OM SHAKTHI OM
Travel date - 26.03.2015
FOR QUICK TIPS SCROLL DOWN TO BOTTOM
Let this blog help some others who visit Kodachadri.. I will try to explain at my level best...first please read another blog before proceeding
http://ajitvadakayil.blogspot.in/2013/03/kudajadri-mountain-chitramoola-cave-adi.html
My plan was to travel alone. Reached Mookambika road ( Byndoor railway station early morning 2.00 AM, took a sharing auto for 200/- and reached kollur. Buses are available in day time. As it was off seasongot room for 200/-. Slept 1 hour and reached Mookambika temple before morning Pooja. Hardly 50 people,had Darshan nicely and meditated for 1 hour, bought Laddu as prasadam, came back to my room, changed dress and good sport shoes are must for trekking. Was in a confusion whether to trek alone or go by jeep. Came out side and suddenly a bus arrived and got into it, actually didn't get time think... other wise I would have gone by jeep.
Took Shimoga bus at 7.00 AM and got down at KARIKKAATTE,,,,also known as KODACHADRI GATE .....bus charge 10/- or 15/- only...reached within 40 minutes.. got down from the bus and started my trek at 7.45 AM
To be frank was little afraid to walk through reserve forest.... absolutely its silent other than some birds sound... Some time I could only hear my foot step sound and if I stopped walking, only my breath sound could be heard.... Terrific experience... Slowly got used with it and started enjoying the nature....
Mostly it was a mud road filled with dry leaves, some times got open area as in the pic below...
a village school till 5th standard with 25 students altogether....
Then came famous Santhosh Hotel as read in other blogs
Got typical mallu puttu with kadala curry and chaaya... If u need they will arrange night night accommodation... upto Santhosh hotel its approachable with vehicles.. But then you have to come via next entry of KARIKKAATTE.... I forgot its name .... but its landmark is just before a bridge on the Kollur-Shimoga highway.......
After a breakfast break again started my travel.... Met Surendra running juice n tea stall in the hill top!!!
I asked him " any animals in this forest ", he replied " not much, panther, bison, deer and monkey "
" what Panther ", " dont worry it has not done any harm to human beings till now ".... "Bison has attacked some times back"....
Generally no threats from animals, but it was totally off season and I was travelling alone...
Coming back to Surendra, almost he walks daily up and down the hill.... His grandfather lived upto 120 years and father 100 years.... now their average life span in 80-100 and that too healthy body.... he says now due to chemical and junk foods it has reduced to 80.....
Such is the purity of air and water there.....
After Santhosh Hotel Trek route became difficult and the real adventure started.... There shouldn't be any confusion is the trek route. Always follow main path and after santhosh hotel few deviations are there to the village but always follow up-hill path.....
many trees can be found on the way....
after a dense up-hill track then reached a open grass hill...
Surendra says during Navarathri season, 7 colours of flowers will bloom in this area and its a visual retreat...
The man in the below picture is taking care of Jnanapeedam in the hill - top... Not exactly like a priest,but almost like that :-)
He too joined us....
It was almost around 10 AM and slightly hot.... Idle time to start the trek will be 7 AM in summer.. I was late by 1 hour....
Took few breaks and had water, Surendra gave me some fresh and organic Gauva, tasted like anything.....
From here u ll get nice view of Kodachadri Moolasthan temple and Jnanapeedam was covered with mist!!!
almost with 2 hours reached Moolasthanam temple, I have been there before, so didnt spent much time there.... My aim was to reach CHITRAMOOLA which i missed in a trip 10 years back.... Priest there is running a small restaurant... can get minimum food and accomodation...
The long SHOOLAM made with pure iron was used by DEVI to kill Mookasura.... Nobody knows it total length ... the part which is visible will be around 8 metres.... So just imagine about the person who lifts this Shoola.... this shoola dates 1000 of years back....
Surendra left me as he has to set up shop near Ganesh Guha, I told him arrange nice buttermilk for me.....
I started my journey to Jnanapeedam, saw one guy standing there confused.... a confused desi :-)
SHESHAN, a medical student from Kerala, he reached Santhosh hotel last night, stayed there and started early morning trek. He had no further plans to come up... I told him " come on, there is something to see up-hill - not much difficult "
When I visited 10 years back this place with my mother, we came by jeep and I trekked only till Jnaana peedam... people will say nothing to see in CHITRAMOOLA and its difficult.... but this time I was determined to visit CHITRAMOOLA....
Jeep travel is another adventure.... U will become a fan of Mahindra Jeep and the driver...will loosen each and every nut and bolt in your body :-)
IF NOTHING IS THERE IN CHITRMOOLA THEN WHY ADISHANKARACHARYA MEDITATED THERE.....this pulled me up
Sheshan like a younger brother started trekking with me with silly doubts, till up hill and reached Ganesh Guha
Me sweated like anything..... felt like stood in a heavy rain...
in the left corner of cave there is a small tunnel which is believed that it leads to Mookambika temple.
Just above Ganesh Guha Surendra was ready with his stall.... served us buttermilk made from pure desi cow milk, curry leaf, ginger and chilly.... tasted like AMRIT..... had 3 or 4 glass full....
it was around 11 AM.... Surendra told when u come back we will go together.... I told him I will spent some time there in CHITRAMOOLA and by 3.30 we can descend together....
Reached the top and view was amazing with mist and cool breeze...
after this point u can see JNANAPEEDAM
we will forget all our tiredness here....... AdiShankaracharya's Statue is placed there and there was a priest inside the sanctum... Spent some time there and proceeded to CHITRAMOOLA, the ultimate destination....
Prepare for a good trekking, its not going to be easy....steeps are of 60-80 degrees
CHITRAMOOLA is exactly behind JNANAPEEDAM... a 2 km trek....
finally reached CHITRAMOOLA.... my ultimate destination of this trek. excitement reached at its maximum
this cave is 10ft above ground level and a ladder was set there... In the cave Shiva Linga and Nandi statue is there.... felt very sorry that I didnt take any oil /lamp with me for lightening there....
Done abishekam for Shiva Linga with the Holy water.... wow what a feeling it was......
Holy river Sowparnikha starts from here.....
Had theertha as much as I can and took a bath in small flow..... all tiredness, thrist and hunger vanished....
all tired was gone and refreshed totally.....it was around 12 noon......
saw one man in the cave, a slightly disturbed man, for last one week he is here... a lottery seller.... gave the snacks to him which I had and he was happy...
meditated there for 1 hour and took rest for another 1 hour with music and devotional songs...
Blessed enough to spent some time where AdiShankaracharya meditated...
the peace and purity of that place cannot be explained.... only be felt..... was in state of peace and happiness which I never had in life time till now.....
Then there came a YOGI who was staying there for many days... he came to collect some holy water...
talked many things and he advised not to go behind money ....
in the talk he revealed his name - GEORGE KUTTY - out of cuirosity I asked " how come being a christian, you are here? "
he replied " I lived according to Jesus for many years, then I understood that there is something more in life. A Yogi in Himalayas has initiated me, then I followed this path"
He advised me " try to travel alone sometimes, u will know many things then " -
Sheshan was also with me and was totally excited by all this events....
while sitting there a 3 member group from kerala visited there.... they couldn,t spend time there as their Jeep was waiting .... to avoid this I planned trekking.... Took my own time there in Chitramoola.... AARAM SE......
Around 2.30 started back thanking Almighty Lord..... Love for the nature and this whole existence multiplied in me.... hugged trees and touched grasses... felt like they are passing energy to me....
reached back Jnanpeedam and it started drizzling.... What can I ask more....
.. thanked Almighty Lord as much as I can.
While coming back Surendra was packing his items and he told us to move, he will join soon....
Leg pain started while descending....
Surendra soon joined us, he was almost running and descending....
He said make fast movements so that joint pain will be less.... dont walk neither run... in between.... We tried and it was very effective.....reached Santhosh Hotel at 5.00 PM,,, again had PUTTU and KADALA CURRY with TEA.....
5.30 Again started our journey and while coming back after santhosh hotel took right deviation, the motorable road which I explained before.
On the way back saw villages with paddy fields
saw a crystal clear water stream and had dip in it
Surendra explained,,,, there are almost 10 caves secret caves like CHITRAMOOLA and we arrange them for YOGIS who want to meditate. Natural water supply will be there in the cave and they survive with moong dal like items...
Around 6.30 reached main road ( shimoga - kollur ) and last bus came to kollur.
It was memorable trip for the whole life....
THANK YOU...
TIPS FOR TREKKERS
- TAKE MINIMUM WEIGHT WITH YOU. WATER BOTTLE AND SNACKS. REFILLING FACILITY AT SANTHOSH HOTEL, MOOLASTHANA AND CHITRAMOOLA.
- DRINKS AND SNACK AVAILABLE IN SMALL SHOPS ABOVE. MORE SHOPS WILL OPEN IN SEASON AND VERY FEW IN OFF SEASON.
- BE PREPARED FOR LEECHES IN OTHER THAN SUMMER.
- AVOID NOON TREK IN SUMMER
- KAARAKATTE PASS IS LUSH GREEN AND THROUGH RESERVE FOREST
- VEHICLES NOT ALLOWED THROUGH KAARAKATTE
- NEXT GATE IS BEFORE A BRIDGE IN KOLLUR - SHIMOGA HIGHWAY, VEHICLES CAN GO TILL SANTHOSH HOTEL. BUT ITS THROUGH VILLAGES
- IF U MISS THE BUS AUTO, TAXI CHARGE YOU HEAVILY.
- ACCOMMODATION FACILITY AT SANTHOSH HOTEL, VALOOR AND UP HILL PWD GUEST HOUSE.
- MOSQUITO REPELLENT IS MUST IF STAYING IN SANTHOSH HOTEL.
- CAMPING ALLOWED BUT CONFIRM WITH PWD GUEST HOUSE.
- START BY 7AM, U CAN FINISH BY 6 PM...
- SPENT SOME TIME IN CHITRAMOOLA, ITS AN AMAZING VIBRATIONAL PLACE.
- TAKE OIL, AND LAMP AT SHIVA LINGA IN CHITRMOOLA CAVE.
- DO ABISHEKA TO LINGA WITH WATER.
- DONT THROW BOTTLES AND WASTES THERE, GOT ENOUGH THERE.
- WHILE TREKKING DOWN, MAKE FAST MOVEMENTS SO THAT THE PAIN IN THE LEG WILL BE LESS. BETWEEN RUNNING AND WALKING.
- VISIT CAVE TEMPLE IN MOOKAMBIKA. ( BUS STAND ROAD )THERE NAGAS COME AND LIE NEAR HOLY SHIVA LINGA.
- IF POSSIBLE TRAVEL ALONE, OR WITH MINIMUM PEOPLE.
- DO NOT DISTURB YOGIS IF THEY ARE MEDITATING.
- TOUCH AND HUG THE TREES,/PLANTS IF U FEEL TIRED, THEY WILL BLESS YOU WITH ENERGY ( MY EXPERIENCE, THATS ALL )
- BE PREPARED FOR A 24 KM TREK, BOTH PHYSICALLY AND MENTALLY.
- YOU CAN'T JUST MAKE IT. REALLY NEED A PULL.
MY 2ND TRIP ON 16.03.2017
This time I decided to trek via Arisinagundi falls to Chitramoola. A trek path only very people knew. As per the advices it was a very less traveled path and not safe to travel alone. Hearing this my excitement got doubled and decided to travel the same path.
2 km from kollur to Shimoga Highway, there is a place called Dharmapeetha, Thathatha Ashrama. After that around 100 meters u can see a gate on the right side. Actually need permission from forest auhority office near kollur bus stand and they will provide a guide. But my alone travel plan will get spoiled. So checked with locals, they said need not worry about permission. My plan was to reach Valoor via Arisinagundi falls.
It was indeed a terrific path with much less foot prints.
Mud path full covered with dry leaves. Started at 7.45, reached arisinagundi deviation point at 8.45, almost a 5 km trek.
read that it might take 2 hours trek, but i reached in one hour as I am used to walk fast. Just before that deviation point saw huge tree fallen and blocking the jeep passage. Till that it was ok, but I understood that no one could come for any help after that point.
Kept walking towards right, because as per my calculation kudachadri was in that direction. Filled one bottle from a stream.... just only one... it was a big mistake and I paid the price for it later...... The whole path was almost similar, filled with dense forest, fallen tress in many areas and dried up streams. saw monkeys, squirells, forest hen etc....
while walking heard a growling, was little scared..... prayed and kept walking and after couple of minutes the growling vanished. Local people has told me about the presence of tiger, panther, bear, foxes etc in that forest. But no causalities heard till today because of animal attack.
All blessings of Devi Mookambika!!!!!!!
Was not sure whether I could reach destination, but still I proceeded. Failures pave path for the success. after 2 hours I understood that I got mislead some where... I could see kodachadri hill now,but the path was deviating away from the holy hill. I understood I could no more reach valoor now. Got some idlis with me but no water, had only one filled water bottle. All the streams were dried up...Felt like crying loudly....
decided to walk till the water finishes..after that i became a miser in drinking water. got very tired, as i was left with no hope.... wont believe that path after arisinagundi deviation was very much less travelled and very dangerous. filled with bushes and thorny plants, fallen huge trees....saw a pair of sandals and dhoti on the way..... " someone got attacked by any animals ????? " mind started thinking in all possible ways...... still had a belief that God has some planning, just surrendered according to that.
after 4 hour trek reached a small hill and open area, saw sky after 4 hours...
on left hand side there stood Majestic Kodachadri !!!!!!!! later i confirmed from google earth after reaching home....
Back side view of Kodachadri.....
by the time my water finished and my trek ended there.... it was around 12 noon... If i travel further, I wont be able to return back before night....might get stucked in forest at night......, also no stock of water with me... It will be a very big risk... temperature was also high, chances of getting dehydration was also there....
took rest at the top of the hill, had some idlis....
started walking back by 12... trekked down for 2 hours, then only i got water from the stream.... understood how much important is water ...... my throat was totally dried....
A 3 hour down trek took me to starting point.....
it was a failed attempt, but still had some satisfaction..... 7 hour lonely trek in deep forest!!!!!!! a dangerous one indeed for a normal person like me...
according to my calculation after studying google earth, i would have reached Chitramoola in another 1-2 hour trek, but not sure about the path....
If Devi Blesses me, Next year I might try this path again..... Lets see.....
AVOID TRAVELING ALONE..........
