An official entry point to the Nilgiris district. The vintage of the signboard matches with those of the hut and the lady (but not the red signboard). We were travelling on a state transport bus from Coimbatore (Kochi?) to Ooty (Udhagai / Udakamandalam)
The ghat route to Ooty has 14 'hair pin' (sharp U turn) bends. We were at the 2nd turn (so says the signboard on middle right). The guy in a two wheeler with interesting luggage overtook our bus (of course from left - the common practice in India). I hope that he is not the contractor who will cook food for us at the Ooty YHAI hostel!
A view of the valley en route.
Do I need to say anymore?
Hill Development (HD) authority leaves no stones unturned to warn the motorists - vivid graphic message! Why there is an up arrow between H and D? Pointing to heavens? The "MAK lubricants" appears to be beyond the expiry date!
A scottish castle in Ketty ( town 10km from Udhagai)?
This is the right point to get down from the Kochi - Udhagai bus to reach YHAI hostel where we would deposit our luggage (not needed for the trek). However, the delay in detecting the YHAI sign board and the long time taken for the treacherous travel (due to very bad condition of a stretch of the hilly road and the poor health of our bus , quite a few trucks overtook us while climbing!) from the rear of the bus (where we were sitting) to the front (to request the driver to stop) meant 300 meters of walk backwards at noon. However, we were not disappointed with the scenes; see the next photos.
A view of the arboretum. . . on the way back to YHAI. After we noticed the YHAI notice board (faintly visible in lower mid of photo) and got down from the bus we had to walk some 300 metres. The trees and clouds were inviting.
The (toy) train track running between the Ooty lake (one side) and the south lake side road leading to YHAI hostel from the bus stand on the other.
The signal is red.
View of the ooty lake from south lake road.
A zoomed view. Notice tourists enjoying a boat ride.
A church in front of the arboretum.
A close up view.
The ornate entrance to HADP (Hill Area Development Authority) arboretum (tree park). Captain (at lower left) is wondering whether the arboretum is worth a 'dekho'. The signboard of YHAI hostel and the road leading to it are seen at the left.
Mrs. Sumangala Indra relaxing on the lawns of YHAI hostel, Ooty. This was her first trek and seem to be eager to start off. Let us see how much of this enthusiasm remains at the end of the trek. . . . Post script: To her credit, she did remarkably well, better than a few 'veteran' trekkars such as me :-(
Random walk within the city: A view of the ooty city from a junction. The bus stand is at the end of the road.
A sign board (of which vintage?) at the junction. . . . Yes, we need to travel 12 kms further to our base camp at Parson's Valley.
A sign midway between the YHAI hostel and the bus stand. Contrast this with the previous sign of the same HADP. The arboretum was established recently. I would not be surprised if the condition of this signboard in 2 years from now would be the same that of road sign in the previous photo.
A temple in front of the Karnataka state transport bus stand (all ghat travels need devine blessing and protection). There, actually, is a shrine inside the granite rock (painted with white and brick red colour stripes - a trait of Tamilnadu temple compounds).
A chowk (junction) in Ooty. Notice the congenial co-existence of temple and shops. Look at the visitor in white 'pyron' - obviously must be from the north. ;;; We had engaged a jeep driver (a contractor of YHAI) to take us (and our luggage) to the base camp at Parson's Valley (11 kms from Ooty). He told that he has to buy a few dozen eggs to carry to the the camp and would take only 15 minutes at the bazaar. He had forgotten the 1 hour to be added to the 15 minutes (Indian standard time)! We welcomed it as a photo op. ;;; Postscript: Since we reached Parson's valley camp late, the camp director ( a Himalayan trekkar, an ex-army officer) authoritatively demanded the reason for reaching the camp much beyond the scheduled reporting time (2:30pm). We looked at each other sheepishly and mumbled something; fortnunately, we got off lightly with simple "no; turn back" command when we were on our way to the lake. However, he was a genial person; the next day morning, he permitted us to visit the lake.
Of course, an opportunity to enjoy dosai in Ooty was not wasted. I had a plain dosa, idli and double south indian filter coffee at a restarant opposite to the temple.
The toy train at ooty station; the photo was taken from within the moving bus - the VR (vibration reduction) feature of the camera was useful here). For closeups of train, visit http://picasaweb.google.com/M.Arunkumar1983/YHAIOotyTreckingBatch4
We reached Parsons valley. The trekking shed was 50 metres on the left from this road junction and the Parsons valley dam was 300 meters further down.
The welcoming banner at the gate of the base camp of the trek.
The team from mudabidri; the absence of a steady hand behind the camera is obvious (Vibration Reduction feature of the camera not withstanding).
Aha, finally at the parson's valley trekking shed at a height of nearly 2300 metres; yeah, hats off :-)
Since there was still enough sunlight, the camp director permitted us to visit the Parson's valley town that comprises of a 'bazaar' (two shops you see in this picture) and a few more houses. People did the last minute stock up of essentials (biscuits, soap, 'rassi' (jute rope) for tying the YHAI backpack etc). The 'janta' had a round of 'chaay' (tea). I bought half a dozen bananas; helps in you know what! Don't know the answer? Do the keywords output, lubrication, ablution ring any bells?
In front of the 'shopping mall' of Parsons Valley (seen in the previous picture) were the flag poles of political parties of Tamil nadu. There appeared to be 3 main parties; I captured the flag atop flag posts of two parties vying for attention (and competing with Nilgiri trees!). There must be about 5 houses per party in the town - considering the population of the town in the middle of Nilgiri forest.
The YHAI Tamil Nadu state branch was organizing family camps, concurrent with our trekking programme. One batch had completed the camp and was to leave the next day. The boys and girls of families joined the trekkers in the 'candle', oops, camp fire; a 'jhalak': In this photo, Monisha is dancing :-: I promised to send this photo to her parents, and I actualy sent an email; it bounced back :-(
Another moment in the dance programme; Monisha in another pose.
The future beauty queens singing a song. ;;; Radha and Ivanka.
Vickey entertained us with a song.
One more young talent, Lakshmi, from the team that participated in the family camp. The proud lady (mother?) and Vickey look on (lower right).
The next day morning: sun was bright and the 'late latif' team (who arrived at the camp late the previous evening) was back from a visit to the Pykara Valley dam. The YHAI co-ordinator briefed the team about the trek and also gave us an overview of tribes, flora and fauna of Nigiri Hills.
Our guide, Mani - standing beside the camp co-ordinator, distributed caps (courtesy YHAI, TN state branch) and red cards to every participant. Err, these red cards are not of the type used in football games; these are personal attendent sheets. In every camp, the camp leader signs the card of each and every trekker. You won't get those much revered 'YHAI trek attendance certificate's otherwise. ;;; Note (a) the semi-circular formation of the trekkers - a YHAI requirement during briefing. A head count (oral shouting: one, Two, threeee, ...) is a must before leaving a YHAI camp and also after reaching the next camp. (b) the 'cadet' at the extreme left; or, is he a special op man? has quite a few pouches to store ammo. ?!? Nay, can't be. look at his bathroom chappals :-)
Since a couple of persons were to join the team at around 9am and we were ready by 8:30, the team visited a Toda settlment (called mand). Todas are one of the 5 tribes of Nilgiri hills; they have distinctive culture and language. I was aware of studies by Prof. Peter Ladefoged and Prof. Peri Bhaskar Rao (Acoustic phoneticians) who recorded Toda speech and studied their language. ;;; The special ops man's secrets are bare-d; the head gear is off. ;;; For photos of Toda's temple and home, see http://picasaweb.google.com/M.Arunkumar1983/YHAIOotyTreckingBatch4/photo#5199392977456729490 http://picasaweb.google.com/M.Arunkumar1983/YHAIOotyTreckingBatch4/photo#5199393016111435170
Miss Ivanka posing outside a Toda house.
A tree at the centre of Toda 'temple' - a circular high ground demarkated by vertically erected granite slabs. Note the horns of a Bison (?) placed on the trunk of the tree.
A view of the hill ranges at a distance and the clouds in the sky.
A man is watering the carrot fields
A group photo (just before the trek began) outside the gate of the Parson's Valley trekking shed (the base camp). The participants are (thanks Rocky [Rakhesh] for the names) : 1st row - Squatting (L-R) : Amit (Radha's Mama), Arun -Bangalore (Shell). 2nd row - L-R : Vishwa (textile man), Rakesh (kneeling), Ivanka, Radha. 3rd row - L-R : Mrs. Manju Shirke, Mr.Kobrekar, Dr. Meenal A Kulkarni, Man in khadi, Mrs.Pereira, Mrs. Sujata, Mrs.Indra, Mrs.Kobrekar. 4th row - L-R : Mr.Sawant, Mr.Kulkarni (Yoga teacher, behind Mr.Kobrekar), Sudhanshu (Jr.Yoga Guru, discussing Yoga with his dad cum Guru), Mr. Nene, Capt. Ajay Kulkarni (Campaining for Cong), Rahul (The Gigglee), Varun. ;;; The camp co-ordinator, Ms. Kalyani (the lady on extreme right) and Mani (the tall, dark man behind all other persons) are also in the picture. ;;; Dolfred must be behind the camera. Mr. Indra must have trotted off already.
On the road from Parson's valley to Mukurthi dam camp site: The guide cautioned us to keep quiet; he has noticed a tiny herd of Bisons (a dot in the distance - at the centre of the photo). Then, it started drizzling, the 'barsaati's (plastic sheet as a shield against rain), rain coats and even a (coloured, fancy) umbrella were hurriedly pulled out of the back packs; they adorned (or shackled) the trekkers, eager to not get wet and at the same time to get a better glimpse of the wild animals [I mean the Bisons, not humans :-)]
A small group of Bisons (with a calf) is visible at a distance. We were careful not to disturb them ('cause, we were worried that they may attack us!). The passage passed off peacefully.
After a mild encounter with the bisons, people were restless; they felt that they were hungry. Our guide, Mani, told that a stream is just 'a few minutes' away (a few minutes of 'pahadi' (folks from hilly region) can be as long as 15-30 minutes of city folks). May be just to distract us, Mani pointed to the 'Mukurthi peak' (hardly visible in the photo). Some city folks did not let go a photo op. So, here is a 'pyronwalla' with a folded plastic sheet (rain shield) tucked behind the shoulder strap of the YHAI backpack. Watch the glee on his face (he has survived the trek so far!).
A photo taken a little later. The famed Mukurthi peak (outlined by a rectangle at the centre of the photo) is visible. If a you observe carefully, the distant hill range appears like the outline of a face (with head on the left of the photo) and the peak appears like the nose (mukurthi in Tamil)
Aha, finally the paradise (stream) promised by Mani: the much awaited lunch point.
The cuties (Radha and Ivanka) regarded the break more as a fun point. This was the first trek for both of them (in 5th and 3rd standard respectively). Dolfred is about to perform the duty of the obedient (?) hubby --- fetching water from the stream. Umm, I thought that pretty dames did that job in villages ;-)
The kiddies did not had their stomach full; I am not speaking of food, but about playing in water. Their mummies and papas are beckoning (cajoling/begging/ shouting/ ...) them to come up and eat. The bengaluru (grown up) kid, Mr. Kamath (seen at top left), has nearly finished his packed lunch.
The rest of the team have nearly finished their lunch and are busy packing. Mr. Nene (in blue shirt) is contemplating (or is he thinking of that good old song of Kishore Kumar era?)
We were passing through woods by the side of a stream. The branch of a pine tree is full of cones.
A view of the pine forest; chief posing for a photo. Captain and Dr. are trailing him.
What a sight!
We crossed the stream via a man made (jeepable) concrete bridge and passed to the other side of the stream. Chief is tired, yet forces a smile.
Sumangala agreed to pose for a photo.
The green colour of some pine trees have turned into light brown.
Aha, finally, we reached Mukurthi lake - a refreshing sight. Camp would not be far off from here. People are enjoying the serenity of the place.
Mr. Indra takes a close look at the fresh elephant dung. We did not sight any elephants throughout our trek although we were passing through their territory. They would have run away from us thanks to our chatter (fortunately, there was no mobile phone signal thru most of our trek, so no chance for people to keep yakking with all and sundry; they have to enjoy the nature and the human company - whether they like the latter or not!).
Yo, the YHAI banner is visible at a distance. In Himalayan treks, it means that the camp is nearby (just another kilometre). However, in these Nilgiri jungles, the banners are hung just at the gate of the camps. In any case, it is always a welcome sign. Soon, we will be able to throw our haversack down and sip the welcome drink (normally, some type of 'sherbat' - lemonade, atleast in Himalayan treks).
That's our Mukurthi camp. This is an old TNEB (Tamil Nadu Electricity Board) forest lodge. In these dense forests, only TNEB seems to have any type of shelter, because the hills are a source of hydroelectric power. Due to danger of wild life coming into contact with humans (especially in night), such lodges are fenced and locked. The fence here was dilapidated (similar to the building) although the gate was in good condition. Only the Parson's Valley Trekker's hut had a strong compound, thus permitting family camps in tents within the compound.
Some guys (and gals) have rushed in (why do I remember an adage: fools dare where ..); some are removing shoes; the rest are resting, Dolfred [in blue Stanchart Mumbai Marathan race T-shirt] included. I heard that a tree fell on the hut during a storm; so, the room on the extreme right is not usable (the tree trunk is still visible on the Mangalore tile roof on extreme right). Notice the chimneys, a necessary contraption to keep one warm during winter at 3000 metres height in the midst of dense forest. I thought that the lodge was built during the British era. The camp leader corrected me; the building was constructed after independence although the Mukurthi dam was built by the British. I don't think that the building is used by any grade I/II employee of EB these days, because the building is in a state of disrepair. These days, a jeep road leads upto the lodge. Several decades ago, there might not be such a road, and staying in such lodges was a necessity for engineers working for the dam construction.
About 300 meters from the lodge was the overflow water of the Mukurthi dam. It was an opportunity for fun and frolic (and bathing, a luxury during trek --- did you notice that most guys wear the same shirt throughout the trek?) that no man would let go. I hope that officials won't chide us - most rivers are out of bounds for bathing etc. for civilians - the folks from the cities. Models from FTV in various poses can be seen in this photo.
The fresh water flowing down granite steps. I remembered the good old Liril soap advt (Preeti Zinta debut) [couldn't locate preiti Zinta anywhere :-( ]
The cuties, after the initial excitement, are enjoying the fresh water flow. A dad is taking care of them. The ladies were content to sit on the shore and watch the events unfolding.
The tarzan (of the bygone era) gives out a war cry (for what purpose?)
Light is becoming thinner and the ladies have gone; the guys are dressing up. The modern bridge (seen at top) connects civilized world on right (at a distance of about 15km) to the dam office and the camp (on left - not visible in the picture).
Kalpavriksha: the effect of public bath can be seen as the transformation of a plant (at the centre of the courtyard in front of our camp building) into a maze of cloth hangers! The boy seems to be wondering: Where is space for my undees ;-)
Day 3 of the trek: from Mukurthi to Pandiyar Hills; most of the path was thru the jungle. Finally, a break for sipping water because we found some open place to sit around (the real reason was that someone had to attend to nature's second call).
A closer view; different members of the trekking team in different states (physical and mental).
Now, begins a real climb (and in the open - Sun God showered us with zillions of photons). Probably, the clearing (or absence of artificial plantation) was intentional - overhead high tension wires would pass thru the channel. Men (and women) dragged their feet upwards in a single file; conversation trickled down to sounds of deep breath. Even the most energetic youngsters seem to take a pause once in a while. This IS trekking!
After an arduous climb, we approached the peak of the hill range which we were to cross. The top 1 km was through an area dense with thin, wild trees of the type seen in this picture. We walked though narrow, man made paths. Then, there was a shout in the front and people starting sitting down (thank God for this break). It seems that a couple of trees fell down due to recent storm and they are blocking our way. However, our YHAI guide had come prepared; he had a 'katti' (axe/sickle) to cut tree branches. He had to use this sparingly so far. Now, however, he had to use all his muscle power to hack the fallen trunk. Minutes passed and people (especially the ones at the trail end of the 25 strong caravan) started speculating. Some said: "This guide must have used a short cut; how did yesterday's batch pass thru?". Another wholeheartedly agreed and added to the melancoly: "Now, we may have to climb all the way down and climb up again following the 'proper' route". Yet another, shouted others to silence...
Water bottles, and biscuits came out and the gossip continued happily. Meanwhile, a couple of budding photographers felt that they had enough rest and decided to use this as a photo opportunity. They went up and down through the traffic jammed Mukurthi - Pandiyar Hills elephant highway and started shooting (I mean clicking photos). The results of their adventures are visible here. In the previous photo, the young lad and (Bengaluru) Arun are seen smiling (Is the smile genuine? Are they really happy? If so, are they happy because they got a break or is it because of the sight of the camera? One can continue to speculate). In this picture, two ladies try to smile. Mr. Indra (in his fancy hat) is smirking. Others, behind him are not visible; so, let us go ahead and click some more photos. To do that, you have to first cross the people who are in various states of posture right in the middle of the path. To be fair, people, even in such a pitiable state, cooperated and moved a few inches to some side.
Aaa, this is better. Mr. Indra is no longer able to eclipse Mrs. Indra. Even Radha and her papa is visible here. What's this? Ma'm is standing! Does she have so much energy and stamina when young lads have crashed to the ground? On enquiry, I discovered that she wanted to take something out of her back pack - which was impossible in a sitting posture in that confined space. So, she had just managed to get up and had started rummaging thru her bag; then the lensman came along and she graciously stood up thinking that he wants to pass thru! That was not to be the case. He wanted to shoot first and only then move on. OK, she seems to say in this photo.
After 45 minutes of cutting tree trunks, Mani, our guide, gave the green signal. Further travel for about 15 minutes between thorny bushes, led us to a rocky shoulder of the hill where trees were sparse and beautiful view of Mukurthi lake was revealed.
Sky jotted with clouds and a water body interspersed with woods. A panaromic view of Mukurthi lake, that was spread fairly wide with irregular boundaries and streams joining in.
Mukurthi lake: Woods and water and hills
Mr. Indra decided that this might be a good location to use his camera.
The team reached the peak and settled down for a much needed, but deserved break. A descendant of a royal family [chhatrapati](?) appear to be shielded from scorching sun; the lesser mortals are managing with the caps distributed by YHAI TN state branch. After much persuation, the ladies posed for a photo; they seem to be grumbling: "Why can't he just leave us alone and let us take a li'll rest"? Mani, our guide (on left) is not fazed by sun; he did not bother about any protection.
A photo of the two bro's for the time capsule.
Radha, a budding and talented singer, was about to sip water. Yet, she graciously posed for a photo when the lensman requested her. Her mamma and granduncle stabilized her on the rocky patch. Her uncle turned around to look at the camera.
The Indra couple (lower middle of the photo).
And here are the two energetic heros much above the others. Is that an antler behind you, Arun? Ha, ha; gotcha.
After a few more kilometers of walk, we sighted a road passing thru tea gardens. In fact, a mini bus was parked 500 meters away from us (unfortunately in the wrong direction). We trudged along. Sun was shining brightly and walking on mud road without shade increased the level of Vitamin D on trekkar's skins. Chief brought out the sun screen lotion and started applying to exposed portions (most were covered anyway by the cotton shirt with long sleeve, the haversack, the multi-pocketed trousure and the cap (not to forget the sun glass). All of a sudden, we saw some houses - signs of civilisation. A road led towards the houses (seen at the centre of the photo) and we followed it; however, the road seemed to go around the hill and not towards the houses at a lower level. Then, Mani followed a foot path towards the houses.
The cluster of houses is visible here. Fields growing Carrot and other vegetables are on right. The gang has already rushed after locating an open place at the center of cluster of houses because somebody uttered the magic word chaay shop!
One can see the tea plants (lower portion of photo) on hill inclines and vegetable fields on the valley between two hill ranges. Notice the scare crow at the centre of this photo.
On one side of the open space is the temple; it has been 'white wash'ed; the annual festival is due to take place tomorrow. A temporary 'chappara' (roof constructed by placing bush trunk+leaves) was erected in front of the temple. Trekkers siezed the place and appropriated it for resting (crash to ground) after placing haversacks on the raised platform of the temple. Mr. Indra has just reached (lower right); Rakesh has filled his bottle of water from a borewell that is just behind the camera, interrupting the cloth washing operation of a bemused local lady. The captain(?) in red shirt seems to be heading in the opposite direction (to the right). On enquiry, I found out that he was heading in the right direction (to a house that was making tea for us). An observation: quite a few people in Nilgiri hills (atleast in rural area) seem to speak Kannada. I talked to the elder lady of the tea shop in Kannada for some time. She was happy to hear Kannada words from people other than her children / grand children.
Chief and Rakhesh occupied a prime slot in front of the temple. The temple door is closed, but 'Nandi' (bull - the vehicle of Lord Shiva) is looking at it in anticipation of the 'darshan' of his Lord.
Chief has a fancy for photographing local children. Rural children are always willing (in fact eager to be photographed) to face a camera. Here is a team; some of them could speak Kannada.
This is another (organised) photo session. A girl (lowerleft) joined in. Children were excited to see their photo instantly on the digital camera.
Soon, tea arrived. Arun Kumar played the role of a good samaritan and distributed tea glasses to the needy. The 'tea stall' (actually a house) is behind him. It also had biscuits etc.; these were duly distributed subsequently. After about half an hour's rest, we moved on.
After walking for another 1.5 kms, the director of the Pandiyar Hills camp met us and welcomed us. We had to go off the road to a Tea estate lodge. The tea factory is visible as a multi-storyed building at the centre of the photo. Behind the factory, is a hill on top of which is a Shiva temple. Younger trekkers conquered the hill (after the welcome tea) under the guidance of the camp director. For a series of photos related to the Shiva temple, see http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/viewPhoto?uname=M.Arunkumar1983&aid=5199372335843901025&iid=5199388734029039090 At the left of the photo, you can see Arun (from Bengaluru), another photo buff, taking a picture.
Trekkers are enjoying the welcome drink inside the lodge. Dolfred thought that it was too much to wear the same shirt for so many days and decided for a change (a bare chest). Captain proclaims: "Being cool isn't easy". Of course not, given the fact that we were drinking hot liquid on a warm evening.
Mudabidrikars decided to go for a simple walk (unlike the young turks who went to conqure the local peak). The terrain: hills with gentle slope, in general. An exception was a stone cliff (top middle of the photo). Chief decided to immortalize his visit and the result is here for all to see. The sweater was already out and was useful despite the sunshine.
We reached the tea factory: Terrace Tea Factory. The area itself was know as the Terrace Tea estate(?). The factory appears to be abandoned. The gate was open, the barrier was up and the guard was not seen in the security house; a few glass windows were broken. Sun God (seen between the bifurcated trunks of the tree) didn't care; he showered the building with photons mercilessly. Chief cleverly placed the camera in a suitable position and clicked a photo.
Chief walked on the main road and at a bend, saw this scene of clouds floating.
Another view of the Terrace Tea factory.
A trekkar has come out of the the lodge (on right, and not visible) to wash his cup. A tube carried water from a spring (lower portion of photo).
A view (in twilight) of the lodge/guest house of the Terrace Tea factory where we stayed that night. Dolfred is discussing with the camp leader; Mr. Indra is looking on. The letters "B.G." are visible on the wall (to right of Mr. Indra). What do they stand for? Note the smoke chimney, essential to keep warm during winter.
The camp fire is going on. The picture is blurred because I wanted to avoid using flash light (a distraction).
People are clapping and participating in the song festival.
Oh, a dance followed. All youngsters joined. A video will appear soon.
Day 3: In the morning, after the morning tea, the camp director led the willing trekkers (remember: Moses led his folks from Egypt to the promised land across the gulf) for a physical exercises session (there were mental exercises too). We reached a courtyard in front of a small Ganapati Temple located at the base of the steps leading to Lord Shiva temple. Our Yoga teacher, Dolfred and the camp leader demonstrated some physical exercises and the team emulated the instructors. After about 45 minutes of exercises, the group returned to the lodge. Everybody had breakfast, received packed lunch, packed things and were ready to leave this camp for the next camp site (Pykara). The group is seen listening to farewell speeches.
The camp leader (on extreme right) introduced a good practice: appreciating the efforts of the camp staff by presenting flower bouquet. Of course, the team observed such good practices even in earlier camps. Whenever Dolfred (the impromptu compere of such action/fun filled events) exhorted the gang by shouting "3 cheers to the cooking staff ...", the team would shout "hip hip hurray" 3 times. In this photo, Mr. Kamal Haasan has been just presented a bouquet by the team leader (in the centre).
Ditto for another staff member.
Yet another.
video: From pandiyar Hills to Pykara; the first 1 km is on a regular road. The group is in an exhuberant mood; dancing on state highway
Trek in Nilgiris (so far) involved climbing up a hill and climbing down on the other side. The initial part of the route from Pandiyar Hills to Pykara was on a road (a km or two). After climbing down from Terrace Tea Factory lodge and climbing up, we reached an intermediate top at the corner of the metalled road. Soon, the lodge will disappear. The team decided to have a group photo (actually many photos). Do I need to list the names; I don't think so. You know all the names by heart now. ;;; The captain seems to have climbed down from the sign of Indira Gandhi to that of Ambedkar. Dolfy seem to signal the thumbs up sign. Another, a victor sign; yet another points to the sky!?! A lady seem to be ready with a stick to discipline anyone falling out of line :-) Arun seems to be saying "hey you!". Mr. Nene seems just relaxed. Behind him, the team leader is prepared for all eventualities: "Don't worry, I am there no? I will take care of everything!".
The Mudabidrikars decided to have a separate group photo. The Shiva temple on top of the hill is visible in the background.
After turning the bend, the road continued to climb. Soon, a bunch of curious kids (and not to speak of the dog) appeared from nowhere. They were happy to be clicked. The kid on the right is holding a wheel to be driven by muscle power using a stick (held by the other hand). The dog is more interested in engaging a lady in bright yellow dress in a conversation. A man turns around out of curiosity. Mr. Kamath is simply amused by the events and does not pay attention to "one two three" of the cameraman.
Soon, houses appeared (on the left of the photo); the dog was reigned in by two kids. And they were ready for a photo with the Chief.
A couple of girls joined; yet another photo.
We moved off the metalled road and climbed up a steep path to a cluster of houses. Of course, a temple has to be the centre of the village. Another road comes down to the village and terminates at the temple yard. You can see the yard turned into a 'vehicle stand'; a jeep (the only mode of transport in this part of the world) can be seen. Arun and Chief cannot contain their excitement and gave vent to all their feelings. Some kids joined in.
A group photo with the kids. Notice a group of shy girls watching strangers from a distance. This is not Paris or even Mumbai for girls to just talk to strangers just like that.
However, chief approached and pursuaded them. The girls were ready to join the group for a photo. Here we go again. ;;; Pay attention to the 'security staff' of the temple (drawing of 'dwarapalak') just behind Arun's cap.
The temple and the 'rangoli' (drawings on floor - using rice powder) on the 'vehicle stand'. Also, note the floating clouds (centre of the photo). The name of the village is 'Belgu'.
The school of the village near the vehicle park. Notice the clouds floating below the building. The writing (in Tamil script) on the wall proclaims: "Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan" ('Education for All' project of the Govt. of India).
After walking for about a kilometre on the metalled road, we moved off the track, to the left, and started following a mud track. It WAS a jeep track when a government contractor created it (and the road inspector signed OK on the fund releasing papers). A herd of cows was grazing on a plateau above (top of the photo).
A flowering tree was in full bloom. Several ranges of hills are visible. Soon, we had to climb down steep (but not dangerous) steps to reach the valley and civilisation.
A town on Mysuru - Udhagai (Mysore - Ooty) highway. The sign post announces the name: T.R.Bazaar. The team rushes to the town centre where one would get refreshments. There were several shops, and STD booths. Some mobile phones (BSNL) started ringing; the rest used the STD booths to call home and check the status at the 'headquarters'. Chief bought a glucose packet and a kilo of jaggary; the former for the self and the latter for the team.
After another walk on the highway for a km, we branched off a steep jeep track; surprisingly this track was concretized for about a km. The concrete road gave way to mud track (wide enough for a jeep to pass). Then, we came across several vegetable fields. Carrot and a cousin of cabbage appear to be popular crops.
We were climbing and then we heard a few people shouting. "An enraged bull is being shifted from one place to another thru this road. It has already hurt 4 persons. Move away quickly". People at the head of the caravan soon started running to side and above. On the other hand, people at the trail end could not see anything, but could only hear and were taking things easily. The guys at the front had to rush down and make the people aware of the gravity of the situation. Most people climbed the to the higher levels on the right side of the road. Chief discovered a diversion on left with a barrier consisting of tree branches. Being a veteran in such games, he quickly climbed the 6 foot high barrier and jumped on the other side. Other mudubidrikars followed. Finally peace settled on the road; green signal was given to the caretakers of the dangerous bull that the road is clear. Soon, the dangerous bull was on the scene. Notice the barbed wire between the bull and the camera+Mudubidrikars.
The bull (hardly a few years old) was handled by two able bodied persons (in mundus). The horns of the bull was controlled by the person leading the 'tamasha'. The leg of the bull was being controlled by the person following the bull at a safe distance. The man in the front was at a very large distance from the bull, and appeared to be in a state of constant panic that the person in the rear may not be able to hold on to the rope tied to the leg of the charging bull, and let the bull loose on leading person. It was an exciting as well as a hilarious situation. Probably, this was the most aggressive animal we encountered throughout the trek thru thick jungles of Nilgiri hills that includes National park.
Soon, we reached the top of the hill and hit a metalled road with a bus shelter. People crashed here and sipped water after chewing jaggary. Then, we started getting down. What else? Haven't you heard of the popular saying? 'Whatever goes up must come down'. It was a gentle walk downwards and there were berries. A belle is seen here picking berries.
A minor settlement was seen after a small stream. The washed cloths of the inhabitants can be seen left for drying.
Opposite a house, was a pipe carrying spring water. Some people topped up their water bottles. It turned out that the residents of the house speak Kannada. Chief chatted for a minute and posed for a photo.
Further down, we could see a house whose walls had colour drawings of roses.
A cow had given birth to a baby just a few minutes earlier. The cow was restless initially. Then, it moved towards the baby to lick it. The farmers seem to be releived after the safe delivery.
Finally, we reached the lunch point. The pioneers have already settled down on a high plateau above a lake. Most managed to climb up and settle down under the tree. A couple were more eager to take rest and camped for lunch under a tree on low ground itself.
After lunch. people settled down for a quick nap. Mr. Indra would not let go of his hat even at this stage. Wet towels and caps are hung on various branches. The lake is visible in this photo. The colour of the water was green-rich with algae-something that quite a few could not stomach. They preferred not to fill their water bottles with water from the stagnant water. Fortunately, there was a thin, but fresh water stream feeding to the lake. That served as the source of water even though one had to get down thru dense bushes.
Here are the h(z)eros in various poses: Mr.Arun (from Bengaluru; Mr. Kamath, Rakhesh (alias Rocky) and Mr. Arun (from chennai).
Chief is in a happy (rather hilarious) mood. The "OM" on his shirt is eclipsed by the sun glasses. For a photo of chief taken by Arun, see http://picasaweb.google.com/M.Arunkumar1983/YHAIOotyTreckingBatch4/photo#5199390181433018578 . For a pictrure of teacher uncle with a fancy hat, see http://picasaweb.google.com/M.Arunkumar1983/YHAIOotyTreckingBatch4/photo#5199391384023861970
The team left the temporary shelter (on the hill [top left of the photo] behind the lake) and moved on when our guide, Mani, coaxed us to do so.
Just an hour after the lunch break, we reached our camp (at around 3:15pm itself). Many wondered: "why was our guide in a hurry? we could have stayed at the lake for some more time". The EB (Electric Board) lodge is visible on right. This is Pykara.
The familiar and pleasant sight of the YHAI banner.
Since the welcome drinks will be served only an hour later (at the scheduled time of 4:30pm), some decided to make the best of available time and decided to visit Pykara falls; this was just a stone's throw away from our camp. There was a near constant stream of visitors toward the famed (over hyped) falls. Somebody paid Rs. 3 per person as entry fee. The board of TTDC was inviting.
A closer look at the board. You should spend some time here because this seems to be best part of Pykara falls. The actual falls is a let down. Click on the right arrow to see it yourselves.
The warning is omnious! A kid wearing YHAI cap is attentively reading the notice in all innocence. Soon she will face the reality, tch!
The famed Pykara falls! The 'junta' (mostly from Tamil Nadu) were more interested in watching the tantrums of a young couple (the lady in particular) in mod dress. Do I need to write any more? ;;; To be fair, we were at the place a little early. After half an hour, I heard that more water was released from the dam upstream for the benefit of the tourists who reached there late afternoon; it was a holiday and there was quite a crowd.
The team is enjoying the welcome tea and snacks (bhel with a lot of coconut shavings, onion and carrot [grown abundantly in this region]). The camp leader is standing behind the table.
Saw some sheep grazing; sheep is an uncommon sight for folks from the plains. Majority of the team were from Mumbai region.
A closeup; real wool.
After the YHAI tea, mudabidrikars decided to explore the Pykara town. The town was primarily a row of about dozen shops. The road from Ooty (about 40kms away) winded down and took a U turn on its way to Mysuru. The road after U-turn and lake in the background is visible in this photo when chief decided to immortalise his visit to Pykara.
The Mudabidrikars decided to have a 'chaay' (tea) at the most fancy restaurant of the town. It was at the junction of the highway and a side road leading to falls and had glass on upper portion of the wall, thus offering a view of the highway. We ordered coffee; coffee was good. The Indra couple seem to agree. But they had not seen another gang from the YHAI trekking team sitting just behind them. In the next photo, watch their expression when they discovered this fact.
We bought some chocolates from a shop in the bazaar and returned to the lodge as light was fading. A group of buffaloes were returning home after grazing in the woods.
Soon, the sky was on fire!
A bird appears to run away from it.
Another view of the sunset. The TV tower (possibly the mobile tower) of Pykara is visible.
The ladies are engaged in a conversation.
The camp fire (without a fire).
Some more audience.
video: camp fire at Pykara: dance programme by the cuties: "e ishk ..."
video: Pykara camp: group singing + dancing : "In the morning, ... by the sea"
video: The camp fire ended with a homage sang by Radha: "E mere vatan ke logo ..."
The next day, we left early because that was the last day of the trek; it is going to be a long walk (20km) mostly downhill. We noticed an eye-catching church near a cluster of about 5 houses on a mud road off the main highway.
Miss Radha in the midst of carrot(?) plants.
After we walked thru about half a km thru the fields, we reached some woods (seen at the top of the photos); there we took a break.
Trees of shola forest.
The troop halted at the signal of the guide who has noticed a large group of bisons with calves walking (fortunately) away from us. A trailing group of bisons was walking to join the main group much farther from us (to our left and not seen in photo). We waited for all members of the team to arrive and then for some more time for the trailing group of bisons to join the main group.
The smaller, trailing group of bisons has crossed a small stream and is about to join the main group, much farther from us (seen at the centre of the photo). Then, we started moving quietly and as far away from the bison group (i.e., to the left of the photo) as possible, as instructed by our guide.
The bison group is visible here. Our guide had cautioned us not to click cameras since the parental instincts of bisons may become stronger and they may attack us. We did notice bulls turning their heads and watching us apprehensively initially and aggressively later. To get an idea of their aggression, see a picture taken by Arun (Chennai) at http://picasaweb.google.com/M.Arunkumar1983/YHAIOotyTreckingBatch4/photo#5199391087671118450
When the trekking team was passing the bison gang (at a distance of atleast 150metres), the bulls got really aggressive. They started walking towards us threateningly. Our guide was an experienced one. He took a stand and let us pass behind him. When the pace of bison march quickened, quite a few trekkers quickened the pace without actually running. If we run, the bisons will follow - we have been told. The level of adrenalin climbed high.These were anxious moments because there were two kids and quite a few tired elders who may not be able run, let alone outrun the bisons. When the gap between the marching bisons and our guide reduced to about 50 metres, the guide took a step forward towards them; the bisons stopped suddenly. It was a psychological warfare. In this bluff game, humans did not loose. Soon, all were at a safe distance. Then, chief had the courage to click a photo (from a very safe distance) using the zoom feature. This was the wildest (and scarriest) encounter with the wild in the entire trek.
Walking thru tea gardens.
Three scarecrows and a man (on right).
We started our downwards climb after passing by the side of a tea estate. We took about half an hour break; chief thought that this is one of the regular breaks. It was not so. This long break was in preparation for the long, continuous trek down the ghats on a stone paved footpath. Chief remembered the naneghat route. Even this route must have been the former highway from the plains to the highgrounds. We were passing thru jungles, so we would not stop till we cross the jungle down to the plains so that we are safe from wild animals. We kept on walking quietly for eons till we reached a concrete bridge over a stream. The guide stopped and announced the lunch break. It was way past the lunch time. But the sight of the stream was refreshing.
The beauties were more interested in playing in the water than eating. Their parents had to call/cajole/... to get them up on the bridge to eat packed lunch. Here they pose for a snap just before they left the stream. Some youngsters took bath after lunch. They must have enjoyed it immensly going by the sounds they generated. No wild animal would dare to come this side thanks to strong acoustic waves radiating from the area :-)
Look at the relief on the face ("Aha, survived this long walk; The Om was useful!").
Alhtough we were through with the high gradient path, we had to walk several kms more to reach civilization.
An interesting rock formation.
Civilization. It was a luxury resort; some new huts were being constructed. What, 'you want to know the name of the resort?' Read the signboard. If your eye sight is not that good, look at the next photo.
We had just passed glen view resort.
A view of the hill range from where we came walking down.
Finally, we reached a temple (only non-resort building in the vicinity) which is reachable by a tarred road. The happiness of the participants is obvious. This is bokkapuram, the closest town is Masinagudi. There were no shops of any kind. However, there were quite a few people who had come to attend a wedding in the temple.
A gate of the temple.
Another view of the temple. Some trekkers seem to have offered their thanks to the almighty (Shiva or his son Muruga in this part of the world) for the safe and enjoyable trek. The walking part of the trekking programme was over. Our next (and the last) pit stop was a lodge of TN EB(Electricity Board) at a village called Singara. Thanks TNEB for your hospitality throughout the trek. The leader of Singara camp soon reached the temple with a caravan of 3 jeeps to transport us to the lodge (several kilometres away).
On the way, we passed Masinagudi, the town mentioned in many Ooty travelogues. The Masinagudi town is on a short cut route (other than the Mysuru - udhagai highway). We would be back to Masinagudi tomorrow morning on our way back to Ooty.
Finally, we reached the lodge (the red brick building on high ground). The lodge is attached to a hydro electric generation plant located within the Mudumalai national park. The water that was released down the Pykara falls would come thru pipes to drive turbines situated in this village. The camp director had taken the initiative to talk to the engineer in charge and had arranged a visit to the power generation plant. We did see turbines manufactured in europe, transported to Pykara (on high ground) from ports in Kerala, moved down to this location on rails erected (solely) for this purpose. This circuituous route was taken because there were dense jungles on the other side. We can see the rails even now. We cannot take any photo though, as photography is prohibited in such precincts (a general rule from the days of the British that continues even in this era where one can get a good view of any site, courtesy google map).
Mr. Kamath is so tired that he can't walk straight :-) That night, the camp leader distributed participation certificates to all participants.
Wild, but beautiful flower
The next day morning, we left, after breakfast, at 8:45am to catch a bus to Ooty. A souvenier photo: the girls with 'carrot uncle'. Notice a clean trousure (else the bus conductor may not take him as a passanger - too much stink). The stinking clothes were safely packed inside the haversack. OK, ok, I know; it is the same pyron worn on the first day of the trek (but it had been washed at Mukurthi dam water falls).
The main gate to the hydroelectric power station. We had just walked out of it. The Singara post office is visible on the left. Although the location of the power project is Singara, the power plant is still being called 'Pykara' station because the water comes from Pykara (a tourist spot). An article on the power station was published in 1935 (http://www.atypon-link.com/ITELF/doi/abs/10.1680/imotp.1935.15250). A modern and efficient power plant was constructed under ground and was dedicated to the nation in 2005 (http://www.tn.gov.in/pressrelease/archives/pr2005/pr060905/pr060905.htm).
We walked about 200 metres to reach the bus terminus (the circular raised platform). We walked into the lone tea shop and ordered anything and everything we could see. The amount of business the shop owner must have had in that half hour may be more than his daily turnover. The owner and his assistant (his wife) went crazy at speed and chaos with which the city folks were demanding food. The staff had their hands full that fateful morning. Soon, all dosas were gone. Dosas were pre-prepared (it takes time to make dosa). The owner had no time to make dosa now; he was busy with supplying dosas and idlis to the customers. Soon, even the idlis were gone. Thence, the assistant was busy supplying tea and coffee whereas the owner was busy (orally) preparing the bills, counting money and returning change. After peace descended on the premises (i.e., the most voracious crowd left the hotel), I heard the owner saying, in an almost complaining tone, that he had been told of only 4 visitors; instead many more rushed in!
On one side of the bus terminus (the circular raised platform with a tree at the centre - seen in the previous photo) was a church, most probably built by the British when the hydroelectric plant was built about 75 years ago. Notice the triangular flag (with a red coloured cross) on a flag pole. The flag is similar to the ones one can normally see on Naval ships. In India, one cannot fly a flag other than the National flag; the exception is given to security forces. This flag post must be a relic of the British raj and was not touched.
Even after spending time in the local restaurant, people had plenty of time to kill till the bus arrived. Now, people are bored of the waiting game (the only exception is the bubbly girl).
The bus came some 10 minutes before 10am. Mumbaikars were probably thinking that they have to do the usual 'let's race and get that window seat on this local train' routine. Fortunately, apart from us, there were hardly any passengers waiting to board the bus. We all settled by occupying favourite seats after dumping (thin) haversacks on the luggage carrier above the seats and dumping the fat ones on the other side of the engine. On one side of the engine box is the driver's seat and on the other side there is a single seat. A regular traveller had already kept his hand bag on the seat ('reservation'). We did not occupy that seat, but kept bags that obstructed his path. This led to an ugly (and heated scene) - not worth writing about in this narration of an otherwise enjoyable trek. A last 'group' photo (one for the road).
This photo was probably taken with a flash; light got reflected by metal walls and the picture is not sharp. A last group photo before people start scattering. A couple of busy guys had left the previous afternoon itself (some urgent meeting; had to attend classes the next day). Mr. Kamath would drop out at Masinagudi or so to catch a bus to Mysuru. The rest would take this bus to Ooty to claim the luggage left at the Ooty YHAI hostel.
The bus stopped for a moment at Masinagudi.
The road from Mysuru to Ooty via Masinagudi is a steep one with 36 hair pin bends; the road from Coimbature had half the number of such hair pin bends. We passed an RTO check post. Notice the curious contraption that serves as a red (warning) light. Light coming through the red, semi-transparent, plastic vessel appears red in night. The vessel protects the hot bulb from cold rain water! Several hair pin bends later, the traffic stopped; vehicles were coming from opposite direction intermittently. Later, we discovered that there was an accident. A bus had hit a 4-wheeler; the 4-wheeler fell down a bridge (some 10 metres down). The four-wheeler was still visible down in the canyon. The bus had been stopped for mandatory 'panchnama'. Police were regulating traffic.
vidoe: Bus travel from singara - Masinagudi to Ooty: another hair pin bend: Notice the driver's hand turning the steering wheel vigourously.
video: Bus travel from Singara to Ooty: negotiating one of 36 hair pin bends.
Finally, we reached Ooty bus stand, had lunch, retrieved our extra baggage from YHAI and boarded the next bus to Coimbatore. Most of the YHAI trekking team members, returning to Mumbai, were already inside the bus. We reached Coimbatore safely and on time. The first job was to go to a vegetarian restaurant (there will be many in south India) that Mudabidrikars had discovered before reaching Ooty. Here, Mr. Indra is seen relishing his (2nd) dosa in Coimbatore. ;;; As Dolfred would say 'Hip hip hurray'!. ;;; The End; Fini; sayonara; tata; bye bye till the next trek :-)
