Date of Journey : 22-23 April  2011

The unknown is always an enigma. When the best laid plans go down the drain, it is merely an opportunity to embrace the uncertainty in all its glory. That weekend was yet another testament to the fact that universe has its way with things and if you are patient enough, you will almost always know the purpose of everything that has gone wrong.

The outside scenes were a hazy blur as I barely opened my eyes. It was a lovely morning and I was expectant about the three days that were to be spent in the realms of mountains and greenery. The morning haze was just lifting as we started climbing on the ghat section to reach Kodaikanal. Given the crazy biking muse of late, we couldn’t help but discuss the idea of returning back on bikes here on a later date. The 36kms long ghat section was a lovely drive albeit full of traffic.

Kodaikanal at an altitude of 2030 meters is invariably cool most of the year and I fell in love with this place already as you’ve read before. Today was no different and I already had a good feeling being back here. Kodaikanal is no different and hasn’t been spared from the ubiquitous tourist crowd.  But why was I to care, I was headed to the lovely woods after all.

The reverie came to a shattering end when we found out our permission to trek was cancelled. We had three days and nothing to do. I made no effort to restrain the disappointment. I swore, I cursed and I thought of a wasted weekend. But today I was to know that attitudes are contagious. Arvindh and Nitin were hell bent on making the best of the situation and soon I was laughing along with others about the situation. What followed for the next two days can only be described as LEGENDARY!

After considering many options, we decided we would go with Kodai Mani to camp near lake called Mannavannur Lake and trek from there to Kookal Lake the next day. It was costing us extra but what the hell, we might as well have some fun if that’s all we were getting. We chilled out the whole afternoon watching the mist come and go. The weather did everything it could to keep my spirits high, it was cool and misty and a brilliant day to do nothing. If you know me, you’d know that I am not a person who is in favor of doing nothing on a vacation. Not that there is anything wrong with chilling out, just that I’d like to utilize every single minute to explore the awesomeness that is around. But today I was forced to do nothing and I was actually enjoying the joblessness.

It was 4PM and we were still waiting for Kodai Mani to take us to the lake. While we waited we took a tour of Kodaikanal Lake and watched the mist come down from the mountains and chase the boats on the lake. Soon enough I could hear loud noise suggesting some commotion on the lake surface but couldn’t make out what it was until huge raindrops fell on my cheeks. I was in a fit of frenzy because I had my camera with me without any cover to protect. I ran to a vegetable stall nearby when they were also busy covering the vegetables and a sweet lady offered me a plastic cover as she smiled. I smiled back and that smile lasted till I reached Bangalore. Officially the adventure had started! :)

It was summer and I expected Kodai to be cool but certainly didn’t expect such rain. The first rains of the season brought all that was expected of it - the fresh scent of earth, dew drops in the air, mist through the forests and unrivaled greenery. We were headed to Mannavannur Lake, 40 kms from Kodaikanal and the route that leads to it was exquisite. The forests around this hill station are thick and verdant and rains can only make it better. We were passing by high terraced villages with green fields spread on mountain slopes. We hardly saw any traffic and it was absolute pleasure watching the forest go by through the tinted window.

It was almost late evening and I knew I wasn’t going to see the sun set given the cloud cover. But who knew I would see something even better! Consider a vast ground of rolling grasslands all surrounded by high mountains in the distance and right in the middle of all this lies something sparkling. The first sight sparked such enthusiasm I cannot describe in words. That is where we would camp for the day, right by the Mannavannur Lake side. Normally this lake wouldn’t be as spectacular, but today the whole mood was perfectly set by the rains and low lying dark clouds, cool winds and not a soul in sight. We went hysteric watching such beauty and then it rained. Then it rained more. Then it rained more and more. It was dark and we were drenched to the core and then lightning struck! A loud thunder and a second of light in the dark night and then more lightning while we wandered in the open grounds! We rushed back to the nearby village to take shelter at the village school.

We walked in the rain along the dirty road to reach a small place where an old couple seemed to be preparing something hot to eat. We were proved right and minutes later four of us found ourselves fighting for a piece of smoking hot delicious omlette dosas that were being served by the sweet old day. Sitting in the hut, on wooden benches eating hot dosas served on banana leaf over some conversations was a perfect end to the day. Later in the night, the rain stopped but I was woken up many times by scary neighs of horses, the thumping footsteps of running horses, barking of dogs and some other noises that I didn’t recognize. All this, while we were sleeping outside, well I was glad to see the morning light and boy! It was lovely.

The mist seemed to be moving in a gracious curve over the hill top and I couldn’t wait to run back to the lake. And run we did, only to find more awesomeness. The mist was lying low while sun had come up above the mountains. We spent another two hours by the lake and then we returned back to the old couple’s place for more tasty food along with some funny conversations. You would’ve read about that stranger, if not read it here.

Now, we had a vehicle with us, two more days to spare and no plan. I had been to Kookal Lake earlier and I suggested we all go to that lake today. After a hearty breakfast we proceeded along yet another exquisite leaf strewn forest route to the lake. It was much different from what I had seen last time, of course the difference being the magic that the monsoons lent to the place. Everything was green, I mean green green! The shola forest beyond the lake was lush and in its prime. On the other side of the shola forest was high mountains and grasslands. I knew this because I was here before. The weather was so perfect for just lazing around. Armed with my camera we wandered along the green pastures, we walked upto the village for a friendly banter with the kids there. We told them we had no place to stay for the night and they came up with a brilliant plan. They said each one of them would take two of us and we could stay with them in the village for the night. Sweet kids!

The greenery, the intermittent rain, the mist, the mountains and the joblessness were proving to be therapeutic. It felt great to be there that moment. It felt as if time could stand still, that was where I wanted it to freeze. By afternoon it started to rain again and I was in no mood to go back yet. I suggested we go trek to the temple on the peak behind those forests in the rain. After much persuasion everyone got to their feet and we entered the forest as thick as the dark tresses of the lady. It was pouring and as soon we entered the forest, the slimy black creatures got to work with an intensity that left only five out of the sixteen trekkers on the trail within the first 10 minutes. The leeches there were blood thirsty as if they were starving for ages and they attacked us with a rigor that could only be matched by the fiercest warrior! Blood was shed, I tell no lies.

The ordeal lasted a good 45 minutes before we reached the grasslands. Wet wood worked like a charm to scrape the leeches away. I removed my shoes and walked up the mountain in the rain barefoot. Since I had seen the view from top already, I wasn’t in any hurry to reach the top. I walked slowly enjoying the mountains and the rain. We reached the temple on top and as it rained more we started to gorge on what little food we managed to carry. Winds blowing on mountains at an altitude of above 2000meters in the rain was cold but we spent a good two hours on the top shivering to the core and yet reluctant to leave the magical mountains, yet.

When we left, we did so with a heavy heart for the trip had almost come to an end. We dreaded the thought of going back to the leech territory but it would be relatively easier now that we can run faster downhill. With Nitin at the lead, he started running. And so we all had a small trail running exercise in the woods and we crossed the leech territory in a record 10 minutes. It rained and rained as we deleeched our shoes and body by the Kookal Lake. After changing into dry clothes, we set out to reach Bangalore.

I would find myself at these lakes again in two months. I took my family this time and the lakes were lovely as ever. An almost ruined vacation turned into a beautiful exploration. A simple choice of not letting our spirits down led to having a ball of time enjoying the rains, during summer! In such rains I don’t know if we would’ve managed to do the trek anyway. Everything happens for a reason, don’t you think? :)

Route : Kodaikanal - Poomburai - Mannavanur - Kukkal(Kookal) - Kodaikanal

I am person with a lot of preconceived notions. For all that traveling that I do, you’d expect I would have an open mind.  But the truth is I have my opinions on everything and stick to it until the truth hits me in the face. Why I am saying this is because I always thought Tamilnadu is not a state worth exploring, just as with Rajasthan. Of course both the states have been an eye-opener and maybe all that traveling has opened up my mind after all. I swear I won’t dismiss any place without giving it a chance.

That being said, I was on a weeklong trip exploring the southern tip of India last week. I went with family which meant no crazy treks or something like that but plain old summer vacation kind of travel. I wasn’t too excited given my notions about Tamilnadu. The only thing enticing was the fact that I would’ve have traveled tip to tip if I set foot at Kanyakumari as well. Did no research and landed late evening in Trivandrum on Monday.  The airport was just beside the sea and the warm sea breeze and the humidity hit me in the face. It felt good. Having spent the better years of my life along the seaside, the familiar weather was welcoming. 

The crazy trip had started as we know it. I waited and waited and waited at the bus stand to find a bus to take me to Kanyakumari. It was already 9 PM and there was no sign of the only bus that goes from Ernakulam to Kanyakumari via Trivandrum. I found some comfort in knowing there were few Telugu families also waiting for the same bus. You can never be too far from them which is a good thing in most cases. A sleepy town that goes by the name Kanyakumari just by the seaside welcomed me at midnight. 

The morning next day was a celestial affair. People were waiting in hordes to see the sun rise from the ocean. To me, more than the sunrise, the gathering was more interesting. I love it when people come together in unison and bow in front of the mighty force called nature. They all worshipped, chanted mantras, took dips in the sea water calling it holy and took a thousand photographs as the sun rose. I was doing the last one, took a thousand photographs and those were few of the best ones that I have shot so far.

After sunrise, the agenda was quite sketchy and I was so happy with the photos I took in the morning I just didn’t care where I landed next. Incidentally the next location was the spectacular Padmanabhapuram palace. At first glance, the palace looked more like a traditional house than a huge palace. Little did I know I was in for such a surprise. The palace was neither small nor nondescript. The traditional Kerala architecture was simple yet functional.  Later that day was a date with rains. Got drenched to the core and loved it. Just that morning I was facing the heat of summer and beaches and from afternoon till night it was monsoon showers, clouds and mist. Strange are the days of travel.

Next stop was Madurai, temple town and not really my cup of tea. But, yet again I was in for another surprise. The Meenakshi Amman Temple was nothing short of a spectacle and the Thirumalai Nayakar Palace was a shining example of Italian architecture with the local flavor. The many pillars of Meenakshi temple and the huge hallways of the palace, both a photographer’s delight left me wanting for more.

But we had moved on to Kodaikanal by now. I had already planned what I wanted my family to see. Not the crowded hill station but pretty hamlets and isolated lakes in the vicinity of the mountains and forests around. That is what we did, visited two spectacular lakes and called it a day. 

After temples, beaches and Mountains I was only too glad to be returning to the beaches, at Rameswaram and Dhanushkodi.  I got scolded by the tour operator for making him wait for an hour, got scolded some more by my dad for making them all wait but then when we took off in the jeep to visit Dhanushkodi, all was forgotten by all and I was left spellbound. I thought I had evolved as a photographer. Believing in quality than quantity, not going trigger crazy was something I managed to achieve over the past year. But all that learning went to dust the moment we entered the realms of the ghost town. I went clicking here, there and everywhere. Words wouldn’t do justice and nor would photos. 

After visiting Kutch earlier this year and Danushkodi now, I have developed a newfound love towards saline eco systems. Serene Bay of Bengal on one side and the wild Indian Ocean on the other, we were traveling on the strip of land between these two. We went till the far corner from where you can spot the erstwhile Ramasetu, the bridge built by Rama to Sri Lanka. I will have to dedicate an entire post to the awesomeness called Dhanushkodi, for now let’s return back to Rameswaram. 

The beach here is shallow for quite a long distance from the shore. I saw local fishermen trying to catch fish in a different way. Then we headed to the temple just before it opened. Found the corridors almost empty and as expected I went trigger happy again. Had a spectacular darshan of the lord thus ending the week long exploration.

There could not have been a better way to sum up this trip than these words - Every ending is just a new beginning. I never thought Tamilnadu would interest me so much. The culture and history around Madurai was immense, the mountains and forests around Kodaikanal were pristine, the temples and their architecture were marvelous, the beaches and the ecology were remarkable. As I traveled I found out there was much more to be seen, like the Danish fort of Tranquebar or the erstwhile bungalows of Chettiars or the infinite lakes around Kodaikanal or the innumerable waterfalls around Courtallam or the history of graves around Vallinokkam or the many other places I haven’t heard of yet. As I crossed the Pamban Bridge one last time, I promised to myself, I will return back to this Enchanting Land! 

I do keep my promises, I swear!