Pachmarhi Adventure Trip

“One way to get the most out of life is to look upon it as an adventure” - William Feather

Activity Started – 24 November 2014

Activity Ended – 26 November 2014

Approximate Time - 8 hours

Criteria of CAS – Action

I always dreamt about new adventures and new places but never got the opportunity to experience it. When my school introduced an Adventure trip to Pachmarhi I got very much excited and said yes. The plan was from 24^th to 27^th November 2014 from Nagpur to Pachmarhi and do some adventures activities. We do adventure activities to overcome our fears and rise and become a better person. I have phobia from height and fire. I always thought of overcoming my fears but never got the opportunity, I saw this trip as one. First of all we planned the activities we were going to do in Pachmarhi with our escorts.

Pachmarhi is hill station in Madhya Pradesh, India. It is famous for its other name “Satpura ki Rani” (Queen of Satpura). The name Pachmarhi is derived from Hindi words Panch (five) and Marhi (caves). These caves were believed to be built by Five Pandavas Brothers of Mahabharata during their exile. The town has been a tourist attraction because of its cold climate, beautiful scenarios and caves. The administration of the town is serving Indian Army. Tigers and Panthers have been spotted there. I pack all my stuff for this trip and got my mind prepared for any challenges to come.

Start of the Journey

In Bus

On 24^th morning we all gathered at school and we all were ready for the adventure waiting for us. We boarded the bus at 11am, we started our journey with melody of songs and excitement of our hearts. Pachmarhi is around 300km away from Nagpur, We enjoyed the 6 hour journey. Photography is my passion and this journey provided me a great opportunity to take photographs of beautiful nature. During the journey we played few games to take our minds off the dangerous mountain we were driving through. We reached there at 7pm, after that we checked in. Our hotel’s name was Paradise. My roommates were Jaidev, Kaustubh, Advait and Pranav. I and my friend Jaidev spent some time at the camp fire. We had our dinner then went to bed early as we had to wake up early.

Our ride in Pachmarhi

My group at the top of the Pachmarhi Caves Mountain

25^th Morning we woke up and got ready as our adventure was about to begin. Our first adventure was Pachmarhi Caves, which were made by Pandav brothers of Mahabharata. Here we DP students become leaders for our juniors. We divided them in different groups and leaded them throughout the trip. Our escorts guided us further. My group members were Advait Kolse, Prithviraj Shinde, Nakul Shinde and Ayan Das. It was a difficult task to manage these super excited teenagers and climb the mountain but I did it as I had the potential. These Caves are on a mountain and you should have a good will power and physical strength to climb these mountain. This was a new challenge I undertook. I worked collaboratively with my group while climbing this mountain as well I guided my group members. This was a great responsibility for me to guide my group members in this dangerous trek. It made me a little tense.

Me and my classmates at Caves

My group near Caves

We went to each cave during climbing the mountain. I showed perseverance and commitment in this activity. I and my group reached the mountain’s top first. The view from the top was beautiful, I never experience like it before. It was amazing.  Getting down from the mountain was also a difficult task. Before leaving I did one more activity which was Horse riding. My coach plus escort Mr. Manoj Singh gave me a quick 5 minutes lesson on horse riding. Horse riding was a new challenge I undertook. I was very scared as I never rode a horse before and there was no guide to hold the horse or to control him in a difficult situation. I sat on the horse hoping he will not throw me. As I started riding I started liking him, riding was fun but it also needed concentration and confidence. Only I and Manoj Sir rode the horse in our group, Manoj Sir had done it before but it was whole new experience for me. I experienced a new skill called Horse Riding and I enjoyed it thoroughly.

Horse Riding

The next destination was B-fall, it is a hill near the town. We got there by our jeep and we traveled further distance by foot. There were many steps, my group’s Prithviraj got very tired during this process as he is overweight and also suffers from asthma. I encouraged him to continue. He got motivated and decided to continue. We reached there and enjoyed the fall. I also helped others to climb the slippery rocks. Sunset was near and we decided to go to Dhupgarh, it is the highest point in the Satpura Range. It has the famous sunset point. Dhupgarh is 1350 meters high. When we reached there the whole scenery was just awesome, it is very beautiful. If I call it Heaven on earth I wouldn’t be wrong. I got very emotional after seeing it as I never saw such amazing scenario in my whole life. After this tiring day we had a small party, all my stress was relieved after spending some time with my friends.

B-fall

Half-way B-fall

Sitting at B-fall

Sunset point

Enjoying the cold breeze

Beauty of nature at Sunset point

26^th Morning we went to Bada Mahadev that’s temple in a cave. After that we went to do few activities. We were given two choices either Zip-line or Rock Climbing. I chose Zip-line as I wanted to get rid of my height phobia. This was a new challenge for me and I accepted it happily and courageously. It is also called death slide. It consists of a pulley suspended on a cable, usually made of stainless steel, mounted on an incline. It is designed to enable a user propelled by gravity to travel from the top to the bottom of the inclined cable by holding on to, or attaching to, the freely moving pulley. Nowadays Zip-line has become a popular activity. I climbed the mountain, I was very excited for this activity as this was the moment I could come over my fear. They gave me all the equipment and hanged me with the cable. Now the only thing I had to do was to jump. I looked down and jumped. As soon as I did that for few seconds I thought I was flying. I was enjoying. I wonder how my fear become fun in just a second. We came back at the hotel and checked out. We boarded the bus at 2pm after lunch, I was so tired from all climbing and other activities I slept for whole journey. We reached Nagpur at 10:30pm. This was any amazing adventure which I will never forget in my whole life. What I take from it is more than experience its memories.

Zip-line

Zip-line also called Death slide

Group at Sunset point

Visit to Sevagram

"My Life is My Message" - M. K. Gandhi

Date: 14 November 2014

Criteria of CAS – Serivce

Approximate time - 8 hours

Venue – Sevagram, Maharashtra, India

Our CAS Coordinator giving information during the journey

Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi born on 2^nd October 1869, is known for the independence movement he started in India and inspired the whole world with his nonviolent civil disobedience. In his childhood he got very inspired from the play of truthful king Harishchandra and his whole life he followed the path of truth.

Gandhi was a true idol in field of service. Our CAS coordinator thought to learn this art of service we should go to Sevagram. We planned the whole activity. Plan was to go to Sevagram and Vinoba Bhave's ashram. First we went Sevagram.

In 1930 Gandhi started his padhyatra from Sabarmati Ashram to Dandi, he decided not to return Sabarmati till India achieve independence. After his release from two years imprisonment Gandhi decided to make a village in Central India as his headquarters. In 1936 Gandhi established his residence in the village Shegaon which he renamed Sevagram “village of service”. After that Sevagram became an inspiring place as this village represents simple living. We planned the trip to see Gandhi’s legacy and learn art of simple living. It was 2 hours’ drive to Sevagram from Nagpur. When we reached there, we went to see Bapu’s cottage. The seven social sins have been engraved at the entrance gate of this cottage.

Politics without Principles

Wealth without Work

Commerce without Morality

Education without Character

Pleasure without Conscience

Science without Humanity

Worship without Sacrifice

There was a lady there who taught us who use spinning wheel (charkha in hindi). Charkha or spinning wheel is used to make thread out of cotton, Gandhi used this to make his own cloths. Gandhi lived on methods by which a man can learn to be independent. Like farming, sewing your own clothes, cooking and other arts. Then we went to Kasturba Gandhi’s cottage. She supported Gandhi in moment of life, whether it was the independence movement or being imprisoned for two years in Agakhan Palace, Poona.  In the cottage things which are displayed are Ba's Sari, Bapu's bed-sheet, jacket, Ba's seat, hold-all, Bapu's jute (shoes) Dari which have been kept in a simple wooden rack. Everything there represents simple living.

Then we went to The Last Residence

 This cottage which is modern than other cottages and situated near the Ba-Kuti, was built by Jamnalal Bajaj for himself and lived here for a short while. Later this cottage was used by the Ashram. In 1946, Bapu had a severe attack of cough and came up to live in this cottage under doctor's advice to cure his cough. He was taking a Sun-bath in the eastern varandah of this cottage.

On August 25, 1946, Gandhiji left for Delhi from this Cottage and then went to Noakhali. From there he did not return to Sewagram while engaged in his task of communal unity and peace making. He was martyred in Delhi on January 30, 1948. Bapu's wooden weight instrument and donation box are kept on the varandah of this cottage.

Then we went Vinoba Bhave's ashram. Vinayak Narahari "Vinoba" Bhave was an Indian advocate of nonviolence and human rights. Often called Acharya (Sanskrit for teacher), he is best known for the Bhoodan Movement. He is considered as a National Teacher of India and the spiritual successor of Mohandas Gandhi.

By this activity I have understood some ethical implication.