Suru Valley

Suru Valley

From Srinagar to Leh
A: Suruvalley
Kargil – Trespone – Sanku – Panikhar (70km from Kargil)
Panikhar – Tangole – Parkachik – Rangdum (130km from Kargil)

B. Zanskar Valley
Rangdum – Pensi La – Ating – Sani – Padum
B.1. Padum - Karshe – Stongde – Zangla- Padum
B.2. Padum - Bardan - Padum

Return to Kargil for the next phase of the journey in the same route
Padum -> Rangdum -> Kargil over 2D/1N

Although Padum is closer to Leh on Map, there are no roads & no commute to Leh. One can only trek or raft his way to Leh.

The Suru valley is a valley in the Ladakh region of Jammu and Kashmir, which is drained by the Suru River (Indus), a tributary of the Indus river. It is located at a height of 3,000m. The towns of Kargil and Rangdum are located here. The Penzella Pass at Panikhar, a hill resort in Zanskar, divides the Suru valley with Zanskar. Willow and Poplar are grown in the Suru valley.

Suru valley is inhabited by 25,000 by people of Dard and Tibetan descent. The majority of the people are followers of Shi'a Islam, having converted from Tibetan Buddhism in the 16th century

One of the most beautiful regions of Ladakh , the Suru Valley forms the mainstay of Kargil district. Lying nestled along the north-eastern foothills of the great Himalayan Wall, it extends from Kargil town, first southward for a length of about 75 Kms. Upto the expanse around Panikhar, hence eastward for another stretch of nearly 65 kms upto the foot of the Penzila watershed where the Suru valley rises. Its composite population of about 30,000, mainly of Tibeti-Darad descent are Muslims who had converted their Buddhist faith around the middle of the 16th century, under the direction of Thi-Namgyal. Buddhists in the Suru valley are dispersed throughout the valley in small numbers but are found mainly in Rangdum.

The upper valley reaches of the valley, particularly around the Sankoo bowl, the Panikhar expense and the higher stretch beyond, present a spectacle of breathtaking features-majestic mountain ramparts crowned by snow capped peaks, undulating alpine slopes draining into wild mountain streams of foaming cascades of pristine water, awesome glaciers descending along the Himalayan slopes to the river bed in riverine formation, Quaint villages of adobe houses straggling dry hillocks surrounded by large tracts of lush crops downward the patches of alpine pastures uphill. The beauty of this region is further enhanced by the sheer contrast provided by the towering peaks of Kun (7035m) and Nun (7135m) which loom over the skyline in their crystalline majesty.
The drive to Kartse Khar is well worth it as the Maitreya Statue dating back to 7th century, is similar to those destroyed by the Taliban at Bamiyan.

How to reach ?
Sankoo, Panikhar and Parachik are connected with Kargil with regular bus services, in summer even twice a day. A bus ride from Kargil takes 2 hours to Sankoo, 3 hours to Panikhar and about 4 hours to Parkachik. Rangdum is serviced by the BI-week bus service to Padum, which increases according to demand. Some trucks plying between Kargil and Padum also offers a lift in the cabin for the price of a bus seat. Cars and jeeps taxis can be hired from Kargil / Leh for visiting different places in the Suru Valley, including Rangdum and Penzila.

Where to stay?
Tourist bunglow/tents @ Purtikchey, Panikhar, Rangdum; hotels in Padum, Kargil



Best Regards,
Roopa Sreedhar

Kargil

Kargil at an altitude of 2,704 m, 204-km from Srinagar in the west and 234-km from Leh in the east, is the second largest urban center of Ladakh and headquarters of the district of same name. It's situated in a lovely valley with apricot trees growing in the intensively cultivated fields. A quite town now, Kargil once served as important trade and transit center in the Pan Asian trade network. Numerous caravans carrying exotic merchandise comprising silk, brocade, carpets, felts, tea, poppy, ivory etc. transited in the town on their way to and from China, Tibet, Yarkand and Kashmir. The old bazaar displayed a variety of Central Asian and Tibetan commodities even after the cessation of the Central Asian trade in 1949 till these were exhausted about two decades back. Similarly the ancient trade route passing through the township was lined with several caravansaries. Now, since 1975, travelers of numerous nationalities have replaced traders of the past and Kargil has regained its importance as a center of travel related activities.

Location: 234-km From Leh in the East, Ladakh Region, and J&K
Altitude: 2,704m
Local Dialect: Purik
Historical Significance: An Important Trade And Transit Center in the Pan-Asian Trade Network.

NEARBY CITIES
Shergol: 33-km
Mulbekh: 45-km
Panikhar: 70-km
Sankoo: 42-km
Rangdum: 130-km

An Adventurers' Base Camp:
Being located in the center of the Himalayan region with tremendous potentials for adventure activities, Kargil serves as an important base for adventure tours in the heart of Himalayas. It is also the take off station for visitors to the exotic Zanskar Valley. Tourists travelling between Srinagar and Leh have to make a night halt here before starting the second leg of their journey.

The Town Life:
The town lies nestling along the rising hillside of the lower Suru basin. Two tributaries of the Suru River that meet here are the Drass and Wakha. The most astounding things about the Kargil region are the artificially irrigated field areas. Since irrigation is so important in this region, the distribution of water requires great care. Every village is divided into groups; called "Gowar", have from five to 10 families, to ensure an equitable arrangement. Willows and poplars grow beside the irrigation ditches, which lead to the terraced fields and line the road for much of its length in this region. They furnish building materials for the construction of houses in this nearly treeless land. The Kargil region actually gets more rainfall than in the rest of Ladakh and the area grows plentiful wheat, barley, and vegetables and, of course, the apricots for which it is famous. Peas have been recently introduced and are flourishing. In May the entire countryside becomes awash with fragrant white apricot blossoms while August, the ripening fruit lends it an orange hue. The dialect spoken here is called "Purik" and shows its relationship with the dialect spoken in Skardu, Pakistan. In contrast to the rest of Ladakh, the children here are taught in Arabic. A momentous occasion in Kargil is the archery contest in May.

People Of The Kargil Region:
Kashmir’s once came to the Kargil region to graze their cattle, and were followed by the tribes from Gilgit, Chitral and Mongols from Baltistan who settled there permanently. Later an Aryan tribe, the Purkpas, who now live around Drass, and the Dokpas, who are Aryan Buddhists, who live in the villages of Durchik and Gurkun, north of Kargil, drove out the Mongols.

The Customs And Lifestyles:
The Dokpas, who are Buddhists, are a community of about 700 people, descended from migrants from Gilgit, found mostly in the Indus valley villages of Durchik and Gurkun. They are known for the striking Aryan beauty of their women, and for their fair skin. They are fond of ornaments - even men wear earrings, necklaces, bracelets and strings of imitation pearls. Both sexes decorate their caps with a variety of blood red flowers, which puts them apart from all the other races in Ladakh. The Indus valley here is rich in fruit, particularly grapes, and the Dokpas delight in drink and dance - milk however is taboo. This curious mixture of Buddhist and Hindu religion means their respect for the cow is so intense that even cow dung is never used as a manure or fuel. The people grow their hair long and rarely bathe. The route to their region, over the range from Kargil to the Indus valley, and thence down to Leh, is forbidden to tourists because of the border dispute with Pakistan. The remote locality of the lower Indus villages and the custom of marrying mostly among themselves have preserved their distinctive identity. The government of a village is a seven-man council, elected by all the men. In July these villages celebrate a harvest festival, which lasts for several days. Gurdun, the main village of the region, is 80-km from Kargil.

Muta & Polyandry:
The custom of 'Muta' limited-duration marriages is still practiced in Kargil. The marriage contract signed at the wedding ceremony only applies for a limited time - in some cases only for one day. Another Tibetan marriage custom, which often strikes westerners as remarkable, is polyandry, the simultaneous marriage of more than one man to the same woman.

Today polyandry is only practiced in outlying villages like Saliskote and Trespone. In this situation a woman marries her husband's younger brothers, except for any who may be monks. Together with the great number of unmarried monks and nuns, this practice functions as a social form of birth control -from Cunningham's visit to Ladakh in the mid-19th century, up to the latest government of India census, the population of Ladakh has hardly altered.

PRIME ATTRACTIONS:
Trespone and Sankhoo are two 'Imambaras' found in Kargil. These Turkish style buildings have Persian and Arabic speaking Muslim mystics, known as "Aghas", in residence. Kargil also has a mosque, the Jami Masjid. Kargil's Muslims are noted for their extreme orthodoxy - women are conspicuously absent from the streets and all forms of entertainment are frowned on. Like the Iranians the people follow the Shi'ite sect.
The Bazaar:

The main bazaar has many Kashmiri products including embroidery, turquoises, tobacco, raw sugar and exotic spices. One will also find cloth woven from the finest wool from the long fleeced mountain goats, brass bowls, flower vases, wine cups and tall jugs, leather shoes embroidered with silk or gold silver chains, rings, bracelets and charms, paintings, Pashmina shawls, brightly colored rugs and other more Chinese looking items. Nearby Tsaluskot is the grainery of the region, attracting people from Zanskar and Leh, who come to buy grain. The houses have stone foundations and a superstructure of unbaked, heavy clay bricks.

EXCURSIONS:
Mulbek:
Situated 45-km East of Kargil on the road to Leh, Mulbek (3,230 m) in an area dominated by the Buddhists. It is situated along either banks of the Wakha River, which originates. Many monuments of the early Buddhists era dot the landscape and are accessible from the road.

Mulbek Chamba:
The chief attraction of Mulbek (also spelt as Mulbekh) is a 9 m high rock sculpture in deep relief of Maitreya, the Future Buddha. Its excursion combines esoteric Shaivite symbolism with early Buddhist art. Situated right on the highway, it dates back to the period when Buddhists missionaries came travelling east of the Himalayas.

Mulbek Gompa:
Perched atop a rocky cliff, Mulbek Gompa (monastery) dominates the valley. It is easy to see why in bygone times this site served as an outpost to guard the caravan route. Like all Buddhists monasteries frescoes and statues adorn it.

Shergol:
Another picturesque village of the Wakha River valley, Shergol is situated across the river, right of the Kargil-Leh road. The main attraction is a cave monastery which is visible from a far as a white speck against the vertically rising ochre hill from which it appears to hang out. Below this small monastery is a larger Buddhist nunnery with about a dozen incumbents. The village is accessible by the motorable road that branches off from the Kargil-Leh road, about 5-km short of Mulbek. Shergol is a convenient base for an exciting 4-day trek across the mountain range into the Suru valley. It is also the approach base for visiting Urgyan-Dzong, a meditation retreat lying deep inside the mountains surrounding the Wakha River valley. This meditation retreat lies tucked away in an amazing natural mountain fortress high up in Zanskar range. Concealed within is a circular tableland with a small monastic establishment at its center. The surrounding hillside reveals several caves where high-ranking Buddhists saints meditated in seclusion. At least one such cave is associated with the visit of Padmasambhava, the patron saint of Tibetan Buddhism. The main approach is to footpath laid through the only gap available in the rocky ramparts.

Wakha Rgyal:
Tucked away inside the picturesque upper part of the Wakha Valley, upstream of Mulbek, Royal gives the appearance of a medieval settlement of cave dwellings transported in to the modern times with some improvements and extensions. The houses, neatly whitewashed and closely stacked, are dug into the sheer face of a vertical cliff that rises high above the green valley bottom. From a far the village looks like a colony of beehives hanging from the ochre granite of the Cliffside.

HOW TO REACH THERE:
Road: The J&K SRTC operates regular buses including deluxe coaches between Srinagar and Leh/Kargil. Cars and Jeep taxis can be hired at Srinagar and Leh for Kargil. Local buses including mini coaches, for Mulbek leaves Kargil every morning and afternoon. Cars and Jeep taxis can be hired at Kargil for same day return trips. Srinagar is also well connected properly with rest of the country through Air and Road network.

WHERE TO STAY
Kargil:
There is no dearth of accommodation in Kargil. Hotels are classified into A, B, C and Economy class based upon the standard of establishments and service available. There are two Tourist Bungalows at Kargil together provide suites and furnished rooms with proper catering facilities attached with each establishment. The Tourist Office, Kargil, does advance reservation. There is also a circuit house at Baroo with excellent furnished rooms, which can be reserved through the office of the District Development Commissioner.

Mulbek:
The Tourist Bungalow here provides excellent furnished rooms with catering facilities. Dormitory accommodation at much reasonable price is available with some of the teashops near Mulbek Chamba. Alternatively tourists can return to Kargil for the night.

GENERAL INFORMATION:
Banks: The State bank of India with money changing facility and J&K bank have a branch each in Kargil.
Communication: Kargil has worldwide direct dialing telephone facility, besides post and telegraph offices. In addition J&K Tourism operates its own wireless Radio phone network with field stations at Kargil, Padum and Leh, which are connected with controlling stations at Srinagar, Delhi and Jammu. During the tourist season mobile wireless stations are also established in key places in the remote areas.

Health:
The District hospital in Kargil is fairly well equipped and staffed with a team of specialist and general practitioners. In addition there are Medical Dispensaries at Drass, Mulbek, Trespone, Sankoo, Panikhar and Padum each headed by a qualified doctor and equipped with basic health care paraphernalia.

MORE TOURIST INFORMATION:
The Tourist office here regularly updates its store of information on the region. Tourists undertaking mountaineering expedition on hard trekking along difficult routes are well advised to inform the Tourist Office at Kargil about their routes and proposed program so as to monitor their welfare.

Trekking Equipment:
The tourist office in Kargil has some trekking equipment for hire under the same conditions as the Leh office. The equipment includes a number of tents, foam mattresses, sleeping bags, alpine jackets, and rucksacks, climbing equipment and so on. Kargil is the starting point for most of the treks and journeys into the Zanskar valley, although it is also possible to enter it from other points along the side of the Leh Zanskar range.

Muttatti Jungle Camping on 8 & 9 August 2009

Muttatti Jungle Camping on 8 & 9 August 2009


Schedule:
8-August-2009, Saturday:

Leave Bangalore from a common point at 6:00 am
Breakfast on the way;
Reach the riverside by 9:30 am.
River crossing by coracle,
Trek & games,
Night Camping
self-cooking & camping,
moonlight walk

9-August-2009, Sunday:

River Rafting,
Breakfast,
Visit ShivanaSamudra falls,
Depart to Bangalore after Simple Lunch
Arrive in Bangalore by late evening by 6pm
Cost:

With White water River rafting: Rs 2500/- per head
Without Rafting: Rs 1900/- per head

Night Camping, camping gear including tents, sleeping bags, sleeping mats, 2 Breakfast, 1 Lunch, 1 Dinner, Tea, Transport, Coracle Ride, Guide Fee, Campfire (if weather permits), Local attraction Entrance Fee, basic medical kit, cooking equipment, permission from Forest department, Forest Department fee

Does not include any personal expenditure, non vegetarian meals, dinner on the way back

Bank Account Details:

Axis Bank (Branch Banashankari) Account Name: TAG India Account Number: 102010200008617

Call us to confirm your participation. Please email the Transaction Details to info@tagindia.net with the subject “August 09 – Muttatthi Jungle Camping – Transaction Details

Photos

http://picasaweb.google.com/tagindiateam/Mutthatti40BraveNuts#

Blog

http://tagindia.blogspot.com/2008/02/muttatthi-40-brave-nuts.html

Rules:

1. All participants should have filled up the membership form by using the join us link on www.tagindia.net

2. In case of trekking, every group will have a Leader and a trailer - Decision taken by them would be the FINAL. Suggestions from trekkers are welcome but expecting maximum co-operation to Leaders. Trekking schedule/plan is designed without knowledge of Seasonal situation, Wildlife activity and anything which could go wrong at that time.

Expecting high level of patience with respect to change in schedule/plan.

3. TAG INDIA is a media for adventure/nature enthusiasts in Bangalore to come together and participate in eco-friendly adventure activities. TAG INDIA , TAG INDIA TEAM, Trek Leaders, and other TAG INDIA members are NOT responsible for loss of belongings or life of any participant.

Please be very serious about this note. Take care of your own belongings and respect your life.

4. Littering & shouting in the wilderness is prohibited. Night stay is in tented accommodation. We will be having very simple and basic facilities. Luxury not included.

5. While on a trek, group should move together in a single-line formation, with no one going too far ahead or behind. Be independent.

Carry one's own pack. Backpack not to exceed 15 kg. Wear dull, mud or khaki color cloths, which generally do not attract wildlife, avoid bright colors.

6. Consumption of alcohol is not allowed in any of the TAG INDIA TREKS.

7. Do not tease any living being in forest - from small plant, worm to elephant.

8. Making your trip a great experience is in your hand. Help yourself to follow the guidelines and enjoy the fun and adventure :-)

9. After the announcement of final list, anyone dropping out has to bear the cost of Transportation & Food. (Transport & Food already booked/ordered)

Things NOT to carry: Liquor, narcotic drugs & ego

Regards,
TAG INDIA team
W: www.tagindia.net
M: +91-9886162404
P: 080-26796791
E: info@tagindia.net
Shoot only pictures; Capture only memories; Leave only Footprints

Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS)

What is Mountain altitude sickness and how we prevent/treat it?

Altitude sickness, also known as acute mountain sickness (AMS), altitude illness, or soroche, is a pathological condition that is caused by acute exposure to low air pressure (usually outdoors at high altitudes). It commonly occurs above 2,400 metres (approximately 8,000 feet).[1] Acute mountain sickness can progress to high altitude pulmonary edema (HAPE) or high altitude cerebral edema (HACE). Headache is a primary symptom used to diagnose altitude sickness, although headache is also a symptom of dehydration. A headache occurring at an altitude above 2,400 meters (8000 feet = 76 kPa), combined with any one or more of the following symptoms, can indicate altitude sickness:

* Lack of appetite, nausea, or vomiting
* Fatigue or weakness
* Dizziness or light-headedness
* Insomnia
* Pins and needles
* Shortness of breath upon exertion
* Persistent rapid pulse
* Drowsiness
* General malaise
* Peripheral edema (swelling of hands, feet, and face).

Prevention

Avoid alcohol ingestion- As alcohol tends to dehydrate, avoidance in the first 24 hours at a higher altitude is optimal.
Drink Garlic water - a local remedy in Himachal & J&K recommended to all travelers is to soak garlic in warm water and keep sipping on it.
Avoid Strenuous activity - People with recurrent AMS note that by avoiding strenuous activity such as skiing, hiking, etc in the first 24 hours at altitude reduces their problems.
Altitude acclimatization - Altitude acclimatisation is the process of adjusting to decreasing oxygen levels at higher elevations, in order to avoid altitude sickness. Once above approximately 3,000 meters (10,000 feet = 70 kPa), most climbers and high altitude trekkers follow the "golden rule" - climb high, sleep low. For high altitude climbers, a typical acclimatization regime might be to stay a few days at a base camp, climb up to a higher camp (slowly), then return to base camp. A subsequent climb to the higher camp would then include an overnight stay. This process is then repeated a few times, each time extending the time spent at higher altitudes to let the body adjust to the oxygen level there, a process that involves the production of additional red blood cells.

Best Regards,
Giridhar B G

Tentative Schedule: Ladakh Driving Holidays August 2009

We are getting a lot of queries about the August 2009 Driving Trip. We are planning to block the tickets soon. The airfare has been slashed considerably and the cost for round trip Bangalore(any metro)--Delhi--Leh--Srinagar/Jammu—Delhi--Bangalore(any metro) is costing about Rs 7800/- to Rs 8500/-. Please let us know if you wish to block your tickets with us (bulk booking option).

The local transport in Leh would be 4-Wheel Drives & State transport Buses. Sometimes we will be making our own routes, a la Lonely Planet! The days are sunny & windy; night are cool. Thermals are not required.The tentative schedule for the Driving Holiday is given below. It might vary slightly based on the weather & other conditions in Ladakh region

Do fill up the form at the following link if you are interested in joining us on this Driving holiday!

http://spreadsheets.google.com/viewform?hl=en&formkey=cjZreW10bWhZaDlGOWNQRTNTNVlJeGc6MA..


Day 0 Thursday 27-Aug-2009
Late Thursday late night flight to Delhi & take an Friday early morning flight to Leh from Delhi


Day 1 Friday 28-Aug-2009
Reach Leh; Acclimatize


Day 2 Saturday 29-Aug-2009
Tso Moriri


Day 3 Sunday 30-Aug-2009
back to leh - Relax



Day 3 Sunday 30-Aug-2009
back to Leh via Tso Kar & Tanglang La - Relax


Day 4 Monday 31-Aug-2009
Pangong Tso & Back to Leh


Day 5 Tuesday 01-Sep-2009
Relax in Leh or do local sight seeing


Day 6 Wednesday 02-Sep-2009
Khardung La & Back to Leh


Day 7 Thursday 03-Sep-2009
Leh to Zangla


Day 8 Friday 04-Sep-2009
Zangla to Padum (Zanskar Valley)


Day 9 Saturday 05-Sep-2009
Padum to Rangdum (Zanskar Valley)


Day 10 Sunday 06-Sep-2009
Rangdum to Panikhar (Suru Valley)


Day 11 Monday 07-Sep-2009
Panikhar to Kargi/Drass (Suru Valley)


Day 12 Tuesday 08-Sep-2009
Kargil/Drass to Srinagar via Sonmarg


Day 13 Wednesday 09-Sep-2009
Srinagar (EOJ)
Fly from Srinagar to Delhi in the morning flight. Take the evening flight from Delhi to Bangalore (EOJ)


Day 14 Thursday 10-Sep-2009
Katra


Day 15 Friday 11-Sep-2009
Vaishnodevi


Day 16 Saturday 12-Sep-2009
Fly from Jammu to Delhi in the morning flight. Take the evening flight from Delhi to Bangalore (EOJ)

Mullainagiri & Kemmanugundi

Aye Captain! WOW! What a fantastic weekend it was  or was I only dreaming?
We were walking in the places where heavens met the earth with kiss of the clouds.
Chickmagalur being only 250 kms away, we chose to leave late from Bangalore. Everyone dropped into our house, parked their car, and loaded into a common vehicle. Reshmi, down with a severe cold and depressed about dropping out the last minute, wished us a teary farewell & a happy journey!

To wile away more time we took a long break at a Coffee day near Hassan! Yet we reached Chickmagalur in the wee hours. We freshened up at a lodge and had idly with many servings of piping hot yummy sambar!

We started the trek by 7:30. Perfect weather helped the pace. Furious winds were blowing our way almost pushing us off the pathways. Looking down was as exciting as it was dangerous. Rain Gods ensured our safety by not pouring. The National Geographic 1 & 2 went clicking their cameras and capturing the divine beauty in their lens.

The rocks in this terrain were totally different from anywhere else. They were naturally sculpted; multitude of colors & patterns shone from within the rocks. Further, up the hillock, we came to a huge crevice, almost forming a small cave. Here was our first big break. The sunny weather changed its mood. Strong winds brought clouds our way. We found ourselves cutting through the mist. The visibility dropped to 10 ft. Afraid it would rain, we quickened our pace. The weather changed its mind again, the sun shone bright, and we took an apple break. The self designated Captain, Yogi, marched orders to his soldiers. The weather was playing a game with us. Heavy fog enveloped us and visibility dropped to 3 ft. It was very exciting. We were almost close to the peak, when we heard a rumble. A land slide was happening. Thankfully, we were not in the way and were amazed spectators. The winds had picked up speed. We saw birds flying, the winds were so strong that, the birds were pushed back and dropped their feed. WOW! What a sight!

We managed to reach the peak without much difficulty. It was very relaxing. The temple of Mullaina Swamy or Shiva, was being renovated. There were many workers involved in the construction. The priest agreed to feed us. While our lunch was being prepared, we went to explore the caves.

Giri, Anand & Mahesh, first timers to Mullainagiri, went into the smaller cave. Their excitement knew no bounds when they were shown the deeper cave. The beautiful natural patterns on the rocks inside held us enthralled. The torchlights lit up the pitch-dark caves and opened a new world of wonder to us. The cave was clean and the bats flying past us had us ducking our head more than once. Karuna, Mahesh, Anand, Giri & I went at least 50 ft deep. Yogi refused to be tempted to try this adventure and relaxed at the cave entrance.

We then had simple, hot lunch at the priest’s place. Rice & potato sambar with buttermilk satiated all of us. Thanking the priest and getting more directions, we started our descent. Fog engulfed us again. We thought we were lost. Taking left & right direction in wilderness was confusing. After losing the path once, we were back on the correct trail. The scenery changed before our eyes. Every minute, the cloud magic waved by the winds changed the color of the hills. We were all so taken with the ambience, it was difficult to go back to concrete jungle. Anand and Giri took many pictures of the landscape. We completed the trek by 1:30. Though, it felt like 5 in the evening. All of us were famished despite the lunch just a couple of hours before. We made some fabulous sandwiches with tomato, cucumber, onion, ketchup, lime & chips. Yummy!

Our drive was waiting for us at the designated spot. We decided to skip Bababudangiri & go to Kemmannugundi. The bumpy drive could not stop us from dozing off. Captian Yogi, was awake, watchful of the road and the driver. We lodged into our rooms at the Kemmanugundi horticulture Cottage and ordered food for the night. It was very cold; the temperature had affected my phone too.

Dinner was very satisfying. The long day ended with lots of activities. The next day, Anand, Mahesh & Karuna went to another trek to Z-Point. Giri, Yogi & I took our time, and followed them after a while. We visited the rock garden. Life was back to Kindergarten Park again ;) Seesaw, Swing, etc.

Rose garden at Raj Bhavan did not have any roses, but the view from the highest point at Kemmanugundi was spectacular. Bhadra Reservoir could be seen from here. School children on picnic were playing gaily.

Lunch was another satisfying affair. We decided to try another route to avoid bumpy roads and left soon after. On the way, a signboard displayed Kalhatthi falls. Kal is stone, hatthi is climb, and one has to literally climb the stone to get to this falls. Another horticulture guesthouse very close to the falls inspired us for the next event. Yogi also promised to find information about kayaking in Chickmagalur. Next time!

Karuna, Giri & I went to see the temple. We had to wade through calf length water from the falls to reach the temple inside the stone caves. There were a lot of stone carved idols here, the water from the fall was flowing in a very different way from behind the idols.

We saw a strange event here. A young boy of 14 years of age was carrying a very heavy looking huge plate with an idol, flowers and things of worship on his head. A couple was pestering him to answer their questions and resolve their problems. Many people were dancing around the boy with more idols. The Goddess was supposed to descend into the boy’s body and speak. We did not stop to see the consequences and were back on our way.

I bought some very sweet local citrus fruits, the orange variety. Only Giri braved to try one, the rest declined and stuck to mineral water. We had avoided all bumpy roads and were fast approaching the city. The conversation in the cab moved from diverse topics, a debate about internet as a medium to arrange marriages; how Giri, Mahesh, Anand, Karuna & I decided upon our life partners; Nuclear Reactors and Nuclear Plant; Hasiru Usiru; etc. Very Interesting! Avoiding all crammed roads of the city, we reached home well ahead of scheduled time. The icing on cake was the Rainbow we saw at Tiptur. Our pot of gold on the other side of this rainbow was Mullainagiri!

Scuba Diving in India

We were to start at 8 sharp as advised by Lost & Acknowledged Rahul. As only destiny could dictate, we could leave the city limits only by 11. Some roads seem to be cursed and will never get repaired. Tarikere stretch towards Shimoga is one such road. That one and the Shiradi Ghat Road towards Kumara Parvata give me nightmares. We somehow sailed by and reached Murudeshwara by 11 am. Road Builders in Karnataka should take a leaf out of the books of Road Builders in Ladakh!

We did not lose any time changing into swimming gear and getting to the pool. Ajey was already waiting for us. An introduction and a brief theory session, we found ourselves in the pool. Ajey trained us thoroughly batch by batch on using equipment , being comfortable inside the pool for a long time, disaster & risk management till we were all super confident of the dives next day.


Pool was also the place to relax and play a pool volleyball, throw & dunk!
By 5:30 pm all of us were done with the training. Getting food at Murudeshwara was really a big deal. With lacks of visitors thronging the place every day of the year and with limited number of hotels and restaurants catering this small town, getting food/room was the biggest problem of a visitor.

The ancient cave temple of Shiva, with legend of Ravana depicted inside the temple in murals was beautiful. The tiring day ended with a long dreamless sleep.
Sunrise on sea shore was one of the most beautiful sights of the journey. While photographers of the event went click click click, non camera people captured the fantastic view with mind & memory! I close my eyes now & think and am transported to the beaches of Murudeshwara 

We all took a Domistal tablet to keep seasickness at bay. We were to embark on 19 km journey on sea to reach the beautiful Netrani Islands. After breakfast, we awaited a motor boat at the shore to pick us up. Transferring equipment & people took minimum time and we were off cutting through the waves and racing past other fishing boats on the sea.

The bonus was seeing Dolphins frolic on the waves! It was an unexpected sight 
We took nearly an hour and a half to reach Netrani. We gained a lot of knowledge about buoyancy devices and life jackets and art of snorkeling on the journey. The view and the weather were fantastic. We seem to enjoy the best weather on all TAG Trips!

Reminded me of Mauritius; we had snorkeled in the sea around the dolphins. Amazing view inside the sea of corals and dolphins. We couldn't do if here though.

Crystal clear aqua green waters with hundreds of fish dancing at the surface greeted us. We could peer and see the sand, fish and stones bottom of the sea. WOW!
The group was divided! Excited & tensed first time divers on one side, obviously they were entering unknown territory; relaxed snorkels in the comforts of their buoyancy jacket on the other side. Giri, Naveen & Praveen the swimmer went down first. Each dive lasted for nearly 40 minutes. These guys emerged with AWE and enthusiasm that made me envy and want to dive in immediately to see what they saw that had them dancing with pleasure. Sameena, Anindya, unmarried Praveen ;), Brave Vidya, Rohit, Chethan launched themselves to form a group of happy snorkelers. Prithvi who was seasick rested in the boat, promising to dive successfully in the next event.

Anand, Praveen, Roopesh followed by Girish, DP (DURGA PRASAD) completed their dives successfully. The divers after each dive joined the snorkelers. No one wanted to get out of the water.

Netrani Islands stood majestically in the beautiful waters. I was tempted to trek up the island. But we had taken a large boat and anchoring it was an issue. We could trek up, camp on the island and come back the next day  Neat!
Bananas, cookies, biscuits and loads of water kept us away from hunger and dehydration. Glucose & electrol gave extra energy.

We packed up at almost 3:00 PM; almost everyone was dozing on the journey back to the mainland. No dolphins on the way back.

Done with shower & lunch, by 5:30 everyone was ready & packed to come back home. We bid adieu to Rohit, who went to his native and were on our way to Bangalore.
Antakshari was ON with the databases Anindya & Praveen Nampoorthri digging into 18th century collection. Old is Gold indeed! DP won a 5 rupee bet with me over the song ‘Is mod se jaate hain’. I also owed everyone a coffee at a coffee day for the delay. Tarikere stretch kept me awake again. Giri & Prithvi kept four eyes on the eyes of the driver.

We stopped for dinner at Shimoga. By 6 we had hit the morning traffic at Nelmangala Peenya city limits. We took the Nice Road again to avoid entering the city.
Monday Morning! Life was back in chaos, traffic signals, horns, office doors chattering, files, laptops, colleagues, con-calls, STRESSSSSSSSSSSSSSS …….
The aftereffect of the trip – I can feel the gentle waves rocking my boat 
POST NETRANI

On Mon, Nov 3, 2008 at 9:41 PM, Naveen Belkale wrote:
Yep. Had a great time. Thanks to Giri and Roopa. Hope to see you all ppl in another trip :-)
-Naveen

From: Anindya Shankar [mailto:anindyashankar@gmail.com]
Sent: 04 November 2008 10:33
yup.. excellent trip..!!

re-lived my Thailand moments ;)
moments with nice new friends... were exciting & refreshing... keep replying and be in touch..

Thanks..!!
anindya shankar

Praveen Sebastian wrote:
Thank you very much Giri and Roopa for arranging such a wonderful trip...
Cheers
Praveen.

Gisish wrote:
Looking forward for more trips like this,

cheers,
Girish

On Mon, Nov 3, 2008 at 1:41 PM, Roopesh Nambyatil > wrote:

Thanks a Million Roopa and Giri ...it was great...something we
will cherish for life time!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Nice meeting you all..look forward to more meetings..:)
Cheers
Roopesh N

We met up for a Coffee at forum, Scuba Diving Cards with TAG Signature were distributed to successful Divers. The divers were also entitled to Rs 500 Discount on their next open water dive with us. Thus began a spate of new friendships 

Photo Album
http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/tagindiateam/ScubaDivingSnorkelingNov08


Best Regards,
Roopa Sreedhar