Skywatch Friday #9 - Peek-a-boo moon!

We were camping as a family in the outskirts of Bangalore, thanks to CampLinger. It was a cool and cloudy night. The campfire was burning bright and the moon was nowhere to be seen. All of a sudden, there she was, the full round moon, gleaming in the night sky and playing peek-a-boo like a little naughty girl. The pictures do little justice to her beauty.

This is my entry this week to the very popular Skywatch Friday.

Rendezvous with Rhododendrons #5 – Path to the sky!

Ok, I’ve gathered myself now. To narrate the climbing experience. If you reader, are an avid trekker or a dare devil, you might find this story inane.  But if you are like me, battling to overcome your acrophobic instincts, then you may be able to relate to this.

The Barsey Rhododendron Sanctuary in West Sikkim, is a place where every nook and corner radiates beauty. However, some of these beautiful places are daunting too, especially for people like me – steep cliffs, sheer drops, snow-covered slopes and so on. One such place is what the locals call ‘Barsey Top’ or ‘Barsey Point’.  It is about a kilometer away from ‘Guras Kunj’, the forest guesthouse. But the catch is that the second half of this walk is a steep climb. I’m not afraid of climbing. I’m an asthmatic, yes, but I’ve overcome that to a fairly decent level, with positive thinking and breathing techniques. But the bigger problem was the fear of elevation – the gorgeous views that would accompany the climb, those very views would make me shudder and lose my balance. But the fighter in me said, “If you don’t do this now, you will never do any of those great Himalayan/alpine treks that you dream of doing someday”. So, believe it or not, I was the first one to jump up and say, “Let’s go.”

The beginning of the pathway. Who wouldn't want to tread this path?

The temple made of stacked stones. This is common sight in Sikkim.

The first half was as expected. Easy. Then began the climb. Initially, the cobbled stone path was wide enough to accommodate 2 people walking side by side. Later, it tapered down to a very narrow line, which could allow 1 person to step at a time. There were places where at one end of the stone path was a sheer drop. This was when my problem started. All this while, I was holding one of my friends’ hands for that comfortable feeling. Now, she had to walk ahead of me and I had to handle those steps, all by myself. Thankfully, she was a very courageous person who happened to be my messiah that day. She walked just before me, and still lent her hand so that I could keep shadowing her. She also kept talking about the several wonderful experiences that we had during the trip, so as to encourage me to keep thinking positively.  And you know what I was doing? I was busy chanting,” I’m going to make it”. Strangely, the very presence of our trek guide, Mr. Hissay Sherpa also provided a great sense of comfort. And oh yeah, I made it to the top! In fact, we loved the place so much that we went there again the next day, sharp at 5 AM to witness sunrise. The second time, I had a bit of breathing difficulty, but it all vanished when the sun rose!

5 AM at Barsey point. It's still moon's world. Can you spot the crescent?

The valley below. 5 AM. Barsey Top.

Sunrise at Barsey Top.

Kanchenjunga range view from Guras Kunj

So why did I have to explain all this in such excruciating detail? Just to emphasize the fact that most fears are man made and that it can be overcome with positive thinking and the urge to conquer the fear. What the human mind can conspire still continues to amaze me. If it desires, it can make me wet my pants on a railway over bridge; on the contrary it can also motivate me to climb mountains! No wonder someone rightly compared it to a monkey. Restless. Boundless. Reckless. I would've missed all these views, had I not pushed myself.

Views on our way back. That green hut is the place where we stayed.

Coffee with Kanchenjunga

Maggi with the mountains!

Selectively shining sun

Please note - I’m not saying that I’m not acrophobic now. I’m still scared of heights, but the magnitude of the fear is slightly lesser. I’m confident that I’ll, one day, accompany my husband on those wonderful mountain treks, which he does every year. 

And one last word here – A big shout out to those lovely people who were with me at that time,  without whose help I wouldn't have been able to make it.

P.S: This is the penultimate chapter of this travelogue. It will end with my Siliguri experience. So, please do stay tuned!

Rendezvous with Rhododendrons #3 - Oh you, Okhrey!

It has been crippling to not be writing as often as I should be during the past week. A mere one week feels like a lifetime. Calling this my blog has now become an understatement, it is my baby, my heartchild (as opposed to a brainchild :D) And the privilege of not giving my readers yet another slice of Sikkim isn't helping my conscience much too. So here goes the third part, after all that much needed ado.

Ah, yes Okhrey!!! Let me pause here. Guess what, am just taking a moment to revisit the beauty so that I can paint an accurate picture. Imagine this – A little asphalted road winding through a hill dotted with rhododendron blooms, a quaint village with barely 10 households, a steep hill adjacent to the village, atop which is perched a little school. Throw in some plants and cute people here and there and that completes the picture. That’s exactly what Okhrey is. It is a tiny sleepy hamlet in some unimaginably remote corner of India; so remote that you cannot even find it in the Sikkim map! A cartographer not knowing it doesn’t make it any less beautiful – it is in fact as tranquil as it can get,  yet in the realm of civilization.

Most people here belong to the Sherpa community; yes the very same community to which Tenzing Norgay belonged. They are not only strongly built but also very endearing! Hospitality runs through their veins and arteries I guess. The Sherpa lodge, run by the Sherpa brothers (well,  every person is a Sherpa here, so I don’t really remember their first names and they are a little too tongue-twisting to remember too)  is a very basic yet cozy place to stay in Okhrey. After a cup of chai, we headed to the hilltop boarding school. The teachers and students were equally receptive to the idea of talking to tourists. Also the fact that it was way past school closing hours helped, as they were all in a laid-back mood. The emphasis that the Sikkimese lay on education is unlike any other part of India. After almost an hour of an engaging conversation with one of the teachers, we decided to head back to the lodge. That was something struck me. I decided to do an impromptu story narrating performance. The children initially looked quite annoyed as I was actually eating into their daily TV time! But a handful of curious ones insisted I tell them the story. So, what started off as a simple narration for a bunch of kids soon grew into a proper performance with a decent sized audience. By the time I finished my story, almost the entire lot was around me. One of the most fulfilling moments in the recent times!!

We returned to the lodge after shopping in the only souvenir shop of the town adjacent to our complex. Oh man, that night was quite cold. At 8000 feet above MSL, we could sense a sharp dip in temperature. Huddled under our blankets, we dozed off, dreaming about the promises that the day next held for us.

The very cozy room at Okhrey

The hosts

The little village

A rhododendron bud

The lovely children at the residential school

He was as hospitable as the people.

So true!

Okhrey getting ready for the night. The mountains disappear. Literally.

To be continued...

Skywatch Friday #6 - Sky from the sky!

Watching the sky? Bliss. Watching the sky from the sky? ECSTASY!!! This is a picture shot during my latest flight. I feel twilights look their awesome best from airplanes. What still intrigues me is the formation in the middle. Does it interest you too?

Sky watch Friday - My little cloud with a silver lining

I stumbled upon Skywatch Friday, thanks to travel blogger Mridula. Who doesn't love watching the sky change hues! Here is one of my pictures.

Location : Shillong, Meghalaya

Every cloud has a silver lining. A rain cloud is no exception.

The wait for love....

This post has been mentioned in the 'Tangy Tuesday Picks'  section - March 19, 2013  by BlogAdda. Thank you! Being a newbie, this means a lot to me.

All set. She'll be here today. My home will be her home. I had identified and earmarked her living space.   It would be her very own cosy corner, where she would grow and blossom and radiate waves of joy and happiness. Her breath of life would purify my soul and air. Waiting for her to be here. Waiting for her to come home and fill my heart’s crevices with bliss.

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She’s here. Finally. I had brought her home all by myself. Though I’m pleased, innumerable questions swarm my mind. Will she like it here? Will she belong here? Will she be happy growing up here? Pensive and apprehensive, I approach her. I fondly caress her delicate parts with motherly love and she seems to respond! As her tiny, frail feet touch the earth, I observe her. She looks content. She seems to be enjoying the chillness of the ground beneath her.   Her calm demeanour soothes me. All is well. All she needs now is ample care and love.  Beautiful, bright and sunny days lie ahead.

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This wait makes me tense. The wait for reciprocation of love. May be it sounds unfair, but for all the care that I showered on her, expecting  some warmth in return is certainly not asking for too much, is it? All that I yearn for is a single smile. I wait for that first smile. The smile that would pilfer my heart.  Is she giving it today? Doesn’t seem like it. May be tomorrow? Fingers crossed.

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It is still early in the morning.  I slowly sneak up to her.  As the first rays of the juvenile sun kiss her reddish face, I behold that wonderful sight. Her first smile. A gush of ecstasy spreads in me as I take her in my hands. Yes, as I cup the beautiful blood red rose flower in full bloom with my palms, I realize that my hands are trembling. She has given back love! Why wouldn’t she -   after all, isn’t she the embodiment of love?

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P.S: This is born from my love for rose plants. More than anything else, they make me nostalgic. I generally love watching plants grow and especially when it comes to roses, the first bloom totally enthrals me.  At one point in time, I had over 15 rose plants in my garden though I have only a couple of them now in my small balcony. I potted a couple more today and that’s what inspired this post. 

Now, go back to the third paragraph and read the first line. That’s exactly how I feel now!!

The Aura of Athirapilly!

Being a South Indian, I’ve grown up to watching Maniratnam’s movies. Those who are wondering who he is can read up about him here.  To cut it short, he is one of India’s finest film makers. Before I digress further or you nod your head in disapproval, let me tell you this – quite a few of his romantic songs have one freaking awesome backdrop – A gorgeous river and a wet, wild waterfall.  And that was where my husband and I were headed to, that weekend.

Maniratnam's magic wand - the milky misty Athirapilly!

Athirapilly. Yay! It was almost like a dream come true. But wait…! What about the tickets? Every Friday, a major chunk of Bangalore’s population migrates to rest of India, with the keralite group forming a big part of it. If you chance upon a confirmed ticket at the last minute, it has to be called Will of Providence (or whatever you deem fit). We weren’t so blessed or lucky but we had OUR will; we found OUR way. First of all, no ticket, so no child. Yes, I had to leave my 5 year old son behind (with his grandparents, of course). Second, our way was neither via Ernakulam nor Thrissur, it was via Calicut and that too, travelling by the most uncomfortable means – last row of a rattling government bus! Strong-willed, ain’t I?

We boarded our bus to Calicut at Mysore road bus station. We were supposed to reach Calicut early the next morning, so that we could catch our connecting train to Chalakkudi. But Mr. Murphy was working overtime plotting against us; hence it so happened that our bus was delayed by over 3 hours. Add to it, the check post delays, the extremely bumpy ghat roads etc., which sealed our fate. We missed our train and arrived in Calicut by noon.

Feeling itchy and sweaty (blame the humid weather in Calicut), we chalked out a plan B. Take a train to Chalakkudi and then a cab to Athirapilly. Sounded perfect, but was impossible. There wasn’t any train to Chalakkudi at that time of the day. Okay, no problem, plan C!  Calicut to Shoranur, Shoranur to Chalakkudi. Phew! This plan didn’t fail us. We reached Chalakkudi by 4 30 PM.

By the time we reached Chalakkudi, we were almost drained out, both physically and mentally. To our surprise and relief, my husband’s friend, who lives in Chalakkudi, had come to receive us. As the entry gate to Athirapilly closed by 5 30 PM, he directly took us to the Athirapilly falls. His two little children had tagged along with him, in anticipation of meeting my son and that I was feeling guiltier than ever needs no mention.

The trek from the main gate to the head of the falls was a short yet sweet one. Soaking in the sights sounds and smells of the forest around us, we treaded towards the falls.  It was the month of November and the falls had a good volume of water. One may choose to go down further, to watch the mighty descent at a closer angle and we did just that. And we definitely weren’t disappointed. The colossal rocks at the point of plunge turn the silvery, docile Chalakkudi river into a frothy, milky maniac, roaring and trumpeting as she plummets, only to be tamed again by the boulders silently resting on the river bed. The glorious panorama, with the sun setting in the background, along with the spray of fresh, herb-scented mist is sure to remain etched in my brain cells forever. I knew it the very moment I beheld it.

The plunge

                            

The rest of story isn’t as dramatic, or I should say, I didn’t attach that much drama to that part. I had traveled all the way to see where the noteworthy director’s celluloid figures had actually danced and that mission had been accomplished. I was satisfied. The next morning, we visited the relatively meek Vazhachal falls, Kodanad elephant sanctuary, Kaladi Adi Shankara temple etc. and then boarded our train to Bangalore from Alwaye(Aluva) station. As the train took me farther and farther away from Athirapilly, I realized that a tiny portion of my soul had permanently been  left behind – lurking around the place.

  

The portion of map inside the rectangle roughly indicates where we had been to.
Image courstesy: Nivalink and google image search. I DO NOT OWN THIS IMAGE.

Now for the FACTS:

Athirapilly, almost always mispronounced as Athirapally, famed along with its mellower twin, Vazhachal, is easily the most popular tourist destination in northern Kerala, in the dense forests of Western Ghats. It is midway between Ernakulam and Thrissur and can be easily reached from both places by train. Believe me,taking a train is more comfortable than a bumpy bus ride. You may also choose to rent a cab from Thrissur or Ernakulam. As of this date, the cab guys charge anywhere between 10 and 12 rupees per km for a non a/c car. If you are coming to Ernakulam by train and planning to take a cab to Athirapilly, then it is advisable to alight at Angamali station. It is a much shorter drive from here and you will save on the cab fare. 

There are quite a few hotel options in Athirapilly but most of them are luxury ones, the more notable ones being The Rainforest and Ayursoukhyam. We stayed in a rather humble resort known as Kanova Resort(formerly known as Richmond resort), which offered us an a/c room for Rs. 2500/night with complimentary breakfast,  quite cheap by Athirapilly standards. Any place devoid of too much luxury works for me and this one, by the river side with a spacious room and simple, tasty breakfast provided good value for the money spent.

Hope this helps and do let me know if this post inspired you to visit Athirapilly!