Vol 2

Continuing from the previous post…

The sounds which were coming were the chants from groups of people praising the valor and heritage of the kings that ruled over this region. This led me to unconsciously compare how this is changing across demographics. It is not the same in other parts, where the king’s name is seldom remembered.

Then I learned that it was not only the kings but even the commanders who pioneered victories when it was deemed that they would be defeated. To be remembered something, I feel that two things are important - Reach and Iteration. Irrespective of the time, what you do must be something that a common man can understand and which can stay in his memory, and it must be repeated with time. I noticed people and enthusiastic groups carrying flags carrying the emblem of kingdoms from the past. Maybe the story of a person does not end when they die; the life cycle of the story depends entirely on what they did and how they did it. In that way, some instances are recorded eternally and continue their journey across time.

This is where the path was starting to get too narrow and difficult to climb. There were stones and boulders, and they were almost upright, and I started to lose my motivation and hope. I just sat silently on the side, and people crossed me continuously. In all this, my energy came from the water I was drinking and the breaths from the fresh air around me. My stomach started to rumble. I was faced with two options; one was that I could reach the top and explore my options further, other was to start my journey down from here. Before even weighing in on the options, I stood and started towards the path to the top.

After many trials and tribulations, I reached a place where I could hear the sound of vehicles, which made me realize, maybe I was nearing the destination.

Sooner than that, I climbed some concrete steps to find the magnificent sight of the fort's entrance. The path leading to it was thronged with various food options. Right from the hot items to cold ones. There was sweet corn and fruits cut into different shapes with optional spicing. Ice cream, kufi, Maggi. My hunger was now in the phase where it was almost over, but I just had to eat something so that I stand upright. After much deliberation and thought, I decided to go ahead with sweet corn with medium spices. Among these, I considered the many available shops with almost the same variety. Everything was almost the same, the price, the appearance, and the options. What separates one from another? How can one sustain their business? As these questions ran through my head, I jumped on a high seat and sat on it. It was not a seat per see. It was part of constructing walls built on an incline leading to the entrance. So, technically speaking, the top of the wall built on the lower side becomes a comfortable seat after a tiring travel. From here, I observed the movement of people into the shops. In some time, you can almost ascertain that each shop has almost the same number of visitors. Maybe a slight difference; nonetheless, it almost followed a normal distribution pattern. Only a few shops were outliers and had minimal visitors. After my observation and a further understanding that if the business is unsustainable, there would be minimal possibility of keeping it open, I jumped down from the seat and walked towards the entrance.

There was a cold draft when entering the tall doorway. From this entrance, there were multiple entrances atop which a viewpoint was there. The path was again lined with shops to satiate the unabated hunger. I walked further as long as possible to find a place to rest.

It was a seat made around an old cannon. I made myself comfortable leaning on it and then closed my eyes while focusing on my breath. It was so pleasant and calm. Then, I wanted to try out some delicacies specific to that place. That is when I came across the Matki Dahi; the curd is developed in a mud pot. The difference I observed while tasting it is that it had a very different texture and consistency compared to what is available in the plains. Maybe it’s the temperature and the surrounding which is influencing the formation.

This is also very true with people; the surroundings and the environment around us very much influence us.

After this, I started my exploration. I saw a very vast map. I marked out a few places that might be interesting and the path I should take. Then I came across a temple that was said to be very ancient. Again, there was a narrow ascent atop led by high steps. It was locked. There was a cellular tower near which people were taking photos. I realized nothing could be done more and continued on the path.

After a while, I came across a magical location. Multiple paths were crisscrossing each other. And in the middle, there were little ponds and grass plains. If you cross this and move ahead, there’s the fort's wall, after which only fluffy clouds remain. People were taking photos from the multiple viewpoints available. I just went and sat in the middle of this magical place. The feeling of the breeze gently whooshing past you is an excellent feeling. I must have sat there for quite a long time. All this while, there was also a faint drizzle now and then.

I stood up after some time and started walking along the fort wall. The path ascended and descended, and there was another magical sight for me. After a year in this place, I came across plantain trees. I don’t know why; I was just happy to see it.

I will continue and conclude this in the next part. Meanwhile, here are a few photos for your delight…