I was just a week old in Bhopal after a prolonged trip to my native, when the invite for the one-of-its-kind trek came by. With camping at a river bank and trekking in the deepest forests of the Satpura Tiger Reserve, there was no thinking twice. I packed my bag, tagged a friend along and set off to our destination-Matkuli, 163kms from Bhopal.
The MP SH 22 that connects Bhopal to Madhya Pradesh’s only hill station, Pachmarhi, via Hoshangabad, is a true visual delight. The seamless fading of the pandemonium of urban life into rusticity and impeccability of nature is an assured joy for any nature connoisseur. The journey from Bhopal to Matkuli is fascinating for reasons beyond one. You cannot miss the paradigm shift in the landscape as you approach the Satpura ranges. The din of the city, the polluted air of Mandideep, an industrial township 23 km from Bhopal, the ambrosial aroma of the famous ‘mawabati’ (MP’s version of gulaab jamun) at Obedullaganj, the treacherous Budhni ghat, the mighty and disputed Narmada and Sakkar River Bridge, the longest bridge of Madhya Pradesh is left behind and all you are left with is the picturesque view of the ranges of Satpura. The entry into the Satpura Tiger Reserve changes the game. There is a sudden nip in the air and an enveloping silence that sates the soul.
MP SH 22
Sakkar, longest bridge of Madhya Pradesh
It took us four hours to reach our base camp Matkuli. Following the exchange of pleasantries with fellow trekkers and a simple lunch entailing the freshest food on the planet, we were allotted our tents. I have always been beguiled by the idea of living in a tent at a river and when you know you have it all to yourself, you can only thank the Almighty for being so benevolent.
The good thing about an organized trek is the way you are greeted and the amount of knowledge you procure. Ditching a normal introduction session, the representatives from MPEDB; Arun and Sharin, rather took us on a mini trek and welcomed the trekkers with a badge, a cap, and cosmos of knowledge in the form of our erudite guide Saeeb Khan. For anybody who is on a maiden visit to Pachmarhi or the jungles of Satpura, hiring Khan’s service is highly recommended. The man not only knows the forest like the back of his hand but his detailed knowledge about the flora can even put a naturalist to shame.
The welcome trek
Quick fact from the guide:
Matkuli got its name from ‘Meth’, meaning house help and ‘Coolie’, meaning porter. History has it that people on this side of the Denwa river were prohibited from crossing it and going to the other side where the royal family resided. The royalties would hire house help and porter from this side and that is how it became Methkuli and eventually Matkuli.
The Satpura Tiger Reserve is home to more than 22 leopards, 12-14 tigers and an abundant of Spotted Deer (Cheetal), Black Buck (remember the infamous Salman Khan case?), Oriental Pied Hornbill and Langoors.
The forests in the area take pride in having the largest diversity of Central India.
The place also has the highest Sal Forest of the world.
Most of the trees, plants, its roots and stems are replete with medicinal purposes.
Our welcome trek concluded with the most awe-inspiring view of our tents illuminated with a train of fire torches and a giant campfire (something I had only watched in a Bollywood film and envisaged) and the shimmery sand turned silver by the full moon’s caressing touch. One reason I love trekkers is topics of common interest. In the reasonable number of treks I’ve participated in, I’ve hardly found a fellow trekker discussing politics, science or business. Needless to mention thus, that the evening coalesced into the night with music and more melodious music.
Our trek kicked off at 6:30 in the morning, when we woke up to a comforting sunrise and the picture-postcard view of fog emanating from the river and pod of birds basking in the golden sun rays, perched atop small boulders. We had to board a bus from our base camp to reach the starting point Panarpani, a place 6 kms downhill from Pachmarhi. Not many know, Panarpani also houses a bungalow of the acclaimed author Arundhati Roy. Though the close to 45-minute bus ride was stifling and nauseating, the excitement for the 20kms trek deftly shrouded the discomfort.
Beauty of the early morning sun
The fluffy squirrel
How we got lucky- This was the first time a trek so deep into the jungle was introduced and we were the fortunate 32 to be a part of this maiden endeavour.
The best part of the trek was its diverse nature. It not only made us walk through the jungle or spot a Sambar, but also gave us the delight of crossing rivulets many a time, and visiting caves with 3000-1500 years old rock paintings that described lifestyle of people of the yore. We stopped by a stream overflowing the road at a place called Shernala for lunch. Trust me nothing on earth can match the thrill of having food with your legs submerged in crystal clear water, while also getting a pedicure from the fishes below.
Relics of the past
The true ‘rock’star our ancestors were
We were watchful and on our toes all the time unless we reached a meadow full of pink flowers. Remember the scene in the National Park in P.S. I Love You, where Holly meets Gerry for the first time; the pleasant silence and a blanket of violet flowers? This place looked just the same and quite naturally made all of us stop to pose for a quick capture. Having walked for almost 16 kms, the last leg of the journey would have been undoable without the refreshing lemonade offered by the forest department. Enervated, yet excited, we finally reached our destination Pagara at 5pm. The trek, which had started with spotting a giant squirrel, concluded with one too. Only this time, it did not hop but made a giant leap from one tree to another, a spectacle only the ones marching ahead could witness. We failed to spot a tiger even after the proximity and had to satisfy ourselves with pugmarks and an assortment of poop in varied shades by different wild animals.
Crammed in a bus, the journey to the base camp was tiring but the musical session and a tasty dinner made up for it. Every trekking group is bound to have a set of entertainers and ours was no different. A special mention needs to be made about two dynamic individuals serving the Indian railways. The duo not only carries the feat of travelling to the remotest areas of the country on their Royal Enfields, but also deserved applause for keeping all of us hooked to our seats with their articulate narration of ghost stories they had experienced.
The gripping tales and nail-biting suspense forbid any of us to leave us seats and head to our tent. With time more people joined in, one story gave way to another and without realization, the night transformed into dawn; a dawn that not only bid us adieu with a certificate and trophy, but also countless memories and moments of ‘A WALK TO REMEMBER’.
An incredible WALK TO REMEMBER
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