BMB trip to Murud

So here it is…..

We have been planning since long to go to Murud with our wives and show them the place we love the most in all of Konkan. So we started planning 2 weeks before the journey and booked our stay for 22-23 Nov in Murud beach resort. On 22nd morning at 5 A.M. we began our journey in our swanky new cars to Murud via Tamhini ghat. The weather was good and breeze was getting colder as we went past the serene Mulshi dam waters. The view from Tamhini ghat was breathtaking, with all the mountains and deep valleys. We reached Murud beach resort at around 12 that day and as always is the case opened the chilled beer bottles. After around 2-3 rounds of beers and a sumptuous lunch we decided to play dumb charades (hope I get the spelling right ), the game we will be playing for the next 3 days whenever we find free time, which we were having ample of it. In the afternoon, boys went to play cricket on the beach and their wives decided to sleep out in their rooms. The five of us enjoyed beach cricket, in which I will distinctly remember taking Pashya’s wicket on a yorker coming round the wicket. Later we decided to hit the beach. We, with our wives, were in the beach till late in the evening. Later in the evening, after 3 pegs of scotch and again a grand dinner, which included a tasty solkadhi, we decided it’s high time we had a good night’s sleep. And that’s how the day ended for us.

The next day, as was decided previous night, all of us, except me and Archana, decided to venture into sea for sight of dolphins. I photographed the dolphins sitting on the beach. When the boys returned they told they saw more dolphins than ever before. We had a breakfast after that and again a round of our favorite game and afterwards decided to play beach cricket, but this time wives included. Afterwards we quenched our thirst with beer and hunger by a grand lunch. We left at around 2 PM from Murud towards Pune but this time deciding to go via Mahabaleshwar because of security concerns in Tamhini ghat.

And now comes the part which you guys were DYING to hear about from the man who was actually at the helm of it.

At around 4 PM, we started our ascent of Mahabaleshwar thru’ Poladpur ghat. From this point Mahabaleshwar is some 40 km and the ghat road is quite narrow. When Mahabaleshwar was around 18 km we found a splendid spot where we stopped for tea. At this point, you can see the valley at your right and also to your left. Refreshingly we started our journey on the ghat road.

When M’bshwar was about 10 km the dreadful happened. A trailer was coming from the opposite side. So to make some room for me to pass I took my vehicle to the left side. But I misjudged the width of the road and my car fell into the small canal which was dug on side of the road to drain rainwater. My car hit sideways on the rock and it’s front left tyre was into the ditch. The tyre’s rim ruptured and it went flat. Worse, the lower arm, on which the weight of the car came during impact and which connects the axle to the wheel, was damaged. I don’t know from where but in 5 min some 30-40 people came to help us and with our collective efforts we were able to get the car out of the ditch. A gujju man who had come to M’shwar for sightseeing and who was with us till long helped us recover some of the damage. We assessed the damage and thought of calling a mechanic from M’shwar to repair it. Both Avinash and wives went to M’shawar, booked a hotel, found a mechanic and A. Bari came back with Firoz. Firoz is a mechanic from M’shwar who said his dad, and later he, is running the garage where it is now since 35 years. He chained my car to Avi’s by a thick metal chain and tried to straighten the lower arm so that at least the car can be taken to his garage in M’shwar. He was successful in it but the tyre was still touching the body of the car while turning. But we were somehow able to take the car to his garage.

The memories of 2 hours I, Prasanna and Tushar spent in the ghat’s darkness will be with us throughout our life. The men on Kinetic whom we thought of brigands, the raging Qualiswallah and the man whose bike refused to start at the very spot our accident happened but started immediately just 5 feet next to the spot, were all carved into our minds.

Next day, Firoz opened the car and judged that the lower arm needs to be bought from Pune as local distributors don’t stock it. As he, and in turn we, were helpless till the part arrives we decided to take a trip to Pratapgad. So we hired a taxi and enjoyed what Pratapgad has to offer. When we came back the part had still not arrived prompting us to think if it is viable for all to stay put for one more night. Finally we concluded that A. Bari with A. Bhusari and Tushar should leave for Pune and Pashya, myself and Archana should wait till next morning. After rest of the guys and wives had gone, we booked a room in the same hotel and ventured in market for some time. At around 8PM, Firoz informed us that car is now alright and suggested we should take a ride to verify his claim. The car was now alright minus some dents, a punctured tyre with broken rim and minor wheel alignment. Next day, we started the end of our eventful journey in morning at 8 and arrived in Pune by 11.30.

This is the journey we won’t ever forget in our lifetime. The spirit shown by the boys during this ordeal was exemplary. Not until the last moment, did anybody talked of leaving me with the car.

Keep up the good show guys, you are awesome and I know we often don’t say this but thanks for just being there.

Regards,
Pravin