Intro

Having had a successful debut trip in our kitty, the sequel had to be good too. The expectation levels were pretty high. With Suhasu not being around to chalk things out, it was me, Sharath and dodappa to do the planning. But thanks to Suhasu, we had a plan prepared before he had left. The fine-tuning of this was not that difficult as we had an idea of the places and the locations. So, it all seemed to be a pretty straight forward trip in which almost nothing could go wrong. Or so we thought...
All the trouble started with the invitations. There were minor mis-understandings and most of those who had booked their seats, backed out. Manu, who was had been excited about the trip, couldn’t make it owing to lack of holidays. Prabha had her in-laws visiting her house, so she too couldn’t come. With all the bookings and cancellations, we found it very difficult to book a suitable bus. Finally, it was decided that we book a 24 seater bus – whether or not it would be filled. The job was entrusted to Harisha. Adding to the already piled up complications, Harisha dropped out of the trip. To our relief, he said, he’ll be booking the bus after inspecting.
Barely a couple of days left, there were the sudden change in the weather in Bangalore. Mohana mava was the first one to get concerned. Probably, this could have been the last nail in the coffin, I thought. But somehow, I had this gut feeling that everything would be fine. So, assuring all, that this would be good, we geared up for “The Mega Trip Part 2”.
The exact number was undecided even on the final day. Mithuna, who was supposed to come, fell ill. Finally, the ones who could make it to this awesome trip were, 22;
ATK, Sumitra, Sharath, Asha, Shivashankar, Gayathri, Bharath, Sumanth, Rekha, Radha, Madhuri, Sudhanva, Chaitra, Subbarao, Jayalakshmi, Mohana, Moha, Ananya, Kumara, Usha, Anirudha, Geetha and not to be missed out, baby, Arya.
The Skeletal Sketch:
The two pick-up spots at Bangalore were, our house and ATK’s house. Next being in Arsikere. The plan was, Bangalore – Arsikere – Horanadu – Sringeri – Sirimane – Koppa – Kemmangundi.
The journey was to be started on the 26th of October. We were scheduled to return on the 29th.

Day 1, October 26th, Sunday.

And the journey begins...

By 5.30AM, Geetha aunty and Kumara mava’s family were at our home. The bus was supposed to come by that time. It was 5.45 the bus came. Harisha hadn’t, after-all, seen the bus. I was pretty anxious - Mohana mava had demanded a Rajahamsa! A bus not comfortable, he’d have me deep-fried. To my relief, it was not that bad. At ATK’s house, we awaited the arrival of Mohana mava. He turned up – a good 45 minutes late. We had a brief stop at Vithal Kamat on Tumkur Road. The breakfast, was simply horrible. The bus entered Arsikere at 11.40 – an hour off schedule. After a 20 minute stop here, we headed towards Khandya.
As per our plans, we had speculated that it would be a 4 hour drive. Lunch at 4 would perhaps drive some of us crazy, I felt. With fingers crossed, we listened to some songs in between the complaints about them! Thanks to the driver, we were in Khandya by 3 10.

Khandya

River Bhadra looked calm, but muddy. Lunch had been packed from Arsikere. There couldn’t have been a better spot. The mild afternoon sun provided us with a perfect weather. Everyone had savoured the ‘spicy’ puliyogare and an even ‘spicy’ curd-rice. Add to that the various confectioneries, Oh boy, that was great. We had another short stop near Balehonnur for coffee. That cup of coffee was enough to know why Malnad coffee is so famous.

Dancing our way to Kalasa...

En route to Kalasa, probably had to be one of the most memorable journey I had ever been on. Till then, everyone were fairly disappointed with the traveling done. To cheer up Arya, we played tracks like ‘Gaalipata’ and many other josh-filled songs. Whether or not he was cheered up, we were definitely charged up. Sharathu, Mohana mava, Kumara mava, me, Sudhanva and Sumanthu tried to loosen a bit and hit the dance floor. The twisting and the flexing roads helped us in our dancing. The two hour drive went by unnoticed.

















By the time we were in Kalasa, it was sun set time. The sky looked awesome, vibrant with the colors of the setting sun. After a visit to the temple there, we headed to Horanadu. Being a festive day the next day, Horanadu was flocked with devotees. Asha Attige had to use some influence from her relatives to get us a couple of rooms and a hall within the temple. The dinner was good. The rooms and the hall were big enough for all of to sleep comfortably.

Day 2, October 27th, Monday

'Horanadu' and 'On the way to Sringeri'

Since hot water was available only between 5.30 and 6, we woke up at 5. Me and Chaitra roamed around till it was nearly 6. All the ladies had their bath by that time, and we boys along with dodappa, had to bathe in cold water.
I hadn’t even the faint idea of how good the food at Horanadu could be. The uppit-avalakki at the temple, believe me, was more delicious than what my mom could have cooked. Our next stop would be Lakya dam. By the time we reached Kalasa, the bus had a punctured tyre. It was 10.15 by the time it got repaired. Consequently, we had to skip Lakya. Driver spotted a hanging bridge on the way and thought we would like to have a stop. After a few camera clicks, we were on board again. “Soothanabbe falls” – as we heard – was a bit difficult for the senior citizens to access. We ditched the plan to have a visit there after seeing “Kadambi Falls” en route. There was nothing about the journey to Sringeri from Kudremukha but the exceptional scenery all round.












It was dodappa-dodamma’s 32nd anniversary that day. We, along with Suhasu (ideas through internet) had designed a poster. We requested all to have their wishes and messages to have it inscribed on it and gifted it to dodappa dodamma. Although, we had planned to arrange a questionnaire for them, it was never realized.

Sringeri and Sirimane Falls

By the time we reached Sringeri, it was 12.50 Perfectly in time for lunch! Straight away, we were headed towards the dining hall. After having our stomach’s full, we paid a visit to the temple, which was open till 2 (Usually, it will be closed by 1, but thanks to Deepavali)
Sirimane falls, around 16 Kms from Sringeri, was our next stop. We didn’t have the faintest idea about the falls. The road, if at all you call it, was treacherous. Once there, we rushed towards the falls. A fee was collected for the maintenance. You’d not say, “Oh that's awesome”, but it was a great falls to enjoy. The water here, never comes up further than your hips. If you’re looking for a falls to enjoy, this has to be. While me and Sudhanva explored the water-fall, dodappa, Sumanthu, Sharathu, Chaitra, Madhuri, Kumara mava and Anirudha enjoyed the bath. Mohana mava, finally gave in to the temptation and entered. To our surprise, dodamma too joined us. Dodappa, had a muscle catch owing to the enthusiasm he showed in the falls. With all of us excited, we were losing track of time. Mohana mava was the one, who managed to pull us all back.

The Sun set

It was 4.35 by the time we departed. Agumbe was a good one hour’s drive from Sringeri. But, the bus needed to be re-fueled. We lost a precious few moments there. Being a very clear day, I guessed we were in for a treat at Agumbe for the sun set. The journey to Agumbe was a race with time. In the bus, we could see the sun going down, changing its color from bright yellow to bright orange to orange to bright red. The anxiety became unbearable once we reached Agumbe. But, we still had to travel another couple of kilometers from there. We reached the sun set point, just in the precise time. Me, Sharathu, Sudhanva and Sumanthu looked for a better vantage point. The sun set, was not completely visible. The sun disappeared behind the clouds that seemed to exist only just a few inches from the ocean bed.

Koppa

After a bad “snacks and coffee” stop at Agumbe, we headed towards Koppa. As Koppa neared, Dad got all excited. Had to be, it was his home-town. After all the shouting and directing, his throat gave way. Then on, for the whole trip, he only seemed to whisper. Everyone had a look at the house in Koppa and headed to Seetur, where we were supposed to stay. There were a couple of my Koppa dodappa’s friends.












After a tiring day, all needed a good night’s rest. The dinner, banquet perhaps had everyone praising. Apart from being huge in variety, it was a very deliciously prepared meal. According to initial plans, we were supposed to leave the next morning after breakfast. But, once here, it was evident that this was not going to be. It was decided to relax a bit and leave Koppa after lunch. Moreover, dodappa needed a rest for his muscle catch. And let me assure you, there can’t be any spot better that an estate to relax.

Day 3, October 28th, Tuesday.

The estate visit

An early morning walk in the estate is the most pleasurable exercise you can have. Having stayed in the estate, everyone, in batches, roamed around the estate. While some hunted for specific species of plants, Arya showed everyone the pepper vines. By 10.10, we had finished a tasty “Shavige Bath” for breakfast and were ready to leave to a tea estate nearby. Suni joined us to lead. The tea estates spanned the hillocks on either side. But when we alighted, we came to know we were at the wrong estate. Immediately, we set-off to the right location, which was another 5 Kms away.












Once there, we were being joined by the factory manager named Mr. Vishwanath. He provided us with a detailed explanation about the processing of tea from the tea leaves. Subbanna tata, Mohana mava and ATK dodappa had a lot of queries, got them cleared. We then went to the tea estate. Got some photos clicked and returned back to Seetur. It was already 12.55, and we straight away had lunch. Our idea was to leave by 2. But, again, like the day before, once the food was served, we knew it would not be so. With all the sweets in between, we managed to wrap up the lunch program and finally leave Seetur by 3.15

En route Kemmangundi

The journey – 4 hour long one – was expected to be tiresome. This was where Chaitra, Madhuri and I got into action. We had decided that no one should sleep during the trip. Chaitra and Madhuri were given the responsibility to conduct games. I had bought a Housie board and we played a game of that. It almost consumed an hour and managed to wake up everyone who were on the brink of falling asleep. Chaitra was ready with a quiz. Her voice, for the first time, was used for other than shouting. With 50 questions, and another number game, we managed to pass another 2 hours. With lots of encouragement from the elders, even Ananya, who had brought her GK book along, ended up quizzing us! Of course, we were not the ones to just answer the questions. With a lot of pulling of legs, we managed to bring her questions to a stop.
In the meanwhile, Sharathu, Dodappa and Kumara mava had gone to check the rooms already booked (It was booked with the influence of the director of the horticulture department himself). They had to decide whether to stay in the dormitories, which were outside or in the rooms available within Kemmangundi. Finally, they decided upon the rooms within Kemmangundi. The canteen nearby (the only one) was much better than what we had anticipated. The food was, in fact good! We had planned on a small trek to the Z Point nearby early in the morning. A bunch of us were excited and was decided that we leave by 5 and return by 8.

Day 4, October 29th, Wednesday.

Z Point

At 5, my phone started to buzz. It was freezing outside. Having a sleeping habit like mine, probably I wouldn’t have woken up till 11 at that weather. Surprisingly, Anirudha and Chaitra woke up the very next moment I woke up. The difficult part was to wake up the elders. Dodappa’s watch was 15 minutes slow, so he continued to sleep. By the time we managed to wake up all those guys who were coming, it was 5.20.
The route was pitch-dark and we almost lost our way. Exactly after a few yards, it dawned on me that it was probably the wrong route we were traveling. Having visited Kemmangundi once before, helped. After that, it was just a great experience. We reached the peak to witness the sun rise. Although it was a few moments after sun rise already, the atmosphere up there was refreshing. The wind blew on us with all its might. After a couple of solo-photos, dodappa’s brief laughter session, we decided it was time to get down. Although no one wished to come back, we were compelled to do so. On our way back, the married youngsters – ATK dodappa, dad and Sharathu started to collect to varied flora of the region. That was when we noticed how colorful the region was! With very peculiar plant species and a lot of flowers, the husbands readied the bouquets. Dad’s intentions of collecting the flowers were then clarified. He was, in fact collecting them to decorate the bus we came in. How romantic! Kumara mava then commented that dad was in fact, suggesting that dad meant my mom, who dad said was like a bus. But finally, at the room back in Kemmangundi, the flowers reached the respective wives. Dodappa had even a count of the flowers – 32, as a token for their 32 years of married life. Sudhanva, somehow, had managed to make a bouquet for himself. Guess who he had got that readied for? He’s yet to reveal…

Hebbe Falls

By 9.30 we had our breakfast and then set out for Hebbe falls in 3 jeeps. The Rs 700 deal with each jeep looked astronomical for a 10Km journey. But the road, which exists only for a few Kms, was horrible. At some parts, the roads completely vanished and we were riding on the rocks – literally. The journey was bone-crushing. En route, we had an Antakshari session, which, surprisingly was the first time of the trip.














Even after alighting the jeeps, we had to travel a couple of Kms. We had to pass through 3 streams too. I feared we were in for a tough time ahead with the older lot taking us to task.
But once we could see the water-fall, all anxiousness and fear crept away. The view was just breath taking. The water came falling down in two steps. The spray from the falls was so chilling that we became a bit hesitant in getting wet. Once in the water, still reeling under severe cold, we barely managed to get ourselves completely wet. Although it was 12 noon, we were shivering. It was the most exhilarating experience I’ve ever gone through. After the bath, we returned to Kemmangundi and had lunch. By 4, we went to the Raj Bhavan at Kemmangundi. By 4.20, we were on our way back. The Arsikere gang was dropped there at 6.30. By the time we reached Bangalore, it was 11.30.

Feedback

There was a crucial feedback session between Tarikere and Arsikere. Owing to the time crunch, all were forced to cut short the response to a few minutes. All had the same feeling towards Hebbe and the stay at Koppa. Everyone applauded the courage shown by the three seniors – Subbanna tata, Jaya ajji and Radhajji in having made it to Hebbe. Kumara mava and Geetha aunty told that their wish to visit Horanadu that too along with all the family, came into reality. Even as all praised the organisers for their efforts, there were some suggestions too. Moha preferred melodious songs or even games to the “Josh” songs. Dad suggested we book dormitories over indivisual rooms. While Gayathri, Rekha and Sumitra felt bad to return to the kitchens, others congratulated Chaitra and Madhuri for their efforts in arranging the quiz.

An epilogue or a prologue?

These 4 days went past us like 4 hours. Although it was a trip of just 4 days, the memories made during this, is for a lifetime. When compared to the last time, there were a lot of developments that could be noticed. The feedback we had received the last time helped us in correcting our short comings and helped us improve. The youngsters took up on the various responsibilities entrusted upon them. Many have incorporated a lot of leadership skills necessary and have developed a sense of oneness. The last trip had provided us with the impetus and it has further gained momentum through this trip. Once again, like the last time, we wish trips like these become a family ritual from now on. Let this provide us with ventilation from the materialistic life in the cities and help us in mingling with others and bond with others.

Trip: A statistical report

Bangalore – Tumkur – Tiptur – Arsikere

195Kms; 4 Hr 15 Mins.

Arsikere – Kadur – Chickmagalur – Khandya

139Kms; 3 Hr 10 Mins.

Khandya – Balehonnur – Kalasa

50Kms; 3 Hr 5 Mins (including a coffee break near Balehonnur)

Kalasa – Horanadu (Halt)

10Km; 22 Mins.

Horanadu – Kalasa – Kudremukha – DK border – Kerekatte – Sringeri

91Kms; 3 Hr 38 Mins (with a few breaks for repair, visiting Hanging bridge and Kadambi falls)

Sringeri – Sirimane Falls

16Kms; 34 Mins.

Sirimane Falls – Sringeri – Agumbe – Sun Set Point

49Kms; 1 Hr 25 Mins.

Sun Set Point – Hariharpura – Koppa

43Kms; 1 Hr 32 Mins (a coffee break in between)

Koppa – Kudregundi – Seetur (Halt)

11Kms; 27 Mins.

Seetur – Devon Tea Estate – Mysore Tea Estate (Quardhitlow)

25Kms; 57 Mins (Thanks to the confusion caused in locating the “Correct” estate)

Seetur – NR Pura – Junction – BR Project – Tarikere – Kemmangundi

133Kms; 4 Hrs 48 Mins

Kemmangundi – Hebbe Falls

11Kms; Nearly an hour.

Kemmangundi – Tarikere – Arsikere – Tumkur – Bangalore

334 Kms; 8 Hrs.