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.