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Tranquillity is just a trek away

You can experience the charm of the grasslands, says SUBHA J RAO

A MAJESTIC PRESENCE The Beermukku temple PHOTO: K. ANANTHAN

In theory, Ebbanad is just an hour and a half drive (16 km) from Ooty. But that's far from the truth. The winding, potholed road, which offers scenic views, ensures we reach there in a little less than three hours. The drive through tea estates and lush fields is something a city dweller will love. It is best to leave Ooty at dawn so that you can reach the village of Ebbanad before it gets too hot. A two-hour walk from here is Beermukku temple — no one seems to know why it is so called. Someone suggests it is probably a corrupted version of Bearmukku (a place frequented by bears?).

Accompanying us to the hill top shrine are the local `cashier' and two Badaga elders. Despite our protests, they pack some bananas and biscuits. Later, we realise why.

From a distance, the temple looks like a mound with a cord of white wrapped around it (whitewashed steps running through the temple). The local committee has put the rough-hewn steps (1,000 of them) in place, most of which have been sponsored by individuals whose names are painted on each step.

Despite the steps, the climb is difficult for untrained legs. As you painfully make your way up, the verdant landscape makes the climb worth it. . At first, you can see the peaks of the hills nearby, then a line of tall shola forests looms into view. A hundred steps later, you can spot another layer of forests, followed by the undulating plantations of Ebbanad. Once you reach the top, this is what awaits you: vast acres of grassland, mist rising towards the nearby peaks, birdcall and the lonely strains of an Irula boy singing as he grazes his cows in the grassland behind the hill. Elephants and bison are known to frequent this grassland. The temple priest comes in once a month or whenever a villager wants to make an offering to the deity, Shiva. The `cashier' and his friends tell us that devotees carried every single brick and stone that went into the making of the temple. The climb down is not easy either. It is evening and the monkeys are out in full strength, screeching for all they are worth. The walk from the foothills to the village takes about 45 minutes. A road is being laid in time for the January 23 temple festival. Once that is done, vehicles can go up to this point. Call 0423-2503311 for details.

How to go there

From Ooty, drive up to Pudumundu (2 km) and take the road forking right till Denadcombai (8 km from Ooty). Take the road to the right.

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