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Hiking around Kodachadri - 16, 17 May 2003

NEC planned out a trek to Kodachadri peak for 16th and 17th May 2003, and I managed to book in at the last minute. Kodachadri peak is at an altitude of roughly 5000 ft, inside the Mookambigai Wildlife Sanctuary. This sanctuary is in the northern part of Udupi district in Karnataka, in the Western Ghats. Most of the Western Ghats are mostly rainforests and evergreen forests, and remain green all through the year, and is rich in flora and fauna. The Western Ghats are also home to some of the rare and endangered species, like Malabar Giant Squirrel, Lion Tailed Macaque, Tiger, to name a few. Many national parks and wildlife sanctuaries occur in this region.

Mookambigai Sanctuary was named after the Goddess Mookambigai, whose temple is situated in the small town of Kollur, near the sanctuary. The region comes under the Hosanagara Taluk. Kollur is a 400 and odd km journey from Bangalore, and is deep inside the Western Ghats, and only 50km away from the western coast. Kollur is a popular pilgrimage center, and attracts considerable number of pilgrims and tourists from around India, but mostly from the southern states.

We were a team of 10 men and boys, and there were no female participants this time. Apart from myself, the organizer and another guy, all others were trekking for the first time in their lives. We'd booked seats in a Bangalore Kollur bus that departed from Bangalore at around 8.30pm on 15th, Thursday. The man sitting next to me, I came to know, was traveling from Trivandrum, to visit the Kollur temple, as a weekend trip, alone.

We alighted from the bus at a place a km before the Kollur bus stand, at 8AM the next day. Here was a temporary halting point, called 'Hegde Math', where tourists dropped in for the night, or for food and rest. We washed up ourselves there, and after a breakfast of Dosas and tasty chutney, we packed up, and set off on the trek to the Harshanagundi falls inside the mountains. We walked on the ghat road for a mile or so, and then came to a point where a jeep track took off from the right side of the road into the forests. The falls was approximately 5 km from here. The organizer, Mr. Swamy, took the lead, while I brought up the rear of the line. The path wound through very dense evergreen forests, where the sun didn't reach the ground. Looking up, one sees the forest canopy fully blocking the view. Bird life was abundant, and the forest was at its best. However, as the path went up hill and down hill, through thick cover, the line grew weary, since most of them were doing it for the first time. Rest was taken a few times, as the air was a bit hot too. Going this way for a couple of hours, we reached the falls. The falls was a good 100 ft high. However, there wasn't much water, as it is the peak of summer now. A wide water hole was before us, on the far side of which the water was falling from a 100ft high rock. The water hole was murky, and looked very deep. We spent around 30 minutes, some having a dip, while others enjoyed being there and taking snaps. I was eager to cross the glade by climbing through the rocks on the sides to reach the waterfall, but was prevented from doing so, citing safety reasons.

We had to hurry up, as there was a lot of trekking to be done still for the day. Retracing our steps, we returned to the 'Hegde Math' at around 3pm. Lunch of rice, sambar, rasam, pickle and jackfruit papad was served. There was a small girl, called Chetana, who was serving and helping out her parents in the chores. She was timid, cute, and very calm. To her age, she seemed to be very mature, and the expression on her face was so pleasing. I was much impressed by this girl, for she seemed to be a girl of high qualities, and maintained a good composure, much different from the scores of girls that I see in our cities.

After lunch, we boarded a bus that dropped us at a place called Karakatte. Here a dirt track to the right of the road leads to the Kodachadri peak, 10km away. There is a tea stall at a point 6km away. Our plan was to reach this stall, and then decide whether to do the remaining distance to the peak through the night. The path here was not too steep, and we did it easily and pleasantly. The sun was down, and the night was near setting, when we reached the tea stall. The stall is run by Keralites, and caters to the need of everyone who goes this route to the peak. Over the tea table, votes were taken for and against a moonlight trek to the peak. I was very eager to do it, but sadly, only 4 were for, while 5 were against it. Tiredness and lack of clear moonlight were cited as reasons. Hence, further trek was abandoned, and it was decided to spend the night there, and to start off early in the morning.

As supper was being prepared, we scouted around the place. There was a small tile roofed room, some 200 metres away from the tea stall, in the midst of a huge open ground, some 200 metres long and 100 metres wide. The place was very picturesque, with the great mountains on three sides, and the day was in its final minutes, and the forest all around was calm and pleasant. Supper was ready by 8pm, and was relished. After supper, while the boys and others lay down inside the stall, Swamy and myself slept on the wooden benches outside. The night was cold, and I didn't have a deep sleep.

Early next morning, we packed up, and left, at 5.45AM, for the peak, after a tea. Everyone was fresh, and the early trek was a very pleasant one. However, as the path started climbing up the hill very steeply, the line grew tired, and halted many times. The path wounded up the hill through dense forests, and finally came out of the foliage into open land. By now we had gained very good altitude, and the sight was breathtaking. The Kodachadri peak, in all its glory, with mist covering it, was high above us, while we were on a path running on the shoulder of the hill, at some 3000ft above the ground. All around us were lush green hillsides, and densely wooded valleys. The school and the open ground were now visible, down on the plains, as a small rectangle. A lot of snaps were taken, and time spent, enjoying the scenic beauty, and natural abundance. We had a couple of km more to go, to reach the temple below the peak. Slowly, and pleasantly, the trek was done, and we reached the temple in a bath of sweat. This temple is the main Mookambigai temple, which was visited by few. A jeep track led up to the temple from another side of the hill. Breakfast of Uppitt was had after a wash, in this very beautiful place. The pujari, his family lived here, and there were a couple of temples behind the main temple, as well. We spent some time here, and then started moving up the hill, towards the peak. Another difficult trek, en route which we passed a Ganesha Guha, wherein a Ganesha Idol was present inside a small cave, deep inside the forest. We reached the peak thereafter, where a small temple is present, for Saint Sankaracharya. This was the peak, at some 5000ft above mean sea level. It was very good to be there, after an arduous climb. While some remained there, Swamy, myself, and a few others went down the other side of the peak, to a place called ChtiraMoola. The path went down roughly, and very steeply, and we had to slide down, holding the plants and stones, to avoid rolling down. Swamy was lucky enough to spot a Malabar Giant Squirrel, as he was in the lead. Thus we reached ChitraMoola. Here was a big rock, some 50 metres high, with a crevice in the middle. There was a lingam, and some paintings of saints. We spent sometime here, and then hurriedly returned, for we didn't have much time, since the bus to Bangalore departs from Kollur bus stand at 5.30pm. Joining the others at the peak, group snaps were taken. We then left the place. Coming down to the temple again, we were served with limejuice and some snacks. After that, a very fast trek down hill, wherein I took the lead, led us to the tea stall, in a little over an hour's time. We lunched at the stall, and then started off for the road head. Another 90-minute trek, and we finally were at the road head. We waited for sometime, while Swamy briefed the boys about various aspects of trekking, wildlife viewing, and such matters. Thereafter a bus ride to Hegde Math, where I bought some honey and jackfruit papads, and took a snap with Chetana, and then a walk to Kollur, we finally arrived at the temple at Kollur. The others went for a darshan inside the temple, while I treated myself to some buttermilk. We then boarded the bus for Bangalore. It departed at 5.45pm. At 9.30, supper was had at Shimoga, and thereafter, a sleepy ride to Bangalore, I was in my room at 6AM, Sunday, 18th May 2003. That marks the end of this pleasant trip, and return to a less interesting city life.