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ROAD LESS TRAVELLED

Life’s simple pleasures

Baviyoor Of charming tribals and rolling grasslands, writes Subha J Rao

Photos: K. Ananthan

NATURE’S BOUNTY Baviyoor offers a great view of the valley

This RLT is a lesson in simplicity. For city dwellers so tuned in to the idea that luxury means happiness, Baviyoor is a great teacher. You need to possess little to enjoy this village, tucked away in the folds of the Nilgiris.

The Creator must have been in one of his benevolent moods when he made Baviyoor. How else can you explain the rolling grasslands, the stark rock faces, the fertile soil, and most important, its inhabitants who seem to smile their way around every obstacle? They little mind the lack of transport, happily trekking uphill for a couple of hours if the few buses that ply near their settlement don’t turn up on time.

We jeep it from Kotagiri, driving up quite close to this ancient tribal settlement. A five-minute walk through bushes on one side with a deep valley on the other takes you there. Go in expecting absolute silence, and you will return disappointed.

The Government has provided the Kurumbas pucca houses, and the free television sets blare from every other house thanks to a Dish TV connection.

The local temple

Despite this intrusion of modernity, the tribals hold on to their way of life.

You have to remove your footwear before entering their field. And, they believe there is a sacred grove nestled inside one of the rock faces.

Every year, they make a trip to the grove on the other side of the hill, like their forefathers did, light some frankincense, indulge in eco-friendly worship and leave the grove, untouched. This is their idea of conservation.

When we walk in, it is close to dusk and the settlement is slowly coming alive. Kids prance about; playful dogs do a little jig and the women are getting dinner ready. The men are either at work or basking on the rocks, taking in the sights of the valley below.

A little away from the settlement is the way to the fields. Walk on rudimentary stone steps before you reach the local temple. The field is at a lower level; lower yourself to the cultivation area, carefully placing your feet on the rocks strewn around. This year, a tribal has planted beans and avarai on a small plot. He lives near the field in a bamboo-frame shack to shoo away the wild boars.

Away from his plot is a stretch of vacant land. A lush marigold bush has sprouted bright orange flowers by the dozen, a stark contrast to the near-black soil.

A little further, the sight of a lifetime awaits you — a never ending stretch of deep valleys, hills, forests and clouds that seem to have a flexible colour palette.

If this is not enough, there are some boulders nearby; you can sit in peace and stare at the vastness. From here, you can see the faint outlines of Sirumugai, Karamadai and Bannari.

Our reverie is broken by some noisy birdcall. “Hornbills,” cries Samraj from the Keystone Foundation, Kotagiri, who accompanies us. The valley, we are told, is a nesting site for hornbills. Soon enough, three hornbills, their white wings lit by the fading rays of the sun, fly into a nearby copse.

Before we leave, one of the tribals plays a traditional percussion instrument for us. A bit of swaying later, we head back to Kotagiri, past a forest road rich with tales of animal sightings.

Baviyoor is about 20 km from Kotagiri and 12 km from Sholur Mattam. If you are driving, park your car at Kotagiri and rent a jeep from there for Rs. 350.

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