGAON to KHOPADI – 32 Kms
Shindegaon – 06:00 AM
Woke up to a cold morning. Went down to piss and brush my
teeth. Had coffee. Mentally prepared for the long distance I had to walk today.
Highway – 08:00 AM
Stopped ahead of a small ghat that we have to climb. Today
we will be bathing early; usually it is in the afternoon. But there is a tank
nearby filled with water. It was a very hasty bath. Two people poured a bucket
of water on me, quick soap, one more bucket of water and that’s it.
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Bath time! |
Had ‘semiya’ for breakfast. It was awesomely delicious.
Packed the bags, put them in the truck and began to walk.
Sinnar – 11:00 AM
Scorching hot. I was dead tired. Kept walking alone most of
the time. I would have passed the spot for lunch, if I had not looked right to
see our truck parked aside near a restaurant. The driver was waiting, but he
hadn’t seen me.
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Our truck with luggages |
The mats were spread inside a family hall of a restaurant.
The tables and chairs put aside. As I had already taken my bath, I decided I’d
sleep for a few hours. Woke up at 03:00 PM and went to have lunch from the
restaurant. Ordered lassi first. Had butter naan and vegetable curry.
The restrooms available in such places are a boon for people
like me. Otherwise I will have to look for barren open fields to do my
business.
Soon after lunch, got ready to walk.
Highway – 06:00 PM
We stopped near a field, on our way here from Sinnar, we
walked through a crowded market.
I gulped down a bottle of sprite quickly. Our group members
are making bhel puri from puffed rice. I clicked some pictures and decided to
go and sit for the Aarti.
|
Never before has water seemed so precious to me |
Received
‘prasad’ after Aarti, got dark real soon. Got ready
to continue.
|
Palki puja |
Khopadi – 10:30 PM
The walk till Khopadi was really bad and the most
frustrating till date. The jouney never seemed to end. I was desperate to reach
the halt. My legs very hurting bad and I was dying of fatigue.
I kept asking how far was the camp, someone told me we had
to walk 1 Km more and after a kilometer, someone said, there is one more
kilometer. This made me angry and I walked in full frustration, pushing my
limit. I walked very fast.
Reached the camp quite late. It was spread across a field and
had to walk deep inside to find our mats spread in the middle of nowhere. My
legs were about to break. To make matters worse, it was way too windy. Had
quick dinner and slept covered with three bed sheets.
DAY 8
16th April, 2013
KHOPADI to POHEGAON – 30 Kms
Khopadi – 06:00 AM
It was all wet when I woke up in the morning. The dampness.
My bedsheets were wet. My legs hurt real bad and I was shivering.
With a lot of effort, I woke up, brushed my teeth and had
coffee without sugar because we were out of sugar.
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Getting ready to leave at dawn |
Highway – 08:00 AM
Stopped by a well for bath. Early bath again. The well is
crowded with people and I can’t find a place to bath. Luckily, a friend fills
two buckets of water and quickly pours them on me. The weather was not helping
and it was burning hot already.
|
Refreshing bath |
Had vermicelli for breakfast. We had breakfast in what was
actually a cowshed.
Got ready real quick, had a bottle of sprite and prepared
myself for the journey ahead.
Vavi – 10:30 AM
This will be the second last day of the journey. One more day
to go. Got to eat watermelons on the way.
|
Yum |
The Sanasthan has set up a huge tent here. A big puja, Rudra Abhisekam
will be performed today. I took as many pictures possible. The puja lasted
around 3 hours. I took a nap and then had lunch. Had time to spare, so just
rested under the shade of the tent.
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Rudra Abisekam puja |
Tomorrow this time, we would be in Shirdi. Rested till 4PM
Narrow Road – 06:00 PM
Stopped for Aarti, I was the first among the group to reach
the spot, spread on a muddy farm.
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Muddy field |
The road was very narrow and passing vehicles
were making it even difficult to walk. I attended the Aarti, the last evening
Aarti of this padhyatra.
Pohegaon – 10:00 PM
The walk till Pohegaon was terrible. Absolutely terrible.
Basically, I it was dark, I had to walk with my group, but got lost, then had
to race forward to find them, then walked slowly with the help of little light
leaking out on the road from battery torches people were carrying. Got lost
again. This time, the construction of the narrow road were on and huge pebbles
were laid down. It made my walking more difficult. No light, stumbling on the
road for almost one kilometer, I made it. It was hell. My feet were crying. But
this will be the last halt for the journey.
They call it the acupuncture road.
Had coffee in a nearby shop. The mats were spread in a cowshed.
We slept with cows and goats.
I did not have dinner. I had a bottle of sprite instead. I
took a paracetamol as well. Then my head started to spin. So I went to sleep,
covered with three bed sheets.
DAY 9
17th April, 2013
POHEGAON to SHIRDI – 14 KMS
Pohegaon – 08:00 AM
Woke up late because there is very little distance to cover.
Took a lot of group photos, as this is the last day. Played with the lambs and
goats. Had tea and biscuits.
Nighoj – 10:00 AM
We reached Nighoj quite soon. I was feeling a bit feverish.
The palki went ahead, we diverted to a small house. The small road was dusty
and I had to walk the road wearing a surgical mask.
|
Last few Kilometers |
My throat was hurting now and I was not feeling too good.
Reached the house, put my camera battery on charge and got ready to take a
bath. Water was filled in huge drums. After bath had ‘poha’ for breakfast.
I also took an antibiotic as I was feeling sick. Just a few
more kilometers and then I could rest. I wanted to walk and finish.
Lunch was served, I was barely able to eat. But had glasses
of ‘chaas’ with mint. It felt good for my throat. Took rest, but could not
sleep because the air was too hot.
We finally departed at 03:30 PM, no more stops. The long
rest was actually a pain.
Nostalgia hit me on the way. I had vague memories of the
place. Only that the last time I was here, the canal was full of water. Draught
had affected this place. Finally, saw the highway ahead of the small village
road.
Shirdi was some 2 Kms from here.
Shirdi – 04:30 PM
Finally.
|
Zero Km |
We reached Shirdi.
Nine days. There was celebration all the
way from outer Shirdi till the temple. I stood in line for Darshan. I could not
believe that I had made it. When I stood in the temple before the deity, I felt
so happy. Another priceless moment to cherish my life.