3. A Walk Through Mist, Forests & Doubt to Pohlani Mata (11th July, 2021).

#roadtrip #soloroadtrip #sleepingincar #sunilazaad #jot #matuni #pohlanimata 11th July, 2021, Sunday…Day (3) Matooni-Jot-Pohlani Mata temple-Jot-Matooni ( 10km drive + 12km walk). Eight Days of Bliss at Jot, Day (3)…Matuni-Pohlani Mata-Matuni. For years, I had been postponing my walk to Dain Kund and Pohlani Mata. The six-kilometre trail through dense forest was not particularly difficult, but locals always warned against walking it alone. Black bears were known to inhabit these woods, and there were hardly any settlements except a few scattered Gujjar huts. After my disc extrusion a few years ago, I too had my doubts. But it was Sunday, and I could sense many locals heading towards the temple. So I decided to give it a try—walk as far as I could and turn back if my body refused. The night at Matuni, inside my CHALTA FIRTA GHAR, had been wonderful—ample parking, lights, cool weather, peaceful surroundings, late-night trucker dhabas, simple food and clean washrooms. The only drawback was the weak Jio network. I woke up at 5 AM. A heavenly walk among floating clouds, a cup of tea and then a drive to Jot. After enquiring about the trail and getting reassuring replies from everyone, I had a huge stuffed paratha with curd and rajmah, packed my little rucksack and started walking. Soon, I was panting. Maybe age. Maybe a sedentary life. Maybe simply being out of practice. But gradually, my breathing settled. And surprisingly, my spine felt perfectly fine. Till Green Village Jot, there were plenty of visitors and picnickers. Beyond it, the crowd disappeared and the forest took over. Mist. Silence. Lonely trails. The only sounds were my footsteps, Himalayan crows and the occasional whistling thrush. Butterflies fluttered around the wildflowers, while mysterious sounds occasionally rose from the valleys below. The trail alternated between dense forest and beautiful grassy slopes. Here and there stood Gujjar huts, with buffaloes grazing nearby and families spending their summer months on these slopes. Young boys and girls ran about freely, cheerful and carefree. No electricity. No mobile network. Yet, somehow, they looked more connected to life than most of us. Gradually, I began meeting pilgrims heading towards Pohlani Mata, mostly locals. The trail was mostly gentle, with occasional climbs and descents. At 1:30 PM, after four-and-a-half leisurely hours, I finally reached the temple. The locals had taken about two hours. But I had taken my time—photographs, videos, countless pauses, my age, my back and my wonderfully slow pace! The temple was packed. So I stayed outside, paid my respects from afar and started walking back. The return journey felt much easier. The mystery of the trail was gone, and I could simply enjoy the forest. Soon, it began drizzling. The mist thickened. And the woods became even more magical. The mighty Pir Panjal Range remained hidden behind the clouds—a good enough reason to return someday on a clear morning. I reached Jot around 6 PM. Twelve kilometres later, something surprised me. I wasn’t tired. In fact, I felt more energetic than I had that morning. Perhaps the body still has more left in it than we sometimes believe. I drove back to Matuni, enjoyed another beautiful evening of mist, drizzle and cool air, had dinner at the dhaba and slipped into my HOME ON WHEELS. Another beautiful day. Another small victory. And one more reminder that sometimes, all we need is to simply take the first step. For more travel videos, search "Sunil Azaad".