Sadhuragiri-Part 4

Ramesh was in full form on both the days!

Since I was to climb up mountains next day, I didn’t want to stay awake for a long time. I decided to sleep after a couple of crossings. My train started from Villupuram negotiated an excellent curve near Kandambakkam. It was a beauty. It was past midnight and the weather was a bit cool. I am lucky! I decided to enjoy the ride than to worry about silly things. I observed the scenario and thanked the Almighty for giving humans a lot of things to enjoy.


Tired and taking rest. Long way to go!

My mobile was soon playing “They don't really care about us-Michael Jackson” as WDP-3A negotiated a curve ferociously. I could see the Asst. Loco Pilot exchanging green lamps with the guard. The whole coach was sleeping. I felt sorry for them as they were missing quite a delightful sight. The most charming thing in life is to listen to music as an express train tears across darkness. The train was passing through lonely stations and I could see the khalasi waving the green lamp. The moonlight was good enough and I could see the scenario quite easily. My train was put on loop for a few crossings after Villupuram to allow trains coming from south as after Chengalpet it is a single line section all the way till Kanyakumari.I was also updating the Chennai gang/School friends as and when the events occurred. I got some spottings wrong too!!

Meanwhile Aravind's gang at the back of the train travelling in S1-coach were reading my SMS and correcting me if I had got any of the spottings wrong. I was surprised to know that many members working in nightshifts replied and corrected me when I spotted 6178 Rockfort as 6108 Mangalore Express. I went to sleep after my train crossed Virudhachalam Jn. I got up near Uttamar Kovil and was awake for sometime. I could see Sethu Express with GOC WDM-2. My train reached Tiruchi some 20 minutes late I guess. It was around 0330hrs in the morning. I preferred to take rest! I love the TPJ-MDU section-but I had no choice than taking rest as it would be too tiring when I report back to work on Monday.

Forest everywhere!

I got up at Dindigul Jn and I wasn’t willing to strain myself, so I went back to bed again. I got up just before Madurai, somewhere near Kodaikanal Road. The weather was cold. We reached Madurai slightly late. Harish Kumar came to meet me and bid good-bye as he was returning to MAS that day night itself after roaming around MDU. I brushed my teeth and later Ramkarthik and myself went to S1 coach to join Aravind & Co.


Senthil has just made an adventurous jump. Then Ramesh made it too, while I crossed the river on foot.

Our train reached Sri Villiputtur slightly late. Aravind, our trip organizer had already arranged for autos and other facilities. There were two autos arranged. Aravind, Ramkarthik, Ramesh and myself were in one auto. Anand, Senthil, Prabhu and Nishant were in other auto. We started towards a hotel to buy food.


Suddenly it grew steeper.


We reached the entrance by Auto and after reaching the foothills we needed to walk and there was no other option. We started climbing slowly. Luckily I was not carrying big baggages. It would have proved too tedious. There was a guide who helped us to carry luggage. You won’t believe! He carried 6 large tour bags and climbed the hill all the way up to 4000 feet along with us.


RK and Ramesh share a light moment near Korakkar Caves, Sadhuragiri.

Ramesh and myself were at the front. Anand and Senthil followed us. Then Ramkarthik, Nishant and Aravind followed us. Soon we reached a place called Thanipaarai. We decided to take bath here. This is where the fun started. Ramesh was in full form. We were soon in towels, shorts running loose all over the waterfalls. Aravind was yelling at everyone to take care and caution. Ramesh gave a fantastic pose! Ask him directly, as I don’t want to tell everything now. Then we played sliding board. Like kids we came sliding down the slope along with water. And man, something slipped out of my hands. It was my soap and soapbox. That could only mean that I had no soap for the next two days and I need to report to work without taking bath. Aravind was thinking twice but later he too joined the party. Then we had breakfast. Poori, Dosai with masala, Idli’s, Pongal. Yummy!



Korakkar Cave.

Then we started our journey again. It proved to be long, mysterious and interesting. We talked of things like S.Ve.Sekar, Crazy Mohan dramas, cinema dialogues etc. It was fun. As RK, Ara, Nishant talked of cinema dialogues, Ramesh and myself walked cracking jokes within us shortly followed by Prabhu, Anand and Senthil. At one point, we were to cross a small river and it had knee-height water. Senthil climbed over a few rocks and made a monkey jump. Since I was wearing shorts, I crossed the river directly.