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With Nature for company

Jungle all the way, writes K. JESHI

PHOTO: K.ANANTHAN

IT'S MAGIC HERE The river at Champankadu

I wanted a change of scene; a walk in the jungle, breath pollution-free air, take in the beauty of a hilltop and chase butterflies in a meadow. So, this RLT; an interlude with Nature just a short drive away from Coimbatore.

We leave at the crack of dawn, driving on canopied roads, past lush green fields, coconut groves and a hillock shaped like an elephant. All in the quest of a stream of water.

But, wait a minute. Do I have to climb rocky mountains, take deep breaths, alternate them with sips of water and rest on passing boulders? The thought is unsettling. But, Thalinji, our chosen destination, is a cakewalk. It is a six-km trek on the plains from Chinnar on the Tamil Nadu-Kerala border.

As you leave the Chinnar check-post behind, the climate begins to change. As the road winds through the jungle, you see the vast expanse of the Amaravathy range on the left and the Udumalpet range on the right.

Sightings of sambhar, spotted deer, bear, panther, bison, and elephant are not uncommon during the early hours of the day and I am all excited. But our guide, forest guard S. Manivannan, tells us it happens only if you are lucky. I am not. I only manage to catch a glimpse of a beautiful peacock. But, with Thalinji still a long way away, there is a glimmer of hope for an encounter with the wild.

Beautiful view

The stone house.

A brief halt at Punganodai palam, popular after a traveller spotted a tiger at the stream there, is worth it — it is quieter, has denser greenery and offers a mind-blowing view of the Amaravathy dam.

The next stop isChampankadu in Kerala (3 km from Chinnar) and the trek from here springs several surprises. Though it is dangerous moving through the jungle, it is worth the experience. After a 10-minute walk, you hear the distinct gurgle of the Champankadu River, originating from Maraiyur in Kerala. To avoid venturing into the forest after dusk, Thalinji's tribals halt at the chai shop near the river. The Champankadu Bridge, a sturdy concrete structure, was once a hanging wooden bridge that was washed away in flash floods, says Nagarajan, the trekking watcher.

The forest is Nature at its best, in varying shades of yellow and green. The pace is slow and when you are admiring such sights, a flash of jungle magic happens. An animal darts through the thick foliage. As I strain to catch a glimpse of the unusual, my mind is already wondering. What if a tusker were to appear?

After sighting aggressive troops of langurs near the check-post, we are fortunate to encounter elegant deer. Unbelievably graceful, the spotted deer stares at us and instantly frisks into the wild. Our search for the big cat is in vain, but we see a pugmark here and there.

One of the sculptures.

We walk 2.6 km in Kerala territory before we witness the silent flow of Atthiodai from Aralipara and Jambamalai in Kerala. This is Nature's boundary. One more step and we are inside Tamil Nadu. Thalinji is another 3 km away.

After a good one-and-a-half hours, we reach Thalinji settlement. Stretched across as a spectacular mosaic, there is a lot to explore here — the age-old Kondamma temple (believed to cure any ailment), sculptures, stone houses (for the living or dead?), each unravelling a piece of history.

The breathtaking Thenaaru snarls its way down through the backyard of the settlement and flows down in a series of daring swings. I sit in bliss by its banks. All around me are mountains standing witness to the charms of the river. Mobile phones don't work here; you can be totally cut off from the outside world if solitude is what you are seeking.

How to get there

Amaravathy is 75 km and two hours from Coimbatore. Chinnar is 32 km from Udumalpet and 13 km from Amaravathy range. For details, contact Forest ranger, Amaravathy range office, Amaravathi Nagar - 642102, ph: 04252-256442.

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