A Trip To Remember

A trip to savour . After planning for about ten days, we finally decided on Cauvery - for its vast expanse of water, scenary , wildlife and riverside fun. Bheemeshwari fishing and nature camp - as it officially called happened to be my first trip with the team .

A group of 20 set out early in the morning. By 7.30 the last pick up had been made. We were on our way after a quick breakfast . The bus was filled with energy with people singing and dancing all the way. A short game of dumb charades was in the offing and it turned out to be a great one. The clock ticked 10 and there we were - right in time - at the entrance of the camp.

The Cauvery was right in front of us , waiting to be tested. We were offered a juice on our arrival and after packing several bottles of water , we set out on our first agenda for the day - trekking.

Though it was not as intense as my previous treks, it was scenic and had its own glamour attached to it. Within 45 minutes we reached the top at the final check point. After several photography sessions we set out on a completely different route for the downward journey. By 11.30 we were back at the place where we started. No activities planned for the next hour. We set out to explore the river banks, and the facilities available at the resort. Several nets were put up and we had a great time jumping, climbing and playing like school kids in it. Nearly an hour went by without we realising it. And then it was lunch time.

The menu was not as great as we had expected it to be . Only a limited number of items and to top it up - no fish in the menu. We had to fill up our stomachs either way as a tedious day lay ahead of us.

All set for the coracle ride - our life jackets were ready. there were three boats in all. i was a bit surprised to find the boat a bit smaller than i had imagined it be.. we got into it. and it was a pleasant half an hour ride with little bumps here and there.. we spotted several dead fishes on the way - our guide relating to us that they were killed by crocodiles in the river. ( seems there were about 20 crocs in the whole stretch of the camp, with waters about 30 feet deep , ./) some fishes had their tail cut off - and that the crocs wont eat them as they were too small to serve as a good hunt. difficult to believe - but we had no other better story at that instant to relate to the dead fishes.

We were back in the banks.. still 2.5 hours left for the scheduled close of day. finally we decided to get ourselves a cricket set - and there you go - a cricket match was never on the cards. An exciting game of cricked - the match being decided on the last ball - of course shud have been a tie ( though we ended up on the losing side ). And after nearly 6 years ,since when i had my last game of kabbadi, i was about to give it another go. This time around we won convincingly - the last victim being our senior manager.

Finally it had come down to this - rafting - the event which we had been waiting for all day. it was delayed , and delayed and delayed until finally at 5.30 well beyond the closing time for the day - the rafts arrived. after a last minute change of clothes , we set out on a momentous experience - a first of a kind for me. After a detailed set of instructions from the two guides who were present we took our positions in the raft. i occupied the first row much to my liking.. it was already getting dark with the sun threatening to hide behind the mountains.

A continuous stretch of fast strokes, pause, fast, pause - was the series that we were following ,with the guide controlling the direction. all through the ride, we kept compelling the guide to let us jump into the water and have a splash - and he kept rejecting with reasons that we would not make it in time. The first set of rapids came up and we were left helpless all along - the majestic cauvery just guiding us along - a quick reminder of what nature is capable of. Nearly half way into the journey and we had come accross two rapids, several dead fishes and our hands were beginning to ache. A couple of guys were asked to change places to give a stronger sycnhronised push . all the while we kept glancing at the other raft - waiting for them to make the move - and finally it happened when one of them plunged into the river. this was the time - we pursuaded the guide - and within seconds i was neck deep in water. The water was pretty cold and i clung on to the rope for a while before i let loose. after a brief stint at the water - the guide pulled me back into the raft ( with great difficulty though )..

Nearing the end of the ride, we kept watching the sunset - ( the clouds as never seen before.. colours were now formed in the beautiful sky). We had come to the final part of the ride. This was the roughest part - with a steep fall of 3 feet at one point. Just when we thought - the whole day was going to end with not much drama - God had other plans. just before the rapid, i was asked to swap places with my manager to give a stronger push to the right . And then there was the fall.. Suddenly horror struck -- our manager lost his grip and fell into the raging river. It took a while for me to realise what had happened. but before that we were fast losing him. And then there was panic. The guide asked us to push as fast as we can backwards - but the rapid was too strong for us. we could see our manager floating helpless in the water. we started waving our oars to the other raft to indicate the danger in hand. our guide used whistles and just when he planned about taking the next step - the other raft had spotted the manager.. they ( with great difficulty) reached him and pulled him out of the ever rising water ( because of the rain that had threatened for a long while ) .. all that we cud do was pray.. He was safe now. ..

By the time we reached the shore , it was pitch dark. All that we could see was our relieved faces and the headlights of the jeep that had come to pick us.

It could very well have been me who could have faced the dreadful incident. I cannot imagine what i would have done in such a situation. One thing was sure .I would never have been as cool as my manager. No shouts - no panic - he jus stayed calm and helped himself out..

This is just another reminder as to what nature is capable of - the beauty combined with fierce - with all its glory - never stops to astound man.

With that ended the most momentous trip of my life - with people relating the incident in their own views all the way home. All i had to say is - "It was my lucky day"