Drive to Raigad

This is a work of time pass so you can categorize it as fiction or non fiction based on your understanding. The incidents mentioned are based on my experiences with alcohol, hence resemblance of story with any person in or out of senses is purely intentional. Reuse of this story anywhere in any form can be the biggest blunder someone can make as he only will be responsible to face reader’s rage. I myself don’t take responsibility of this work and owe this to greatness or strangeness of alcohol. I want to share few more thoughts but would not do as that may demoralize you in reading this further.
So, Please continue…thanks!!!


“I will drive, I had only one beer”, I insisted.
“No way, the reason I drank more than you doesn’t qualify you as an eligible driver”, Samit explained.
These are our regular arguments post every brief beer session. So I didn’t bother much about Samit’s reluctance and took wheels from him.
We drove straight to Kasif’s house only to find out that he was not at home and would come back in 15 mins. Spending 15 mins is never a big deal for smokers, so we walked out of sight of Kasif’s house to share a smoke. I feel that’s the only good habit me and Samit have, though we hurt our lungs we share the pain. Another reason for sharing was that we had already smoked a packet that day, so we were just trying to reduce day’s score.
Kasif came back only after an hour that forced us to share one more fag.

“I am not in, can we please do this in day time”, Kasif protested.
“We work for 40 hours a week in day time, how much more you want in day time”, Mankit reasoned and he made it sound really logical. Actually going for a trek to Rajgad at 8 o’clock in night was not such a practical idea but who cared about practicality post 2 beers on a Saturday night. Somehow we managed to push Kasif into car and started driving towards Rajgad. Only thing we needed then was someone who knew way to Rajgad and a bottle of beer or perhaps two would be great as there was no point in sharing a bottle between three. We managed beer from next square but road to Rajgad was looking little difficult.

“We can go to Raigad instead”, Mankit suggested.
“But is it possible to climb Raigad at this time”, Samit asked.
“It is only 1 hour trek, yaar”. That sounded really easy for Mankit, Samit and me under influence of 3 beers. Risarg was least interested in where we were going and was driving peacefully as per directions from whoever. (Yes, I had to leave driving seat after I opened my 3rd beer) I think he was too involved in sms chatting with his girl friend to concentrate on planning. Kasif however resisted and reasoned his best to convince us to shift this trip to early morning next day. “Don’t worry Kasif we will come back by tomorrow morning”, Samit and me convinced Kasif.
We were out of Pune in another 30 mins and were only 40 kms away from Raigad. Me and Samit kept Kasif and Mankit awake from our smokes. Mankit anyways didn’t mind our smoking as he himself was addicted to passive smoking. In fact at times he reminded us of our smoke break. After usual discussions of office problems and why we don’t need girls, we started thinking about things we would need once we reach Raigad. “Dinner and a bumper of Smirnoff are must”, I tried sounding responsible.
“3 veg sabzi, 15 rotis and 2 plates of rice should be enough for 5 of us”, I suggested, being a pure vegetarian. “Don’t you forget smokes”, Samit added his inputs to checklist.
“Guys, we are going for trek late in night. Considering nature of night, chances are high that there will be no light on hill, if not pitch dark. Don’t you think that we urgently need torches”, Kasif got little annoyed. I always wonder how come teetotalers think differently from normal people like us. “If we will get some time we will buy that too”, Mankit tried to calm down Kasif.

Finally we reached Raigad at 10 o’clock. I know it is quite a lot of time to cover 40 kms. But we stopped at places to collect dinner, booze and smokes. And yes we managed to buy one torch too only after searching few hundred shops on way. Our beer gang (Mankit, Samit and me) though after consuming 9 beers behaved quite responsibly and took only 2 loo breaks and one puke break in between. Considering all these breaks, I feel we reached quite early thanks to Risarg’s heroic Driving.

“I told you, it will be very dark”, Kasif proved his point of torch.
“Its fine, what will you do with light anyways”, Mankit said, with his little beer burp.
But it was really very dark out there. Sweet smell of nature and fresh air was quite prominent. After spending around last 3 hours in a car packed with smoke, it felt nice and relaxing. There was no sign of market except one small dhaba kind of eating joint and a Pan Shop. I and Samit grinned at each other on looking Pan Shop. We felt good that we would be able to buy some smokes and save few for trek ahead. We were not alone in Raigad with intention to trek at that time. There were two more groups for trekking. Kasif suggested, that if we intend to trek then we should join those guys. Idea was good, but those groups were carrying different kind of stuff for trekking. Their gear included gum boots, ropes, rucksacks and other serious looking stuff. Five of us with only one torch felt little deprived and gave up the idea of trekking with them in fact we gave up the Idea of trekking only. Risarg was looking little annoyed not because of dropping idea of Trekking but because of absence of mobile network. It looked like as usual he was in an important conversation with his girl friend.

We started looking for a shelter to spend the night and finish vodka. Of course Kasif was interested in Dinner. Obviously Raigad was not an economic centre or a tourist attraction that was supposed to have five star hotels. Still we gave it a try and after trying for few minutes it was quite clear that there was no place where 3 drunkards and 2 irritated people can sleep. “I told you not to come in night”, Kasif complained.
“Its ok Kasif, anyways we wouldn’t have got any place in day time too”, Mankit explained. That’s the benefit of beer it does make you feel smarter and relaxed even when it is not required.
We were left with two choices, drive back to Pune or trek Raigad. Driving back to Pune was although a practical solution but sounded quite boring. Whereas the other option that was quite impractical and foolish felt very cool and interesting. I and Mankit voted for trekking. Risarg and Kasif preferred Pune. Samit’s neutral stand led us to a long discussion that ended only after a villager from nearby hut requested us to lower down our volume. Somehow we reached a conclusion that we will trek at least half the way will then take a break for Vodka and dinner and if possible will continue with trekking.

“I told you not to come in night”, Kasif reminded when I got slipped on a stone while climbing hill.
“Its ok Kasif, he would have slipped in day….”, Mankit was about to deliver his smart answer when Samit cut him in between and said, “Common guys, please cut it out. We are in middle of no where. We don’t know from where we came and surely have no idea on where to go.” All of us were worried now including Risarg. He still had not got the mobile network which he was expecting after climbing a hill. Samit in general have ‘No tension’ attitude but he was irritated as he was not sure of state of ice, which we had purchased around an hour back. Polybag carrying cold drinks and ice was dripping water like anything. Kasif was hungry and didn’t have enough energy to move even an inch. Mankit was feeling bad as he had dreamt of enjoying Vodka in lap of nature on top of hill in midnight darkness with cool breeze. I was not worried or irritated for anything particular except for my waste of efforts to light a cigarette in strong wind.
We started our rounds of discussion again. In middle of our discussions we realized that we need to quickly reach on conclusion, as it started drizzling. We looked at sky there was no sign of stars and hard rain was looking very probable.
“I told you not to come in night”
“Its Ok Kasif, it could have rained in day too” Mankit and Kasif shared same set of dialogues.

“What it could be?” Mankit asked.
“Looks like a hut” Now it was Kasif’s turn to give a smart answer.
“Cant we spend night over there?” Samit sounded like answer to all our problems. Not exactly to all problems, Risarg will still not get mobile network.
Hut was locked from outside. That hut was quite a fusion of architecture technologies, made of mud and had steel doors. Its roof was long enough to give us the shelter. We quickly rushed to shelter. It looked little spooky. “What if there is a ghost inside” I shared my curiosity. “Don’t worry it’s locked from outside and anyways its raining out here so he wont come out” Mankit got one more chance of giving a smart answer. We sat there and waited for rains to stop but as expected it started pouring crushing all our hopes of climbing the hill. But good thing was that we found a shelter at least.

“Let’s start with Vodka yaar” Samit couldn’t stand wastage of ice any more.
“It’s even better, I had not thought of rain in my dreams” Mankit got excited.
“I will also take a peg” Risarg also joined in. I think finally he gave up the hope of getting network or had thought that anyways girl friend would have slept by now.
“I am sorry but I am starting with dinner” Kasif announced.
I was already feeling absence of alcohol in my system and agreed happily. Also it was easy to lit cigarette in shelter.

“But that’s not fair, yaar” Mankit said
“That’s the way they all behave” Samit explained.
After two rounds of peg, alcohol had started working and guys had started sharing their love stories.
“You tell me, was I wrong in being loyal to her for so long? After two years of fairy tale affair she declared that we are just good friends” Mankit spoke out his story in weak voice.
“At least you got tag of friend. I spent three complete years running behind Anushka and she didn’t even care to give me a kind look” I shared my tragic story.
“You don’t complain, I told you from day one, that this girl will never fall for you” Samit checked me while filling his peg.
“And you are the one who suggested that still there is no harm in trying at least” I replied with face.
“That’s what I didn’t know that you will try for three years” Samit had his answer ready.
“Its ok guys, Anushka didn’t crack in any case” Mankit still managed a smart answer.
“Whats up with you and your girl friend Risarg” Kasif asked while washing his hands from dropping roof water.
“Nothing serious we are just going around and giving a thought if we should go serious or not” Risarg said.
“What if you will become serious and she will not” Mankit enquired.
“She will also be serious then” Risarg replied keeping his glass down.
“Never trust a girl in your life, trust a snake instead. They will always behave in contrary to your expectation.” Samit explained and continued “Prachi also said the same thing about seriousness and all but finally after two years she realized that I am not mature enough. What the heck?”
Conversations involving cursing female breed and sharing of useful advices kept on going for long time. Then there were sharing of incidents about how male breed can get over anything, with help of alcohol of course...