A Blissful Loop Around Kurangini and Bodi- A Three day trek-log

11th January: It was 12 in the afternoon when I hurriedly submitted my English Sem paper and hurried home. I still hadn’t begun packing for the impending trip. So, by 4.10pm all bags packed and goodbyes said, I caught some buses and ended up at CMBT at 6pm to witness a colossal crowd and only reserved buses. Siva arrived soon afterward and we thought we’d board a bus to Dindugul and then change to Cumbum(pronounced Kam-bam) – our destination. Luck had it for us and a unreserved bus to Cumbum appeared outta nowhere. We boarded it quickly and after exchanging stories and plans fell asleep.

Bat Mania

12th January:
We reached Cumbum early, around 6 am(not sure). A friend of Siva was trekking with some of his friends near Cumbum and he joined us soon. We boarded his hired car and went along with him and his pals to Panniyapuram – birth place to the legendary Illayaraja, passing several towns, one of which was Kombai, popular of Kombai dogs and cardamom tea. Our destination was a farm at Meenakshipuram near Panniyapuram. This particular farm reared racing bulls. The farm’s lord replied that he did it for name and fame. He let open the enclosure and sent his bulls to graze(with his men to keep watch,ofcourse). A calf trotted around before it was sent back to the enclosure. After some knowledge munching on branding of a bull, the difference between fighting bulls and racing bulls, it was time to munch on the delicious breakfast Siva’s friend provided. After the meal, we went on in the car, uphill Agamalai and visited Kannakarai. Enroute, we stopped at a tree infested with bats! Sensing our presence, the bats began flying to another tree nearby and the sky was soon filled with flapping wings. After some photos we went on to Kannakarai, which was strewn with broken glass in some parts, thanks to beer bottles being brought there by the locals. Stream along the way

After some time relishing the cool waters and munching our lunch, we went to Periyakulam, visiting Sothupaarai dam on the way. We parted ways with Siva’s friend Mr. Sridhar at Periyakulam. Another of Siva’s friends, Ranjith anna , joined us for the trekking days to come. We went from Periyakulam to Bodi and got our dinners parcelled and had an auto ride to Kurangani, our base for the trek. It was 8pm when we started up. After some steep climbing,wandering and dining in front of Sambalaaru, we reached Central Station. It was 11.30pm and we planned to camp for the night. We stayed at Ranjith anna’s friend’s place who was kind enough to accommodate us. We dozed soon enough.

13th January:
It was around 5.30am in the morn when I woke up to the beep-beep of my alarm and the thuds of the roof to the cold winds outside. We got up and packed our stuff and proceeded uphill at 6am after bidding our goodbye and expressing our thanks to our host. We wandered a bit from the trail and soon corrected ourselves after a fashion. We saw sun’s rays glisten on mountain rocks making them look all fiery. After a rush, we reached Top Station at 8.30 am and went on to the view point some 200metres ahead. Our destinations- Kolugumalai and Meesapulimalai were shrouded in mist. After some photo-clicks, some rest and breakfast, we went to the bus-stop. After some patient waiting, we got into a jeep to Munaar, Kerala. We reached Munaar after an hour and I slept mostly. We boarded a bus to Suriyanelli from where we planned to go to Kolugumalai on a jeep. It was around 11 am. The jeep which we were bargaining with rushed off without notice and we boarded another jeep after getting chocolates and bread for lunch. We got up Kolugumalai and got off 1.5kms before the stop-point witnessing the tea planting and the Tamil Nadu-Kerala border. We got off to a wrong start to Meesapulimala and soon reached a dead-end. After a phone-call and some walking, we got into the right path and started trekking up. Enroute, we doubted if we could complete the trek on time and get back to Kurangani, where the last bus was scheduled to leave at 6. So, we put off Meesapulimala and went back on our jeep-route, walking all the way to the tea estate. After drinking some really enchanting tea, I couldn’t resist getting another cup. The tea was better than rumours! We left after some enquires as to which path to take to Kurangani. We left the world’s highest organic tea estate at around 2 pm.

We trudged along the path spiralling downwards in its descent, at times vanishing in the thick vegetation. I had some falls at some slippery places. I was sorely out of form and was lagging behind at every point. We were some 200 metres(altitude not the distance) away and the time was around 5.40pm. I began running. I ran where I could and when I couldn’t I walked panting. Siva ran ahead of me and stopped only when, in anti-climax, a dog started barking at him! Ranjith anna ran ahead to shoo away the dog and Siva and Ranjith anna ran to the bus which had just arrived then. I ran behind and we got into the bus, happy at having completed a circle round a small part of the western ghats. It was 6.02 pm.

We decided to stay at a place near Bodi-mettu. It was a coffee estate from which we had to trek for some 2 hours if we wanted to reach Bodi-mettu. We reached the place at around 8pm and after asking permission to stay, we ate dinner offered by the gracious people there. We slept like logs.

The glorious sun rise

14th January and 15th January:
I woke up to find Siva folding up his sheets. I groggily asked him what the time was. He didn’t reply clearly and said that he wanted to see the sun-rise. I got up soon enough and joined him towards east. The estate gave an awesome view of Bodi-town to the east. And the sun rose in all its glory, as a fiery ball from the mist below. It was some amazing feeling watching that.

Tea-hee ;)

Soon, the people there began preparations for pongal in the regular Tamil-Nadu way! The pongal boiled up and got ready soon. We had our baths and had a small prayer before eating the delicious dishes offered. We decided to trek to Bodi-mettu at 11am. With stomachs full and hearts filled with gratitude, we proceeded to Bodi-mettu. Our path wasn’t clear at many places, not being trodden for years. In addition there were leeches!

The squirmy things got Siva and Ranjith anna in the legs while I lagged behind stamping my shoes. We reached Kalliparai which was part of Kerala! After a short walk we reached Bodhi-mettu. We boarded a bus to Theni at around 3pm. At theni, Ranjith anna parted ways with us and proceeded to Periyakulam and we went on our way to Madurai, reaching Mattuthavani bus-stop at 5pm. We were hungry and it was pongal and we had some money remaining. We went to Anjappar and ate to our heart’s fill. We then went to Thirumalai Nayak palace.

The Thirumalai Nayak Palace

Enroute, we found out the famous Jiggirthanda shop where we drank the famed drink gluttonously. We got two tickets to the Sound and Light show at the Palace to kill time. The show from 8 to 8.50pm was illuminating but I missed most of it sleeping or commenting on it. We got into a share-auto to Maatuthavani, reaching it at 9.30pm.

We got good seats at a good bus and reached Tambaram at around 5am on 15th Jan where I parted ways with Siva. As I trudged homewards for more of sleep, in the gloomy darkness and the smoke of Chennai, all I could think of was the mountain air and the fiery sun-ball in the mists of the Bodhi coffee estate.