….Kudajadri …..

Last weekend presented me a chance to climb the Kudajadri.
In spite of paying a visit almost annually to Kollur, the seat of goddess ‘Saraswathy’, I wondered how I missed this splendor which is hardly 20 minutes drive from the tiny temple town.

Familiar by the name, Kudajadri was the toughest trekking experience I ever had. The uncivilized road explored deep into the lush green forest to the mountain foot, which presented a tough gradient to ascend upon.

Though it was December, the cold was bearable on the top of this Western Ghats Mountain range. The whole atmosphere was joyful; dew drops from the sully leaves, chit-bits of tiny unseen birds from the deep, dark, sleepy forest, monstrous roots of the gigantic trees lapped the foot steps of the humble traveler, naughty rhythmic streams with ice cold water at its bosom, nature was at its best. Sleepy meadows and picturesque hill sides, the soothing melody of the roaring winds accompanied us till the top.

Murmur of the forest, which is deep like the blue sea, endless like the blue sky, had the magnificence of the night; and in its limited darkness, enfolds the radiant worlds in the awfulness of peace; the unfathomed joy in which all sufferings are made one. It was melodious and salacious for the ears from the metros. The path was narrow, dusty, unclear, but the destination was bright, right on the top!

A horizon of sparkling snow faced us between sky and the valley.

We visited the two different devi temples on the hill top. One was ‘Saatwika’ and the other ‘Raajasa’. Ancient Chitramoola cave, facing the Ambavanam, the abode of deadly snakes; Shankara ‘Sarvajnapeeta’; the spiraling walkways through the crest of the hill; the Ganesh Guha, and the breath taking view of the mist cladded lake ‘Saagara’, on the other side of the valley, in Shimoga district; it was a true feast for the eyes. The spring where the holy river ‘Sowparnika’ originates, ‘Agastya Theertham’, chilled water right from the rocks amidst medicinal herbs, where we took a small bath. The whole day was a song, which we listened, sang inside, and walked down to ecstasy.

Order of the forest was seen everywhere, as neat as pin, as gentle as the mind.