Green hills of Coorg

When I was a child, my mother was often shocked by my lack of interest in things green and beautiful. I was more interested in factories crafted by the dexterous hand of man.

But time moves, like a river in spate, and I was dragged along by the overwhelming tide of that river. My love for concrete behemoths subsided, and was replaced by a greater passion for things green when I travelled with my parents through Karnataka in a little car we called our own. (However, my interest in watching the speedometer of the car as it sped down the obscure roads of Karnataka, waned not one small bit.)

We had no plans except to travel through the quieter roads, replete with nature's wonders, and not just tool down the National Highways, which had nothing but concrete and barren land on both sides.

India is a beautiful country, but there are few parts of India, in my opinion, more beautiful than the Chikmagloor and Coorg (Kodagu) districts of Karnataka. The relative obscurity of this green region gave us a golden opportunity to travel through large areas untouched by the long hands of commercialism and material greed.

Our first stop was at Shimoga, a little industrial township. (We could not stay in the jungles, and so had to return to civilisation at night). Shimoga was a nice place, but was lacking in clean accommodation. (Cleanliness is something I value greatly).

The next day, we spent travelling through the State's highways. We even took time for a short visit to Moogambika where I communed with goddess Saraswati (and partook of rice replete with stones from a small establishment nearby.)

The road from Shimoga to Moogambika was ethereal. On switching off the engine, we could hear birds singing, monkeys chattering (No! It was not me...) and some other sounds that I could not identify.

We spent the night at Murdeshwar, off NH 17 (which we subsequently entered from Moogambika) and near Bhatkal, where we were supplied (hopefully) unleaded petrol. Murdeshwar is a nice place, despite what its name may suggest.

The next day, we returned to Chennai, following the National Highway, a dull and prosaic journey in contrast to the journey till then.What this journey did for me was that it gave me a greater depth and capability for introspection than before, for communing with nature brings out the philosophical side in every man ...

SIDDHU WARRIER, XII

KENDRIYA VIDYALAYA,CLRI, Chennai

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