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Journalism of Courage
It looks right out of a picture postcard. The glorious sight of the Khadakwasla Dam against the dark monsoon sky, the sluice gates open, the waters gushing, almost violent. The manmade dam stands strong, stoically watching Nature unleash her fury all around.
While you can watch this spectacle from quite a few places around the Khadakwasla lake, you will not get the kind of effect that hits you as you stand on the bridge that runs parallel to part of the dam connecting the National Defence Academy and the Sinhagad road. For the dam looms large right before you, and the waters that come surging from the open gates flow below your feet. Stare too long at the swirling currents, and you8217;d feel you are being swept off! Enjoying the view from there, with the wind and the spray hitting you in the face, it feels great to be at that particular place at that particular moment.
All along the road, you have stalls selling bhel and bhutta, chana and chai, guava, coconut water, peanuts, even chips and wafers! The waters, the waves, the sand, the snacks, the crowds, the cacophony 8211; it8217;s not Juhu, but it8217;s not bad either! And this is one place you will not mind the hordes of people. Because somewhere you connect with each of them 8211; it8217;s a whole lot of people with one common goal 8211; to relax and unwind 8211; and nobody can grudge anyone that! Incidentally, there are even banyan vines for those aspiring Tarzans to have fun!.
A popular picnic spot all year round, the rain gods create a totally different picture when they wave their magic wand. Lush green all around, menacing clouds threatening to break any moment, a different colour to the lake every day 8211; from a clean blue to a murky brown 8211; there8217;s beauty even in that slush!
No wonder then that a trip to Khadakwasla is a must when the rains set in, and people trudge from all corners of town to wade and squeal in joy and get drenched. So what if their hair gets all straggly 8211; singing in the rain is fun, like nothing else is!
