The Midnight Crawl 🐯🚩

from thinking twice,

to enrolling thrice;

persuading few,

to the experience so new..

pushing through the crowd,

noisy, musical & loud;

was the local train ride,

with the scheduled time we could abide..

reaching the nearest station,

feeling like awesome vacation;

waiting for the colleagues to join,

no shops open to buy anything with a coin..

here came in a small cargo truck,

loading us over onto with good luck;

driving through the silent zig zag lanes,

with sleep pumping out of our veins..

we did reach Mahuli Village,

eager to capture some image;

lacing up with trek gear,

erasing the uncertain fear..

Welcome to Tansa Wildlife Sanctuary

we walked towards the Entry Gate,

ensuring to reach there by 12am not late;

clicking a photo for attendance & count,

with clear rules no discount..

testing our head lamps,

did warmup to avoid cramps;

begins our midnight stride,

with our eyes open & wide.. 

taking regular breathing breaks,

with equal ownership & stakes;

climbing through uphill,

craving for some breeze & chill..

conversations started - stories begun,

from star gazing, astronomy, to the Moon & the Sun;

strangers felt like childhood friends,

climbed together uphill, slopes & bends..

reaching the ancient caves at morning four,

in deep sweat & pain down to the core;

did we all choose to rest on the soil,

but few skipped the sleep & kept the water to boil..

never in my life yet did I start my day with pasta,

@ 6am this was served to us as piping hot nashta (breakfast);

with green sprouts to share & care,

accompanied the monkeys to eat & stare..

heading to scale & measure,

to also find the treasure;

within & around Mahuli Fort,

attending through each temple & court..

scorching heat couldn't stop us so to say,

plucking & biting each jamun, karvanda, mango on the way;

finding a cave with chilled water,

time was almost One to a Quarter..

our friends setup a Cloud Kitchen with woodfire,

cooking meals tastier than our desire;

resting under the water cooled cave,

with the limited energy we could recharge & save..

here we start heading back through a steeper route,

up & awake enough - not skipping to taste any fruit;

photo clicks weren't enough to capture the charm,

the aura, the breeze, the peaceful calm..

walking downhill with some rhythm & trance,

magical was the nature around at every glance;

a dozen of lemons, water, sugar, jaljeera & ice,

could relieve our pain almost instantly so nice..

eating everything found in our bag,

crossing each victory flag;

near were we to exit this paradise,

what next? asked a pro trekker so wise..

the pain the missing rain,

the gain the steep lane;

made us feel like never before,

without which we never could discover our core..

here we are Tuning in for More..

Bleeding Truth

13th March was my birthday,
Had to choose a different way;
Decided to keep all priorities at bay,
& reach uphill Jeevdani Temple before yawns the morning ray…

Jumped off the bed at three,
Leaving alone my lazy routines free;
Let my sleepy eyes step out the door,
Reached the destination sharp at four…

Seeing the huge gates shut,
Was quite astonished but;
Looking at people waiting – sleeping at the door,
Again gazing at the majestic closed door;
Stepped to a man in blue,
Asking if he had any clue;
As to when will the gates unlock?
It was already four O’clock…

“Now” he replied,
My eyes glorified;
The screeching sound of the opening gate,
Ready to climb up ending up the wait…

Stepping up my foot ahead,
Not alone was I, sought of a group I led;
Dogs barking with joy,
Started playing without a toy…

Carrying a pumping heart,
Holding myself from falling apart;
Reaching up the divine,
Waiting at the shrine;
Wrapping up the curtain,
Relieving the uncertain;
Goddess Jeevdani lends us a sight,
Before flows down the gushing sunlight…

Instruments started to play,
As if the clouds were to dance;
Chants around the world,
Dipped in honey was every stance…

Praising loud the almighty,
A group of boys dragged along a goat;
Deafening cheer surrounded the hall room,
A sight difficult for me to note…

They came tearing away the crowd through,
Were given a passage even though the audience grew;
Masked murderers they seemed to be,
Greetings & Respect they got was surprising to see…

The goat with the group went to take blessings ahead,
My eyes were expecting a stain splash off bleeding red;
But the sight was not sought at the very site,
When I asked about it to a man in white;
The sacrifice was to be made down the hill,
Blank was I to hear it and stood still…

Are we so not a Man,
To believe in what we Can;
By killing others to Gain,
Being untouched by the Pain…

It’s time we Realize,
To learn to Sacrifice;
Not someone else’s blood will colour our Life,
We need to put ourselves under the so called “Knife”…

Are we ready to Bleed?