Personally I don’t
prefer climbing mountains. But I like the view from the peak. To see
and enjoy the view I have to climb. So I climb. Friend Dinesh Holla
often takes us on treks to the peaks that he has conquered. When we
trekked to Kumbhakallu last month he showed us the majestic Amedikallu
and announced that next month we would be trekking there. The majestic
looks of ‘Ame’ (the single large rock on the peak resembling a tortoise)
and ‘Dikkel’ (the three smaller rocks next to it standing on a single
platform) excited us.
So on the morning of 21st January 2006, 26 of us were off from Mangalore
to Shishila to trek to Amedikallu under the leadership of Dinesh.
Lunch was at Mr.Gopu Gokhale’s house at Shishila. It was pleasant
meeting Mr.Gokhale as I had been reading his articles in various publications.
All were reluctant to eat much as immediately we had to start climbing.
Our guide Pijina joined us here. He loves those arrack packets and
had already emptied couple of them. At 2.40pm we started the ascent.
After about 90 minutes all safely reached the point where the peak
makes appearance for the first time. It was 4:15pm already.
There was a huge gap between
those who went ahead and those lagging behind. The peak looked
awesome. The initial 90 minutes climb knocked the stuffing out
of some fellows. What followed next was a gradual ascent through
couple of shola forests and plain landscape. That lasted for
about 45 minutes.
By the time we emerged out of the forest to the point from where
it is a tough climb it was 5:15pm. We could see the leading
group way up ahead looking like dots. We marched on. The sunlight
was not harsh as it was evening. Including me, 6 of us lagged
behind. It was one of the toughest and longest climbs. At 6:45pm
we had the last glimpse of the sun as he slowly slid down beyond
the slope of the hill and we were still struggling. The grass
around was dry and we could not see the ground. In minutes it
was dark. Suhas had a torch and was carrying a vessel as well.
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I took the vessel and he lead the way for 6 of us by becoming the
‘torch’bearer. Adolf and Darryl were struggling so were Sandip and
myself. Only Ananth – who lags behind so that he could be with his
buddy Sandip – was not struggling. It was 7:00pm and we were still
some distance away from the start of the last shola forest to be crossed
which in fact is located right at the base of the large rock making
up the peak. All 20 other members had reached that spot and were waiting
for us. We fell, slipped and in between rested for about 10 minutes
when Darryl complained about dizziness and finally caught up with
the rest at about 7:30pm. Dinesh had a powerful flashlight with him,
which he kept flashing at us and we were able to catch up with them.
If Dinesh had not got this flashlight then it would have been total
chaos as only a few guys had torch.
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Now we entered the forest.
It was pitch dark. Without that flashlight we could not move.
26 people and one flashlight, no one complained, as all were
ashamed of themselves for not getting a torch of their own despite
being told. Pijina went ahead making way and we all followed.
Dinesh was at the end holding the flash light and helping all
move on. Dinesh was behind me followed by Ananth and Sandip.
At a sharp turn I touched a big boulder for support and it slipped
from its position and rolled down making terrible noise. Sandip
had crossed its path just seconds before and it shook us so
badly that all fell silent for some time. What if there were
more people behind me instead of 3. For sure there would have
been casualties. Or what if the boulder slipped out of its position
and started rolling down when someone ahead of us had grabbed
it for support? Then we would have been hit by it. Personally
it took some time for me to realize how close we were to danger. |
We walked for about 40 minutes more and the forest was not ending.
Dinesh started getting restless. His instincts told him that we have
lost our way. He ordered us to stop and went to the front to talk
with Pijina. Poor Pijina, in the forest he lost his way and the best
part was he was not ready to accept it. It was one of those rare occasions
when our cool leader lost his cool. Dinesh blasted Pijina and asked
him and us to stay back and he went alone into the forest to find
the path. After about 20 minutes he came back and we followed him.
Pijina, in fact was leading us to a dead end! None of us knew the
way. We all followed our leader. Finally at 9:30pm we emerged out
of the forest.
Once out in the open we all
hoped that soon we would reach the camping site. None knew it
was still 90 minutes away. We started climbing again. I just
glanced below and could not see the ground. The darkness worked
to our advantage as none could see how deep the gorge we were
climbing. At 10.30pm we reached the final descent point just
above the shola forest, which was the camping spot. Dinesh shouted
at us to stop and started running around. As we were at a height
we could see Dinesh running from one end to another finding
the water source. Pijina had shown him a wet spot and was talking
of digging to find water!! Thinking that depending on Pijina
is a waste of time, Dinesh himself started running around and
finally after about 15minutes found a small stream and shouted
at us to come down.
No one was talking. All were tired and thirsty and hungry as
well. Someone said that he regretted for not taking a heavy
lunch. After a downward walk through open land followed by forest
we reached the water spot exactly at 11.00pm i.e. 8hours and
20minutes after we started. |
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Sunil needs to be admired and appreciated here. From the moment Dinesh
went ahead to find the right path, Sunil took charge with the flashlight
and showed us the way in the forest, then in the open land, while
climbing that deep gorge and then finally while descending down to
the camping site. All the while he held the light up on his shoulders
so that the guys ahead of him could see the path. Then he would run
ahead of all of us and hold the light again till the last person crosses
him and then repeat the process. Deepika, all of 10 years old completed
the trekking. It was a commendable feat from her. She did have trouble
but still showed remarkable spirit to overcome that and complete the
trek so were other 2 kids Nanditha and Vaman. Newcomers like Prakash,
Gokul and Adarsh made it quite comfortably.
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As preparing konji would take
time and since it was already 11.00pm it was decided to prepare
‘uppittu’ which was supposed to be prepared for breakfast. None
had the energy to collect water, clean the dish and then prepare
uppittu. Vinay and Vijesh did that job. In half an hour dinner
was ready. After dinner at 12.00midnight all were fast asleep
in the middle of the forest. No one complained, no one talked,
no one whispered. All were just too tired. That brought curtains
to one of the toughest days of a trekker. What saved the day
for us was Dinesh’s pure instinct when we lost the way, when
Pijina could not find water and of course God’s mercy. If not
for Dinesh and the almighty we would have been left high and
dry in a ‘high and dry’ place.
After breakfast we reached the peak at 9.15am. It is a trek
of 45minutes from the camping site to the peak. Now we were
standing on the tallest peak in the Charmadi and Shiradi range
and the view was fantastic. |
It appears as if Amedikallu is the center of a circle and on the diameter
are located all the major hills and peaks. We could see Gadaikallu
(Jamalabad), Kudremukh, Meru Parvata, Hirimariguppe, Krishnagiri,
Durgadabetta, Erikallu, Kumbhakallu, Barekallu, Minchukallu, Mullayyanagiri,
Bababudangiri, Jenukallu (near Bhyrapur and not the one at Charmadi),
Ettina Bhuja, Kumara Parvata and Nishani Gudda in that order completing
a circle. The road in the Charmadi ghat was visible with vehicles
moving around. The view was worth all the trouble and pain we took
the previous evening. Sunil was back to his cell and was busy chatting
with… no idea whom. Suhas and Praveen lay down facing Charmadi ghat.
Ramesh Kamath was memorizing all the peaks. All were busy relaxing
in their own ways. At 10.00am we started descending.
Now there was no chance of losing way. Dinesh took us in the right
path with Pijina following him! The initial descent was steep and
was just alongside the deep gorge that we climbed the previous night.
When we saw the way we came up the previous night, believe me, some
guys just did not talk for some time and stood rooted to the ground.
It was so deep down there, none would have climbed during the day.
| I preferred not to look down.
Once at the edge of the forest, it was a relief as the forest
provided shade from the sun. But the forest ended soon and the
toughest part, the descent in the open plain land started. By
holding the grass for support we started down. Sun was beating
down hard on us. There would be no shelter from sun and no water
source for the next 100minutes. If the climb was tough yesterday
so was the descent today. Guys like Rajashekhar, Raghavendra
and Thrasi Dinesh took the burden of carrying others luggage
to make it easy for the guys who were struggling. Once at the
water source some took rest for long duration. It was 3:45pm
when the last batch reached the base. Then in another 15 minutes
we were at Mr.Gokhale’s house. The buttermilk he offered was
emptied in no time. After a fantastic lunch we reached Mangalore
at 8:15pm. |
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The memories of Amedikallu will remain forever. It is undoubtedly
the best trek I have gone on so far. All the thrills happened to be
encapsulated into one trek. My personal trekking experience at Kudremukh
and Kumara Parvata stand dwarfed in front of my experience at Amedikallu.
If one does not lose way and trek at the normal speed it takes 6-7
hours to reach the peak from Shishila side. The trek rout from Neria
side is easier and nearer by couple of hours, but the aloof and arrogant
owners of Hebbar estate do not allow any to pass through their (?)
‘land’ and behave as if they own Amedikallu! Real Sick Souls!
Safe and pleasant trekking to all.
Article and photos by Rajesh Naik.
more photos http://karnataka.fotopic.net
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