I set up on a solo climb to Camel-Back yesterday. The route passes through a steep gradient from Boregoan to Dhamni. Thereafter, you descend a narrow strip with valleys on both sides to reach the Camel-Back. On my way back, I descended to Phanaswadi. The place derives its name from the Jackfruit plantations in this area.
While I passed the hutment, I saw a tribal plucking Jackfruits from one of the trees. There were more than a dozen on them on the ground. I waved at him and he waved back. He asked me to take a Jackfruit from the pile. The fruits had ripened on the trees and had to be taken out because of the untimely rains in the month of May. I asked him the price. He refused to take any money. Meantime his wife cut open a fresh one and I gorged on it. I again tried to offer him some money. He refused to take any. In fact, he handed over free fruits to other six trekkers.
I offloaded the content of my backpack and somehow loaded the Jackfruit in it. I wrapped the empty pack of Electral around the stem. With two bottles of empty water bottles in my hands and a heavy sack, I walked down to my home.
If we owned that orchard, how many of us would have given away the stuff free?
We are people who only have money.
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