I will keep this a quick read one. Go on…
Well it was my first ever trek/trip in The Great Western Ghats. And it was a fantastic experience, mark my word, when I say fantastic, I mean fantastic.
THE BEFORE START PHASE
I knew that the trekking route that we would be taking to Kudremukha peak is a 9-10 Km one way journey on the medium tough trail of the Western ghats. Friday night when we started from Bengaluru, little did I know what it takes to complete a trek of this grade. I was just like an irrationally spirited kid, jumping in excitement of doing something relatively new. I and my friend Harini were two newbies in the sooper-dooper group of 12, with our minimum experience in trekking. And the journey started.
Saturday morning we reached Kalasa, from where we went to Horanadu to say Namastey to Lord Annapoorneshwari. After getting her consent, we directly went to Kudremukha base.
THE JEEP PHASE
We needed to go to the Home-stay/base camp from where the trek would supposedly start. And that was 5km from this place. Those 5km is a beautiful kallu-mannu road where only a jeep would dare to go. A jeep was hired and we were told by the driver that it is a 8 seater jeep capable of carrying not less than 14 people at once!
With his kind words of encouragement (“Enrappaa neevu.. kuntkalak barakilla nimge ashte!”), we successfully reached the homestay with 3 human beings literally hanging on to the jeep, with all those funny exclamations (yappoyappayappaaaa………!) each time the vehicle was DagaDagaDaga all through the way.
KAADOLAGINA MANE (HOUSE IN THE FOREST) PHASE
We were greeted by our host/guide Mr.Satish Kudremukh to his house. It’s a beautiful Henchina mane right in the midst of pure greenery. Though seems to be secluded, I felt, how lucky they are to be living so attached to the nature (Prakrutiya jothe haasuhokkaada jeevana elrigu sigalla..Kashta jeevigalige maatra).
His family packed the lunch box for all of us, and Mr.Kudremukh led us starting the trek at sharp noon. Thus began our journey to witness the magical Mother Nature.
MAIN COURSE - FIRST PHASE
Starting from his house, walking along a leisurely distance, we all had already started admiring what nature had to offer. Mr. Kudremukh was explaining that there are 4 peaks in this Kudremukh stretch (Kudremukha, Gomukha, Timmalagundi and one more) and was showing them. We asked him which is the peak that we got to climb up that day. He pointed at the farthest peak visible from that point and said that is the Kudremukha Shikhara. We had to strain our eyes just to have a clear look at it and I was just reluctant to believe!
MAIN COURSE - SECOND PHASE
Kudremukha is a splendid package of different kinds of trails and natural resources. A big stretch of grassland, suddenly followed by a stretch of thick forest, again a seemingly endless stretch of elephant grass, a Onti mara ( a lonely tree) , streams of water, large bamboo shrubs, deep trenches, dark paths covered with dried leaves, rocks, water descending from it (Amrutha), and what not?! Each step, we were awestruck, we were speechless!
After about one and a half hours, we broke for lunch near a water stream. The place, he called as Lobo house (we can see a ruined and deserted house there. We were told that once there lived a family called Lobo family. Well Hats off to them!). We all had the Chitranna and Mosranna (Hasida hottege adu pancha bhakshya paramaannakkinta hechhenistu).
MAIN COURSE - THE HARD TERRAIN PHASE
 |
| Mr.Kudremukh |
TO THE TOP PHASE
.JPG)
“KUDRE THALE” PHASE
We were standing on the 1894 metres high peak.
The view from the “Kudre Thale” (Since the peak looks like a Horse’s face it’s called as “Kudremukha”. Since we were on that peak, I called it as “Kudre Thale“ :P) was Breathtaking with a capital B!!! The panoramic view from there was reminding me of Avatar movie!
I screamed at the top of voice…Yes, I was super excited at the sight of the world from the top. The feeling was “Aaj mein upar…Aasmaan neeche…” in true sense! Now I was sure it was all worth every bit of it.
“Kudremukhakke mooru genu doordalle ello swarga annondu iddirbeku anstu!”
THE DESCENT PHASE
We spent a heavenly 1 hour on the peak, and started descending by 6.15PM. Our Mr.Kudremukh had warned us that we need to be as fast as possible till the Sun takes leave. We did not care, just went on at our own pace… “Manzil se behetar lagne lage the raastein…”
Soon it was dark, and we were all left alone with our torches. The night trek down the mountain was an all thrilling one, with narrow paths, deep trenches, people losing the grip and sliding every now and then, feeling gadagada at the thought of wild animals, losing the way so many times.. The experience of that serene silence of the forest, bliss of the moonlight alone switching off the torches was priceless.
Ah we reached the homestay by 9.45PM with great difficulty.
THE NOSTALGIA PHASE
A very nice hot hot food was waiting for us at Mr.Kudremukh’s house. Halasinakaayi palya, bisi huLi anna was a fitting dinner. We thanked our host, said “bye bye see you” to the Kudremukha and left in the same awesome jeep through the same awesome road.
The TT welcomed us back all set to take us to Bengaluru. But who wanted to go back after all?
All good things come to an end… Sunday early morning reality brought me back to the chaotic world of namma Bengaluru.
POST SCRIPT
Thanks to the Basc and organizers for organizing such wonderful events.
Who gave saath: Karthik(lead), Pruthvi, Harini, Yashaswini, Rajiv, Sreenidhi, Fabian, Preetham, Priyanka, Suraj, and Vinay.
The best thing of all is, Crazy likeminded people come from different backgrounds to these treks to make friendship with nature and its people for years to come J
LAST BUT NOT THE LEAST
Adventure is ultimate. But it’s not just about the adventure. It’s about feeling the bliss, the serenity, the peace, the godliness of the Mother Nature.
