Bandaje Arbi – Ballarayana Durga Trek

Team members: Abhijit, Ankur, Angshu, Ayan, Bota,Pratap, Ranajit, Soupitak, Soumitra, Sumanta and Somnath.

Route info: Bandaje is a small village located ~300 km north-west of Bangalore. Rajhamsha buses are available from Bangalore to Dharmastala/Ujire (~20 km from Dharmastala). The trek starts from Mr. Narayan Gowda's estate at Bandaje. Jeeps are available (@ Rs. 200) from Ujire bus stand to the estate. The trek terminates at Ori Khan's estate near Sunkale. The nearest bus stop at Sunkale is ~10 km from the estate. Autos can be hired (@ Rs. 250 per auto) with the help of the locals to cover this distance. It takes 45 mins to an hour of journey by a local bus to reach Kalasa (~25 km from Sunkale) or Horanadu (further 8 km from Kalasa), from where Bangalore bound Rajhamsha/Express buses are available.

Get set, go: First week of April was full of holidays and we decided to celebrate it with a trek. Bandaje was chosen ahead of a few shortlisted destinations and the responses were overwhelming. We had to politely refuse a few to keep the group within 10-12. It is a long trek with overnight camping and we ended up making a long list of essential things - food, glucose, essential medicine, tent, sleeping bag, cooking utensils, salt for protection from leeches, “electric” torch, a compass in case we lose our way inside the jungle and miscellaneous ! Ranajit was unanimously selected as group leader and what a choice it turned out to be ! He made a nice presentation regarding trek route based on google map and it was a real confidence booster. Finally the D-day arrived and as usual we were running around with too many things to do in too little time. Despite a few tense moments and flaring tempers, we managed to set off in time and reached Majestic bus stand well in advance. Being the beginning of an extended weekend, Majestic was jam packed. The bus was full barring one vacancy – a last minute cancellation by one of our members. Thanks to Angshu and his fluent Kannada, we managed to get back 50% of the original ticket price. As usual the bus took a while to dodge it's way out of Majestic and finally hit the road – but fortunately there was no serious delay. As always, I had a severe attack of insomnia during overnight bus journey and spent some despairing moments fighting it in vain. I tried and retried many different positions (I seriously hope someone will come up with a list of formulas and write a book someday!), but nothing seemed to work. In between, we had a brief halt and I tried to drown my misery in a cup of hot coffee! The journey resumed shortly and the problem came back to haunt me before I gave up completely. By this time the bus was climbing the roads of western ghats. It was a rough ride – sharp U turns, hairpin bends and BUMPY roads. Thank God I was having a window seat and had the privilege of gazing at the dark-misty surroundings for the rest of the journey.
The bus dropped us at Ujire bus stand at 5 a.m. and I was relived to breath fresh air after almost an eternity. The small tea shop was open by then. A few guys went to hire a vehicle. By the time we finished our tea, a jeep was ready to take us to Mr. Narayan Gowda's estate – at the skirt of the hill covered by thick forest. The jeep managed to accommodate eleven people, each carrying a big rucksack – a near perfect Fevicol ad. It took nearly half an hour to reach the destination. At last we were standing at the gateway of the forest – THE MOMENT we waited for long. The gloom out of tiring bus journey was foundering fast in the swelling waves of excitement. We met a few local people, preparing for the days work. Mr. Gowda came out himself and exchanged greetings with us. He offered to send one of his men as guide. Being a bunch of die hard adventurers, we were strongly in favor of venturing on our own. Before departing, Mr. Gowda was kind enough to inform that the last of the habitations, a part of his estate, lies roughly one kilometer down the road. He advised us to request someone there to show us the correct trekking trail. After spending a brief time for ablution, we set out along the forest path. It did not take long to reach the last of Gowdas habitations (there is one intermediate). The road ahead bifurcated and we decided to stop at that point. Angshu, Ranajit and few others went ahead to inquire. In the mean time rest of us, led by Pratap, were busy preparing breakfast. The reconnaissance party came back with the info that the path going right will take us towards the Bandaje falls. The sumptuous breakfast - bread-cucumber sandwich, was over soon. It was time to move into the wild, leaving behind the last trace of civilization.
Jungle safari - It was mid-summer and the area did not receive any significant rain in recent past. This presented us with two privileges during the rest of the trek – an unambiguous trail and nonexistent leeches, the most hated creature by any trekker. We followed the trail, mostly uphill, through the dense jungle. Despite the forest cover it was hot and extremely humid. We adopted the good old strategy – slow but steady. It took almost two hours to reach the point where the trail crosses the Bandaje river. We were dying for a long break and could hardly resist the temptation to submerge all our misery into the cold stream of Bandaje river. Next half an hour was one of the happiest moments during the whole journey.
By the law of the nature, blissful moments are ephemeral. Fresh from the rest, we resumed journey with new enthusiasm that evaporated shortly in soaring temperature. Crippled by dehydration, we had to take frequent breaks to avoid cramps. Hardly did we realize that the worst is yet to come. Two hours after starting from the bank of the stream we reached the fringe of the forest, where it abruptly opened into a grassland. With the mid day sun in full glory and hardly any cover barring a few thorny bushes here and there, we were about to enter the toughest part of the journey. This prompted us to take another relatively long break at this point. While sitting at the edge of the forest, thoughts of various comforts available back in Bangalore, like ac sitting rooms, quality food and drinks and other entertainments passed through my mind. I could not help but ask myself – do I really want this ? However, others were already on move and it was time to act, not to think. Shaking off reluctance, I left behind the relative comfort of the forest shade and stepped into the inferno.
It was a steep upward journey along the ridge. Only consolation were the small bushes – little “oasislets” sheltering us temporarily from the merciless sun. In between, we got a glimpse of glittering Bandaje falls. The spectacular sight filled my mind with simultaneous joy and despair. Unambiguously we were on right track but the destination was sooooooo faaaaar away. We have to gain good altitude and then take a left turn to reach the top of the falls before we can call it a day. As we moved ahead, the magnificent falls went behind a veil of surrounding hills, that was not lifted until we reached the summit of the waterfall. Minutes passed into hours and we were hoping to rediscover the falls, much closer this time. With no sight or sound of waterfall, our hopes were turning into despondency. Finally we climbed to a point beyond which the hill took a rapid decent and the view below was blocked by thick forest cover. We started walking along the periphery looking for a suitable place to go down. At this point we almost lost track of our destination. We were hoping to see Bandaje falls to our left, but failed to realize that the ridge actually took us at least one k.m behind the summit. By this time our bottles were nearly empty and failing to reach the fall, the only source of water nearby, means serious trouble. What happened next was nothing short of a miracle. The guys at the head of our team saw two men with sharp weapons in hand coming towards us. Initially apprehensive, we were relived to know that they were from some adventure club of Bangalore. The two daredevils were Bandaje veterans, this being their third/fourth visit. They were out there to observe wild life at night and accordingly set up their tent near a small stream away from summit of the falls. They led us to the normal camping place for trekkers, very near to the tip of the Bandaje waterfall. While interacting, we came to know about bear attack on a group of trekkers a few days back. They also warned about leopards and snakes. The safety rules are simple – stay united and do not venture away from camping site after the dark. Interestingly, bears and leopards can be kept away by lighting a fire, but snakes are attracted due to warmth – a delightful privilege to choose one of them! After day long wear and tear, my mind was too numb to any such warnings. I just wanted to forget everything and rest in peace until tomorrow.

To be contd ............

Maklidurg (Makalidurga!) Trek

Situated 60 km away from Bangalore, Maklidurg is a nice location for one day trekking(moderate). The easiest way to reach there is by train(Guntur passenger from Yesvantpur Jn. at 8.15 am and the train back to Bangalore starts from Maklidurg around 3.30 pm). You can also travel by road and reach Maklidurg via Doddaballapur. Carry sufficient food and plenty of water.

Maklidurg is a tiny but tranquil railway station without any mad rush - not a single hawker, not a single porter, not a single beggar and all other craps that drive you crazy in any big Indian railway stations. As soon we got down from the train, we were welcomed by monkeys. If you do not tempt them by showing the food items you are carrying with, these creatures are quite harmless in general. We followed the railway track for another kilometer or so and reached a temple at the base of the hill. This place is not as famous as Skandagiri with trekkers, but still finding the way up in broad daylight should not be very difficult. Moreover, there are some yellowish arrows marked on the stones to help you. Once you find them, the rest is pretty straightforward. We started ascending with intermittent reposes and the whole thing went quiet eventless. After two tiring hours we were standing jubilantly on a dilapidated fort wall - mission accomplished :o) The landscape is dotted with several other hills, including Nandi Hill and Skandagiri, which we managed to identify! You can see a big lake not too far away from the foot of the hill (it seems from the top), the railway track lying like a giant metallic serpent and the moving trains remind you of your childhood toys. Everything looks so small from the top!

We spent some time exploring the top, which is a fairly large plane area protected by fort wall from all the sides and a temple of lord shiva roughly at the middle. We later came to know that twice a year devotees come to the temple to offer prayer. We rested our weary legs, took photos, consumed food and drinks and were ready for descending in an hour and half. And suddenly a queer idea struck our mind – lets try out some other route rather than walking down tried and tested one! This is a perfect example of what one should not do in a hot day with depleting stock of water. After an hour or so the track we followed suddenly disappeared and a very steep slope were lying ahead. All of us were very reluctant to go all the way up and take the right track. Stranded and desperately looking for some way that can take us all the way down, few of us scattered in different directions searching for it. After a brief survey, Soupi came up with an outrageous plan! He suggested that if we can manage to climb down around 50 mt, all along one branch of tree to another, we are out of the hell (heavenwards if we slip). We were prompt to vehemently oppose the proposed acrobatic adventure and after few more despairing moments, sense of practicality enlightened our mind (at last) - we decided to go all the way up in search of the good old route. It took a while (and a lot of energy) to find the right track and we totally ran out of water by then. Our voices gradually fell silent - no chitchats, no jokes; just the sound of footsteps going down. Battling extreme heat and dehydration for another hour, we somehow managed to trudge all the way back to the temple at the base of the hill. A few people were around and they offered us water (read life) to drink. No comments about the hygiene but the poor fellows drink this day after day for survival and so did we. The return train was gone by then and we took a bus to Doddaballapur and from there to Bangalore.

Team members: Anshu, Ankur, Bota, Pratap, Titas, Sukrit, Soupi, Somnath

Photographs taken by Anshu

Skandagiri - revisited

We did it this time :o)
The place has changed a lot. The car parking is not dark like last time. Forest department has posted a few employees to collect Rs. 100/- as parking and forest entry charge (newly introduced) !!! And believe me, the number and varieties of cars and bikes can even put parking lot of some shopping complex to shame. The place has become too popular and do not be surprised if one of the Cafe Coffee Day outlets welcomes you next time. The only positive change is - way to hill is clearly marked at different places and there is very little chance of getting lost as we did last time. Trekking to top in two hours should not be very difficult for a reasonably fit person. If you follow some minimum safety norms like carrying sufficient lights etc. then Skandagiri is very safe for enjoying the adventure of night trek. We reached at the top around 5 am. Far away, Bangalore city was still shining bright. And there were countless people everywhere - lying of the flat stone, sitting of the round stone, standing on the roof of a small temple, resting on the floor of the temple, sleeping inside tents, sleeping outside under the open sky, eating, drinking, smoking, laughing, chatting, shouting ....... one can go on. Skandagiri is indeed one of the top favourites of weekend revelers!! As the sunrise approached, people grew restless – you have to guess the right spot, take a suitable place accordingly, be ready with cameras etc. Clouded sky was making the guess difficult and everyone around had their own views. And then came the clouds. Bangalore city, till now visible clearly, was fading fast from our view. Very soon Skandagiri and adjoining peaks were looking like islands in the middle of sea of clouds, rising upwards to engulf us. The visibility was dropping every moment and in between we manged to take a glimpse of the glorious sunrise. My writing skill is at it's worst while I try to describe sublime and some great fellow said that “one can only feel such heavenly things” --- so better to keep the description brief. In the beginning the cloud was not dense enough to hide the glory of the rising sun ... the sun was disappearing one moment and reappearing with full glory the next moment. The hide and seek game continued for some time, before it was mist everywhere. After a few moments of rest, we began to climb down amidst the cloud and mist, which gradually cleared as we trekked down. It took around one hour to reach the foot of the hill. I looked up for one last time --- the peak was still hiding behind a chunk of cloud.
Last but not the least – team members who made the trip memorable ---- Sukrit, Kaka, Bota, Titas, Ankur and Soupi.

Previous experience .......

Skandagiri Night Trek

Important information : Drive to Chikballapur (max. 2 hours) from Bangalore. After entering the town ask someone the location of Papagni Math. If you are going from Bangalore, you have to take left turn from Chikballapur. If you are planning day time trek, then Nandi Hills and Skandagiri will be clearly visible from Chikballapur. So it should not be a problem reaching there. The trek starts from Papagni math. Reaching there you can hire local guide. The rest of the paragraph is for those who plan to venture themselves. One way starts right form the place of parking, but this would not take you all the way to the top. There is another road just left to the Papagni math. Take a left turn and walk towards the basement of the hill. This road is smooth and goes along the plane and you may wonder that you are going in the wrong direction. Keep walking for around 15 minutes upto a point where the road gets divided, one of them continuing along the plane and another starts climbing. Take a left turn and start climbing. Walk for 20-30 minutes before you reach the final bifurcation. The road going straight is going to take you towards jungle and the road climbing left will take you towards you destination (presumably Skandagiri peak). If you are planning to trek at night, I would strongly suggest to hire a local guide.

Our adventure : Ever since I saw the picture of a man standing on the top of the clouds, I wanted to trek to the Skandagiri peak. We planned to start late at night from Bangalore, so that we can climb to the top in the early morning. Our deperture got delayed due to torrential rain right from the evening (I abandoned all hopes at one point of time). We started at 2 am from Bangalore and reached near Papagni math in two hours.

Our first blunder : It was very dark. A few local people surrounded us. After little bit of haggling we decided to be brave (rather foolhardy) and trek without the help of a local guide. We took the very first road, adjacent to the car parking and started walking at frantic pace, desperate to be at the top before sunrise. After trekking to some height I looked back and Bangalore city was glowing far away, a spectacular sight indeed. But the road ahead was becoming steeper, road side bushes denser and climbing (literally so) tougher with each passing moment. Upward movement was becoming slower and slower and after ninety minutes or so it came to a halt. The slope was too steep, very difficult to climb up and vice versa (I mean very easy to slide down). By that time the dawn was setting in. Very soon we realized that we can not be at the top before sunrise and worse, we have to trek down. The retreat took another hour. Back to the plain, with plenty of pain and hardly any gain - but still high on spirit, we started again, this time apparently on the right track.

Oh no .. not again!! : Very soon we were back on the right track. By now we met people returning after the triumph and were very confident of achieving the feat ourselves in another hour or so. But Murphy's law (which states that "everything that can go wrong will go wrong") was rarely violated during the whole trip, right from the beginning !!! There exist one bifurcation, one road takes you to the peak and another towards the jungle. We missed (messed again !) the right track (left turn rather) completely, went straight ahead and very soon the grass along the road side started growing taller as we headed straight towards the jungle. (moral of the story : if you always walk straight in your life, you will never reach your goal). It took us another half an hour to realise the mistake and turn back.

Third time lucky : By the time we were on the right track, we were "dead exhausted". After endeavoring for some more time, we decided (and wisely so) to call it a day. Taking some rest, we began the final climb down with a broken heart and a vow to conquer next time.

Thanks to Pratap, Titas, Bota, Sukrit, Anirban, Soupi, Supratim and Ankur for making the trip memorable.

Part II