Wayanad with friends: An encore

Its been ages since I blogged. One main reason, I got a chance to go home. Back to India! Boy did that feel good from the moment I booked my tickets. As soon as I booked them, next step, wanderlust in India. This time it was going to be with some of my besties, not the usual lonewolf trip logs. Oh wait, has the concept of lonewolf taken a battering in my posts? Maybe yes. Anyways, destination Wayanad it was to be. You guys might have seen a previous post in which I describe a trip to Wayanad. Well, it did look like god's own country had taken me in as its own and made me come back. Away from the usual theme of the blog, this time its a succinct description of the whole experiences than just about the travel and lesser known facts.

June 8-11, all of the weekend, dedicated to a reunion after 9 months. Unlike last time, the route was Chennai-Calicut and then Wayanad. A different home-stay too; Wayanad Blooms it was. Mangalore Mail took us from Madras (yes, no matter what, it'll always be Madras to me and not Chennai) to Calicut. From there we took a cab to Wayanad Blooms. A major lot of the 16 hour journey from Madras to Calicut was covered by UNO and "vetti mokkais". Its never the same away from close friends, wherever you live. Things never feel the same without them around. You can always be the mental and childish you around them and no one will give a penny about it. You love being around them, and vice-versa. 

The cab journey passed in no time too, aided by breathtaking landscapes and just catching up with each other. No matter how many whatsapp messages you send, its never like a face to face chat. We reached WB at around 3pm. Arrival was 3pm thanks to a visit to the Soochipara Waterfalls. What a beauty that falls is. No matter how many times I visit it, I simply love being there. Unlike last time, it was not gushing like crazy and that allowed us to jump from rock to rock and reach close to the base of the falls. It was a truly wonderful experience.

Soochipara Waterfalls, Wayanad

A quick freshen up and it was time for grub. The menu was simple, but super delicious and homely. As famished as we were, we gobbled it all up and it was time to scout around the place. Its a picturesque setting. A stream flows nearby and there's a lot of green cover all around. Myriad sounds and sights of birds, a small animal shelter and if lucky a couple of reptiles along with the place itself resting in the pristine lap of nature make the place ideal for a short holiday and relaxation. I am sure that even the most stressed out minds will find solace here, or any of the homestays that are away from the main hustle and bustle of Kalpeta, or the main commercial hub in Wayanad district. WB also offers holistic ayurveda massages and all ayurvedic stuff, charged extra of course.

Your friends at Wayanad Blooms

So, well fed and rested, it was time for some badminton. Initially we thought of playing a couple of games and then retiring to the comfort of our rooms. But, 2 hours became 3 and we were bathed in sweat. Back to rooms, refresh and head out to eat. Again, a simple but delicious meal. Restless souls we were, it was table tennis and carroms this time. Repeat a bath in sweat. Go back to room, relax and refresh. More UNO and vetti mokkai. Bliss it was, no, seriously we wished the break to go longer than planned. We needed a bit of sleep at least and that compelled us to crash for a couple of hours at least. It was a long day ahead was it not?

Next day, head to Edakkal caves. This time I was better prepared with a tripod for a long exposure shot to capture the ancient cave art. But more than the photography opportunities, and I repeat myself, it was the quality time I got to spend with pals that made it super awesome. Lots of pictures here. It was not too sunny, a bit of cloud cover, and probably ideal light for a noob like me to get some decent enough pictures.

Cave Art at Edakkal Caves, Wayanad

After the fun at Edakkal, we headed to Banasura Sagar Dam, impounding the Kabini River. This dam is 21km away from Kalpeta and is the largest earthern dam in India. Legends say that the Asura king Banasura, (the son of King Mahabali, who is believed to visit Kerala during every Onam festival) undertook a severe penance on the top of these hills and thus it was named after him. The surrounding areas of Banasura Sagar dam are ideal for trekking and probably an amateur trekker's delight. I would surely like to come back here and explore the trails sometime.

Backdrop of the Banasura Sagar Dam, Wayanad

We headed to our final destination of this trip, the Pookote Lake. Interestingly, the Kabini River originates from Pookote Lake. Pookote lake has tons of Blue Lily Flowers in the lake. They make great subjects for macro photography. Tourists can rent pedal boats for themselves to explore the lake. The charges are INR 50 for a 20 min ride. Make sure you have decent calf muscles to survive the 20 mins. The roots of the lillies do impede your progress and make pedalling more strenuous. 

Pookote Lake, Wayanad

After Pookote lake, it was time to head to Calicut and back home. It was a very reluctant parting to be honest. 2-3 days of togetherness and bonding does make you sad at the end of the trip. But again, we look forward to much more trips like this. In the next trips we'll have Vasisht too. I am so looking forward to his first trip with all of us. Arch, Deva, SRG and Vini, this trip would not have been possible without you guys. As always, it was super memorable, and like I said, looking forward to many more trips. Oh yeah, did I mention this blog entry is dedicated to you guys?

Wayanad - Mingling with the Indian Rain

August 5-7, 2011 marked my first set of treks in the peak Indian monsoon. This time I was not a LoneWolf, I had the company of my counterstrike mates cum infosys mates and close friends. Pretty August company aint it? :P (pun intended)

Back to the trip, we had 3 places in mind:
1. Edakkal Caves
2. Chembara Peak
3. Soochipara Waterfalls

The climate was, rain, rain and more rain. It literally poured all day.Our First stop was the Edakkal Caves. Getting to the caves involves a trek of about a km. 90% of the path is paved, so its pretty tame. This paved path/steps leads us to the first cave. Though named Edakkal Caves, they are not literal caves. they are rather clefts, caused by a chunk or rock splitting away from the main rock. The oldest cleft is said to be about 8000 years old.

Due to the monsoon, the first cave had many a criss crossing stream, adding to the aura of the cave. When we reached the top, it was raining heavily, adding to the volume of water. That made quite a sight. Owing to the high darkness, I could not manage clicks of this (read do justice to the beauty and the aura inside). The second cleft has to be the mother of all petroglyphs. It had so many inscriptions and  they were so closely packed together that making out the shapes and what they conveyed was pretty difficult. Two inscriptions however, stood out. One was what looked to be the chieftain of the tribe that did it. The second was a depiction of the sun as the epicenter of everything. I could only gape and wonder how the bronze age people deduced it.

Since the caves are at the top of a mountain, the view down was breathtaking from the peak. Add the cloud cover and the mist and it made a very spectacular sight. One can only stand in awe at nature's creations. Rain, which was already pouring had turned to a torrent by the time we decided to descend. That delayed our return, and here are some clicks..

 Here's Raj and Adi

 Sathish and Raj..(others, I dun have the group pics yet..so sorry if you're not included)

We had made Ponnada Gardens our base for staying in Wayanad. Vythri Resort is a very good alternative, though ponnada gardens is equidistant from all the places mentioned above. My rating of Ponnada Gardens is very good, you have to ask for what you want though. Right from the food, to extra beds et al. Vythri is more of a honeymoon getaway if you ask me. Spent the night at base, only to be in line for an even more exciting day that lay ahead.

Next day, we were informed that Chembara Peak was open for trekking. It was closed for the past couple of days due to torrential rain. Lucky us. An awesome breakfast at Ponnada Gardens gave us the energy for the ardous trek that lay ahead. The peak is about 22 km away from Kalpeta. A couple of things to be noted here.

1. We need to get a permission from the forest authorities at the base.

2. Trekker groups are charged.

3. All cameras are to be declared and paid for.

All procedures done, we were informed that the more exciting foest route was closed as a herd of elephants had laid base there. It was too dangerous. The second route is a more exciting climb. Or it sounded so. I say this because there are three phases to the top. Two phases of 60 degree inclines through thickets and rocks, combined with ferrous rich mud. The second phase is a bit tougher owing to the presence of algae rich, slippery rocks on the trail. The third phase is the easiest, having an incline of 30 degrees.

Phase 1 greeted us with mild rain and we were able to take lots of pictures of the estate, the view of the peak from below and us of course. We started Phase 2 and were greeted with a torrent of rain. We thought it would subside on, and how wrong we were. It poured incessantly, creating a mini waterfall along the trail! We were wading our way through water, if the rocks, thorns and slippery mud were not enough. But as any good group would do, we pushed each other, cracked jokes and made the climb lighter. If rains made the ascent difficult, read on about the descent. Cams packed, mobiles secured and all wet, we crawled through phase 2. The sight of the heart shaped lake warned us to no end as we'd made it through 95% of the trail. 10 more minutes and we were atop the tallest peak in Wayanad! Clouds and literally everything below us, we felt on to of the world. We washed ourselves up using the water in the lake, took pics and prepared for the descent.

If the stream of water made the ascent difficult, rain had stopped, water had receded and all we were left with loads of ferrous slush on the trail. A couple of steps in it and we knew we were in for a tough descent, how right we were. It was so so slippery. But we fought it all out, found good paths to descend on and when we reached the base again, all of us were elated. Words might not describe well on how difficult the descent was, but I would like add a couple of inputs here:

1. A monsoon trek is one of the most difficult thing to do, but also one of the most satisfying.

2. If you're on a monsoon trek, make sure you wear shoes, and ones that grip well.

3. Western Ghats trek trails are notorious for leeches, especially in the rainy seasons, take necessary precautions.

4. A wet trail, with water flowing on it, is better than a slushy one. Time your trip well. Try avoiding slushy ascents/descents.

5. Egg on your group/yourself no matter what, be surprised to see what you're in store for after that.

It was back to base again. After all the achievements, yeah it was an achievement to conquer the peak, it was time for some boys fun and what a nite of frivolity it was! There were many memorable moments that are etched in the memory and wont be erased anytime soon! Some clicks en route....

Next in line was the Soochipara Waterfalls. Located at 22km northeast of Kalpeta, you have to take a 1.5km walk from the parking bays to reach the falls. They are cordoned off during peak monsoon seasons and offer a great avenue for rock climbing and white water rafting. The walk is through dense, pristine rainforests and tree lovers can find many a rare tree variety here. The waterfalls were at their full glory when we reached there, and we were in for an amazing sight. This was nature at its undisturbed, serene best. The full force of the waterfalls were a sight to behold. The path to the waterfall is pretty steep for most of the time, so be prepared for some dog breaths, especially the walk back to the parking bay. A couple of clicks of the falls in full force..

That concluded the short trip to Wayanad. All of us had our return booked from Mysore. We reached Mysore, only to know the Mysore Palace was to be lit up. The palace is lit up with thousands of serial bulbs illuminating the entire complex. They are switched off after the mysore royal band beats the retreat. The complex is lit up on all holidays and weekends and makes for a very pretty viewing. Would we miss it? Not for all eternity! Made a dash to the palace, saw the lit up complex and the band's beat the retreat. Not before we shopped at KSIC for authentic sandalwood stuff. Trip done, we bade fond goodbyes to each other and went back to our routines.

It would be a gross injustice not to mention the names of the trekkers who conquered the peak, and also who came halfway through to the trail: I will also use our personal counterstrike call signs which we usually address each other by more frequently than our real ones:
Aditya "Dilton" S, Bharath "Damal" Kumar, Aravind "Scorpion" N, Kannan "Karimedu" A, Jayanth "JBoss" T, Satish "Robo" C, Raj "Kaatupoochi" R, CP "Sharpshooter" Arun, Rajaram "Raam" G, Deva "Terror" Rajan, SRG, and finally yours truly "Scarecrow".


 The Mysore Palace - A Visitor's Guide