13 KM, AUG-2013

Distances in life lead us to search; beautiful and eventful searches that take us through mind boggling experiences. Distance is finite, in science; but the distances our life passes through are mind numbingly infinite and we have no control over that. There is no limit to what we want to see, get, achieve and there’s no limit to where we want to end. Distance is like foreplay, it helps induce the thrust that propels us to move forward with strength and love. What life would be like if there weren’t distances? What world will be like if there wasn’t a distance between earth and moon? Meaningless and that’s the essence associated with distances which I always had admired ever since I began my road trips. Distances have that inexplicable feel hovering around them and I love that as mad as my special woman in life. When I complete a jaunt and come back home; I break down into voluntary nostalgia thinking about the destination that shattered my heart hundreds of KMS away and which could not be reached as easily as my memory thinks about it. It gives me an enjoyable pain and I love to go through that pain lying on bed for hours. When I conquer the distance and reach my destination, the pleasure it offers is exotic as I think about the sleepless night, filled with death; that went past. Distances have always challenged me and I had been lured by them into the inevitable trap, to fight and stay afloat until I see my destination. They had, in turn; taken me through few of the best seen sights of my life which I would remember all the way to my grave. When we think in depth about “a distance” its spine chilling to consolidate its contents – the long drive, occasional nature calls, fuel top-up, coffee break, accident, death, fear, fatigue, sleep cravings, our own set of favorite songs, quick thought about the comfort back home, that much awaited toll gate, speed breakers, sleep breakers, Phew; it’s endless and these just reinforce the power of Distance in making our Jaunt an event and not just a weekend relaxation. This is the very reason that has ensured I always take out my car, rather than book a ticket on that long train or the fast Jet, to reach my destinations far away from home. In these many years never in one instance had I regretted for choosing to drive the entire length of my Jaunts, and; never in one instance had those decisions let me down. My life had seen innumerable distances and the memories they lent will exist as long I breathe, for they contain what that couldn’t be imitated again. When I pluck one among the many distances I had travelled through from my past and think about it, no words could describe the hair rising experience it offers. The events, friends and memories associated with that distance soften my blood pressure and make me smile in the darkness, whatever the situation I, perhaps; could be in. Despite all these, there is one particular distance that would seem to be child’s play for a person as me, for someone who has driven a 1000 Kms non-stop; and it’s where perceptions melt and reality emerges. Welcome to my favorite 13 Kms, welcome to the smallest distance I would ever take you guys through but which has the potential of a 1000 Kms of travel. Welcome to Braganza, the mesmerizing Ghat section which connects castle rock in Karnataka with Kulem in Goa and in doing so; makes thousands of men lose their sense. I am one among them…

When I and Kanthi embarked on the 1900 Kms drive to Chorla, Dudh Sagar and back home; I very well knew I wouldn’t win this battle for the experience from a year back still made me fear this drive. It was a wet Wednesday and certain undesirable events slowed down, and at some point even threatened, our plan of having a smooth departure for it’s been a tradition that all of my “well planned” jaunts have suffered a major jolt in the past. This drive first took us to Chorla, the report of which was released in my previous posting “The Loan”; and then surged us forward through the remarkable landscapes of eastern Goa towards Kulem. After the heart melting stay in Wildernest we departed on a rainy noon from Chorla and hit the drenched, lone and gorgeous Ghat road towards Keri; the most beautiful of all entry points the tiny state of Goa has. Immediately after Keri, the landscape instantly transitions to certain “relation” establishing format making you awe and confused. You never belonged to this region, you have no one here for yourself, you have never been here before, yet; it makes you feel as you were born here. That’s the power of Konkan, it humbles you sans any sort of effort as you crave for its hug and keep driving through its heart melting natural vistas and “exotic” culture. Konkan is not just about its natural beauty, it’s about a culture that blows away you with its content, peaceful and mesmerizing life style. People don’t show off here, still you envy them; buildings aren’t lavish here, but you admire them; infrastructure is at its poorest here, yet you feel comfortable; directions are at their confusing best, and still you would love to drive around. Such is the specialty of Konkan and it was a blessing in disguise when I got that priceless opportunity to drive through the remote eastern Fringes of Goa when SW monsoon was at its recent best. The drive from Chorla took us past Keri, Honda and Valpoi under relentless downpour rendering our hearts heavy with gradually accumulated “mesmerizing memoirs”. I began to think about my drive a year back from Karwar to Kulem, accompanied by Dave; that gave the first glimpse of Konkan beauty and its power in elevating my thoughts. It was one hell of a drive which made me and Dave cry for safety, sleep and life as we overcooked the Dudh Sagar trek and ended up being trapped in unforgiving rains and fog across the Anmod Ghat under an August darkness filled with monsoon winds. How we reached home was a thrilling story and I still have occasional “day dreams” of that “seductive suffering” amidst the Goa’n forests. This time, however; I and Kanthi had the comfort of a night stay at Molem, in the Dudh Sagar Spa resort, before embarking on that “thoughts” altering 13 Kms trek through BHAGWAN MAHAVEER WILDLIFE SANCTUARY, on South Western Railway’s beautiful curving tracks. When I closed my eyes at the Spa resort, after a luxurious dinner under pouring rains, my heart was trying hard to pull itself away from the arrogant beauty of Goa’n forests with no idea of what was about to unfold the next morning. The heavy and sustained downpour ensured I went deep into my sleep discarding the pain that prevailed since I and Dave walked over those 13 Kms the first time ever in our lives, a year back.

There was no let-up in downpour when I opened my eyes the next morning, the last day of an “unforgettable” vacation, as we geared up for a quick departure from the Spa resort. Rejuvenating and energetic breakfast with multiple dish options under pouring rains isn’t something I get to see every day, consequently; I savored my every bite into the soft bread filled with fresh homemade Jam and butter, followed by a hearty finish with a cup of hot coffee. This was followed by a quick exit from the resort and an instant entry into Goa’s official border at Molem; the village that made me and Dave undergo our longest drive, which itself has been overwhelmed by me and Kanthi through this jaunt, a year back in search of Dudh Sagar. At Molem junction, when you enter from Karnataka, the immediate left towards Kulem Railway station needs to be taken up for quick dash through romantic Goa’n monsoon drenched countryside that will make you rethink about what beauty means? Within minutes the nostalgic Kulem Village shows up and the sight of massive diesel locomotives whistling their way up the Ghats sends a “smile” impulse to your already sedate brain. Kulem is a relaxing village, particularly so during the monsoons, and there is generous parking space for your car near the railway gate where you could rest your beauty for the next 6 hours and walk to the nearest store to purchase rations for this “testing” hike on tracks. In 2012 I was let down by below average monsoons and when that hike concluded there was certain assurance that, there could be a repeat attempt in 2013 but; I never knew I would keep up that self-assured promise. This eventually turned out to be the most romantic walk of my life as I and Kanthi stepped on the tracks under pouring rains competing with 80 container iron-ore carriers and honking inter-city express trains for space and recognition. I thank the monsoon of 2013, for it delivered its promise and helped me go through what I missed a year back in absolute style inherent to monsoon drenched Ghats. I knew these 13 Kms would guzzle 4 hours of time and energy; considering our photographic indulgences, but what I never knew was 10/13 Kms would be walked under pouring rains and scattered fog making even the massive locomotives silent and invisible. What a walk it was, phew; when I completed my 2012 edition I murmured Dudh Sagar will see me again but I never meant so soon and in such an infinite spread of beauty. To me Dudh Sagar was an event and it still remained so, for you just don’t come, look and depart; rather, you arrive, gear-up, toil, fall in love, crave and eventually get blessed by her imposing presence and beauty that’s unrivalled. Whichever option you choose, be it the 13 Kms walk or the fear inducing bike ride, Dudh Sagar prints an event in your life that would remain un-erased forever. After hours of effort and upon reaching the falls, it was a milestone that just couldn’t be ignored and I froze those intense moments to exist forever in the 5D Mark 3. What a moment it was? Trains passing right through middle of the falls (Photos 2 and 29), hundreds of people losing their sense and wandering about, intermittently plundering rains and the electrifying ambience all make the Dudh Sagar (DDSR) trek an eventful drama. Upon completion of this romantic 13 Kms walk I always have had that much bigger task on hand; to reach home in time and absolute safety. A year back I was locked up at the DDSR railway station for 5 hours due to bad planning which resulted in pushing me and Dave to the brink of exhaustion and failure, but in my second attempt I didn’t want a repetition of that undesirable pain. When we went past the DDSR falls and reached the DDSR station, a massive chain of WDG4 locomotive+ 4 braking units were waiting for signal clearance and this helped me to purchase a ride on them from the Engine captain. As rains began to plunder, we got into the locomotive and sat for 45 minutes before we could see the distant LED turn from “RED” to “GREEN”. As the majestic locomotive powered its way through the Ghats, I was able to feel a powerful sense of relief for we managed to hike to DDSR and also, exit the confines of BHAGWAN MAHAVEER WILDLIFE SANCTUARY well ahead of night fall in absolute safety and comfort of the WDG4 engine. As we jumped from the “cat walk” of the locomotive 600 meters before Kulem station, for there was a planned signal stop, sharp drizzle and darkness were engulfing the mesmerizing Goa’n landscape. When I turned back, for the last time; and had a look at the menacing WDG4 awaiting clearance in darkness (Last Photo) I was reduced to tears and agony for it would be one of the most beautiful departures my life would ever witness. It was exactly 19:45 hours when we drove delicately through the narrow street of Kulem, after a strong face wash and a cup of boiling tea, to catch up with the notorious NH4A winding its way up the punishing Anmod Ghat and this year too; Anmod humbled my driving skills reducing me to an amateur. How powerful Anmod is during a monsoon night? As in 2012 I stopped at Anmod village, the entrance to Karnataka, for a cup of tea under blinding fog and rains as just 20 something Kms of driving rendered me feeble and running for sleep. Such is the power of monsoon drenched Anmod!! When Dave and me accomplished the DDSR jaunt in 2012, I came back home with a heavy heart and knew I would be meeting her again; very soon. However; when I concluded with the DDSR trek in 2013 and came back home, my heart wasn’t within and this rendered me powerless to think or say if I would meet her again; very soon. It could be very long before I talk about her again…before I walk again over those powerful 13 Kms…

Parameters

Route – Chennai-Bangalore-Tumkur-Chitradurga-Haveri-Hubli-Belgaum-Jamboti-Chorla-Keri-Honda-Valpoi-Molem-Kulem-Molem-Anmod-Ramnagar-Dharwad-Hubli-Haveri-Chitradurga-Tumkur-Bangalore-Chennai.

Best time to visit – July and August.

Specialties – Tracks through pristine forests, Locomotive ride, train passing through the middle of DDSR, tunnel experience, remoteness and seclusion of Goa’n countryside.

What you should do – Start the DDSR trek early in the morning to have multiple options, buy a lift in the locomotive, photograph the trains, wander through the streets of Molem/ Kulem under pouring rains.

Don’t forget – Gumboots, an umbrella, to book a stay at Molem, to exit DDSR trail before darkness and; to avoid driving through the Anmod Ghat under a monsoon night.