Translator’s Third Day Impression for 2nd Journey, Jan 25, 2015 Written by Ravi Guria

We have left for Baran. But before we hit the highway to Baran full steam, we have to take a shot. On the way to Alwar from Delhi two days ago, we had come across a fascinating fort up on the hill. It looked like a ruin, but beautiful none-the-less. So we decided to quickly run back to the spot, which means going on a tangent from our route. But got to do, what you got to do.

On our way to the fort, we have come across some villagers filling up their camel carts with sand. We stop to take a shot. Andrew asks me to seek permission first. I walk up to the villager and ask him if we could film him. Not until I get paid, he demands. We settle for hundred rupees.

After finishing our shoot with the sand mining villagers, we walk further inside into the wilderness to explore the area. Lean trees shooting up from the ground obscured faintly by the mist is a picture straight out of a painting. Jary is excitedly making frames upon frames, while Andrew has found a local shepherd to strike a conversation with.

We have arrived at the village where the fort is located. Villagers very courteously guide us to the spot where we can begin our ascend from.

I’m disappointed that it’s not much of a hike. We climb up to the fort fairly quickly. A young man is standing precariously on the edge of the wall. We ask him if we could enter the fort to do some shooting from inside. He informs us that the entrance to the fort is restricted. We are disappointed. We would’ve loved to take a shot from the rampart that magnificently overlooks the village. So we did the next best thing. We went around the fort to see if we can still take our shot. And we could. There is a wonderful elevated spot out front that gives us a fantastic perspective of the village. A couple of local boys curiously join us. They inform us that we are at Tatarpur fort, named after their village. It belongs to Dewan ji, who has since re-located to Alwar. It’s set to be restored as a heritage hotel. In fact, the young man we spoke to happens to be the son of Dewan ji.

We are about to leave, when Andrew was informed by the friendly villagers that there is a satsang going on in a temple just down the road. Satsang is a religious activity where people get together to participate in singing of devotional songs. While Andrew, Cathy and Mubeen, leave ahead on foot, rest of us follow in our vehicles. Way to the temple is not easily accessible because the rains have made the ground extremely slushy and loose. So we go around through another way. We see beaming Cathy by the road side, who tells us that satsang is already over.

So, we head off to Baran.

We are passing some heavy duty construction work on the road. Andrew wants to shoot it. So we stop.