Water flowed over the high cliff and splashed on to the big boulders underneath which were pushed over there by the river water over the waterfall’s edge during rainy seasons. The river current was still very strong even though it was late winter. As water poured over the edge, it sprayed the fine mist which filled the air inside the dome of the crescent shaped gorge. At the bottom of the gorge was a big pond which discharged all the water it received from the waterfall into a downstream torrent as Tarkarli River continued its journey from high Western Ghats through the rocky mountainous terrain towards the coastal plains pausing just for a moment at the waterfall.
The roar of free falling water tumbling on to the rocks was so defending yet it sounded like a pleasant music. The black basalt rock of the cliff was covered completely by thick moss and overgrown wild vines, occasionally exposed at few bare spots. Few trees were still holding on to the vertical cliff walls attached by their roots which crawled over the rocks like veins.
Somewhere a kingfisher bird was patiently watching for any glitter underneath the water surface. He was ready to plunge into the water to catch his meal. But then from nowhere a pod of parrots arrived to feed on the limestone exposed between the layers of cliff wall. Roar of waterfall was mixed with guttural cacophony of the parrots. The Waterfall had become really noisy place.
But all of a sudden, parrots were scared away as the group of youngsters jumped into to the water from the cliff’s edge. Diving deep inside the water, they surfaced for quick gulp of air again to disappear back underneath the water’s surface. They swam with swiftness of fish chasing each other in the murky water. Tired of swimming after a while they started jumping somersaults from boulders in to the waters doing finest acrobatics.
After getting tired due to playing in water for long time, the boys sat underneath the ledges created by few scattered rocks in the river bed. Resting their backs against the rocks, they hide behind the curtain of water as the water poured over their faces and rolled over their bodies. As youngsters were enjoying the water, their dog was anxiously barking and chasing them, as if he was trying to suggest that he was also enjoying time with his friends.
Having played for long time in water, one of the boys suggested, “Bharat, let’s paddle through the gorge. The river is full of water and we will easily reach down to the big banyan.”
Bharat said, “That’s a excellent idea. Let’s pull out our canoes and do some kayaking.”
The youngsters ran out of water to get hold of their canoes. Their canoes were just a very big bowl shaped baskets made from woven bamboo strips. The bottoms of the canoes were sealed by the forest glue, giving some weight and stability to the Canoe.
Bharat reminded the group, “Boys, don’t forget to wear the life waists” while he himself was strapping his life jacket which was made from dry coconuts tied together with ropes. “This will make us float in case someone in group is stupid enough to topple the canoe.” He justified urgency by wearing his own life vest.
In just a few moments, the boys pushed their canoes in the wild current. Paddling with bamboo paddles, they managed to push their canoe just a little before it was pulled in by the strong river current. For next mile or so, river flew through the shallow gorge which was carved in the lime stone and granite by the Tarkarli River over the centuries. At times, the gorge became extremely narrow, sometimes barely wide enough to allow passage for two canoes at a time. The river current was very rough and wild due to constriction between rocks on its banks and submerged rocks added to its turbulence.
Some of the boys lay down in their canoes watching the blue sky above them through the constricted space between the vertical edges of the cliff. As the canoes passed rapidly through the gorge spinning and rolling on the waves, the boys felt little dizziness. But they were still maintaining their heightened sense of alert, since it was such a dangerous trip. The leaders of canoes directed other boys to shuffle across the canoe in order to balance their weights against the turbulence of current. All that time, canoes floated down the river rapidly competing against each other to be first down the stream.
At banyan tree, they started swinging on hanging roots of banyan tree doing aerial acrobats. The banyan tree was so large that its middle sections felt like caves. Boys spent a lot of time playing there during hot summer afternoons. Dense tree branches above never let enough sunlight to penetrate to the floor below making it dark inside the caves. However gap in the roots allowed breeze to flow through caves making it a very cosy place to play.
Banyan tree itself had grown above the remains of old buildings. In the middle of the cave was a stone mantle. Sometimes Boys lit their campfires backing Corns and Wild Yams, while they played the sedentary games. Sometimes they played some quizzes, role playing or discussed whatever they learned in the school that day. Most of the time, it was Bharat who told them the wonderful stories about his stay in and around Kadamba.
But their favourite play was the martial arts duels. Boys challenged their adversaries and wrestled by the rules as other boys supervised their matchups. The winner of the day got winners parade. Other boys hoisted the winner above their shoulder on a makeshift palanquin and carried him back to the village just like King. The time they spent together built a band of brothers that would keep them attached together for many years to come.
Bharat was undoubted leader of the pack. He had inborn leadership abilities which were polished by the training and education he received from Thatha and Balveer all the time. Sitting on high chair, he addressed complains and resolved the fights between the boys. But he was also the major culprit for all the naughtiness and havoc that these boys unleashed on their village.
It was almost evening by then and Bharat’s foster parents had set a strict rule for him to return home before sunset. As boys started to return to their homes they imitated like they were driving horse carts. Grouped in threes, two boys acted as horses followed by third boy as a warrior on chariot. They raced on the forest tracks towards the village competing against each other.
But while boys played, someone was watching them all the time. They had not made that far as they had to stop after hearing a horse neigh behind them.
Bharat screamed “Balveer Uncle, when did you come?”
“I was watching you boys all the time.” Balveer said as he greeted other boys with a smiling face. “You people are really having fun.”
Bharat replied, “Today we peddled down the gorge in canoe. It was terrific!”
Balveer asked, “How did it go? Did you folk wore the life jackets. River is really dangerous in that stretch, you know that.” He looked at the boys to find any weak link in the group. “Playing is river is all right, but you have to be safe.”
“We did exactly as you instructed Uncle. We will never grow up if we don’t fight dangers.”
Bharat replied as he sat on to the horse holding the extended arm of his uncle.
Balveer said, “We trust you boys to do right thing all the time, but make sure you don’t end up in trouble.”
Balveer said, “Well Boys, Sorry, but, we need to go. Go home now and get some rest. But be in Aakhada tomorrow morning in time”.
As he pinched the horse on underbelly, the horse launched forward. Bharat waived to his friend, “See you tomorrow, bye bye.”
Get it from Amazon
