Rajmachi................

This has to be one of the most beautiful serene places i've ever visited. Green, pleasant, quiet, and blessed with nature and life ! About 10 kms from Lonavala, situated on the Rajmachi Plateau, lie these 2 forts, Manoranjan Fort and Shrivardhan Fort ! The taller one is Manoranjan Fort, and just opposite is the smaller Shrivardhan Fort ( Balle Killa : The younger fort ). 

3000 ft Above SL, it gives a magnificent view of the plateau, Lonavala and the surrounding area. People often get confused between Rajmachi Point, and Rajmachi Fort. The Rajmachi Point is located on the old Mumbai - Pune express way at Lonavala from where you see Rajmachi Fort, whereas the fort is situated at Khandala. 

The base of the plateau is accessible through a vehicle even during the monsoons. From that place the fort base is about 11 KMs. It takes about half an hour to reach the plateau base. During the monsoons vehicles do not reach the top of the plateau. There is small village called "Udhewadi" at the base of the fort. From the base of the plateau till this village it takes around 3 to 4 hours of simple hike. Its a road that gets muddy during the monsoons. As we visited there in the peak period of the rainy season, we witnessed countless waterfalls along the way. Its a pleasant treck which can be completed in a day. At Udhewadi  one can get food, accommodation. But ensure you have booked the same earlier. On weekends its quiet a rush there. 

 This is how the entire way upto the base of the fort is. Its a simple hike. please note, the actual fort climb is much more difficult that this. So some good shoes is a must for this trek during the monsoon. Ones you reach the base, it takes around 40 minutes to reach the actual fort. The fort does not have any standing structure. But the wall surrounding the fort is huge and one can imagine what efforts must have gone in to built the same. The view from the top is stunning. 

 The rains here are awesome. Noisy, harsh, and they surely hurt ! A good raincoat wont help, you'll anyways get wet while crossing the small streams that come along the way.

Y

Yes, the above pic is self explanatory. It is an awesome place. Its simple, pleasant and if planned properly you can have loads of fun with friends. 

For further information about this place write me at : prathameshnarode@yahoo.com

I shall provide information about food, accommodation and transport. 

Chalaaa Nashik.....

Chalaaaa Nashik.....a statement that keeps revolving in our minds when me n my friends are in Mumbai.... its a place that made me....that added colors to my lifes canvas ! A place where i got my best friends... where my family extended... For me my relatives have always been relatively closer to me...as compared to my friends...n their families. Arun Anna....Saket...Viraaj....Kalya...Purni...n how can i forget....my Dhamu... i cn keep adding names... right nw not tht much in my senses ... these people and their families....those friends .... those moments... This City has been majical... i guess the best part of my childhood was that we never had any gadgets to show off....nor any fancy cell phones... zooming bikes... fancy clothes.. etc... all we had were WE.....We Friends together... in shabby clothes... with cycles having punctured tires...but we had loads of ambitions... a thrill for adventure... an eagerness to explore...willingness to share...ready to try... eager to win....not afraid to fail.... my friends surround me... my thoughts...my actions...even my abuses are inspired and outsourced... Nashik has given me that beautiful peace of mind which i always needed, the city has always been an comfort zone.... patte on college road...cutting chai near the Dam..... those serious talks followed by loud laughters on Asaram bapu bridge...udi spot... canal... tushar misal....misal pav of makhmalabad....anjaneri fort....SULA...Ginger.. Don Bosco....Kil Bils basketball court....cricket in front of C Lorn Apt, lingorcha at Dsouza colony, pav bhaji at Mamas Pav Bhaji...katta outside Din Shaws... our headquarters PARVATHI NIWAS....well about that place i'll write in another blog...loads to write... there are so many awesome memories.... beautiful places... selfless people....smiles all the way....tears held behind.... we always knew we were lucky....but always knew that hardwork and efforts will pull that luck closer... nothing on earth can replace my friends...my girl... our bond...our belongingness towards each other... this is Nashik....these are my people....this is my life...these are my jewels ! !

Homeless......

I live in Mumbai...a city where people land up with dreams...some to achieve those... some to keep dreaming ! I travel by Suburban Train Network from Andheri to Santacruz... Everyday, i see Homeless people... Everyday i see the number of these people increasing....the're families...with children...old men and women... Who are they ? wher hv they come from ? Is a question the authorities should be asking them ! They live on railway stations, in conditions that one cannot imagine.... The city dreams of being Shanghai... well yeah...i mean....Im not a pessimist and i wont deny that we can make this city look beautiful and clean... but then is this growth only limited to some areas? "The Town" ? Or will it include every component of the city ? From its filthy 60 yr old sewage system to those thousands of souls that Nepal and Bangladesh gift us ? 5 years ago what a slum looked like....seems to be a city in itself now ! Obviously i should also mention the peoples reluctance to ask questions to the govt regarding this mess.....we live up to our old tradition of chalta hai attitude.... but this is not going to help us anyways !

boomerang.....

Yeah some situations just come n hit u again n again....no matter hw hard u want to throw them far ! instability in thoughts....peoples behaviour....some people themselves ! I soomuch think the earlier days were better...in school we had the same bags....same books....uniform....same school bus...ther ws nothign different....nothign to show off....simplicity was the way of life ! We hardly had anything that we could go ga ga about  ! Respect was earned thru words....and not thru what car one had....or which phone one carried....Friendship was based on how many jokes the other guy said.... and not on how many jokes the other made on others.... success was completing homework on time... we could go long as long our minds could take us....and not as long as our parents wanted us to go.....the school days were golden.....they say life teaches us more as we grow up.....i guess life teaches us the rest part much before it already has arrived !

Death Notice !

The local newspaper funeral notice telephone operator received a phone call. A woman on the other end asked, "How much do funeral notices cost?"

"$5.00 per word, Ma'am," came the response.

"Good, do you have a paper and pencil handy?"

"Yes, Ma'am."

"OK, write this: 'Fred dead.'"

"I'm sorry, Ma'am; I forgot to tell you there's a five-word minimum."

"Hmmph," came the reply, "You certainly did forget to tell me that." A moment of silence. "Got your pencil and paper?"

"Yes, Ma'am."

"OK, print this: 'Fred dead, Cadillac for sale.' "

Quote it !

- Courage is not the absence of fear, but rather the judgement that something else is more important than fear.

- A wise man gets more use from his enemies than a fool from his friends.

- Watch your thoughts; they become words.
Watch your words; they become actions.
Watch your actions; they become habits.
Watch your habits; they become character.
Watch your character; it becomes your destiny.

- Try a thing you haven’t done three times. Once, to get over the fear of doing it. Twice, to learn how to do it. And a third time, to figure out whether you like it or not.

- Even if you’re on the right track, you’ll get run over if you just sit there.

- People often say that motivation doesn’t last. Well, neither does bathing – that’s why we recommend it daily.

- Always forgive your enemies; nothing annoys them so much. ( This is really awesome, loved it )

- If there are no stupid questions, then what kind of questions do stupid people ask? Do they get smart just in time to ask questions?

Funny !

this is a good one

1. At the movies: When you meet acquaintances/friends...
Stupid Question:- Hey, what are you doing here?
Dont u know, I sell tickets in black over here..
2. In the bus: A heavy lady wearing pointed high-heeled shoes steps on
your
feet...
Stupid Question:- Sorry, did that hurt?
No, not at all, I'm on local anesthesia.....why don't you try again.
3. At a funeral: One of the teary-eyed people ask...
Stupid Question:- Why, why him, of all people.
Why? Would it rather have been you?
4. At a restaurant: When you ask the waiter
Stupid Question:- Is ! the "Butter Paneer Masala" dish good??
No, its terrible and made of adulterated cement. We occassionaly also
spit in it.
5. At a family get-together: When some distant aunt meets you after
years...
Stupid Question:- Munna, Chickoo, you've become so big.
Well you haven't particularly shrunk yourself.
6. When a friend announces her wedding, and you ask...
Stupid Question:- Is the guy you're marrying good?
No,he's a miserable wife-beating , insensitive lout...it's just the
money.
7. When you get woken up at midnight by a phone call...
Stupid Question:- Sorry. were you sleeping?
No. I was doing research on whether the Zulu tribes in Africa marry or
not. You thought I was sleeping....you dumb witted moron.
8. When you see a friend/colleague with evidently shorter hair...
Stupid Question:- Hey have you had a haircut?
No, its autumn and I'm shedding......
9. At the dentist when he's sticking pointed objects in your mouth...
Stupid Question:- Tell me if it hurts?
No it wont. It will just bleed.
10. You are smoking a cigarette and a cute woman asks...
Stupid Question:- Oh, so you smoke.
Gosh, it's a miracle .......it was a piece of chalk and now it's in
flames!!!

Deaf !

There once was a bunch of tiny frogs,...


� who arranged a running competition.


The goal was to reach the top of a very high tower .


A big crowd had gathered around the tower to see the race and cheer on the contestants...


The race began...


Honestly:


No one in crowd really believed that the tiny frogs would reach the top of the tower.


You heard statements such as:


"Oh, WAY too difficult!!


They will NEVER make it to the top."


or:


"Not a chance that they will succeed. The tower is too high!"


The tiny frogs began collapsing. One by one...


... Except for those who in a fresh tempo were climbing higher and higher...


The crowd continued to yell


"It is too difficult!!! No one will make it!"


More tiny frogs got tired and gave up...


...But ONE continued higher and higher and higher...


This one wouldn't give up!


At the end everyone else had given up climbing the tower. Except for the one tiny frog who after a big effort was the only one who reached the top!


THEN all of the other tiny frogs naturally wanted to know how this one frog managed to do it?


A contestant asked the tiny frog how the one who succeeded had found the strength to reach the goal?


It turned out...


That the winner was DEAF!!!!


The wisdom of this story is:


Never listen to other people's tendencies to be


negative or pessimistic...


�cause they take your most wonderful dreams and wishes away from you. The ones you have in your heart!






Always think of the power words have.


Because everything you hear and read will affect your actions!






Therefore:






ALWAYS be�


POSITIVE!


And above all:


Be DEAF when people tell YOU that YOU can not fulfil YOUR dreams!


Always think:


I can do this!

Gift !

One day I was lying on the bed, reading, when my mother came into the room. She held out a vase - a rather ugly vase. She asked, "Would you like to have this vase?"
I replied quickly, "No, I don't want it."


As she turned to walk away, I picked up something that said to me, wait a minute, there is something here. So I asked, '"Where did you get it?'"


She said, "Oh, I got it when I filled an order."


Filled an order? I thought - no communication here. So I asked, "What do you mean, filled an order?'"


"Well," she said, "when I was a little girl, the Smith Company mailed catalogs to people. I would take the catalog around the neighborhood, and I'd get people to order from it. When I filled an order and sent it in, they gave me a prize. One time, I got a porch swing for my family."


Now you have to understand that my mother is 81 years old. She is one of six children in a family that her father deserted when she was quite young. Money was real hard to come by. My grandmother managed to keep the family together through the years, although I don't know how. For my mother to win a luxury like a porch swing was a significant accomplishment. Although she no longer had the swing, she had the vase -a vase full of meaning - which she offered to me.


Instantly I said, "Mom, I want the vase." Now it sits in a prominent place in my living room.


It symbolizes a precious meaning which my mother and I share. Unless you and I are sensitive to the other person and hear meaning, as well as words, we may miss wonderful opportunities in life.

Seeds !

An emperor in the Far East was growing old and knew it was time to choose his successor. Instead of choosing one of his assistants or his children, he decided something different. He called young people in the kingdom together one day. He said, "It is time for me to step down and choose the next emperor. I have decided to choose one of you."
The kids were shocked! But the emperor continued. "I am going to give each one of you a seed today. One very special seed. I want you to plant the seed, water it and come back here after one year from today with what you have grown from this one seed. I will then judge the plants that you bring, and the one I choose will be the next emperor!"


One boy named Ling was there that day and he, like the others, received a seed. He went home and excitedly told his mother the story. She helped him get a pot and planting soil, and he planted the seed and watered it carefully. Every day he would water it and watch to see if it had grown. After about three weeks, some of the other youths began to talk about their seeds and the plants that were beginning to grow.


Ling kept checking his seed, but nothing ever grew. 3 weeks, 4 weeks, 5 weeks went by. Still nothing. By now, others were talking about their plants but Ling didn't have a plant, and he felt like a failure. Six months went by, still nothing in Ling's pot. He just knew he had killed his seed.


Everyone else had trees and tall plants, but he had nothing. Ling didn't say anything to his friends, however. He just kept waiting for his seed to grow.


A year finally went by and all the youths of the kingdom brought their plants to the emperor for inspection. Ling told his mother that he wasn't going to take an empty pot. But honest about what happened, Ling felt sick to his stomach, but he knew his mother was right. He took his empty pot to the palace. When Ling arrived, he was amazed at the variety of plants grown by the other youths. They were beautiful in all shapes and sizes. Ling put his empty pot on the floor and many of the other kinds laughed at him. A few felt sorry for him and just said, "Hey nice try."


When the emperor arrived, he surveyed the room and greeted the young people. Ling just tried to hide in the back. "What great plants, trees and flowers you have grown," said the emperor. "Today, one of you will be appointed the next emperor!" All of a sudden, the emperor spotted Ling at the back of the room with his empty pot. He ordered his guards to bring him to the front. Ling was terrified. "The emperor knows I'm a failure! Maybe he will have me killed!"


When Ling got to the front, the Emperor asked his name. "My name is Ling," he replied. All the kids were laughing and making fun of him. The emperor asked everyone to quiet down. He looked at Ling, and then announced to the crowd, "Behold your new emperor! His name is Ling!" Ling couldn't believe it. Ling couldn't even grow his seed. How could he be the new emperor?


Then the emperor said, "One year ago today, I gave everyone here a seed. I told you to take the seed, plant it, water it, and bring it back to me today. But I gave you all boiled seeds, which would not grow. All of you, except Ling, have brought me trees and plants and flowers. When you found that the seed would not grow, you substituted another seed for the one I gave you. Ling was the only one with the courage and honesty to bring me a pot with my seed in it. Therefore, he is the one who will be the new emperor!"


If you plant honesty, you will reap trust.
If you plant goodness, you will reap friends.
If you plant humility, you will reap greatness.
If you plant perseverance, you will reap victory.
If you plant consideration, you will reap harmony.
If you plant hard work, you will reap success.
If you plant forgiveness, you will reap reconciliation.
If you plant openness, you will reap intimacy.
If you plant patience, you will reap improvements.
If you plant faith, you will reap miracles.


But
If you plant dishonesty, you will reap distrust.
If you plant selfishness, you will reap loneliness.
If you plant pride, you will reap destruction.
If you plant envy, you will reap trouble.
If you plant laziness, you will reap stagnation.
If you plant bitterness, you will reap isolation.
If you plant greed, you will reap loss.
If you plant gossip, you will reap enemies.
If you plant worries, you will reap wrinkles.
If you plant sin, you will reap guilt.


So be careful what you plant now, It will determine what you will reap tomorrow, The seeds you now scatter, Will make life worse or better, your life or the ones who will come after. Yes, someday, you will enjoy the fruits, or you will pay for the choices you plant today

Your Weakness

Your Weakness



This is a story of one 10-year-old boy who decided to study judo despite the fact that he had lost his left arm in a devastating car accident.


The boy began lessons with an old Japanese judo master. The boy was doing well, so he couldn't understand why, after three months of training, the master had taught him only one move. "Sensei," the boy finally said, "Shouldn't I be learning more moves?"


"This is the only move you know, but this is the only move you'll ever need to know," the Sensei replied. Not quite understanding, but believing in his teacher, the boy kept training.

Several months later, the Sensei took the boy to his first tournament. Surprising himself, the boy easily won his first two matches. The third match proved to be more difficult, but after some time, his opponent became impatient and charged; the boy deftly used his one move to win the match. Still amazed by his success, the boy was now in the finals.

This time, his opponent was bigger, stronger, and more experienced. For a while, the boy appeared to be overmatched. Concerned that the boy might get hurt, the referee called a time-out. He was about to stop the match when the Sensei intervened. "No," the Sensei insisted, "Let him continue."

Soon after the match resumed, his opponent made a critical mistake: he dropped his guard. Instantly, the boy used his move to pin him. The boy had won the match and the tournament. He was the champion.

On the way home, the boy and Sensei reviewed every move in each and every match. Then the boy summoned the courage to ask what was really on his mind. "Sensei, how did I win the tournament with only one move?" "You won for two reasons," the Sensei answered. "First, you've almost mastered one of the most difficult throws in all of judo. And second, the only known defence for that move is for your opponent to grab your left arm."

The boy's greatest weakness had become his greatest strength.

DON'T WE ALL

DON'T WE ALL


I was parked in front of the mall wiping off my car. I had just come
from the car wash and was waiting for my wife to get out of work.
Coming my way from across the parking lot was what society would
consider a bum.
From the looks of him, he had no car, no home, no clean clothes, and no
money. There are times when you feel generous but there are other times
that you just don't want to be bothered. This was one of those "don't
want to be bothered times."
"I hope he doesn't ask me for any money," I thought.
He didn't.
He came and sat on the curb in front of the bus stop but he didn't look
like he could have enough money to even ride the bus.
After a few minutes he spoke.
"That's a very pretty car," he said.
He was ragged but he had an air of dignity around him. His scraggly
blond beard keep more than his face warm.
I said, "thanks," and continued wiping off my car.


He sat there quietly as I worked. The expected plea for money never
came.
As the silence between us widened something inside said, "ask him if
he needs any help." I was sure that he would say "yes" but I held true
to the inner voice.
"Do you need any help?" I asked.
He answered in three simple but profound words that I shall never forget.
We often look for wisdom in great men and women. We expect it from
those of higher learning and accomplishments.

I expected nothing but an
outstretched grimy hand. He spoke the three words that shook me.
"Don't we all?" he said.

I was feeling high and mighty, successful and important, above a bum
in the street, until those three words hit me like a twelve gauge
shotgun.
Don't we all?
I needed help. Maybe not for bus fare or a place to sleep, but I
needed help. I reached in my wallet and gave him not only enough for bus
fare, but enough to get a warm meal and shelter for the day. Those
three little words still ring true. No matter how much you have, no matter
how much you have accomplished, you need help too. No matter how little you
have, no matter how loaded you are with problems, even without money or
a place to sleep, you can give help.

Even if it's just a compliment, you can give that.
You never know when you may see someone that appears to have it all.
They are waiting on you to give them what they don't have. A different
perspective on life, a glimpse at something beautiful, a respite from
daily chaos, that only you through a torn world can see.
Maybe the man was just a homeless stranger wandering the streets. Maybe
he was more than that.

Maybe he was sent by a power that is great and
wise, to minister to a soul too comfortable in themselves.

The Right Package !

Touching life story.....







A young man was getting ready to graduate college. For
many months he had admired a beautiful sports car in a dealer's

showroom, and knowing his father could well afford it, he told


him that was all he wanted.






As Graduation Day approached, the young man awaited


signs that his father had purchased the car. Finally, on the


morning of his graduation his father called him into his private


study. His father told him how proud he was to have such a fine


son, and told him how much he loved him. He handed his son


a beautiful wrapped gift box.






Curious, but somewhat disappointed the young man


opened the box and found a lovely, leather-bound Bible. Angrily,


he raised his voice at his father and said, "With all your money you


give me a Bible?" and stormed out of the house, leaving the holy


book.






Many years passed and the young man was very successful in


business.


He had a beautiful home and wonderful family, but realized his


father was very old, and thought perhaps he should go to him. He


had not seen him since that graduation day. Before he could make


arrangements, he received a telegram telling him his father had


passed away, and willed all of his possessions to his son. He


needed to come home immediately and take care things.


When he arrived at his father's house, sudden sadness and


regret filled his heart.






He began to search his father's important papers and


saw the still new Bible, just as he had left it years ago. With


tears, he opened the Bible and began to turn the pages. As he


read those words, a car key dropped from an envelope


taped behind the Bible.


It had a tag with the dealer's name, the same dealer who had the


sports car he had desired. On the tag was the date of his graduation,


and the words...PAID IN FULL.






How many times do we miss God's blessings because they are not


packaged as we expected?

Shit !

A little bird was flying south for the Winter. It was so cold the bird froze and fell to the ground into a large field.







While he was lying there, a cow came by and dropped some dung on him.


As the frozen bird lay there in the pile of cow dung, he began to realize how warm he was.






The dung was actually thawing him out!


He lay there all warm and happy, and soon began to sing for joy.






A passing cat heard the bird singing and came to investigate. Following the sound, the cat discovered the bird under the pile of cow dung, and promptly dug him out and ate him.














Moral of the story:


















(1) Not everyone who shits on you is your enemy.


(2) Not everyone who gets you out of shit is your friend.


(3) And when you’re in deep shit, it’s best to keep your mouth shut!

For all those busy souls....

THE BRICK

About ten years ago, a young and very successful executive named Josh was traveling down a Chicago neighborhood street. He was going a bit too fast in his sleek, black, 12 cylinder Jaguar XKE, which was only two months old.

He was watching for kids darting out from between parked cars and slowed down when he thought he saw something. As his car passed, no child darted out, but a brick sailed out and - WHUMP! - it smashed Into the Jag's shiny black side door! SCREECH..!!!! Brakes slammed! Gears ground into reverse, and tires madly spun the Jaguar back to the spot from where the brick had been thrown. Josh jumped out of the car, grabbed the kid and pushed him up against a parked car. He shouted at the kid, "What was that all about and who are you? Just what the heck are you doing?!" Building up a head of steam, he went on. "That's my new Jag, that brick you threw is gonna cost you a lot of money. Why did you throw it?"

"Please, mister, please. . . I'm sorry! I didn't know what else to do!" Pleaded the youngster. "I threw the brick because no one else would stop!" Tears were dripping down the boy's chin as he pointed around the parked car. "It's my brother, mister," he said. "He rolled off the curb and fell out of his wheelchair and I can't lift him up." Sobbing, the boy asked the executive, "Would you please help me get him back into his wheelchair? He's hurt and he's too heavy for me."

Moved beyond words, the young executive tried desperately to swallow the rapidly swelling lump in his throat. Straining, he lifted the young man back into the wheelchair and took out his handkerchief and wiped the scrapes and cuts, checking to see that everything was going to be OK. He then watched the younger brother push him down the sidewalk toward their home.

It was a long walk back to the sleek, black, shining, 12 cylinder Jaguar XKE -a long and slow walk. Josh never did fix the side door of his Jaguar. He kept the dent to remind him not to go through life so fast that someone has to throw a brick at him to get his attention. . . Some bricks are softer than others. Feel for the bricks of life coming at to you. For all the negative things we have to say to ourselves, God has positive answers.

LoSt...

No Im not talking about the cold play song…..although it was his favorite track…. yes we lost him….lost him for nothing… remember him for everything…. drinks…bike…wet roads…accident…and its over for all…all the dreams ….all those thoughts…. everything is lost in that one moment of unneeded craziness. I cant call it fate or destiny….i call it choice… a costly choice… i remember a conversation with a close friend Narhar regarding driving bikes very fast….rash….it was stupid according to me….and adventure according to him…..it was the edge of stupidity….for him it is living life on the edge….. that edge slipped….and took Anup and Adi with him…. for anyone who reads this…next time u think of reaching that edge…..please remember…..the space beyond that edge is filled with emptyness….and silence ! Will Miss you Adi and Anya…I dont have much words…….End !