The perfect post-monsoon getaway

The weekend of Aug 23, 24 and 25. Thanks to my uncle’s suggestion and help (he always has the perfect place to send us to…and most of my travel would have been to some tried and tested places if not for him!), we were to go to Nittur, a taluk in Shimoga district of Karnataka which is about 375 kms from Bangalore. Perfect for the long drive we’d been looking for. So off we went on a dark, sleepy Saturday morning in our friend’s car. We were 5 of us on this trip including our friend’s 21 month old son. Stopping in the famous town near Tumkur for the famed ‘tatte idli’ (‘idli’ the size of a plate is what it literally means!) breakfast, we drove on without a break until Shimoga where we had to stop for a snack break. After that, we had no choice but to take very regular pit stops ‘coz the landscape around us was so stunning. Deep greens on the trees, the bright light green carpet of grass with cows grazing, the majestic mountains around, the overflowing rivers and streams and the wonderful breeze wafting in which thankfully prevented us from using the AC. I’m just so fed of breathing conditioned air all most of the time…it’s absolutely refreshing to take in pure, fresh air!

   After losing our way a couple of times due to all these narrow forked roads, we reached the eco-camp in Nittur we were to stay in. It was already 2.30 pm and we were starving. The place was quiet and the landscape was so inviting. You could walk bare foot in the camp ‘coz it was covered in a carpet of grass! Our basic accomodation was a hut with some thin mattresses thrown in with a few bedsheets and one warm rug. Food was waiting for us…our dining area was out in the open…it just contained tree stumps (obviously from dead trees), 2 stumps for each person, a lower one to sit and a higher one to keep the plate!! I thought it was a brilliant idea.

    After discussing our various options for the weekend with the very friendly staff there (the cook, a couple of helpers and a couple of people running the place) we decided to go to Kodachadri right away. A jeep was organised by them immediately and we set off. Until we reached a turning in the road to Kodachadri, the drive was ok, obviously not smooth (due to the mud roads and the fact that we were in a jeep!), but once we turned into the Kodachadri road, things took a totally different turn…the road (if you can call it a road) was only mud (the sticky slush that can make a valiant tyre skip), water, stones and rocks. Yes I actually mean rocks. We went over them, sometimes sliding backwards (which needless to say was scary!). And one slip from the narrow path, and we would tumble down hundreds of feet. It has to rate as one of the most thrilling and dangerous rides of my life. Forget the part where you feel all your internal organs have become enmeshed and will any moment jump out of you. The whole experience of holding both your palms on to the rod in the jeep…trying to look (and not look at the same time) at the very treacherous path you just crossed and the more treacherous path you’re about the cross…looking at the fantastic landscape below the edge of the path….and praying that the drive ends soon! The very very important point in this whole thing is the driver of your jeep. Most of them are very well experienced and know the route like the back of their hand. Our driver was telling us that he can drive on this when it’s pouring and when it’s pitch dark. Uhh…this was the point where I fervently prayed that it wouldn’t rain! It didn’t strike me that we would actually come down the path in darkness later…

 We finally reached a point where we could see the most pleasing sight…green green hills, a forest on one side…some mountains and a path leading to all of it. I really cannot describe what a sight it was for sore eyes (this particular clearing point, just before you reach the point where there is a guest house has become very famous after a super hit Kannada movie song was shot recently). We finally reached the place from where we had to trek the last 2 kms to reach the peak. This point had a temple, the house of the priest and a guest house where most trekkers sleep the night and then continue. We started climbing up and were engulfed in fog…all around. Visiblity became low. We reached the peak, but couldn’t see anything from there. Quite disappointing. Obviously we couldn’t catch the sunset either So after a quick break there, we got back to the jeep pick up point. Had some hot coffee at the priest’s house. I must mention here that the coffee was surprising bad, it wasn’t filter coffee, it was some instant coffee   I hope it was due to the fact that there are many people who stop there for coffee, so maybe they ran out of decoction? 

 Back to the jeep, only to realise it was punctured and our driver was busy replacing it. We then realised there was not much light remaining…so in pitch darkness (it’s amazing how dark it can get in seconds in such places) we started our journey back. It was a pleasant surprise to find that the path down for some reason did not scare us or shake us (literally!) as much as the drive up. My admiration went up hundred fold for the drivers who take people up and down this path come rain (oh man, that must be very very tough and dangerous) or shine, light or darkness. We also heard this story about how there’s like a small jeep mafia in the place that’s kinda resisting the construction of the road up to the jeep point ‘coz it will then spell a loss of business for them. The jeep drives do not come cheap but I think it’s so worth it, ‘coz the drivers are so terrifically skilled. On the other hand, I am not sure if I’m on the side for constructing a road there since it might just kill the thrill of the jeep drive. And there’ll be tons n tons of people wanting to go there. Hmmm…anyway, hubby darling and I decided we must come back here and trek the entire distance sometime…

 Back at the camp (it was already 9 pm!), we were tired and hungry. After a sumptious meal, I don’t think any of us realised when we fell asleep. The minute our head hit the pillow, we were in another world….

 Next morning, after a heavy breakfast we set off on a trek (though the first part was in the jeep again) to Hidlumane water falls. We had a trek a distance of about 2.5 kms from there to reach the final stage of the waterfall. We were perplexed. Final stage? Our guide (who was one of the helpers in the eco camp) explained that the waterfall has multiple stages. Most people just go to the first one and stop. We have to go right up to the last one, where the river falls from a height of 125 ft! So off we went, in the slush and the terribly slippery rocks…we crossed through the river, waded through the first few stages, climbed on rocks…slipped and fell some 6-7 times, got bitten by leeches more than thrice, got scratched by stems/bushes while climbing the boulders. At the end of it, to stand below the final stage of the waterfall with the water hitting directly on your back is inexplicable. The sheer beauty of the waterfall and the surroundings…the healing properties of the water (said to cure backache due to the rapid force at which it falls on you) completely mesmirizes you and makes you forget what you had to go thru to reach here! It was fantastic. After we had our fill of the waterfall…we started the crazy trek back…when it started raining…more leeches…more slippery rocks and path. But still we had a super time. There is something soul satisfying about completing a trek. Finishing it. And reminiscing about it and how we could have almost not made it. Full marks for our friends who did this with their little one (they took turns in caryring him on their back sling). The little one is one of the very few children who actually enjoy such complete outdoor trips! Came back to the camp, had a hearty meal and crashed out right on the grass near the dining area!! Evening, we were on to the few games they had set up in the camp…like a balancing bar, a couple of swings, a wooden see saw (that also spun circularly), a climb-the-pole rope…after playing for a while, we walked towards the river Sharavathi backwaters which is close to the camp. (This is place is near Shimoga, remember…so Jog is close by too). We kayaked for a while…good fun it was since the river was full. Relaxed on the banks, drunk in the beauty of the place and finally walked back to the camp. We quickly then rushed to Kollur (about 20 kms from there) to visit the very famous temple there before it closed for the night. Since we were rather late, there were not too many people, thankfully! Back to the camp…dinner, some packing, and a rather good night’s sleep.  

 Monday morning dawned (aah, the joy of missing work on a Monday morning!)…profusely thanking the hosts, we set off after breakfast towards the Nagara town. The food in the camp was wonderful…on one of the days, we even had a bamboo preparation!! The people who run this camp spoke the most impeccable Kannada I’ve ever heard. Initially it was difficult understanding them! No, it wasn’t a dialect, it was just pure Kannada. I cannot describe the joy in hearing someone talking without using slang and using perfect words to describe everything without interspersing their sentence invariably with English words :-) And their choice of words was something else altogether…

 Back on the road now, we stopped at the famous fort in Nagara. The fort was huge (I mean, obviously right?) and totally covered in grass. We pretty much explored the entire fort. Sadly, there was nobody there to tell us any story of the fort. The view from the top level of the fort was superb. We spent a little over an hour there and then started back to Bangalore. Stopped briefly in Shimoga for lunch. Reached Bangalore late in the evening (due to the numerous pitstops again…for the surrounding scenery and birds!)

I think we did this trip at the perfect time. Just after the monsoon, so all around, you could only see lush greenery and nothing else…even the ground everywhere was green with grass.  Just what we needed, after a ‘desert’ in our holiday calendar, we had this burst of green and some adventure. Complete rejuvenation if you ask me!