Gudiyam Caves (Goodiyam Kugai)

 

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Wednesday, December 23, 2009

Gudiyam Caves (Goodiyam Kugai)

It was a quite long time plan to visit gudiyam caves near poondi reservoir, thiruvallur. But the plan was kept on postponing due to work at office and didn't find time to get mingle with friends for exploring photography art. At last, some how on 11th Friday of December 2009 we once again started the same talk to visit the caves. It was exciting for us to go some where, where we don't know any thing regarding the place or the route. But the decision was made and all friends were excited to take a step to adventure the place and do some trekking. Sam(me), Jaagdeesh, Raj - (3 from Bally), Suresh(HP) and Thiyagu (Infosys) - we 5 brave hearted guys decided to do the adventure and we were clear that we will be out of human reach, out of pollution, out of mechanical life and going do some exercise for our self. We were calling each other to fix the time of start and planning for the day. We were really worried rain showers and spoils our day? But even then we were planning to meet. We decided to start by 5.00am in the morning. Early morning had some messages in my mobile saying "Good morning, will meet you @ 5". I got up by 4.00 and went for wiping my car. Before entering the shower, I received a call from Raj.. "Hey buddy I am reaching Koyambedu, you guys ready?" Raj was sharp and was ahead before the said time. I was worried that I will make it late. I was packing the necessary things for myself and started rushing the place where we all met. I was in tension of the delay and I wanted myself to get cool with fresh air.. Opened the glass doors from car... now comes the real DJ in me.. I kept full volume in my swift car with the full base on.. rocking on the road at 5.00.. started playing the song "En peru Meenakumari" from "Kandaswami". I called Jagadeesh, he too was there waiting. Suresh wanted to park his car in koyambedu parking lot, he was not in mood to drive his car. He was tired and he was unable to drive or take his car as he came from bangalore the previous day. We were helping him to park the car in Koyambedu vegetable parking lot. Hopping that's the safe place for parking it a long time. By the time they park and come, me and Raj noted that the front glass of the car is little hazy and blurred vision. I was wiping the glass and still I couldn't clear the dirt. Raj, our genius just then bought TheHindu news paper for reading... he tore its front page and came out for wiping. I was very thankful to Raj. Now every thing is set and Raj sitting in front of me and I was driving. Suresh, Jagdeesh and Thiyagu accompanied the back row. Early morning Raj wanted to tune the radio to hear some pious songs. At 5.20am we were crossing Ambattur, and every one wanted to start the day with Coffee/Tea. After crossing Avadi we stopped for a cup of coffee/tea, Jagdeesh started filling the car with water bottles, snacks. It was 5.50 am. Oh! I forgot the say about Raj here. From the time we started, Raj was saying that he will give us "Orange Chocolate" which gives energy while trekking. We all were very desperate to see and taste the chocolate how it gives energy. He kept in his bag and he didn't show us at all. During the stop for coffee/tea, once again we reminded of the chocolate. We asked Raj to show the chocolate, here he opens his bag.. took a new fresh pack of orange chocolate. But what is that orange chocolate? It's nothing but "Pulipu Mitai" we get in villages. But this crazy IT guy (Raj) wanted to say that name in a polished way as "Orange Chocolate". Got hold of him and started teasing him all the way. It was 6.10 am, I wanted to fill gas for my car, searched and found a petrol bunk on the way and filled gas. And now Raj was meddling with the radio to put some songs. Few songs he sang for two two lines (We know he knows only two lines.. but thinks him as Ilayaraja in his mind :). Two lines he will sing and rest lines he will hum. By now we almost had to take a diversion to reach Thiruvallur. Before we started planning we read all the blogs and got some experience from others. As we read in blogs we found the "Akashya Hotel" in Thiruvallur. We stopped our car at 6.30 am here for morning breakfast. As we entered the hotel, every one advised others to take light breakfast. Idlies, Dosa were ordered. But still we were not sure why the server was looking at Raj for him saying that he dont want to vada with Idly and asked to replace it with idly. All had and stomach was somw what full. Now stomach is full, who is gonna pay? hey wait... I will pay.. No.. No.. i will pay. (Guys some one pay Please!!!). Some how the bill got settled. It was a very good climate outside by then, pleasant and drizzling. We started from here by 7.00 and driving to Poondi Reservoir. The cool breeze was on our face.. inhaling deeply the fresh air which we dont get to see in cities. The roads were little rough and worst to reach Poondi Reservoir. We reached Poondi dam and started enquring the way to Goodiyam caves (Kugai). A man asked to take a right direction as seen it in the route map. First we started taking right turn to reach "Gunipalayam". The route map display is not clear, so we were not sure is that the correct way. But as our eyes were closed and left alone in the forest, we headed front in car. By seeing the nature, we cant drive after that. We spotted a bird and wanted to take some snaps of it. Admired the greenery, fresh air, the smell of the agriculture mud, birds flying every where, people turning turning and looking at us, once in a while govt buses will come, people peep out to see us what we were doing with the big camera's, are we from television or gonna shoot film? a person asked us. Explaining him that its our hobby to take snaps and started front. Raj was a brilliant person and he was almost admiring the birds and explaining its name. "Since we dont know its name was he fooling us?" - this also was running in one corner of the mind. But no he was true in many birds. And Suresh/Jagadeesh wanted to start soon and reach goodiyam caves before the sun comes out from the clouds. At 8.00 am we started to move forward "Seettancheri" and "Pennalurpettai". These road as driving straight took us the correct way, but we don't know how to go after "Seettancheri". We must have taken a left diversion but took right and reached "Pennalurpettai". We didn't know that we should not reach "Pennalurpettai" but the diversion from "Seettancheri" and "Pennalurpettai" we must take left. We enquired for "Gudiyam Kugai" to the local people there. But non know it. Then one old person got up and explained us that its called "Goodiyam Kogai (Tamil Version)" and guided us the route. But still we were not sure is that the correct route. By listening to the old man we cam back to the place where we took diversion. Driving.. driving.. all 10eyes (2X2X2X2X2) were searching for the place. As I am driving i got suddenly noted a torn board on the way, suddenly stopped the car and reversed my car to see the board. Man.. Wow! what we were searching that board explained us to take a right from there. kind of forest atmosphere and very very loonely driving the car in rusty, muddy road. A lady was out of her house and asking us "do we need to go to Goodiyam Kogai?" and ourselves.. said "yes" "yes". Then she asked us to park our car in front of her house and sent her kids with us. Madhu (9th standard) and Madan (8th standard), they were our guides. These guys study in goverment schools near "Gunipalayam". These guys were keep asking for our bags, they were very much intrested to carry our bags and give us way for photographing. At the beginning we were little nervous to give our bag, but theses kids were so good and decent that they didn't move out of our way with bags. Asking him the history of the caves, madhu, our guide explaind that nearly 100,000 years before the medieval age man lived here and his things are kept in museum near poondi reservoir. We were shocked to hear that news and wanted to visit the place that minute itself. But you know humans are not gifted with the power of doing things like "Ji Boom Ba". We had to walk all the way in the forest to reach the place. We were walking and side by side Raj was distributing his "Pulipu Mitai (Orange Chocolate)". But truely speeking, it gave us the energy to walk and we dint find trusty much. By now suresh was silently clicking on a butterfly which gave him a pose... then Thaigu started... jagdeesh started... will I be quite? No.. I too joined.. Infact i was too much intrested taht I was lying flat on the rough mud and taking snaps... By seeing me.. all guys lost interest to take the picture of the butterfly and all cameras focused on me. Wow! Sam.. you were lying on the mud bed? feeling comfortable? and I had to yes :(. But truely when you show intrest on some thing.. you will do any thing to get that. Raj was holding a big umbrella which he took for safety in protecting the cameras if it rains suddenly. But he used the umbrella as a machine gun and was heading forward with the guide. But what ever he does... he didnt forget to distribute his pulipu mitai to all. At last we came to the destination place and was advised NOT to shout and scream. The place filled with full of Honey Bees. Where ever we turn we could see the honey bees flying, we were little scared here to see that. we all had a question in our mind that if in case the queen sends their forces to attack us.. where will we hide? on the other side we were truly enjoying the natures beauty and how it was made. I am passionate about watching Discover and NGC Channels. I have come across a program of volcano eruption in these channels. I can figure out that the place was once erupted and can see the liquid been formed as rocks every where. Admiring the beauty of the honey bees, little scared in one corner we sat there for a while for resting after our photographs. We wanted to move out of the place as early as possible as the killer bees may attack if they find some disturbance in that place. we moved away of the place soon.

 

 

Thalaiyar Falls Kodaikanal

We were very much interested to visit thalaiyar falls when we saw some photos in the flickr by a foreigner (who is a professor by profession). We were searching for people who can help us in reaching this place. Inquiry started inside office. Luckily our colleague (Suresh) whose native is near to that place called "Pullakkapatti". We approached him and got our tickets booked to reach to that place. Since its a dense forest we were in little confusion without knowing any routes. Heard from local villagers that the dense forest contains of Bison, Wild Boar, Snakes, Cheetahs (not confirmed), Fire Ants at all times and Blood Sucking Leeches during rainy season. Managed to get prepared for the trip with what ever we can manage.

We reached Dindugal on 13-03-2010 and took some rest in his house. We started to trek in a small mountain to get prepared for the next day trek. Had little fun in near by village by taking bath in the flowing water from thalaiyar falls, having coconut water, talking and walking, traveling in Pat Pat etc.


The real day has come to start our trek with what ever fitness we had. It was like we are going to tie our eyes by ourselves and trek in an unknown place without any route. The day was Sunday 14-03-2010, time was 9:00am. We started to reach below the mountain through an Patpat. Took cameras, Leach socks, First Aid kit, extra clothes, Lighter, LED lights and Energy bars. At around 9.30 we reached the foot hills till where the patpat can go (it was friends patpat, so he dropped us near the foot hills).

Till this mango tree the Patpat had route to drive. From here we have to walk our way to reach the falls. It was like we are hired by "Discovery" channel for a television program called "Survivorman" or "Man vs Wild". Of-course the inspiration came from these programs. All brave and young (young at heart) hearts gonna take risk inside the forest without any protection . Took few snaps from here. We know its going to be a tiring trek where we have not practiced before or attended any trekking with help and advice. But we planned to keep every thing in mind what we saw in the television and how to protect us without any help.

Due to very hot summer the falls was dry and that's the reason we had planned for the trek. If the falls, overflowing with water... we would have not planned to go as it will be highly risky to go and we may slip and fall from the huge rocks. To beat the heat, we were tying a towel around our head and started walking till "Amma Machi". Its a place where the villagers gather at one occasion to reach the temple inside the forest.

Till the temple the route was clear as we had the path to reach. We had also asked few of village friends to join us, thinking they can identify and spot the animals easily. They were very carefully keeping every step and checking for any wild animals. They were actually rushing fast to reach the Amma machi temple. As bison's may cross and might be dangerous for us.




After a long walk we reached Amma Machi temple in about 1.30hrs or so. We all took some rest and got ready for the real trekking experience.

Slowly after resting we started to climb the rocks, jumping, hiking.., even crawling at places where we cant walk inside the caves (in-between mountain blocks). Can smell the fresh air, pure water, chirping birds sounds, cool breeze.., in-between all these, we were asked to return down before 3:00PM. As again bison's may come down in the evening to drink water.












At one place we had no way to step further than getting down in water. Our village friends first went down the water to check if there are any deep holes. And the answer for this is "Yes". One part of the rock had a depth were it may get us stuck inside. They also found another way there itself where the water will cover us till the chest. We removed our pants and covered our cameras, kept on our head and stepped further. We could not take much snaps as we had only one thought that we will get late in returning. And we do not want to get stuck with any animals.







We almost reached the place but yet we need to trek for another half an hour to go below the falls. But here we find it very difficult to climb as we had no ropes to climb or no practice to do that. Without proper training we must not try climbing any big boulders with ropes, as they might be dangerous even for a well trained person. The depth of the rock to get below the falls might be around 30 - 40 feet approximate. Though it was heart breaking, we had a good trek in the deep forest. It was fun climbing rocks but very dangerous too. I actually forgot to say about the fire ants, they were also called soldier ants. They try to bite as much as they can, till we kill them. If we try to chase them from our body, they try to hold tight on us and start biting. They don't leave us till we really push them down or kill it for our safety. The forest is just filled with 10000000........ ants and its nests.








We had some energy bars, drank fresh water from the running water and started getting down from the rocks. Heart was heavy that we could reach the end. We didnt want to be sad for what we could not do it. But in fact we want to make use of what we get the most. We even took bath to refresh ourselves from heat, and had great fun. There were times we even lost the returning way, struggling for the finding the way. Near to the Amma machi, again we need to run as fast as we can. As the time was 4:30pm and we were worried about bison and other animals.

Here is the real time comes regarding the wild animals. The villagers started hearing a roaring sound. They stop walking and closely watch to know what animal it is. At the second roaring sound they identify it was a wild boar. The villagers were asked us to run and climb any tree. we dont know to climb tree but we stood in groups of 2. But some how I managed to climb the tree and checked if the boar is near. Lucky that it was not near nor we were crossing its path. We again started walking very very fast. Villagers were showing the foot prints of recently crossed Bison and its shit. Our heart was beating very fast. All wanted to escape safely. We even planned to light fire so that nothing will near us. But that's a bad idea till the last moment. As it might get fire in the forest easily. We didnt want to do that. Some how managed to escape thinking if any animal attacks, we try to attack their eyes. Animals are very particular is protecting their eyes. A small guts at the corner of the heart. :-)







After all the fun and fear we reached "Manjalar Dam". And after hours later we took rest at this dam fearing that animals may come any time. We called an auto man to come near the dam. We had no strength to walk further. We were lost out of energy. But the day went in memories where it cant be erased for life. The next day I had a very wonderful sleep (Due to body pain :-)).

We made sure that we didnt liter inside the forest. We brought all the plastic waste we carried.

Word of Caution : This post is just to express our experience we had. Since its highly very very risky, this post here not to guide you by any means to travel there.

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