PART 2 : The Fun And Lore Continued....

DAY 2 : Walk In The Woods And Mud Volley Ball.

We woke up to the chatter of the arriving guests, early the next day. The sky was bit clear and the sun rays were trying to pass through the fog, warming the surroundings. The cottages we stayed were midst large number for variety flower plants and the petals shone like gems from the reflected sun rays from their dew covered surfaces. As we were getting ready, the mess guy came and called for tea. As we were sipping tea , enjoying the view, Mr Gurudev came and greeted us. Ghatikallu homestay has large property , most of it hilly region covered with dense forest. With the ever increasing number of people visiting the place, Ghatikallu Homestay had been acquiring and expanding into the nearby areas. Mr Gurudev told us to take a walk into the woods adjacent to the cottages, there was a mud road leading to the hill top, where tents would be provided to sleep under the open sky. Excited to see, we headed into the woods. It was a hair pin bend path with elevation at each turning. As higher we went the silence of the woods engulfed us, only occasional chirping of the birds to give us company. Half way through the climb, we realized, none of us were speaking to each other, but rather enjoying the silence of the nature. Sun rays passing through the trees, the dead silence, the cold breeze had made us all forget everything and just walk ahead with mind running to distant corners.  As we reached the top, small patch of ground was cleared up and poles were dug in for the tents and also a small place for the bonfire was there. It was on the top and the view was breathtaking. Imagine sleeping under the open sky , surrounded by trees, a top a hill !! After spending some time enjoying the calmness, we started our decent and again till we reached back , it was in total silence. As soon as we reached, we were told the breakfast was ready and we helped ourselves to the delicious breakfast buffet. 

 After breakfast, we got ready for the next activity, this was to be a very different and first time experience for all of us and we were pretty excited . This was one of the many things that made Ghatikallu Homestay stand out, that is Mud Volleyball, trust me, it is way more fun than the excitement it creates just by it name. Just the prospect of playing a fun sport in the smooth mud pond was enough to get us pumped up. Aside from being the awesome fun activity it is, it also has a lot of medicinal benefits and is similar to the mud therapy but with added fun of volley ball. The mud pond itself is a short walk from the cottage, on the lower side. We walked towards it, with lots of expectation and discussing our days as kids, when we used to play in mud ponds in the farms. It seemed so long ago, and with each recollection, I realized how playful and stress free our childhood was.

As we reached the location of the pond, it exceeded our expectations. The pond was filled with knee high water, the mud was smooth and soft. It had a water pump to add water and a Volley Ball net. Quickly we changed and leapt to the pond, the cold water made us shiver and each step in the mud brought back all the childhood memories flashing back. We split into teams of two and started playing volley ball. Falling in the mud water, splashing, chasing the ball , running and jumping. Our body was covered in smooth mud. We played, hitting each other with mud balls. It was so much fun and engrossing , we never noticed the time. Once we were tired and about to come out, it started raining, and it was one of such rare occasions that something so good happens just, as and when we want it to. The rain boosted our energy and we ended up spending some more time enjoying the rain. Once done, we cleaned ourselves under the water pump and started towards the living quarters. It was after coming out that we realized, how tired we were and our bodies were aching so bad. Walking back, I couldn't remember when was the last time, I had played with so much happiness and in rain, I truly missed my childhood.


Once we reached, we took hot water bath and it was already dark. The bonfire in front of our cottage was lit and a table was put side by it for dinner. It was a very chilly night and felt so good to be near a bonfire. The aroma of food filled our nostrils as the food was brought to our table. We hogged on to food, discussing about our days as kids, many fun stories from childhood were discussed. The laughter, the tasty food, the cold surrounding, the warmth of the fire, all made me indulge completely in the inner peace that I so desperately carved for so long. As I got into bed, it was one of the best sleeps, that I had in a very long time.