TREKKING EXPERIENCE TO BHEEMANA KINDI AND SHIVSAMUDRA FALLS WITH Bangalore AdvenTuRers.(05-Sept-2015)

Organisers Vasudev Kr , Bhargava Parthasarathy Written by: Anil Kaul

We were supposed to meet at 7.30 am and leave Bangalore by 8.00. My bad I misread the time as 7.00 which made me to wait at the supposed meeting Spot for a good time.

By 7.30 everyone (12 trekkers) showed up at the spot, including one family (uncle, aunty and their daughter).
It felt good as everyone reached at time, in the mean time we started introducing each other, later we boarded the Bus and left for Kanakpura at 8.00.

After a journey of about 1 hour approximately we reached Kanakpura. Had our breakfast, Dosa which is my favourite south Indian breakfast, tea and coffee. The coffee was liked by everyone also the dosa was crispy and tastey. We also purchased packed rice parcels which we planned to eat as lunch on the hill.

After one hour of travelling and watching Mr and Mrs Ramachari Kannada movie starring Yash we reached Bheemana kindi base, the movie was in fact interesting, I could not understand much but the delivery of dialogues by Yash and laughing on jokes by other people caught everyone’s ear, and Sowmiya Ashok Kumar (girl from Pondicherry ) was much emphasising on translating the dialogues to Bhargava Parthasarathy, which made movie more interesting. Other thing which catched my eye while travelling was round shaped discs made of coconut leaves after enquiring I came to know they are used for making silk.

After reaching Bheemana kindi base we started trekking, passed through Ragi fields and corrected our way, with help of farmers, to the mountain. The trek was easy but it was much humid as it had rained previous night. While climbing up we all started joking and talking with each other Ahmed Kidiya was cracking jokes while we pulled his leg, the topics discussed were off the track but added smile to our faces and made all of us laugh.

While I started talking with the Haritha Sarma I gathered he was working with a NGO and his wife also works, she is also a psychologist and is working as a counsellor. Their daughter was studying in eighth standard. Apart from them I also talked to Vasudev Kr, Pradeep Shankar, Vikram E Thirthappa and Shivu Murthy, Bhargava Parthasarathy and others.

While talking with each other and listening to copied and humorous jokes of Ahmed Kidiya (hope ahmed does not get angry) we viewed many beautiful sceneries, The way clouds casted their shadows on ground and green landscape was eye catching and awesome. Whole bheemakindi village was looking like a bride in the sunlight. All of us became busy in catching the beautiful landscapes in our eyes and in cameras, as a memory.

After clicking photos we rested for a while on a huge rock, the breezes were holding us for longer time but we had to reach the destination so we had to say good bye to heart touching beautiful landscapes and cold breezes. In about next 45 minutes we touched the top.

After reaching we enjoyed the arch view of mountain and chilly breezes of the cave. After having lunch we clicked the photos of temple and some group photos. Some of us decided to take a rest while Me Pradeep Shankar and Ahmed Kidiya decided to explore the area, resulting which we discovered the echo point, we produced many sounds and listened the echoes.

After spending an hour on hill top we decided to come back as we had further plans to visit Shivasamudram Falls. It took merely 45 minutes approx. to climb down. After reaching base everyone felt thirsty and all of the water which we carried up got finished. On the way we came across a coconut field and requested the owner to serve some coconut water.

It was the humbleness of boy who plucked some tender coconuts and served us the same, after having sweet coconut water energy levels of all of us got restored and we went on, thanking the coconut boy.

On the way while talking to couple me and Sowmiya Ashok Kumar came to know that the couples marriage was a love marriage, discovering this happiness and laughter of joy got pumped on all of our faces, we clapped for them and insisted to share their love story. Finally Mr. Haritha Sarma broke the silence and we discovered that they studied in same class and uncle prepared some report, in order to find an excuse to talk he requested aunty to subscribe for it, but hiding a smile on his face he complained that still she did not subscribe for it, listening this sentence aunty broke into laughter and blushed. They both were shying and a hidden joy could be easily understood from their face.

Then we all boarded the Bus and left for Shivasamudram Falls. After a journey of 45 minutes approx. we reached the falls, by then it was 4.30 the gatekeeper disclosed that the gate was going to get closed by 5Pm which gave us a window of half hour to explore the place. We clicked some photos of the place, the sunset and clouds in sky provided a good background for pictures, by 5.10 we left the place and visited a nearby reservoir. Some of us enjoyed a bath. In the reservoir on small road I enjoyed a “walk with talk” with aunty and Sowmya, asking her more about the psychology subject and some experiences, and from sowmya I listened sweet broken hindi sentences which made me laugh.

After enjoying and relaxing we had some bajji (Pakodas), packed our bags and left for Bangalore. On the way we watched the remaining part of Movie, now this time Sowmiya Ashok Kumar asking Vasudev Kr for translations.
In the end it was my second Trek with Bangalore AdvenTuRers. I met many new friends, people, saw new places, enjoyed some trekking, and clicked good photos.
The bottom line is "I MADE SOME MEMORIES, INFACT SOME GOOD MEMORIES".
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SOLO NIGHT TREKKING EXPERIENCE TO KUNTI BETTA. Date (12/sept/2015).

SOLO NIGHT TREKKING EXPERIENCE TO KUNTI BETTA. Date (12/sept/2015)

I dedicate this post to Chetan, a local guy who helped me and showed his kindness when i needed it the most.

Written by: Anil Kaul.

Type: Trekking.

Transport: By Bus (Public transport).

Start Time; sat 12/sept/2015 17.00 hours, BTM layout, Namma Bengaluru.

End time: Sun 13/sept/2015 19.00 hours, BTM layout, Namma Bengaluru.

Things I carried: Sweater, jacket, water bottles, basic medicine, sleeping mat, torch, a Novel and my heart which always jumps for adventures.

Things i did not carry: My brain.
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History of Kunti betta.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pandavapura

5.00 Pm.
Before planning this trek I did a good research and gathered that best time to trek is in Night, so my heart gave a green flag for the solo weekend plan.

I left my room, caught a bus to satellite bus stand for Mysore, and took me 7.00 Pm to reach the place. Kudos to BMTC and Namma Bengaluru Traffic. Boarded the bus to Mysore and the adventure started. While enquiring about Pandavpura to the conductor I came to know I have to get down at Shreerangnapatnam. By the time sun was reaching its destination to west, bus was heading to its destination to mysore and I, to a place where I have never been and seen, I imagined the place (Kunti Betta) as isloted far flung from residential areas and during night time wild dogs roaming on streets, wolves howling, a place full of snakes and scorpions. Etc.

Travelling in a bus during night time always make me happy, it gives me an opportunity to talk to myself, it has helped me in finding the solutions and answers to the toughest problems of my life, this time it helped me in bypassing the worry about the trek.

I broke words with the guy sitting next to me, he belonged to Mysore and was visiting his home town, his name was Paul, a sophisticated gentleman, talked very nicely, as soon as we opened up we became familiar with each other’s hobbies, he put before me many place to be visited in south India Wayanand, Pondicherry, Kanyakumari, Backwater houseboats of kerla and many places in Tamil Nadu. He disclosed Kashmir is on top of his wishlists, where he would like to go. After this he insisted me to visit Mysore during Dusshera as there happens big festival in Palace every year, which I accepted without a thought. At last bus conductor shouted Shreerangapatnam and I had to say “meet you soon” to Paul and we exchanged mobile numbers.

After recalling the city name it took back me to schooldays, a scene flashed infront of my eyes where dad was teaching me lessons of bravery of Tipu Sultan and to remember name of this city, as I forgot the complicated name again and again.

10.30PM
I was lucky to catch a cab to Pandavapura as it was so late for public transport. 3Km from this place lies my destination, seeing no chances of any kind of transport I decided to walk, while I enquired about Kunti Betta from a local he happily pointed the path . After 1.5 km enquiring about the same put me in surprise that I was on wrong path. It was the humbleness of one of the people, who offered a lift to the hill base which I could hardly refuse. When I asked to Chetan how he could speak hindi so fluently he disclosed that he has worked in a restaurant in Delhi. Rajasthan and also in Bangalore. He dropped me near hill base, he shared his mobile number and said to call in case of any assistance required, which I took with an expression of thankfulness and gratitude. We waved goodbyes with smiles, I felt good after this help and thanked God and Chetan.

11.45 Pm
Now it was me, a concrete staircase and big three hills infront of me. As I climbed the staircase I was welcomed by a cool breeze, temples and a huge pond. It was not too long as I blocked the path of red colored centipede, I humbly said sorry and it passed on. The first stage of my adventure and confusion was which one of the hills to Climb. Unfortunately it was no moon day so I could only figure out the outer borders of the hills. Luckily with help of printout of Gmaps of the area and compass in mobile I sorted out the hill to be climbed, second thought from where to climb?, as there were no paths available in pitch dark. I climbed an inclined slope, walking in arbitrarily direction. Soon I met with some wrappers and leftover water bottles which was a signal that I am on right track. I failed to decide whether spreading garbage was a good or bad at that point of time.

Stopped in between drank some water, sooner I met an insect looking like a scorpion but the tail was not resembling instead there was a harpoon shaped antenna, thanked him for some pictures and moved on. I saw a cave under a rock, felt as if someone might have lived there before, but it was destroyed, soon a thought of ghosts and Amavasya (when atmas are active) rattled my brain, After thinking of Lord Hanuman and reciting Hanuman Chalisa the thought disappeared as darkness in light. The left over bottles and wrappers guided my way.

1.30 AM
Sooner a steep rock stopped my way, trying again and again, I managed to climb putting a strain on my fingertips, but after viewing the view on other side I realised the strain was worth it. The horizon dazzling in lights, lights twinkling like stars, lights like unending chain of diamonds, twinkling and dazzling under the sky full with infinite stars. Cold winds from nearby lake added the beauty to the jaw dropping view. Words feeling short to describe the beauty of Mother Nature. I sang songs, the crickets and breezes added background music. The view and atmosphere made me to forget everything, my face was overflowing with joy and happiness, I questioned to myself is this it why travellers travel, is this it why explorers leave everything, is this it people from one corner of earth travel to other, is this it people loose lives climbing Mount Everest, and if it is this it is worth it. I laid on the rock counted stars; despite I had to begin from beginning. It was my first time to sleep under stars. I rejoiced.

After I relaxed I proudly ate my cheese rice which I cooked in my home and had thought to eat on the top of hill. Soon I was joined by a Asian Mountain mouse different from house rats, his eyes were big and round light grey skin, humped back, which made me realise I was not alone, he also ate my food and with respect conveyed his thanks, by trying to bite my foot.

2.30 Am
By this time I saw some torch lights beneath, soon I was joined by 10 more people, after other half hour by more 30 and after other half hour by 20 people. The hill top welcomed everyone with an open and warm heart as it did to me, and people saying the sentences about the beauty of view seemed familiar to me. I could imagine the scene of Penguins and seals on one small island in Discovery channel. Some girls were reading the stars as if they are astronauts, they read their names as if they were their best friends, while distributing this knowledge to other friends, I also tried to identify the stars but for me there were two types of stars, Planets which shine brighter and stars which are not much brighter, what put me to surprise was that the girls were locating the center line of galaxy. After which we made a bonfire, some of us sang and danced around the fire.

5.40Am
As the time for sunrise reached all of us tried to reach the highest rock as much as possible. Camera guys stood front with cameras ready as if some celebrity was going to show up. As soon the celebrity of our trek showed up everyone became busy in capturing it both with lens of camera and eyes. The noises of camera clicks could be heared clearly. The sun saying “Hasta la Vista” to darkness and darkness saying “see you soon” in return. After sunrise everyone left the place as I stayed for some time and enjoyed reading some pages from my novel. Later I packed my bag and left.

I was unaware that next adventure was waiting for me. While going down I choose the path of lake to reach the base, the lake touches the mountain base leaving no path to pass by, in beginning it was easy the more I went inside the more difficult it became for me to return. At last I found a place worth spending some time, I relaxed there read some more pages from my novel, when I heard the rattling sound of my stomach time for breakfast, when it started crying it became difficult for me to enjoy the moment and I started again. This time I got struck pretty badly, on my one side there was lake and on other side steep slope. After slipping from rocks, getting struck in thorny shrubs, and trying to make grip in rock gaps which in turn gave cuts to my fingers I was able to see the hill base road. Which made me happy.

1030 Am.
After reaching the town I ate like anything, inviting strange looks from other people and hotel owner which I ignored, I ate how much I could. Later the hotel owner told there is a lake nearby called keretonnur better have alook. When I reached the lake it was beautiful and awesome, I rested on banks of lake, clicked some photos.

1.30PM
I left for Bangalore saying good bye to the beautiful place.

7.00Pm
I reached my home tired, fell asleep as I crashed the bed.

At the end of day it was the best and worth remembering trek.