In Ebbanad, the vegetable bowl of the Nilgiris, Nature's unspoiled beauty reveals itself layer by layer, discovers Subha J Rao
It's a long, long drive to Beermukku from the plains of Coimbatore.
Leave well ahead of dawn, and you'll have the road to yourself. Hit the
ghat section, slip into some eucalyptus-scented dreams and find yourself
in Ooty before the magic hour of 7, when the sun has still not revealed
itself fully, and the mist and fog hang heavy. After a filling
breakfast of jasmine-white idlis and fresh off-the-stove sambar, get set
for a bumpy ride downhill till you reach the vegetable bowl of the
Nilgiris — Ebbanad.
All along the route, the fields are ripe with hill vegetables and bulbs
that'll shortly land on supermarket shelves — slender beans, bulbous
double beans, pearl-like garlic, still-wet potato, purple cabbage,
beetroot, and more. The mist makes the whole scene rather surreal. Try
and capture some of the scenes on camera. Or, lock them forever behind
closed eyelids.
Ebbanad is a typical hilly village — wisps of smoke from logwood fires
and kerosene stoves rise into the air, there is the refreshing scent of
bubbling tea, children in woollens and mufflers strike charming poses
and friendly locals enthusiastically help when you stop for directions.
Some even hop on board and offer to walk with you to the hill shrine of
Beermukku.
It's a long walk up hundreds of steps and some deceptively easy-looking
slopes. The joints creak and one gasps for breath. And, there are the
leeches to tackle. It's been raining and hungry brown-black leeches rear
their heads — as desperate to make contact as you are to avoid them.
Follow the locals, who happily sprint up the cobble-stone path littered
with mulch, and you'll stay relatively safe. Keep your eyes wide open to see animals scampering past — a mongoose, a barking deer, and colourful jungle fowl.
A while later, Nature's unspoiled beauty reveals itself layer by layer.
The jamun trees on a lovely lawn look inviting. This is where thousands
of people are fed during the yearly temple festival. A barking deer
peeps from the fringes of the forest, but before you can take a second
look, it flees into the green haven.
Clamber up the white-washed, red-bordered cemented slopes that have the
names of benefactors chiselled on them, and the view changes. Tall, dark
trees rise to the sky. Plod on till the stone steps and you can see the
terraced hills framing the trees. At the next level, workers in the
fields appear like toy people. A notch higher, a fresh-smelling mist
envelopes you before settling down on the valley like a white-grey
blanket. It leaves behind a hint of the fragrance of the valleys and
peaks it has crossed.
Just as suddenly, it lifts, allowing a spectacular view of the valley
below and the blue-green hills of the Nilgiris. Each of the trees in the
lawn far below appears solitary, with just anklets of scattered white
boulders for company.
An hour into the climb, interspersed with catch-your-breath stops, and
stories of the local deity, and you reach the point where footwear has
to be left behind. A five-headed serpent with forked tongues rests on a
massive ‘musical' boulder that the temple priest taps on to announce his
arrival to the idol.
With the shoes gone, the feet learn to fit into the natural grooves and
dips in the rock, and the climb gets easier — there is a spring in your
step and you almost match the agility of local farmers P.N. Raju and D.
Subramani, who've accompanied you. Another blind bend and the temple
perched on the hill suddenly opens out.
Mist hangs heavy in the air, and there's a stillness that's
invigorating. The shrill cry of peacocks lingers long after the last one
has announced its presence.
The rocks nearby provide a great viewing point. On a clear day,
Chamrajnagar district in neighbouring Karnataka, Nanjangud in Mysore,
Kodanad, Gudular, Thengumarahada, Sathyamangalam, Siriyur temple and the
Moyar dam are visible.
The mist hugs you again. Then, get back to base, to some hot tea and biscuits.
On your way back, you could return to the plains via fauna-rich
Kotagiri. If lucky, you could sight gaurs standing majestically by the
road, frolicking monkeys and colourful birds too. Before you know it,
you've reached the cacophony of Mettupalayam, a world far, far away from
the haven of tranquillity called Beermukku.
How to get there
Ebbanad is 16 km from Ooty via Anikorai and Thenadukombai. It is about
20 km from Kotagiri, via Kattabettu and Iduhatty. From Coimbatore,
Kotagiri is 47 km away and Ooty, 98 km. There are buses plying from both
Ooty and Kotagiri. You could also hire a car from either place.
Where to stay
There are many hotels and resorts in Ooty, across varied budgets.
Kotagiri has some hotels too, besides some homestays. You could also
check out the Hidden Valley Jungle Camp in Ebbanad. There is a
British-era bungalow with three rooms and 10 cots. It is set inside a
150-acre private forest. The charges for 24 hours (inclusive of food,
guide fee and trekking charges) range from Rs. 1,700 to Rs 2,000. For
details, call 94430-43552 or 0423-2443552.
When to visit
The best season to visit is January to May. For details, call the Ebbanad Panchayat President at 94864-77660.
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