Walk in the Woods

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In the heart of the city, there is only one such place which makes you completely cut off from the whole of the city. This is a small forest area next to my home. I mentioned in past also that my home is on a hill top which is one of the most unusual places of this city. In the city there are many parks and open spaces but anywhere you go you will find people around. But if you visit this place at any time, you will barely find 1 or 2 people moving around. The reason being, this place is called as the "The Tower of Silence" Basically it is a place for the dead. When anyone in my religion dies, they are brought to this place and the last rites of the person take place here.

This place spreads over an area of 30 acres land, a complete forest area and in here there is a big well, where the dead body is kept and left open for vultures to feed and get the body disposed of. In the recent years, the forest department observed that the number of Vultures is not enough to manage the disposal of the body, so there was a lot of concern over this system. Personally, I am not in favor of this system in the recent times. 100 years back, this system worked very well, but now it does not. The thing is that the religious leaders are very staunch on this system and they do not want to change. There will be a day when they will be left with no choice but to change.

The idea of this system of disposal in the olden times was that what comes from nature should go back to nature. Also, these systems were introduced in Iran in the ancient times and the weather there permitted it. But in Mumbai that's not the case, there is not enough heat to manage the decomposition of the body in a short period of time. I have told my family that when I die I will not go through this system and that they should put me through the simple electric cremation process and then bury the ashes in the home garden itself.

This is the reason that no one wants to come to this place, as they feel it's a place for the dead. But I feel peace in this place. It is quite and nowadays anyway it is better to be between the dead people then the living ones.
I normally like to go for my walks late evening just during the Sunset or after it. This was I went a little late and it was dark. I clicked the pictured in the night mode and it's giving the evening sky effect.
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It's a big area, nice to take long walks. This place goes uphill so it's best for leg exercise.
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The place is full of wild bushes and variety of trees.
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Since it is summer now, most of these bushes have withered out. In a matter of 2 months this place will again start thriving as rains set in.
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In the passing
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This is a beautiful tree full of flowers
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There are some parts where there is no light, it's always better to carry a torch light. There is nothing to get scared of as it's safe.
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There is a cute little cherub statue in this place
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Approaching back to the chaos
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I would have loved to go inside in the woods but it was not a safe hour to venture in that territory.

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9 comments
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Beautiful wood! I love travelling to lone place like that. You said this is a land of the dead and so people generally avoid going there. Crowd free place! I have seen none in the photos.

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Yes, during day time, you may see a couple of people, but late evening you will hardly find anyone around and I feel that's the best time for me to go.

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The place is serene. Must've be that many people avoid going to this area especially at this time of the evening. When you said that it's better to live between the dead than the living my mind went to a famous saying from the upanishad about that which is night to all beings, the enlightened one is awake. And that which in all beings are awake, is night to the enlightened one.

Old methods of disposing the dead no longer work in this current climate, they will eventually have to be force to adapt and keep up with the changing times.

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That's very interesting to learn about the Upanishad. Looks like you have very deep knowledge of these things.
Eventually they will have to look at different ways as these won't sustain for a longer time.

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Well, not really. I like to think that I'm just a seeker with a curious mind. Because of material obligations, I don't have the time needed to dive deep into these things.

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There is a wonderful forest near your house.In which you can go for a walk in the morning.But it can also be fraught with dangers.I think it can be hot in the evening walk. thanks for sharing 🙏

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Evening walks are very pleasant in these trees, specially in summer it gives a pleasant feeling.
No it is not at all risky going around here. It is safe.

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