Ratnagiri Fort

On the 26th of January 2019, exactly a year after that  unpleasant event , we decided to climb Ratnagiri hill again. We had to visit Madakasira police station to sign some documents; appealing the court to release our stolen items. We met Head constable Mr. Sriramalu there. He introduced us to his team and CI. We took leave from there and headed to Ratnagiri. Sriramalu has been our true friend who has stood by us during this year. He decided to join us. 

Ratnagiri hill is situated in the small village of Ratnagiri, in Madakasira taluk. It is located 18kms from Madhugiri, Tumkur, Karnataka. It houses one of the forts from the times of Vijayanagara dynasty. The trail is pretty straight forward. 

Climbing the hill again was an interesting experience. It did bring back memories of the day. To be honest, I do not think that I am anymore affected by that event but of course, we cannot forget what has happened. Along the way up, we narrated the incident to Sriramalu. As always, he gave us some insight into criminal psychology and narrated some interesting facts about law and order. We truly are fortunate to have found such a knowledgable and honest person in the system, as our confidant. 

At the crime scene, we took a moment to recollect the incident. I am not sure about the others, but for me, I felt nothing at all. It appeared to me like just another trek. With all six offenders now behind the bars, it felt much better. Had we not taken action, we might have regretted it forever and cried over our own misfortune. I now realise, how justice can empower someone. Moreover, I feel that this whole experience has exposed us to things that we never thought we would experience and in the end, we have emerged much more observant and confident.  

While Sriramalu decided to stay back and rest at the second level of the fort, we three climbed the last stretch to reach the summit. The fort is one of the most beautiful forts I have ever visited. Last time, we had recorded a few video clips with all of us speaking in the languages we know. We decided to recreate that moment. We shot a few videos but, of course, we could not recreate the same moment or the feeling. That is when I realised how  much this event has affected me subconsciously. 

Thoughts did not flow as freely as it did during our previous visit. Back then, we had felt free and we were totally in the moment. This time, we struggled to gather words and define our feelings. We were noticed repeatedly revisiting the incident in our talk. The affect that such an incident could have on your thinking and your attitude is far more intense and complicated than any physical trauma. However, we had fought this battle bravely and most importantly, legally. That made us all feel good. This chapter now appears to have a logical conclusion. By revisiting Ratnagiri hills and the fort, we seem to have conquered the remaining traces of fear that might have existed in us. I would like to believe that this experience would superimpose itself on the previous one and minimise its influence on us. 

Video on this trekking experience -