Life is hard and this world too cruel, making it difficult to manifest growth and individuality, hindering our transformation from buds to flowers and cocoons to butterflies. Life is a living experiment, we all being test subjects formulating our own destiny, adding to our wisdom and knowledge. The key is to survive this experiment with happy experiences and grow stronger from the not-so-happy ones. The goal should never be considered as reaching the destination, instead with nature, the journey is the destination, and the trip never fails to impress us.

Embarking on an event is memorable as the agenda lying ahead yet to unfold. The printed copy of the bus ticket says 9:30 pm. Reaching before time as planned, and meeting people to spend the next few adventurous days with, exchanging words, dodging possessions between bags to confirm packing everything required for the trip. Placing the bags together for safety displaying the first few signs of unity and coexistence. Ice cream to cool off the summer heat, a few laughs and its time to board the bus at Chennai. Bags tucked in the corner of the comfortable sleeper berths, setting an alarm for 6 in the morning it is time to disappear off the city radar. Staring out the window, listening to songs on headphones or talking to loved ones on the phone - the customary ritual on leaving a home town.

Day 1

Waking up before the alarm, greeted by the morning rays of the distant sun amongst the running trees, testified to the anticipation geared up forth coming days. The bus running a little late reaches Tirupur at 8am. A briefs stop at a hotel provided for freshening up, with back packs zipped-up and sneakers tied tight, it was time to hop on to a mini-bus provided for the rest of the trek. The wheels speed past the city through the two way road towards the Kerala border. Couple of hours listening to the excessive bass boosted Tamil songs, the eager few hit the first obstacle of the day - an All Kerala Bandh (strike). Officers at the check post deny entry to any vehicle from Tamil Nadu to cross over to Kerala, vaguely hinting the strike to be lifted at 5 in the evening. Refusing external factors to ruin the day, plans are diverted to a nearby dam. It is pretty evident that many people decided to spend time here due to the inconvenience caused at the border. The entire length of the dam is visible from where the bus screeched to a halt. The walk up to the top feels like a small scale version of a Buddhist monastery atop a mountain. The dam divides 2 sides of a view, a mechanical side supporting life, the other magnifying the beauty of nature. Less than half of its capacity, the earth protrudes out of the shallow areas of the water providing perfect habitat for birds like Cranes, Cormorants and Sea Gulls. The birds seem at peace on a small piece of land cooling off the heat by submerging in water from time to time. Barren land on the sides indicate the dam having the potential to hold water three times its capacity when the season is right. Any man made structure of this magnitude is always a marvel of achievement, playing god, being able to control forces of nature. The distant mountains stood submerged in water reflecting its image off the silver surface highlighting the magnificence of land meets water. Clouds suggest a note of incoming rain but everything remained as subtle as the still water. 

The view from the Dam

Next visiting a not-far off Crocodile-park enables viewers to study these primates exhibit normal behaviour, replicating their natural habitat with concrete walls and open ceiling, linking each room with a small slit that allows these giant lizards to walk between the enclosures and lay beside a pool of water provided in every room. Crocodiles are cold blooded creatures conserving their energy to only attack, letting them sit effortlessly still all day. Living in close proximity with each other, crocs bask under the sun, some laying submerged under water disguised as a rock and some as though half way through yawning, all posing like statues. The most territorial crocodiles chose single rooms, while the rest simply pile over each other failing to recognize their presence, stepping over and whipping its tail to clear space in the sand, and at times fighting - trying to out-do each other with the greater jaw expansion, exhaling and grunting in anger. Their dead stare, sharp teeth, ability to stay motionless and thick hide adds their reputation of being the most feared reptiles on earth. To be able to watch these amphibians at an arms distance is a sight to behold. Adjacent cages hold baby crocodiles that display the same characteristics as that of an adult, laying under water with only skin on their back and nostrils protruding out. Walking out the crocodile park one can’t deny the resemblance they share with a common household lizard.

A 20 minute drive against the far backdrop of mountains, the bus halts beside a temple and a walk about 200m to the edge of land leading to water that connects a panoramic view of the mountains submerged in the dam water. Running down to swim clothes, it is time for a dip in the lake, while some decide to sit in the bus and not wet their hair. The floor of the lake is covered in mud and smooth stones making it an ideal place for a swim. As the sun hovers above the exertion turns into skimming rocks off the surface of the water, with none being able to ricochet a stone more than three times. Onlookers watch as the younger ones splash water in the shallow area and the adults display their swimming skills. A joyous hour in the water and the wet clothes are hung for drying, a series of photo sessions proceeds with probable tag of “post-swim #Lifeisawesome“ as their next possible social-network status. Scaling few steps of the temple leaving footwear outside the boundary as customary tradition, lunch packed for the day is distributed. Idli and Sambar combination with tomato rice prove worthy a meal. A stray cow comes close to the group, staring at the food being savoured. In India, cows are a common sight, the idea been popularised by the national geographic channel -  having a cow in every frame of any Indian tourism telecast. Why the hype over a simple cow? Cow is regarded as a holy creature in this part of the world. The Hindu worships this animal and freak out at the idea of having to kill and eat its meat, so much that even the world’s most successful model of burger chains (Mc Donalds) initially failed to make an impression in India on introducing their popularly loved beef burger. Joy of feeding a cow and then have it stick its nose in your plate, forcing its way and not letting you eat is the last thing expected on attempting to satisfy a cow’s hunger. Turning events into kungfu gimmicks keeping the cow away, that finally end ups eating all the excess rice dropped under a distant tree, solving all hunger issues.

Crocodiles should be feared.

After lunch with bellies content, that even the cow would vouch for, heading to the border on the bus, the inbuilt Tv screens a Kollywood movie defying the laws of physics and logics, painting a story of surreal future time reference. At last, permitted to cross over to Kerala indicated the end of the bandh, the time being 4pm. A series of check posts and the bus halt at the Chinnar Forest Department Quarters - the land of the monkey - seen jumping between branches, sitting idly at tress and clustering together in groups at times. Somehow these primates have built a tolerance and understanding with humans, watching and learning our behaviour, never missing the slightest chance to enter any enclosure and to grab food of any content.

Meeting the rest half of the trek mates was a moment of rejoice, family’s reuniting and friends catching up after a long period - strengthened by love and care for one another. The forest department provided dormitory containing 6 and 6 beds lined up against two walls with neatly folded bedspread and a pillow welcomes all occupants in the room. Choosing a bunker and finding chairs to dry out the clothes, adjusting to the environment is entertained with a hot cup of tea prepared in kitchen attached to the complex. Kids having a different diet prefer milk and biscuits instead. Watching monkeys at their habitat is an experience that is out of the normal. One has to make sure all the rooms and kitchens are closed, constantly driving these tailed ancestors off, which never usually occurs to a common city dweller. The dormitory strangely contains no electricity, maybe to conserve the essence of nature. On further scrutiny, the entire residential area and check post does not run on electricity. 

Humans have become so advanced unable to live without certain acquired essentials in life, most primary requirement being electricity. There is a difference in having no electricity due to a power cut and actually not having electricity at all. Imagine no TV, no fan, no phones or even lights. These situations usually trigger panic and are portrayed in movies depicting plots of desperation or an apocalypse. Everything in our lives revolves around electricity, that in it’s absence, contemplating the only next executable negation - sleeping till the power comes back. Unless given a notice expecting a full day power cut, we city dwellers are not at all equipped to deal beyond a 48 hour blackout.

Lighting candles, chit chatting and playing UNO cards, couple of people try to get some shut eye from exhaustion of the day, the evening slips by letting the night crawl into the ballad of crickets, frog and grasshoppers against the absolute silence. Dinner is finally served, traditional Kerala kanji and beans dish, with warm Kerala pappadam. The trek-pack now in its full strength is gathered and briefed about the itinerary for the next few days, Do’s and Dont’s of the trip, assigning roll numbers to all, for the sake of safety especially the toddlers. Post-briefing, it is time to hit the sack, not bothering to switch off any lights because there aren't any!! Though the night was young, the day was long enough for a baby sleep. Good night crick crick creatures, damn there are so many of them.

Day 2 (50 shades of Green)

The wafting aroma of black tea and bread in the morning is followed by quick repacking of bags with essentials required and jumping off the bus after a 10 minute ride, taking the first breaths of fresh mountain air at the crack of dawn.  After a roll call, accompanied by 2 forest guard working for the forest department to guide the way, the trail begins. Crossing the last man-made bridge that posed in the pathway, the test of human legs begins through uneven rocky terrain, cutting through bushes and mountain rocks that constitute the path. Walking past a cattle-shed made of polythene stuffed with goats lying in the middle of nowhere and heading further.The guard points out the fresh tracks of deer and wild dog on the sand. Recreating the picture of a deer being chased down by a wild dog at the location gives an actual amalgamation of the ruthlessness of nature.  Maybe survival of the fittest, the deer out runs the wolf or wolves. Maintaining silence increases the chances of encountering wild animals, catching them off guard in their natural habitat, becomes difficult when the little ones are more interested in screaming the need to have pink elephants for breakfast, occasionally referring to the happy “leech day” to be encountered soon.

The 30 degree incline mountain path provide a challenge for the little legs in the group, resorting to many breaks and re-grouping. The key of a trek is to hold your thirst for the first hour of the exertion, and your body will withstand the urge to drink during water for the remaining trek, allowing you to survive on 1 bottle for an entire day. Humans are very versatile, physically being able to survive on water alone for more than an year, and limited water for about a month after which the organs begin to show signs of deterioration.

Friendly neighbouring Waterfall

Climbing up the mountain and gaining altitude develops a better aerial view of land below. Halting under the huge shade of tree, motivating the youngest member (being 3 years old) in the group to continue walking becomes a statutory task, constantly diverting their attention to irrelevant topics of monkeys, captivating their interest urging them to keep up the pace.  Located at a height above the rest, under the empty skies, certain stagnant water on the depressions of the rocks suggested water being originated on these mountains, flowing further down the slope turning into streams and waterfalls. Approaching a flat surface, with the sun tucked behind the trees at the edge of a cliff lay an open view of the land below. A sea of trees in fifty shades of green of uniform height, spread across the curve of the mountains as far as vision can contemplate. Posing in different shapes mountains seem to disappear into the thick of the clouds that surround them. There can’t be a more scenic location to have an official breakfast. Bread, jam and butter is distributed in slices along with biscuits for the kids, while the eye feeds on the just another beautiful scenery. A calm brief moment of munching later plummets into a frenzy of phone calls seeking admission and well being of a distant cousin, apparently the only place of phone signal in these mountains. The little ones possessively pluck out and collect each white flower petals fallen from the tree above, amazed at finding them so fresh and clean, gathering them on a tiny depression on the mountain in the form of a ritual. Hanging up the phone and packing all the things it’s time to continue heading further up the trail. The path gets narrow, wide enough to hoist one person at time, where one side is a drop (well not exactly a drop, but if you fall it will take you sometime to figure your way up, after you stop spinning that is) making sure to halt only on flat open grounds.

One instance, the forest guard walking ahead distances himself from the group, leaving a gap of about 30 steps, when suddenly a large thud 5 meters in front, followed by breaking of branches and the repeated sound of heavy footsteps startles everyone. An adult male deer runs vertically across the path making it brisk before anyone could blink. The animal had heard the toddler’s 'balle balle' song, and fearing for its life decided to make a run for it, unaware that the forest guard had crossed its path. A brief sigh of relief and the trek resumes up the mountain, across the sandy course of dry land with dead trees lying randomly on the path. Walk up leads to a one-roof-two-room small house, with 2 green doors under a green roof that is constructed for explorers and forest officials to take shelter at times. Open sesame reveals chairs made of cane that lay inside, a cot and a mattress in both rooms. Outside beyond the edge of the cliff is an alluring view of green carpeted mountains. The path taken to reach up is visible over the railings provided for protection. Probably the view so breathtaking, people with jaws open would simply fall off the edge! 

A game is chosen to be played in pairs, the partner is supposed to learn 5 things about their buddy and enact it to all as his/her own quality. 10 minutes of open chat and the next half an hour is engaged at laughing at everyone take a bow and talk about their counter-buddy, one at a time their interest in science class because of a good looking teacher, enthusiasm to eat raw vegetables, hating their sibling, not having girlfriend, being good at basketball and having 6 pack abs. The commotion ends on a cute note with the little ones adding their flavour. The panoramic view of the landscape is captured on camera with a face – the perfect cover photo for a facebook profile.

50 shades of Green.

The trek downhill begins, tracing a different path that goes through the local village. Local kids playing on the mud pathway, running around aimlessly dragging their wooden toy-cars with a string. Staying indoors tending to busy household makes the place looks deserted, while hens and cows scatter in between fences made of wooden stick standing boundary to thatched red roofs. Stopping at the residence of the forest guard to fill couple bottles of water, and the last rest before the final walk back to the bus, to where it all begun.

The first signs of cell phone range appear on approaching the bridge near the pick-up spot, a quick drive down the road and its time for lunch. The triumphant wayfarers are greeted with rice, beans dish and omelette back at the forest quarters. Eating the meal in the calm dining hall, on second looks realizing the framed photo hanging on the wall seemed familiar, the very same green door house seen hours earlier on the mountain. After lunch, bags are packed and it is time to vacate the Quarters.

A couple of hours bus journey watching the setting sun behind the mountain and the vehicle stops at a private housing complex. Placing all the luggage in the rooms, taking just one pair of clothes and a towel, proceeded by a quick 20 minute walk down a muddy Jeep trail hoarding private carrot, cabbage and eucalyptus cultivation, it is time to meet a waterfall.  At one point completely cutting off the road into a narrow path, somehow recreating the scene of The Lion King, lurking behind a set of trees, hides a 35m waterfall all to ourselves! At that height, water pours down with a lot of thrust reminding the true forces of nature. Steadily adapting to the chilly hip deep water turns dashing into the striking falls beside the warm rock wall, then splashing around in the pool of fresh water with precaution. Dying visibility at dusk made reaching the main road the next top priority.

The room never felt better that went fanta-fabulously well with hot tea. Finding places to hang clothes, adjusting back to normalcy and lazing around till supper. The cold weather is tackled with a bonfire lit in the middle of a wooden tent, the warmth adding to the ambience of the dark of night. Chappathi and vegetable curry provides nutrition to munch on while staring at the dancing bright orange yellow flames, soothing the eyes and the mind replays memories of the day. Supper is followed by a game played in pairs. One person promotes a product that their partner tries to mime like flying shoes, invisible cloak, time machine, fire proof materials and solar generators. Next getting indoors initiates a slight chit-chat reflecting childhood memories, the cunningness of a child’s mind and a friendship that began 14 years ago in a French class room, slowly fades into the last few words on a serious note, and it is time to call in it a night.

Day 3 (Leech Day)

The break of dawn being an hour past, freshening up in the morning haze, sipping on hot tea, meticulously dividing the number of glasses and solving the scandal of missing tea, initiates the first activity of the day. Exiting the building, the sun about to rise beckons sleeping shops attached with homes to wake up, having dwellers slowly start their engines for the day. The cold weather favours the exertion down the twisted curvy roads that ran into blind corners. Half an hour walk into the gradual dying population of the trees leads to grasslands. Mountains carpeted with a fine vista of fields filled with Lemon grass plants, like natures fur-coating to keep the landscape warm. Freshness exhilarates the senses, stimulating an overwhelming energy surrounded by visual highlights of the freshest green shades, sandwiched by the dawn blue sky on top.  Staring at the horizon during times of despair bestows calmness to any troubled soul; recommended as a healing mechanism nature has to offer. Something that we have learnt to ignore over the years, sophisticating our lives with fragile fancy apparatuses that money can afford, blaming “necessity” as the cause of indulgence in our everyday lives. True power lies not in the technology man creates, but the harmonized relationship we maintain, not just with humans and other creatures, but most importantly - Mother Nature herself.

The visually enchanting panoramic view along with the stench of lemon churns the stomach yearning for something homely, which is granted by Dosa and Sambar succeeding the short walk back home, and it was time to leave again. A 15 minutes drive, everyone hops down the bus, taking extra measure to tuck the end of their pants into the socks. Quickly gathering around, a short brief about the trail is briefed, and it is time !!

Not bad view, for a leech infested area

Walking uphill into the forest’s rough rock-trail under the shade of trees, the place looks more like a jungle. Leading the way, a forest official wearing lungi and sandals, in contrast to the heavy clothing worn by us to stay leech-free. Not too deep into the wilderment,  at one frame itself you see 2 or 3 leeches, slowly realizing the fact that entire floor is crawling with these little worms, like they knew we were coming and waiting ever since. Moving in its sweet peace, calmly poising upright waiting to hook on to anything that moves, as though mocking “no matter how hard you try, blood will be shed!” as funny as it may sound. Maintaining a balanced centre of gravity at all times against the slippery rocks covered in green algae is a task of at-most priority. The eyes are constantly distracted by leech, setting the pace of the trek slow. Realizing that bloodsuckers don’t accumulate in areas the sunlight hits the ground, energetic ones wait till the group in front reaches a sunny spot, and catch up halting under the sun at all times.

The route is surrounded by trees standing tall, many grass and shrubs, all present in shades of dark green with almost very little sunlight penetrating through. The only non green colour is the path made of rock, mud and hard soil. This course is generally used by villagers to get to the other side of the mountain, twisting and turning, and at times a complete hair pin bend. The hike begins to get strenuous, constantly looking at the shoes, occasionally flicking leeches with the finger while others use sticks. Taking a slight detour off the course into the dense jungle flows a running stream uninhabited by humans, water considered purest in the vicinity. Basically all water streaming down a mountain can be consumed subjective to the location and terrain, as the only pollutant factors are humans. The moist location in the shady thick trees leaving no room to stand only gives the creeps of leeches crawling up the skin, and the hikers quickly retrace back to the course. Encountering many fallen trees, some whose bark turned bright orange, opens to a Jeep trail. Unlimited supply of the sun hitting the ground is for once a welcoming feeling. Snacks and biscuits takes the mind off a bigger concern and some sit to rest their legs, but soon it is time to ascend further up.

Leeches bring out the true colour in everyone, watching elders extremely panic like kids on encountering leeches seems so out of place. Never watching them panic at any other occasion, yet alone  throwing off shoes and socks as though they lost their feet to molten lava, screaming to get rid of leeches stuck to their leg is a funny sight.  Passing through trees of all ages, shapes and stages in life, atop the mountain ends the trail blooming a magnificent view of the surrounding lowland with a dangerous dead drop in front, a straight 200m plummet down to trees below. The distance roads carved against the mountain display miniature vehicles running up and down the tarmac.  A quick game of blinding the intellectually inferior, laughing and encouraging them to walk between invisible sticks, soon turns into a descend down the mountain. The only upside of the rest of strenuous hike back being all downhill. Stopping for tomato rice and curd for lunch at a random choice of location, as every place is a spectacular. After a satisfying meal by the road, few minutes engrossed in the beauty of the valley of tea plantation on the adjacent hill helps infest blissful thoughts before continuing the remaining challenge down. Some take extra precautionary measure to avoid the leech by putting a plastic cover inside the socks while the kids gear up with candy and jelly from a nearby phone booth sized shop.

Sticking to the road that is built long time ago, destroyed by nature over time, it becomes easy to avoid leeches. The simplicity of walk downhill is complicated by the uneven stone terrain, challenging the calf muscles and ankle joints of the leg. After what seemed to be an arduous hike, the trail ends to where the bus was stationed. From the boarding point, the mountain shaped liked the bonnet of a Hudson Hornet vintage car, with the drop dead zone is visible building a sense of achievement on conquering the top, capturing a day’s hard work in one frame; A task that seems can never be accomplished from the bus. The travel back to the accommodation is embracing, following a cup of tea, while few people set off for a swim in the nearby waterfalls they recently befriended before sun down, while the others recover from the day trying to sleep.

The same waterfalls

Dinner is over a bonfire, and on request chicken curry, vegetable curry and chapatti is served. Playing a small game of guessing where one tries to mime a story of a lover in college, finding land after swimming and Rajnikant’s battle with Arnold Schwarzenegger dies out into laughter. Later gathering in the hall for a brainstorming session of reflecting events learnt in the past couple of days, sharing the most memorable moment, providing a platform to thank anyone in the process. Time to retire wishing everyone goodnight, resuming sleeping positions, engines shuts down for the night.

Day 4

Waking up on an unfamiliar bed, to the sound of a Malabar whistling thrush (a rare singing bird), the sunlight illuminating senses for a brief moment wondering your location when memories almost immediately gush in with a throbbing hangover of the past days. Comparing on a scale of fun enjoyed verses spectacular beauty of nature witnessed, 10 on 10 tipping the scales to form the curve of a smile on the face. Filling in all the quota of un-normalcy needed for our everyday, to live as ordinary human beings - be it feeding the family, studying hard for the 12^th board exam next year, scribbling on a colouring book as a baby, seeking to start on a carrier, sustaining a business, being stronger for their younger ones, making sure the children get to keep the house and business, or simply being there as a father, life is a constant learning process that never stops. The secret of success is nothing but to consciously try to surround yourself with things you love. Never a bad outcome will occur out of trying. Bad if any, only adds to your experience and knowledge.

Eating breakfast to a 15-inch television flipping between the Animal Planet and the News Headlines soon turns out into packing frenzy, picking all belonging and vacating the guest house. The Bus fully loaded, a short drive down the country side leads to a quick stop at a Dolmen Caves, a burial site erected before the Iron Age, times when no tools existed at all. On the flat mountain terrain stood huge rectangular stone structures put together to form the shape of a table, big enough to provide shade and pay homage to the dead buried beneath. On the next mountain lay more burial camps clustered together in similar groups of 5. A series of ‘selfies’ and portrait photos are clicked left, right and centre, as many movie buffs try to recreate their favourite movie poster. Surrounded by Sandal wood trees marked in serial numbers, there seems to be a steady flow of tourist on to the location. Another short journey on the bus, boarding off at the Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary, next to an Ecoshop attached with a tea stall for refreshments. Accompanied by two tribal guards the trek begins, starting completely off road up the rocky mountain, as though a speeding vehicle losing control and skidding off road into the jungle had chosen the direction to walk, a place famous for its wild elephant population.  The easiest way to handle a situation in case of close confrontation with elephants is wishing you did not. These mammals have powerful senses that could trigger them into a raging fury, charging at you trying to destroy everything in its path. Elephants are attracted to the scent of perfume, precisely the alcohol content. Dull coloured clothes should be chosen while trekking in the forest, avoiding deodorants and scented products as it attract insects and bugs as well. The key is to blend into nature the way nature was designed, not being detected for our own safety.

Rock Painting dating back to pre-historic times.

Warning issued by the forest official somehow got to the toddler’s attention, maintaining silence noticing the graveness of the situation. Using specific sticks used in the previous treks (giving them names like Joe and Medura) the walk begins through mountain rocks, soft grass, slight shrubs and lot of trees. Trekking into the jungle gets thicker killing vision beyond a certain distance, flashing images of the Jungle Book minus the vines, occasionally spotting giant red squirrels jumping between trees, and crossing ant hills-turned snake holes on the ground, some as tall as 4 feet in height. The trail is dotted with heaps of elephant-dumping dating between couple of weeks to an year, suggesting two things - these land animals walk the very same path much too often, and secondly, there is good chance of an evident threat lurking at the distance, unaware of our presence. Strangely harsh terrain for humans, finding it difficult to commute contained elephant poop, suggesting the weird existence of “Hortan” the elephant, contrary to real life - being more cute and light as a feather. Nevertheless, the forest officials are extra vigilant, trained to detect threat better accustomed and equipped with senses made stronger over experience. Elephants in a group are less a threat than a single stranded elephant. In a herd, one or two elephants will charge attempting to chase the intruder off their territory, but stranded single elephants charge to attack. It is best to let live to be alive !

Climbing down a set of large rocks contained a number of prehistoric paintings. Huge stones arranged like nature’s art gallery. It was considered auspicious to man back in before the start of any civilization, drawing on large stones to the best of their creativity. Fading red paint on the wall depicted Elephants, two Deers facing the same direction, and at a further distance more paintings drew humans and maybe a UFO, though barely visible. The location is being a preserved by the authorities as historically significance.

Picturing historic man having experienced the same terrain with not much of a change, it was time to move on. Following a clear trail, crossing bones of animals in the sound of the jungle and footsteps, the guards suddenly points to a distant right, where an Indian Bison stood across the land about 20m away behind the cover of the jungle. It looked like a bull on extreme steroids! Grazing at a distance, it slowly retreats further into the forest. The guard picks up a camera and agrees to click a closer photo of the living muscle.

Hidden cave, beside the Waterfall

Walking past couple of flowing stream all carved in the ground finally approaching a dry river bed made of mountain rocks suggested water accumulation during monsoon, supporting an entire ecosystem in itself. Crossing the river bed and further down the course, the chorus of falling water grows louder confirming the presence only by sheer sight. Sensing the sky get gloomy with an impending rain, it is time to eat the Tomato rice, eggs and pickle which could not taste any better beside the view of splashing white water. Rain begins to pour. Energetic few follow the guard to climb towards the falls, where tucked inside lays a perfectly hidden cave, an escape from the rain like a wish come true. The cave seemed surreal with the constant sound of the water splashing while the dripping rainwater formed a water curtain on the mouth of the cave. Such a place is observed only in movies, presumably the location where a hero gathers strength and become stronger in do-or-die situation.

Photography and posing is inevitable, filling memory bank on camera and phones. The rain subsides into light showers and running on a clock for the first time in days it was time to head back. Putting the calf muscles to yet another test encountering rocks, tress and the shrubs washed by the rain, drops glistening off the edges, adding to the effect of natural fresh, words used only in advertisements. Wet Mountain rocks are a waiting banana peels on the ground, so slippery that if not stepped on with caution can lead to ankle sprain or a fall. A couple of more breaks against the brown ground, green land and blue sky, the walk back is completed on reaching the vehicle. Preferring dry clothes comes instinctive to all, a cup of tea and the final bus journey back to Malaiyur Town sets sail, where fellow trekkers are set to part their ways, to their respective humble abode.

Purchasing materials off rarity available like sweets, Jaggery and Jack fruit, it is time to tuck into seats and watch the scenery drift past. Watching a group of wild Elephants few feet down the road was the icing on the cake. Crossing over the Tamil Nadu border, the gloom of dark is gripped with celibacy, each confined to their own world, indulging in music, tracking the bus on a GPS, snoring to glory, or fiddling with the phone as range begins to bombard messages. All dealt in silence, reminding us of a world we actually belong to. The transition is a slow necessity. Disembarking on a trip that is enriched with nature’s divinity and purity cleanses us of the worldly poison we carry. A sense of calmness and tolerance are the precious characteristics collected over time. Many traits learned and achieved in these experiences configure a stronger individual, versatile and capable to cope any storm life has to offer, a trait we all need to progress and flourish. We live for events such as these, stating our purpose of life, a moment of reality-check, ringing in clarity and devotion to things that matter. This trip is worth every minute spent that could never be fully described even if I continued writing. If only life had a recording button !!

Elephants seen by the roadside.