Vellangiri - The Mystic Mountains

Vellangiri was always a mystic mountain for me. I have heard so much about its treacherous path from the locals that you tend to want to do it yourself and experience the blissful end yourself. Vellangiri is called the KAILAS of the south. It could not be described in words why it is so but my menial words are trying to do so. Please pardon me, Lord Shiva, if I have not been able to. The elevation of the seventh mountain is at approximately 5833 ft. above sea level. Made up of seven mountains, it is part of the Nilgiris biosphere along the Western Ghats.

While driving down to reach the base which is approximately 30 km from my house, I was 10 km south to the starting point. The air there smells of eucalyptus, woody flavours of the forest. I forgot everything and was eager just to experience the coming hours. Me and my colleague Ranjith, a pro in this has done it more than five times. We reached the basement temple at 9 pm. We prayed there, completed the mandatory checking of our bags etc. then prayed at a Snake God temple and embarked on the spiritual journey. The security staff from the forest reserve are very strict. The frisking is cordial but makes you aware that they have a job to maintain the forest and they are into serious business. No plastics were allowed at all, even small food packets. Readymade paper cuts were available for free to cover whatever stuff you carry. Of course, all banned stuff including alcohol was also not allowed. Salute to them for maintaining the pristine beauty of this sacred place. Remember, it's an Amavasya day and that too a Friday night. So keep all your ghostly imaginations ready...This is the abode of Lord Shiva...Ghosts are your fellow believers...Alakhhh Niranjan...

The first mountain-steep, rocky, natural and at an angle of say 120 degrees. I had started panting and huffing after few steps. I could feel my breath and even my friend could sense that this is not going to be easy. On a scale, as compared to Sabarimala just to clarify the toughness, I would rate this as five times tougher and treacherous. Fellow travellers especially youngsters were speeding past me at a decent pace. Some even commented to my colleague, 'How will you manage the seven mountains?' He said if not, he will make me sleep at the end of the first mountain and take back next day. Smiling, feeling the pain inside and outside, I traversed. I must commend Ranjith for being patient with me. It was pitch dark but we carried small torches which like us everybody buys at the basement. You can start to see the city behind you with
all its night shimmers. Right and left pitch dark. Water was to be scarcely used but I was thirsty, tired, wanting to go back, cursing myself why I decided to leave when my daughter Saanvi was ill and that my wife Soumya might need me in case of emergency. Lord Shiva help me decide. Ranjith felt seriously that I should stop as my heartbeat could have been possibly heard by all the city folks below as thunder. We reached the end of first mountain and prayed to Lord GANESH there. Ranjith asked me, "Possible?"  I said, "Pakalam pa nee nada," meaning let's see you walk.

The second mountain-less sleepy, less rocky than the first but more treacherous as roads are uneven and with no steps. It was tough. As it happens, Ranjith would say the end is in the next corner and like that it continues till many corners go past.

The third mountain-made of rocks, big boulders I would say, steep again and loose mud. Oh lord it started drizzling. Ranjith was perturbed to the core as the locals here say that if it rains we cannot scale it. That's what we thought at that moment. He pushed me to the extreme and we made this journey in a lesser time frame. It started pouring with thunder, lightning and as though the rain God were at their best. We took shelter like the others in a wayside shack which sold lemon water and buttermilk during daytime. There will be one at the end of every mountain only up to the 5th. There were 20 of us in a space of 200 square feet shack. I was lying on the ground not knowing who was on my left side. Right side since I was on the edge it was forest. Occasionally one of us would blink our torch and then see if any sliding creatures are around. The rains which lasted an hour had brought some frogs inside the shack. Ranjith was a bit sceptical to go up now. I could sense it as he was more worried about me. He alone scaling it would not have mattered. Once the rains subsided, he called me from one end, "Boss shall we? Are you okay?" I gave him the confidence. Of course inside I was like “Devaime pakalaaaaam (Oh god I’m trusting you).” When we started, people were shouting don't go it's dangerous but one old guy who was standing in the rains. He said, “Poite vaaa paa.” That gave some confidence. We embarked the journey again. It was 1 pm in the night already.

The fourth and fifth mountains-the rains had left its toll. The rocks were slippery, the soil was muddy and slushy. Visibility was very poor. There was haze and mist covering the path ahead. Trees had fallen and it was as if Lord Shiva was testing us. We continued but the rains had not tested us enough. After the fourth mountain, the shack was there to give us shelter. This time it was full of people not willing to go up and all of them planning to end the journey and go down. Ranjith and I sat there praying that once it stops, we will continue. He mentioned this is his first journey in rains. It took 2 hours to stop the rains. Once it stopped completely, we took small steps and continued. I must say Ranjith who is just 62 kgs is much fitter a person than who is 106 kgs with a BMI of 32.8. He was surprised I weighed this much. The fifth mountain does have some plain areas. The city below with small dots of lights was an amazing view. The Siruvani dam was flowing on our left side. It was steep on that side. Sixth mountain-this is a reverse of a mountain… very steep… small inlet to reach the bottom. It was difficult for a person like me just because of the weight factor. If I lose control, all below me would be crushed. So each step was measured, calculated and definitely risky. It took time but once you reach the Brahma Thirtham flowing below the seventh mountain, it is bliss.

Seventh mountain-it’s steep climb up. The boulders and the top temple lights are visible. One feels that it is near but whatever number of steps you take towards it, you feel as though it's not enough. The light still remains at that distance only. Ranjith started saying the same words which he had mentioned throughout the journey, “Little only man...little more....just that 2 corners…Avolum Dan...” I knew he was bluffing all along but also knew that's how we can reach there. ‘Don't see on your right...walk straight...’ strict warnings were flowing from all travellers during our last steps. Forgot to mention that by the time we reached the fifth mountain, we saw that we were not the only ones. There were hundreds. As we reached the last few steps, Ranjith’s eagerness grew 10 times as the sun was about to rise. He wanted to click it in his Ipad. My mind was only on the big boulder above. On the right side, the morning mist practically covered everything below. At 5.45, we reached the top, perfect for the sunrise. It was a bliss. I was not fighting against anybody. But reaching the top was important for me as it was a challenge against my soul, my belief that I could. The mystical, magical, spiritual moments were being captured by all present there in their artificial memory while I did it in my mind. We just sat there enjoyed all the blood rushing around in my body, captured everything in my mind so I could live with it. All praise for Ranjith for being patient with me. The journey down was more interesting as it was all alone. I will leave that for later.