"Boss, you'll make it"

Writing a travelogue has never been a good idea with me!! Nothing bad, but i am basically a somberi!! But this trip changed everything of my perception about treks and i wanna remember this all my life. Hence, am putting it on words while trying to share the experience i had.  Am not so good at vocabulary and i mean it!! Adding to that this is not a short travelogue, so please read it only when you find some time to kill!!

The Prelude

For a couple of months now(literally speaking, from the time the co-ordinator Mr.Sridhar joined us in our team), we were disssssssssssssscusssssssssssssssssing the idea of short/long travel plan!! But for practical/unknown reasons, we kept re-scheduling the plans. With my daughter and wifey coming home joining me, now i had to either get to materialize at least a short trip or forget about it for another 2/3 months... How to make it!! Then we shortlisted a few places, out of which, PARVATHAMALAI seem to be what we call, fitted our time constraints/schedule purposes. So we did a head count and saw that its about 7-8 people. And then, as usual, 2 of them dropped off!!

The Schedule

• Start off at 4:00 PM on Friday evening,
• reach there by 8:00 PM at POLUR,
• Have dinner at POLUR
• Drive another 15 kms to Parvathamalai
• Start trekking by 9:00 PM
• Reach destination at night
• Doze off until 4:00 AM and start then, reach down.
• Take bath and visit few places nearby.
• Start by 10:00 AM and reach Chennai at 2:00 PM

A Twist in Tale

In the last minute, there was turn of events and 2 more joined us!! It was 6 people now and we had to get one more vehicle; Sridhar's car came in handy and we took it!! Now it was a 3-people/car journey and we didnt like it mostly, but nothing in choice either!!

4 people among the team are prepared now, and other 2 has to do it;  So, janani, did a short commute to her house and got herself prepared!! She also got a torch light, too big to hit people with!! Now, ramya's turn!! Since her home was on the way of our journey, we planned to visit her and get things ready at her home and move on !!

The Run

We started at 4:00 PM from office, joined the waving traffic, managed to reach ramya's house by 5:45 and she got her things ready, left at 6:10. Then at 6:45, we stopped at a bakery, where we purchased snacks only to learn later, it was the worst bakery in there!! So, we reached thirumazhisai, joined the NH and moved our way through the traffic. At 8:00 PM, we crossed the toll gate before ranipet and it was already time for dinner! So, we thought of having something at wallajah, only to come across the restaurant on the left next to this toll gate we just passed. So, we made up our minds and walked in!!

 I was not really feeling great since we know the state of eateries on the highways!! Contrast to my feelings, that turned out to be really nice place and vegetarian foods with the standard of their name, SANGEETHA!! Some had light dinner, but i as usual, ordered it to get along with my appetite!! We walked out of the place by 9:00 PM and begin to complete what was left of our journey, a 60 km drive. Enroute was Wallajah-kannamangalam-Polur-Paravathamalai. Wallajah-Kannamangalam turned out to be bad stretch filled with pot-holes and we stuck to 60KMPH to avoid the same. And another plot here was only 2 among us had torch lights and rest need to buy them!! at what time!! 10:00 PM at night!! Where, in mid of small towns!! We kept enquiring shops, which again added to the travel time!! And during this hard-time, we treated us a little with paneer soda!! Sridhar, who was slightly apprehensive about the delay in reaching destination, over-came the feeling with this treat!  So, it was decided that we reach the destination and buy what we would get at the nearby shops!! Now, as we were nearing POLUR, there was a block on the road!! Ohhhh, why would people celebrate Vinayaga chaturthi on a state-highway!! Okay, we figured it was Vitamin-M and we handed them 20 bucks and received, uhhh... ok, it was a big streak of viboothi!! Then we reached POLUR and was passing slowly to get the directions! Bhoooommm...Shiva spotted a shop with electrical accessories and asked me to stop!! What a presence of mind, we got 3 eveready torches!! Believe me, my brother bought me a torch for the car, which sleeps at almirah for lacking re-chargeable AAA batteries!! It costed him a bomb!! But, on the other hand, these 65 rs torches, were handy and offered a great deal of assistance in our trekking!! Great job eveready!! hats off!! After the purchase, we reached the destination at a single shot(A 15 kms journey)!! The time was 11:00 PM at night and we had a 12 km stretch to cover now!!

The Trek

Some of us had to change over to tracks and shorts. I was not sure about changing to shorts and asked out to sridhar. Later, I had to laugh at myself for what would have been the case if i didn't change!! Now, Sridhar, guna, shiva, ramya, janani and me started our trek finally!! We were glad to be welcomed by the cement roads for about 2-3 kms. And to add it all, You should either (believe/laugh at) me, when i say, YOU'LL be accompanied by dogs', when you trek for the first time. It seemed a myth to some of us when we heard this first, but then saw it ourselves!! 

We were chit-chatting and having fun while closing in on the cement road. Then, we're glad again about the cement stairs unfolding in front of us!! Sridhar explained that there're 2500 stairs that we need to climb before reaching peak. And at peak, is a temple of lord shiva and an ashram!! I was enquiring about some place to sleep, since i was really skeptical about the return journey!! Then, we started our journey and i saw that the time was 12:10!! we've walked about 3 kms to reach the stairs!! Now i saw sand bags about 5-7kgs in weight and understood, since shiva himself moved sand for food in one of his avatars, carrying sand bags to the peak is auspicious and returns special blessings!! I, decided to carry one myself and see how fate unfolds!! So our flight up the hill began!! We split like 2 guys lead, 2 girls in middle of the crew and other 2 guys at the back following. The dog with its family, were tailing on us!! 2 elder ones and 3 younger ones. Shiva was really excited about them and cheering them all through the journey!!

A Mistake

When we started from office, we carried water in four 1-litre bottles!! By the time we reached down-hill, 2 are empty. On enquiring, we found that there were shops on the way to buy water cans. Sensing to buy water on the way, we started our journey!! What a big mistake!! On each pit-stop we found bear-grounds welcoming to turn no-where for water!! So we had, 3 packs of 1/3 litre nimbooz, a 250 gms of glucon-d and 2 litres of water bottles to complete the trek!!

The Climb

There are spots that mark the number of stairs climbed and you'll see 1mark/100 stairs!! It has been built with nice in-sight into the kind of journey people will take, placing some soft and hard spots!! At every mark, I/Ramya would ask sridhar on how much distance left to be covered and he had his prompt reply "1 more hour". After reaching 600 stairs, we grew thirsty and first litre of water was gone. We were really drenched in sweat and had to stop at the end of 1000 stairs to have water and the second/final litre of water vanished into some among the thirsty throats!!

 Rest among us took glucon-d, saying water will slow us down!! After 400 stairs mark, I couldn't carry the sand bag and hence, left it on the pavement! I was feeling real dizzy that i could even step on the stairs! I was tailing the team while carrying sand-bags; After leaving behind the sand bags, I moved to the lead point; So, after the 1000 stairs climb, I started searching for the stairs; No-where to be seen!! What's this!! did we made a wrong turn!! Now, i looked at Sridhar, who was smiling at me wicked.. Good lords,  you have climb through the rocks.. Well, he's not kidding!! There's nothing to turn to.. All we could see was white arrows painted on the rocks, showing the route. I was filled with enrage, and started questioning/abusing him!! Believe me, it started at 1:30 AM that night and I stopped abusing him only at 4:00 AM!! But this guy was determined to take us to the peak!! Then, Shiva, guna  started doing the same; Looks like these are people with so much of determination. So, at 1:30 in the night, we started to manoeuver the rocks!! To our sheer astonishment, the gang of soldiers(all of those 5 dogs) were following us in a fashion!! 1 at the lead position and 4 tailing us; Shiva and myself were following behind with Guna and Sridhar leading.. Well, what about the girls!! Ramya was climbing up, talking to her friend! When we started kidding her about the time, janani grabbed her phone and continued the call!! Gurlzzzzzzz...

All through the climb, Janani kept mum and climbing!! She had the worst trouble since the rock climb was a little high for her height!! She had to conserve all her energy until we reached the peak and hence gave her torch to Sridhar!! And we fell short of 1 torch, thanks to me charging mine and leaving it behind.. Hence, all time, one had to help Janani.. So shiva had to watch out for her and at times myself/Sridhar assisting her!! Shiva would always look around and check the whereabouts of everyone!! Everyone among us shared this responsibility, since we'd wanted to be sure about the safety of the GIRLS!! I hear  all the readers spitting at my face, talking about the safety of the girls ON 1:30 AM at night in mid of no-where but a forest!! But the sheer joy/thrill/horror of climbing this hill at night made it A TREK TO REMEMBER!!

So we're climbing steady without knowing, what's next!! What's happened to Guna all this time!! He kept asking the team not to stop until we reach some more!! How's ramya? She was totally beppey- beppepey!! Sridhar, shiva, guna, janani were holding steady. What about me? Well, i took a mighty risk with holding sand bags around my neck!! And i was ditto Ramya!! At around 2:00 AM, we came to some open grounds and a thin stream of air greeting us!! So we had a pit-stop here and shared what's left over of the quenchers!!

To HOLD

With heavy breaths, I moved to the lead, and started from there!! sridhar moved to trail and I couldn't sense why!! So we kept climbing and then found that some moves required crawling!! solla ponaa sridhar engala kuzhanthai paruvathukke kootitu poitaar!!  And at times shiva would ask me to light the torch for Janani, who was following me now!! The cool breeze turned into mist and breathing this air, slowly every muscle started feeling relaxed!! Ramya, made a lot of mischievous moves and every time janani had to shout at her to keep her from doing so.. This similarity was shared by shiva, who made a lot of slipping sounds(not sure whether he slipped and still managed). Guna and sridhar took the responsibility of shouting at him. With their adrenaline levels kicking up, i didn't know what to say, so kept mum!! Athu mattum illa, solleetu yaar asingapadrathu :-)  

Soon we came to a stop now!! Well that's because I was surrounded by bushes all around!! So, yelled to sridhar and he replied "Look out for the white arrow"; And i moved my torch steadily while slowing down thinking i might miss!! Well got it!! There it is, looking at me with a wicked smile!! So, that's why sridhar moved to trail sensing i would beat him down!! Well i was looking at a range of rocks with an angle of 50-60 degrees incline. To be true, there's no place to get a hold on foot!! But instead, the irregular rocky terrain only had rods to hold on to while we climb!! This is sheer madness! I couldn't stop thinking whether it was a thriller-horror movie!! To add up, the rods are not too thick!! Varuna bhagavaan had some mercy on us that night!! After this point, i started blurting out a lot about sridhar saying am gonna ruin him like anything!! Later realized i was trying to avoid the feeling named FEAR!! So, the GUIDE(kaala bhairvar) who were following/leading us until now, rested there!! In spiritual terms, we're put to the real test!!

Mist was now surrounding us heavily and i cant see more than 5-7 feet in front of me!! Eveready torches again, saved the night for us!! Now we had to make sure that we had a little distance; Reason - You have to hold steady if the person in front of you stops to take deep breaths!! At this terrain, we had to make sure everyone had a fair ground (a flat rock/surface)to hold their feet steady!! So it was like, i take 6 feets, then stop asking the person next to move, make sure he/she moves to the right spot and again move on!! This was taking our time and the watch kept reminding me we're closing in on 3 'o' clock.

Gunas' Enemy Returns

When we were discussing the trip, Guna kept saying he had problem with heights!! Well what's your real problem buddy!! You're gonna freak out now!! There was a flat green surface and as I climbed up, I thought i saw some steps paved with cement. I had to point my light there to make sure!! Yeah am looking at cement steps with no support on the sides!! We have to crawl through those steps!! After 10 or 15 of them,

I see rocks with small flat surfaces engraved on them!! Support for foot!! Well, I will be damned!! Now, the rods at sides returned. Some of us are so scared to hold the rods and made the choice of putting our palms on the rocky sides!! And it seemed better for few spots. Many of us have known and visited few needle point views, but that night we had a lot of such views!! Some yelled with excitement and some others with fear!! I kept reaching for a spot, blurting at sridhar and moving on. It looked like it wont end, but as we spoke about reaching the spot, sridhar was firm saying we'll be reaching in another 1 hour!! Man, you got guts to lie at such heights!! The team had to rest some time now. We stopped for a quick refreshment. Shiva was totally avoiding refreshments. He was enjoying the view and kept cheering the crowd! Janani joined him too. Sridhar, as usual kept calm. Nimbooz had run out and hence, we shared glucon-d...

Starting then, we trekked for some time and then reached a dead end!! Tried to look around the rock measured about 200 feet high blocking my view, couldn't see anything!! this time, the whole crowd yelled here "Look for the arrow"; Time and again, they kept reminding me about this. I lookd around, and saw the arrow but it lead no where. Sridhar, time for your assistance. He asked to look upward and i saw this iron  ladder clinging upward on the mountain!! it was inclined at atleast 70 degrees~~ Now, am not sure what i should be doing. Should i sit back and let the team move or should i block everyone from climbing the ladder. It was a tough choice and i couldn't drive my car all alone to chennai.. Guna already started saying something, but Sridhar was calm and told guna only this: "Boss, you'll make it"!! (Appada, title solliten)

Our order of plight was myself, Janani, Ramya, Shiva, Guna and Sridhar. Sridhar wanted to vigil guna and Shiva was more reliable than myself i would say! With others following, i started climbing the ladders one step at a time holding very strong. that climb was remarkable for me cos, after seeing the ladders, i wasn't afraid or anything! i did it just like an activity without having a slight doubt about the reliablity of those ladders.. And they held good!! And each step on the sides were nailed to the rock, hence no shakes. We climbed atleast 5-6 ladders each with 20-30 steps and managed to reach the surface. Most of us never bothered to look around and just kept climbing. I was really surprised to see Guna holding off steady and was damn silent! Well, I understood he's at work :-)

After negotiating the ladders, now was the time for sridhar to reveal the actual distance to peak. He said just another 10-15 mins. I thought it better be true!! And it was!!

I imagine Parvathamalai to be a commercial hero! The one who talks punch dialogues, uses little romance, feels for his people and in the end, there's always a finishing touch. For us, there was finishing touch indeed! There was a little turn around the rock and we had to use the rods and a metal plate to negotiate the turn!! And there's no firm surface below us! The terrain our rigt ran steep down to our left and the rods were planted on left side and plate was on some uneven surfaces nailed to them!! This was a  real hard turn to negotiate and we did  with the last ounce of courage left in us! Passing off, we walked a bit and saw the Ashram! Now, we started bullying sridhar for water! He went straight into the ashram and came back!! huh, no water!! people are sleeping. Sridhar clearly understood the frusturation. And i felt like am pushing him too much, hence started to console myself. Sridhar had something else in mind! He called upon shiva, asking him to follow; His plan was to get to the temple, see if anybody's around and get water; But this trek taught all of us something; Yep, that's team  work!! we all decided in no matter of time to follow sridhar to the temple; And we were rewarded with again, this time. there was a jug full of water and we started SHARING! Sridhar, went to worship the lord and then called on us and we saw 3 people already there performing Pooja!  At this temple, you can perform the pooja yourself. There's lord shiva-lingam, Ambaal and others..

So we sat there for another 10 mins, worshipped the lord, and then came out!! Guna was skeptical about the climb down and hence started asking about the return journey plan already!! It was 4:20 AM in the morning and we have reached only about 35 minutes before! Then it was decided that we rest for another 1 hour, and then start the downhill! 

DownHill

The real excitement came when we started downhill. Because, then we realized what have we actually done. I will let the pictures do the talking here...

 So, we relaxed a little and then started off to chennai at around 11:30, to reach too slow by evening..

Checklist that will help out

•        1/2 litres of water/person, a torchlight
•        1 pack of glucon-d for a batch of 4 people.
•        A towel around your neck to wipe off sweat
•        Good trekking shoes/sandals. 
•        A pair of shorts and sweat shirt/cotton t-shirt

Tips/advice

• One among you should have visited the hills before. This site doesn't encourage new-comers
• If you're half-way through, then the breeze would refresh you and stimulate your energy levels. 
• Follow your buddies and make sure you're followed by. 
• Never risk it on a rainy day. Even if you're at foothills
• If you're planning to get water during trek, better change your mind, and buy at shops near car park.
• If you're spiritual, take more time to go around the temple and ashram.

Once you return downhill, get the directions for bhairavar temple and get refreshed there; There's a shop near by that supplies, soap and refreshments. And there'll be anna-dhaanam at around 10:30 in morning. Remember, this bhairavar temple is about 2-3 kms away from the place we parked our cars! So, better to get the information when you start uphill, from the locals.

Have a nice trip!!!

--Senthilkumaran Sundaramurthi.