Seasonal rains bring joy to everyone as they rejuvenate nature. Streams, rivers, hills and mountains come alive with greenery and this leads many adventure-seekers to swing into action, grab their trekking gear, and hit the mountain-tops in the pouring rain. But there is more to trekking then just challenging the lashing rain and reaching the top. Nature-lovers see trekking as a chance to connect with nature and if possible study its beauty, and its mysteries.
“Trekking depends on three things: time, purpose and location,” says architect Abhijit Sadhale. “For instance the Sahyadri range has many places where you could go to see some historic ruins. In some cases, it is the time and place that matters, for instance there are certain rare flowers that bloom only at specific places and in specific monsoon weather. I love to explore and study such rarities of nature; this is what drives me to trekking.” Sadhale adds that trekking also gives one an opportunity to cast off the artificial trappings of city life and become one with nature. “When we go into nature, it reminds us that this is where we came from. Trekking should not only be seen as a picnic where you go to a place, eat, drink, and litter. It should instead lead us to understand and preserve nature.”
On the other hand, Durgadas Parab, the founder of Eco-Treks group has a completely different idea of trekking in monsoon. “We try to avoid trekking to mountains in monsoon because you end up encountering reckless picnickers. Instead, during the monsoons, we take out expeditions to different forts,” he says. Each of the Eco-Treks expeditions has about 80-90 members, and everyone carries their own food along with reusable plates made of steel or melamine so that there is no littering. Eco Treks, which has around 2000 members in total also undertakes cleaning drives under Vivekananda Environmental Force, an initiative co-founded by environmentalist Rajendra Kerkar.
Social activist Dr Dattaram Desai too sets out on a mission in monsoon with his group called Jal Yatra, meaning quest for water. “We work to rejuvenate and preserve traditional water-sources in villages around Goa and spread awareness on rainwater harvesting,” says Dr Desai. “In many places, the traditional water sources are neglected as people have begun to draw water from government taps. We enlist the help of locals to clean these old springs and lakes and encourage measures for rainwater harvesting,” he adds. Jal Yatra undertakes treks and visits to springs and lakes mostly on Sunday mornings with the specific purpose of cleaning and raising awareness about water-management.
For environmental activist Rekha Joshi, trodding the hills of Goa is quite a painful experience, not because of the rain and mud, but because of the garbage that marks many of Goa’s most spectacular trekking routes. Joshi is a part of the Jal Yatra group, and seeks to embed her own message within that of Jal Yatra. “My goal is to reduce the human footprint on nature that we have by way of non-degradable garbage,” she says. “Another thing I love to do is to scatter seeds of fruits such as mango, jackfruit, watermelon, etc around the hillside during the monsoons so that these seeds might germinate and maybe grow into trees that bestow fruits on people,” she says.
Monsoon is also noted as the season of beauty, and the greenery combined with exotic animals and rare plants is a treat for the photographers. Young photographer Kabir Naik has been undertaking treks for a decade with the sole aim of capturing monsoon nature at its best. “The sky looks beautiful during monsoons. Also, I love capturing waterfalls during this season,” he says. “We also find rare plants or animals along the way. The main thing is that nature is fresh and green in the monsoon and that provides us with some really good pictures.”
Herpetologist and researcher Nirmal Kulkarni‘s work too is focussed and involves small quadrants monitored over years or line transects that are pre established. He offers some wise advice for those who wish to explore mountains and forests this monsoon.
“Always stay on the paths and roads. It is very easy to lose your way in thick forests. Always take a guide or a naturalist along on a nature trail. They know forests well; many have grown up around them and can facilitate nature’s wonders for your viewing and appreciation,” says Nirmal. “Secondly, most wild animals also have a keen sense of smell and sight. So do not use strong perfumes or deodorants and wear earth-coloured clothes, which will gel with the surroundings.”
Sangam, a veteran trekker and owner of Nature’s Nest, a resort and a trekking group of the same name, also highlights that trekking serves a broader purpose than just an adventure or a picnic. “We have a tie-up with many NGOs and and when we visit places such as waterfalls, we undertake cleaning drives,” he informs. “That said, we take full care that our treks are eco-friendly. We do not leave our carbon-footprint anywhere, and always take guides along when we venture out on a trek.”
Trekking today is more than just a fitness funda or an exotic tour. It is an adventure that educate and enlightens, and many trekkers are finding their own different goals to grab the trekking gear and set out to meet the mountain and the monsoons.
