6th Mar 21 => 7th Mar 21
Rajgad, formerly known as Murumdevs is one of
the best-preserved forts in Maharastra and served as an early capital of the Maratha Empire for 26 years. I went on a night
trek starting from the base of the fort towards the Palli gate. We reached there around 2:30 and then
set up tents. There was supposed to be a sleeping break but 4 of us went on to trek towards the
“Balekilla” (upper fort) and other parts till 4:30 am. Which was followed by a group hike to Sanjivani
Machee to witness the sunrise. After that glorious encounter, we began a sleep-deprived and exhausted
descent.
13th Mar 21 => 14th Mar 21
Harishchandragad named after king Harishchandra was built during Kalachuri dynasty, who soon lost their territory to
the Chalukyas of Vatapi.This fort also
features the 6th highest peak Taramati (named after the wife of King Harishchandra) in Maharashtra state
with height of 1,431m. There are references to this fort in Puranas and has a spiritual significance in Vaishnavism.
We left for the fort from Pune around 7:30 pm and reached the base at 3:30 am. After having
night snacks, we started the ascend and reached the Taramati peak around 5:45 am. The ascent was non
monotonous covering steep cliffs, forest paths, and plane ground. It became slightly challenging near
the end but the view from the top was worth the trouble. We waited for the sunrise and then headed
towards the Konkan Kada and nearby temples. Had breakfast at the fort and started our descent.
16th Jan 21
Expectations are always high for a Cohen bros film, and this one does deliver on them. After watching a few of their films, the style becomes familiar. Ballad of Buster Scruggs has a lot of that absurd randomnesses, typical of Cohens, along with some heartfelt moments. There is much foreshadowing with poems like Ozymandias or with the clothing choices, but it doesn't always lead to expected outcomes. Starting with a fast-paced, upbeat, blood-filled, and satirical short, the movie slows down little by little, to a bloodless frightful conversation, while exploring a lot of things on the way. Nature is harsh, vast, and at its full glory, making characters appear more helpless than they should be.