Kumara Parvatha - The energiser Jan 5th & 6th 2013

(This is the Silver jubilee trip/trek in this bunch of wonderful team.  The successful 25th journey to the heart of mother nature is dedicated to all the members of alemaarigalu group. A special thanks to Sandeep K B who always nodded his head in the right direction whenever any trip or trek is planned, he is the man who gave a wonderful support to me in all the 25 trips with this group!)

Courtesy - Google Images

Kumara Parvatha, taking the name itself raises the energy level to a new high.  This time three new members came in line in the form of Utility Man - Girish Somashekar, Brave heart - Ravi Kanth (who came with us once), Enlightener and the rolling star Darshan along with regulars Always "yes" man Sandeep, and ever dependable and perfect plan executioner Prashanth.  With out any confusion in the mind, transportation to and fro (Bangalore - Kukke Subramanya) had been blocked in the reliable KSRTC services. 

We were chit chatting with the newbies as well as the regular members, we didn't see whats happening on the road, out of curiosity when we took the role of a peeping tom, we found that, even a bullock cart was overtaking our bus! The driver constantly on the phone yelling at the mechanic in the KSRTC Depo saying, accelerator's mouth is getting shut after 50-60Kms.  We were joking that, we will reach Kukke for next day dinner time, or we start trekking from Bangalore itself, or bus left Bangalore after 3-4 hours later than ours will be coming back from Kukke, and wishing our bus driver a Speedy Re"covery"!!!!!

Some minor spanner work in Kunigal, the bus started taking off, and once it surpassed zipping Rajahamsa, we couldn't control our happiness, me and prashanth clapped for the great drive, for which the co-passengers started looking at us like an aliens..............!. Darshan helped the driver not to close his eyes shutter in the deadly Shiradi Ghat road with his chatter box, and the driver also bonded with Darshan, saying, Guru, don't sleep i need your company!!!!.

Comfortably reached Kukke at around 5.00 AM on Saturday 5th Jan 2013, refreshed in the near by temple's outlets, and the energy yielding breakfast in Cafe Neo Mysore.  For our bad luck this time too we didn't get Vada along with Idli :-(

Clock ticked 6.40, packed the bag, and started the great trek to one of the tallest and most difficult trekking routes in Karnataka - The Peak of Kumara Parvatha!

Long way to go!

With short breaks at regular intervals, talking to fellow trekkers from the other groups, energising ourselves with chocolates, carrot, cucumber, biscuits, and of course the trade mark of alemaarigalu the fun quotient! As we did the last time, not to kill the time, skipped the bhattara mane, and landed at the forest office at 10.30 AM.  The officer who identified us, gave a warm welcome, showing a wonderful place for taking breakfast, and also allowed us to dump the excess luggage in his office. 

The breakfast proved the right fillip, the body responded very well, and again our next schedule to reach the Stone Mantap by 14.30 hours appearing in our dashboard. When the target blinking in front of the eyes, the soul always gives the right signals to the tired limbo's.  Even though before reaching the mantap, i wanted to retire from this trek, just closed my eyes, prayed the visible and invisible powers, and started taking the heavy steps towards the mantap!

With the great difficulty in the hot, hotter, and the hottest temperature slowly reached the mantap but at the exact time as per the schedule 14.30 :-).  A 30 minutes break, a stop gap nap recharged all of us, next journey was the most difficult phase of this trek.  A constant upper gradient in the sun bath proved too much for all of us.  The never say no spirit in all of us made sure that we were inching towards the beautiful sheshaparvatha before the Sunset. 

All the way there were few tired soldiers from some other groups who were cursing the tall Kumara parvatha, the route, the sun, and everything under the sun!

Taking the tired condition of all the team mates, we decided to camp in the forest after Shesha Parvatha for two factors 

1. No water spots on the peak after this forest stretch (We were proved wrong, and one of the group found a water spot near to the peak)  

2. To get the required energy for the next day.

Basking on the glory of Sun!

We pitched the tent, and Prashanth, Sandeep went in search of the fire wood, Darshan, Ravi, Giri, and myself went in search of Ganga Jal! 

Sunset was a disappointing act as evening was completely decked up with the mist!

The forest in the last stretch of the trek where we camped!

In another half an hour, the camp fire was fuming, vessel was hot, and the MTR ready to eat were slowly gulping down to the stomach.  

Cooking on the way!

We tasted everything we brought, that made the stomach a wonderful Been Bag, and after a small photo session, our souls said please behave like MMS, and we obliged, the result, we found snoring in the tent at 10.00 PM.

Colors ...Colors and more Colors!

Morning at 5.00 alarm screamed for the attention, the fire slept nicely whole night, we just patted its back, and it started dancing again, in that chilled weather, the hot and sour soup...aha..no words to describe.  Prashanth dished out one soup after the other, and  everyone happily had stomach full. 

The last steep stretch - A water fall in monsoon!

"Srikanth Sun rise, Srikanth Sun rise" Ravi started reminding again and again, we knew that, sunrise could be a dud again due to morning mist, and didn't wanted to disappoint the enthusiastic bunch, and since Sandeep decided to stay back to look after our belonging in the tent, five of us were with out any load, dashed towards the peak, and in less than 25 minutes we were on the peak!

Mother nature's hot cup of coffee ready!

A small prayer to salute the energy, meditation to enrich the soul, photo session to capture the lovely moments followed. 

Pooja, Fragrance everywhere!

All of us didn't satisfied reaching the peak, our dil was craving for more, so we found one small cone of stones seems to be bit waving our hands to summit it, we never disappointed our monkey's inhibition, one after the other started reaching the top, and found the view even more enticing. 

Alemaarigalu on the peak of Kumara Parvatha

Those few minutes spent on the peak was refreshing, and it just erased the tired moments experienced the previous day!

we started descending with a trembling feet, we packed our luggages, by that time, Sandeep etched the brand name "Alemaarigalu" on the heart of Kumara Parvatha. The fighting camp fire found almost breathing its last, just before that, we took a group snap along that rugged terrain. 

Camp site - Alemaarigalu!

The descent was as usual taxing on the knees, and the ankles, but slowly we started towards reaching our next target Bhattara mane for the necessary fillup! 

"Srikanth, always i felt peak will be in cone shape, but i was disappointed, the peak is a flat ground, i want to summit a peak which is sharp pointed or cone like structure. ooh ya..see that peak looks like sharp point one, want to summit that"

All of us said "Ravi, from the distance any hill look like that, but difficult to peak it, considering our long walk in the hot sun from yesterday"

But Ravi was the brave heart, when we were taking little gasp for breath, he said "I will keep going and summit it, by the time you guys reach the base, i will come down", and he disappeared, and found inching toward the peak called Bhattada Raashi, which ultimately named after him as "Ravi Parvatha" 

Bhattada Raashi alias "Ravi" Parvatha  (our Ravi kanth!)

Ravi peaked his Parvatha, and our fellow members freezed those frames, and we were at the base of the parvatha, when Sandeep said "Srikanth, you should also try", I folded my hands, and said "no!"

Sandeep normally a content man, said, "Srikanth, want to climb that, i will keep my bag here, and i will go and come back", and he left his bag there and dashed to the peak of Ravi Parvatha!

In the alemaarigalu group there is a trend, we are like sheep or monkey's, one acts..and the rest either Reacts or enacts!

Action....Reaction with some action!!!

Girish went ahead, Prashanth followed him by carrying his bag, I didn't wanted to miss this opportunity to look at Kumara Parvatha in an altitude, then forcibly Darshan too followed us.  The result all the six were in a pack on the peak!

When the intention of the effort is good, and encouraging, mother nature always supports.  We wanted to see the Kumara Parvatha is getting dipped in the clouds, but were not lucky all the time.  On the Ravi parvatha peak after spending few minutes just turned towards the Kumara Parvatha, we found him getting dressed up with the thin gown of clouds. What an amazing sight!

Kumara Parvatha wearing gown of clouds!

Again our descent started, inching towards Bhattara Mane started, after collecting the excess luggage kept in forest office, we drained in to Bhattara Mane mats spreading our tired body and soul for a short rest.  The staff of Bhattara mane responded to our request for meals, and they said it is ready to be consumed.

Alemaarigalu with Bhattara Mane Staff

Every one was too hungry, and they crossed their limit of daily consumption in the city. One round, followed by one more, then one more....After three rounds,  stomach like SRT decided to retire forcibly.  Lunch was too good to remember for the long time.  That too after a tiresome trek like in Kumara Parvatha. 

We thanked Bhattara Mane staff, and for Darshan it was a helicopter Thanks!

Comfortably reached the base, and slowly started walking towards the civilization, on the way, from last two days Darshan was crying for some spicy eateries, and found fried Boti's (like any pappad, or fried bisuits) in a petty shop a good companion, eating the boti's we reached Kumara Dhaara River in an auto riksha. 

After taking bath, Sandeep realised he left his "noble god" presented tripod in the first auto they came in.  We all prayed to the lord subramanya to retrieve the tripod, it is not only a gifted by a noble soul on this earth, but also it helped to freeze many magical moments in our group trips.  In the next ten minutes Sandeep, and rest of us were beaming with pride, the chink in our armory was back, and we all thanked the lord for honoring our prayers.

We entered the temple for a quick darshan, since Mahamangalaarathi was on the cards, the crowd was standing and waiting in a long que, since we didn't had enough time in our disposal, we had a glimpse of the lord in his abode, and we conveyed our gratitude to the lord for making this trek safe and more pleasurable, and prayed for our smooth return journey as well.  Again he blessed us, the moment we rested our body on the reserved seats of the KSRTC new found Karnataka Vaibhav, the sleeping goddesses welcomed us. z z z z z z z z z z z z z z z z.............  

"Navarang, Navarang" scream from the conductor helped us to return back to this world.  What a nice sleep!

So the exciting, monumental, enriching trek to Kumara Parvatha listed in the Alemaarigalu group as the Silver Jubilee outing, and got the ratings as the one of the best all time!