The adventure begins

Fort Cochin

By the time we got permission papers from the forest department and assistance of the VSS (Vana Samrakshana Samiti - Forest Protection Committee), it was already late to start the descend from Meenmutty. With packed food for six of us and enough water and our small backpacks, we were literally running down the narrow trek paths. Except for AB and Ravi, all of us were comfortable with the terrain as we had trekked that route until the second level of the falls, several times.

Except for the 'snack stop' and lunch break we hardly stopped anywhere. The idea was to cover the distance in 'one-go' and check out the details later on a revisit. If we had to follow the previous days experience, we were sure that we would never complete the distance on time. It was quite difficult not to stop and record some of the breathtaking images in the rain forest.

With the ambiguity in which people responded to the distance and route, we should have expected enough trouble. Instead we trekked along trusting on Thomas's knowledge of the terrain (at the least half the distance we covered was familiar to Thomas as he had gone many times to Nilambur).

The previous day, when we started asking forest dwellers as well as some of the tribals who worked with the forest department on clearing fire lines about the route and distance to be covered between Meenmutty and Soochipara, they mentioned about "4-6-8-10 hours and some even said, "Ayyo, Saarey, there is no way you can reach there!"

Only when we crossed paths covered by elephant dung (as fresh as it can be!) and heard bamboos being crushed within few meters away, did we think that we might not actually "reach there" :)

We did reach the distance half-way by around 130pm; some of us took bath in the cold stream and had the sumptuous lunch of rice flakes, kappa and coconut chutney(obviously Thomas's wife was very resourceful!). Then we met the tribal chief "Velutha" from the "Kattunaikar" community and his children who were fishing in the "kalakkpuzha".(That was the first time I was seeing some one fishing using darts and bamboo blowpipes!).

Respecting their privacy, we didn't take any pictures at all but did click away like mad at the scenery and Ravi especially had some 300 jpegs within 4 hours of trek!

© GP 2007

Meenmutty waterfalls

Fort Cochin

It was while trekking down Meenmutty waterfalls that we met Thomas "Chettan". Similar to some of our earlier "findings", Thomas was one of those experiences that made our work interesting day by day.

Living on the fringes of the forest, there wasn't a path that Thomas didn't know. From running to stop the forest fires set by miscreants or to help the excise department to chase the illicit liquor brewers, or to help those who got lost looking for the waterfalls, Thomas was all over the place.

During one of our regular treks, he mentioned about the forest track leading from Wayanad to Nilambur. We weren't sure about the geography of the area, but still was surprised to hear that one could actually walk through the forests to Nilambur from Wayanad within less than 6 hours! Considering the fact that it takes around 4 hours by road through the mountain roads in a four wheeler, I was longing to trek this route.

I kept on going back to Meenmutty on my own as well as with some of my friends and guests from Bangalore. The adventure actually starts from the approach road from Ooty road itself. The one km drive through the plantation in a jeep itself is an experience. Later, the short walk through the tea estate ends up on the cliff with a breath-taking view of the rain forests below.

In the sultry Cochin, I wish I were there in Meenmutty overlooking the rain forests! Still can feel the cool breeze on my face.

Even the refreshing spring that quenched our thirst many times!

© GP 2007