Trip to KumaraParvatha (19th Dec 1997 to 22nd Dec 1997) 

KumaraParvatha is a hill situated near KukkeSubramanya. Totally we were ten of us including a guide. We had set out with four tents,a gas stove,sleeping bags for some of the people & warm clothing. We had two noodle packets & a pound of bread for each of us in addition to five packets of MTR instant mixes of BisiBele bath & Khara bath. We also had some biscuit packets & glucose packets for everybody.Also everyone of us had atleat two waterbottles of 1 ltr each.

We started off on 19th Dec by the 22.00 hrs KSRTC bus to Somvarpet. The fare to Somvarpet from Bangalore is Rs.65/ per person.As usual the journey in the 'red box' was very uncomfortable & we were to have no sleep that night. The bus started on time & reached Somvarpet by 5.00AM on 20th. We took some rest till about 6.15AM.The emerging light of dawn showed us as to what was in store for us.. The place was very cold (probably about 15 degrees Centigrade) & the mist surrounding the place was really enchanting. We then had some light breakfast & then caught a private bus at 7.30AM to Pushpagiri. The bus reached Pushpagiri at 8.15AM winding its way thro some beautiful postcard like scenes. Pushpagiri is at the foothills of KumaraParvatha. There are two ways to climb this mountain. One is from Pushpagiri & the other one via Kukke Subramanya. We found out later that the best way to climb the hills was thro Pushpagiri.

We started off from the Pushpagiri to the hills. On the way, we stopped over near a river & had bread for breakfast.. We left the place around 9.15AM. On the way to the KumaraParvatha, the only source of food is a place called HeggadeMane. We reached this place around 9.45AM. We did not stop for any food though since we had completed our breakfast. We then kept trekking at a good speed thro the pushpagiri ranges & passed many small streams on the way. We kept replenishing our water bottles on the way since we were told that we would not find water at the peak. We stopped at around 12.00PM near a small machan. It also had a small stream flowing just next to it.. We then boiled water & had noodles with it. Also by this time, many of us were having leech bites. We poured salt on the leeches & cleaned ourselves up. Particularly Ifzal, Balasubramaniam and Veena.R.P. were badly bitten. We poured some medicine from the first aid kit we had on their wounds & continued our trek. On the way we encountered some more small streams. We finally reached a clearing just about 10 minutes walk away from the peak. We that it would be good place to camp since we also spotted a small waterhole nearby. By this all all of us were very tired and some of us took a small nap. Then at around 4.45PM, we climed to the peak to enjoy the beautiful view. We climed down by 5.30PM since we also had to prepare for the campfire, put up the tents etc..

We put up four tents of which three were brought by our guide(Suresh) & one by Ananth. We also collected some dry sticks & some logs. By this time it had become dark & Ananth started to prepare BisiBele bath on the gasstove. It took almost one and half hours to cook the food. Also Ifzal, Bala & Gerald had set up the campfire. Bala had even sacrificed his bloodsoaked socks(after getting bitten by the leeches) to start the campfire. We then had food around the campfire with each one thoroughly enjoying the food along with the mountains. Then by the time everyone was finished with the food, it was 8.30PM. We then deceided to have Sentry duty. Myself & Suresh were to have the 4.00AM to 5.00AM slot. So after some time, we deceided to take rest since we had to get up early in the morning.. Also Ifzal & Gerald went off to doze.. The others were talking till about 11.00PM. By that time the campfire had died down due to the dampness in the air. Then everybody went off to sleep since they were very tired to do the sentry duty. The three girls, Veena,Veena.R.P. & Prathiba slept in one tent. Myself, Suresh & SaiSrikanth(Charlie) slept in another. Gerald & Ifzal were in another. In Ananth's tent, Ananth & Bala slept together. Then at around 2.45AM we were awakened by some screams for the girls' tent saying that they had heard some growls nearby. So we then deceided that we needed to have Sentry duty. So Charlie, Veena.R.P., Ananth and myself did sentry duty by turns. Only Ananth remained awake throughout. We then woke the others at 6.00AM. The morning was a very beautiful sight indeed because of the mist surrounding us. We then finished us morning chores & then started preparing coffee. After having coffee, we prepared Khara bath. In the cold weather, the water just refused to boil. So it took quite some time before the breakfast was ready. At about 8.00AM, we left the place. Also we made sure all along that we never dropped any of the plastic wastes on the beautiful mountains.

The walk down was quite brisk. Also it was downhill most of the way. Hence we did not get very tired although our toes were aching sometimes due to the speed at which we were climbing down. Downhill, we took a deviation which would take us to Subramanya instead of Somvarpet. On the way down there were swarms of leeches. So we ran quite some distance stopping at clearings to remove the leeaches. Since most of us had got bitten by leeches on the way up, we were more careful while climbing down. We even had small sticks in our hand & kept watching our shoes every few minutes while walking so as to brush off any leeches which were trying to get onto the socks.. We reached a peak almost equally high to KumaraParvatha. This is known as SheshaParvatha as we found out later at the BhattaraMane. Many people mistake this for KumaraParvatha. From here onwards there were no leeches & also there were no trees. There were only grasses growing on this hill. We took rest for sometime. Then we started our journey to the next stop which is known as the Mantapa. We reached the Mantapa at 11.00AM. We left the place by 11.30AM. Still the BattaraMane was about 2 hours away. We could see a part of the plantations of the BattaraMane by 12.00PM. Then at around 12.30, just when I was thinking about how smooth the trip had been an unexpected mishap happened. Veena stepped on a loose stone & twisted her ankle. Gerald & Ifzal had already gone quite some distance leaving us behind. Also myself & Suresh were about 300 mts way from the other group which consisted of the three girls, Bala, Ananth & Charlie. Then we heard Charlie shouting for the firstaid kit. So myself & Suresh rushed up to help them not knowing what had happened. When I got the first look at Veena's ankle, it was swollen as big as a tennis ball & I really thought that she must have had a fracture.. Then we put iodex on her ankle & tied a bandage around her ankle. She was obviously in immense pain & was also blaming herself for being a spoilsport. We had a tough time consoling her. Then we deceided that we split up.. The girls & Suresh went ahead to the BattaraManne carrying most of the luggage.. So Veena,Ananth,Bala,Charlie & myself were left behind with Ananth's bag, a tent & a waterbottle. We then tried to get Veena to move in different ways. Then we made a makeshift stretcher out of the tent & carried her for sometime. This went on for about 45 minutes. We definitely had made some slow but steady progress. Then we reached a rough portion of the terrain where we no longer could carry her. Also Veena had regained her composure by then. So she was able to limp on one leg with our support. She got tired quite fast. Then we had to carry her piggyback for sometime taking turns. Also by this time, Gerald & Ifzal had reached BattaraMane & finished their lunch. They had come to know of the incident thro some travellers who had overtaken us. They came back to relieve us of the strain. Finallt after quite some effort, we managed to reach the BattaraMane at 4.30PM. It had been very straining on us since, we had not had any food after our breakfast & also that there were no sources of water on the way down from SheshaParvatha. Also Veena had to be really appreciated for bearing with the intense pain that she had to put up with.

Once we reached the BattaraMane(Located at a place called Girigadde), we were glad to find out that there were some medical students from Mysore, who had planned to climb the hill the next day, staying there. One of them inspected her ankle and told that there was nothing to worry since it was only a sprain. Also he gave her some tablets & that really relieved her of the anxiety that the injury might be a fracture. We then had noodles nd bread since the lunch was over by the time we had reached. Then we ordered for dinner & after refreshing ourselves & were chatting away till the dinner was served at 8.00PM. The simple but hot dinner was really good and everyone of us had a sumptous dinner. Bhat provided us place to sleep indoors since there were three girls with us. That night everybody slept soundly. Me & ananth were the first to get up at 5.00AM. We woke the others at 6.00AM. Bhat served us hot coffee & tea by 6.30AM. Also he served us riceupma at 7.00AM. Veena's foot was a lot better now. She had also been advised by the medical students to keep her foot in hot saltwater which had helped her in relieving her pain to a great extent. So by 7.30AM on 22nd Dec, we left the place after taking a few snaps with Bhat and also with the medical students.

Myself, Veena.R.P. & Prathiba were to reach Subramanya early & arrange for the tickets back home. So after checking that we had enough supply of water we headed to Subramanya. The others were to help Veena by taking turns.. Veena was a lot better & she could walk very slowly now. By around 8.15AM, I realised that that way down to Subramanya from BattaraMane which was about 5kms was far more difficult than the way down from SheshaParvatha to BattaraMane. Also we then thought that the others might be in need of food. I then went back with a bread packet & some glucose to give it to the other group who were now left behind. I met Gerald at 9.00AM & gave the items to him. Asked about Veena's progress, he said that she was walking slowly and they might only reach Subramanya by 4.00PM. I headed back to join Prathiba & Veena.R.P. who were waiting below. I joined them at 9.20AM & we resumed our journey downhill. We reached a place called BhimaPada at 10.10AM which is two kms from Girigadde( BattaraMane). This is a huge rock in a small clearing. We left the place at 10.30AM. We then kept trekking & reached a small shelter built by the forest authorities at 11.00AM. We thought we would rest here for sometime & then proceed. We also decided that this would be last rest we would take on our trek to Subramanya. We left the place at 11.30AM. Just when we were out out the place, we were met with regular roads. We were really surprised since we were expecting much more of the forest. This was really an welcome sight after trekking for two days.. The Subramanya temple was hardly 15 min walk from here. The temple posed a beautiful sight with the majestic mountains of KumaraParvatha and SheshaParvatha in the background.. After enjoying the beauty for some time ,We headed off to call up our homes.Then we booked the tickets to Bangalore by a private bus.The bus was to leave at 10.00PM. The bus fare was Rs.130/ per person.

Once this was done, we decided to take bath in the river. We left our luggages in the temple luggage room. This facility is very good & is provided free of cost to the visitors. We took bath in the river near AdiSubramanya temple. Then we paid our respects in the temple. There was lunch arranged in the temple as part of the prasad. This is provided both in the afternoon & night free of cost. The food was simple but good. Once we were thro' with the lunch, it was around 3.00PM. We then went to a nearby hotel & had some cooldrinks. By this time, the others had reached the place. They had covered the distance at quite a good speed. So this really completed most of the trip. We then booked a room in the temple choultry(Karthikeya Temple Choultry). The room was decent enough. It costed us Rs.25/-. We all rested for sometime here. Gerald, Ifzal & Bala went to have bath at a place called KumaraDhare. This is about 2KM from Subramanya. They then told that the water was not very clean there since there were a lot of vehicles which were being washed there..

In the evening, we generally walked around the small town visiting a few shops, seeing the temple & generally whiling away our time.. We then had some light food at a hotel since we decided against the temple food as it might prove to be heavy during the bus travel. We vacated our room at 9.00PM & boarded the bus at 9.30PM. As the bus left Subramanya, there was a feeling of achievement in everybody's mind about the 'conquest' of KumaraParvatha. Soon everybody was asleep in the comfort of the luxury bus.. The next thing we knew was being awakened by the announcement that we had reached Bangalore. The time was 5.15AM.

Everybody had thoroughly enjoyed the trip and were filled with many beautiful memories. I'm sure that none of us will ever forget the wonderful campsite, the beautiful mountains & so many other places which we had seen over the last two days..We bid adieu to each other & vowed to have many more trips in the future.. 

The people who were in the trip apart from me were