Masai Pathar- The Masai Plateau

The word "Trekking" when comes to mind we start thinking about mountains, rocks, and Jungles. If I say to you that I trekked in a plane field for around 14 KMs, the field which contained only number of trees which can be counted on fingures.

The Masai Pathars are juxtaposed to the Panhala Hill. The most unique characteristic of Masai pathars is the lenght and breadth through which these even grounds run through. Masai Pathars is a huge grass land situated on a hill top.

Masai is an ideal ground for breeding of Sankes and other reptiles as it boasts itself with an unlimited array of beautiful and comouflaged insects. The insects are so very well camouflaged that they are confident enough not to move when I took some of real close ups of them. They just get mixed in the surrounding grass.

The food chain goes on, I also captured a snap of a " Grey Headed Indian Eagle" , renowned for preying on reptiles. I was also able to capture a chameleon in the bushes.

Apart from this eagle, the "Crested Lark" birds are in abundance on this Plateau. The best part of shooting these larks is the relative less inhibition shown by them towards humans.

The most prized catch of this trip were these three photographs that took of mating butterflies.

I consider this as one of the most privileged moments in my photography stint.

Standing on these minarets was one experience which can never be explained. I felt like being on top of the world.

The trek was meant to be for exploring some ancient Baudha caves. The caves are a prized possesion of Indian History towards which the Archeological Survey of India has turned a blind eye. It pains to see that there are no guards, no instructions or history briefing written on the caves.

We also enjoyed our Kolhapuri food of Jhunka, Bhakari, Kharada and Dahi at the banks of these caves.

The trek culminated with these two sunset photographs.