Destination Coorg

Ravi:::

As I had running nose I was unsure of traveling. I somehow made up my mind to start together till Mysore. Hoping to rest in the weekend. At last made up my mind to come to this trip. This trip is worth remembering, as this is a first journey on a four-wheeler purchased by one of the d_men. The fullest credit has to be given to Dany for all the efforts he put in getting the car done for this trip.

Journey to Mysore

"Kusi, do you have the cotton in your ears" said madhu when we started for which santu didn't know what to say, for which I & dany pitched in to pull santu's leg. Santu then had to put some cotton to cover his operated ear. We started at 7:00PM on friday night but to everybody's surprise, it was raghu who came late instead of me. Santhosh was like raring to go, his restlessness was saying it all. We started with a 'BANG' in nagi's words. We/I started with all our heart in our hands since we thought dany would send us all to the place where we came from. We started with Dany's system playing some good hindi music from radio city. Sad, but true that dany had to be told some routes to mysore. At some point santu was instructing dany about the tricks of driving though it is a known fact that dany has more driving hours than santu. I started appreciating dany when he could handle the ring road traffic with out using the brakes (I meant half clutch expert). Then I felt safe at dany's hand then unknowingly came my appreciation "dany you drive really like a bond". Then we all sympathized with raghu that some photos were rejected at the first round of screening itself. When questions were raised about my fitness dany commented that "Ravi the point is you are.... sick". I got an opportunity to talk one of dany's girl friends at ICICI twice in a gap of 10 minutes. I had to pick those calls since we were scared about our and our driver’s life. Then taking my role as a telephone operator I received calls of dany's brother for which I was suppose to tell Bindu (dany's brother) that we were only 20 minutes short to mysore. Then came a call from dany's father this time I corrected my mistake and told dany's father that we were only 10mts short to mysore. After receiving some calls for dany I switched my job to being a DJ, I was finding it really difficult to understand the functions of the player. The fact that player was too close to the floor gear of the car stopped me from doing any experiments on learning the functions. At somewhere near bidadi I started feeling damn hungry. My brain normally stops functioning, when I am hungry. As per santu's suggestion we thought of having food once we were really close to mysore. Had a worthwhile dinner at a junk Dhaba it was probably named Delhi Dhaba. Truckers were having food on the "char payees". They were all staring at us when we got down. There we had some roti's, butter kulcha, navarathna kurma. We took no time to empty the onion pakoda's placed on the table. Madhu and Santu were the first to see off that night followed by raghu. Jimmy got a cuddle from his "cool dude" owner at raghus house. Thanks to my father for arranging beds for Dany and me at his old age. I and Dany spent that night at my home and somehow managed to get ready by 6.00 AM for the journey.

Mysore to Bailukuppe

Though, we had some problem with our vehicle we thought we’d get it repaired at coorg and hence started early. We had our breakfast at some hotel on our way. As usual dany left something uneaten in the plate he was probably so eager to feel that pleasure of his gun. As usual dany didn't get a relief from his smoking gun. I saw a lily flower blooming near around. We had the veg-burgers prepared by madhu's mother. Then we all started santu and madhu took over the front seat. Mid-way we stopped at all places were we saw some good sceneries. In one of the place there was a banyan tree (pillar roots) roots hanging upside down. Being fittest of all the apes among us, I could climb two steps up. By then santu came with an idea of taking some snaps of we aping over banyan roots. We could see some more scenaries on our way I explained all about how a wild brinjal would look like. Santu gave some valuable information about led zepplin being leading rockers of all the time.

Baillukuppe

When we reached bylukuppe it was around noon (don’t remember the time) after an extensive search we found where the monastery was. At first, from outside the monastery looked like a temple’s outer wall. I started appreciating the beauty of it only after I was asked to blindfold myself before having a look at the monastery (temple in our terms). We watched wall paintings, which were too good to be told in words. Raghu noticed a monkey having ride over and elephant with its tool uncovered. With madhu’s help I got a real good feel of what a monastery would look like as I entered with my eyes closed. I saw three “mighty” statues of Rin Poche(sowmya moorthy holding a bowl with some food in that ) , Buddha (Cool dude ..quote Raghu) & Amitayus(with his aggressive looks he held only kalasam couldn’t deduce any reason for that). We saw some paintings on the inner walls of the monastery, Buddha (this I am not sure) posing in all kinds of weird poses like killing demons, hugging women passionately and also in calm godly pose. The inner walls of the temple are studded with some exquisite paintings. Found some good artwork at 3 levels on the walls. The lowest one depicts gory (glory) pictures of monsters/demons picking out brains from the hapless victims, intestines being gorged out. The middle level shows paintings of the 25 disciples of buddha in meditative moods. The top most level depicts the paintwork of peaceful smiling face of Buddha. Quli qutub (Santu) was seen pensively remarking that this probably indicates elevation of humans from ignorance to bliss. Ravi and Raghu were also engaged in discussions about spirituality, religion, peace while circling the Golden temple. Saw a cool girl taking a glance at the painters, painting the monastery. It turned out to be none other than Madhu. Then we went to hotel which was there near by I was so desperately waiting for some kind of food. There we had Tibetan native food called momo (beef) & thukpa . The 4-5 kms stretch in bylakuppe-Monastery road is laden with some 25 humps (thoughtfully counted by the uber cool dude Raghu :-)). Dany's car's under portion seemed to be kissing the humps almost every time. The d-men were also found debating about the technicalities of the humps. We were all trying to get the ropes of eating food with only chopsticks. I wonder, how I could learn the technique of having noodles using chopsticks in such a fast pace. When we were traveling back to our next destination it was like we were traveling towards the horizon where heaven meets the earth.

Bailukuppe to Dubaare

As soon as we came out from the monastery I yelled to raghu that “how much ever man creates, can he match Mother Nature?” Everybody was wishing we should have visited the palacial building also, which we saw while we were coming to monastery. On our way to dubaare we got a feel of how good roads in coorg are! I remember dany telling us that this road was a state highway, just think of how good the road was that we had to be told that it was a highway. On our way we saw a route to chiklihole (chikkahole) reservoir.

Dubaare elephant camp

Once we reached the dubaare elephant camp we could see the river kaveri draped in one of her best dresses. Raghu & I stood in the shore under a mango tree where there were many ripe mangoes fallen on the ground. Somebody whistled to get the motorboat to the shore where we stood. I kept staring at her (kaveri) while santu and dany (of course with his batteryless camera) could snap some photos of those splendid sceneries. After reaching other side of the river we all wanted to have an elephant ride. Manu was waiting till we bought the tickets, since we were odd in number we lighter guys sat at one side of the elephant and the sturdier guys at the other side (this was my interpretation). Mahout (named kumar) introduced us to prasanth who was busy carrying a family, ganesha and his mother vijay (I wonder why a name vijay which is predominantly a male name). Dany told us about how rosewood tree looks like. I felt bad about we having a ride over manu are burdening him. Manu on the way found some bamboo according to our mahout elephants don’t like the bamboo shoots which human eats they rather like the stem part of the bamboo. It all started when prasanth and manu could find some broken bamboo stems on their way. Then we got down and had a snap with the manu and prasanth. I saw manu crying (madhu consoled me that it is only a lubricant to the elephants eyes). I wiped his tears. Then vijaylaxmi stopped us from having a closer look at her new born (whose baptizing was yet to be done). We walked back to see some human monkeys dancing nude. With a bit of acrobatics we would get the boat to our side of the river. Then with my insistence for rafting whatever the cost would be. All of us started waiting for the raft. Hungry d_men got to eat some food bought at the local grocery store (petty angadi) since food at the hotel was all over. I got some stuff to eat from madhu & walked across the shore for a while. We again went to the hotel asking for food, we could get vade and tea. There we met acchu and his sister. Said goodbye to the place since our river rafting program seemed to have not materialized. Our coordinator from Jungle resort told us that if we saw the raft while going back we could return and resume our programme.

Dubaare to Chiklihole Reservoir

We could see the raft being transported on our way back, but decided not to go back. I directed dany as to where he should take a turn to chiklihole dam. Then it was seemingly endless journey towards the dam at last we could see the dam revealing herself more as we stepped closer to her. I kept my eyes still on the dam enjoyed it to the fullest. It reminded me (madhu told me that this was how the world was a million years before) of Jurassic park movie when I reached the center of the dam. I saw a house built at the other end of the reservoir felt how fortunate they are. We walked across the dam and chalked out a plan as how to save more water for Karnataka. Madhu went in search of some probably precious herbs. Santu and I thought of having a climbing race up the dam. To all our surprise this time raghu came first and I stood second (but not according to dany). Then we thought of having another competition of having the stone pitching over the water everybody stood equal with 4 pitches over the water, madhu stood first in the womens race with 3 pitches. Then came the jolt when we started throwing the stone to longest distance we could. This time it was santu who led the race in the mens group. Me being so desperate to win there was yet another race with santu excluded I could neither win that. I had to get contended with the second place now that raghu again had made it. Except for santu all of us pissed to get it raining (literally).

Towards Ponnampet

Able guidance of dany delayed our arrival to Ponnampet atleast in Santu's war of words. Dany had to taste the dust. Since kishorekumar’s songs were being played I found it really difficult to concentrate.

Stay at Dany's home

Welcome by dany and his family, with kajjaya, obbattu, burfi & tea. But not before we all had a wash. By then we were all hungry like dogs. Then we all went out for a walk.. my reckless walking style irritated santu & madhu. In ponnampet; dany's insistence that we shouldn’t look at the chiks around. His justification that he is a well-known figure there. Dagar!. We went for a short walk where we could watch valley. At the valley we all planned to build the condominium. Discussions went on about the pigs dung and all the shit man talk. Madhu and all of us got an invitation by those workers to join them for the dinner, madhu was more than willing to join them. Dany gave some good advises as to how I can save money ..! look who is talking. We all took bath though raghu disagreed to do so, so that he can get soaked with his drool in night (probably) after we all managed to clean ourselves. While we all were busy cleaning dirt on us others watched Coolie No 1. Then Dany some how could muster courage to ask for grape wine, the wine was too good. We had a nice meal that night enjoyed the pork, pulav, bamboo shoots and what not. Then upon big dadda’s command we all managed to ask dany for more wine, dany again sheepishly demanded Ginger Wine and Grape Wine, which was accepted blissfully by his father. Since we wanted something hot that night dany couldn’t do much about that. Then we all shared uncle’s concern about dany's life and dany's wife. Discussion about dany’s wedding went on after dany’s father said goodnight to all of us. We unanimously had priorities set for Indian/Japanese bride for dany.

Sunday morning

I woke up to koyal's kuhu kuhu in the morning upon dany’s advice. We saw for the first time Dany cleaning his car. Dany took his mother for pooja of his car in the car. While big dada was busy showing his prowess in yoga I, Raghu did some exercise to fulfill my hunger for more exercise. God knows how many hours of worth yoga he did. Then we had nice breakfast of paput (coorg kind of idli's) since all of us were very hungry we had almost all the side dish finished before we asked for more. I had nice tea over after which upon santu's insistence on me having coffee in coorg I managed to make a cocktail of Tea and Coffee in my stomach. Photo session by all of us, santu tried his luck this time for autoclick.

A drive in the Thick forest reserves of nagarhole

Journey towards Nagarahole

Also met up with dany's old friend Miss WhatzHerName(Mangala) who initially failed to recognize dany and then dagar dany's charm worked on her. Sure that she will forget the other dany (that she was talking about!) and remember him now. Found a lot of snake burrows (I don’t know what is that called as). Madhu threw some light on snake’s food, also let us all know that snake do not like having milk (as is written in hindu mythology). We spotted plenty of spotted deers some of them deservedly got a snap from madhu. Some birds like mina, sparrows (explanation by madhu), woodpecker (madhu madam's repentances of her lack of knowledge on the woodpeckers)

Reaching mysore and having our lunch at TopStuff

While speeding ahead towards bangalore we could see some awesome sceneries. Dany was racing like shoemaker. I gave a piece of advice for dany to drive a bit “aggressively”. Santu laughed at my statement asking dany to drive “aggressively” over the cow standing in the mid-road. Santu's claim that I won't ride the Bike properly was taken for granted after raghu’s silence was heard. After much of analysis and enquiry we decided to go by mysore-bannur-malavalli-kanakapura-bangalore route. We all had some food at TopStuff in Mysore.

Driving to our "home away from Home"

We stopped at malavalli to have some onion bajji and tea. Onion bajji was so nice that I couldn’t dare to eat the last piece of mine. Picturesque rainbow against backdrop peeping out of dark rain clouds. This was like a sword being pulled out of its leather pouch. Spotting a snow-capped mountain that looked orange and pink in the evening sun. Verdant green as far as one could see, even in a dry place like those hallis we drove thru. The snake kusi mari spotted on the road, hurt by our car, but managed to escape the next vehicle. Missed a good sight of sunset by a minute.

Reached karma bhoomi at 8:00

Putoff raghu's treat as per madhu's suggestion. We planned a dinner at our usual hideout la-casa. over-exhaustion ... only solace being his smoky litters. We all had a mug of beer to cool ourselves down. and Dany’sSanturaghu went on with their calculations it turned out to be one the cheapest outing we’ve planned till date each had to shell out just 500/- Rs from our pocket. Bid googbye, atlast though unwillingly.