The planning to visit this place had started long back but for some reason or the other wasn’t materializing. Finally it did (to the benefit of all). The group was small and more or less people with matching frequency. I really didn’t know all of the group. A couple of friends, some team mates, another acquaintance and some total strangers. In all and all I wasn’t really looking forward to this trip. Was a little skeptical about the coming together of these different people but was confident that no matter what turns out, I was there to enjoy.
We started by planning to reach Majestic (Bangalore Bus Stand). 8 were to go in one bus, boarding from different locations and 2 were to meet up there. The hassle started from the local bus itself. Finally we all reached the stop and 2 others joined in time for dinner. I was very much hungry by now and so seemed the others. We raided the restaurant in the bus stop. It was Andhra style, so no chapatti. My nightmares for the trip had started to surface with the major one, FOOD. After a wait of around 20 min, we were served on banana leaves. The first sip of dal and the firs bite of sabzi I took, I coudnt stop myself from shouting, WOWWW. The food was amazing. To top it, a waiter who was in some bad mood with the supervisor, took good care of us loading our rice with a lot of ghee. Filled with good food and around 11 in the night, we were all looking for some place to fall asleep. We boarded our bus, a 2 by 2 semi sleeper and the Journey started.
Sleep didn’t overcome most of us though some like Bhaskar ( 6’ 3” and 102 kg) made the seat feel like they were resting in some fairies lap, sound asleep. Stopped at 0200 hrs for some tea. Reached our mid destination, SAGARA, at around 0715 hrs. We freshened up at the local bus stop while our organizer, Arun called the main camp organizer about further directions. At 0800 hrs everyone got ready for a cup of tea, even ordered. Arun came up with supposedly the worst news. There was only one bus to the camp site and that too was leaving at 0815. So, no time for tea. What the
F!@#.
All ten finally boarded the local bus and it started its 45 min journey through narrow roads and villages. I was now enjoying every min of the journey. It took me back to my village in Punjab, where though the rides are not that bumpy, but the landscape and the type of people we meet are nearly same. I got to see a “Julaha”, A community of weavers. In ancient India, the job was specific to a particular community and these people were responsible for weaving clothes. He was carrying his equipment to shred cotton, which not to my surprise, some people have never seen. I couldn’t hold but recite the famous verses of Gulzar saab “Mujhko bhi tarkeeb sikha koi yaar julahe…….”. The local boarded and de boarded the bus on our journey. Ours was probably the last stop.
We started on our walking expedition right from the bus stop. For walking for around 10 min or so, we reached to the GATES of HEAVEN. It was a sight to watch, blue water around small stretches of thick forests. It seemed was untouched froma ny human interference. Some trees standing tall in the water, with no leaves at all. The place was perfect for photography buffs, and everyone made right use of it, the photographers and also the ones posing for them. Our boats (Karakal) were ready to take us through to our camp site. Breakfast was waiting for us and that led us to compete among each other to reach the other end. We were 7 people in one boat and 8 in other, including the navigators and 3 who joined us at Sagara. The race event made us learn how to row the boat. Enjoying the clear water and Praphulla (leg pulling him) we reached the other coast. Breakfast was ready as we reached. There were a few people already there. We had upma and tea for breakfast. To our joy, the tea was perfect. After eating well we started with the days activity. Firs was my favorite, swimming. The sad part being that I had to wear a life jacket. Which later I felt was good only as it made us less tired.
On the sight of water we were in double mind. There were small colonies of tadpoles, moving over the water bed. Though the ran as we approached but the mere feeling of them touching your feet was enough to give Goosebumps. We finally managed to get in. the water was cold and we started to enjoy every bit of it. From the lot only me, Arun and Elizabeth (Elzi) were the one who knew swimming. Other like Mayank were quite enthusiastic about learning, while some like Praphulla and Sonal preferred staying at the shore. I started with teaching Mayank some basics and dragged him in water. Soon he was floating well (courtesy: Life jacket). Slowly we all were in deep water, swimming and enjoying the beauty of Mother Nature. Tired and feeling cold we cam out for a sunbath and started to enjoy the game of flash. It ended with the call for lunch. After so much of swimming everyone was real hungry. We were served rice and sambar, and to this day in 25 years Sambar had never tasted more delicious. We enjoyed it thoroughly and to top it cam buttermilk. Again a small competition started of, who can drink the maximum glasses of buttermilk. Praphulla was dragged here also. Mayank started with asking us to take him on our side and we ended by concluding that no one needs him. Though his support would have been beneficial to any team. On one side were me, Tanmay and Sujay and on the other side were Bhaskar, Mayank and Arun, though they had an advantage of having Bhaskar on their side, but that didn’t deter our spirits. The count started and so did the spectators curiosity. We stopped at 3 cups short to them, to which we some how compensated. Now they were one cup ahead, Tanmay made a call and equaled the score with another cup down his throat. Everyone was filled to the brink of vomit. We were barely able to move. The war of words carried on till both the teams accepted a draw. Even our cooks got involved and were more curious in serving than we were in drinking.
After this filling meal, we had some rest and waited for our next activity, that was to surf an island and trek to the sunset point and come back after the sunset. Everyone was looking forward to it amid the laughter of the competition and respite that Praphulla and Tanmay provided by being the scapegoats.
We started for the island surfing at around 03 in the afternoon. We went to a nearby island in our boats and the trekked for around 1 km to reach the sunset point. The sun was still up in the horizon so we had some to ourselves before the sunset. We sat there silently enjoying the music produced by the waves against the shore. Everyone was lost in his/her own world.
The land at the shore was cut in shape with the force from the waves, carving on discretion. Still there were some trees in the middle, sustaining the wrath of these waves and standing tall. The only thing was that they were only wood and no leaves. Made me wonder, what they got being adamant and staying against that tide. They are lonely now and have even lost their color. In our personal life also we tend to go against the people close to us, though we emerge out strong but have to sacrifice our leaves. The leaves, that gives us a reason to live. The leaves, that makes us more beautiful and caring.
All this didn’t stop the sun, and soon it came to a point where it was showering its diminishing glory on us. It was a sight to watch. I missed her the most, taking her hand in mine, sitting on a rock, our feet dipped in water, and it would have been a perfect date.
The sun had set and so had all the feeling sunk with it. We started to move back to our campsite. We rowed in dark, enjoying the solitude of the backwater, which was broken momentarily with every row. We reached to a heavily lit up sky. I have never seen the sky so bright with so many stars. Though I having come from a village could have boasted for seeing the sky clearer than anyone present there, but still it was no match to what my eyes were experiencing. It seemed like a kid had sprinkled white paint on a black sheet.
Sitting across the fire, we introduced ourselves to the others present. Then the usual campfire games started and everyone seemed to enjoy. We started with playing dumb charades. It took a little naughty turn when some of the mischief-makers gave movie names like Kama sutra and Tom Dick and Harry. Well all in all it was a fun evening. Many more games were played, the one that made an unforgettable mark was one started by Sujay. Everyone was told to say a movies name in the neighbor’s ear. Then the person had to say the movies name aloud followed by “In my Pink Pajama”. The fun filled trip from the first to the last person included movies like, “Chota chetan, Mohra, Finding Nemo, When a stranger calls, hum tum,” and all in “Pink Pajama”.
After having our dinner we all went to our tents for the night. Sleep didn’t overcome, as the experience to be there was so extraordinary. Anyhow we woke up in the morning at around 0700 hrs. Finished our morning chores and were all gathered brushing our teeth when the most amazing incidence on the trip occurred.
Bhaskar cam running towards the water body and spitted, murmuring some foul words to someone. He hurriedly cleansed his mouth with water and then stood up to ask, “kisne wahan toothpaste ke jagah ODOMOS rakha?”
Everybody burst into laughter. He was told to take the paste from the bag, where a pack of odomos was also present. He mistakenly took odomos and starting brushing. When it tasted odd, he thought to himself that maybe its some ayurvedic medicinal paste. It was only after some time that he read on the tube what he was doing. Bhaskar earned the reputation of being the “ODOMOS BABA”.
After having our tea, we sat for a discussion with our organizer, Sampat on the conservation of this place and the efforts he was making to do so. It was good to hear that the money went to the people ion the nearby villages and was not used for any commercialization. This immensely beautiful place was to be preserved from any infiltration. We went on to have our breakfast and then moved to another stream of water for swimming.
This place had some trees in near access, so we all gathered near them and started to climb them and jump from top. The child in everyone had overpowered the adult in enjoying. After some hours of swimming we all took a karakal and went out to explore the water. We did some kayaking and then moved to have our lunch. After eating to our capacity, we lied to have some rest. Some slept while others kept discussing the fun and all we had on this trip.
Time came to move with our luggage to the final activity and then move away from there. Last was trekking to a hilltop, to have a bird’s eye view of or site. The path was through our bus stop. We started with boating till the other coast and then trekking our way uphill for about 45 min. The trek as tiring but the view from top compensated for everything. We waited for around 10 min at the top and tried finding all the places we were in the past 30 hrs, starting form the camp site, to the sunset point, to the shit island etc. We started our journey back and reached the bus stop by 06 pm. The bus was scheduled at around 06:15. Everyone made use of this opportunity by playing the most famous game in India with the village children, the fool’s game – Cricket. We left the place with a gift (ball) to the children playing there and numerous memories, which can never fade away.
We boarded a bus from Sagara to Shimoga Railway station. Reached there around 30 min before the departure, stocked our luggage and had our last meal of the trip. Lemon rice and Chatani. It would be unfair to mention that the food we enjoyed throughout the trip was of the most superior quality I have ever tasted. Had our food and went off to sleep on our births. We were a little scattered in the train. Reached Bangalore station at 04:30 in the morning. Ended our trip with a cup of tea and then headed back to our home with a pledge to make some more trips of this level.
I just can’t help but recall the time spent at our camping trip. Something I noticed there is haunting me ever since. The trees standing tall between the harsh rivers current.
