Where clouds touch the mountains, and the mountains tell the story of devotion: A day in the valleys of Marleshwar

Greetings of the day,

Sometimes in the hustle and bustle of life there comes a moment when the mind wants only one thing – peace. One wants to run away for a while from the glitz, noise and routine of running like machines in the city. With this desire in mind, one morning I picked up my car and set out towards Marleshwar Devasthan in Ratnagiri district.

^{This image created from canva.com}

I left my village at around eight in the morning. The sky was slightly hazy the sun's rays peeking from behind the clouds were giving a golden glow to the road when I moved towards Konkan the roads became narrower and the lush green trees all around were creating a natural tunnel.

The music in the car was low and the smell of soil was in the air. On both sides of the roads, small villages, mud houses and leaning paddy ears were visible in the fields. At every turn it seemed as if a new scene opened up in front of us – sometimes a mountain, sometimes a waterfall, sometimes a mist covered valley.

After a while I reached a road that passed completely through the mountains. The road was winding but its beauty was unmatched. Looking out of the car window the greenery spread far and the clouds hovering above were giving a strange peace to the mind.

As the altitude increased the coolness in the air also increased. I stopped at many places on the hilly roads and took photographs. At one place when we looked down from the side of the road, we saw a waterfall - the water was falling on the black stones and flowing down creating foam. Its noise was echoing in my ears like music.

Had to pass through some villages on the way. The people there were very simple and smiling. When we stopped at a tea shop, the shopkeeper told that the view of Marleshwar waterfall is like heaven during the rainy season. My heart became more excited after listening to him.

When I reached the ghat area near Marleshwar after a drive of about three hours the roads were covered with even denser greenery. The mountain peaks were covered with clouds and there was a feeling of humidity in the air. At every turn it seemed as if nature itself was emerging in its new form.

The car continued moving slowly up the hill. Small waterfalls were found flowing occasionally on the roads, while passing through which it felt as if I had become a part of a film scene. The river flowing at the foot of the hills and the mist falling from above – all this was so beautiful that words fall short.

Reached Marleshwar and stopped the car near the parking lot. From there the path to the temple has to be covered on foot. Rocky stairs, a waterfall flowing in between and the sound of water coming from all around – a feeling of peace at every step. Many devotees are also seen on the way who were going up chanting “Har Har Mahadev”.

Marleshwar Temple, dedicated to Lord Shiva, is located in a cave. This place is very beautiful not only from religious point of view but also from natural point of view. The cool breeze inside the cave and the echo of the waterfall outside create a divine atmosphere.

I meditated for some time outside the cave. Just the sound of water, the rustle of wind and the sound of bells coming from a distance – it felt as if time had stopped.

At the time of return the weather created even more magic. It had started to drizzle lightly and the raindrops falling on the road seemed to be writing a song on the car glass. The light peeking through the clouds was making the mountains even more golden.

On the way again the same waterfalls, same greenery, same peaceful atmosphere – but now there was a feeling of belongingness in them. The car was slowly descending, and at every turn only one thing was coming to mind – how wonderful this Konkan is????

This trip taught me that finding peace doesn't always require a big place or an exotic trip. Sometimes this peace lies just a few hours' drive away, amidst the lush green hills.

The trip to Marleshwar was not just a trip for me-it was an experience, where the paths, trees, waterfalls and clouds all together taught me the simplicity of life.

When I returned my mood was completely light. Glancing out the car window, I took one last look at that mountain road-the winding road that was still lost among the clouds. It seemed as if the path was saying – “Come back again sometime…”