| Day before yesterday, second saturday, 8th | | | | Our team led by Johney won by defeating the other |
| August, 2009 is a joyful day in my life. Yes,the day we | | | | team led by Saji. Thus we enjoyed every second of |
| went on a picnic through the misty mountain ranges of | | | | the trip with alacrity and without inhibitions. The cold |
| Idukki District. My fourteen friends from the | | | | climate of the place was enjoyable and the pain of |
| Office where I am working started off at 7.30 am. | | | | biting cold was mitigated by the incessant intake of |
| from Ettumanoor. I boarded the bus at Thelliyamattom, | | | | peg after peg. The punch or the kick of it was not as |
| my village town. On entering the vehicle I surveyed my | | | | strong in the high altitudes as of the plains. From |
| friends. I was disappointed in the unhappy absence of | | | | Kurisumala we set out to our next spot 'pine |
| my friends Blase, Paul Varghese and Thomachan, | | | | valley".There we had a feeling that we had been |
| though it was not unexpected. In the early morning | | | | loitering in an alien dreamy world. The euphoria was |
| itself many of my friends were at the high pitch of | | | | indescribable through human words of mouth. Around |
| enthusiasm. As for us it was a day of complete | | | | 1'o clock we resumed the journey to our next spot |
| oblivion, without stress. The party was, indeed, living | | | | Parunthumpaara. On the way we stopped on a river |
| completely absorbed in the present moment. They | | | | bank in order to take lunch. The place was exquisitely |
| behaved with the innocence of L.K.G. children. The bus | | | | beautiful in the setting of the tea-garden shining in the |
| was moving slowly through the meandering village | | | | flood of sunlight. The air was conditioned by the proper |
| road piercing the morning snow.The man who drove, | | | | mix of cool and heat, the heavens were cloud-free |
| namely, Hajiyaar, looked good at his job. He had a | | | | though it was supposed to be raining cats and dogs ! I |
| long beard heralding an orthodox Moslem outlook. | | | | had brought rice with veg. curry , Johney had chicken |
| As per the Itenarary prepared by | | | | curry, Abey had Beef curries. Naazar brought pickles, |
| Premkumar, our first spot was Ayyampaara, much | | | | pappad, plates and other necessary paraphernalia. The |
| high above the sea level in altitude. It was only 8 km. | | | | lunch was majestic and the flavor of it was spicy.The |
| away from my home. It was incredible for me to think | | | | intimacy of the group was reassured and |
| that such a spot enriched by nature's bounty was so | | | | reasserted by the commonness of purpose and |
| near me ! I thought that humans tend to ignore the | | | | attitude of sharing. All of us had taken more food than |
| good and the beautiful things which are so near and | | | | usual, maybe thanks to the appetizing spell of alcohol. |
| accessible. We are fascinated by what is far-off and | | | | After the sumptous lunch we started |
| inaccessible. The place got the name from the popular | | | | again . Our next destination was Parunthumpaara. A |
| Hindu God " Ayyappan " seated on a huge rock | | | | place near Peermade, about 5 km away from N.H. |
| running three hectares ! It is only 9 km. away from | | | | 223. The panoramic view there was ravising to the |
| Erattupetta in Kottayam District of Kerala, India. We | | | | eyes. The noisy wind, the cool, the drizzle everything |
| alighted there at 9 am. We were spell-bound by the | | | | positively contributed to the euphoric ambience. Above |
| beauty of nature. Yonder, in the valley we could see | | | | all the bottomless depths ! What was there in the |
| church domes and buses were seen moving like | | | | yonder valleys! we exclaimed. The mystery of |
| soap boxes! It was greenery all over. There was the | | | | makaravilakku inthe ponnampalamedu is said to be |
| ancient temple recently renovated, but certainly not | | | | visible from this spot. Unexpectedly we had to go back |
| having the grandeur and glory of ancient sculpture.We | | | | into the bus as the drizzle turned into a heavy |
| spend about 45 minutes there bathing in the morning | | | | downpour. In order to intensify the cold thrill Nazar |
| sun, absorbed in the ecstacy of the experience. There | | | | supplied an ice-cream to each... We were enjoying it |
| we sat down on the rock to take our breakfast. Iddily | | | | like children...There was no sign of rain's retreat. We |
| with chutny , saambaarand uzhunnuvada was served, I | | | | decided to sign off though with reluctant minds... |
| thank Bhanuprakash for such a tasty, sumptuous dish. | | | | THE WOODS WERE LOVELY |
| The journey resumed at 10 am | | | | DARK AND DEEP |
| and reached Kurisumala near Vagamon. The spot is a | | | | BUT WE HAD PROMISES |
| pilgrim centre of Christians. There is an aashram which | | | | TO KEEP AND MILES |
| takes after the Hindu traditions.The dairy farm of | | | | TO GO BEFORE WE SLEPT |
| Kurisumala provides milk to people of even far-off | | | | AND MILES TO GO |
| places.We took snaps of landscape and ourselves as | | | | BEFORE WE SLEPT As the bus |
| there was no want of cams. The group of 15 was | | | | was moving down into the plains from the mountain |
| high-spirited with ample supply of liquor. Our Haajiyaar | | | | peaks, our minds also were also taking u turn from the |
| was luckily a teetotaller.Naazar too was so. All of us | | | | peak- flight of imagination into the plains of realities.... |
| participated in a musical game called "Anthaakshari". | | | | |