Shiver in summer at kodachadri

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This trek was memorable for me in many ways. In my long career of trekking this is the first one where something happened with me when I thought that I might die today, made very good friends,my first long outstation trek with GHAC in 2013, got to taste some new food items for the first time.

I was at home seeing girls for marriages, I felt I now don’t have much time before I get married and my frequent treks come to end. I decided to go for it as it was the sole outstation trek in two months April and May.

I was first sent to NO list but then suddenly two days before the trek got call from organizers and I was in.. :)

On Friday we had  BU cricket tournaments final match. So, at around 3:30 everyone in office headed towards ground and I sneaked out of office to reach MGBS. Reached Koti by bus and found out it was Ram navami on that day and some procession is going on in that Muslim area. I could feel the tension in the air. people in procession were playing some absurd ram mandir related songs and Muslim fellows standing there and  watching them. CRPF was deployed over. Moreover,  there were recent bomb blasts in Hyderabad. Mixture of all these things scared the hell out of me. Caught auto and reached MGBS at around 6.

Only to find out that the bus is at 7.30 and no one has showed up yet except one or two members. Slowly people gathered and time arrived to start. It was long journey. Played dump charades in night time.  We reached Shivamoga at around 7.30 in the morning, got freshened up there. Bus driver and conductors were kind enough to wait till 26 people  gets freshened up. Got settled up in the same bus for our next destination Nagara. In between had break for breakfast at Thirthahalli and had to change the bus once.

Finally at around 10.30-11 we reached our first destination Nagara. Headed towards nagara fort. Just walls and water storage place is left out of that fort. There is a small beautiful pond near the fort. Hill on which it is situated is not so high,  so one cannot get some great view from top of it but whatever we can see is beautiful. Fort was protected by water canal around it and from top we can see some walls at far distance as well. Plus if you are lucky you get to see one or two big pipe like cannons lying around somewhere down.

Nagara fort Entrance

Ruins of Nagara Fort

Our next target was Kodachadri base. From nagara for some time we didn't so we started walking and walked till next village around 2 km.(Now I see in map and find out that that is not any village may be, important high way turn with many shops and few houses).  From this place luckily we got one truck. full of sand. Driver agreed to drop us off near the base.

We got down at some place after Nittor (specifically 13.912948,74.865088). It was around 3.30 - 4 by the time we started on actual kodachadri trail. initially it is almost flat except one or two not so steep climbs. Then, we reached to Santosh dhaba (Keralite food place). There we had first time in my life some item called pottu. It's something like big thick and not so well cooked and mixed with coconut idly served with chana curry. It was not tasty at all but all were hungry and attacked on whatever they get there. Then we had tea which was smelling bad and was awful in taste, still had to have it in order to not to get head-ache. By the time we started again from this place it was 5.30

Pottu at Santosh Dhaba

Tough part started now. It was sudden a steep way and although it was late evening and not much heat but I completely got drenched in sweat. We were trying to keep our spirit high by singing songs and our talk. Our destination still looked far and we had long to go. It was getting darker. We took our torches out. As it was dark we decided that complete group should be together and people in front waited for other trekkers. Now, it was complete dark and most of the members were waiting for around 5-6 members who were far behind. One member of group was having problem in continuing, our team lead and more member went back and carried their luggage and brought him where other members were waiting. After that it was not so steep and climb was easier now. Group moved slowly. At last around 8 to our first relief we reached temple. There one more group was already there, worried because priest at temple denied permission of pitching of any tent and campfire. Hearing that we were also worried a bit initially. But, after some persuasion priest agreed to let us go ahead with the condition that we wont be pitching any tents and won't be setting up campfire.

We started ahead of temple, we got some food from priest. (They run guest house and restaurant dhaba at the place). soon after we started feeling the excitement of great view, sky full of stars and the earth visible too. In dark night white clouds were coming over us and cool breeze. We found a camping place before matha, set up our camp there. Had our dinner and visited matha nearby. Entire group was tired and started preparing for sleep. We 3-4 people sat near the edge of valley and had chat and did some sky gazing. It was meteor shower on that day and was lucky enough to see one or two. It was lifetime experience for me. You rarely get see such clear and full of starts sky in city. In Hyderabad we were in temperature of around 40 and here we were shivering because of cold and heavy wind. We did not setup tents as per promise to priest and crashed on tarps.

In morning we woke up at around 4.30 and I was taken back by surprise, there was amazing view of complete milky way and plus some more shooting stars. We  packed up and started moving down and came down to temple. There we waited for some time for tea and by the time started again it sun was moving up. This phase was quite easy sloping down on the quite big jeep track. Got splendid view of sunrise over the cloud from the magnificent mountains en route. Then after one down and uphill again we took way from  inside the jungle.(as our lead heard that usual way is closed by forest officials.)

Spendid View from pick of Kodachadri

It was start of real fun and adventure. As we entered thick forest there was no clear path. And complete steep downhill with very slippery sand like land. Everyone were sliding, sleeping, getting injured a bit. It was a bit tough for beginners, they had to be careful and sometimes had to sit and cross some of the patches. After that we reached to dried water stream and decided to walk along. But, it was not end of our pain. Stones and moisture around them turned out to be very slippery affair. We had to be careful getting down because here if you slip you will definitely hurt yourself badly. Again on this risky way  our group got spread out and as there was no clear way I had to stay at some turning and wait for other people to come and show them the path to continue. At one place it was like end of our way as it was not possible to move along the water stream as it was coming too deep so took right turn from there and continued on out way and made some attempt to get the group together again.

At one point of time I was leading second group of people and first group moved a bit ahead. I did not know which way to proceed so went on a place from where I thought there should be some way. And suddenly land below my leg slid and before I know anything, I was sliding down in upside down position uncontrollably for around 30-40 feet. It was just like seeing my death from near. I did not know what will I end on to, it may be rock, sharp wood, anything. moreover It was too fast and was not able to hold anything. Thank god that some bunch of wood came across my way and  I was able to get hold of that. I was alone there so nobody noticed my going down and that scared me more as nobody would have been there to rescue me. I was scared to death and was shivering initially.  After some time got my senses back got down to the stream. There I saw rock formation and thanked God again after seeing on what I could have landed on. Walked bit along the stream and again climbed and caught the group again. Applied some dettol on my wound and started again as it was feared late.

After some walk we saw two villager woman and were assured that we are near human habitation.Got relief. Came to know that waterfall which we were planning to visit is around 1 km from that place and she showed us the way.It was more than one km and and steep  climb. But, as soon as I saw the waterfall it felt like it was worth the pain. Just took off the clothes and wend under the Hindumane waterfall. Cold water and gentle massage of falling water on your back took away all the pain and tiredness. We spent quite some time there. Fresh again started back and reached a village. (Too small to be called a village, don't know name yet.)  There we had buttermilk provided at shop.

Hindumane Waterfall in monsoon
Photo courtesy : wikipedia

We came to know that from that place to place where we are supposed to get some transportation (don't know name of that place as well) was around 8km and It was mid afternoon of the summer. Though it was not too hot but direct sun was sucking our energy up and no food till that time and drowsiness after bath was taking it's toll. By the time we reached destination main road it was around 2.

Now, time have to shock. Our bus back to Hyderabad from Shivamoga was scheduled to start at 5.30 and we came to know that our bus will not reach to Shivamoga  any earlier that 6.30. We were tensed as everyone had office to attend next day. Everyone were cursing team lead for this pathetic time management. We tried to contact bus depot manager, KSRTC call center everything and nothing helped. we had conductors number from onward journey (they were same) but not reachable. Finally after trying for some time we lost our hope of getting the bus and were thinking about alternatives. But, around 5, one of the lead got call from conductor and they agreed to wait for us outside the bus stop. A wave of cheer spread over the bus. We were able to catch out bus according to plan (although little late). Played down dump charades, chit chat for some time, had dinner at some dhaba on way and happily reached Hyderabad on time.

It was a great experience and kodachadri is a must visit place in western ghats and must be heaven in monsoon season. If you get chance to visit it, It is not to be missed!! .

Photo courtesy :
1. Madhu Sudhan Gripelli
2. Ravindra babu

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