Tryst with the Cauvery...

Silent Flows the River ....Atop the hill with the Cauvery in the backdrop

Monsoons were in...... after the trip to Kerala, it was now time for another weekend of relaxation; the monsoons had breathed in fresh life to the jungles around Bangalore. Morover after the Himachal trip two years back, this would well be the last trip by the four of us together – Me, Balaji, Praveen and Sinu, before Sinu packs off to Germany! The nearest was Bheemeshwari around two and a half hour journey from Bangalore, it was not a dense jungle thus a one day trip seemed to be fair enough….

Roadside view along the way to Kanakapura

Ideal place to have our breakfast

Dining quite far from the city!

We started off quite early at 0600 Sunday morning towards Kanakapura; Out of Bangalore, enroute to Kanakapura the roads are lined by numerous water bodies. Had packed up our breakfast, and as soon as we sighted a perfect spot - a small pond and clusters of banyan trees, alighted there for food….it was as if someone had prepared the settings just for us.

After entering the village; near the fields

There were a few unmanned checkposts....deserted roads

Another hour passed by and then we saw a sign board that read 18 kms to Mutathi. We had to take a left turn into a village where we could see elegant ethnic houses, the architecture which none of us had seen in Bangalore; these were the typical Kannadiga houses a wee bit similar to the nalukettu of Kerala. We passed by a few hills covered with blankets of fresh grass and never knew when we had crossed over to the forest range, but then we were alone. Lots of small birds were fluttering around and occasionally we could glimpse a forest pheasant shoot across the road.

Nothing much in the fields to capture, so why not us!!!

Trek gets a head on, Balaji needs to catch up a bit...

The vegetation remained the same for another ten kilometers, the entire stretch was a thin stretch of forest on both sides and in the distance one could see the hills. Surely the rains did help bring in color to the region! Once we reached Mutathi, we took a ticket from the locals there and went towards Bheemeshwari. We had enquired the day back about the trip and were advised by the forest officials to pay the fees at Mutathi and then proceed to Bheemeshwari. However we couldn’t find any booking centre and so took off to Bheemeshwari.

The initial stretch was less wooden.

Walking towards the hill...puff! pant!!!

Once there, we went to the adjacent Jungle Lodges camp where we inquired about the treks. The moment we said we had called up the forest officer a day back, help was on the way. We paid 100 each for the forest pass and 50 for the guide, but were not quite sure whether the person would actually pass it to the forest office. Actually, anyone can just get along without a guide and paying the money, there were a few unmanned check posts on the way, maybe because it was the start of the monsoons the guards might have thought it better to get along with a nap!

Thats a huge discovery mate!!!

On the dried river beds; there were numerous ones all around...

We were provided a boy in his teens to guide us along….The Cauvery whirled through the entire forest area, and in many places we had seen boards warning people of whirlpools in the river and we had also heard that some stretches were infested by the marsh crocodiles. The walk all along was invigorating but other than a few monkeys and deer there was nothing much to be seen and the reason was we never ventured in deep.

More wooden and fresh grass lined all along the tracks

Higher up the hill, there was thick vegetation

In the beginning the vegetation was distinct with bushes interlaced all along. There was a road which crisscrossed the range, and on the way towards the hill the vegetation started to get denser. We were to climb to the top from where we could see the entire forest range and then move down to the Cauvery.

Another steep climb....

Wonder whats lurking behind all that grass!

C'mon old man, just a few more steps up'....Me with our guide.

Up the hill, there was bountiful fresh green grass all along and the view from atop was really amazing. We could see the Cauvery zig zagging all along, it was not yet at its best, but that was good for us as we could tred at least to the middle of the river. The trip from the hill down was a bit scary, there was no way to support ourselves amonst the rocks and stones and slowly we had to trudge down.

Ahoy! We made it...Cauvery from the hilltop

'Wat makes you think I am not wild'...Sinu trapped in between all the grass

'Oops!!!' ; Balaji seemed to have a tough time climbing down the hill....

It started drizzling as we reached the river and a perfect invitation to jump into the waters. Spend around an hour there and got back as soon as the flow downstream suddenly started to increase. The Cauvery was not brimming, and we were amazed to see that once fulled to capacity, it would immerse most of the trees along the banks. That would be a perfect time to visit Bheemeshwari, at the peak of the Monsoons.

Cooling off in the Cauvery; Someone watch out for the Crocs!

Me and Sinu climbed up this one mid afternoon....Hot indeed!

Once back at the camp, we found a deserted elephant camp except for a small calf which had been caught from around Salem and bought here,this was a wild one and in no way it seemed inttrested in allowing us to get near. On the way back from there , we stopped on the way near the hills. It was around 1430 and me and Sinu took off for one of the hills, an urge just to try to reach to the top.

"Whats there in your hand; Come nearer, lemme have a closer look"

The calf seemed more interested in the twig I had in hand!

Balaji and Praveen decided for a nap and the winds there were too good a reason for that. The climb to the top was really an adventurous one, this along with the Cauvery were the better parts of the trek. Climbed almost three forth of the hill and then we could move up no more. It was so windy at the time and it did remind me of my trek to Shivadurga with Shivaraj Maddapura Siddhappa from Infy. No more stoppages but for tea and we were back at our flat by 1700…….

Monsoon Trails ..........

This could well be the last trip during my two month stay at Kottaram, Bangalore. After Mysore, Balaji threw up an invitation to his house; Praveen and I were ready for it and Sinu as usual came up with his regular version of Ifs and Buts....Well, the plan was to board the Friday evening train ‘Kochu Veli Express’ leaving at 20:00 from Krishnarajapuram whereby we would reach Ernakulam at 07:00 the next day. Rest of the trip was not planned, but we had made it a point not to miss the famed backwaters…..

It had started to drizzle.....

Herons,Egrets and Cranes were a common sight

Being my first trip to Alappuzha, was determined to enjoy to the fullest. The train reached Ernakulam at around 0600. Took a bus from there to Cherthala, Balaji’s hometown…Reached his house and lo!, in a few minutes time, we were left pondering the uniqueness of this land….There was an elephant, quite an old one from a nearby temple being taken out for a walk; it was standing near the gate and gazing at us. Well, such things happen only in Kerala!!!

No stretch of land went waste

The downpour had started to gain strenght

We left by Bus from Cherthala and reached Alappuzha bus stand in forty minutes time; there were four of us - Balaji, his brother Banarji, Praveen and me. The water ways are adjacent to the Alappuzha bus stand so one would not find it difficult to get to it. There were a few small houseboats nearby. We had some contacts through whom we got a boat arranged. Being a costlier option, we skipped the idea of a houseboat and opted for a normal one. It was still drizzling…..

House on the river side

The temple on the way; Serenity!

Started off at 1200 noon; we drifted away from the city bustles and were greeted by a myriad of riverside birds. The cool breeze along with the intermittent drizzle added to the spectacle. There were picturesque scenes all around, everything lush green and lively. Huge houseboats were trailing by even though it was an off season. We first came across a small strip of land, a beautiful strech connecting two land masses. There was fog all around, a lone mango tree stood out, a deserted canoe by its side; we just stood there gaping at the beauty, the charm…..

Regular sight all along the way; Fishing on the banks

The lone mango tree; Picture Perfect!

Went further inland to Kuttanad ‘the rice bowl of Kerala’; scores of children along with their family members were searching amongst the rocks for shrimps and prawns for their afternoon fiesta. Lot of Toddy shops were scattered all along the sides. Around 1400, we had lunch at one such shappu. The “Karimeen” was available for a hundred and a scoopful of prawns could vent around two hundred and fifty from ones pockets. After the meal we started our return journey; enroute we chanced upon some paddy fields and decided to get down there. A few steps into the fields, the downpour started heavily, bad for us, we had to rush back into the boat. There was this man fishing alone and he showed us his catch of Karimeen and a few huge carps. One can find so many people fishing in the waters; they use a thin thread and a paste of tapioca to lure huge fishes. Lots of birds were there all along to keep us company till the end of the journey.

Rains don't seem to bother the people there

Most of the fields were inundated, except for a few like this

By now it was raining heavily; decided to get all wet – decided to enjoy the downpour! Around 16:00 we reached back at the bus station; the whole backwater ride of three and a half hours cost us just around 800/-.

Picturesque sight indeed!

Mathoor temple during the rains

From there we decided to visit Balaji’s family temple Mathoor Bhagavathy Kshethram in Mathoor. A bus ride for another twenty minutes and we were there. On the way, one can see people selling huge prawns and fishes on the roadside. From the main road, we had to trudge another kilometer inside. The road stretched on, surrounded by rice fields with a few cattle moving around. There was a nallukettu and an ettukettu in a dilapidated condition, just a few blocks from the temple. Inside the temple it was pitch dark, the sheer majesty of the goddess all dressed up leaves you spellbound. By the time we returned, it was around 1800; took a bus back to Cherthala via Alapuzzha. By the time we reached the house it was around 21:00.

You find nothing else but the fields

Next day left alone from Cherthala back to Alappuzha, this time to pay a visit to Sinu. Planned to have lunch there and get back to the railway station on time. The train was scheduled to leave from Ernakulam at 1700. There were only two of us for the return trip – me and Praveen. We reached Bangalore quite early at 0400.

Time to bid adieu!!!

The rains kept us company throughout the trip and amidst all the ruckus over the chicken gunya scare, this trip was a time to unwind oneself and enjoy the rains….Just two weeks left to get back to Mumbai and what better way to wind it up than a trip to “Gods own Country”, a trip to the backwaters!!!

For more photos, please visit my friends' photo pages:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/nostalgicmemories

http://www.flickr.com/photos/panantha

http://silentphotos.blogspot.com

Walk through the Fields - A Weekend at Mysore

Weekend came once again but we decided to sleep off. If only the electricity was there. Well, there was no electricity from morning and it was past 1300. I kept nudging everyone about a quick trip to Ramanagara, the location where Sholay was shot, in the hope that by the time we reach there, it would rain a bit and the weather would suddenly turn pleasant. There started a pandemonium and in a minute the dust had settled down, we decided on a quickie to Mysore and back. Called up Alok Srivastava who was in Bangalore for his interns; Balaji agreed to take out his Alto, and off we went from Airport road at around 1600 headed for Mysore…..Alok, Anoop, Balaji and me!

Onto the fields!; somewhere in Mandya

With no set plans we found it a lot easier to manage. Riding out of Bangalore seemed quite a challenge but once outside there was nothing to worry on the Bangalore-Mysore highway. It was hot throughout the day and by 1800, we stopped by the road and took off on foot onto the nearby fields. We had decided to visit such places where the normal visitor wouldn’t dream of venturing to! There were rice and sugarcane fields alongside the coconut trees and we found a tubewell gushing out cool water here. Stayed around for fifteen minutes and went on…..

Move out from the road and you will be welcomed by the lush green fields

It sure did quench our thirst that hot aft'noon

Further down we stopped by a small tea shop and had some snacks;sat down and watched a group of goats moving across the road. This time we decided to deviate to any smaller roads that trailed along the fields. Took a turn along the highway and stopped by another group of rice fields. Curious passerby and the few farmers nearby came over to question us. “Have you come to see the site? Are you people going to buy the land here?” were the most frequent questions they kept asking us. Moved on …..

You find so many of them as you move along the roads

Youth Hostel,Mysore; early morning, just before vacating

Reached Mysore at around 2100, got a glimpse of the palace and went further on in our search of the Youth Hostel. A few good things about Mysore are the roads and the information posts you find across all roads. This did help us locate the hostel in a few minutes. We checked into the dormitory for which we had to shell out a cheap 40 rupees. We had to stay only for the night. After a short rest , we came down to the hostel entrance and decided to sit outside until the gates closed. The cool wind was blowing across and that was the most idyllic resting time we ever had. This is what is supposed to the right weekend getaway. Finally were back in bed at 2300!!!

The lake in Mysore university campus was a haven for Birds

Alongside the banks......

Checked out at 0730 early morning and we had to decide for either Chamundi hills or Mysore University park near to which Balaji had stayed a few years back. But once we were in the park, we knew we had to give up on Chamundi hills. The park had a huge lake which nested a variety of birds and it was truly a bird watchers paradise. Balaji accompanied by Anoop decided to get along some snaps while I and Alok thought of getting ourselves a bit muddy by venturing along the lakeside. A slight disturbance and the birds would fly off; to Balaji’s dismay he finally had to give up on venturing close to the birds and we all understood how tiresome and patient one has to be to watch them closely. A few curses as to why he never bought a Zoom lens was all he could muster. It was wonderful enough to get to the lakeside with all the green grass covering up on the lakeside.

Mysore Palace ....just compare this with the remains of Tipus Palace

Well at one of the temples,had caught the fancy of Anoop for reason known only to him!

Left from there and had breakfast at a local tea shop and then headed for the palace. Shelled out 25 each and before depositing the cameras we decided to take a few snaps in front of the palace. The temples at the four corners remain intact and it was only the scorching sun that was making life miserable. After visiting the temple at one corner, we got into the palace. Well, for anyone who wishes to delve deep into history, the palace offers just nothing. The museum had a few Raja Ravi Varma pictures in it; but the fact remains, it showed starkly the attitude of the government in showcasing the history of the palace to the general public.

An Island on the river

These two crocs gave company allthrough the boat ride

On the way back, we deviated to Ranghanathittu bird sanctuary; it was a relief from the heat and we had a good meal at the restaurant here. Rested for a while atop the rocks nearby and moved down to take a walk around the Cauvery river. We walked along the riverside and there were boards kept alongside which had information of the different varieties of birds which used to nest there. Well, one such board proudly displayed Marsh crocodiles and on the way this turned out to be a discussion between us and an Italian couple who claimed it to be a farce! The sanctuary borders the lush green paddy fields and after about 20 minutes we were not able to move forward amid the thorny vegetation. On the way back , saw a huge splash in the water and were surprised to find that it was a Croc! Went for the boat ride for which we paid 25 /- each. There was no place in the already crammed boat so I had to settle for the gunwale. Saw a variety of birds resting on the rocks and we were taken alongside a few islands which were full of nesting birds. All the way there were two crocs which gave company and Alok was way too happy to have a glimpse at it. Short of time, we decided to leave after the boat ride and hence started off…..

View of the Cauvery from the back of the Dungeon

Reached Srirangapattanam and took a left to visit the kingdom of Tipu; we missed the Old temple and had time to visit only Colonel Baileys Dungeon and the site where Tipu’s body was found. The Jamia Masjid distinct by its shape was the oldest of the mosques around and it was here that I too was forced to bow down and pay my respects!!! There was nothing worth seeing in the dungeon, except for the view of the dried up Cauvery behind the dungeon. Nearby was the place where people claim to have found Tipu’s body after he was killed by the British forces. His palace had been entirely destroyed…….So much for a valiant hero who fought the British till his death while the Wodheyar dynasty which cowardly accepted the might of the British went on to built majestic palaces and got acclaim….

The Bangalore-Mysore Track which ran through the fields

Didn’t stop anywhere else during the journey and only around 1730 we thought of stopping by a tea shop. Had tea and all four ventured again further into the countryside. We crossed parched sugarcane fields and came across the Bangalore- Mysore railway track which cut across the fields! It was silent all around but for the train chugging along.

Back Ahoy! Trudging back for our return trip to Bangalore.....

That was it, got ourselves bruised after trodding through the cane fields and settled back in the car for our trip back to Bangalore. Back in Bangalore, it was tiresome indeed to crawl bit by bit and waiting for the signal. A difference to this trip was that we had spend time in the fields where not many would have thought venturing; the most refreshing moment being the night in the Youth Hostel, all of us enjoying the cool breeze. Anyway everyone agreed on one thing: a trip to Mysore would always be a refresher during the weekends………..