Travel Diaries – Literary Worms

Nestled in the middle of the Western Ghats is a lesser known coffee estate that lies in the heart of Karnataka — Chikmagalur. Apart from the beautiful coffee plantations here, Chikmagalur is a unique combination that offers a perfect adrenaline rush as well as scenic views of fog covered mountains.

So, you thought this article would be a NatGeo guide to Chikmagalur, right? Well, welcome. Today you are going to see Chikmagalur from the eyes of seven 21-22 year old kids. So as every memorable trip should start with ‘be ready at 5am tomorrow’, this three day trip too started with the same sentence — where all the usual late risers vowed to be ready at the crack of dawn. And yes they were, up and about before sunrise, excited for what lay ahead.

I’ve travelled by all means of transportation right from aeroplanes to ships, but road trips have a charm of their own. And as far as road trips with friends where you convert the car into a full blown concert stadium with songs of every genre played for the entire journey are concerned — absolutely top tier.

Well, our itinerary was a pretty packed one because ‘vacationing’ was not on the bucket list by any means. And after an amazing drive – where we appreciated the super smooth Karnataka highways a million times — we headed straight to Hebbe Falls. This waterfall is one of the most spectacular ones around Chikmagalur. And if you thought that the adrenaline rush would be limited only to the waterfall, you are absolutely mistaken because that is when the approach road and the jeep ride to Hebbe Falls actually come into play.

The road to Hebbe Falls is one where you are surrounded by thick jungles and green foliage on all sides. It’s a few kilometres long journey where you have to sit in a jeep, fighting for dear life and yet having the time of your life with all the ups and downs of the ride. So after a solid ride along the muddiest road I’d ever seen, we reached the trail to Hebbe Falls, where we had to walk a short distance in the middle of the forest to reach the falls.

The moment we saw the waterfall — milky white and pouring down in a ferociously beautiful way, there was just one thought that crossed my mind — it definitely was worth the time and energy spent to get there. It was huge, and amidst all the euphoric excitement, I was once again reminded of the magnanimity of nature and how small we as humans actually are.

By the time we returned to our starting point after yet another jeep ride, all we wanted was some steaming hot Maggi and nothing else. After that, we called it a day and headed to our hotel in the evening.

The next day began even earlier than the previous one because this time we had a different quest which was the Merthi Gudda trek. This peak is about three hours from Chikmagalur and is among the lesser known treks around the place.

Now here we diverge from the main story for a quick side story that’s worth mentioning. I DID NOT WANT TO GO ON THIS TREK. Nope, I didn’t. For all possible random reasons that I could think of. But that’s when my friends came up with a brainwave to not tell me about the whole plan, until we were already into it and I could not back out. And I’m so glad that they did! I absolutely had the time of my life!

Okay so getting back to the main story where we were headed to Merthi Gudda. After a quick pit stop for a mandatory South Indian breakfast, armed with a pack of Ferrero Rochers and some (horrible) energy gel, we started our hike. With wilderness on all sides and intermittent rains, the atmosphere was something where you forget for a while that things like Claude and Copilot even exist in this world. There were valleys and mountains on all sides while we trekked uphill. Clouds made the whole experience a totally dramatic one. I am totally glad that I actually signed up for this. Going uphill and coming down Merthi Gudda made me realise one thing — it’s neither the journey nor the destination, it’s the people who are responsible for etching a memory in someone’s mind forever.

The next day, we headed to Mullayanagiri peak which is the tallest peak of Karnataka. This was the day when we were subjected to the weather’s mood swings throughout the climb to the top of Mullayanagiri. There were strong winds and clouds on all sides, with very less visibility — a scene straight out of a Dan Brown book. We reached the top, clicked a few hundred pictures and were about to start our descent. When suddenly the canopy of clouds cleared for a fraction of a second, leaving us awestruck at the mesmerising view from the top of the highest peak in Karnataka. The moment we were able to fully comprehend our surroundings, a thick layer of clouds enveloped us yet again. Instantly as if on cue, the wind started blowing vociferously. Amidst the clouds and wind, we were able to come down safely. It definitely was an experience of a lifetime.

After that we started our return journey to Bangalore, once again on the same Karnataka highways, amidst tall trees on either sides of the road.

As I reached home late in the evening, looking at my bag the only thing that I remember thinking is that ‘I never knew that a bag full of muddy clothes, a dirty raincoat, wet shoes and an extremely happy heart can coexist together.’ With that, I must’ve fallen asleep with dreams that floated somewhere between huge white waterfalls and tall green mountains.

– Mugdha

Travelling to new places gives that kind of pleasure that makes you want to go after it again and again. It’s always my idea of an ideal break- a perfect hit refresh button. It had been quite a long time since we had travelled to any far off destination- something that the wanderlust inside me truly missed. And so finally in the month of May 2022, we headed towards the much coveted destination for a mountain lover- Himachal Pradesh.

We arrived in Chandigarh and visited the famous Rock Garden and Pinjore Garden. Then we proceeded to the queen of hills, Shimla. There was a drastic change in the scenery from the bustling city of Chandigarh to the tranquil hills and the difference in the flora and fauna was unmistakable.

The town of Shimla is unique in many aspects. The Mall Road is a favourite place for tourists from afar. Next day we had an adrenaline-rushing experience at the adventure park in Kufri. As the sun set, we feasted our eyes on the night city of Shimla, something which literally personified a sequined shawl.

But the highlight of the entire trip was the town of Manali – the most sought after place of Himachal and one of the places that had been on my travel bucket list for quite some time. The journey to Manali was something that I look back upon as a long one full of laughter, photos and songs. It was dusk when we reached, and hence the town of old Manali was alit with market lights shimmering like diamonds. Our hotel too was situated in old Manali and it was just a perfect welcome to us after a long journey. The woody interior, perfectly manicured roses of every shade, and the warmth of the pahadi people was something that gave the place an alluring vibe.

The next day began even before cock-crow as we headed towards Rohtang Pass- a few hours from Manali. As the sun rose, I fully became aware of the scenery that surrounded me. The tops of the Himalayas were gently kissed by the early morning sun, as the pure rays spread a gleam of fiery orange on the opaline white snow. It was a dream to wake up to this view, to this enthralling spectacle that has been captured and etched firmly in my mind. The road to Rohtang pass was an ethereal one. With green sloping conifers on one side and the Himalayas towering in their majesty on the other, we ventured further, staring agog at the unparalleled wilderness surrounding us.

Many times it is the ride from one place to another that gives you something to think about. It’s a relaxing experience to endlessly admire the world from your window, contemplate about the things that you like and enjoy the sudden burst of phrases describing the sight that just pop into your mind as the car turns from one bend to another. The weather couldn’t have been more perfect and as we gained altitude, the road bore noticeable signs of fresh, untouched snow. Looking down at the hairpin bend roads from atop made me realize the height at which we were and the terrain through which we had just traversed. The mountains which we had looked at from below had become our next-door neighbours. Looking at the snow on them suddenly gave me the mad desire to squeal with joy, like a small girl, excited at the sight of snow. Once we were above 10,000 feet, the layers of jackets and snow gear wrapping me had a definite increase. Climbing yet above, we reached Rohtang pass at an altitude of approximately 14,000 feet above the sea level. The pass was glittering white from the recent snowfall that had taken place at dawn and this was the moment that made it worth getting up at 4 am that day. There were ranges and ranges of snowy mountains everywhere one’s eyes could travel and standing amidst them gave me the goosebumps and the familiar feeling of pinch-me-I-don’t-think-that-I-am-on-Earth. Sitting there made me realise the gravity of the oblivion in which we actually live. I became aware, more than ever, of the fact that we are just tiny bits of a vast puzzle. It felt so good to be a part of this stunning creation and a sense of happiness washed over me.

After playing in the snow to our heart’s content and clicking away some million photos, we finally headed back to our bus. We crossed the Rohtang pass descended down and from the recently built Atal tunnel returned back to Manali. We also took the ropeway ride at Solang valley which was a mesmerizing experience of seeing the snow-clad glaciers from above. After this, we returned back to our hotel and called it a day. The next two days passed in a flurry, visiting local places of Manali. And before we knew, it was time to say goodbye. We returned to Chandigarh from where we boarded the flight to Pune. As the plane took off, I watched the city of Chandigarh below, recollecting all the amazing moments that had made our trip one of the best experiences ever had.

And now, after having read this, you might have a vaguely formed yet picturesque image of the Himalayas hovering in your mind’s eye. Trust me, the Himalayas are a gift to India, a place that compels each one to introspect on the varied opportunities life has to offer as well as get away from the busy city life whenever one needs a break. To me, the Himalayas are not just a range of mountains, but a plethora of emotions that propel me to stay grounded and stand tall. I literally feel that they withhold something magical, a force that cannot be put into words but can surely be felt from within. The call of the Himalayas is such that it’s hard to ignore. And once you have answerred the call, they make sure to call you again. And hence we raise a toast to this heaven of travellers, to the beautiful state of Himachal Pradesh, tucked peacefully in one of the mightiest mountains of the world.

~Mugdha Deshpande

Enclosing some photos we clicked!