Mumbai: A group of 48 visually challenged people scaled the rugged terrains of Purandar Fort in western Maharashtra with the help of the 'Nayan Foundation', an NGO started by the Ruia College alumni, on the occasion of Republic Day, an official of the NGO said.
Nayan Foundation has been organising such trips for the visually impaired on January 26 for the last 15 years. This time, the organisation has helped 48 youngsters to travel to Purandar Fort, the official added.
The beauty of the Sahyadri mountain ranges in Maharashtra and forts always attracts tourists from across the world.
A trip to Purandar Fort in the Pune district, sanctified by touching Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj's feet, is a joyous occasion for all tourists. Moreover, the beauty of the fort is always different in every season. However, the visually impaired are always deprived of this joy.
Keeping this in mind, the Nayan Foundation has taken on the task of organising trips for visually impaired people. It has already helped such people to climb forts like Raigad, Sinhagad, Rajgad, Raireshwar, Sajjangad, Shivneri, Torna, Pratapgad and Kalsubai, the highest peak in Maharashtra, the official added.
According to the official, the group left Mumbai on January 25 and reached the foot of the Purandar Fort on Sunday morning. With no sight but an exceptionally strong willpower, a human chain was formed in such a way that each held the hand of another as they paved their way forward. After saluting the Tricolor on the occasion of Republic Day, they started climbing the fort.
Guided by helpers at every step, this exhausting and challenging expedition of visually impaired climbers slowly started moving towards the top of the fort. In just two and a half hours, they touched the peak of the 4470-foot-high fort and celebrated Republic Day in a different way, the official added.
It is understood that as soon as they entered the fort, its history was narrated to them. After wandering through pages of history and mountaineering the whole day, the expedition ended by raising slogans of 'Bharat Mata' followed by the singing of the national anthem, the official said.
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