Serenity in Chaos(4/3)
- 4 minsDay 3
It was a delight as I woke up to a chilly and cloudy morning and the forecast predicted some good rains for the day. We had Yaana, Unchalli falls and Bheemana Gudda on the list today and I was super excited – mainly because the weather was to my liking and there were going to be leeches! Aniketh and Prithvi were being paranoid and it was fun to see Prithvi squeal every time we mentioned about a leech.
Since the places were nearby, we started the day quite late, around 11 am. In about an hour’s time we reached Yaana. The place reminded me of a horror movie scene, and it seemed like we were in the middle of it, in a forest. We tried looking for leeches, but couldn’t find any. We started walking towards the rock cut caves, for which Yaana is famous for. We walked at a brisk pace, hoping leeches don’t catch on to us, and kept checking our feet. It was a short walk, and I was enthralled to see the place in reality. Pictures don’t do justice to this place because it’s indeed an exciting place for nature lovers. Yaana is a well known as a pilgrimage centre because of the cave temple below the Bhairaveshwara Shikhara where a Swayambhu linga has been formed. Water drips from the roof over the linga, adding to the sanctity of the place. There is a small path to go through the rocks and we can see that it is an unusual rock formation. A hundred-odd meters tall, I kept wondering what would happen if an earthquake manifested and the rocks split apart.
After a stroll around the place, we were back on the road to Unchalli falls. Rain was playing hide and seek, and it would be raining for a small stretch and there would be bright sunlight after a kilometer of road. We however managed to reach the entrance of the falls, and man, it was loud! We were nearly two kilometers away and we could hear the water roar as it plunged the depths. Everyone was being over cautious and applied some Dettol to their feet, hoping to avoid any leeches. In a few minutes, we were walking swiftly, but were careful so as to avoid slipping – the place was dangerously slick. It was drizzling and when we reached the first viewpoint, I was speechless.
The sight was just unbelievable. I was staring at an endless abyss of pure white. I could hear the furor made by the water, but I could barely see anything. My ears sensed the waterfall was towards my left, but my eyes couldn’t see a thing. Tiny little droplets of water kissed my face as the wind carried them right towards me. Every leaf glistened with dew. The experience was heavenly. All I could think when I stood there, was, ‘How in the world can something be so beautiful yet dangerous?’
It was at that time, ‘Serenity in Chaos’ made perfect sense to me.
We walked further down, carefully, as everyone arrived and we stood there as the fog rose partly, revealing the waterfall in all it’s glory. It began to rain heavily but we just stood there, not willing to budge from the alluring gush of water. Unfortunately, the rain got worse and we had to head back, but we didn’t forget to take a couple of pictures which were pretty foggy.
Karthik had the first leech bite before we got into the car, but he quickly neutralised it. Half drenched, we sat in the car, en route to Bheemana Gudda. The place was empty, and it started raining as soon as we got out of the car. There was a small shelter, and we waited for a few minutes, and then started walking towards the cliff. There’s a nicely laid out trail, with poles on either sides marking a path. It was gusty, and I was loving it. After scores of pictures, we finally made it to the cliff end, and that was when we had our second leech attack. I was quick enough to notice the leech on my foot and it was Karthik again who helped me remove it.
Another was attacked Prithvi’s hand, but her screaming and yelling ensured that the leech was gone in a few seconds. There was sporadic rain again, but what caught my attention was the spectacular view before my eyes.
Two hills, tapering to reveal a valley. A river flows, seemingly calm till it becomes a rushing waterfall on the other side of the horizon. Clouds around, like it was heaven. No end to the greenery in every direction. The smell of wet mud and the splash of cold wind on your face.. It was another dimension.
Bheeman Gudda
With a heavy heart, we had to head back as our bus was scheduled at 9 PM. We got back home, had dinner, and packed and bade our farewell to Karthik’s family, and boarded the bus.
** With a million new memories flooding my heart and my phone, the bus departed from Sirsi Bus Stand to Mysore. **