Miracles Happen!: Doodhsagar Falls - When I fell for the fall !!!

When five people decided to get together for old times' sake and relive the past fun, there were conflicting debates about When was the right time and more about Where was the right place. Once the When and Where was decided, How followed smoothly and then we were left with just pure anticipation.

Kulem Station, Goa

The day arrived and I met my first goofy friend and tagged along with him to meet the goofier ones ;) Hugs were exchanged in the car and a few moments and giggles later, the feeling finally sunk in that we were TOGETHER again! After a sumptuous dinner, saving the food on my plate from 'certain' pesky friends, followed by the Natural's dessert, and a certain rib-tickling ATM incident, we set off to the Udupi Railway Station.

After a pretending-to-sleep ride to Madgaon in Goa and waking up the alarm-guy to shut his alarm, followed by waking all other sleepyheads, we got off the train looking for some good breakfast early in the morning. A disappointing idli-sambar and a 'you-call-that-chutney?' later, we were back on a noisy train to Kulem station in Goa. Pictures clicked, videos shot and mind-boggling-hilarious ideas conceived, and before we knew it, we were off the train and on the Black Bolero to the beautiful Dudhsagar Spa Resort where we had reservations.

A beautiful place welcomed us and a check-in and welcome-cocum-drink later, we set off towards the tents booked for us. It was one of the best rooms I had ever been to until we checked out the washroom area without curtains!!! Well, now how we managed to survive that will need an altogether new post. LOL. Anyway, we left the cozy tents with great difficulty after coaxing each other and set off to find some decent lunch (yes now we had brought down our expectations from good to decent after the disastrous breakfast!).

Dudhsagar Spa Resort

With no ATMs around for about 22 kms, we had a genius mind among us working on withdrawing cash from a bank without the cheque book! The lunch was surprisingly extremely yummy, finger-licking really. A fresh plate of hot cross buns with mattar(peas) bhaji and water-tea. At that point, nothing had ever tasted better to our hungry bellies.

And then we started on THE trek to the Doodhsagar Falls that awaited us at a distance of about 13 kms from the Kulem station. One bag pack with snacks, fruits and one bottle of water, windcheaters on and umbrellas at handy, the Five began their hike at a time that was suggested as not-so-ideal by many. It was 1pm on our watches, and the aim was to reach within 4pm, so we could catch a train back at 4.30pm! Missing that train would mean trekking back through the dense jungle at night with no lights whatsoever with just one torch and a few mobile support!

With a rush of adrenaline and convincing ourselves that we will make it in time, we set off over the railway tracks. With every passing sharp pebble, every slip, every fall, there was absolutely no drop in our enthusiasm as we hiked on, admiring the beauty that surrounded us through that beautiful evergreen forest. The clear creeks, the mini waterfalls, the colorful leaves, the passing trains - it was an experience to cherish.

Passing those pitch dark tunnels, praying we do not encounter animals or snakes inside, we moved ahead debating whether we were walking through clouds or fog, when we encountered the first view of the divine. We had reached the view point of DoodhSagar Falls. The exhilaration that followed was epic! All the dropped energy levels rose to the highest. We watched and watched as the water flowed like milk, apt to its name. The parting clouds, the glimpse of the peak point from where the falls originated, to our eyes was magical. It looked like the clouds melted into milk directly from heaven!

And to place a cherry on the cake, a train passed the bridge as we watched. A scene to behold. So magical like it were the Hogwarts express from Harry Potter! In a while, the same train passed us by and we realized that this was the train we were supposed to catch on our way back!!! With this missed, our only hope was to catch a good's train that might pass if we were lucky enough.

But nothing could dampen our spirits then. With energies replenished and maddening excitement, we couldn't wait anymore to reach THE falls. With longer steps and increased pace, we hiked on, and one final tunnel later, finally reached the bridge at DoodhSagar Falls. Standing right in front of it, with arms wide open, we screamed our hearts out. As the water sprayed over us, I felt joy like never before. I could not take my eyes off the roaring falls. The magnanimity of this gigantic beauty was one of a kind. It was bliss!!! When my friend quoted - "If on earth there is a Paradise of Bliss, it is this, it is this, it is this!", nothing could have been more true at that moment.

I sat on the bench, placed a few steps below the bridge with the direct view of the falls. From there, all i did was look up to this mesmerizing beauty. I was hypnotized! I was rooted to that place. I closed my eyes and the next few moments, there was Me, there was the Roar and there was Silence. My head was the clearest it ever was. In those few moments I experienced truth, I experienced happiness, iIexperienced emptiness, I experienced BLISS! I wondered later whether this was how I felt when I was born when my mind was a clean slate. In a way, I was born again in those few moments. I was rejuvenated!

After this encounter with the divine, we walked towards the DudhSagar Station, where a goods train's engine was expected. We ate our snacks in peace in that tranquil ambience, while we waited for the engine. I was tempted to walk back that 1/2 a km and behold that magnificence again. I hadn't gotten enough of it yet. My wish was fulfilled on our ride back standing on the side of the goods train's engine. It was ecstatic! In fact the whole ride back was! It drizzled all the way back and we screamed louder than the horn that the engine blasted. It took our experience to a whole different level.

Watching the wet forest as the sun set, was like looking into an enchanted land. I looked for fireflies, which would have made it perfect, but when I couldn't I just imagined them there.

I was with the best of friends I ever made, I had just experienced a miracle of life, I was in the state of mind I had yearned for years, I was talking to a friend who understood all of this and probably felt the same and in my mind I took a snapshot of that precise moment and tagged it as 'Perfection'!

(I can't thank my friends enough for making this trip happen. Aditi, for being the chirpy happy darling that you are.. AD, for the hyper cheery state you were in, hanging out with you has always been a joy.. JD, for being someone I can share all my thoughts with and knowing you'll understand.. Suppy, for getting us all together constantly and making us the Perfect group that we are! I love you guys!!! You're just awwwww-sum!!!

P.S. I bet you read it in our new tune! :P If not, you will now! :D)

To read my poem written for the same experience, please visit -