De-stress with rock climbing when you feel you have hit a wall

Kasmin Fernandes takes on Mumbai's only non-commercial artificial climbing wall

Kasmin Fernandes takes on Mumbai's only non-commercial artificial climbing wall

My hands are sweating. The 5 pm sun is burning down my back, drowning the sea of voices below. "Grab the hold on top with your left hand," says someone. "Raise your right foot," goes another. It sounds easy. Oddly enough, I can't tell left from right! The hand and foot-holds that looked inches away from the ground now appear out of reach. High above the ground, clutching a vertical outdoor wall that resembles a rock-face, my spatial and aural senses are muddled on my first crack at rock climbing. I am at a high school ground in Goregaon, harness strapped on and attached to a safety rope that will prevent me from falling should I let go or miss a step. I reach half way up the wall, and am about to give up when I hear Rahul prompting, "Don't let go. You're almost there."

Kids try their hand at the Arun Samant Climbing Wall at Goregaon (E). Pics/Pradeep Dhivar

Rahul Pendse is an instructor at the 43-foot Arun Samant climbing wall, constructed in the memory of respected mountaineer by his father PB Samant in 2003. An IIT alumni and structural engineer, Arun ironically passed away in 1999 on a mountaineering expedition in the Himalayas. Built to promote the sport, the wall is the only non-commercial one in the city. A nominal fee of Rs 30 for two hours of practice and Rs 300 for a month is charged for its maintenance. This makes it a hot practice spot for advanced mountaineers.

The textured wall has grips for the hands and feet. Modular climbing holds are screwed in for support. To make the experience as close to the real thing as possible, there are indentions (incuts) and protrusions (bulges), cracks and underhands. "For more advanced climbers, there is a 'chimney' a narrow rock tunnel and 'eaves' overhanging walls," adds Rahul, a certified route setter from the Indian Mountaineering Federation in Uttarkashi and a national level rock climber.

Although he and instructor Ram Vengurlekar had given my group an effortless demo of the wall and safety equipment, I got the jitters once I set my foot on the first hold. But a little while later, I was enjoying myself. Climbing is an equally peaceful and physically-engaging experience. The sense of achievement of ascending the top and in my case, the middle of a concrete mountain within the concrete jungle beats any high.

AT: Arun Samant Climbing Wall is open from 6.30 pm to 8.30 pm every day, and from 9 am to 11 am on Sunday. Participants must be over 9 years old. For details, call Sukanya Samant on 980428077 or Ram Vengurlekar on 9930992329.
At Nandadeep High School ground, Lane No. 4, Jayprakash Nagar,
Goregaon (E)

Where else can you go rock climbing?

Hit the wall at Gold's Gym
The gym's Bandra branch has an indoor rock-climbing surface, 47 feet in length and 20 feet in height, constructed using a metal frame and clad with glass reinforced fibre panels of 1 m X 1 m. The surfaces have been undulated on 3 axes to replicate a challenging rock face. They provide ropes, hammers and tackles for safety for both, children and adults. Open for courses and special group sessions.
At: Landmark building, 4th Floor, Pali Naka, Bandra (W).
Call: 66994491

Hakone Rock Wall
A 50-foot commercial wall in the entertainment centre has seven routes u00e2u0080u0094 one gently overhanging and six basic routes. Constructed with ferro-cement technology to closely resemble a real rock surface, it also plays host to a rock climbing championship. They offer 15-minute sessions and climbing courses of longer durations.

At: Hakone Entertainment Centre, Hiranandani Gardens, Powai.
Call: 65172735 / 65172736