A journey to experience rain is an all-senses refresher, and what place can be better than the mighty western Ghats? With an average annual rainfall of 3000–4000 mm and the thick green forest, the Ghats greet and welcome you to experience the rain. Every year, we plan to go out to experience the rain, to get drenched and soak ourselves. Showers along the west coast shoreline, high on the hills, in a thick jungle, or between people and city, each has its charm and a different experience to offer — this time, we choose to experience it through the windowpane of a cozy train. A train that takes the “Green Route” amidst the heart of the western Ghats must be the one that would quench what we sought.
5th August 2021
Bengaluru— Kukke Subramanya — Sakleshpur — the comfort of the Vistadome train — Ballupet
We had passed through Sakleshpur many times but never stayed. It remained unchecked in our list. With the rainy season and the railway’s new Vistadome coaches, we had two more reasons to visit Sakleshpur. To experience the Green Route, we had to go to Kukke Subramanya. So we booked the tickets from Yashwanthpura to Kukke Subramanya, and we had planned to travel back to Sakleshpur by road.
The wrongly numbered coaches misguided us, and it took about 20 minutes to find our seats in the new coaches. Surprisingly, for a day train on a weekday, all the seats in the two new coaches were all occupied. Large glass windows, clean floor, extra comfortable leg space, 180° rotatable ergonomic chairs for an unobstructed view, an attached pantry, a viewing gallery at the end of the coach promised the best-in-class experience. The first-timers and the knowledgeable repeaters helped each other with the know-how of the new arrangements.
The train departed on time, 7 am. The excitement and noise filled the place. Too many specialist self-portrait addicts and everyone with a mobile camera bombarded every angle for the best photograph to live telecast their journey. The enthusiasm faded after an hour, but the pantry got busy until the end of the trip. Almost everyone settled down when the train was passing through the countryside, offering some refreshing green scenery.
With paddy fields lined along the track, seeds getting sowed in tilled fields, passing through small village settlements, the best views started after Hassan. Dark green surroundings, grey clouds, intermittent drizzling, and wet tracks hint that we were closer to the Ghats.
The Green Route is roughly a 55 km stretch, with around 60 tunnels and about 110 narrow bridges varying in length and height. The train slides along the slopes of the hill, slow down on the bridges, echoes inside the dark tunnels, drench in the drizzle, bath in the small streams, and halts amid the green canopy and mist. But the glass-enclosed, air-conditioned, artificially-lit coaches limited our experience of the environment to some extent. The narrow railway tracks allow the alongside forest to coexists and offer the experience of riding between the pristine green forest, unlike the broad roads which take up the roadsides.
The rain had caught up by the time we reached Subramanya railway station. Our cab was waiting to pick us up to Sakleshpur. We prayed at the Subramanya temple and headed forward.
We had a house arranged for the overnight stay at Ballupet, about 13 Kms away from Sakleshpur. Our stay was warm and comfortable after the humid and cold ride through the Ghats.
6th August 2021
Ballupet — Rainbird homestay — Ettinabhuja Trek — Campfire
Ballupet is a small village tucked away from the busy town inhabited by coffee planters, traders, daily wagers who work at the plantation. It is less known to the tourists who pass by. The early morning was misty but was not too cold. We had an authentic breakfast of Akki Rotti and Chitranna before we left for the homestay at Sakleshpur. A quick bumpy ride took us to the Rainbird Homestay just outside the town.
A vast grass ground, a muddy road, a small stream in the backyards, and a green view all around were welcome sights at the homestay. We dumped our bags in the allotted rooms and made immediate plans to trek Ettina Bhuja after lunch.
We hired a small van that took us to the farthest point we could reach by a vehicle before starting trekking. The rains didn’t take a break that afternoon and forced us to begin in the downpour.
Ettina Bhuja (a hill in the shape of an Ox’s withers) trek is about a 5 km round-trip. At a leisurely pace, it takes 3 hrs to complete this easy trek. Sparse vegetation opens to a gradual ascent on the grass-covered hill. The trail was water-logged, and the rains had made the path slippery. Between the thick sheets of rain, we could only hear bird calls from trees far away, spot a green vine snake in an overgrown bush, and visibility was only of few feet. Like the rains, the leaches didn’t excuse us either; each of us had few bites. The last stretch was a tricky climb, for the rains had made the edgy boulders slippery. Few ahead of us decided to return. I couldn’t. I would not be able to excuse myself if I had returned from that close to the top. I pulled myself up in some awkward positions and slowly crawled until I stood on a narrow ridge leading to a small patch of flat ground on the top. It was windy, and the mist had covered thick with no reference of how high I was standing. No further to go; I was on top.
We followed the same way back until we reached where our patient driver was waiting for our return. We hogged on some snacks we carried along while we rode back to the homestay. The thought of the night campfire was already warming us, and thankfully someone had lit it before we could reach our stay. The campfire and coffee was the reward for the climb, and we enjoyed it thoroughly.
The dimmed lights, the cicadas, and the crickets were setting the tone for the night. Our silent dark silhouettes waved in front of the fire until each of us slid into sleep.
7th August 2021
A relaxed stay at Jathahalli
It was a day to stretch legs and be an audience to the rain and nature. We stayed at a holiday home built atop a hill, a dream abode for anyone. We hiked around to digest what we ate and ready ourselves for the next one. I stuck to the recliner behind the glass window all the time, which presented a good view. I tried to turn few pages of the book I carried and make notes for the day, but I was not ready to strain myself. I could sit there all day long, doing nothing.
Not doing anything is not doing anything (yes, reread it). Consciously choosing not to do anything is not easy at all. To have my mind still as water is impossible (at least for now). I fail significantly to meditate, even for a couple of minutes. To mediate for me is to feel that I belong to myself, which seems impossible anytime soon. I find myself close to that state when I run or sit on a bench in the public park. I can endlessly sit and watch a grasshopper nibble on the grass blades and wait until it hops on to the next. I do not mind counting the number of times the waves sweep the beach. I can sit on the recliner and watch outside endlessly. The jittery thoughts clink my mind, do not allow me not to do anything.
8th August 2021
Back to Bengaluru
The short ride from Jathahalli to Sakleshpur took us through picturesque coffee estates. We had booked the 3:50 pm train back to Bengaluru from Sakleshpur. We planned to visit the Manjarabad fort before catching the train, but it was closed due to the weekend lockdown. We spent the rest of our time on the railway platform while we wait for the train.
The noise and the traffic of Bengaluru had hit us much before we were ready. The taxi driver betrayed us on our first booking; he did not seem to be in the weekend mood! The leach bites were itching. The bright headlamps of the vehicles and the street lamps were harsh to the eyes accustomed to the pleasant green in the last four days.
Thanks to Mr. Lokesh, Mr. Anil, and Mr. Guru Prasad for all the arrangements to comfort our trip.
Until our next chance for a getaway, the four days will remain afresh.
