The ride home

The drive back to my home in Talala is what I will cherish the most during my years in Gir. It just had this feel to it, I am not really sure if I can put it into words. Once you crossed Mendarda, there is this Hanuman temple on the right side. It marked the beginning of the ”Journey back home” for me. The jungle started. Roads started getting rougher, the people sparse. Sign boards from the forest department started popping up all over the places. You could see Maldhaaris from nearby nesdas selling wild berries and raw tamarind on the sides of the road. The only unpleasant part is the 4km stretch of single lane road before Sasan with lots of speedbumps. Even that made me elated on some level because that road meant I was closer to Sasan and hence, closer to home. Sasan itself was not very pleasant to look at. I mean, it is a tourist hub and you know how tourists are, but once you cross Sasan it is the BEST ride home. The river Hiran running on your right, the sun becomes a fiery ball of orange and red. The shadows of the trees play hide and seek with your headlights while the sweet, sweet smell of home engulfs your senses.

I would never, ever wish for any other place as my home.