DESTINATION WAYANAD -THE XPERIENCE

[The etymology of the word Wayanad is Vayal (paddy) Naad (land); 'Land of Paddy Fields'.]

So on behalf of all of us, [Vijesh-srihari-pranay-gopal-santy-vijay-sethu-karthik] I would like to retake the Wayanad trip, back in time, through those amazing moments that we have experienced together.

A trip that was being thought of for a long time. All it took to arrange were a few local phone calls, With a hope that the trip would give the holiday buff an experience to remember we loaded our belongings in a four wheel drive and by 8 30 a.m. We are on the road to Wayanad via palakkad to explore God's own country. When it comes to appeasing our hunger Karthik lives in nobody's shadow. With Karthik displaying his culinary talent making sevai for all of us great taste came as no big surprise. What more can you expect – the sevai was all over in a flash.

As we wanted to reach kozhikode(a pit stop to Wayanad) as quickly as possible we didn’t stop anywhere else and instead munched on potato wafers and snacks. A special mention of our tour navigator Srihari Namboodhiri (the suffix was added after the trip) for his endless enthusiasm in organizing this journey and reliving his kerala experience. Speaking in malayalam and saving all the others of embarrassment. Any trip to kerala would be incomplete without a visit to its pristine backwaters and so the next destination of ours, a beach, came as first choice en-route to kozhikode(if my spelling is right). A completely unexplored part of the country promising to give its visitors an experience not common in this part of the country. All the boys with a sense of urgency jumped into the backwaters of the Keetungal beach. Plunging, pushing, diving.........basically having the time of our lives. After about an hour’s time we had to move on with our trip and had to reach the pit stop as early as possible. Blinding roads replete with greenery enveloped us. We reached our destination - Kalpetta, Wayanad at about 9.00 pm and landed at PPS tourist home. A nice, calm, spacious and cozy place for makeshift travelers like us. It had a nice restaurant where we tried most of their delicacies before going back to our rooms for a shower. Once all of us were done (with the Herculean task of cleaning ourselves....!!!...) PPS had something more exciting than the ambience they offered us.

We had all set our alarms for 6:00 in the morning to go on a trek, but not one of us could pull ourselves out of bed till 7:00. After a quick cup of hot coffee and arming ourselves with a bottle of water, packets of maggi and some other basic amenities, We set off trekking with Mr.Pavithran a trekking expert. We are a very over-enthusiastic bunch of people, the previous night when discussing about the trek, all of us jumped with joy at the thought of doing the tough and treacherous trail. Before we could get to the base camp a visit to the Soochipara falls is worth mentioning. Nestled between mountains and rocks , the boys jumped in again. Freezing cold water and the thrill of splashing water on everyone left all of us nostalgic the minute we left the place. The base camp of the trek was about 18kms from PPS. Hardly five minutes on the trail and all could we hear was our own breath moving like ant files in the thick jungles of Kerala setting our eyes on the chembara Peak (2100 metres above sea level!) - Our destination. It poured cats and dogs on the way. None of us were anywhere close to prepared for this adventure of a life time. Vulnerability to snakes (another term that scares Mr.pranay, you can ask everyone why?) wild dogs, sambar deer, wet t-shirt and no woolen clothing for the night made it all the more adventurous. Once we got to the camp site (about 5-6 kms from the start) everyone took a deep breath to be with nature not having the slightest clue of the fact that we had to live Neolithic lives for the next 12 hours or so. Despite our breathlessness (which went off in a few minutes) we were all unanimous in the thought that the view was worth the climb. After spending another fifteen odd minutes clicking snaps and just enjoying the breeze and view, we set off on a route less traveled by techno savvy people like us-one of collecting and chopping firewood. Gopal, Santy and Srihari bore the brunt of the leeches (that’s why don’t be too sweet!!!)

After the firewood was ready the tent were pitched like two pyramids within 30 mintues.Santy and Vijay went to fetch a pail of water from a lake nearby called the love lake(we could not have chosen better people for it dont you think.!!!.). A real Stress remover. The endless stretch of the lake Calm, quiet filled with strange peace that fills your soul. The culinary expertise in karthik and vijesh came handy once again... cutting vegetable to add to the noodles... Mr.Pavithran lit the bon-fire like the way he lit our lives up by bringing us to this place. Once the maggi was ready the plates sprung up from god knows where... It was like a hunger strike....After satiating our taste buds we sat around the bonfire, moving closer and closer to the word G-H-0-S-T. conld'nt get eerier than this.. With cold winds blowing us away it was truly and discovery channel experience. Worn out legs and tired bodies forced us into our tents but we kept the "Royal Challenge" alive (pun intended). With no drinking water anywhere in the vicinity we had to finally hit the sleeping bags with a promise of getting up and reaching the base camp by 8 in the morning.All of us were up by 6 in the morning.Anwering nature's call ......

I would'nt want to say anything more...it just happens after all. Soon we were on our way back.

The hill had more grass and was more slippery and steep. Some parts were easy going and some scary, especially when I could see rocks go hurtling down to the foot of the hill. Slowly and steadily all of us made our way back down and we sure were glad to finally touch flat ground. We reached base camp at 7:45. We were all famished and another delicious breakfast did all of us a lot of good.

With another round of cold river water bath in the hills of Wayanad we set off for the Edakkal caves. Even if it did not offer much entertainment it was worth a visit. We set off again to the Mudumalai forest on an adventure ride in search of the wildest of animals. With not much luck on our side we still got to see a few elephants and deers...(Watch them up close they are quite exciting!!!). Musinagudi which was scarrily unscary (situated around 7 kms from Mudumalai) wont even give the local people a run for their money. From then on it was our "old is gold" OOTY.. all the way. We had somethin like dinner in charing cross and through kothagiri were back in coimbatore by about 8:30 in the night.

On the whole if you beleive that aquaintances made in college are meant to last a lifetime then walk straight into PPS in Wayanad and ask for PAVITHRAN.!!!!

Sweet Farewell

Yes.. Our time is up.. My college days are over.. These 4+ years @ PSG Tech has been the most memorable in my life.. Lots of friends, fun, up's and down.. I learnt a lot both academic and personally.. We had a grand finale for this end.. First was the a awesome amount of fun we had in the last day of the college.. Lots of flashes flickerring around.. Scribblings.. Cakes and Tears..

Adding more shine to the crown was the stunning farewell we got from our sub-juns.. We had a farewell to softies2k, which we felt one among the beautiful farewell.. But this was no match to it.. better than the best.. The venue was Deja Vu.. The moment we entered the hall the lights was great and the event were neat, esp the first segment, were a presentation (DOMCA Speciality) abt my class was really touching.. :-) Everything was great about the farewell.. Only thing was I had to spend only half of it, after which I had to leave due to unavoidable circumstances.. But towards the end, was a song composed for us..

natpe natpe dhinam natpil thithithom
natpe natpe ini enge sandhipom
||natpe||
ada varusham aindhu enbadhu oru nimisham aagi ponadhu
vilaiyatu vilaiyatu vilayattaiiii
naam kalil udhaitha pandhugal indru thondai kuzhiyil uruludhu
indha uravum indha pirivum ini engum kidaikadhe
||natpe||
nalla puthagam pol namai naame dhinam vasithom
andha noolagam marandhiduma
nitham arusuvai aratayil pasiyarinom
andha unavagam marandhiduma
ketta pazhakangal pala katru kondom
nalla idhayathai naam sumanthu selvom
padam soliyadhu kai alavu
package soliyadhu kadal alavu
inru azhagana farewell dhan nadakindradhe
||natpe||
andru yaro endru vandhom inge mudal naalile
indru natpil manam kai kulukudhe
dhinam china china sandai potta kayam ellam
indru sugamaga valikindradhe
indha aanenum penenum bedham
adhu enendru naam kettu senrndhom
endha dhisaikalil nadandhiduvom
enge yevarudan inaindhiduvom
nalai varum natkal idhu pola inidhagatum
||natpe||
kadaisi benche bye bye
college canteene bye bye
ocl labe bye bye
kg karpagame bye bye
assesment tutoriale bye bye
domca deparmente bye bye
boomerang caramele bye bye
suthina peelamede bye bye

Le festival plus de!

Yes, the festival is over!

I'm back with a bang to my scribblings! So what was the festival? where was it? can you come and have some fun again? Think Again. The festival season started from SCT all along the way till elgooG. The festival is unique one of its kind, selected people are allowed to participate. The highlight of the festival is, on regular time interval a door will be shown. It is now left to the individuals to find the right door, Just finding the right door is not important. But holding the right key! On a given day any door could be opened by anyone with the right key! But you cant make a key for any door, you should possesses it by yourself. For me its a tough ride, and still riding!

Its almost an end for my college days, just 30+ Days to Goo.. An sensational time out there in my college. Like Steve Ballmer, I would say, "I love this college". This semester in a nutshell. Least ever attendance percentage, Soft Computing, Placement cell, Resi, Countdowns and ofcourse No studies. Login is just days away! Looking forward for it.

He died doing what he loves best!

It was yet another daily dose of TV for me. Usual flipping of channels in minutes. But some news scrolls at the bottom of the screen caught my eyes. :(

It stated, "Iconic Steve Irwin dies in action".

It was a mourning moment! He was such an inspring personality. Wow! His Crocodile hunter episodes in Animal Planet always made me stick on to the seat. Such an amazing wildlife conservationist and naturalist. In the columns of The Hindu stated these lines...

"He died doing what he loves best and left this world in a happy and peaceful state of mind" he said. "Crocs Rule!"

You have done your part mate.. As you go into sleep, let this world awake and fulfill your dream in conserving wildlife...

[Image: www.pbase.com]

2 Days 2 Drives

Yes, its 2 days and 2 drives in my bike.. Its different destinations.. Nice xperince to write down..

Day1: It all started the previous night, my mobile beeped! Humm its scorcee.. He had pinged me, to ask if I could join the bike ride tomorrow to Anaikatti.. After a bit hesitation I accepted.. I asked him to wake me up the next day.. I decided to tell Dad, that I'm going to college. Since they would start to advice me for such long rides.. [who would like to hear advices in this age].. Its morning now.. Triiiing Triiing.. My mobile sings aloud.. But I'm asleep.. My Dad picked up the phone, and my beloved friend told my Dad "Uncle please wake up Vijesh, Since we are going for a ride today!" :-) he he he.. Then I informed them and started.. Its me, scorcee, shanku, vivek, vishnu & arvi..
Anaikatti is near TamilNadu Kerala border.. Some of the beatiful destinations to go for.. inclues the asharam of Swami Sakshatkritananda.. The destination was not a place to be talked off.. Its just a small, stream that runs! Every ppl in its surroundings use it from washing to bathing.. But the one to be talked of is the drive that takes you to the destination.. Awesome road, if you love biking.. Nice long stretches, curves, turns, bushes on both sides of the road, mild climbs.. Lot more.. It was well maintained.. Or rather in good condition, since it was less used.. You find no vehicles, rarely a few that crosses once in a while.. A good place, on a less sunny day!

Day2: This was also a no planned trip.. Sri asked me if we could go to dhyanalingam.. Humm k.. We started off.. Myself, Gopal, Sri & Seethu.. Its on the foot hills of vellingiri.. Around 30kms from CBE.. This ride.. Both are worth mentioning, the place and the ride.. This road is still better than the previous.. This route is via perur thro the small towns and to velingiri forest judiciary! Calm and clean road and climate favored more for a drive! Pleasant in the later part of the day!
But the sad part of the trip was the meditation centre itself.. It lost the sole purpose, why it was constructed for.. Rather a peaceful meditation centre, it became a temple for all.. people started to pour in numbers in cars, vans, even lorry's and tourist buses! But the administration is taking all its efforts to keep it calm and clean.. One point to be mentioned it.. Irrespective of this much floating population visiting, the place and its surroundings is Clean :-).. Also during my previous visit 2 years back, the vehicles would be stopped way far from the centre! now they are allowed very near to the temple, rightly they pass thro near the entrance. Also construction work is been carried out in the temple premises.. So workers are roar their drills! All these make the place loud! :-( which makes us feel a nit disappointed when we return.. So better choose early mornings than late evenings!

Planning for my day 3 ride! 

Mr Lazy!

Its been long since I wrote last.. at the beginning of this 8th sem.. now its only days left before my semester exams.. so long what am I doing.. Nothing! Guess this sem is the most laziest sem off all.. Just returning back from the industry, will a belly and yawning more than I blink my eyes in the lecture hours.. Get up, reply to all the gud mornings in my mobile.. take bath and dress up and start my bike.. swiftly escape all the signals before 8am.. That’s it start yawning from 8.30-10.20, oops now I'm tired.. ok go to canteen and have the same pakoda and tea.. yae.. felling better now.. ok start music again.. start yawning again.. will look time in my mobile at least 100 times from 12-12.20 for the bell or for the staff to leave the class.. Ya.. I'm fresh again.. ok lunch now.. VG or Iyer mess or Canteen.. Who cares :)) Now afternoon lab ah.. start machine.. open window.. minimize it.. maximize it.. repeat it again and again.. until 4.15.. ok now time for third break.. Canteen tea or caramel chocolate eclair and coffee.. return back to lab curse the AC operator.. since its a desert inside.. ok.. its getting late.. and will start home.. calm ride back to home.. eat mag and sleep.. This had been my routine most of the days..

Life is boring as a bachelor :-).. But there had been lots of change around me.. lots of aunties start to emerge around me.. hope by my graduation day my class room will be a mini play school lol :) Had few nice lunch outs this sem.. more friends.. spl ooty trip :).. what else, signing off this sem with sweet memories.. Farewell to all my batch mates from college.. :(

North India Trip!

Now I say to myself, one of the best decisions I had taken is to go ahead with the trip with my class meets… Since I had earlier thought of pulling from the trip… Most memorable trip in my college days… Lots of enjoyment… sight seeing.. photos… fun…

Every event needs some preparations.. So does this.. Indeed more this time.. This is planned as an Industrial visit officially.. Along with it the other itinerary joins.. We had earlier work cut out lots of days before.. We tried desperately for a company in Delhi or Noida.. But all efforts ended in vain.. Then getting the count for the trip.. After my PS end date.. I had one day to prepare of the trip… within that I had to do my final project presentation.. It was a tight schedule.. But prepared earlier and was able to cope with it..

<>Here is short map that’s planned for the trip… Cbe -> Chennai -> Delhi -> Chandigarh -> Simla -> Manali -> Amristar -> Delhi -> Jaipur -> Agra -> Chennai -> Chennai -> Cbe.

Some of most interesting and enjoyable moments of the trip was the train journey.. where we had uno played all through it.. srihari & his map explorations… mysore express… myself and gops photo session… Dum C.. some good videos…

Then on reaching Delhi.. we went to “1 Akbar road” Indira Gandhi memorial… It was inspirational and patriotic.. She was a great leader.. I wanted to get some snaps.. But its prohibited inside the house.. Delhi being the capital.. It was a clean and good city.. The roads were good as far as we traveled.. The same day evening shopping in ‘karol bagh’ [spelled incorrect]. It was a huge street market.. Everything you would like to get is available.. All you need to get things is not money.. But little Hindi.. and bargaining skills.. we made a quick walk to the end of the market and returned back.. Not pre planed to get chosen things.. Though managed to get few small things..

Then early morning travel to Chandigarh… toughest and most tiring part of the trip is to load and unload 60 odd luggage from the top of the bus.. L To say about chandigarh.. It’s the most planned city and a clean city we could ever visit.. All roads were four lane clean.. and good.. I wished BTM layout also could have plan like the same… J

Then to simla.. The temperature had already started to fall down.. In simla we were able to get some good nature photography.. then the large snake.. the yark.. the painful horse journey [not for me! instead the horse]. Then over night travel to manali.. most tiresome part of the trip.. being tall.. it was hectic to sit in the bus for such a long time.. next day was fortunately a rest day.. spent most of the time in the hotel.. One thing I thought I missed in the trip would be manali shopping.. were some of my friends were able to sketch their name on a grain! That was cute and good..

The same night evening was camp fire.. were we had lots of fun.. but the climate did not allow us to stay long.. still we managed to have fun.. I did not participate much, since I was behind the lens! Next day we went to Rotang pass. It was most steepest hill road I have ever traveled. Approx it was 13000 ft above sea level… then one the way we had snow on the roads and was not able to proceed further.. then snow.. and snow fighting.. cool snaps.. towards the end bad luck struck a few of us.. we missed the sumo that was supposed to pick us and we went about 1km and had to walk back to find it.. not last but least.. final blow of snow from one of my class meet tore of my lips… returned almost exhausted.. due to time constraint we missed a Buddhist monastery on the way.. early morning we started to amristar.. on hill journey was the most scenic beauty one could ever see.. There was a river that follows us for most of the hill journey..

Later full day travel to Amristar.. Gloden temple was beautiful in both day light and night.. But the streets we took to travel was bad.. next day was “Jallianwala bagh” and Indo-pak border.. It was honor to witness the flag lowering ceremony.. emotions ran high on both ends as the ceremony went on.. we then have to rush out of Punjab border to avoid tax for the next day.. Then to Delhi.. again shopping.. most of them managed to get bags of things.. but I returned empty handed.. first saying I did not have the patience to stand and bargain.. secondly we were tired..

Jaipur was next on the list.. Great places.. with excellent engineering plan, architecture and craft work in the places they lived.. shopping the pink city in the same evening.. managed to get a kurtha this time.. then the final showdown.. Agra and Tajmahal! No wonder its One of the wonders of the world! It was huge and awesome to everyone.. We reached when it was almost dawn.. Now they started to maintain it from pollution.. no vehicles were allowed hear it.. only battery cars take us there.. each part of the architecture was magnificent.. wondering this was done for a women! J

Back in train.. more fun.. nagpur oranges on the way.. Chennai.. awesome food in dk’s house.. nice sleep.. managed to start from Chennai.. despite of cyclone warnings.. so far so good.. ticket checks in train.. flying squad.. raised a few eye brows.. finally everything went smoothly.. what else “Home sweet home!”

Few people to be credited are the bus driver.. He was a machine.. driving all day and night.. Esp the manali route was with twist and turn for every 5^th second.. then long plains to amristar.. Hats off to him.. Then the cook who came along with us.. Great food.. made us feel like in home.. kept us all healthy.. Great work from the three guys! Next the person who loaded the luggage’s for us on the bus.. Just lifting itself is tiring job.. Just imagine around 60 luggage’s.. it was not an easy job.. he was strong to that.. next the faculty who accompanied for the trip.. Even thought some of them had visited the places earlier.. they joined us.. and in spite of their inconveniences they managed to support and guide us all along.. thanks to them.. finally the travel agent Senthi ji and Kalidas ji.. were friendly and fun all along the trip.. kaling comedy was great asset all along! J