Sridevi quotes,"I am sipping a warm cup of coffee and writing this. I wonder where do I start and how do I put into words, our experience of staying with a lovely family last weekend."
'A travelogue by Sridevi Patil from her trip to a small village in rural Maharashtra called Sakhrale.'
I grew up hearing stories of friends who had farmhouses in their hometown. I cringed at having to travel to cities, to visit my own distant-family members. Those were very rare occasions; but moving from one city to another was seldom exciting. More so, because you are greeted with monotonous rows of buildings or bungalows on arrival.
So last weekend, a random chat with close friends and an impromptu plan got us to Sakhrale village, Islampur district, Satara. It is here that my friend’s family lives. Peacefully so (touchwood).
We were all excited for our road trip from Mumbai to Sakhrale. A journey of approx. 6 hours still sounds fun when you have the right group of insane friends accompanying you.
Our breakfast was a pretty quick one at a local dhaba. No jazzy cuisines; but a simple and yummy Misal Pav, Poha and chai is good enough to sort you for the rest of your journey.
Our road trip was of course fun, with laughter and music. Kumar Sanu happily replaced Justin Bieber.
But, the best part awaited us.
As we arrived at our friend’s home in Sakhrale, we were greeted by a huge, close-knit, warm family spanning three generations. This is such a rare sight in the cities. It was Dussehra on Day 1 and a beautiful Rangoli adorned the entrance.
As we entered inside, they welcomed us with home-made lemonade. A hearty meal followed, after which we took a quick nap for some instant energy in the evening.
This home was a peaceful haven. With 6 huge rooms, a spacious kitchen, and a verandah in front, it looked straight out of the yesteryears, when the concept of joint families was deeply rooted in Indian tradition. A small well in the opposite, a Tulsi plant standing tall, a Nandi idol for worshipping and cow / goat stables on the right side of the home, made it all the more mesmerizing.
We explored their unending fields and came back home to some delicious kadakni (fried sweet wheat puris) and chai. Random plucking of corn and custard apple from the nearby trees was a norm; and we had so much on our platter already!
Dussehra night looked interesting, with elderly family members being treated to a festive procession by the locals. There was exchange of Apta leaves from the Apta tree or Shami tree, and it is believed that this brings good fate and prosperous future for all. Everyone wished each other and sought blessings of Appa and Aaji (the elder most members of the family).
What followed was a game of Housie under moonlight with cash prizes for all winners. The kids’ excitement knew no bounds, with our own kid getting so familiar to the entire environment. As I geared to pick random numbers, I realized that they had already found a way for the non-availability of number-coins. This was so innovative!
After a peaceful sleep in “our” home now, we were all ready for Day 2.
How many times do we yearn for a serene morning? One without any hassles, traffic and open roads? Also, do you find yourself planning your retirement and wishing you had all the time for yourself, to do things you miss or love? Well, do it now!
It didn’t take me seconds to spot a kid with a bicycle. I simply requested him to lend it to me for 2 rounds and he obliged immediately! Later when we learnt that the family had 3 such bicycles, our plans for another morning bicycle ride were already made!
Cycling with farms on either side, sunlight glowing on your face and a cool breeze running through your hair is such a blissful feeling. Do you miss such experiences in the city? I surely do.
On our way, we met a few elderly ladies (fondly called as “Aajis” in Maharashtrian villages). We stopped by, and started chatting up with them. My friend couldn’t stop taking some beautiful portraits of them. They were so simple, humble yet beautiful, with a twinkle in their eyes.
Our afternoon fare was again delicious with a variety of food, post which we decided to retire for some time. As I woke up, it was just 1430 hrs and I realized how time never seemed to run so fast here, in this laid back village. There was nothing major for us to do besides some simple chores like peeling garlic with a few members of the family, for the dinner.
We then joined the gang for a “field trip”. For the first time, I saw how the real groundnut looked. Raw, plucked and in its purest, natural form, before all the processing.
Evenings were again spent with the kids, playing simple games like dumb charades. Women of the family were done with their cooking and joined us for some rounds of Antakshari. Evening turned to night and there was laughter and fun in the air. We were now hungry and were treated to a delicious fare of “Masura” and rotis. The women boasted about their culinary skills and rightly so. Imagine preparing meals every day for 20 people! It was though, just another day for them.
We made our bed in Aaji’s room – a cozy one with a small worship place inside. Cats accompanied us throughout the night. Later we learnt that one of their cats had delivered cute kittens.
On Day 3, we were reluctant to leave but the city was calling us. Routines would start and we would get back to the grind. We bid adieu to all. Aaji didn’t want us to leave, as it with most grandmothers. They always wish their children stayed back and filled the home with laughter. We now wanted to make the most of these memories with a group family portrait.
On our way back home, we visited the popular Thoseghar waterfalls but found a better place nearby – open fields and windmills!
The drive back was good, with 90s songs accompanying us and similar insanity that we displayed while visiting Sakhrale.
When you look back, you simply don’t wish to question anything. Especially the good times. You simply wish to reminisce, smile and cherish every good memory of your wonderful trip.
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