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Abode of Agasthya
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Agasthyakoodam is a trekker's delight. It offers a rendezvous with Nature, and the self.
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FROM THE Sahyas rises the Agasthyakoodam, a haven for Nature buffs and pilgrims. Entry into this protected zone is restricted to two months every year. The entry passes are issued at the Forest Department office in P.T.P. Nagar in the second week of January. "The public response is overwhelming. The passes are over on the day of issue itself," says a Forest Department official.
The trek takes you through some beautiful landscapes. It is an experience Nature lovers would cherish forever. "I was captured by the stunning, almost cinematic beauty of the place," says Suresh, an engineering student. To others, it is a tryst with spirituality. "I travel alone and it's a journey of self- discovery," observes Velayudhan Nair, who has been visiting the place for the past 16 years.
But most visitors to Agasthyakoodam are pilgrims who come to offer Pongal and prayers to Agasthya, the acharya of Ayurveda. Every dewdrop and every inch of land in this magical place resonates with his presence. Agasthya is believed to have come here in the search of medicinal herbs, which grow in abundance here. He was attracted by the serenity of the place and decided to stay on. At the summit, his shrine survives, attracting pilgrims from far and near.
The remote township of Bonakkad, 55 km from the city, can be reached by bus. The summit is 30 km away from here. The hike to the summit and back can be completed in two days, though the physically diffident choose to finish in three days. The services of a forest guide can be employed at additional expense.
The first few hours of the hike gives a glimpse of tropical forest life, in its fullness.A few hours into the heart of the forest takes one to the edge of a velvet grassland folded into the hummocks. From the dark, primordial entanglement of the jungle circus to the cool freshness of a shining meadow - the suddenness in the change of landscape will leave one astounded. The base camp is a run down dormitory.
Those who expect some kind of luxury would be disappointed, the accommodation being as basic as it gets. But the stay at the base camp gives a taste of primal existence.
"I don't get much money from this guide business. I could get work in the city, but, I just can't leave this place," says Ramalingam, the local forest guide. The trek from the base camp to the summit next morning is the most breathtaking part of the journey.
The surreal landscapes with bizarre rock formations and eerie vegetation make one wonder if we have stepped into a whole new realm of reality.
The ascent becomes increasingly demanding, but it is more a test of character than of physical endurance. At the top, with the sky seemingly at a hand's distance, it is not a sense of conquest that fills you, but a deep feeling of humility inspired by the sheer size and formidability of the mountain.
VISAKH
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Metro Plus
Bangalore
Chennai
Coimbatore
Delhi
Hyderabad
Kochi
Thiruvananthapuram
Visakhapatnam
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