Bhagavathi Nature Camp – Kudremukh

Fact File - Bhagavathi Nature Camp – Kudremukh

Bhagavathi Nature Camp is located 15 kms North of KudreMukh. The Kudremukh National park covering an area of 600.32 sq.kms is 1,894.3 meters (5682.9 ft) above sea level and is rich in iron ore deposits.

Forest department provides 3 types of accommodation inside the camp. Tents are given at a rent of Rs 300 per day. The forest guest house costs Rs 500/- per day per cabin & dormitory is Rs 50 per bed. Food will be charged extra. You may carry your own food and tents too. If you want the camp to arrange food, you have let them know prior.

Permission is required to enter the forest. The forest entry fee is to be paid at the Forest Range office near Police station in Kudremukh town. Permission letter can be faxed to 08258-232283. This is also the forest department number.

One may relax in the camp, take long walks in nature, visit the Hanuman Gundi Falls near Karkala and Ganga Moola, the birthplace of three rivers, the Tunga, the Bhadra and the Nethravathi. Jamalabad Fort is quite a distance from the camp.

There are no other activities in the camp.

Places of importance around Kudremukh

Ganga moola: Gangamoola Hill is in Samse taluk of Chikmangalur district and the the origin of three important rivers, the Tunga, the Bhadra and the Nethravathi. There is a shrine to Goddess Bhagavathi and a 1.8m-high Varaha image within a cave.

Jamalabad Fort: An 18th-century fort built by Tipu Sultan and named after his mother, Jamalbee.

Road: Kudremukh is well connected by road to Chikmagalur, Mangalore and Sringeri. The State Highway-66 passes through the park. The nearest town to this Park is Sringeri. The distance to the park by road from the various places are Kalasa ( 20 Kms), Karkala ( 50 Kms), Mudigere ( 75 Kms), Mangalore (130 Kms) and from Bangalore 350 Kms. The park is approachable from Bangalore via Chikmagalur, Hassan or from Mangalore via Karkala.

How to get there?

Air: The nearest airport is at Mangalore, 170 km away
Rail: The nearest railhead is at Kadur, 40 km away
Road: Just about 350 km from Bangalore and 95 km from Chikmagalur, it’s the perfect destination for a Western-Ghats driving tour, connected by road to Mangalore and Sringeri as well. You can also take the bus
Road Route: Bangalore--> Yeshwanthpur--> Peenya--> Nelamangala--> Kunigal--> Hassanà Belur--> Mudigere--> Kalasa--> Kudremukh

Kumara Parvata Trek (KP)

Pushpagiri Wildlife Sanctuary

KUMARA PARVATA TREK

Kumara Parvata (KP) Peak also known by the name ‘Pushpagiri’ lies in the backdrop of ancient shrine of Kukke Subramanya. ‘Giri’ in Kannada means Peak. Kumara Parvata is the third tallest peak in Karnataka, Mullianagiri in Chickmaglur being the tallest and Thadiyendamol in Coorg being the second tallest. The peak, almost always playing ‘hide and seek’ with the clouds, is one of the most beautiful sections of the Western Ghats. The region is habituated to dense fogs and heavy winds and is rampant with leech and snakes, especially cobras

Pushpagiri Wildlife Sanctuary or Pushpagiri Forest Range spreads from Subramanya in Dakshina Kannada District to Somwarpet in Coorg district covering an area of 102.6 sq km. This range is abode to many gigantic peaks in the Western Ghats . Kumara Parvata Peak stands the tallest amongst the peaks in Pushpagiri Wildlife Sanctuary at an altitude of 5136 ft (1712 mts) above Sea level. This serpent territory consists of mesmerizing sholas and semi evergreen forests. The other tall peaks in Pushpagiri Wildlife range include Shesha Parvata, Karadi Betta and Siddha Parvata.

The trek starts from two points which are Kukke Subramanya in Mangalore District and Somwarpet in Coorg. Only 5 Km of the trek route lies in Mangalore Region. All the sholas and peaks lie in Coorg region. We can trek from Subramanya in Mangalore district to the peak and return the same route. We can also start trekking from Somwarpet in Coorg to the peak and return the same route. KP is almost midway on the route from Kukke to Somwarpet. More challenging is the trek from Kukke to Somwarpet or from Somwarpet to Kukke.

Girigadde: Gadde translates to Paddy Field, Girigadde means Paddy Field on the peak.

The terrain from Kukke to Girigadde is a not-so-narrow rocky path, and is very slippery during the monsoons. Potion of tobacco and coconut oil is the best protection on this leech-haunted pathway. Traversing this pathway through the thick forest is very exhausting. The path opens into grass fields, with grass growing up to 7 ft in height.

Girigadde is where the Forest Guard House or Check Post is based and is approximately 6 Kms from Kukke. Bhattara Mane is 5-minute walk from Girigadde. These are two places where a trekker can camp for the night and get food. A forest entry and night camping fee of Rs.70 per head per day needs to be paid at Girigadde Check-post.

The trek route continues to Mantapa which is 2 ½ km from Girigadde. Mantapa is a very old stone structure and presently unsafe for night camping. High winds blowing at this altitude get a drop in the temperature up to – 4 degrees. The temperature goes further down high up in the mountains. The creek flowing next to the Mantapa is the only source of water, especially during summer season. Following this trail, we can reach Battadarasi (Batthada Raasi = Paddy Mould) and Shesha Parvata, which is 4 km from Girigadde. Kumara Parvata is one km and approximately an hour away from this peak. Siddha Parvata is the dense forest that lies between Shesha Parvata and Kumara Parvata. It is so dense that even the forest guard avoids venturing into this range.

The smooth path going up and down the sholas gets steep and rocky nearing the peak and is extremely dangerous as there is no vegetation to hold on to. The rocks are very slippery during the rains. There is a stone temple of Lord Subramanya atop KP. The high winds blowing up hill make this trek more exhilarating. There are points where standing gets difficult and feels like we would be blown away with the winds. Reaching this summit is an achievement on to itself.

We can come back to Girigadde & Kukke or continue to Somwarpet from KP. On this route, Kudure Doddi is the first resting point that we come across. The trek continues to the Check Post in Lingada Hole. This is an Anti Poaching shed and is 6 kms from Beedalli. From Lingada Hole check post, Hegade Mane is about 1 km. Hegade Mane is a village and trekkers can camp for the night in the Mallikarjuna Temple . Bhattaru of the village, Lakshmanayya can be asked to cook food for the trekkers. The trek continues till Beedalli which is 4 km from Hegade Mane. Beedalli is where we can get a bus to Somwarpet which is 22 km away.

Alternately, we can start trekking from Beedalli from Somwarpet side and reach Kukke. It would ideally take 3 days for the trek. Camping at the Check posts at Lingada Hole and Girigadde is recommended.

Elephants, Bison, Tiger, Leopard, Fox, and Wild Hare are some of the animals found in this range. It is very difficult to spot animals on this well trodden trek route though. Snakes are seen in plenty in this territory.

There is yet another trekking point in Pushpagiri Wildlife Sanctuary called Mandala Patti (Prn. Maandaala Patti). It is 20 Kms from Madikere town towards Devasthuru Bridge and Kaalooru Hole. This shola region is also accessible by road for non trekkers who want to enjoy proximity with nature by staying at the Anti Poaching Camp here.

Distance

From Bangalore to Kukke Subramanya – Approximately 300 Kms

From Bangalore to Madikere – Approximately 265 Kms

Thanks to the forest guards, Jaya Raju and Prasad for sharing the most amazing information about Pushpagiri.

Roopa Sreedhar

Wayanad

If Kerala is God’s own country, then Wayanad is the capital  Located at a distance about 76 km. from the sea shores of Calicut in the Western Ghats, this hill station is full of plantations, forests and wildlife. Wayanad hills are contiguous to Mudumala in Tamil Nadu and Bandipur in Karnataka, thus forming a vast land mass for the wild life to move about in its most natural abode.

Wayanad is one of the fourteen districts of Kerala, bordering Karnataka to the north and Tamil Nadu to the east. The name Wayanad has been derived from the expression 'Vayal nadu' - the village of paddy fields. Wayanad is a very small district, so small that it depends on the neighboring Kozhikode for all its transportation needs. The nearest airport & railway station are in the neighboring district! It is a better option to drive oneself or hire a vehicle from Karnataka or Tamil Nadu while visiting Wayanad. The cost per km is also very high in comparison with the neighboring states.

Wayanad (Kerala) is one of the most impressive places I have been to. Before we left for this memorable trip, like many around me, I was under the impression that Wayanad was just one place will a lot of sight-seeing options. This one trip cleared my mind of all the wrong notions that were prevailing in my head! Once the trip was over, I could understand and agree with why Kerala was called ‘God’s own country’.

Giri & I decided to drive ourselves to Kalpetta, 293 km and 6 hour drive from Bangalore. The drive was beautiful. Escaping the foggy & soggy Bangalore was heaven in itself. Giri was already familiar with the Mysore – Kabini route through the forest and decided to try it again. The road conditions according to him had deteriorated over the years. I wasn’t surprised, Bangalore roads and their ever improving conditions had made us shock proof as far are bad roads went. I kept clicking pictures of the deep gorges on the road wondering if our car would sustain such rough treatment. But we plied ourselves past the dirt race track.

The first animal to be sighted here was an elegant elephant. WOW! Giri parked near the forest guard check post. A fearless deer was walking gracefully towards us. I rolled down my window, hoping the deer wouldn’t lose courage and shoot off before I could shoot it  Camera of course! Check this out. The deer actually peeped into my side of the window and sniffed all the plastics on my lap looking for food. We shared some fruits with her  Monkeys were not welcome though. We saw some majestic Tuskers, chained though. This gave us the courage to go close quarters and pose with them.

We also saw many birds. Trying to take pictures of them was proving to be a tough task. We were glad when we crossed the arid, pot holed stretch and got closer to the Karnataka border. The roads in Kerala made us heave a sigh of relief that the ordeal was over. Tall trees on both the sides provided shade to the weary traveler and the scenic beauty of this stretch held us enthralled.
A tea break and inspection of the route map happened in Manandhwady and nearly 30 minutes later, we were in our hotel, Green Gates in Kalpetta, looking forward to a nice lunch.

Post lunch began our tour of Wayanad. We spent the rest of the noon boating in Pookote Lake. It looked like a million lotus flowers floating in the freshwaters of the placid lake. The lake was aptly named.The mauves and pinks of the flowers, and shades of blues of the skies and waters would make any canvas proud.

Lakkidi view point was our next stop. The view of the serpentine curves to the hill top was captivating. The fog set in even before we could take our camera out for a picture. We could see Chembra peak, the highest point in Wayanad hills at 6890 ft above sea level. We moved on to the chain tree, which had the legend of having the soul of an Adivasi chained to the tree.

The chefs of Green Gates cooked up a lovely dinner. We played a game of TT and I learnt snooker from Giri at the hotel’s club house.

The next day, we were to begin early. We left for Banasura Sagara Dam. We were reminded of Honnemaradu. This lake was the only earth dam in India and the Second largest earth dam in Asia. We booked slots for speed boating in the crystal clear waters of the lake. Rs 50 per seat seemed to be very nominal. We could see that many hillocks had been submerged during the lake formation and now made lovely island in the massive lake. Our speed boat gave us a 20 minute tour of the lake, if I may say so. The huge Banasura hill tempted me to trek. But trekking was not on the agenda. Next Time! I said to myself, Next time!

We were back for a quick lunch. Soochipara water fall, exactly in the opposite direction to Banasura Dam, was next on the itinerary. Later we thought that we enjoyed the journey more than anything else. To reach the water fall, we had to drive through 15 km of lush green Tea Estates of Wayanad and the roads were in best conditions. I have no words to describe the serenity of this place. We took many stops here, went for a small hike in the tea estate, clicked a lot of pictures. It would be good to stay in a tea estate for a weekend.

Soochipara Water fall, also called Sentinel Fall was a massive fall. We had to park our car and walk for a mile to reach the point where a few hundred steps led to the fall. Hordes of tourists had occupied every nook and corner available at the base. Nearly naked male population was predominant at the fall, making the women keep an embarrassingly safe distance from the fall. There were some souvenir shops and a hotel near the parking lot. It rained all the time on our way back to the hotel. Yet another lovely dinner awaited us.

We were very excited about the next day’s plan. Kuruva Dweep, meaning ‘Small Islands’, the basin on the back waters of Kabini river, is a 950 acres of evergreen forest. , Many small tributaries of Kabini divide this basin into 62 small islands, uninhabited. Hence the name!

A nominal fee of Rs 10/- got us entry into this beautiful region. We could see a lot of tourists in this place too, and noticed that most of the local people who came there dropped a lot of garbage. There were food wrappers all around.

Thankfully, most tourists explore only 10% of this beautiful island. The rest of the island is untouched. The place reminded us of rivulets in Muttatti. A guide who knew the area well took us to the interiors of the island. The river was about 70 m wide with no bridge, no boat and no bamboo raft to help us cross. We had to wade through knee-deep water.

There is always an unsaid danger lurking behind the compelling beauty of water spots. Kuruva Dweep is no different. The river is extremely deep at some places and is inundated will whirlpools and sharp rocks. The currents are also high during monsoons.

We clambered on to the trees to cross some rivulets. It started raining and it was lovely to be in water while it was raining. We spent the half the day enjoying the tranquil ambience of Kuruva Dweep.

A local couple had arranged our lunch in a log hut. The chef had many years of experience working for hotels in Mangalore and Mysore and offered us home cooked meals on banana leaf. Most people in the region could speak Kannada.

The area was swamped with thick bamboo forest. The wild green colored pigeons were seen picking the bamboo rice, which grew once in 40 years. We rushed to Tholpetty Wild Life Sanctuary. Bison, huge Malabar Squirrels, Red Mangoose, Macauque, deer, wild dogs, were some of the animals we saw here. Giri captured all the precious memories with his camera.

Thirunelli Vishmu Temple, 20 km from Tholpetty, was our last visit for the day. The view of temple located atop a hillock was spectacular. The small hillock was surrounded by Brahmagiri in the north, Udayagiri in the east, Black hill in the west and Nari Naringya Male in the south. This place is a trekkers’ paradise. Lots of trek routes and trails including Pakshipatalam start here.

We admired the jewelry that adorned the deity’s idol. A huge emerald, as big as a baby’s palm shone bright. The rules of other Kerala temples applied here too. Men had to take off their shirts to enter the shrine.

It was late by the time we reached our hotel.

Edkal Caves were closed for a week. We met Praveen from District Tourism of Office and got more information for our future trips. We passed the Jain Temple and Museum near Sultan Bathery and took the Gundlupet route. The even Kerala roads and the lush green forests through out made our return drive worthwhile. With beautiful memories and many pictures we were back hoping to return again.


Roopa Sreedhar
TAG INDIA

Tadiyendamol , Coorg

Tadiyendamol is the second highest peak in Karnataka. The peak belongs to the group of taller peaks between Himalayas in the north and Nilgiris in the South. Tadiyendamol is a part of the range of Western Ghats that lie in Coorg District of Karnataka. This range experiences a salubrious climate through out the year. Elephants, bison, tigers, wild cats, and variety of birds habitat the thick vegetation. Plenty of waterfalls and natural springs adorn the valleys. The flora & fauna of Coorg add to the beauty of the valley. Most of the natural vegetation around the peak in this range is taken over by Plantation growers and converted to Plantations of coffee, pepper, cardamom, beetle leaves, and areca nut. The forest department well maintains the forest range with early burning of weeds and shrubs, planting trees to re-grow the forest and maintenance of trees. The effort of the association of forest guards and local people in maintaining this forest range is commendable


The Route:
There are many ways to reach this place from Bangalore. The shortest and least complicated route traverses through Srirangapattana, Hunsur & Virajpet. On Mysore Road, a right turn at the Srirangapatana Junction leads to Hunsur. A left turn at a distance of 5 Km from Hunsur takes us on a road that leads to Virajpet. From Virajpet, travel 4 km towards Madikere to reach a bridge. A left turn immediately after the crossing the bridge leads us once again on to the curvy roads of Coorg. Traveling on these curves for 19 km leads to Kabbina Kaadu. Kabbina Kaadu means Sugarcane Forest in the native language. The trail to Tadiyendamol starts at this place. Vehicles can be parked at this junction and Trekkers can embark on the trek.

Many resorts and homestays have mushroomed in this region. Honey valley Estate is the closest to Tadiyendamol and is also one of the oldest estates in the valley that has been taking on tourists. Even for non-trekkers. Trekkers willing to camp in the wild can pitch their tents at the base camp, which is a clearing near a waterfall en-route the trail to the peak.











It was during the Christmas Holidays that we planned our trek to Tadiyendamol. With a lot of time on hands, and varied interests & ideas floating, we thought of making our own route. In two cars, the team of ten set off towards Coorg in the wee hours of a Saturday Morning. The Dame, Suja had arrived from Chennai, Modi Gourav, Gandhiji Pramod & his sister Sunita dropped in from Pune. Uday, Summer short for Sammeresh, Ravi,
Giri and me loaded ourselves into Giri’s Honda City. While the ETs loaded themselves into Mahesh Acharya’s Wagon R. Most of the gang was my-next-job-is-photojournalism photographers with Heavy Cameras and XX MPG LensesJ.

With Suja leading from behindJ, we somehow managed to start the day at the stipulated time: 5 AM. A heavenly breakfast at Raghavendra Hotel near KR Pet was our first break. The route was exceptionally green and reminded me of Mauritius due to the sugarcane fields stretching miles and miles on both the sides of the road, the canes ready for picking! No wonder Mandya is called the Sugar County. We also took some sugarcane from the farms and left a Re 5/- coin to assuage the guilt of taking the canes unasked.

Ravi, the avid bird watcher from the Bird Watcher’s Club, convinced us all to go through the Nagarahole Reserved Forest route. Not expecting much wild life, we were excited and much satisfied with the giant spider captured on camera. Imagine our excitement, when we jumped from spiders to tigers! A tiger walked into our path and stood majestically gazing at us for almost 3 minutes. It felt like an eon. We stood breathless, digesting the fact that it was a tiger staring into our eyes. Cameras went Click Click Click, though not all could capture great pictures of our national animal. A few moments and everyone seemed to come out of their trance state at the vision of the tiger and there was a ruckus. The tiger, not liking noise pollution from the city breds, walked into its woods.

Disappointed not in the least, we set off in our own paths, more alert than ever, in the hope to sight, maybe an elephant this time? We waited for bevy of beauties, a herd of spotted deer to cross the road, at their traffic signal. It was noticed that a lone deer, the trailer, stood and watched over all the deer cross on one end, while another lone deer, the leader, stood on the other side of the road to ensure that all the deer crossed safely. The deer crossed the road in a straight line like school kids after the prayer. We humans still have a lot to learn from these animals. The discipline and the code of conduct especially in the wild!

We crossed the national park with no more rendezvous with the natives. Next stop was Irupu falls with the backdrop of Brahmagiri hills. Full splendor of the falls was not seen as the monsoons were far away. Nevertheless, the gang enjoyed splashing in the waters cascading from a mighty height, while I surveyed the area for new route to my next trek, Brahmagiri. We had lunch at the only restaurant at the base of the falls.

The serpentine curves of this part of Coorg roads and the enchanting views had us enthralled. We just wanted to go on forever on these lanes. We did not realize the amount of time spent on the road and had eaten up in most of the days other events. We reached the destination at 8pm instead of 11 am, with no regrets what so ever. The estate’s jeep picked us from the base. It was one hell of a drive up hill. No amusement park could match this thrill we felt. We hoped the jeep wouldn’t fall into the deep gorge running besides the road all along. Some places the road was so steep at nearly 70 degree angle, the jeep would come down in the reverse. Thankfully the expert drives landed us safely at the estate door. It was already dark, and we were too tired to explore. We settled in the Dorm I had reserved for our group.

Dinner awaited us and we eagerly hogged the various delicacies served at the buffet. Later we sat around the campfire soaking in the heat. The Dorms were clean and well maintained. My friends amazed that I found this perfect place at such a short notice.

The photographers Ravi & Giri woke up very early and disappeared with their cameras into the wild only to join us for breakfast. It was sheer bliss. The beauty of the place could not be explained in a few words. We freshened up and set out for the huge breakfast set up for us. It was self service again.


Giri, who paints beautifully, had captured the many moods of the nature. I knew he was itching to get back and fill his canvas with the colors. Ravi, the bird watcher, had clicked many lovely birds who seemed to have posed for him exclusively. It was a pleasure looking at the pictures these two had clicked.

I spoke to our guide. We packed lunch to be taken to the hill top. The trek to Tadiyendamol is always exciting. Most of them were doing this trek for the first time. I was the only one in the group who was familiar with the route having done it twice before. The waterfalls and the sholas in the region were amazingly beautiful. We reached the peak by lunch time. Winds were blowing furiously. All Cameras were active.

While Giri was Ambedikar, Pramod was Gandhi, Suja turned out to be Jayalalitha. Picture Perfect!

An hour rest and we were sprinting down towards the base camp. Some even tumbled down and the fist aid kit came to their aid. This slowed us slightly. It was 5 pm when we reached the base camp. Knowing we wouldn’t be able to trek all the way to the estate house, we called them to send us a jeep pickup. Useful resources were put into use in dire situations.

This part of journey was all the more exciting. No lights, only the full moon shining brightly in the dark skies. All cameras went active again. Some of us could hear grunting noise in the woods behind. I thought it was a tiger. The guide said it could be a wild cat. Our speed increased and we ambled quickly towards the pickup waiting for us. This drive was even more exciting. So we had every element packed into our trip. We had dinner. Suja’s team left us to venture deeper into the jungle with the youth hostel trek they were participating in. Giri, Ravi. Uday, Summer & I enjoyed our dinner and retired for the day.

The next morning we spent going around the estate and relaxing, and bid adieu to the owners of the estate after another wholesome breakfast.

Hoping to go back again to the heaven left behind….


Roopa Sreedhar

TAG India

Honnemaradu 2004 trip by Roopa Sreedhar

Honnemaradu, Shimoga

How to get there?

By Road. Shimoga is 274 km from Bangalore. Take a bus from B'lore to Shimoga and another bus to Talaguppa from Shimoga. Taxi service plies one from Talaguppa to Honnemaradu. Taxi and Jeeps can also be hired from Shimoga to Honnemaradu.

By Train. Take a train from B'lore to Shimoga. Travel by the famous Rail bus from Shimoga to Talaguppa takes about 3 hours. Taxi service plies one from Talaguppa to Honnemaradu. It is about 40 minutes drive between Talaguppa and Honnemaradu.

Where to stay?
The Adventurers Base Camp at Honnemaradu.

Essentials to carry
Swim-suits, Sleeping Bag, Suntan Lotion, Old cotton T-shirt and trousers, a plate and tumbler.

Travel Time
Travel - 2 Nights. Stay - 2 days, 1 Night.

Late Friday Night to Early Monday Morning



A place rich in flora and fauna, lush in greenery, Honnemaradu is a nature lover's dream destination. Honnemaradu is one of the most beautiful man-made lakes in Karnataka. Honnemaradu, the village, having been engulfed in the mid-1960s by the Liganamakki dam, has been literally resurrected today. This haven for water sport enthusiasts, tucked away in the lush greenery of the Western Ghats, is in the Shimoga District in north-west Karnataka about 25 km from Sagar town on the way to Jog Falls. Numerous hills and hillocks in the region that got submerged in the waters today form the islands that stand majestically in the vast lake.

The common birds here are the European bee-eater, fairy blue bird, ruby-cheeked bulbul, orange-headed ground thrush and so on. Spectacular butterflies such as red Helens, blue Mormons, blue bottles and stripped tigers offer a visual treat. Honnemaradu is a centre for adventure, conservation oriented activity and nature study. It is also the headquarters for Western Ghats Restoration Project. Mupane, a wildlife sanctuary is another hotspot worth visiting. It is just 11 kms from Jog.

About 10 km from Honnemaradu is Gaddemane, famous for its chittara art. Other interesting places around Honnemaradu are Jog Falls (26 km), Dabbe Falls (30 km from Jog falls), Tyavarekoppa Tiger and Lion Safari (9 km out of Shimoga), Sagar (a cultural centre), Sharavathi Valley Wildlife Sanctuary and Kaanur Kote, a fort (75 km by road). Honnemaradu can be visited at any time of the year, except during the rains in July-August.

The wonderful climate, clear brisk air, and the breathtaking views attract hordes of tourists. The place is well maintained and naturists have tried to retain the eco-friendliness of this area by prohibiting smoking, boozing and use of mobile phones, other electronic gadgets, and chemicals, even in the form of soap and shampoo. One certainly does not find the need for anything at all here, even a wrist watch. It feels as if the time has taken a break here. The peace and the quiet of the surrounding area is a soothing balm to one's soul!




Our trip to Honnemaradu was most successful and left us wanting for more. We left Bangalore by train on a Friday night and reached Shimoga in the wee hours of the morning. After enquiring about the bus service, which was one of the many options to reach our dream destination, we decided to try the famous rail bus which would take us to Talaguppa Station, from where we would have to reach Honnemaradu by Taxi. The journey bestowed by the rail bus is one of the most memorable ones. Rail bus, we found to our delight, was a 2 bogie train with 36 seats in each compartment that had seen ancient times! The driver got down at every station and did a head count of the people inside. He even gave an extra 5 minute break at one of the stations. The train traveled through villages and dense forests that felt like exotic locales, giving us an opportunity to observe the sunrise, indulge in bird watching and photography along with enjoying the ride sitting on the footboard and dangling our feet, a zephyr blowing our way. Talaguppa was a pleasant surprise, a very charming and a picturesque station, with a very clean guest quarter. We got to know from the station master that there would be no phone connections after this point, so we made important phone calls from the only STD booth at this place and then took the much needed rest from the rest of the world!



The taxi from Talaguppa dropped us at our destination at 9:30 in the morning. We had gathered a lot of information about Honnemaradu before embarking on a trip to the place. But we certainly were not prepared for what we found here. The 'picture perfect' lake just took our breath away!



A brief introduction later, we were asked by the caretakers of the base camp to leave our luggage at the cottage, change and get back for breakfast and Tea. The cottage, at a ten minute trek on a nearby hillock, gave us the best view of the lake. After a healthy breakfast and strong ginger tea, the adventurers gave us a brief explanation of the day's agenda. We were to be provided with an opportunity to try, learn and enjoy rowing and sailing various types of boats, giving us an amazing boating experience.

Kayaks, coracles, canoes, surf board, and sails were some that we would learn to manipulate and maneuver in the shallow waters. We were glad to know that swimming was just an option and not a pre-requisite, as life jackets were provided to one and all. It was mandatory to wear life jackets if one wanted to get into water. One could spend the entire day just floating in water and relaxing. Food and accommodation were provided by 'The Adventurers' who were in charge of running the activities of the base camp at Honnemaradu. We got to know that they were responsible for the maintenance of this place.



We stepped enthusiastically into the inviting waters. Secured in life-jackets, we spent the first half of the first day getting acclimatized to the waters. Dawal, our guide, made us float to an island. On perfecting the art of back-floating on water, we were given instructions on rowing a coracle. Coracling on certain parts of the lake was more difficult than we had anticipated, but it was sheer fun!

We coracled to another island, which was also a diving spot. It was a test of one's confidence and inner-strength as the gutsy dived, the rest encouraged looking forward to dive another time. Nearly 2:30 in the noon, it was time to head back to the main land for lunch and a short nap. At this point we had all mastered the art of rowing a coracle and had given enough exercise to our biceps.



At 4:30 pm, the guide informed us that we would row to yet another island and spend the night in the wilderness. Enjoying the evening snack of Pakodas and Ginger Tea, and packing essentials for the night stay that included a blanket and a jacket, we set out in our coracles to the island. It was time to capture the essence of the place and the beautiful sunset into the cameras along with a brief photo-session of the group members.



On reaching the top of the isle and selecting a place to pitch the tents, the group divided into two. A few stayed back to pitch the tents and the rest started gathering firewood for the night's campfire. From this island the view of Linganamakki dam was beautiful. By 7:30 in the evening we were ready with sufficient firewood to start the party. The stage was set, the campfire ready and we settled around and had immense fun indulging in a game of anthakshari and dumb charade. As usual, Ashok had us mesmerised with his actions and spellbound with his songs! ‘The Adventurers’ had a delicious dinner of pullav, roti, sabzi, Kheer and salad waiting for us. After dinner, we indulged in a star gazing session. Looking at millions of stars on a moonless night and clear sky was certainly a bonus!



The next day, we enjoyed soaking in the magnificient early morning light and a very calm sunrise. While some were glad to take a morning walk exploring the island and listening to the chirping of the native birds, others indulged in a session of aerobics and exercises at a very beautiful and picturesque cove which almost seemed hidden on one side of the island. A short while later, we rowed back in our coracles to the main land.



Breakfast, ginger tea and a change later, we were given instructions on balance and rowing techniques of the Canoe and the Kayak. The canoe, a two people boat, had many takers. By this time we were at home in the water, courtesy: confidence given by life-jackets. The canoe also gave us an opportunity to know the team members better. Balancing a kayak, which was a one person row boat, was a tough act to follow. Some mastered this art, while the others left it for the next time. Some also conoed to the diving cove and indulged in a diving spree. It was then time for learning ‘the secret’ behind wind-surfing. Dawal showed us to balance ourselves on the surf-board and maneuver the board. Though we could not master this art, it was the most enjoyable and we decided to get back to Honnemaradu sometime soon and learn wind-sailing and wind-surfing.

After lunch, we set out in our coracles and canoes to view a waterfall. We had a great time searching for the waterfall. We did find the fall but no water. Disappointed not in the least, we headed back to the main land in time for the evening tea and snack and to get ready to head back to Bangalore. The caretakers certainly took good care of us. They had our dinner packed and ready. Sincerely thanking them for one of the best holidays, we left Honnemaradu with loads of experience, lovely memories, a fresh mind and of course, new friends.

Best Regards,
Roopa Sreedhar
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