The creeper joins the Jackfruit tree, and pulls it down inorder to climb taller.
We climbed joyously. All of us had underestimated what a trek would mean. One thought it would be a walk in the heavenly grasses inside the happy clouds. One thought it would be a easy climb. I was told I could be a tour guide, a zesty one who pushes people along and says when he encounters new paths, ‘I’ve never taken this path, but we must take it!’. Here, we had begun our descent, the sun had come out to warm the soil and we took respite when the clouds hid the sun for a while. In the winds and shade of this beautiful morning, we rest.

  • These are photographs from the trek up and down Makalidurga, a betta 50kms from Yelahanka, nestled on the road to Anantpur. It was me, S, N and N.

    We walked along the fortification, Makalidurga is surrounded by two lakes
    The other lake
    Two layers of a fortification. Fellow trekkers rest
    There was a beautiful want to go to a place. It appeared rocky, with the hill falling after it. N would ask to go over, but there would be no path. But somehow, we would discover a trail to there. Discovery is a beautiful thing.
    A panoroma with the fort on the right
    Is this Huli-Mekhe? S wonders.

    A recent building in comparison to the fort, has the texture of the probable jute bag which cured the cement

  • Karmegam scared me for a few hours. It appeared to be oil on the floor after it had been parked for about an hour. It was thick and gunky and another thin and transparent substance beside it. The engine did not sound different, nor did it feel different. Local mechanics said it was probably just chain lubricant that was dripping, but it appeared too thick to be chain lubricant, and besides, it had been over a 1000 kms since it had been last lubricated. After I convinced myself it might just be it, I removed the chain top case, to realise that it appeared to be a thick lubricant which had been collecting soil and mud that had not been cleaned anytime since Karmegam’s beginnings in this earth, in 7000 kms!

    When i first noticed it
    After removing and cleaning the gunk out. I’ve learnt my lesson to clean the chain top, the sprocket near at the transmission every time i go on a muddy trip.

  • I have previously written of the new road connecting Yelahanka New Town to Attur Lake. Tar has still been layed, but water has definitely proved its point. The road is atleast 10ft above the temple nearby. The making of future floods!

    A sewer overflows, the road is like a steel ruler resting on highlands on both sides. Water has no where to go. The existing Attur-Puttenahalli road itself splits the natural drainage into Attur.
    Notice the difference in height

  • This week, I was asked what is the point of my work. Why do I travel and write? Why do I write ‘travel blogs’? ‘You just while away your time, OP adichifying (slang for slacking off)’. What would you reply with if your parent asked you this?

The day was heavy, I ascended to the winds of the clouds, descended to the oil of karmegam, broke at the question of what I do and yet I had to drive more. The evening was pleasant enough to soothe me into what I was thinking the same morning, the sun will always rise and that the day will always end.