Kodai-Munnar Trek (May 1 - May 3, 2009)

"To follow a trail is to establish a link with the history of man. It is at once the most primitive and the most civilized of activities. A trail may well have been followed first by animals seeking food and water; Indians following the game wore it a little wider. Explorers followed the same paths, to be followed in turn by soldiers and settlers and men who poured concrete over footpaths. The concrete now goes just about every place we need to go. But we now have the leisure to travel just for the sake of traveling, and there is no better way to do it than by trail."

- Lennon Hooper

Let me take this wonderful opportunity to pen down few of my relished, wonderful experience that I went through the Kodai-Munnar Trek…….

This was my first trek with CTC and I absolutely know, no one in the group, when I enrolled for this trek. Myself, with a group of 14 people started from Bangalore at around 9:30PM, Thursday evening, 30th of April 2009…. Eventually started a bit late, picked up the whole group of Bangalore folks on the way and hit the outskirts of Bangalore by around 12ish…..We stopped over the way for a quick dinner and started our travel again….

Ravi Ghosh, (the man behind the scene) was always with the Booklet of participants, phone numbers, calling the Chennai team to make sure they had left the destination and was all through coordinating on the plans…. He apparently did not have a seat in the van, and found the best place in the van, put his sleeping bag and slept in the path way…..

Indeed lot of us realized later, that’s the best place in the van to stretch and relax, sleep in peace….We infact envied Ravi………..

Reached Kodai lake side after a struggle of traffic jams up hill, around 11:30Am and started to have some activity round the lakeside… Some went for a cycle ride, some went shopping and few others started enjoying the nature around….

We had to wait for the Chennai Team to arrive, and proceed towards cap’s valley to start our Journey for the next three days……

Few of them finished quick lunch in “Meenakshi Bhavan” Kodai, and again started waiting for the Chennai Team….. By around 3:30PM, we met the whole team and proceeded to the Trek Point and started our Journey by around 4:30PM….

1st day – 1st of May 2009 – Friday - of Trek, was super scenic, so much of greenery, and we passed through wonderful Trek range…

Reached the camp range, Berijam Lake around 10ish (late evening), did a night trek, found our cottages to rest, put our bags and got back for a super hot hot dinner.. I have no words to describe the dinner, as we never expected such a sumptuous dinner in the Mid of a forest, which was well prepared, right ingredients and awesome taste…. This could be the perfect Dinner for all the Hungry trekkers….

"There is an intense but simple thrill in setting off in the morning on a mountain trail, knowing that everything you need is on your back. It is a confidence in having left the inessentials behind and of entering a world of natural beauty that has not been violated, where money has no value, and possessions are a dead weight. The person with the fewest possessions is the freest. Thoreau was right."

- Paul Theroux…

2nd Day – 2nd May 2009 – Saturday - The whole team was ready by 8:00Am, waiting for the hot hot Breakfast, eagerly awaiting to continue the Trek Trail…. It was Lemon Rice and Sambar for Breakfast..which was super delicious, and Biriyani for Lunch… Packed our Bags, lunch boxes, like the typical school kids, and started our Journey….

We walked and walked and walked……………… the day was more of a walking experience than a trekking experience… But all said and done, we covered the beautiful range of valleys, hill points, Pine forest and ended our trek at a small Village point…. At the last point, we got to grab some fresh carrots to eat from the Villagers….

As we reached the village point to take the cabs to the camping destination, the rain god wanted to show her Magic to all of us and it started pouring cats and dogs…. It seems that was the first shower during the summer for the village….. It was heavy rains and we all were enjoying some tea at the small shops waiting for the showers to rest………

Most of them took the vans, climbed on top of the vans and continued to the camp site and few of them, started walking along the road, again grabbing some fresh carrots on the way, sssinging situational songs along the trail….and reached the destination around 6:30PM…

The dinner was getting ready for the night, as all the trekkers took their respective cottages, settled down.. getting ready for another walk trail to a nearby village… where we had some rumours, that there was some tribal dance Happening… Balaji would know the exact details of the dance program that was supposed to happen, but apparently did not ;-)

Meanwhile, how can I forget the superb Kabaddi match that took place between the Chennai Super Kings, Delhi Daredevils, Royal challengers, Bangalore, Deccan chargers, hyderabad..… ( I hope did not leave any team behind)….

Completed our Village visit and campaigned for the coming elections, gathering good amount of votes (I hope if we all start a party together, we could manage to get good response) and returned back to the camping destination….

Now comes the highlight of the day… “paatukku Paatu, Airtel/Hutch/Vodafone.. Super Singer (whichever network it is)… Without any FM/AM bands, we were able to sing a variety of songs in all language possible….

Highlight of this show was samyak.. who just went on and on, singing in all languages possible… Amazing talent and a great entertainer in the camp fire which went on till 12:30PM… Few of them continued later with UNO and rested around 2:00Am…. (early hours)…

3rd Day – 3rd May 2009 – Sunday -Infact started pretty early, completed our Breakfast, packed our lunch boxes, we were sharp out of the campsite at 8:00AM….Started our trail….. Most of us were under the same impression, to the last two days, thinking could be one of the easy days of trek, complete by around 4:00Pm and wind off for the day…….

For all our surprise, this day was the longest trail of trek and a difficult day too… We had to cross too many forest ranges, up and down hills, through greenery, bamboo ranges, forest fires, Pine ranges…and what not…… But certainly all said and done, this was the best day of the trek….

Kodai Mani kept up his word mentioning the last day will be a memorable and unforgettable experience… OH Man…. Mr. Mani, we will never forget you in our lives, nor this great trek…

The stretch of Kerala range was really a breath taking view, and ofcourse our official Guide, Mr. Mani, literally took our breath away…. With the long trail……

Completed the trek by 8:00PM reached the village point, down munnar town… took couple of local jeeps to go up Munnar Hill, to catch the respective Buses/TT’s to return back to our nests/Destinations……

Infact, at the last point, the Chennai team had to rush back to catch the local bus to reach to their bus point, as that local bus was the last one to go down Munnar for the day…..

Bangalore team, had their own Tempo traveler arranged, as we relaxed for a little while, finished our dinner and started our journey back to the destinations……

Reached, 4th May, at 11:00Am and started feeling the real pollution all way through, after a three long day of Nature, fresh Air, amazing greenery……. L

Finally, to conclude, great trek, great team, amazing coordination….. Perfect weather for a three day long Trek……

Thanks to all of them, and specially to the organizers for taking such great efforts and coordinating this trek for a great success…… Special Thanks to Ravi Ghosh, Samyak, Vivek, Jassi for making this trek such a memorable one…….

Kudos to Chennai Trekking Club!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Written by: Chitra Subramanian

Organized by: Ravi S Ghosh

Image Galleries:
Mithun
Prabhu T
Madhu
Ravi Gaja
Ramesh V
Ramani
Anand
Ravi Kanth
Ravi Ghosh
Ashok - 1, 2, 3
Samyak
Ramesh