SUPERtramp 

From Yana with LOVE

We reached Kumta from Hospet via Hubli. It was a long & winding trip; but everybit interesting.

Finding cheap accomodation in Kumta was a lost cause, as all rooms cost upward of rs.200/- for 2 people. Having gathered all the relevant information, we proceeded to Yana the following day.

There are only 2 bus services to Yana ( morning 8.30 & eveng 4.30).
During the dry season, the buses go all the way to the base, however, in the monsoons, they stop about 8 km short of the destination at Sandalli.

All our apprehensions about trekking through to Yana were put to rest when the bus conductor introduced us to a family who stayed nearby. We were fortunate to get a jeep ride for abt 6km. from there on we trekked up.

Along the way, the colour of the soil changes from red to black & becomes extremely slippery for vehicles.

As we progressed along the path, we got the first glimpse of the sphires : 3 of them scattered far amongst the vegitation. This definitely was the strangest sight i have seen till date.They are neither hills or rock faces & they do not pocess any specific shape or geometry. Probably the lack of symmetry , the jagged & wornout appearance is what gives them such a physically imposing presence.

We did see a few more smaller limestone structures along the way. On closer inspection, realised that the whitish crystalline colour that is normally associated with limestone was covered with a thick black coat. For this reason, at first sight, it is impossible to fathom..these r limestone structures.

Along the way, met a few tourists who had come to visit the shrine of Shiva.

Beacuse of their strange appearance & colour, these monoliths merge with the thick vegetation. The camoflague is so stark... standing a few feet away from a 100 + ft structure, we were completely unaware of their presence.

The vegitation in this part of the world is very much similar to Kerala with huge trees & extremely dense foliage. The bird life, which we got to hear on the way down was exotic.

There are basic Shelter , toilets & piped water made available @ strategic places in an effort to keep the place clean. Solar powered street lamps have also been placed.

As we approached the 2 mighty sphires namely Mohini Shikara & Bhairaweshwara Shikara, there were steps with railings along the way.

They r an extraordinary sight, I have no words to describe what we felt.
At the base of Bhairaweshwara Shikara, there is a temple of lord Shiva.

Enroute,there are banners highlighting the dangers of Bees. The locals warn u against using cameras with flashes @ these hives.

The temple set inside a cave has a medival look & feel to it.
The priest @ the Temple was a frienly bloke who invited us in & shared some of the history of the place; unfortunately in Kannada. I was using my Malayalam & Tamil skills to decipher the code. After a few frantic efforts @ online decoding, I gave up. The priest appreciated the noding of my head & the monologue continued.

Neeti,who was soon loosing her patience @ watching a foreign language film without subtitles was about to scream out, when the priest stopped & adviced us to take a pradakshina along the cave. Never realise there was a cave!!!
For a more holistic experience, it is preferrable to carry a Kannadiga along to decipher the code.

The cave was another amongst a long list of surprises that we were to encounter. Can't describe the cave, unless u r a fan of Phantom & have seen his skull cave. Well, it is not shaped like a skull, but there is water trickling all along. It might be a downpour in the monsoons.
A swarm of Bats were seen creating a ruckus up amongst the cracks. The stream of light that illuminate parts of the cave from the roof, make it a surreal experience.

Since teh only option to reach back to Sandalli was walking, we were not keen on spending too much time exploring in that lonely place. Missing the bus from Sandalli @ 5.30 would have meant trouble.

So we hitched back after taking a few breaks along the small streams & waterfalls. The trek to Sandalli took about 2 hrs. & we had another 4 hrs to spare befr the ST bus returns.

We thought we had a great time till then; but we were in for a surprise. The kids ( Satish & Anand )who were @ the shop, welcomed us, provided us some relishing omllettes & tea. We were so carried away by their hospitality, exhuberance, energy & simplicity that; the next moment we were playing cricket in a nearby field for teh next 2 hrs. Neetis bowling skills seemed to have bamboozled the young one; so much so...there was intense on field rivalry. Every time, the ball disappeared into the woods, they would return back with a few mangoes or pineapples. Later, they offerd us more food & showed us a huge lizard which they had caught earlier in the day. It was something like an iguana, which they scare of from the trees, only to be caught by their dogs below.

I have had the pleasure of swimming in a whole lot of ponds in Kerala; but the place these chaps took us to was...quite awesome...heavenly I guess. Neeti too was tempted, but resisted as she had already consumed her spare clothes.

After a brilliant time spent in the waters competing with these kids, it was time to catch the bus. Whatever apprehensions we had before embarking on this trip were washed away into thin air.

On the way back, both of us were quite stunned at the drama that unfolded all through the day. Never did we expect, a trip to such a forlorn place would leave us connected in a very intimate way to the beautifull people who reside in the heavenly abode of Yana.

Having done the trip, I can safely say.... it was the kids & their family who made this trip memorable. The limestones sphires & caves might seaze to exist, but as long as u get to meet such enchanting people with an immense Zest for Life, Yana would still remain the mystical paradise that we were so blessed to have experienced.

I hope, many of u guys would get to experience the beauty of the people who inhabit these places & also get to see the Sphires.

All of this still sounds like a wild dream, which reignites itself at the blink of an eye. Thankfully, this is one dream we are proud to have lived through.

Monsoons & Winter are ideal times for going to Yana. Trad Climbing is not possible on all the sphires due to restrictions. However, the one adjacent to the base can be attempted.

I know for sure, Vijay is headed that way in July..... pack u'r sacks guys & climb the Stairway to Heaven....!!!!

For a visual treat, have a look @ the Snaps ( PHOTOS )

Discovery Of India 05: Road Trip to North & Coastal Karnataka

I am still to recover from the hangover of this whirlwind road trip to North & Coastal Karnataka .

For starters, this was never meant to be a climbing trip. I guess, taking a break from climbing, helps one pursue other interests with as much aggro; in this case ..travelling. And if u have a cool n chill-pill companion; couldn't have asked fr anything more.

Bijapur & Yana have been hanging around my head for quite a while ; Bijapur - for its history & spectacular architecture ; Yana - for it's limestone sphires.
With Hampi being the intermediate place to rekindle the romance that was ignited a few yrs back , do cycling along the gorgeous country side & also admire the stone monkeys in full flight.

It was basically meant to be a high intensity : low budget - high value trip; with exploration & not indulgence as the primary objective.

The genesis of the trip was the desire to do something different, without the hassle of intricate planning & approach each day as it comes.

In less than 2 days, the basic plan was made & we hit the trail. A couple of blokes, whom I thought might be interested were asked. Eventually, it was only Neeti who finally joined in, 2 hrs prior to catching the bus.

Maps in hand, we started the journey on 9th night from Sion for Bijapur.
Toured Bijapur in a Tonga fr abt 4 hrs, visiting all the historical landmarks ( Gol Gumbaz, Jumma Masjid, Upri Burj, Malik-E- Maidan,Ibrahim Roza..etc)

Bijapur:
Golgumbuz, Adil Shah..... These were, till yetserday a relic , heard about or read only in the history books...untill we landed on the terra firma of Bijapur.
Bijapur is a 12 hour ride by Bus from Mumbai ( Sion). The last bus from Sion belonging to VRL roadways, leaves for Bijapur @ 9.30pm. Non-Ac bus fares cost around rs.330/- . The roads beyond Pune are narrow, but in reasonably good condition. ( Accidents along these narrow roads can cause traffic jams; thereby delaying progress)

Hospet is a 5 hr ride from Bijapur. Buses are available on a regular basis from Bijapur ST stand. Most of the roads are in a good condition & the journey costs around rs.90/-

Reached Hospet @ midnight 1.00am & proceeded to Hampi by abt 1.30am. In the darkness, Hampi revealed nothing but an errie silence. Like Sentinels from another circa; these monuments kept a tab on the intruders who sneaked in @ midnight.

The glorious Hampi morning was spent on cycle, riding along the Tungabadra; with each turn providing a view, sharing a tale of the grandeaur of this Lost Empire.

Was extremely lucky to meet up with Alwyn & Vijay in the afternoon, when they bumped into our room, on their way back. The Stone Monkeys had already wrapped up their business & were preparing to evacuate. The sight of Jay with a beard ( Did Julia have any hand in u'r Devdas ishtyle makeover ??) chapped fingers & a gregarious smile... felt like the Ghost of Krishnadevaraya had come alive to takeover the reigns of the boulders from ASI & co...( Archealogical Survey Of India)

As for Savio, who happened to be on his own trip, winding through Goa befr landing @ Hampi.... apparently was found trying to squeeze barley water out of granite. Unconfirmed reports (PTI news) say..he succeeded in his endeavour... thereby giving climbing a break & sticking to guzzling the sacred nectar.

Alwyn was making his debut @ Hampi & was Jay's bete noire when tackling the German Problem called Julia. Hampi being an overnight (12hr train ride from B'lore), I guess Hampi should be seeing more of him.

Having climbed with the best of the best in Mumbai, Pune & a few firangs, Vijay seemed convinced that, Mumbai climbers r very much a force to reckon with. He seemed to have climbed, till every muscle in his arms went on a flash strike seeking more humane treatment & better nutrition.. ( Nahi chalega..Nahi chalega... Ghaas Phoos Nahi chalega!!!)

Neeti's physcology skills forced Vijay & Alwyn to postpone their trip by a day & they pitched camp with us for the night. With Vijay around, the distinction between latenight & daylight got blurred as there was a constant chatter all through the sleeping hours.

Spent the next day climbing a few boulders with Neeti & Alwyn. It was Neeti's first exposure to the Devil's Playground & she seemed to have fallen for it. She soon realised that, fr her to push the limits, canvas needs to be replaced with PA. A quick trip across the river & Bingo... the lady was creaming the boulders in her Boreals ( it was a steal @ rs.1,200/-) This was followed by a quick dip & swim in the Tungabadra.

While Vijay & Alwyn set off on cycle to visit the Vithala temple, we ended up seeing the most spectacular sunset as it cast it's spell on the Sacred Land. This was followed by a moment of magic /serendipity; when the temple elephant appeared from nowhere & passed by us into the darkness; with only the bells to be heard.
I guess, it is such moments that make a trip truly memorable & become fossilised fr eternity.

As Vijay & Alwyn made their move back to B'lore, our short 2 day stay in the Sacred Land was coming to an end. Early, next mrng, set out for our final destiantion of "Discovery Of India-05: Road Trip to North Karnataka" ... the exotic n mystical hills of Yana. Hampi-Hospet-Hubli-Kumta-Yana. Reached Kumta ( Deepa's native place) after a marathon 10 hr train-road trip.From Kumta, we proceeded to Yana the next day which involved abt 4 hrs of trekking.
( Deepa was expected to join us @ Kumta; but ditched @ the last moment; thereby increasing our expenses. )

Well, talking about Yana might consume a full page & I should be posting a seperate mail with travel details & snaps very soon. A great place for monsoon treks & winter climbs. Limestone Sphires rising out of thin air amidst lush green forests..... It is a sight which engulfed our senses, numbed our heads & made our knees tremble with delight.

Caught the bus from Kumta @ midnight 1.30 am & reached Madgaon @ 5.00am.
Proceeded to Mumbai by Konkan Railway @ 6.30am to reach Panvel by 5.00pm & touched base by 8.30pm.

The marathon had finally ended; but the heart longed for more.... Had seen a few ST buses leave for the pristine rain forests of Dandeli. Alas, that will have to wait....hopefully for next year; when the Discovery caravan should push further into the interiors of Karnataka.

Such an exhausting journey was brought to life thanks to my wonderfull travel companion : Neeti. Here's one tough dame who has what it takes to endure the vigours of a long & winding trip ... be it cycling , swimming , climbing,trekking or travelling by bus / general comparetment of a train without a great deal of hanky-panky. It was definitely a revelation & in doing so babes, u'r fan club is on the ascendancy. It was a welcome change to travel with a woman whose sack had apart from the usual, a good dose of sunblock, moisturisers, & other feel good paraphernalia. All said.. thanks for making this trip a truly memorable one.

The entire 1 week odyssey cost us around rs.2200/- ( Mumbai to Mumbai ). With slightly better planning, such a trip can very well be accomplished in about rs.1500/- .
Travelling low budget; I guess is just a case of getting used to. Once you are addicted, it is a Rush that can engulf you into hitting the road over n over again.

Hampi is presently being restored to it's glory days; bit by bit as part of a 300 crore restoration program funded by UNESCO. Over a period of time, the City of Victory shall regain it's lost glory & in the process dwarf some of the other ancient cities of Rome & Greece. The restoration works are based on reports & photos published by Italian & German explorers from the early part of the 17th, 18th & 19th century.
With restorations being carried out round the clock; implies, every trip to the Sacred Land will never be the same.

For this reason, it has been called the Greatest Open Air Museum on this planet.