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2 Day Trekking, Wildlife viewing around Gopalswamy Betta - 25, 26 Jan 2003

Gopalswamy Betta is situated at a height of 4800 feet above MSL, at the borderline of Bandipur National Park, Karnataka. Bandipur National Park is one of the first parks to come under Project Tiger, and is home to an estimated 85 tigers (Panthera Tigris). 'Betta', in Kannada, means Peak. Gopalswamy Betta is the highest point in and around the park. Vincent and myself decided to do Gopalswamy Betta during the last weekend of January 2003. Our plan was to travel up to Hangala by train and/or bus, and then trek to Gopalswamy Betta from Hangala. Hangala is a small village, and has its importance due to its proximity to Bandipur National Park and Gopalswamy Betta. Hangala is the last village you'll pass, before entering Bandipur N.P, on the Mysore - Ooty state highway. I was excited about this trip, for it is another opportunity for me to get closer to the tigers, and if luck is mine, to sight them in the wild.

We left for Mysore by the Bangalore - Mysore passenger at 2345 hrs on 24th Jan 2003, Friday. Both of us slept through the journey, for the next day's trek will surely be a difficult one. The train pulled up at Mysore station at 0345 hrs on Saturday, 25th. We walked up a kilometer or so to reach the Mysore bus stand, and were informed that the first bus to Gundlupet leaves at 6pm. We sat waiting, but at 5.30AM, a bus going through Gundlupet to Kerala arrived, and we boarded it. Gundlupet is 60 kilometers away, and we reached there at around 6.30pm, me sleeping throughout. After a breakfast of Kesaribath and Coffee at a hotel inside the Gundlupet bus stand, we boarded a bus to Hangala, 8 kilometers away. The bus was on its way to Gopalpura, a little away from Hangala. We were dropped off at a point where the road, after turning right at Hangala for Gopalpura, forks, the right proceeding to Gopalpura, while the left goes to Gopalswamy Betta, 11 kilometers from this point.

We walked a short distance along this road, from where the temple atop the peak was visible. Both sides of the road were lined with cultivation fields, now dry without water. We left the road, and started crossing the numerous cultivation fields. The land kept stretching on and on, and after an hour of walking like this, we again joined the road, and after going on the road for sometime, we reached the forest check post for Bandipur National Park. From this point, a beaten track on the right side led to a small hamlet of a few huts. We met the schoolteacher there, and after receiving directions from him, and warnings about movement of wild elephants on the path up to Gopalswamy Betta, we proceeded further. The mountain is on our left side, and we had a tough time finding the exact path that goes up to the Gopalswamy Temple atop the peak. Eventually, we saw a very narrow path, which went up the mountain through dense thorn jungle. Assuming this to be the correct path, we started climbing. But the path was not clear at many places, and we had to keep looking for any small tracks that went up the mountain. At many points the path ran left and right, and we were confused. We kept assuming things, and took whichever path seemed to climb up the mountain. Moreover, there were elephant droppings at many places, adding to our fear. It was 10 AM by now, and hot, and we seemed to be lost. By now we had climbed more than half of the height, and were facing a steep side of the mountain, which seemed impossible to climb. And there was no visible path going up. Now, we fully realized that we are lost, and were sure that we have to climb down again to find the correct path. Sweating, and hot, a few biscuits were taken, and seeing a man cutting firewood down at the plains, we decided to climb down and go up to him for enquiring about the proper route. The climb down was still painful, for at many places thorns pierced our skin.

No one was be blamed, and it is all part of the game. The old villager cutting wood led us a good distance across the thorn fields, and showed us a board a long distance away, and said that is the path that goes up to the temple, from Gopalpura. Weary, and hot, we walked on, and on and on, and the board never seemed to come near. Finally we hit upon the well-beaten track, coming from the right from Gopalpura, and going up the mountain steeply towards the temple. The temple is 5 kilometers from here. We'd already done a good 7 kilometers, and were worn out considerably, since it was hot. But the next 5km climb was before us, to be done. Slowly we started trekking up the sandy, narrow path up the mountain. We would've gone a few 100 meters, when we saw a thin lean man with no shirt, and a great bundle of firewood on his head, jogging down the track. When he reached us, we wished him, and he stopped, and then we found that he was dumb. He seemed to be greatly agitated, and from his actions, we understood that he had seen two elephants on his way down, and he had been frightened to his limits. After signaling him to continue on his way, we proceeded further, deciding to take full precaution at bends and steep curves. The presence of elephants was very real, for the path was strewn with elephant droppings at many places. The track went up very steeply, and we found it difficult to negotiate the rocky path at many places. We were wearing down very fast, and the threat of encountering wild elephants in this steep path further weakened us. However, we did a very slow climb, resting every few minutes. The water stock was also low, which added to the challenge. We kept climbing, looking out in the bends before taking them, and making as less sound as possible. After an hour or so, we had gained very good altitude, and could see the vast fields in the plains below as small rectangles, dotted with a hut here and there, and far away villages showing as a cluster of white houses, with red tile roofs. A very beautiful sight, indeed, and we rested at many places, enjoying the view from here. It should be around 4000 feet now, and we still had another 800 feet to climb. Once on the mountaintops, the path entered dense tree jungle, and boulder strewn at some places. There had been a fort atop the Gopalswamy Mountains, the remains of which are visible at many places. We crossed a couple of fort walls, now just a bunch of huge stones stacked one on top of the other, forming an entrance like structure. The path winded in and out of tree jungle, and the threat of encountering elephants inside the jungle was high, for we could see elephant droppings all over the place. Hence care had to be taken, and we maintained absolute silence, and proceeded with great caution, looking all over the place, before crossing. At one of the stone entrance-like structures, we were resting, and a few NSS boys from Gopalpura caught up with us, and with them, we continued our climb to the Betta. At long last, after a very arduous trek, we reached a shelter, the quarters of the forest guard in charge at Gopalswamy Betta.

Thirsty as we were, we gulped down enough water to cool us down, and after informing the guard about our plan to stay there overnight, and a trek into the forests the next day, we went up to the temple. After a small wash at the hand pump near the temple, we lied down in shade for sometime. Then we came back to the shelter. The inmates, comprising of the guard, another wildlife worker and a woman, were preparing their lunch. We had brought cup noodles, and borrowing some hot water from them, we prepared our lunch of noodles. It served as a good lunch, and we lied down behind the shelter under big trees. There is a forest guesthouse also, next to the shelter, meant for the higher officials of the forest department. We slept till evening, and witnessed a forest fire far away amidst the mountains, in the Bandipur National Park. As the sun started going down, we went up to the temple, behind which the mountain falls down steeply into a lush green valley. A little away from the temple, there are a few big boulders, and we sat up there, in wait for some animals to appear. We would have remained there for about an hour or so, and we sighted a small herd of mountain goats on the opposite mountain, grazing, and also a herd of gaurs. The distance was far, and hence, we were just able to see some big black dots (the gaurs) moving around. And as it became dark, the wind began to blow heavily, and it was very cold. We went back to the shelter, and sat there for a couple of hours, near a fire. Then, after a simple supper of dinner rolls and jam, we were taken into the verandah of the guesthouse, where we slept till 6AM next morning. We of course, did pay the forest guard, to sleep there. The guard also promised to take us on a trek into deeper jungle the next morning.

I woke up at 6AM next morning. A few boys from Bangalore had arrived sometime in the night, and were now making a lot of noise talking and laughing. Disturbed, I went out, only to witness a gaur, galloping up from the dirty pond a 100 meters away from the guesthouse. Vincent was also up by now, and we both decided to stalk and get near the gaur. The gaur had gone up behind the temple into the valley, and we both went around the temple, into the valley behind, passing the boulders we were sitting on the previous evening. The wind was blowing very hard, and both of us felt very cold. After going up some distance, we found that some of those boys had already gone ahead of us, after the gaur. They were standing very near to the gaur now, which was starting to slowly descend into the valley. The boys kept going after it, and we both decided to head back, lest we miss the trek into deeper jungles that the forest guard had promised. After an hour or so, the guard, armed with a double barrel rifle, called to us, to leave for the trek, and we were accompanied by six of those boys too, who were eager enough to sight wildlife. The guard leading, we took up a path that went down the valley, and around the hills, behind the shelter, to the right. It was a little past 8, and we were told to maintain strict silence. A little on, and the guard showed us a black bear and its cubs, on a rock on the opposite mountain. The distance was quite far, and hence, I was only able to see some black spots moving, and yes, they appeared to be bears. Normally, I would have mistaken them for gaurs. A little further on, and we passed a gooseberry tree, and the boys delighted themselves with a lot of gooseberries. Breakfast for us too. The guard was leading, with the boys behind him, and then myself, and Vincent the last. We would have gone a little distance, and the path climbed up an elevated open space, and as I saw them all climbing up, and saw the guard signaling the boys to safety, and the boys rearing up. I couldn't see anything, and assuming that they were seeing some animal somewhere away, I climbed up the elevation, only to see one huge gaur, menacingly looking at me, at about 10 feet away, on the left side. He had been behind a rock and tree, so I had not seen him while coming. I turned to signal Vincent, but Vincent was too engrossed looking both sides of the mountain. Immediate instinct, and I jumped for cover behind a rock, on the right side of the path, for the gaur was now making threatening moves, and had to cross us to go up the mountain, for on the left side, it was a steep valley. It was a very frightening encounter, and at such close quarters, the gaur looked menacing. I was of the opinion that at any moment, it will charge, and was almost sure that Vincent, now coming up towards us without seeing the gaur, will be mauled. The gaur had by now, very carefully looking at us, started coming towards the right side, and Vincent now came up. Here was Vincent, within a few feet from the gaur, and the gaur was also taken by surprise, by his sudden appearance. Vincent immediately jumped on to the rock near me, and sat still. Vincent later said he was able to hear the animal breathing. The gaur, very slowly, and very carefully, crossed the path, and slowly went up the mountain, all the while looking at us. Maybe, looking at our number, he decided not to charge. I surely feel that, had we been two or three, we would have been more susceptible to be charged upon. And a ton of muscle and bone, charging at you from within a few feet, in the wilderness - where the terrain is most unfriendly to us city-bred humans - is no pleasant sight.

This close encounter was both thrilling and terrifying, in equal proportions. The boys were very excited, and we were all glad that nothing untoward happened. Had the gaur decided to charge that day, at least a few of us might've been crushed. The trek continued, and the path led into some deep jungle, where leopards, tigers and bears frequented. The place was eerie enough, for all around us, boulders and dense tree jungle covered, and visibility was not more than 10 to 15 feet. We came upon a small pond, with stonewalls. It must've been the bathing pond of the queens, and was in ruins now. It looked an ideal place for King Cobras and bears. We had to maintain absolute silence, and the guard wasn't willing to remain there for long, for I wanted to explore around the place. Proceeding further, we climbed up on to the road that goes up to the temple on the right. Crossing the road, the path climbs down in the opposite side, and shortly, we came upon a bigger pond on our right. As we passed the pond, severe foul smell attacked us, and the smell of death was apparent. Going into the bushes on the left, we found a huge female gaur, apparently killed by a tiger, and a little portion of it eaten away, from the stomach side. Its neck had been broken, and the head was bent backwards underneath the body. It must have been a couple of days, for worms were swarming all around the back portion, and the abdominal cavity was missing, and the tail was in pieces nearby. We were thrilled enough on seeing this kill, but the threat of the tiger lying up nearby for the day was very much real. I've read in Jim's books about tigers returning to check their kills, on hearing disturbances, and it is a very frightening proposal. A tiger charge was the last thing in our mind, and hence, after a few snaps by the boys, we left the place hurriedly, in fear of a tiger lurking around, and moreover, the place was stinking like hell, and we couldn't breathe freely. Also, Vincent stated that he heard the first low warning growl of the tiger, near the pond.

Here I would like to make clear how a tiger reacts on human approach. The tiger is an extremely shy animal, and always prefers to stay away from humans, and will mostly withdraw silently when a human approaches it, unknowingly. But this is not the case always, and, when the tiger senses that a human is approaching its hideout or lying place, and if the tiger decides to keep its ground, for some reason, say to guard a kill, or to guard her cubs, or if it is injured and isn't able to make a swift retreat, then, there are three warnings given to the intruder. The first is a very low, almost inaudible growl, which many might easily miss, if not keenly listening. If the intruder didn't hear this first warning growl, or keeps coming near, a second thundering growl comes out, which no man can miss. This second threatening, warning growl of a tiger, at close quarters, in a jungle, is a heart-shattering sound to hear, and will make any man take to his heels. Now, the warnings have been given, and if the intruder is still approaching, the tiger gives a charge. Now, this charge might either be a mock one, or a real one, depending upon the distance between them, and some other factors. This charge, combined with a terrifying growl, in close quarters, in the wild, is no pleasant sight. Surviving this last third warning or attack, is up to the intruder. You've been warned, and if you're still careless enough, you have to face the consequences. For the tiger is no ordinary animal. The most powerful, and the most gracious of all animals, the Gentleman Tiger is a sight to behold, in the wild.

Coming back to our adventure, we left the kill, and followed the forest guard to open hills from the dense tree jungle, and trekked along the open grasslands for quite sometime, ultimately stopping at a narrow crevice, where water was available at some depth. To reach the water, one had to lie down fully, and stretch much into the opening between the two rocks. The guard said that this opening was very deep, and nobody has yet found how deep it was. Also added that the water is believed to have magical capabilities, and when drank by women who are yet to conceive, the women are believed to get pregnant very soon. From here, we had to do a very stiff climb for around 30 minutes up a steep hill, through open grasslands, to reach the crest, where a small cave is present. It is believed that the great saint Agasthya meditated here. It was an awful place to live in, for the cave is very small, and has a very small entrance. One has to crawl on all fours, to enter. It is amazing to imagine how a man could've lived here, in tiger country, inside this small hole. The boys were exhausted by now, and badly wanted to get back to the temple, and the comfort of the guesthouse. I was still very eager to see the Tiger kill once again, and explore the place, for any tiger marks. Hence, after informing the guard about our plans of going back to the kill, we left the boys and the guard to get back to the temple, while Vincent and myself retraced our steps into deeper forest towards the kill. Till then, since the number was big, I hadn't felt any fear at all. But now, we were only two, and were going into deeper tougher terrain, towards a tiger kill, somewhere around which we were considerably sure that the tiger was lying up. We had to stop on our way, for a few minutes, to re analyze the situation, and gather some courage for ourselves. It seemed a very awful situation, but we did proceed, and as we kept getting closer and closer to the place where the kill was lying, we stopped for long minutes to hear whatever we could, and to accustom ourselves to the situation. We made very silent progress, and reached the kill after several minutes. The place was silent, except for the whistle of the strong wind over the trees. While Vincent remained still next to a tree near the kill, I proceeded to examine the kill from all sides, to my heart's content. I imagined how the tiger would've approached the gaur, where it might've killed it, and how it would've dragged it to this place. And how the tiger would've sat eating the kill. I couldn't find any scratch marks on the nearby trees, and the drag marks on the foliage was not clear. The place was horribly stinking. The gaur had no other injuries, except for its broken neck, and severed tail part. The side of the gaur in contact with the ground, was swarming with worms, busy devouring the flesh. The other parts of the Gaur were fresh, and when I touched the body, it was spongy, like touching a thick quilt. The Gaur was in prime condition, and to kill such an animal, the tiger should've been very strong, big and experienced. The belly side of the gaur was lying away from us, and had been ripped open. The inner parts weren't showing, but a inner skin like light pink color material covered it. It seemed like the tiger had eaten very less of the kill. It might, or might not return to the kill. That, I cannot say.

We thought of sitting up on some tree for sometime, in case the tiger decided to come up during daytime, then we might get a chance to see him. But the time was running out, and we had to leave the Betta by around 2pm, in order to get to Bangalore by night. Hence, we started retracing our steps, and walking along the path, reached the big pond, on our left. On the right side, at one place, we found a lot of garbage. This place was pretty near to the road going up on the left. Hence some party might've picnicked here, not knowing the dangers that loom around. We set to clean up the place, and to my surprise, I gathered as many as 5 liquor bottles from the vicinity. There were a lot of plastic covers strewn around, caught inside the bushes, and many paper plates. Gathering up all the garbage, we burnt the paper and other stuff, whilst we carried the bottles and plastic in a cover recovered from the place. After this exercise, we started to climb up the road, only to see a family parking their car on the road, and coming down this side of the slope to picnic. We successfully persuaded them to return, stating the Gaur kill. We must've successfully frightened them, for they immediately gave up any idea of picnicking in the vicinity. Getting onto the road, we slowly walked up towards the left, to the temple. On the way, we again kept collecting whatever plastic garbage we saw, as we walked. Near the temple, we met another big trekking group from Bangalore. After a chat with them, we continued on our way, past the temple, and to the shelter. The forest guard had earlier offered to request some tourist vehicle to take us to Hangala, but Vincent and myself weren't worn out for the day yet, and we wanted more trekking. So we were contemplating two ideas - either to go by the same route that we came up the previous day, or to take the tarmac road that we just came up. Since taking the same route back down might be boring, and moreover the threat of elephants could still slow us down, we finally decided to take the metal road. So, after paying a decent amount to Kumaraswamy, the forest guard, we began our hot and tough walk down the road. Hangala was 11 kilometers from the betta, by road.

We started at around 12.30pm and did a slow march. For me, trekking on the tarmac was new experience, and my thigh muscles started aching after a few kilometers. So, alternatively taking the mud path on the side of the road wherever possible, both of us did a stiff and hot march down. The passing tourists should've considered us idiots, for the distance was long, and the sun was shining hot, and the road had not much shade from the trees. However, very slowly, and much painfully, we managed to reach Hangala at around 3.30pm. A bus bound for Gundlupet was waiting, and we boarded it. Meanwhile, before the bus took off, Vincent managed to gulp down a plate of masala puris. At Gundlupet, we had a hearty meal. Boarding a bus to Mysore, we reached Mysore at 5.30pm. Again a crowded bus ride to Bangalore, that seemed never ending, and we finally were at Bangalore bus station at 10pm. Dropping Vincent at his home at Kammanahalli, and picking up a parcel of fried rice from Shanthi Sagar, I reached my room at around 11pm. A delicious meal, and to bed thereafter. And that is the end of this piece of adventure.