Embodied Science Stories

It had been 7 years since the friends had met. College ended, work life took over and they could hardly make time to talk. Meeting was a faraway dream. 

But one night, one of the friends, Meera made an impromptu plan of a trip. Her idea for the trip was not a simple sightseeing one. She wanted to see the Ramgarh crater. Even during the college days, Meera and the friends would take trips to places they could afford to go, but especially to areas that had a scientific event. It always gave them chills but also immense joy to stand in the area of rare or unusual scientific events.

Meera called her friends on a WhatsApp group video call.

After having a back n forth with their arguments, Meera finally made her friends confirm with the plan. They would all meet at Mumbai central station in the next 4 days (on Sunday) and begin their journey. 

All five of them hurriedly applied for their leaves (luckily, all of them had pending leaves that year), then did a little bit of shopping: essential clothes, accessories, etc. They were all super excited as they were reliving their Bachelor’s days after many years, and most importantly, meeting with each other!

It was December. They were to begin their travel on December 10. In Mumbai, the climate is relatively cooler than the rest of the year, but still not that cold that you would shiver. But as they would pass through multiple states, especially through the central and arid Rajasthan, the climate would become a bit more testing. Hot morning, but much cooler and chilly nights.

Finally, the five friends met on December 10. They were beyond happy to begin the adventure.

Meera exclaimed excitedly, “I am glad we all made it!”

Arjun replied, “Yes! I can’t believe it.”

Ananya reminded them, “Hey! Let us not forget the important part of the trip.” Everyone wondered what she meant.

Priya: “Eh? What?”

“Snacks for the road!” Ananya replied. Everyone laughed.

Rohan added, “Let us have some chai before we start: Mumbai-style ‘cutting’!” (a small half cup of tea, popular in Mumbai).

They put their bags into the jeep and headed to the tea stall.

“Hello, bhaiya!Five cuttings, please,” Meera insisted.

All of them lifted their small cups, but Priya frowned. “Ah! My fingers! They burn.”

“Be careful. Take another cup to stack under it,” Rohan said, handing her a second cup.

“Thanks, much better. It feels much hotter with the small paper cups. Haha! I think that’s the fun,” Priya replied.

They brought some snacks and began their journey.

They would take turns driving the Jeep. Ananya started driving first. The weather was a beautiful, warm afternoon, moods were joyous, roads were clear. They played some old school music, “Dil Chahta hai”, “Kahin Kahin se harr chehra”, and kept humming, laughing, and talking along. It was soon night. As they exited the city, the city chaos gradually faded into long, straight highways. Asphalt stretched ahead with a few palm trees and roadside dhabas (small highway-side cafés) serving chai, vada pav, and some instant hot food. 

They halted at a cafe, had their dinner, and resumed their journey. This time, Arjun took over the wheel. Rohan sat in the passenger seat to accompany him, so that he would be awake and alert.

Rohan asked, “Are you sure you can drive? Are you fully alert?” Arjun replied, “Yes! I am fully awake. I will stop if I feel sleepy.”

The songs continued in the background, now soft unplugged versions of old songs “Tu jahan..jahan chalega, mera saaya..”. Meera was on her phone. Priya and Ananya were fast asleep.

“I think the temperature has dropped now, don’t you think?” Arjun remarked. Rohan rolled the window down and put his hand out. Yes, it does feel colder and also…the air is drier.”

“Yes, I think we are reaching closer to central India.” Meera joined in. They drove away in the eerie night, with only the sound of the wind and the occasional car whooshing by. The sky was bright and dark with grey-blue hues, and stars were scattered across it. As they entered central Maharashtra and then Madhya Pradesh, the flat western ghats now gave way to a plains landscape filled with many banyan trees, farmlands, more open skies, and a high stretch of long grasses. The Western Ghats flattened into plains dotted with banyan trees, farmlands, open skies, and tall grasses. Dawn found them stopping for breakfast. Priya took the wheel again for the next stretch. As she drove through Madhya Pradesh, fields sometimes swayed and shimmered in the midday heat.

“Wow, they look like someone spray-painted them,” Rohan said, pointing at the glimmering fields.

“Yeah…the midday heat, humidity, and the air give them that special sheen,” Meera replied. They all laughed at the image of fields going to a disco. Small towns started to appear with roadside markets, bikes, goats, and small crowds. Villagers waved as trucks loaded with grain rumbled past. It was soon evening. They made a quick stop for some hot coffee and some khasta kachori (a deep-fried snack filled with pulses and onions)

Priya and Ananya were discussing. “I think we should halt somewhere when we reach, probably at Kota, “Priya suggested. “I was just about to suggest this! Yes, please let’s,” replied Ananya. They shared this idea with the remaining gang, and they all happily agreed.

After finishing their piping hot coffee and crispy kachori, Rohan drove toward Kota. Crossing into Rajasthan, the soil turned into a warmer, dustier hue. Woodlands, farmlands, and scattered hills filled the space. Every few hours, they passed through serene livestock returning home after grazing, cattle resting under neem trees, and sunset flaming the horizon. They finally reach Kota, a key junction city en route to the Baran district. This had bustling street food, old bridges over rivers, and busy highwaysides where trucks were parked overnight. They checked into the guest house, too tired to speak, exhausted from the trip. The weather had also shifted. The nights here were cooler than in the central plains. They felt relaxed and breathable. 

Priya and Rohan brought extra blankets for all of them to keep themselves warm. For dinner, the guest house owner informed them that there would be a bonfire near the place, where dinner would be arranged, a special Rajasthani thali. All of them were in no condition to stay, but who could miss such fun and authentic experiences?! They freshened up with warm water and felt much energized and joined the bonfire. Hot piping delicious thali filled their growling stomachs, and the heat from the bonfire was the solace in the chilly night. Arid regions like these get surprisingly cold at night. All of them covered themselves well with their shawls and jackets. The hot food, the warm cover, and the fire all of them acted as medicine to their tired and cold bodies.

All of them retreated for the night. Ready for the final lap of the trip tomorrow. In the morning, they left the cities. When they left the cities, the landscape changed even more. It was now more mellow. Scooters, tractors, and carts shared the road under bold blue skies. The roadside fields were filled with millets, wheat, and mustard swaying like green seas. By midday, they were fully immersed in rural Rajasthan’s softer side, which was more earthy between towns.

In the final stretches towards the Ramgarh crater region near Mangrol, the terrain turned hilly with low rock outcrops, wooded patches, and occasional fields opening onto spectacular vistas. From the road, they glimpsed the scattered rocky hills dotting the skyline, lakes shimmering in midday sun, and a rustic aura of old stone temples, cattle tracks, and dusty paths leading into villages. This area was richly earthy and green compared to western Rajasthan’s desert expanses. 

Finally the geometry of the crater appeared from the roadside. They were shocked and awed.

Arjun remarked, “It looks like a great sunken bowl carved into the land.” The gang was ecstatic and filled with excitement. The road led them towards the crater rim and basin. Open terrains were surrounded by low hills. They parked their jeep in the nearest parking spot and began their trek towards the crater. They could see the impact circle filled with water from far away. With each step in the warm sun, cooling air, they inched one step closer. The impact circle spread like a valley enclosed by rising edges. The air felt different here. Since evening was approaching, it was a bit cooler. Bhand Deva Temple and other small shrines rested besides the lake, lending an ancient, mystical feel to the scientific event. Since it was dusk, long shadows stretched across the ridges, few birds glided overhead, and the stillness deepened.

Up close, it felt unreal.

What happened next? What did they do? Where was the science? Follow Part-2!