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Treading gently

If you want to experience some serious eco-tourism, try to spend a few days at Honnemardu

PANORAMIC Watching the sunset from the hills above Honnemardu, the water appears like liquid gold- PHOTO: ANAND SANKAR

From the top of a small hill, I watch the sun as it sinks into the horizon. The water that stretches into the visible horizon is liquid gold, its surface only broken by the wake of a family of ducks returning home. This is Honnemardu, situated in the middle of nowhere along the backwaters of the Lingannamakki Reservoir in Shimoga District, Karnataka.

The place is supposed to have got its name from the honne tree and the village that is now submerged by the waters of the dam. The only signs of human habitation today at Honnemardu are the two tiled houses that accommodate a bunch of eco-tourism enthusiasts who call themselves The Adventurers.

Right from the moment I set foot here, I was made to realise that the guys here are absolutely serious about what they do. Brushing your teeth with toothpaste and bathing with soap have to be done in the bathrooms provided there. This is to prevent the run-off from contaminating the waters of the reservoir. Same goes for the toilets, which empty into soak pits located some distance away from the water. Then there are the utensils. Somehow, I was not told that I had to get my own plate, spoon and glass, so I had to make use of the ones with the guys here, under the express condition that I wash them myself. Not your idea of a relaxing holiday I suppose, but the aim is to not reduce the local people to dishwashers. And the other rules — no loud music, no smoking, no alcohol or non-vegetarian food. Don't worry about your mobile phone, you won't get a signal for 15 km.

Away from the din

So, what does one get in exchange for sacrificing worldly pleasures that we think we can't live without? A 60-square-mile freshwater swimming pool and enough forest for you to scream your lungs out and run into a multitude of species, definitely not of the human kind.

Though The Adventurers tailor a vacation programme according to your needs, the emphasis is on water sports. The first thing you are assigned on arriving is a life jacket, which is a must in the water because the average depth here is 150 metres. Even if you are an ace swimmer, the first activity is the lifejacket drill. As soon as you get into the water you are told to immerse your head in the water, first to get rid of the air trapped in your ear canal and second to overcome the fear of being underwater. I must confess as a non-swimmer it took a lot of courage to first step into the water. And it was just blind faith when I pushed my head underwater and then floated for the first time supported by a life jacket.

But once you figure out the knack of lying on your back with the life jacket, there is nothing more relaxing. The water is a giant cushion that absorbs all stress and leaves you weightless. From this point on, the water is the fulcrum of all activities at Honnemardu. They have three kinds of watercraft that you can learn to use — the canoe, the coracle and the wind-powered surfboard. Though windsurfing is for the brave hearts, the canoes and the coracle are pretty easy to master.

Weight balance is the most important thing in the two-man canoe. Even a slight imbalance can see you swimming back to shore paddle in hand. But the canoe is an extremely fast craft, which requires next to no effort while rowing. The fibreglass coracle on the other hand seats six and is as steady a craft as you can find on the water. Though a monster to steer and propel, it will not sink even if it fills with water because two air boxes built into it guarantee its buoyancy.

Once a group becomes proficient in using the craft, it is time for an expedition. The waters of the reservoir have submerged most of the land but have left small islands in between. So, the agenda is to camp on one island every night. But for our group, we had something special planned. We planned to camp in an ancient temple, again in the middle of nowhere, which is about three kilometres by water from Honnemardu.

The trip was quite uneventful but exhausting as we often found ourselves rotating in the same point while paddling our coracles. The temple, named after the deity Shivalingeshwara, though turned out to be right out of some paranormal thriller. Built in typical Malnad style, the crumbling shrine looked quite haunted. I had the absurd sensation of hearing the sound of anklets in every dark corner. But an earthy dinner of pooris and spicy aloo masala put paid to all ghostly sensations and we hit the sack right away.

The next three days I spent exploring Honnemardu. I visited a farmer nearby who fed me with fresh cucumber plucked straight from his modest field. Then I joined him for a simple dinner with his family.

Sunset colours

Watching the sunset from the hills above the place is especially beautiful. Also try canoeing by moonlight. The water is smooth like glass, reflecting the dam's lights like a string of pearls. If you are lucky, you might catch a glimpse of the wildlife in the forests. Bison, deer and an occasional leopard are known to inhabit the hills. More common are snakes — the green tree snake, rat snake, Russell's viper and the cobra.

But if you don't want to do any of the activities above and want to laze around, just put on a life jacket, jump in the water and chill. That is Honnemardu for you. Pity you can't read a book floating in the water.

A day at Honnemardu costs Rs. 500 per head but it might vary if you customise your activities. Three simple vegetarian meals a day and plenty of piping hot tea are provided. Mats are available but sleeping bags can be carried. For bookings and other details, contact Swami or Nomito on 080-23409712.

The group also has a website, http://www.westernghats.org/tourism.html.

How to get there

From Mangalore take the road to Honnavar and from there take the road that goes to Talguppa. After you pass Jog falls and about fifteen kilometres before Talguppa you get the right turn to Honnemardu. You will not get jeeps at this intersection. If you want to hire a jeep you will have to go to Talguppa or get down at Jog itself.

ANAND SANKAR

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