The 3 unforgettable days of my life- the story of my trip!

                                  The 3 Unforgettable days of my life - The story of my trip!

                                    

My succinct note and acknowledgements

           I have always been fascinated about globetrotting. This is an expansive account of my trip to Kodaikanal, which I have aptly titled as the “ 3 unforgettable days of my life” . It provides comprehensive details of my experiences on those 3 days starting from how the idea was born ,how it was conceptualised and how the small idea got implemented.

          It has almost been a year since this trip happened and all along, I had a strong urge to write about it. Somehow, it never got materialised. But, it was always on the back of my mind and I had certain doubts about the necessity of such an account and how people might react to it. But, I put all that to rest and finally made up my mind to put my experiences down on paper. This is purely an effort to satisfy my own creative instincts and for my own personal satisfaction. If it manages to impress any reader, it would be my pleasure. This has been written with a lot of sincerity and honesty and I hope it shows through. While writing this, I took the aid of my own memory and some photographs and it was a delightful jog  down the memory lane and  was gratifying to re-live those moments once again.

         Though it is quite long, I am sure it would be a breezy and enjoyable read and everyone can relate to the happenings. Writing this has given me a tremendous amount of contentment and I thank my own self and the divine will for not letting me ignore the call of my heart! With the blessings of god, my passive urge has  got transformed and this has become a reality.

         Read on with a pleasant smile………….

1.Birth and conceptualisation of a raw idea

        Life is simple, yet inexplicable sometimes. In today’s materialistic life, contentment and happiness are rare to come by as people want more and more out of their lives. A few days of doing the same thing again and again sets off monotony and boredom and we tend to seek some change to spice up life. Life in general has become stressfull, most of it self-induced and people hope to get off to some other places seeking a short change from the hustle and bustle of their daily lives.

       In a similar way, I was in my final semester of engineering and the routine had got monotonous and there was very little excitement in the days. I desperately wanted to do something that would re-instill excitement and vigour in me. One fine day, the thought of a short trip with friends struck me. From that day, I started mentally imagining myself going to some good places. I had been to some nearby places on bike many times, but this time, I wanted to push the envelope further and go on a longer trip with friends. While I was thinking of places, one place kept coming to my mind repeatedly. I would shun it off and start thinking again about other places, but it would not leave me! That magical place was Kodaikanal! No matter how many times I ignored it, it kept pulling me towards it and I don’t know why till this day!

       From childhood, I have always been attracted to hill stations, more than any other place. There is nothing in this world which gives me a better high than looking down the deep valleys atop a hill. It just feels like being on top of the world! Of the few hill stations that I have visited, I am just in love with Kodaikanal. Calm, serene, mesmerising and I can go on and on about it.

       After about a week of pondering over the places and imagining myself flying around in the sky in search of good places, I finally put forth the idea of a trip to my friends one day. Though the initial response was quite lukewarm, I did not leave it at that and persisted. I asked each one of them to suggest some ideas. While the discussion was going on, I silently dropped the names of Kodaikanal or Munnar. To my surprise, there was a unanimous vote for Kodai! That really lit up my heart and I was overjoyed. Though it might seem selfish on my part at first glance, it was not. I had given the total freedom to them to choose and there was no compulsion to accept my choice. I too had just given my suggestion. But, nevertheless ,it was a good choice and I was sure that we would have a good time there.

       Meanwhile, there was a test in college and all of us kept the matter of the trip aside for some days and focussed on the test. Once the test got over, my mind started pestering me again to restart the trip preparations and I readily obliged. But, there was a small roadblock! Parents’ consent! I am sure that to people of my age , this is  of concern and once this is done, the rest of the things start falling into place smoothly. So, I approached them with some amount of trepidation and told this idea, and to my consternation, their initial response was a bit negative , or to put it more bluntly, neither a yes, nor a no! This was a bit of a dampener for me ,but I somehow kept pushing my friends to make it, though not with the same conviction. The next 2 to 3 days were quite difficult and I was letting things drift by, as suddenly my own presence was not guaranteed. I was getting images of walking backwards from a hill and I was just hoping for the best.

       Luckily, soon after, I got the thing that I needed most at that time! My parents’ consent. Magically, adrenaline pumped up , enthusiasm returned and I went into an over-drive to make things happen fast. Till that point of time, it was a rudderless idea. Some horses were running in different directions, some had not yet started and it required a leader. I took on the mantle of the leader of the trip and from then on, I started calling my friends ,messaging them and motivated them to join the trip.

      But, unfortunately things were not moving the way I expected them to. Some were still undecided and were asking for more time. But things like this just drift apart if  postponed. This was a great opportunity and perhaps the last ,for us to go together and I sincerely started pushing everyone. There were days when I felt de-motivated as they were not showing enough interest. But, I showed enough resolve and encouraged myself to keep up the pressure and not let ego get the better of me. I even talked to one of my friend’s parent and convinced him to send his son. Slowly , but surely, things were improving and it was a good sign of moving in the right direction.

        Meanwhile, I along with my other friend Lokesh started looking at the possible dates and after some deliberations, we finally settled for April 1,2 and 3 for our trip and we informed the same to the rest. Probably, this had a positive bearing and it gave a precise direction to our efforts as more and more people agreed after giving the dates.

       The next task was to arrange the vehicle. I had decided that I would not impose myself or my wishes on others and would do everything in consultation with others. It is important to do this, as nobody should feel alienated and the leader should not come out as a dictator. My friend Lokesh,who played a very instrumental role throughout, told that he would arrange the vehicle from Mysore, and I readily agreed as a majority would come from Mysore. I must say that he had booked a very fine vehicle, a 13 seater Tempo Traveller popularly called a TT.

        My friends also wanted to see Ooty and so we decided to go via Ooty though it would take more time than the other route. I agreed to this as I did not want to disappoint anyone and any day, a drive through the lush green woods and amidst the tranquil nature is better than going on a dry highway with nothing around. They had instructed the agent to send the vehicle by 4 to a friend’s home and it was planned to reach Chamarajanagar by 6 AM.

        By March 28^th, everything had become crystal clear and 12 of us had started on this trip. The next 2 days were full of excitement and anticipation of that day and also a bit of nervousness about how the trip would fare, which is quite common. I made a meticulous list of the places to see in Kodai and extracted a lot of information about each place from the internet. The day before the trip was an exciting one with all of us busy in packing and we were waiting with bated breath for the D- day to arrive!

Day 1

2.The beginning of exciting times

        Finally, the day I had been waiting for arrived. I literally jumped out of bed by 4:30 AM and got fully ready by 6 o clock. But somehow it had got late in Mysore and the TT arrived at 7:30 near my home. It is always tough to wait when the excitement levels are high. Nevertheless, the vehicle had arrived and that was definitely not the time to entertain any unexciting thoughts. This was the first time that I was going alone on a trip for 3 days and more importantly, I was the one who had played a pivotal role to make it happen and I better had to make it count. With these thoughts, I stepped into the TT and I was greeted by the warm smiles of my friends!

       The TT started towards Gundlupet and my trip had begun. I looked out from the window. It was a bright, sunny morning with clear, blue skies which enlivened my mood. It just felt like the perfect day! It was a pleasant sight to see my mates chatting with one another and some had already begun their photo sessions and I just sat next to the window looking at the trees outside.  I was in a pensive mood and just needed to calm myself after all the hectic proceedings of the previous days. I hardly chatted with anyone and just allowed myself to relax till we stopped for breakfast in Gundlupet. All of us had the first breakfast of our trip and started again towards Tamil Nadu by about 9AM.

        We passed through the wildlife sanctuary Bandipur and sighted some different species of deer and a peacock. We hoped to catch a glimpse of a herd of elephants, but no such luck! The next place we reached was Masinadagudi and a few kilometres from there, we reached the starting point of the Ooty ghats. The road there is extremely dangerous with sharp hairpin bends and in a few sections, it is so steep that some vehicles were struggling to move ahead! Luckily, we had a good driver who could manoeuvre every challenge with ease. Some points presented a scintillating view of the surroundings and all of us were busy looking everywhere.  We had no tab on time and lo and behold, we were in Ooty by  10:30 AM!

                                                     3. The delightful Botanical garden

         Ooty in general does not have too many places for sightseeing. But, it is one of the most popular hill stations in India with a huge inflow of tourists. It is not a place for someone seeking solace or solitude as it has become highly commercialised. We told the driver to take us to the famous Botanical gardens. This place is a delight for the sore eyes with huge trees around , lush green gardens and lawns and mist covered mountains at a distance. It is very well maintained and you can see people everywhere. This garden was established in 1847 and there is also a rose garden, a glass house and so many different species of flora and it is a definite must watch for people who visit Ooty. We had a lot of fun here, clicked close to 50 photographs and were delighted by the magical nature around.

         It was already 12 PM by the time we came out of the garden and we decided to continue our journey. Our next stop was at Coonoor, another beautiful hill station, just 20 kilometres from Ooty. In fact, this place is much more serene than Ooty and those seeking some peace can definitely find it in this lovely little place. We went to a tea estate there, which was about 2 kilometres from the heart of the city.

4. Tea indulgence

         As we entered the estate and stepped out of the vehicle, what was before our eyes was a sight to behold! The tea estate was lush green and trees in the distance looked like sticks. The smell of the tea leaves was a treat for the olfactory senses! There were some well built posh bungalows as well and fortunate are those people to be living amidst such scenic beauty! A person took us inside the factory and showed us the various stages of preparing tea powder. It was very informative indeed. Coming out of the factory, we jumped into the tea plantation, brought out our cool glasses and clicked some lovely pictures for some time. There was a stall nearby which prepared various varieties of tea and he gave small sips of each variety. There was chocolate, ginger ,normal tea and another one which I am not able to recollect. I usually do not drink tea or coffee, but the taste of the chocolate tea that I had there lingers on till date! Just delicious! We had spent so much of time there and quickly boarded our vehicle to continue our journey. We could not visit some other places due to paucity of time and decided to move ahead. But, I was sure that we would not miss them much as Kodai offered a rich palette of places!  

                                                

                                                          5. Getting closer to the princess!

       By 3:30 PM, we had descended the ghats and reached Mettupalyam. A few kilometres after that city, we stopped for lunch. Everyone was hungry and the mere sight of food being served to other customers cooled our hungry bellies a bit! We had a sumptuous meal and came out satisfied. In the meantime, the driver had made some enquiries and got to know about a shortcut to Palani. We boarded the vehicle and from there it was a quiet journey. Some dozed off whereas some of us entertained ourselves by watching the evergreen comedy movie “Guru shishyaru”. One never gets bored of such wonderful movies! I regaled the moods of some by relating different characters from that movie to some mates and we had a hearty laugh! We reached Palani by about 6:15 PM and the vehicle slowly turned towards Kodai Ghats. I thought to myself  “Dear kodai, you have been pulling me all these days and here I am!! Coming soon” . A gentle breeze kissed my face and it was a wonderful feeling to be going again to my favourite place after more than 10 years! Most of my friends were fast asleep, and I plugged in my ipod, opened the window and started looking at the darkness outside, hearing  the  forceful sound of the engine as  the vehicle climbed the hills quite laboriously. Cool breeze was stroking my face and I must say that it was getting cooler and heavier with each turn! Finally, at about 8:30 PM, we entered Kodaikanal, the Princess of Hill Stations!!

        Our vehicle was moving slowly on the curvy roads of Kodai and a guide hopped on to our vehicle to guide us to a nice play to stay. The next 2 hours would rank amongst the most riveting hours of my life!

6. Encounter with fear!

        The guide made us stop near a cottage and was full of praise about it in his broken Kannada. We just went inside to have a look and were clearly unimpressed. We were about to get back to our vehicle when the guide returned again and promised a much better one. He started making frantic calls and asked us stay for a minute. Then, a white Indica arrived. In the meantime, we had a try at another hotel, but it was costly. Some of the guys in our group knew tamil and the guide talked something with them. He wanted us to try  another hotel in the vicinity. The driver of the white indica offered to take some of us there and we felt that it would be better if some of us would go there and see the things, rather than the whole group going together. So 3 of my friends got ready to go and the others asked me to go as well. This was a new kind of experience for me as I had not been involved in such tasks before in my life. I set out with an open mind as I was sure that it would be a good learning experience for me.

      So, I sat in the front seat and the other 3 sat behind. The car started slowly and some music started playing. I was just looking around the city for the first few seconds and curiously, the music being played was the of the kind used in horror movies and suddenly, the city had a power cut and it was truly a freaky drive. Devilish music, darkness , chilly weather ,unknown place! It was one helluva drive which I wont forget easily! In fact, I even turned around to see whether my friends were still there and was relieved after seeing their smiling faces! But, this was not to end soon. The car stopped somewhere and I just could not make out anything in that darkness for a few seconds. But the faint moonlight aided me to know that it was a hotel. The scary part continued as a short man came running towards our car carrying a torch and wearing a rug! Perfect setting for a spooky movie! I started humming random songs in my mind to divert myself! He led us into the hotel and opened the locks of the rooms. He showed the rooms by torchlight and they looked neat and the budget was also affordable. All 4 of us discussed and were game for it. I called up a friend waiting near our vehicle and provided all the details and after consulting everyone, we decided to stay there. But, I must confess that it was one of the scariest experiences I have had! phew!!

        We paid an advance and the indica driver took us back to the place where our vehicle was parked. Luckily, midway, power returned and I heaved a sigh of relief and started breathing normally again! A different challenge awaited us on return!

7. Biscuit dinner!

        It was already 10 PM by then and we had not had dinner. It was so late and most of the nearby hotels were closed. We got concerned about food and one of my friends noticed a non- vegetarian hotel in the vicinity. So, all the non vegetarians barged into that place to cool their hungry bellies. We, poor vegetarians did not find any place and we decided to satiate our hunger in a condiment store nearby. The others bought biscuits and bananas. I knew that only biscuits can give me some relief from hunger and I ate just a pack of biscuits with plenty of water and magically enough, I felt full. My hunger was completely gone! When pushed to the wall, our bodies can adapt to anything. How difficult it could be for poor people who cannot even afford one meal a day! I truly shuddered at this thought!

         I am not sure how many were really satisfied by what they had eaten, but nobody had any choice and the best thing was that no one complained. We then set off for the final drive of the day, to our hotel. While entering it the second time, I noticed the name “Sunny Dale Villa” (lights were on this time!!). we had booked 4 rooms and 3 members shared each room. It was really a nice place with spacious rooms, clean bathrooms and a Tv. I shared the room with 2 of my friends Mahesh and Pavan. I just walked into the others’ rooms and everyone were settled quite comfortably. It was nice to see everyone in a joyful mood and I returned to my room with a smile on my lips. It had been a long, fun filled, happy day with a bit of adventure towards the end as well! I was tired and closed my eyes recollecting the many good moments of the day and in anticipation of a better next day.

     

   

Day 2

8. Captivating morning

             I had kept the alarm at 6 AM and I literally jumped out of bed as soon as it rang. It was a chilly morning. I walked out of my room to the reception centre and looked out through the big windows. It was a sight to behold. The radiant sun was just about rising. The distant mountains were feebly visible in the mist and the sun looked like a giant orange and it was after a long time that I was watching sunrise and it was wonderful. The rustic background complemented it even further. I walked out of the hotel into the open and what a sight it was! Cool air wafted across my body and the gentle sunrays caressed my skin. The air was so fresh and had an extremely pleasing ,mild fragrance which can be felt only in hill stations. Mellow humming of birds and insects could also be heard and this was like enchanting music to the ears. I looked in the distant mist filled horizon and gazed at the shining sun and felt pure air enter into every part of my body. This was what my heart and soul were longing for and they were treated with a salubrious morning. This truly was a grand start to the day and one of the most unforgettable mornings of my life. By that time, most of my friends had woken up and we went for a short walk in that blissful morning. It was one of the more pleasant walks of my life and my eyes were treated to some beautiful flowers. We returned to the hotel to have our baths and get ready, but a dampener awaited us! 

9. Stimulating game of cricket

            When we returned to our rooms, we found out to our dismay that water had stopped! This was a real brake on the divine morning. When we enquired the people concerned, they told that a tanker would arrive in a short time. We had no other option but to wait. Thankfully, someone came up with a brilliant idea to play cricket and each of us had a ball of a time playing our favourite game. Those were moments of laughter and joy and a great opportunity to strengthen our bonds . It gave me a chance to gel well with those who I was not too familiar with. We played for almost an hour and a half and the tanker finally arrived to everyone’s relief. We got ready in a jiffy, for we had an eventful day ahead and we were already late.

10. The enthralling walk

            In a short while, our sojourn for day 2 began after having breakfast at a nearby restaurant. It was already around 11 AM and we were in a hurry to make up for the lost time. Our first stop was Coaker’s walk. It is one of the most famous places in Kodai , which is a 1 km narrow pedestrian path constructed by Lt Coaker in 1872. This is a place with terrific scenic beauty and offers a brilliant viewpoint of the valleys beneath. Watching sunrise from here would have been even more spectacular. The clouds seemed like smoke from there  and one could literally see them moving fast. Another majestic sight was the covering and uncovering of the landscape in seconds by mist! At one instant, there would be emptiness everywhere with the heavy mist covering the whole view completely and the next instant, a small part of the valleys and distant hills would be visible! Truly remarkable! One humorous incident here was that my friend asked me to pose for a picture. I looked around and everything was covered by mist. When I saw the photo later, I was perplexed to see a tree right behind me! The mist had completely tricked me! Just beside this famous walk is the Kodai resort and it brought back memories of my visit many years ago, when I was a kid. Special memories!

           Just a few metres from the Coaker’s walk is the Bryant park. This is again a very well maintained ecological park and houses a glass house which has a wide variety of flowers, ferns and some ornamental plants. It is a nice place to have a brisk walk in the mornings or evenings amidst this superb greenery. There was also a lush green lawn and it was so good that I felt like rolling over it! Nice place!

11. Incredible time in the lake

           Our next stop was the famous Kodai lake, just a stone’s throw away from the Bryant park. This is one of the main tourist attractions and is definitely a place worth visiting. It is an artificial star shaped lake built by Sir Henry Levinge. We hired 3 boats and started our memorable boat ride. They were 4 seater boats with 2 pedals at the front and the 2 sitting behind could just sit comfortably and enjoy the scenic richness. I, and my friend Sachin took on the pedalling jobs of our boat. The weather was glorious and we just pedalled along leisurely soaking in every bit of the picturesque surroundings. Our boat moved slowly in the calm , still water of the lake whereas the other 2 boats had sped along quite far. But, I would prefer moving ahead slowly feeling the cool air and admiring the tranquillity around. It is a perfect opportunity to be laidback and have a peaceful outing. It is not everyday that we get such a chance to let our foot off the frenetic pace of our everyday lives and I am happy that we were doing just that. The famous Carlton hotel is by the side of the lake and it is one of the star attractions there. We slowly moved to the other end of the lake and I could see everyone having a good time clicking pictures and enjoying the boat ride. Ice creams and other items are sold at the other bank and we bought some ice creams. Having an ice cream in that pleasant weather was good! Then, some decided to have a race to the other end and we knew it would be fun!

           All the 3 boats started at the same point . Meanwhile, in our boat, we had interchanged positions and I sat behind enjoying the ice cream while the others were deeply involved in the race. I mentally switched off from the race and was just lost in the beauty around. After a few minutes, I was back to reality by the constant shouting of my friends. I turned around to see our position and we were in the third position and quite far behind the other 2. Then ,we quickly interchanged positions again and I was back in the front. I mustered all my strength and pedalled hard for ten minutes. I could see my friend beside putting in a lot of effort as well and thus, we were able to cut the distance quite well and in fact, we were neck to neck for the 2^nd place. But I got tired and a long, gruelling schedule awaited us. We had to cover a lot many places still, which required that I conserve my energy. So, I gave up and we were quite happy to finish 3^rd. More than the end result, it was the process that led to the eventual result which was fun filled and that mattered more. But , it was a thrilling experience and all of us had a whale of a time .

        

12. The king of good times?

The boating was fabulous to say the least and we jumped out of the boats with happiness. The smiles got wider by the sight of tall, well built and toned horses. Most of us jumped up at this opportunity and I got a short ride on a tall black horse. The horse started slowly and gently increased its pace and in a few moments, it started running majestically in long gallops. I felt like some olden age king and it was a royal experience! Long winding road, mist covered lake beside , huge trees providing shade and me on top of a big horse! Bliss!

        

13. Upper lake view

         So far, it had been a brilliant day and we boarded our vehicle with cheer in our hearts. Our next stop was the ‘upper lake view’. This provides a fabulous panoramic view of the lake from atop a small hill. We could see the star shape of the lake, the boathouse and also the Carlton hotel from above. It was a nice scenery and we clicked some nice photos.

        In the vicinity, there were some stores which sold handicrafts and the like. I just put on a cowboy hat and looked the same I guess! I went back to the vehicle and took some rest while others were still shopping. A few minutes later, everyone was back to the TT and I instructed the driver to go towards ‘Green valley view’, which in hindsight might have been the wrong decision. It was about 2PM and time for lunch. But, I thought that we would get a good hotel on the way, which was not to be.

       One thing that I could not understand in Kodai was the lack of proper signboards to the tourist spots. It is such a beautiful place with mindblowing tourist spots. It would be better served if it has proper directions to all the places. Strange thing really!

        So, in a few minutes, we reached the green valley viewpoint, also called the ‘Suicide point’. This place has an almost vertical drop and has been aptly named as the suicide point! I am not sure of whether even a single piece of the body can be found if one falls from here. Luckily, or unluckily for some, the place is well fenced now. Unfortunately, at the time we went there, the entire landscape was covered by mist and we could not get a glimpse of anything. I later saw a photo of this place and we truly missed an amazing view of the parrot green valleys beneath. We waited for ten minutes for the mist to clear a bit, but it had other ideas and got thicker. It was a disappointment for us, nevertheless, we decided to march on.

14. Magic rocks ecstasy

        Our next stop was the famous ‘Pillar rocks’. On the way, I saw the verdant  Kodai golf course. It is truly a treat to play golf in such a serene place amidst nature’s lap. All golf enthusiasts should just pack their bags and come to this place to get a feel of playing in such a spellbinding climate and location. I just closed my eyes and took a deep breath. I was truly on a wonderful trip.

   The vehicle had reached near the pillar rocks and we alighted with the hope of seeing the splendid rocks. But the scene which awaited us was  dismaying to say the least. As in green valley view, here too, mist and clouds had totally covered everything. I was very disappointed and was just gazing at the white clouds and mist with a grim face. It is such a popular place and all we were getting to see were clouds! I was wondering with sadness whether I had to go that far to see white clouds! I just looked up at the sky despondently and turned around. It seemed like god heard my prayers and miraculously enough, a small part got cleared. My friend excitedly shook me to look at where he was pointing. At a short distance, I could see unclearly something brown in colour. A few seconds later, a dark outline appeared which seemed like a light  line drawn in a pencil on a white paper! After a while, something like a gopura of a temple got unveiled. Things were unfolding like a frame by frame reel and honestly, this was one of the most spellbinding views I have ever come across in my entire life. A  few moments later, I could see another huge thing beside the one I had seen and in a short while, another one!! This was mesmerising to say the least. Three huge 400 feet rock boulders standing majestically to offer an awe-inspiring view! Everything was happening stage by stage as though by divine ordinance , and it was spectacular. My words can not describe what had happened in those few minutes and no adjective can possibly describe the exact picture. It was to be seen to be believed and I was fortunate enough to be a witness to this marvellous spectacle. God is truly kind! I was lucky enough to capture this stage-by-stage process and miraculously, after our shutterbugs closed, the mist and clouds again covered the entire thing! Phew, nobody can understand the intricacies of nature. This one sight was worth all the money spent on the trip and to put it in layman terms, “paisa vasool”!!

     

    

15. Devil’s Kitchen!!

      With great contentment and unbridled joy, I stepped onto the vehicle and instructed the driver to move towards the Guna caves which is just about 1 Km from the Pillar rocks. This is one of the most dangerous places in Kodai and I was very excited to see this place.

      In 5 minutes, we reached the caves and stepped down from the TT. The entrance did not suggest anything dangerous. The whole place was dotted by pine trees. But one thing I noticed there was that the big roots of the trees had extended above the ground for some trees and the place got creepier as we advanced. As we moved a little further, we got to see the cave entrance. Most of it was fenced and it was just a vertical fall below. It is said that many people who have entered these caves have not returned! So, this place is also known as “The Devil’s kitchen”. Perfect name for such a place! None of us dared to go inside and were quite happy to roam around in the surroundings. It has all the trappings of a desolate haunted place and I don’t think anybody in their right senses would try to venture here at night! We moved a bit further from the caves to another place which was also fenced and that place too seemed like a perfect suicide point if not for the fence! I peeped from over the fence and just could not see the ground! Spooky place indeed! These caves became famous after the legendary Kamal Haasan shot his movie “Guna”. We clicked lots of photos near the caves and also near those huge roots and returned. What a scary kitchen the devils have made! Good job!

        It was already 4 o clock by then and we had not had lunch. The next place on my list was ‘Dolphin’s nose’, which I knew required trekking. So, I placed the facts before everyone and left the decision to them. There were 2 options : 1. Get back, have lunch and come to Dolphin’s nose the next day.   2.  Finish it off and go back for the day once and for all. They decided the latter and I was game for anything. When you are enjoying the things and having a great time, things like hunger will not bother you. We reached the way to the Dolphin nose beyond which our vehicle could not go as the path ahead was too narrow. All of us had light refreshments in the form of biscuits, cool drinks, chips et all. I knew that the trek would be adventurous and tiring, but  a great time awaited us!

16. Dolphin’s nose - deja vu

        A narrow road leads to the point and after about 1 km, it is a steep mud path. This is an ideal place for adventure buffs and nature lovers. Right through the 2 km trek, there are some lovely views of the hills , valleys and distant villages. The sun was bright then and a peak literally shined in the glistening rays of the sun. We could see some people climbing up the steep path huffing and puffing. It really was an arduous task  to climb up this steep terrain and in a short while, we would be in their position! It was déjà vu for me as I still had vivid memories of the trek many years ago and nothing much had changed there. I moved ahead briskly, soaking in the beauty of the surroundings and occasionally chatting with friends. There were some tricky points and we had to be very careful. I was the fourth one to reach the final point and 3 of my friends had already reached the spot. I could see the magnificent Dolphin’s nose rock from a short distance. It is a flat rock which projects over an extremely scary chasm , which I am told is atleast 7,000 feet deep!

        But I found 2 of my friends frantically searching something and as soon as they saw me, they exclaimed “where is the Dolphin’s nose??!!” that was the most funny incident in the trip! They were standing precisely on that rock and asking where it was!! Hilarious! A special mention must also be made to my friend Pavan who was sitting on the rock like a corpse!! They could not believe my words for some time and later when I explained that the protruding road resembled the nose of a dolphin, they were convinced. Funny incident though.

         I just stood there looking at the heavenly surroundings and appreciating the enigmatic nature. This nature has such priceless treasures in its bounty and we are fortunate to be able to experience its varied gifts. Such marvels are not just to be seen; they are to be felt and experienced. I would love to go to that place alone and just sit there experiencing the wondrous nature and feeling the solitude that it offers for free. It would be a memorable experience to go deep into my own soul and form a connection with it to feel the mortality of the gross physical body and the immortality of the soul. How great it would be to sit there alone and feel the silence! But these things have to wait as my friends were present there and it was not possible to do all that. So, maybe some other time!

       Coming back to the real world, all my friends were busy clicking pictures and each of us took turns to go the far end of the rock to a safe place and got clicked! Though I wanted to peep down from there, I somehow did not. It was getting late and was time to say good-bye to Dolphin nose and we began the difficult trek upwards.   

      Even we started huffing and puffing quite soon. We would sit for a few minutes and resume our trek upwards. Everyone was tired, but using every ounce of energy to move ahead. Though the energy levels had dropped, the amusement levels were quite intact and we were trekking up chatting and laughing and by teasing some friends. Midway, some gave up and climbed up a jeep which carried them near out TT. But, I along with some others continued our trek. It is not every day that we do such stuff and I wanted to experience it to the hilt. Finally by about 6 PM, we were back to the starting point. Hurrah! What a thrilling trek! It was an exhilarating experience.

     I drank lots of water after getting back. It was a tiring trek and none of us had had a proper lunch. The pambar falls was just beside where our vehicle was parked. I showed it to my friends. It was dry and a small stream was flowing with water falling from a rock like a thread! It might be a good sight during the monsoon , but it is a very small falls and nothing exciting, even if it had been in full flow.

      Finally, all the tired bodies dragged themselves on to the TT and we instructed the driver to take us back to the hotel. Nobody talked during the journey apart from a very amusing question by one friend. He asked “where was the Dolphin HOUSE??!!!”.Oops!! A real unintended mood lightener! So, It had been a remarkable day thus far ,but all of us were tired and longed to get back to our rooms!

      We reached our hotel and everyone just went to their respective rooms  and relaxed a bit. We decided to go for dinner early as our hungry stomachs were crying out! So we left our hotel at 7:30 and walked to the nearby restaurant. Somewhere, I was responsible for us not having lunch. Had I made the decision to have lunch first and then proceed, things might have been different . But, these things happen sometimes and it was a part of the learning process for me and I took it in my stride resolving to be more careful in future. Thankfully, nobody complained about these things as the primary thing in their minds was to have fun and when there are like minds on a trip, it is bound to be a success. More than that, there will not be any skirmishes or problems.

       It was a good walk to the restaurant and everyone ordered whatever they wanted and ate to their heart’s content. There was fun, laughter, chatter, reflections of the wonderful moments of the day and it was a memorable dinner. After dinner ,we just went on a short drive to the lake and it was a pleasure to see the lake in the night. The water reflected the moonlight and our vehicle went round the whole lake. It was an enchanting short drive. We got back to the hotel and started chatting and what followed was one of the highlights of our trip!

17. Sultry fire in the chill!

         One of my friends got the idea of a campfire and everyone got excited by it. When the hotel staff were asked to arrange it, they quoted an unreasonable amount which was not acceptable. So my friends decided to do it themselves! Meanwhile, I was very tired and surprisingly, I had fallen asleep when the others were busy in preparing the fire. In fact, someone woke me up and asked me to join them, but I was not in the mood for that and declined. I don’t know what happened after that as I went into deep sleep. After some time, I felt like someone was calling me. But I was in too deep a sleep to wake up. It was only after he started pulling my hand that I woke up and he asked me one last time whether I would like to join! That short nap had really helped me and I was charged again! I got up from the chair, washed my face, took my camera and darted forward with him.

        It was a cold night and I stepped out into the lawn. My friends had already prepared the fire and were having a rollicking time. The one who was walking with me told that they had ventured out in search of wood and had also managed to get firewood! The hotel staff had given kerosene and the fire was lit! It was really a tremendous job from each one of them and hats off to the guys! They were sitting around the fire warming themselves in that chill. Some were having fun by making weird sounds and it was a joyous occasion. I started clicking pictures, which I am sure will make everyone present there nostalgic even after 50 years. Till the fire waned out, I was busy capturing those moments and thus ended the superb campfire. I had not done any work there and was just a spectator, but I more than made up for it by becoming the photographer of that wonderful occasion. I truly would have missed something special if I had continued to sleep! Each of us bonded well with one another and strengthened our friendships. This was definitely the big highlight of the trip!

         After getting inside, many guys started playing cards and I preferred to take some much needed rest as it was already past 11. Day 2 had been a glorious day. We had covered many places and there were many more to see in the paradise called Kodai. Day 3 being the final day, we had to make the most of it. I chose to focus on the present which was so charming and pleasant. The past events of the day were splendid and I closed my eyes in anticipation of an even better day 3.

Day 3

17. Rhythm Divine

       As usual, I got up at 6AM and it was another peaceful morning. The sun looked like a deep orange ball even today . I just walked around in the lawn taking in the pristine air , hearing the sweet and mellow humming of birds and occasionally gazing at the sun who looked different each time. This beautiful morning completely re-invigorated and replenished me.

     That day, all of us were in a hurry as we had to cover a lot many places. But, we faced the same water problem again. But, luckily it was set right soon and all of us were ready by 8AM. We decided to visit the famous Kurunji Andavar temple and then go for breakfast. The temple was very near to our hotel and we reached there in 5 minutes. It is a traditional South Indian temple dedicated to Lord Murugan. Here, the kurunji flower blooms once in 12 years and thus the temple is named that way. We went inside the serene temple and had a divine darshan of the all pervading, omnipotent Lord and the priest gave the aarathi and the prasadam. I circumambulated the sanctum sanctorum and bowed humbly before the God. It was a perfect start for the day with the divine blessings of the Lord.

       Just beside the temple, there is a viewpoint called “palani hills view”. It is another picturesque locale and gives a good view of the hills, valleys, villages and a dam. A nice way to start the day!

      We then headed for breakfast and on the way, we got the Chettiar park. It looked a small park and having seen the Ooty botanical gardens and Bryant park, this paled in comparison to them and we decided to move on. We had a good breakfast at the same restaurant as the previous day. We had taken a liking to that hotel as the food was good and rates were affordable as well. We then headed to the Bear Shola falls.

18.  Beguiling Bear Shola

      Our vehicle reached a point beyond which it was not permitted to move ahead. There was a long, narrow road ahead and we had to pay a nominal fee to go on that path. It was nice to walk after the breakfast . The weather that day was hotter than the previous day and the sun was shining in full glory. The sky was regal blue with small clouds resembling cotton. It was a thick forest with an old road in the middle. I could see a thin fencing on either side of the road, the purpose of which I could not fathom at the beginning. But soon enough, I got to know why!!

       My friends who were ahead had stopped and were looking curiously at something. Some of them were hurriedly capturing something. I went up to them and asked about it. One of my friends pointed at a tree some 20m away. I gazed at that direction, but could not see anything special. He again pointed in that direction and I observed attentively this time and I had a glimpse of a wild, majestic bison with sharp curled horns. It was looking menacingly in our direction and I felt like it was posing stylishly for the cameras! These wild animals do give excellent poses. We, humans are not the only ones who love the camera! A good sighting.

        We then moved ahead admiring the dense, green jungle and in a few minutes reached the falls. It is said that bears frequent this place to quench their thirst and the forest here is called the Shola forest and that explains the name of the falls. I must say the falls is located in a wonderful setting. Lush green thick jungle around and an air of calmness yet unadulterated by human intervention. Though there was no water and it was almost dry, we were not disappointed. The serene and exotic nature around more than made up for the lack of water, and refreshed our senses. We climbed up the rocks to get an even better view of the surroundings. From the top, we could see some mist covered, green and blue hills and the guys who did not climb up clicked our pictures from below. I could hear the chirping of birds which sounded absolutely mellifluous. After spending some good time, we got down and walked back happily to our vehicle. In Tamil, Kodaikanal stands for “Gift of the forest” and I would second that without any hesitation. It is truly a gift!

       

19. The enthralling Silent Valley

       The next place on my list was ‘Silent valley view’, which is on the same road as Pillar rocks and the like. There is a watch tower here which aids people to have a look at the mystical surroundings. We climbed up the tower to catch a glimpse of the ethereal views. It is said that whatever we shout here echoes back. But we did not try that somehow. There were many people around and they were all watching the view with silence, admiring the beauty. It would have been odd for us to shout! The best part about the many viewpoints is that each one brings something new to the table and for a nature buff, it is a real treat. I clicked some photos and we started for the next destination.

       

20. Pine Photoshoot

            A few kilometres from the viewpoint, we reached the pine forest. At the outset, it did not excite my pals. But, somehow, I felt like we could have a good time there and  I had an inkling that photo enthusiasts would have a field day there and I was right! Most of them reluctantly agreed to have a look and took a few minutes to warm up to the place, but eventually they were floored by the long and lean pine trees!

         The forest was just about the pine trees and the best thing was that we just needed to pick a spot to let loose the shutterbugs! We had seriously terrific fun there by clicking dozens of photographs. Someone started getting clicked mid-air while jumping and all of us spent at least 20 minutes doing this. We would jump as high as possible with arms outstretched and the one handling the camera had to click while we were mid air. The reflexes of the photographer were put to test here as he had to click at precisely the exact moment and a minute lapse on his part would render the effort useless. Thankfully, whoever clicked including me were precise and accurate and it resulted in some super cool photos in the backdrop of the awesome pine tree forest. All of us were completely engrossed in the photo shoot and the driver had to remind us to get back! All in all, it was a fabulous experience and everybody had a blast. It was the perfect opportunity to let our hair down and make optimum use of the time and we did it. In particular , I too chilled out and loosened the self induced grip on myself and had a wonderful time. It is nice to do such things once in a while for a change and as soon as we got back to the vehicle, I was back to my usual self. Nice change though!

       

21. Astrophysical dreamland!!

         Our next stop was the solar astrophysical observatory, which houses a museum. Cameras were not allowed inside and it was really a disappointment as I would have liked to capture the stunning environment inside the compound. There was a small road, lined on both sides by gigantic trees with different hues and varieties of leaves. The trunk of some trees were so massive that I was dumbstruck by them. The atmosphere there was so calm, pure and pristine and it regaled me. As I walked along, I wondered how charming it would be to walk around here during sunrise and sunset and I was totally lost in the beauty of the surroundings!

         The museum looked like a house and we entered inside. There were plenty of charts, photographs and models which would be of great interest to someone from astronomy background. I looked around curiously , reading the charts with intent. I got to know that the Evershed effect was discovered here! It is the phenomenon of radial motion in sun spots. There was also a telescope, but the museum staff did not allow us to use it. After having a look at everything, we walked out of the museum . I, along with 2 others walked back slowly, chatting together and absorbing the enrapturing beauty around us. We reached the gate and I looked back again with a twinkle in my eyes and with quite a heavy heart. It was just ……beautiful!!

     22. We missed you!

          We had completed almost everything that was on our list. We could not see 2 more viewpoints as some locals mis-guided us and there were no directions or proper information about them. One more place to miss out was the Shenbeganur museum of flora., which houses the unique flora of Kodai. The timings of the museum were not to our convenience on both the days and we had to skip it. We also skipped the Berijam lake, which is supposed to be a great place for a picnic. But it required permission from some office and we did not have enough time. It remains a regret though that we could not see this lake which is supposed to be an extremely beautiful, natural lake with breathtaking surroundings!

                                                             

23. Vintage Kodai-Romance blossoms!

           It was around 12:30 PM and we decided to have our lunch. So, we returned to the centre of the city and searched good hotels. I spotted a Dominos Pizza outlet and decided to have hot, mouth watering pizzas. The others went to some other hotel. But, by the time I could push the door, most of my friends were behind me! They too had decided to have pizzas and it was great! We ordered pizzas of our choices and they were as usual delicious! We chatted happily till we finished the meal and had a mini photo session there as well! Some of us had become obsessed with photos! By the time we came out, the climate had taken a U-turn surprisingly and the sunny, bright day had changed to a cloudy day in such a short time! Vagaries of nature!

          It was drizzling and when I looked at the sky, it seemed like a heavy downpour was certain. We quickly got into the TT and hurried towards the lake as many wanted to shop. The road around the lake is lined by a melange of shops. There are many homemade chocolate shops, handicrafts shops, general stores and the like. Everybody started shopping in the shops of their choice. I just walked around the place and had a close look at all the shops. I managed to irritate many shopkeepers by looking at the products they offered with great intensity, as though I would surely give them some business. But, I would nonchalantly turn back and go the next store! It was good time pass for me, but I did feel sorry for the shopkeepers though! Finally, I made up my mind to buy some nice, homemade chocolates and carefully selected a good assortment of delicious ones and my shopping was over.

         I looked around for my friends. Most of them were busy in shopping. So, I just started walking on the pavement adjacent to the lake and what a heavenly experience it was! The weather was so charming that it could bring joy to any person with any kind of mood. I just soaked in the lovely, damp weather. The distant hills were completely covered, the light drizzle had brought in an aura of freshness to the whole environment and the lake was completely tranquil which could make even a stone to melt and become romantic! I thought aloud “I am in love with this place!”. A romantic poet like a Keats could have come out with a classic in such a paradise like setting where the romance in the heart would have made the words flow like a perennial river on the paper!

         

24. Silver Cascade

           After some time, everyone returned and it was time to leave the princess. The Silver cascade falls was the only thing remaining to see and it would be on the way. In a few minutes, we reached the location. Some were pretty tired and chose to stay back in the vehicle. It is by the side of the Ghat road and when in full flow, it will be a pretty sight. But, water was trickling down like small threads. It was summer and such a sight is pretty obvious. We were informed that during monsoon when it is in its full splendour, the water cascades from the rock like a silver flash. Nevertheless, we clicked some pictures of the thread like water falling down and moved to our vehicle. The photos are a great way to make us remember the wonderful time spent. Twenty years down the line, we might have forgotten about the trip and the places seen. But these photos bring back the golden memories like a flood. More than bringing back memories of the places, they remind us the special moments spent. Every photo has its own story and it would be a pleasure to recollect the stories each photo tells, in the distant future. I was not aware of these things some years ago, but  after getting first hand experience about it, I make sure to capture more and more photos and I have about 600 photos of the trip in my camera and overall more than 1500 photos!! A proud collection!

          

25. Painful farewell

         I sat down on my seat and everyone else took their respective positions. The engine revved up and started. The vehicle started moving forward and I came to grips with the reality. The trip was almost over and I was about to leave this magnificent hill station. What joy, fun , elation , peace , solace ,excitement it had given me for 2 days! The place had completely rejuvenated my tired and passive mind and had given me new reasons to have a better outlook towards life. For a few minutes, my mind just became blank and it was difficult for me to accept that we had left kodai as It had formed a bond with me in those 2 days. It was drawing me towards it for a month and even after visiting it, I could not decipher the reason for that mysterious happening. Even after experiencing every place to the hilt, I was getting a feeling of emptiness or to put it more precisely ,incompleteness. Kodai, for me must be like vintage wine that gets better with each day! I don’t know when I will get complete satisfaction. I guess some things are better left to the divine will.

          I forced such thoughts out of my mind and recollected the many golden moments we had had over the past few days and looked out of the window with a tinge of mixed emotions. Most of my friends were sleeping during the descent from the hill and I started observing the breathtaking views on offer in some points as the vehicle slowly descended the hill and it was getting hotter with each turn! Kodai will always have a special place in my heart!

        After some time, we had completely descended the ghats and reached Palani by about 4:30PM. We had planned to visit the famous temple there. But, there was huge rush and we did not get the confidence that we could be back soon enough. The driver had to leave for Goa early next morning and we decided to move on. Things got a bit spicier for the guys who were bored, in a short while!

26. Highway cricket!

        We had moved quite far from Palani and by about 5:30 PM, the vehicle suddenly slowed down and the driver parked it on the side of the highway. On enquiring, it was found that the vehicle had run out of fuel. The driver had taken a huge risk by not re-fuelling in Palani, in the hope of reloading on the highway! But to his mis-fortune, he had not found any bunk till then and the vehicle had stopped. The driver got into a lorry to bring diesel. This was a challenging situation for all of us , but actually our spirits got lifted due to this. Funny thing! We were making jokes and laughing heartily. After sometime, somebody pulled out the cricket bats and we were playing cricket on the side of the highway! I had never done something as strange as this, but it was good fun!

       

27. The smiling saviour

       The cricket stopped after it got a bit dark. After about 45 minutes, the driver returned in another lorry and all of us helped him to put the fuel inside the tank. So, everyone got inside with glee and settled comfortably in their positions, but this was very short-lived! The vehicle did not start at all and the glee on our faces quickly turned to misery! It was pretty dark by then and whatever the driver tried did not work. Faces got tense, spirits and voices dropped and a grim atmosphere prevailed for the next 15 minutes.

      We were concerned about it for a while and maybe by divine intervention, someone came by a goods auto and stopped seeing our vehicle. A frail, middle aged man stepped out of the auto and enquired about the matter in good Kannada! When he got to know about it, he had a thorough glance at the things. He worked intently for 5 minutes and asked the driver to start. To everybody’s amazement, the vehicle started. Hurrah! Most guys shouted out loud and happy faces returned with relief written large on them. That nice man deserved a hundred thanks and all of us were highly grateful to him and extended our sincere gratitude. He stepped on to his auto and left with a smile. Phew, this trip had everything it! All the ingredients required for a feel good, masala movie!

                                                          28. The end of the remarkable trip

      Our return journey resumed at about 7:15 PM and the last part of the journey was very smooth. We passed time well by playing some games. Though I was feeling sleepy, I did not want to miss out on the fun in the fag end of the trip and joined. None of us knew how time flew by as we had a good time playing. The appreciable thing was that the spirits were still high and our trip was coming to an end on a near perfect note. By about 8:30 PM, we reached a place called Annur and had our dinner. We were in no hurry and took our own time and got back to the vehicle by 10PM and the final leg of the journey began.

       It had been a tiring day and most of the guys slept. I and my friend Kaushik were awake right through and were chatting intermittently. We passed through the dangerous , steep Dimbum ghats where a few had some difficulties. But there was nothing serious and in a few hours, we crossed over to Karnataka and it was a good feeling to get back to our land after 3 days. Normally, return journeys are tedious , cumbersome and boring. Even if they are not, we feel that way. But surprisingly, we did not have such experiences and the happiness quotient in the return journey too was quite high and the spirits had dropped very rarely. We had had a rollicking time for 3 days and our return journey too was very pleasant, which was memorable.

      Finally, by about 1:15AM, we reached Chamarajanagar and the TT stopped in front of my home. A magnificent trip on all aspects had ended and I got down with a heavy heart. Everyone shook my hand and bid good-bye to me. I too thanked them, bid goodbye and opened the gate of my house. 3 unforgettable days of my life had ended thus!

29. Profound musings of the 3 unforgettable days!

       As I reminisce about this trip, everybody contributed positively to the trip and there was not a single fight, mis-understanding or skirmishes of any kind. Everyone was on the same path and this, to me, made all the difference and was the main factor for the super success of the trip. At various stages, different people put their hands up to accomplish the tasks and due to this collective effort, this trip became a milestone in our lives. I am not sure about others, but it is definitely a milestone in my life. In those 3 days, there was no necessity of a leader as everyone led themselves instinctively and this had a huge positive impact. It could have ended as a damp squib without proper co-operation from each individual , but the grand success of the trip stands testimony to every person’s efforts and it would not have been possible without my friends’ support. For 3 days, we were like a family , understood each other better and forged some lifelong friendships. It was not just about having fun; I am sure that everyone would have learnt something from this trip which would have a positive bearing on their personality in future. As I have indicated many times, we bonded and gelled well excellently. These 3 days are something that I will cherish throughout my life!

       I have always believed that book knowledge is of use only to a certain extent. But to come up trumps in the battle of life requires more than just book knowledge. One should have been to places and done certain things to get the real feel of life. There is no substitute for experience and I got a much needed opportunity to get vital experience. I consider this to be a very prominent point in my life and a very important learning curve which broadened my horizons. It fuelled my growth as a person and as a human being. There were no negative effects on my personality and I consider each and everything as a lesson. The 3 days had gone by in a jiffy and it looked like a dream , a magical dream! It was one of the best trips that I had been a part of and I am very thankful to all my friends and parents who made it possible. What made it even more special was that it was conceptualised by me and I had played a very crucial part to make it happen. The success of the trip was like the icing on the cake. But it was not a cakewalk by any means. There were obstacles along the way and I was able to cross over them with confidence and grit. It is not just the end result which matters, but also the journey along the way, which leads to the end result and I have every reason to be proud of both!

      I would like to end this account by this quote  “Life is a great big canvas, and you should throw all the paint on it you can” . These three days surely threw enough paint on my canvas!