Chapter 2: Kamat Gaav (Village Kamat)

Kamat or best spelled Kamath is a village surrounded by rivers, mountains, hills, forests, and wildlife. Far away from any commercial activity. It falls in Maharashtra's Raigadh district of the Konkan region, associated with Roha Taluka (Tehsil). The nearest market place is Sutarwadi with a handful of groceries and sweet shops, eatery places, medicals, and small doctor clinics. The gram panchayat office can be found here, which addresses most of the clerical work for all villages nearby. Sutarwadi is further linked to other nearest villages such as Jamgao, Dhoklewadi, Durtoli, Kudli, Yeral, and few others. The lingo used in and outside Kamat is mostly Marathi. However, they do speak Hindi for Tourists and Visitors. The population of the village is barely 300 people belonging to communities such as Sanap, Nilekar, More, Mene Shirke, Konde, Sutar, and Beloshe. It has around 55 houses with a temple of Lord Hanuman and a primary school up to 4th standard. For higher grade schools, the children go to Sutarwadi or travel to the small towns Kolad or Roha. 

Let's talk about the famous spots around Kamat. 

1. River Kundalika - It's a long, big, deep, and beautiful river, originates from the leftover water of Tata Powerhouse. The riverbank is very near to Kamat. It's quite a tourist spot, there are many resorts available to stay & spent quality time with your dear ones. The climate is awesome during Monsoon and Winters. River rafting and boating activities are hosted almost all times of the year. The locals often go fishing all year round.

2. Dungi (Ambyache Maal) - Very beautiful and scenic point. You can have a selfie with sun from here, the sunset view from this place is awesome. This is also a point where all mobile networks are reachable. Also, the tortoise mountain (Jani Cha Donger) right in front is a pleasant sight to witness. One can also do meditation by sitting on any of the rocks placed there. 

3. Kinjol Maal - A big cashew nut tree awaits for you. Not sure if that tree still exists. But at a time when we lived around it, it was huge. Every day hundreds of cashew seeds used to fall underneath, which we used to collect and go home. Even the riped cashew fruit was greatly tasteful what we used to savor, such was its flavor.

4. Dhavdi - A mile and half away from village Kamat. It is at the bottom of the many hills, there lies a bridge. A point connecting two villages Yeral and Kamat. The white water flowing beneath the bridge is a site quite endearing. We spent a great deal of time down here during our vacation period for swimming and playing.

5. Ghaat - A place for washing clothes during those times. Accompanied by an iron wire bridge, hanging on which one can cross the river from one end to the other. Unless you are an athletic type or a great swimmer you should not take up this over-pass to cross the river, as it quite tests your arm strength.

6. Kharba - The entry point to the village. It's also Kamat's bus stop. 

7. Dhodhoni Waterfalls - Almost a mile away from the village in the direction of the Dungi lies this falls. One of the best spots during monsoon. A great nature treat for you. Take a dip, stay inside the water, and splash with it. The flowing water sound is amazing to witness here.

8. Poultry Road (Forest area) - A plane land, yet with enough bushes on it. An ideal place to play cricket or soccer here. Looks to be a safe place to hang around,  but it's quite a territory of wild boar and rabbits. Be aware of the attacks, as every year some villagers or Adivasis face them.

9. Mothi Dungi: Scary spot full of wild monkeys and parrots. Near to Dungi. Not much visited by many, because of the wild habitats.

10. Maruti Mandir: The place for prayers, rituals, Poojas, bhajans, village summits, counseling, discussion, verdict announcement, rules & policy announcement, festival gathering, and any such activities..

11. Shala: A primary school for village children to study until 4th grade. It is also a place for small village gatherings during festivals and sports contests.

13: Mori: A safe portion of the river for anyone who wants to dive in. The water is pretty shallow here. If you are an adult, it won't be easy for you to drown. Most parts of our mornings was spent swimming here. Many children of my age learned swimming here during those days.

Well, these are only a few places that we've been in childhood. However, Kamath is about exploring a lot more unknown places and its vivid beauty.

Do come, witness, and feel yourself.

Chapter 1. Mama chya gavala jau ya..

This was back in the 1990s when we were growing up to become as stupid and foolish as we could. My younger brother Aajju and me were in 3rd and 5th grade. Like most children at that age, we were tolerating the school and tuitions, almost half of the day every day was spent in the classrooms. For the brilliant students, the different classes "English, Maths, Science, Grammar, Social studies, Environment and so on" must be learning, but for us, it was a difficult morning. Aajju was still fairly well with schooling, it was me who was famous for all wrong reasons. I had not left a single teacher who hadn’t beaten me or put me on imposition. However, that didn’t change me. I got notorious every passing year. The study became my biggest enemy. The teaching from the different teachers was a torcher for me. I told them to beat me, but don’t teach me and so they did and then my parents also beat me at home which was a bonus I would get almost every alternate day. I have seen my skin color changing from brown to red to brown again because of the beatings. I was competing with a veteran chameleon then.

Like every grant child, we were some and we had our friends. But more than our School, Classroom or Tuition friends, the ones who stayed in the village were very dear to us. It was only for two months we got to be with them, but that friendship was larger than anything in the world. Back in those days, we use to have two month's summer vacation. This was the best period of my life at least. No school, no tuition, no classwork, no math, no teacher or parent cursing. no getting up early, no uniforms, no bags, no time-table, not a thing I would hate. It was my world, my time, my life at the grandparents (Mama che gaav: Kamat). I would wake up whenever I feel to. I'd eat whenever I got hungry and had as much as my stomach could take it and my mouth could swallow it. My brother Aaju and cousins Sam & Sachu followed me with the utmost diligence. 

Wakeup, eat, chit-chat, roam, meet friends, talk, quarrel, sleep late, bed fights, and what not. Repeat... Oh, what a freedom full life it used to be once. I wish I could retrieve that period..

That part of life we lived so well..
It was fun then, but now like Hell..

I know that time would never come back.
As there ain't no revere button in life-pack.

We were better off being not so smart..
As children, we played the best of our part..

I wish God gave another chance to be a child.
The one as stupid, an idiot and madly wild..

Would love to repeat the childhood at the parents of my parents..

As we would never know what childhood is if they weren't....