Mullainagiri - Karnataka's Highest peak - 2007 April 27th - May 1st

Places visited: Datta Peeta aka Baba Budan Giri- Mullainagiri - Hornadu - Kudremukha - Shringeri - Murudeshwara - Kundapura - Udupi
Who all: Bhanu, Chetu, Chuman, Venky, myself and Driver Guru

Route details:
Take Bangalore Hassan highway, take the road to Chikamagaluru. Total 260 Km from Bangalore. From Chikamagaluru drive to Datta peeta around 25 km. Trekked to Mullainagiri around 10 Km. Hornaadu around 100 km and then shringeri via Kuderamukha around 60 km. Then to murudeshwara via Agumbe ghat, Hebri, Kollur road, Byndoor and Pune highway. Then back to kundapura 50 km, udupi 35 km, Mangalore 60 km, bangalore 380 km via sakleshpura, Hassan.

Trek route: Start from two towers at Baba budan giri, keep walking along the edge. Around 3 plateaus till you hit the bladewalk- rocky strech. Then another 4 plateaus which is a bit tiring. And you are on the top.

Time required: Around 5 hours of leisurely walk.

This time listened to my mother and agreed to book taxi and not drive our vehicle. Friends also said the same. At around 7:30 went to Hari's place to get Tent, but the house was locked. Then called up Harsha and asked for the tent. He asked me to pick it from Parshi's house. While on the way, my bike got punctured- the gloden puncture of the trip. Called up Bhanu, he picked me up. Went to Parshi's house collected the tent. Finding his house was itself an adventure for us :). Bhanu took me to his house, he got ready in urgency. Had light dinner as I had to continue it in my house too. Already call from the driver saying he has arrived- time 10:30. Came home, had the remaining part of the dinner. I had to get ready from the sratch and was done in 15 mins. First pick up suman, then Venky, and last one was chetu who already had a nap. Left bangalore at 12:00. This has become a habit for long

For the first time, was successful keeping Bhanu awake during the drive. Reached Chikamagaluru at 6 am. Chetu who was half awake asked me "what scrap were you speaking the whole night with Driver". I said "it was a one way communication with I just nodding for everything"

Stopped to have coffee and bought bread pounds, maggi, cream buns for our lunch and dinner during the trek.

Went to Manikhyadhara - guys were sceptical if it was really a waterfall as they spotted a pipe going up the rock from where the water dropped. Visited the shrine, was a bit disappointed to see there was no priest offering pooja to Dattatreya swami. Told driver about or plans asked him to pick us up from the other side of mullainagiri

started from the Two-towers or double towers at datta peeta after directions from Harsha over the phone.

venky's first comment "eno sigutte iddanna maadi". Was a plane walk till we reached Blade walk.

Blade walk - rocky and very narrow strecth with lot of climbing and balancing which did not get over at all literally,
nagaara havu pose by chetu. Solo photo @ the Edge of the Cliff.
Then there was this spot - which could be the local hangout alike the one shown in RDB- apni tho paatashaal masti ki paatshaala.

Venky again asking "eno sigutte idaanna maadi".

Had lunch in the form of bread, cream bun and biscuits. We were so dehydrated that, the biscuits and bread could not be swallowed even after chewing and was sticking to tongue, so had to swallow it like a pill with the help of water. Suman was wondering looking at this.

We spotted a alchohol bottle hanged to a tree. Chetu exclaimed "have seen suicide caused by alchohol but Suicide by alchohol, first time". Relaxation time was over and had to climb up and down, up and down

Chetu angrily asked who created this, climbing up and down which repeated for 4 times or more. This was bit tiring and venky had got pains in his leg and was troubling doing the remaining part of the trek. Everyone was motivating venky, telling him, his first trek and he is doing the highest peak in karnataka. No one could dare this.

The weather favoured our trek post lunch as it was a cool and cloudy. Conquered the peak in 4 1/2 hours. Relaxed for a while and thought about nothing for a while - might be this is what is called VOID. Went around the temple looking for right place to pitch the tent. Was very very cool and the air was so clean

Was all clear when we reached the top, and was so till the "mullainagiri misty express" came.
Mist covered the entire place within seconds. Was there for few minutes till we finished with photos, then virtually fell into the valley like a water fall. Again the place got cleared with in seconds.
Misty train favoured us and we could see the sunset. Good snaps from Bhanu

were invited for a feast as part of some rituals that was performed by the local visitors. We were all waiting when they could call us in and serve food. A middle aged woman called us to come and have food.

Venky: let the others have first, we are not hungry, we will have later
bhanu: hashu ilvanthe hashu, ivanige illa, nadiro

scene of the trek:
"Followed Bhanu and were the first ones to sit in the hall. A small kid walked in and asked us to take plates. We took the plate leaves and were ready to start our innings, infact would have served ourselves. All the relatives came in later. We were all embarrassed. first of all we came in first and we have ourselves taken the plate leaves. Were feeling a bit dis-comfortable but still, when it came to food, sankocha illade undari"

Aha Mustaana Bhojana - "Brahmana Bhojan Priya" andare avaga gothaaitu

place to sleep...with fierce wind at the top, boys didn't dare to sleep in tent. Were offered place to sleep inside the temple. we happily said yes. local people's suggestion on the places nearby...geography descrption...the same place is how different in winter.

Chetu sadly saying "I'm left alone, with you guys sleeping in pairs" no ideas pleazz.

Got up with alarm call...sunrise and photos...coffee by aunty... bidding adieu to aunty and the peak

breakfast at a hotel... we all trying to convince venky to take leave on monday so that we can extend our trip...guru ragging Samsung venky...Chetu and I trying to get "Ule la la la Ul le lo Ul la la Ul la la Ley yo" right. No, KingFisher is not our brand though

Drive through the lush green malnaadu terrain. Green green everywhere, the trees shade covering the entire stretch, making it a pleasant drive. Photos in the mid of road with vehicle speeding from the back. Elaneeru in between, the aunty @ the shop giving smile to Driver, dont know for what reasons!!!

Bath in the river...lunch at hornaadu...and then annapoorneshwari darshana... oota first mikkidella amele was the moto
drive through the kudermaukha hill/forest... mungaaru male songs surisida male.
There was a tree fall and just 2 mins earlier vehicles had come from the opposite side... we were the first one and lucky ones too, as we survived.
venky: eno madodu iga,
Driver: enilla bread biscuit tinnodu , hegidru tent hakilla, tent hakondu malgodu

Vehicles started piling up, it was raining, people gathered. Driver asked us to stay back in the car, as he didnt want us to get drenched and spoil car seats

United we faught, got the tree off the road...visit to lakhya dam...the pleasant drive through the ghat section...mist coming out of the road...suicide spot entry by Suman...coffee @ SK border ...neera bottle photo...mungaru male dialogue
"ee weather, ee mist, ee suicide point, ee friends, ee maragalu, male, photos, jotege local neera, ella seri, nanna manasinalli sari madakke agade irosthu gaya maadide"

Bhanu replied : Gaya maadilla maga. Mansige dukkha aagde irosthu Santosha kottide. Sharan ree Mullayanagiri trip ge Sharanu.

Reached Shringeri, darshana and mangalaharathi...nice dinner ... then maha mangalaharathi...walked around the temple...read through the paintings... called our driver and started towards Murudeshwara.

Took the Agumbe route which has become home for naxalites. Spotted Sambar on the way. Took the route to kolluru via Byndoor. there were no inhabitations in and around for KMs together. Bhanu got to see a person sitting next to road with bald head and wearing red color saree. Driver had already told that we could spot something horrifying like this. He also told sometimes you find women coming with half covered body on this road. Bhanu said, "what should happen, when we see this in a place where there are no houses or no people. Weak persons are going to die of heart attack"

Was a bit disappointed that I couldn't see the person. Bhanu said come lets go back to which Driver said, have you gone crazy. Poor driver, he don't know about us. We do a lot of things Haage Summane (just like that)

Hit the Udupi Pune highway and stopped for tea. Chetu, Venky, Suman were all asleep. Time to change seats, BHanu took back seat and I had to give company to Driver. I wouldn't have minded if Driver talked sensibly. Reached Murudeshwara at 2:30 am. Driver was looking for a place to sleep. Cleaned the foot path and was searching for papers. I removed the tent and placed it on the foot bath. Slept for 3 hours. Got up and immediately wanted to finish our daily routines and see the lord and leave for Kundapura.
Had a long walk along the beach. Don't know why BOYZ were not in a mood to get into the water. Got ready at a local bath room. Saw the Lord Murudeshwara, went up to the place where the Big Idol of Shiva is laid.

Started towards kundapura, Got the flat tyre repaired. We were all asleep in notime. Venky waked us up near the Marvanthe beach. Got down of the car, sat on the rocks wacthing the tides hit the rocks and making ferocious noice. The other side of the road was the calm back waters - Prakruthiya maya.

Stopped at Kundapura for rasayana and gadbad. The settlement at the shop took a long time after which Bhanu and Suman in chorus "finished it of so early, you could have taken more time"

Reached Udupi and had darshana. Here you need to see krishna through the bars and not directly. The story goes something like this:
Kanaka Dasa, a Kannada poet was tied at the back of the temple and beaten up. Then he started praising Lord Krishna and seeking for his Darshan. Then the wall broke and the Idol turned towards Kanaka Dasa. Even today people see Lord Krishna through the bars and the main door is closed most of the times.

Then our immediate action was to have food. Now we have been eating food at temples for three days. And the menu is pretty same at all the places... Pumpkin Sambar, Rasam,, Akki Bele Payasa, Butter milk.

Asked Suman to take the front seat, slept for a while and waked up near Managalore.

Chetu: Come lets have Chats
Me: I need sleep, please carry on
Chetu: neene higandare hego
I thought "chetu gintha nidde hecchalla" ( sleep is not more imp than Chetu) :) :)

We kept trying to convince Venky to extend the trip. Finally at around 6 pm, there was a bit of replanning among me chetu and bhanu. Stopped at gundya, 100 odd Km before Hassan

Chetan's analysis and proposal to Venky:

time is 8, another 280 km to bangalore, so reach bangalore only in the morning at 5, Venky, you will have to take rest for 6 hours and then get ready have lunch and then go to office in the afternoon, which will be around 2. So why not halt in hassan. With good night sleep, leave early at 5 to beluru, 1 1/2 hour there. Then to bangalore by 11. Venky can directly go to office at 12.
Bottom line venly, you will be reaching office 2 hours ealrier.

Then there was a strong statement from suman to me, which played the major role in the decision taken later.
Suman: "Sudhi, I think, we are taking this too far w.r.t Venky"

I did put forward our rationale behind this plan: enough rest to us and to driver who had been driving for 2 days/nights continuously.

Stopped for dinner @ donno which place. Ordered Akki Rotti...forced myself to believe it as rotti and gulp it.
Asked driver if he could drive all night. He agreed for it and we left for bangalore. Luckily the tyre got puntured. What is so lucky about it? Another chance to convince Venky to stay back and visit Beluru. Driver Guru changed the tyre in 15 mins. Travelled for 2 km hardly and the replaced tyre burst out. We were telling Venky, even god doesn't want us to go back to Bangalore without seeing Beluru.

As it was a highway, we could get lift from some punyaatma till the punture shop, got the tyre ready, the driver came back in an auto. Started off again. And after that I dont know what happened. Suddenly chetu wakes us up and says he will get down. Then we realized we were in bangalore. Time 5 am. Dropped Bhanu to Hari's palce and bhanu asked me to finalize on our next expdition.

Hope it happens this year, so that I will have something to boast of at the end of my 25 years on this beautiful planet!!!