Sunday, October 16, 2005
Tada waterfalls: a Trekking Experience can never be missed in Chennai Life
"Life is only traveled once, today’s moment becomes tomorrows memory, enjoy every moment good or bad because the gift of life is LIFE itself"
The trekking expedition to TADA falls was very thrilling, adventurous and enjoyable to each one us. We of 8 members undertook a journey yesterday (Saturday) to Tada waterfalls which falls in the border between the states of Tamil Nadu and Andra Pradesh. We started off the campus (IIT Madras)at 5.30 in the morning and boarded 5C at Madhya Kailash and reached Central Railway Station at 6.40AM and got into Gummidipoondi bound suburban train at 6.45AM (we bought tickets also! up to Tada, Rs.17 each). The train reached Gummidipoondi station at 8.30 AM on the way we relished some of fruits and snacks we were taking with us. There was another 30 minutes left to catch another train to reach Tada, which is another 20 minutes journey from Gummidipoondi station and choose to have some refreshments. We all had a good coffee at a shop nearby station and I took one Mysore Pauk after a long 12-13 years (which is tasty but shape and morphology is desi local) but Sathish took some omelet, he always eat well in plenty! From Gummidipoondi we started off at 09.05AM and reached Tada at 9.30 AM and had tender coconut (Rs 8/- each is reasonable and of good taste and plenty of water) and again we boarded a Andra Pradesh Government bus to Varadhyap palem which is some 30 KM away and reached there at 10.30AM. From there we got into a Share Auto for about 4 KMs and got out of it and started to walk all along the way to reach the falls which is another 5 kms away.
On the way we found a good place nearby a mango farm and we all had our breakfast (Chapattis and bread, butter and Jam and Tomato Thuvayal too) at 11.30 AM. Again started walking by 12.15 noon and after passing through ruff and tough stony, sloppy and muddy road and crossing the natural obstacles of 4 streams and many water logged road all the along the way we reached the spot but Waterfalls. After crossing 4 streams most of us failed to reach Tada falls basically for two reasons: The sky is started cloudy and there is little time out there to get out of the forest area before sun sets off and it is started raining too. But four of us (Varma, Satish, Arjun and me of course!) went ahead to see the falls but we ended up a small cave which is just few meters away from the falls. There we have seen two snakes in water stream near the cave well near our legs (just few cms away) and Arjun shouted in panic but that two snake escaped from our dragnet! This was the final obstacle to see off the falls but the rock is completely sloppy vertically and being raining it is difficult to climb up but three of us (except me) managed to climb up and ended up the falls and I choose to get back to the position where our remaining squad of 4 guys taking bath. The 15 minutes of lone trekking is awesome and thrilling one, if anything happens nobody is there to help or sound a alarm or for that matter to hear. We decided
to get down after all the guys took small bath (except me) and again had few snacks.We started leaving the forest at 4.30 and choose to have lunch at (4.30 PM) at the second stream (beautiful and decent one). There guys prepared country fire to prepare a HOT Tea but unfortunately milk gone wild! All the efforts of these guys too. We had lunch at 5PM. still two packets of Lemon rice and 7 nos. chapatti left out and thrown into the nearby areas for feedstock for other living beings. The lemon rice and Tomato Thuvaiyal was excellent and very tasty. Everybody liked it. Thanks to master cooks…
Again we started trekking at 5.45 PM and after crossed the water logged path we reached Check dam at 7.30 PM. The beautiful Moon and Varmas's Cell phone guiding us in the darkness all along the way. Finally we got out of the forest area at 8pm and reached a Tea shop (its is really Petti kadai) near Avanti Leather Factory and had Tea from its owner Mrs. Rathnam, a 55+ lady. She was very friendly and treated us well. Few of the guys lied there for some time in some of the wooden cots and vamsi on concrete slab! and I avoided a curse
! from that lady for damaging the cot, overweight! I am just 72kgs! We were told that at least one or two guys losing their life here in the falls by falling in to the deep water just below the falls.Shocking! All our cell phones are incommunicado but started getting signals near check dam and even at 7.30 PM I got a call from Mr. Mukesh, he wanted to see film "the Day after Tomorrow" at OAT but I was 70 KMS away. Again the signals completely vanished. Kuppan Chetty fortunately got signal in his BSNL mobile and called Alliyam, a auto driver in Varadhyap palem some 12 KMs away. He came to Avanti leather factory to pick us all up at 8.40Pm and we paid him a cool Rs. 80/- and immediately boarded Chennai bound bus no. 114. On the way the bus stopped a road side eatery and some of us had cool drinks (Thumps UP is my brand but very rarely nowadays) and others, just a cup of Tea. Finally we reached Koimbedu Central Moffusil bus Terminal (CMBT) at 10.45 PM and from there we got into a share auto for 8 guys in crammed condition and guys saved a cool Rs. 5/- per head! We reached IIT in gate at 11.30 PM and choose to have Tea from hot chips; it is about to down the shutter but Babu managed to get the stuff. At least he is worth for what he stands for! We all took our Bike (it is called Bicycle in our country) and reached hostel exactly 12 midnight. Now it is Sunday, I took bath, refreshed and started reading news papers of the day; The Hindu, Indian Express, Times of India, Business Line and Economic Times, these are some of my daily routine jobs.
One sad news we got from Mrs. Ranthnam opposite to Avanti Leather Factory was that each month at least one or two guys would end their life in the Tada falls out of mistake or intoxication or may be suicide. On the way to CMBT I happened to read one new article in the latest issue of Anantha Vikatan that Mr. Bashir, a friend of Mrs. Kanimozhi (Dr. Kalaignar Karunanith's daughter) lost his life there few years back. Tada falls regularly receives its guests only on the weekend and takes few lives too! All along the way one can see some of the broken liquor battles and plastic bottles of leading brands. We were told that most of the guys are from Chennai; normally they would arrive by either two wheelers or four wheelers like TATA Sumo that’s what we choose to take a comfortable! Train/bus/auto/trekking journey, hi it is money counts everywhere!
Guys who wants to venture in to the forest area to enjoy the beauty of Tada falls have to wear canvas shows, shorts, caps and of course plenty of drinking water and food. There is nothing we can get all along the way or near falls. No body is living there. Few village people will come for some work. It is advisable to get into the area by 7-8AM and get out of it before 4-5PM. If sunlight is low it is difficult to trace the path to get out. There are no wild animals living there to scare the gustes! But wild honey bees are eager to bite you if they are given a chance.
