Coorg-Madikeri Trip

 After a small break of small 3 months, it was another trip. We could not break the jinx of having some out of “Seis Amigos”(Six Friends) to make it “Seis”(six). This time it was Manu who missed it out. Plan was pretty simple – we have a cab booked, home stay arranged and  trip starts by Friday night and ends by Sunday evening. Where to visit, when to visit or such questions had no answers. All we know is, we are going and my friends trust me as well on this.

Onward Journey

We started by 11:00pm on Friday, as usual I was the first one. We had pick-ups from Domlur (Bhanu and Apu) and Marthahalli (Thanku and Aliyan). And finally we had to pick Sali, who had urgent work for the Saturday and was supposed to “Work From Cab” with his datacards. The drive to home-stay would have been a normal one, unless the driver tried to make a roller-coaster on the road. He never disappointed a gutter or a hump, always drove through the centre line on the road and fabulous breaking skills. It was around 6:30am when we reached the home-stay. 

Home-stay at Coorg

Our coffee was ready as we reached.  We roamed around before places, refreshed, had break-fast and initial set of testing on photo-graphical skills before 9:00.

Meanwhile, all the 3 ladies stood around me asking for day’s plan and I knew the perfect answer for them “Where all do you people want to go?” and in actual I was totally empty and had no idea on schedule. The plan is ready now. Irruppu falls and Nagarhole National Park in the morning. Later to Madikeri, so Sali could complete the work when we outside “No-range zone” Home-stay. Day 2  we planned for Madikeri again with Kushalla nagar. 

The First-Sight seeing

A snap from home-stay

Irruppu fall was first destiny.The fall had too strong and was more crowed that we had to get satisfied by just watching the water. Near the falls, we got another testimony of girls- we found 2 boys and 1 girl coming from opposite side. Girl was identified as our 3-year junior at college by Thanku. Soon a long chit-chat as expected blossomed after which we understood, the guys too were our juniors.  

Irruppu falls

Then we went for Nagarhole Rajiv Gandhi National Park. It was unlike most of the parks in India. We saw many spotted-dears and a snake. Soon Sali had a long start and announcement, “Its 12:30, I want to send my report”. Ok guys, we are going back to room then to rafting, which hardly 5kms from stay. So our plan had started changing. We rushed to home and soon we had awesome lunch with chicken, fish, ghee-rice and so on.

Lunch was so heavy that the plan has changed again. Sali and me will go for the hunt - hunt for range – while others will have a nap.

Cloudy Sky:A usual vacation spoiler,
whom we enjoyed a lot this time

Post Lunch

Of course, I had to go with Sali. In the cab, he was equipped with 2 datacards and his mobile phone and was looking for first signal from anywhere on the way to town. I had nothing to do, but to roam around for almost 1 hour to take some random pictures and to make all the time-pass calls.

When we reached back by 4:00, Aliyan was in sound sleep in gent’s room while 3 ladies on the bed talking and probably some rumours too on stake. So I went alone to have a walk in and around the home-stay. I got a good fallen-wood to lie down and enjoy the sky with no disturbance at all. It was rain who interrupted me. I enjoy 5 minutes drizzle, but had to go inside when the rain got heavy. I love to have some time alone and had my share.

When rain subsided, Sali and me had tried some badminton. Soon Bhanu and Apu joined us and now time for some mixed-doubles. We decided for a trek now. Actually it was Apu who wanted to have trek. So we entered the forest by 6:15 pm. Even though it was reasonably dark, each of us had atleast 10 leeches on our legs to direct us. So soon girls started to protest which boys never hear. But the cook converted guide announced a wild-boar is somewhere near.

Crescent-Moon Night

Back from trek, we all went an investigation on home many leeches we all had. We had a hot bath before going for the camp-fire. The owner of the stay, Mr. Pratap was a nice man and offered me a drink atleast 3 times. I don’t know why, he was asking only to me. I doubt I look like a drunkard. The cook had a drink, he smelt. I saw driver sitting with Manshion House. His son, Abhi had visited the camp-fire and had a chat with us. He was a nice little chap.

Dinner was soon served- another delicious one with some 2 varieties of chicken, rice, rice-kheer and many others.  We had a plan for second show but everyone was tired that we soon went to sleep with plan ready for next day. We will be ready by 7:30, and leave after breakfast by 8:00 to Madikeri targeting Abbey falls, Dubbare Elephant camp, Kushalnagar, Omkara temple but to leave madikeri by 3:00 pm and reach Bangalore for dinner.We soon went back to sleep.

Madikeri

With a fully packed day planned for Sunday, we were supposed to get ready by 7:30. But it was 7:30 when we left the room. Madikeri was around 100km from there. Just as we started from room, we saw some kids in uniform. We dint care much for that. But at most junctions, kids were waiting their bus or so. Suddenly we all had a feel of “Hangover” movie. Did we miss one day? NO!! That happens only in movies not in real life. But did we..? And that was the first time our mobile was useful. It was Sunday, more importantly October 2^nd, Gandhi Jayathi and kids are going to school for that. During the journey, I enjoyed a lot alone - a head massage from one of my friends.

Abbi Falls

First we went to Omkareshwara temple. It was build during the Mughal reign, and was build more like Mosque with dome. There was a naming ceremony going on as we entered the temple. I could make some hymns which were wishing to have long life and all pleasures in life. We moved from there in 10-15 minutes.

We reach Abbi falls with lot of expectations. Last day we dint get wet at the Irruppu falls and we had planned to get into the falls. Yet another disappointment was the result. The water was so powerful that no one could get to the stream. But it was an amazing to see the falls from the hanging bridge build across the stream. The tiny water droplets that shattered from rocks and carried by wind could alone make the whole trip unforgettable.

We decided to drop the elephant camp as we were running out of time. And by around we started off for Kushalnagar. We had lunch on the way from a mallu-hotel.

Tibet in Karnataka

Kushaalnagar was a place I was waiting to visit the most. I am always interested to see different cultures and different people. As you enter town itself we will start seeing the difference. My thought of Buddhists was people who are so silent and left old worldly luxuries like Buddha. I saw them having now-veg food, playing most of the games, using mobile phones and doing everything like any of us. But I could not get answer to one question - what are they wearing, a skirt or a lungie like mallus?

The first room we saw had prayer time. They were using trumpets, drums and other musical instruments. It was making a lot of noise and I was actually running to see what was happening. I could not make out anything on what they were praying. Also they were serving some snacks and Pepsi for people inside the temple. We could watch everything from outside only. I tried to make something out from what was happening for 10 minutes or so. Finally I gave up and went to next temple.

Golden Temple

I can bet to you, if are not blind, the moment u enter the temple you would be astonished by the amazing 60-feet tall Buddha’s statue in copper plated with gold. There were a couple of other statues which was 58-feet tall on either side of the central statue. The statues were filled with holy-scriptures, teachings, clay and so on. The wall was adorned with 25 pictures based on the teachings of Guru Rinpoche. I doubt, some paintings had more of Indian style than the Tibetan paintings. As they had written, to understand those painting we should be aware of all teaching of the religions, I gave up the attempt to decipher the paintings. But another question that popped-up in my mind was, unlike most religions the Temple had too many dragons in too bright colours; very much unlike Christian or Hinduism. I dint allow my friends to sit for resting inside the Temple as was written somewhere as it was a place of worship and not entertainment.

We then did some shopping from the shop near the temple and started back.

Back to Old-world

All our plans were changing or dint work at all, but our plan to reach by 7-8pm has worked. We reached Bangalore by 7:30 or so and we had a coffee together

For anyone who loves to travel or nature or history or to just sit idle with no disturbance, you should visit Coorg atleast once and I am sure you will wait for your next visit. Never miss a chance to Coorg that comes your way.