Day of No Rest

“Deka He Peli Baar... Saajan Ki Aankhon Me Pyaar” I was singing in a tone as bad as I could and the time was past midnight which means 15th August had begun already. In fact, it was so worse that if the beggars in the local train had heard it, they would have murdered me for I was a major threat to their profession. Assisting me were Umesh and Pinky. Vanita joined in at frequent intervals. We had forbidden the sleep of everyone in the cab. Initially, we all were singing together, but as one by one people started failing in their war against the sleep – our desire to irritate the sleeping monsters with our singing skills increased.

While we were singing, we were also looking out for the petrol pumps at the roadside; for those were the only places we could probably find restrooms while traveling. The chill in the nature, the rainfall and the water we drank for quenching our thirst while singing had given us the answer. But nothing on earth had the power to bring down our energy levels. Finally, at a lodge, Nilesh discussed with the lodge owner and made some arrangements for us.

When Umesh woke up after his sleep of about two hours, we sung all the songs we could recollect of Akshay Kumar. International Khiladi, Khiladiyonka Khiladi, Aflatoon, Mere Jeevan Saathi – you name the movie and Umesh could begin with the songs and I and Pinky would hum with him. As we reached the Ghats of Coorg – I began with Ye Ishq Haaye of Jab We Met fame. But the Geet in our team – Sindhu had already fallen asleep.

We didn’t notice when did the moon set and the sun rose. We had reached Coorg and we checked into the Saman Lodge – different rooms for boys and girls. After all, it wasn’t like the Hotel Decent of Ratlam. We checked in at 7am to refresh ourselves. After a little lying on bed and cold showers, we left from the lodge at about 8.30am.

We went to a restaurant that appeared quite cheap and affordable. But we realized the expenses only after completing the breakfast. A bowl of two tea spoonful chutney cost Rs.7 and a plate of four rice-pooris cost Rs. 40. Now I know why that hotel had no menu card and the waiters do not tell the cost of the cuisines they serve. Anyways, they knew that the tourists come to such places once in a lifetime and they must make most if it.

Now began the tour in Coorg. We visited the waterfalls in the hills of Coorg that marked the source of river Cauvery. Click... click... click... the cameras and the cell phones just didn’t stop flashing. Once on the land, once on the bridge, once the right pose, once the left, once the waterfall in the background, once the river; we had captured each moment of it.

Climbing over the gate that restricted the entrance to the bottom of the waterfall, Nilesh, Sujesh and Sindhu went at the adventurous place where the water fell from the high mountains down on the rocks. The rest of us preferred to watch them enjoying too close to the water.

After having a Naariyal Paani, we all began our tour from the waterfall towards the Thalacauvery temple. On our way, we saw various animals. The cattle we saw on the roadside didn’t consist of cows and buffaloes. Instead, we termed them as hippopotamus, rhinoceros, elephants, etc. – but the software that produced them had some bugs.

On the way, my traveling sickness took a toll on me. I began vomiting and had to relocate from the dickey to they driver’s side seat. Accompanying me in my sickness was Umesh to take care of me. Sitting besides a bore like me, he was falling asleep and falling on his right side – on the driver. We then used the hand lock technique that I had learnt during my fire drill training in Accenture to prevent him from falling on his right side.

We had to park our vehicle more than a kilometer away from the Thalacauvery temple as most of the parking space between was already used up. This helped us in getting more number of backgrounds for clicking the pictures. The rocks, hillocks, cliffs, trees, we didn’t leave any opportunity of getting a good background for the picture.

As we entered the temple, we had amazing experiences. It was the first time I had seen the rituals like dipping in the holy water; and asking for a wish and throwing coins in the wishing well. What amazes me the most is the existence of underground water on the top of the mountain!

Then, we climbed a few hundred steps to reach the top of the mountains to find ourselves amongst the clouds. Obviously, we didn’t leave the opportunity of standing on a cliff and clicking pics amidst the clouds.

With this great experience that turned all of us on, I and Pinky caused a turn off for Umesh. Umesh was climbing on a thin pole constructed on the top of the mountain. The pole had small pipe like structures on opposite sides to help the climber hold the grip and balance himself/herself. He asked me and Pinky to click his pics as others had already begun climbing down the ladder. As we geared up with our cameras in cell phones, he kept climbing higher. My heart began pumping so fast that if my oral cavity was a little large, it would fall out from it. The camera went on standby or the keypad was locked – I don’t remember. I just couldn’t think of what I must do as Umesh had almost vanished behind the dense clouds and the strong winds. As he got down the pole, he yelled badly on both of us – his voice justified his anger when we wasted his efforts by not clicking the pics correctly. I felt sorry for him – but what else would a coward like me do.

After this, we returned to the city place in Coorg near our hotel and visited a nearby garden. We had an experience as if we were rehearsing for the next season of Iss Jungle Se Mujhe Bachao when we walked on the muddy lanes between the grasses and bushes to click interesting pics over the edge of the cliffs.

The rainfall thereafter, caused us to run from the same muddy lanes towards the vehicle which then dropped us near our lodge. Drying ourselves at the lodge; me, Vanita, Umesh and Pinky decided to go for a walk to explore the places around our lodge.

It is still a mystery for me if we had come out for exploring the places around our lodge or for by hearting a few routes around. We were walking on the same streets sometimes clockwise and then anticlockwise, discussing each others personal lives and the most favorite topic of every bachelor – the requirements we seek in the life partner and Arranged Marriage versus Love Marriage. I do not remember how many hours were walking, how many kilometers we covered, how many rounds we did; all I remember is that even after having a sleepless night and a restless day, this walk didn’t tire me at all. Instead, it reinvented some more energy in me.

Thereafter, we had dinner at an unreasonable restaurant and headed back towards the lodge. Nilesh, Mervin, Sumesh, Sujesh, Sindhu, Vanita, Pinky and Umesh – I had the best time with all of them. Though I do not wish to say this statement – I was missing Abhilash. It would have been more fun to visit Coorg with him in the company. “Never mind, I will check him out later when he calls me”, I said to myself while we returned back to our lodge to be lost in the wonderland of sweet dreams. After such a long time of awakening and enjoying – Thoda rest to banta hai!