A Monsoon Ride (to Illickal Kallu & Marmala Falls)

Marmala

The early morning shower has further brought down the temperature of Bangalore, the T-shirt I am wearing struggled to keep myself warm. It was 5:30 AM when the Uber guy dropped me at the Majestic Railway station. For some reason I am travelling by the morning train which is scheduled to leave at 6:15AM. Walking the railway over-bridge appreciating the misty atmosphere, the pre-dawn light, the chilly wind all combined gave a tight competition to any hill station in India. The aroma of steaming idlis and fried Vadas welcomed me to the compartment as mine was next to the pantry car. 

As soon as I comforted myself in the window seat I started reading the novel I was carrying with me, need to finish this novel. A writer only begins a book but a reader finishes it!. The only sound which dared to intrude my otherwise peaceful mind was the usual “chai-Kaappi”, the pantry employees who came selling tea and snacks. As my seat was in the beginning of a compartment these hawkers start shouting from my behind out of nowhere.

Why don’t they do it in a peaceful way?

Is there an alternative so they could stop shouting?

My mind got indulged in finding a solution for this sound pollution and at some point I slipped into a slumber.

When I woke up it was not cold any more, the dry warm air kept blowing on to my face from the countryside of Tamil Nadu. I continued with my novel. The vendors who sold Lemon tea, Masala-dosa, Cutlet and water took care of my appetite well. Sometime before the Coimbatore station I got the whole seat for myself so lied down and did catch some sleep.

I woke up to the splashing water on my face. It was a heavy downpour outside and the train was passing through a forest like area. I rushed to the doors to get a closer look. Train have crossed the kerala border and it was ‘Walayar’ in Palghat district. Spreading its green carpet and sprinkling the holy water, the monsoon laden Kerala gave me a wonderful welcome.

It is monsoon time in Kerala when the state receives its maximum rain. It has already painted the whole surrounding green. The water has welled up every pit, pond, spring, lake and river. The rain scenes kept repeating until train reached Cochin. Every year the monsoon season offers so many beautiful moments which are worth pampering till the next year. This year too I am coming back to the soil I belong, to reap some priceless moments, some motivation, some stories, some experiences so as to unveil an unknown face of this year’s monsoon. 

Cochin

Spending an evening in Cochin experiencing it’s hospitality, food, reduced traffic, long conversations, walking the streets under an umbrella helped me to acclimatize myself to the rains before climbing to the hills. It was a great relief and more of an escape from the crowded and polluted city life.

My phone rang, it was Alfaise, we call him Alpan, my junior from college. Knowing that I am in Cochin he invited me to his home in Erattupetta which is 2 hours away from Cochin. A small town bordering the districts Kottayam and Idukki. I accepted the invitation without a second thought, that much was my desire to plunge into a water body and to be in nature’s lap. Soon I was in a bus to Erattupetta. Some years back I have traveled this same route, on my way to Wagamon. It was a monsoon time as well, when I got to try Alpan’s mom’s talent in cooking. The taste of Idiyappam and Beef fry is still tingling in my mouth. Alpan has promised to take me to some waterfalls and a pond to swim. These high ranges give an opportunity to enjoy the nature in all its flavours and colours. The undisturbed nature is always complete by itself. It fills the void in every human and makes him feel complete too.

It was around 10PM when I reached the Erattupetta bus station, soon after a heavy rain. Alpan was waiting for me in his car. Driving his home we passed through the riverside, rubber plantations, pineapple field, small hills....though it was dark I appreciated them by the car’s headlight.

His home was away from the hustle and bustle of the city. Secluded in the side of a rubber plantation on the slope of a hill. They are cultivating most of the vegetables in their kitchen garden. Backyard is an orchard of exotic fruits, Mangostein and Rumputan being the highlight. There were two ponds in the vicinity. The boundaries of the view is guarded by mighty green hills. At night every tree in the surrounding got studded with hundreds of fireflies, a rare visual treat that any human eye could cherish for hours.

A shower in the cold water, a heavy dinner with varieties of meat and snacks followed by a long conversation in the veranda, eating from the homegrown Rumputan and Mangostein, it was raining in my inside as well. I was tired to the core when I retreated to sleep. I meditated sometime looking at the small light in the distant hill through the open windows and later fell into a deep sleep. “Tomorrow I will take you to Illickal Kallu and Marmala falls” the words of Alpan kept regurgitating into my mind. The breeze from the hills didn’t let me switch on the fan. The crickets continued it’s cry while the rain rumbled in the background.  

We got ready by 10AM. Illickal Kallu was our first destination. Alpan and his father was all dressed up as if going for a wedding reception while I was in my shorts and T-shirt. I  kept my swimming trunks ready to jump into water if I get a chance. On the way we got down at different small waterfalls and riverside to click some pictures. Alpan’s father was the most vibrant amongst us. He engaged us with his stories and discussions like any tourist guide will do.

After the repeated greeneries and sceneries with a chillness of the rain, we reached the parking space of the tourist spot Illickal Kallu. There were a few tea stalls and snacks shops. The tourism department is providing transport facility till the top of the hill on nominal rates and from there we walked a kilometer to reach its highest spot. We could just see the mist and nothing else. It started raining combined with strong winds, there is no shade to resort, we stood under the pouring dark clouds enjoying every drop of it. I was all set to get wet but Alpan was shivering inside the jeans and shirt. We were the only tourists at that point of time. The mist got thinner and thinner and wind took away most of it revealing the surrounding green mountains and the rock (illickal kallu). The view, the wind, the rain, that penetrating chillness, I stood mesmerized, the moments worth living, an experience beyond words.

 

Illickal Kallu

We climbed down appreciating every mountain in the surrounding carpeted with streams of water all over it. While getting into the car we were shivering. The car heater did calm us down a bit. The drive to the Marmala Falls was smooth through the newly built road, thanks to the Kerala tourism department. The misty beautiful mountains, the rubber plantations, the rain all gave us company until we reached the base of Marmala falls.  A break at the village tea shop by the Meenachilar river was worth mentioning. Sipping the hot black tea with steaming Kerala snacks, the drizzle, the flooding river a dream was getting materialized.

Alpan's father

 The rain subsided while getting down to the end of that road, further we had to walk. The stretch leading down took us to the stream flowing from the falls. The banks of the river were fighting to contain the volume of water. Slowly we walked uphill through a small forest in the direction of the thunderous sound of falling water. The undisturbed nature supplemented so much peace. Big rocks were forming a bastion on one side protecting us from that giant falls. At times I crossed the rock boundaries to see the ‘thandavam’ of those falls. We crossed small streams and climbed huge rocks to finally reach the abode of the giant. Here also we didn’t find any tourists. People might not be as crazy as we are. One need to be extra careful while visiting waterfalls during the monsoon, at anytime it can cross the boundaries and become the God of destruction.

Alpan

The incessant rain for the last 4 days has brought in the falls to its height of wilderness. The scattering water from the rocks showered like a rain. The fine water droplets formed a screen in front of the falls. The force of falling water prevented us from getting closer. Forget about clicking some pics, I couldn’t even open my eyes properly to get a view of the falls. The air was saturated with water and breathing was tough. After so much struggle I stood close to the falls. I could feel my heart was getting opened to receive a part of its energy. It was a real adventure, water! what a wonder! and I adore it the most as rain!

Taking a dip in the cold stream nearby, I embraced the completeness of the nature. Satisfying an explorer’s heart that we conquered something with some moments of adrenaline rush, we relished some of the beautiful treasures of this year’s monsoon.

While in the car, back to Alpan’s home I was preparing myself to jump into the pond in his backyard. We walked through the orchard plucking Rumputan and Mangostein and finally reached the pond. Jumping, diving, swimming I explored the length and breadth of that pond while it was raining in all degrees. I didn’t feel like getting out of that cold, natural spa but thinking of Alpan’s Mom’s preparations how could my stomach stay calm? A majestic dinner followed by a long conversation in the veranda munching  Rumputan midst of trees bejeweled with fireflies and  cries of crickets and frogs in the backdrop of that never ending rain,the day came almost to an end. But my monsoon ride continued exploring its various faces.

Liyakath
Insta: way_farer

The pond

Alpan's Mom's Preparations

Journey continues