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	Weekend treks have gathered enough steam in the city Tarcitius Henry

The author, Tarcitius Henry Williams, a.k.a Tarsh, is an avid adventure sports enthusiast from Bangalore. Apart from his regular white collar job this long hair dude with earrings makes sure he escapes at least 2 weekends in a month to get up close and personal with nature to get his adrenalin recharge!

Weekend treks have gathered enough steam in the city to draw a sizeable no. of participants, largely IT/ITES professionals with non-profit organizations like BMC (Bangalore Mountaineering Club) and YHAI (Youth Hostels Association of India) in the fray.

Day 1 (28 April 2006)
Kavitha and I left a day earlier than the rest of the team to Ooty. We had to get written permission from the District Forest Officer (DFO), South Division, as trekking in the jungles is otherwise not allowed. We had planned to trek from Parson’s Valley to Mudhumalai. But luck wasn’t on our side. Due to imminent political and geographical developments, we were denied permissions. But the DFO’s office directed us to the DFO North Division. The Nilgiri Wildlife Association charted a new trek route and gave us directions. The DFO (North Division), Mr. Kandaswamy was very considerate and provided us armed forest guards and well-informed tribal watchers, absolutely free!

When the rest of the 13-member BMC team arrived the following day, we set off from the Ooty Terminal to Bikkapadimund. Bikkapadimund is a settlement that houses the last of the Toda tribe and our forest camp site.

Day 1, 1:00 p.m.
Bikkapadimund>15km>Siriyur>10km>Bikkapadimund.
The trek from Bikkapadimund or ‘Mund’, as it is called, is a headlong descent through thick Shola-type forests and dry shrubby jungles. Since water is scarce, what we were carrying came in really handy. There are animals in the jungle, but the overhead sun drives them into the dense jungle in the afternoons. So we sighted none, except for the occasional shrill cries of peacocks or distant elephants trumpeting.

After a 3-hour descent from 2200 MSL (meters above sea level) to 300 MSL, our knees were crying for a lace of mercy. We reached Siriyur at 4:00 p.m. It has a colony of the Badaga tribe and their temple. We took the much-awaited, hour-long break—stretched ourselves and freshened at a gurgling warm spring before beginning the tormenting climb back to the camp at Mund.

To avoid the treacherous ascent, we took a detour, but the climb still tested every known sinew. After the end of the gruelling 5-hour climb, we polished off every morsel crashed.

Day 2, 10:30 a.m.
Bikkapadimund> 20 km>Thengamaruda trekking shed and village.
Without much fanfare and two drop-outs, we began the trek from Kodanadu View Point, a picturesque spot overlooking the Moyar Valley, Bandipur, and Mysore. This was also descent. Thankfully, all along the route there were signposts giving directions and plaques identifying rare trees, their genre and uses. Though the trekking track had been clearly laid out, it occasionally wound into streams and elephant salt-lick spots. We managed to spot hyenas, peacocks, bisons and boars. Day 2 was relatively easy and fun. Almost near the end of the trek, we hit upon a limestone water pool resembling a Jacuzzi where we splashed, swam, and lunched. At about 6:30 p.m. we reached Thengamaruda, a settlement of a few thatched huts at the foothills. Mr. Charlie Crowfield, the forest ranger at Thengamaruda, made arrangements for food and accommodation at the trekking shed, entertained us with jaw-dropping stories and permitted a night safari where we had a close encounter with a panther, hare and elephants. I wonder why it’s called a shed when it has a TV, refrigerator, dining table and cozy beds that can accommodate over 50 people!

Day 3:
Lazily, we packed our bags, bid farewell, settled expenses (Rs. 20 per head for the stay at Bikkapadimund; Rs. 25 per head at Thengamaruda plus food). En route, we sighted black buck, spotted dear, foxes, barking deer and a wide variety of vibrantly-coloured birds. Contended with sightings, service of the forest departments, heap-loads of pictures, minds full of stories, we headed towards the reality awaiting us, Bangalore.

P.S. I am sure each member has secretly scheduled his next trek.

Important phone numbers:
For permissions:
Mr. Venkatesh, Superintendent, DFO North Division: 0423 2443968
For trekking routes:
Mr. Basha/ Mr. Prakash, Niligiri Wildlife Association: 0423 2447167; nwlea@sanchernet.in , jprakash042003@yahoo.co.in

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