CHAPTEE XXXII
NILKANT HILL
(i) First attempt
Ramdas continued to stay with the Maharashtra sadhu
in his kuti. Two or three days later a sannyasi from
Nepal joined them. He felt a great attraction for Ramdas.
He was a cheerful old man, stout, hale and hearty.
He gave accounts of his extensive travels over the
Himalayas. When he talked about hill-climbing, Ramdas
got the idea of scaling the Nilkant hill at the back of the
ashram and expressed his wish to the sadhus.
"I tried once to go up the MIL swami," said the Nepali
sadhu, *' but as I could not find the way I had to give up
the enterprise. Since you would be making a venture I
shall be quite glad to go with you."
The other sadhu was also consulted and he too agreed
to accompany them. Early morning, the following day,
they started. They made enquiries from a sadhu in the
ashram about the way that led up to the shrine of Nilkant,
at the top of the hill. He described certain marks on the
route. The party now passed through a dense jungle at the
bottom of the hill. They walked up and up. They could not
find out the continuation of the beaten track. Ramdas led
the party. He climbed up through the thick growth of
brambles and trees. The sadhus followed close at Ms heels.
"Swami, you are going on the path, of the siddhas,"
cried out the Nepali sadhu, meaning through a trackless
path.
When they covered a height of about a mile they came
upon a water spring where the sadhus suggested a halt for
rest. After refresMng themselves with a drink from the
cool spring, the Nepali gadhu said :
"Swami, we have missed the way. No good going
further up. Let us retrace our steps to the ashram,"