Here’s an excerpt from Deepak Dalal’s Sahyadri Adventure: Anirudh’s Dream, the first part of the riveting series. It’s about Anirudh’s dream and the strange events that unfolded in Pune, Mumbai, and the splendid hills of Sahyadri.
*
Anirudh’s face was tense an hour later when Vikram and his father escorted him to the jetties. Commander Dongre watched critically as they rigged their boat. They were almost done when Chitra turned up.
‘Is this your friend, Anirudh?’ she asked, halting beside them.
The droop suddenly vanished from Anirudh’s shoulders. He shook hands with Chitra when Vikram introduced him. ‘This is Commander Dongre,’ continued Vikram, turning to Anirudh’s father. ‘He is our host, and this wonderful bay and the sailing facilities are run by him.’
Chitra’s eyes lit up. ‘Wow! All these boats and your father in charge of them. Anirudh, you are a lucky man.’
‘He’s making use of the opportunity.’ Commander Dongre smiled, covering smoothly for his son. ‘Vikram and Aditya have spoken a lot about you, Chitra. My wife wants to meet you too. She wants to invite you to join us for dinner tonight. She’s at the spectator tent. Shall we go there? We can watch the last race together.’
Anirudh’s eyes weren’t dull anymore. Vikram didn’t try figuring out what had brought about the change; he was simply thankful for having a sunny, helpful partner. Aditya and Kiran’s boat pulled away from the jetty. Anirudh yelled and waved at them. Vikram cast off and they followed, their sail fluttering and hull creaking as their boat cut through the dark waters of the bay.
A tongue of land jutted like a breakwater to starboard, sheltering the waters of the bay, and though the lake was only gently ruffled where they sailed, ahead, beyond the protective barrier, there were waves and a deep swell. A strong wind was sweeping the lake and dark clouds were mobbing the sky.
‘Prepare yourself,’ hollered Vikram. ‘Action stations! The wind is going to belt us when we hit open water.’
The lake turned restless and suddenly, like a howling express train, the wind was upon them. The boat shuddered, listing sharply to port.
‘Hike out!’ screamed Vikram, as he pulled the rudder and trimmed the sail.
Anirudh leaned out across the water, his eyes closed. The competition had elevated Vikram’s skill at the helm several fold and a delicious thrill of accomplishment coursed through him as his Enterprise-class sailboat shot forward. The speed of the vessel was heady, the fastest he had ever achieved on a boat. They were scything forward as if jet-propelled.
The upper half of Anirudh’s body was hiked out across the water. The brilliant orange of his life jacket contrasted brightly against the asphalt-black water. His long hair was wet and his face seemed calm, exhibiting no sign of fear.
The white wake of their Enterprise boat was one of several streaking the lake. Sails flapped noisily everywhere and whoops of exhilaration reverberated across the lake. Amongst sailors, there is only one climatic condition that stokes wild enthusiasm and excitement: the wind. This was a genuine wind, and its tumultuous presence was conjuring a grand setting for the regatta’s final race.
It wasn’t long before their boat neared the far shore of the lake. Vikram tacked around and Anirudh responded like a seasoned professional, shifting smoothly to the opposite sideboard and adjusting his body weight perfectly.
An imaginary line between two buoys was the starting zone for the race and boats were already massing there. Their colourful sails seemed butterfly-like as they clustered about the invisible line. The race was to start at 3.30 p.m. and Vikram’s watch indicated it was time to join the butterflies and hover between the starting posts.
Loud voices greeted them as they fell in with the boats prowling the start zone.
‘We’re going to thrash you, Vikram!’
‘Give yourself a break, Anirudh, you’re shaking like the sails.’
‘You’re a crummy sailor, Vikram. The wind is going to sink you.’
‘Best of luck, buddy.’Though the banter sometimes sounded coarse, it was always conducted in good spirit.
