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Western Ghat Hike - Donigal to Shiribabilu - 30, 31 Aug 2003

The Western Ghats in Karnataka is a trekker's paradise. Throughout its length and breadth, there are many popular trekking trails that give some breathtaking views of the vast mountain ranges, stretching into the horizon. The evergreen forests of the western ghats are a sight to see, any time of the year, and especially so during and after the monsoon One such popular trekking trail is the Sakleshpur - KookeSubramanya train route - often termed the 'Green Route'. It is a delight for any trekker, due to the scenic landscapes that it passes through, and the magnificent views of the beautiful, majestic mountains that can be had en route.

I had been long thinking about doing this route, and one fine Friday evening(29th Aug '03), since I had nothing else to do during the weekend, I decided to try it. As usual, I was about to do it alone, but at the last moment a colleague friend expressed desire to come along, and hence it became a two some team. I booked 2 tickets immediately for Kooke Subramanya, but we both missed the bus since we couldn't reach the bus station on time due to very heavy city traffic. Bangaloreans are having a tough time these days, since the Government has started work on building flyovers at many important road intersections in the city, all at one go, and hence the arterial routes choke with heavy traffic, and undisciplined, negligent driving adds to the chaos and jams.

Due to the weekend rush, we couldn't find seats on other buses to Kooke Subramanya, and after an hour or so, we decided to find a seat to Sakleshpur, and do the trek from the opposite side, instead of commencing from Subramanya. I had gathered some information from the web about this route, and learnt that one end of the trek trail could be a place called Donigal near Sakleshpur and the other end at Subramanya, via Edakumari and Shirabagilu. So we planned to go to Sakleshpur, and then reach Donigal and start the trek.

We easily got a bus to Sakleshpur, and after a sleepy, bumpy ride - for though the roads are good the vehicle is driven rudely - we were at Sakleshpur bus stand at 5am on Saturday. At a hotel there we packed up 20 dry chapathis, biscuits and a packet of dry grapes. Then we learnt that Donigal is on the Mangalore highway itself, and just a few kilometers away. We boarded a Mangalore bound bus and were soon at a place called 'Manzarabad Fort' on the highway. This place is some 6 kilometers from Sakleshpur, and a dirt path up the road takes one to the fort. We didn't go to the fort; from the tea stall guy we learnt that the Donigal railway station is 4 kms further along the highway. After a hot tea, we started walking towards Donigal at 6am, and at 7am were at Donigal railway station, after taking a small footpath that led up the hill from Donigal village on the highway.

Trains do not ply on this track between Sakleshpur and Subramanya nowadays, and the stations on this road have been abandoned for several years now. But some construction work seemed to be in progress at Donigal station, though the station was abandoned, and almost in ruins. We were of the opinion that the next station - Yedakumari - is some 12 kms from Donigal, and started the trek at 7.30am from Donigal in high spirits. There were no rains or drizzles, and the morning was bright, as we walked along the track southwards. For the first couple of kilometers, we were able to hear the sound of vehicles on the highway, and it faded away after that. At the 5th km there was a small abandoned guard room where we met a couple of villagers. Here we were informed that Yedakumar is 12km from this point, and there is no food available en route or at Yedakumari, but only at Shirabagilu station.

From this point on, there were numerous tunnels and bridges; the tunnels were anywhere between 50 to 583 meters long; and it is not possible to cross the tunnels without a torch - for it is pitch dark inside and thousands of bats fly over the head. The bridges, on the other hand, were more terrifying to cross. Across the railway sleepers there were metal slabs to walk on. But at many places this metal plate was missing, and hence we had to walk on the sleepers, one at a time. And the sleepers were wet and slippery. And to add to the thrill, hundreds of feet down waters were gushing through projecting rocks. Due to the good monsoon season, all nullahs and streams were overflowing with water. Water was available everywhere, and there were many water falls on the side of the mountain walls, and tunnel entrances, etc.

In the afternoon, it rained heavily for an hour or so, while we had our lunch of chapattis in a tunnel. We slept for an hour on the tracks as the rain continued to lash; and after an hour, when the skies cleared up, we resumed our walk. By later afternoon we were tired, and were eager to get to Yedakumari station for rest. However, the distance was long, and hence, slowly, at about 5pm, we reached the Yedakumari station. The station was of a considerable size, but was deserted. There were no humans in sight, and the place wore a ghostly look. The guard rooms, quarters, control rooms were all in a ruined condition, and looked like they would collapse anytime. A landslide had occurred over one of the last quarters, and it was half inside the mud. After some scouting, we decided to stay the night in an asbestos roofed shed.

We tried to make a fire, but all the wood available was wet, and we couldn't get a good fire up. There was a small wall across the shed, which split it into two. We decided to sleep on this wall. After a wash, and some biscuits and dry grapes, we lied down on the wall for a long sleep at 7pm. Soon after it came on to rain, and we had some discomfort because there were big holes on the asbestos roof. However, the rain eased down, and we drifted into deep sleep. It was a strange place to spend a night in. The station is on a hill side, and facing a huge wall of the hill. Behind the station is a sheer drop into a valley, and green hills stretched ridge after ridge. At night, we were able to see vehicle head lights on the opposite mountains. I also kept waking up now and then to cast a light around, for the thought of snakes was worrying me.

The night passed without any incident, and we were up at 7AM. Again, we waited for an hour as rains lashed the place. Then to my horror I found that sometime during the night a rat had come and made a big hole in my bag, got in and had eaten our chapattis. We had to leave those chapattis behind, and were reduced to only some biscuits and dry grapes for the day ahead. The day's trek commenced at 8AM. From Yedakumari, the going became more difficult, since there were numerous landslides at many places forming a big obstruction on the track route. We had no option but to cross these slides. Huge trees, rocks and mud had rolled onto the tracks, and crossing these proved to be difficult. At some places we were knee deep in slush while crossing them, and at one place, the mud and stones were rolling down the hill side even as we were trying to cross the slide. Land slides were everywhere. Leeches were also in plenty, and time and again blood trickled down from our legs.

It once again reminded me of the sheer power of nature. Though man had managed to make a railway track in this difficult mountainous terrain, using bridges and tunnels, in the long run, nature has had the last laugh. A couple of tunnels were flooded, and though we managed to cross one in knee deep slush and water, we had to take the bye pass route to cross others. One of the tunnels was almost under earth and water, and to half its height there was water. It was an eerie place to be. We used our food resources scantily, and at noon, reached a good water falls in between some land slides. I had an enjoyable 30 minute bath in this strong water fall.

Towards evening, the route came out into the open, along the shoulder of a huge hill. This part of the route was the most beautiful. We could see the highway at the foot of the opposite mountain. Above the highway, the mountains rose to a great height, with bright green grasslands at the crest. There were numerous such hills and folds, one beyond the other, and only green hills as far as the eye could see. But we were worried since we had to get to the road before dark. We were of the opinion that at Shirabagilu we might find an escape route to the road. Walking in a fast pace, at 5pm, we reached Shirabagilu station tired, weary and hungry. At the station, we were overjoyed to find an old couple running a small tea stall. But there was no food, but we had biscuits and tea to our fill. The couple said they are living there for the past 36 years, and had seen the laying of the railway track, the plying of trains, and the withdrawal of the service. The man informed us that we had done 18kms from Yedakumari to Shirabagilu that day; and that we had a further 4km to reach the road at a place called Maniunda. Subramanya was a further 12km, and was out of question.

He directed us to take the track for another km, then at the third tunnel, take right turn, and follow a mud path down to Maniunda. Hurrying up, we bid him good bye, and left Shirabagilu at 5.30pm, intent on reaching Maniunda. However, after the third tunnel, we tried a couple of mud paths down the right side, but they led us no where, but into deep forest, mud and water streams overgrown with foliage. At 6.30, it was almost dark, and we decided to abandon the search for Maniunda, and to return to Shirabagilu for the night. After much exertion, we managed to get back to the track. It was dark, and doing a very slow walk, we carefully managed to cross the three tunnels and two bridges without incident with the help of my torch, and reached back Shirabagilu tea stall. There the man said we were supposed to take the right turn before the tunnel, and not after the tunnel as we had done.

Admittedly, carelessness on our part. But nothing can be done now, so after tea and biscuits for supper at his stall, he showed us a livable room in the station, where we settled down for the night. A small friendly village dog came up, and I sat down sharing my pack of biscuits with it. The situation was grim, and we will miss the morrow's office. But nothing can be done now, but to enjoy the night at this station, and rest. We were too tired, hence went to sleep immediately. Sometime during the night there was heavy barking from the dogs outside, but I was too tired to get up and investigate. In the morning the man told us some hunters had come sometime during the night, and that was the commotion all about. We bid him good bye, and left Shirabagilu at 8AM to start afresh our search of the path that will lead us to Maniunda. Luckily, it was a Monday, and few railway workers were coming to the station for some work, from Maniunda one by one, and with their help we managed to find our way to Maniunda. It came on to rain heavily, but we kept going and reached Maniunda, dripping wet. Maniunda was a small village a few kms from the Bangalore Mangalore highway.

From Maniunda we took a bus to Gundya, where the Maniunda road joins the highway. At Gundya we had a sumptuous breakfast, and then boarded a bus to Hassan. En route back, we were able to see the mountains we had crossed, and were able to locate the place from where we had had some great views and had seen the highway. Past Sakleshpur, we reached Hassan at midday. From Hassan, another sleepy ride, and we were back at Bangalore at 6pm. And that is the end of this piece of outing.

Approximately, the distance from Donigal to Yedakumari is 17kms, and from Yedakumari to Shirabagilu is 18kms. From Shirabagilu another 12kms to Kooke Subramanya. From Shirabagilu to get to the road head Maniunda, is 4kms. Donigal to Yedakumari, and then to Shirabagilu, a distance of 36kms is doable in two days, but the numerous landslides, bridges and tunnels slowed down our progress considerably, and at the end of the day we found that we had traversed at an average speed of 2km per hour. There are bye passes available for most tunnels and bridges, and hence if one is afraid of heights and darkness, one can take these alternative routes. But not all tunnels and bridges have this facility. Throughout the route, old and abandoned huts, shelters dot the place, and nights can be spent at these places. But during the monsoon the place is dangerous because of landslides, leeches, slippery bridges and flooded tunnels. At a couple of places in the middle of the bridge I did lose balance, but was fortunate to remain on my feet.

It is a must visit trail for any scenery and adventure loving person; the place is best visited immediately after the monsoons. At Bangalore I was also informed that the trek could well commence from Sakleshpur itself, instead of going up to Donigal, but I wasn't aware of this at the time. I would also suggest that one carries enough food stock to last the duration for which one wishes to remain in the trail, since nothing is available throughout the stretch, except for the small tea stall at Shirabagilu. A torch is a must, otherwise crossing the longer tunnels will be almost impossible.