Life Lessons Learnt At Lonavala

Have you ever felt that you are stuck somewhere between 9am to 5pm? Do you find yourself confined within those four walls of your room which has a closed window where even the light struggles to beam in?
Yes, I found myself within the quagmires and wanted a day away from the tornado of my own thoughts. I longed to escape and embrace nature. I wanted to travel, talk to nature, touch the dew drops and smell the sunlight.
So just to break the monotony, I went on a road trip to Lonavala with my friends in the early morning. This place being just an hour away from my home, is a gem during monsoon. An endless road, mosaicked with shades of green, drizzle knocking the windshields of our car and my favourite song playing alongside – I couldn’t have asked for more.
As the road trip began, somewhere in the middle of the highway I realized my eyes struggled to adjust to the morning brightness – an indication of how much I missed beginning my day on a brighter note. Finally, I was on a journey to self-help and rediscover my missing optimism. My eyes captured the panoramic view and welcomed every shade of nature as if trying to soak in all the magic the nature had in store.
My stomach growled and we took a quick breakfast break in Khopoli. Sitting over a rock along the hill, gazing at the sky filled with clouds ready to pour in the rain, I relished village style “Kande Pohe” garnished with grated coconut and aromatic “adrak wali chaay” in an earthen cup. A perfect weather along with your favourite food is the best combination ever.
After fuelling our stomachs full with delicious breakfast, we headed towards the “Tiger’s Point” in Lonavala. As we drove up the hill, we were embraced by a fog bank. There came a point, when nothing was visible. Taking slow and steady turns, we reached the destination and parked our car safely.
Railing over the cliff, I found the landscape covered with thick fog. I stood amidst the clouds and closed my eyes to listen to the language of silence followed by inner peace. I stretched my arms to feel the cool breeze tousling my hair and every tiny droplet caressing my face, enchanting me and stirring every emotion in my heart.
After a while, when the fog settled down, we were brought in to see a beautiful picturesque any eye could ever see. Monsoon had sprinkled its magic all over the hill. The yellow and violet flowers amidst the greenery set up a perfect scenery to mesmerize. Trekking over the beautiful hill and reaching on top to capture the entire panorama of nature at once, filled my heart with tranquillity. I realised, this quick road trip helped me restore my energy and a zeal for travel and adventure.
When we started descending the hill, a ray of sunshine cascaded with casual elegance onto our way redirecting us to a beautiful rainbow. I glanced upon it and thought to myself – “This is what life is all about, an amalgamation of dark clouds, thick fog, bizarre lightening, heavy rain, rays of sunshine and a beautiful rainbow”.