Kumaraparvata is the mountain peak in Western Ghats, if you been to kukke subramanya temple, the mountain peak just behind the temple is Kumaraparvata. It is also called as Pushpagiri.
There are two approaches to do this trek, one from kukke subramanya side and other from somvarpet side.
Since it is little easier to do it from somvarpet side, we started from somvarpet and descended towards kukke temple. This made us experience both the terrains which are entirely different from one another and give you different experience.
We started from Hassan at about 4 am and reached the base at around 7 am. There is one mallikarjuna swamy temple about 25 kms from Somvarpet Township. Beyond this point vehicles are not permitted.
There is no sign of commercialization yet in this area, hence we had carried our own breakfast. After having the delicious upma we started towards the forest office, which is about 1.5 km from the temple.
Forest office have friendly staff, we need to pay fee of Rs. 200 per head, sign a declaration and start towards the peak, which they refer as Pushpagiri peak. Peak is about 7 kms from the forest office.
There are no water sources, rest rooms, or any other human need facilities en route. A dense forest, a thick canopy and steep terrain... thats what we encounter.
We had carried enough energy foods like chocolates, chikkis, glucose packs, oranges, bananas, cucumbers, and about 2.5 liters of waters, we had planned to stay on hill mid way hence had to carry one lunch and blankets. This made our bags bulky and heavy almost about 6-7 kg.
We started to trek at around 8 AM, 15 mins to forest office and another 15 mins at the office, so real trek started at about 8.30 Am...
We were a troop of 9 members, with a mix of age group and gender. The oldest person was 54 years old man.. and youngest was a gal about 22 years of age.. none of us are professional trekkers..
With breaks in between and snacks we were approaching the peak with a average speed of 1.5 kmph.
There is one water spring at about 1.5 hours walk from forest office. Our bottles were not yet empty but we were advised to drink as much as possible and refill our bottles here.. Since next water source was quite far from here.
The trek is easy but needs a consistent energy and will to move forward, only difficult stretch of this route is where yu have some rocky terrain and is very steep, though this is only about some 100 - 150 m.. but it takes the breathe to cross it.
Other than two such rocky terrains the ascending trek is easier. We were on peak at 1.00 pm, the scenic view, the western Ghats all around, the wild trees.. the grasslands,, the 7 km trek with a load of about 6 kgs.. Was very new experience for me.
At peak we relaxed for about 45 mins and had tea session. We had carried a tea powder, milk powder and sugar and a utensil. Our sir from Bangalore had bought some camphor like cakes which burn and give heat sufficient to boil tea. He said there are used in hotels etc to keep the buffet hot. But making tea and having it at a height of 5650 feet was a lifetime experience in itself.
After a session of dry fruits, cucumber and tea.. and a series of photographs we started to descend on the kukke subramanya side.
We need to cross an another peak before we start descending to kukke.. From Pushpagiri peak we got down and had to climb up again to reach Seshaparvata peak.
About and another hour from Seshaparvata peak we reach a place called 'kallu mantapa' which is stone structure.. more than the mantapa the water spring near by it , is the most needed part of journey. Almost our bottles were half empty. Thanks to the cloudy day we had water available for remaining journey, but if it’s a sunny day its sure water would get exhausted by now.
We also had carried dry and fresh amla, which according to one of our sir reduces the thirst and saves water.
At mantapa we had a grand lunch of chapatti with tomato gojju, and chatni pudi, and curd. The remaining curd was diluted to butter milk and a packet of hajmola added the flavor of jaljeera to it.
A break for almost 30 mins at kallu mantapa, and a tasty meals.. and time was about 3.30 pm.. our body was refusing to get up and walk and was requesting for the sweet sleep.. but we knew we had to walk so we started to walk again.. we refilled our water before started from here...
The path was easy but slippery.. After the walk for almost 8 hours, the legs were fatigued, the muddy terrain was so much slippery that all of us slipped at least once or twice..
Sun was about to set, and all of us were worried. Though everyone had a torch with us. but it was frightening of thinking to walk in dark.. Somehow just before the sun set we reached bhattara mane by 6.30 pm..
Bhat is a gentle man... or I shall call a saint who is been there to help Pilgrims and trekkers from last 40 years.. his home can provide a comfortable night for about 50 people.. He served us with much needed hot coffee. We got fresh, toilets and bath rooms are available here, and with a abundant water source.
It was almost 7 pm and we had to wait for another 2 hours for dinner.. though we were not that hungry but we had to eat for next day’s trek..
After a great meal and Bhat provided with thermal insulating sheets (2 x 6 feet) to sleep we had carried blankets along with us. We slept by 10 and alarms were kept on for 6 am..
Morning we were ready after having the bath by 7.00 am. Hot hot upma with masala rice was served for breakfast.. a hot coffee.. was awaiting us after that..
By 8 we were done with breakfast, we refilled water bottles, had few photographs with Bhat ji and settled our account with him.. he took Rs.170 per head.. for one meal, one b/f , two coffees and farm house accommodation for one night.. if it had been some resort we would have given 10 times more than this for same facilities.. Hence i called the Bhat ji a saint rather than the gentle man..
The distance from bhattara mane to subramanya temple is about 5 kms as said by Bhat.. Though we felt it was double of it.. May be that’s why the theory of relativity matters..
The path now was not that steep.. But the terrain is very stony.. There were trees and muddy path.. We walked walked and walked.. And kept walking..
We had a orangy break in between.. And at 10.30, it was tea time.. How can a bunch of govt officials miss there morning tea on second consecutive day.. So we prepared our second tea and had a delicious cup of tea..
We were running out of time because temple would close by 1.00 pm.. hence if were late we had to either skip the darshan or wait till evening.. hence we had to hurry up..
With all our amateur photography and wild photography.. we were walking down almost at very high pace.,.. Our knees and thighs were reluctant to move and mind reluctant to wait.. We reached kukke parking spot at about 12.00 noon.. we had our vehicle waiting there for us.. we took it to kumara dhara, and had the holy bath in it.. came back to temple and had darshan..
The trip which began as a adventure now ended up as a pilgrimage. We prayed subramanya swamy, and started back to Hassan..
The holige and rotti we carried were still left with us.. We bought some curds and majjige and en route stopped for lunch. Had a nice meal, a good journey and reached home by evening 6.
We walked almost 20 kms… never before in ma life I had walked like this tarrian with this much weight on back.
These two days in western ghats would remain afresh in our memories for a long time to come.. the scenic view is still fresh in my memories.. feels as i m still surrounded by peaks, all around..
Life is all about to learning, this trek taught me the most beautiful secret of life,
“The beauty is in nature ”
We put so much efforts and risk just to see few glimpses of mountain peaks. What else is there on a hill other than stones and trees, but to reach the peak and come back makes you feel like a victorious king. This experience refreshed my spirit and looking ahead for a fruitful new year.. finally like to conclude this blog with a sloka :
पर्वतो दूरतो रम्य: बन्धु रम्य: परस्पर: |
युद्दस्य च कथा रम्या त्रीणि रम्याणि दूरत: ||
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