THE WEEKEND TREKKER

B. Ravi

Ithappenseveryweekend.ComeFridayandthereisacallofthewilderness,beckoningtorediscoverthejoyandthrillofexploringthemysteriesofnature.Fortunately,therearequiteafewwhosharethesefeelingsandthereisalwayscompanyavailableonsuchmissionsofadventure.Karnatatastate,India,isbountifulasregardsnaturaltreasures.Majesticmountains,gorgeousgorges,wonderfulwater‐fallsandfantasticforestsmakeitatrekker'sparadise.TheWesternGhatsrunningthroughthelengthofthestate,thebeautifulNilgiriRangeintheSouth,riverCauverywithitsfrothywaterfalls,wildlifeandbirdsanctuaries,andtheregionaroundthemanylakesscatteredthroughoutthestateofferaninfinitenumberofroutes.ThereareseveralplacesaroundBangalore,withinahundredkilometers,providingexcellentopportunitiesforaoneortwodaytreks,idealforaweekend. OneofourearliestexperienceswasintheWesternGhats,fromSakleshpurtoYedekumari.There,anarrowgaugerailwayconnectingthesetwoplacesservesastheguide.Thetrackhugstheforestcoveredmountainsandtherearesheerdropsofseveralhundredfeetontheotherside. WehadtrekkedthereinOctober(1989),justaftertherains,andtherewaslushgreeneryallaround.Istillvividlyrememberthemagicmomentsastheearlymorningfoglifted,likethecurtainsonastage,revealingthegreenpaddyfieldsglisteningintheraysfilteredthroughclouds,shadowlikeforestsbehindthem,andviolethuedmountainsrisingbeyond.Therewasadventuretoo,intheformofrailwaybridgestobecrossedusingafoot‐wideironstriprunningthroughthemiddle:aftersometimeyoufeelstationaryandtherailsseemtobemovingintheoppositedirection.Theviewdirectlybelowisbothterrificandterrible.Thentherewerepitchdarktunnels,afewmeterstoakilometerlong,someofthemwithscreechinghordesofbatsandwaterdrippingfromtheroof–fitforatypicalhorrormoviescene. ThereareseveralriversandfastflowingmountainbrooksintheWesternGhats.Oneofthethingswelookforwardtoinatrekisasplashinoneofthematnoon‐time.NearYedekumaritherewasafabuloussettinginasecludedspot,withcoolcrystalclearwaterflowingthroughrocks.Thesoundsofsplashingwaterandoccasionalbirdcallsmakesitirresistibletoleave.

HighonrailwaytracksnearSakleshpur Forthemostpart,thetrekledthroughthickforestsandthinlypopulatedareas.Wildliferangingfromsnakestoelephantsisreportedhere.TheguardofthegoodstraininwhichwetravelledthelastparttoKukkeSubramanyatoldusaboutthemanwhosatonalogofwoodinthejungle,onlytodiscoverthatitwasahugepython.Wewenttothisregionagainthenextyear,butinthemiddleofsummer(May1990),andthistimetrekkedintheoppositedirection,fromShrivagilutoYedekumari.Againthetunnels,bridgesandgreenforests.Therailwaytrackisatagreatheight,oftenparalleltotheriverdownbelowandroadontheotherside,whicharevisibleformostoftheroute.Thickforestsseparatethetwo.Thistimeweenteredthejungleatapointinanattempttoreachtheriver.Buthadtogiveup,andrunbackforsafety:therewasaherdofwildelephants.Whenwewereinthemiddleofoneofthetunnels,halfakmlong,atrainwasuponussuddenly.Weflattenedagainstthewallsofthetunnel.Theroarofthetrainwasdeafening. Itistheelementsofriskanddangerthataddexcitement.DuringthetrekfromSamsetoKudremukhinNovember,welostourway,eventhetrail.Densetreessurroundedonallsidesandsinceitwasnoon,itwasdifficulttoestimatethedirection.Weevenclimbedupasteepmountaintodetectanytracesofcivilisation,butallthatwasvisiblefromthetopwasstillmanymoremountainsextendingonallsides.Finally,wedetectedapatchofwetground,andsearchedforthesourceofwater.Itwasasmallrivulet,butwefollowedittoastream,andeventuallytoatrailthatsetusbackonpath.

OnwaytoKudremukhinearlymorningInthisparticulartrekwecarriedprovisionsandevenapressurecooker.Collectingwoodiseasy,andcookinginagladeoranalcoveoftreesisgreatfun.Andwhatevertheresultingconcoction,ittasteslikeambrosia.Jungletrekkingaftertherainsisexhilarating.Atthesametime,thereareafewproblemstoo,suchasleeches.Onecanneverknowwhenthisdreadfulcreature,thinasathreadwillattachitselftoitsvictim'sfeetandsuckblood,growingasbigasathumb.Thewaytoremoveitistosprinklesaltortobaccoonit,liftitssuckerwiththeedgeofaknife,orburnitaway.Forprevention,thebestwayistodipthefeetinsaltsolutionandonthickstockings.WecouldjustmanagetoreachthebaseofKudremukhbytheevening,andstayedina96‐yearsoldpriest'scottage,knownasFatherLobointhesurroundingregion.HeignitedourimaginationbydescribingthebeautifulsunrisefromtheKudremukhpeak.Ignoringthedemandsofrestbyourworn‐outbodies,wegotupat4inthemorningtobegintheclimbtothe6000feethighpeakinthebitingcoldweather.Istillshuddertothinkofthatclimbunderthemoonlessskythroughwaisthighelephantgrasswetfromdew,thetrailinchesfromverticaldropsofhundredsoffeet.Withouttorches,andtheableguidanceofFatherLabo'snephewandhispetdog,wecouldhavenevermadeit.Itwasonlymuchlater,aftersunrise,andafterhoistingour'flag'(athintowel)atthepeak,thatwehadachancetohaveapanoramicviewofthecompletepath(andalsodiscoveredseveralleechesonus).AndOh!theviewoftherisingsunshootingupmulti‐coloredraysfromthevelvetymountainsisjusttoobeautifultodescribeinwords.Thewholetrekisworthjustforthisexperience.Dependingupontheplaceandtheduration,severalthingshavetobecarriedonatrek:extrapairsofclothes,fooditemslikebread,biscuitsandglucose,anemergencymedicalkit,candles,matchesandtorch,carry‐matforsleeping,waterbottle,alargeplasticsheettoguardagainstaccidentalrain,anall‐purposeknife,aropeandsoon.Allthesecanbecomfortablypackedinarucksackstrappedontotheback,keepingthehandsfreefor

balancingandholdingincaseofasliporfall.Acapandsunglassesareessentialforprotectingagainstsunlight.WehadproblemsinthetrektoYercaud,33kmfromSalem,whenweranoutofwater.Thereisaroadforthebusestakingtouriststothisbeautifultownatthetop,windingroundandroundthemountains,butwechosetoattemptthe2900feetverticalclimbthroughtheforestanddenseshrubs.Therewereseveralsteeprocksmadeslipperyduetolooseearthandashes,andafewdangerousoverhangstonegotiate.Theclimbseemedtogoonandon;ateverypeak,therewouldbeonemoretoclimb,slightlyawayandhencenotvisiblefromthepreviousone.ThiswasinMarch1989,andwiththesunbeatingfiercelydownonus,stocksofdrinkingwaterweresoondepleted.Fortunately,wemetanoldcoffeeplanterwhoguidedustoasmallwaterholeinagroveoftrees.Afternearlyeighthoursofcontinuousclimbingwereachedthetown,fullofgrime,dustandthornscratches.Afterlunchinalocalhotel,weallcollapsedonthebanksoftheYercaudlake.Thispartiallyputusbackingear,andatfourintheevening,westartedonthewaydown,byroadroute.Thiswasnottolastlonghowever,andwehadtostopapassingambulancemidwaytotakeusrestofthewaydown.Someexperiencesareesoteric.BythetimewereachedthepeakofKudajadri(inSeptember1990),itbecamedarkandstartedraining.WehadplannedtoclimbdownthesamedayandcatchthenightbustoBangalore,butthiswasnotpossible.Welookedaroundandfoundahut,withtwochildren–a10‐yearoldboyandhisyoungersister,whotoldusthattheirfatherhadgonetothevillagebelowforprovisions.Eveninbitingcold,theboywrappedawetclotharoundhiswaist,andcookedamealofriceanddalforus;thelittlegirlhelpedinserving.Thentheyshowedabrokenhutnearbytotakeshelterforthenight.Earlyinthemorning,beforeleaving,wetriedtogivesomemoneytothekids,buttheyrefused.Yearslater,IcametoknowthatthehillisassociatedwithAdiShankaracharya.

TrekkinginrainsnearKudajadripeak

TherearemanymorebeautifulplacesinKarnatakasuitableforone‐daytreks:RanganthettuBirdSanctuary,anhour'swalkfromSrirangapattanawithalargevarietyofbirds,smallanimalsandreptiles;Nagarholewildlifesanctuary100kmfromMysorewithelephants,tigersandbison;andtheforests,ravinesandwaterfallsalongCauvery:Talakaud,Mekedatu,Sivasamudram,DoddaMakaliandHognekal.Alltheseplacescanbereachedbybusinthreetofivehours.Fortripsoflongerduration,thereisYanaandJogFall,Septemberbeingthemostsuitableseason.TrekkingtoOotyalongtherailwaytrackisamarvellousexperience,justbeforethewinter,withnumerouswaterfallsontheway.Forseriousjungletrekkingandcamping,SilentValleyhasnoequal.Rockclimbingisacompletesportinitself,butabasicknowledgeofthesamecomeshandyintrekking.Ramanagaram,andDevarayanadurgaquiteclosetoBangaloreofferexcellentopportunitiestolearnandpracticethisart.Someofthetechniquesseentobelieintuition,butarebasedonsolidprinciplesofmechanics.Considerclimbinganinclinedrockface.Shouldonewalkuprightorclimbinclined,usingthehandsaswell?Itisdifficulttobelievethatthechancesofslippingaremuchlessintheformer.Evenwhentherockfaceissteeperthan60degrees,itisadvisablenottohugtherock,butclimbupright,using‘jughandle'holdsinrecesses.Thereareotherusefultechniquestoo,suchashorizontaltraversingparalleltoaridge,jamminghandsorfeetinacrack,chimneyclimbinginthegapbetweentworocks,bridgeclimbingwhenthegapismoreandalongacorner,andacombinationoftwoormoretechniquessuchascornerlay‐backing.Advancedrockclimbingtechniquessuchasrappellingorzummaringneedtheuseofdifferenttypesofropesandspecialequipmentwhichcannotbecarriedconvenientlyonatrek.However,thereisnoharmtakingacoupleofmanilaropesafewmetreslong.Theycomeinhandyindifferentsituations:crossingastream,haulingupbackpack,asaclothesline,atourniquetorevenasfootwearaswedidinSakleshpurtrekwhensomebody'sshoecompletelycameapart.

ClimbingupNandiHillafterleavingourcycles

Oneneednotalwaysconfinetotrekking.Cyclingisalsogreatfun,toplaceslikeShivaganga,NandihillsandAnekal.Itisadvisabletocheckthecyclesthoroughlybeforestarting,andtocarryapuncturerepairkit,withpump,ifpossible.Hundredkilometerscaneasilybecoveredbycycleinaday,withenoughtimetospareforlunchanddiversionsforexploration,comparedtoaboutthirtykilometersintrekking.Sportsbikescanbeasgoodas,ifnotbetterthan,thebigsturdycycles.WecycledtoNandiHill,60kmawayfromBangalore,inFebruary.Forachange,westartedat4inthemorningtoexperiencenightcycling.Itwasnicetoglideunderthestarryskies.Nowandthentheheadlightsofanoncomingtruckmadeitdifficulttoseetheroadinfront,andoneofusmiraculouslyescapedwhenhiscycleslippedontheroadberm.WereachedthebaseofNandiHillwhereweparkedthecyclesinfrontofasmallshop,andclimbedrestofthewayup.Theclimblookedeasy,sowedecidedtotryourownpath.Weranintothornybushes,butundaunted,wepressedonandcrossedthethornbeltbycrawling,andgettingscratchesallover.Needlesstosay,thispathwasnotrepeatedonthewaydown.Withalltheseslipsandfalls,scratchesandbleedings,dirtandgrime,twistedanklesandhurtingbacks,whatisitthatmakeswewanttogoagainandagainonmadtripsofadventuretrekking?Becomeaweekendtrekkerandfindout!Andbestofluck!