‘VELLINGIRI’ – SOUTH INDIA’S KAILASH YATRA

‘VELLINGIRI’ –  SOUTH INDIA’S KAILASH YATRA

This abode of Lord Shiva in Poondi, 2 kms from the famous ISHA DHYANA LINGAM is 45 kms away from Coimbatore.  This cave shrine has no dated history and local legend claims it to be more than 1000 year old swayambhu (natural formation) Lingam nestled in the Poondi hills (Siruvani Range). 

I have been hearing about this since my childhood during Hyderabad

days and my dream came true after I was transferred to Coimbatore two years back.  During May/June 2009,  I chanced upon meeting Col.Seshadri of Kovai School of Adventure and Nature, Rajmohan & Senthil, Naturalists – the energetic trio spurred me to join them in the Vellingiri pursuit.  The normal season to visit this place is Mar-May/early June before the monsoon becomes vigorous.  During the first week of  June, 2009 my call came to embark on this adventure.  We started from Kovai at 4.45 AM and reached the foothills of Poondi around 5.30 AM and parked our bikes (I was asked to not bring my car – later at the end of our trip I realized why they have advised). [I was asked to carry a rucksack, water bottle, lunch, biscuits, peanut cakes (chikki), glucose, towel, extra underwear].

            Around 5.45 AM we started the ascent, the first hill (total seven hills) was very steep strewn all along the path with roughly arranged steps (stones found around have been placed and some of them as high as 2 to 3 feet by some good pilgrims).  Within 30 minutes of the climb,  my energy started sapping and I was totally drained to the extent of  my head started spiraling 360 degrees and nausea feeling made me almost faint (my nephew Balaji and Sridhar, a banker all first timers had the same effect).  Here, the expertise of the above trio helped us restore our stamina and confidence.  They forced us to eat biscuits, gulp glucose and drink water, I tell you it had a terrific effect within minutes and we never turned back thereafter.  Despite this small setback I did not lose the sight of thick jungle, occasional sighting of the giant Malabar squirrel, Malabar Trogons (red breasted, black necked bird), green pigeons and ofcourse, the droppings of the Gajarajas, wild dogs, even leopard pug marks enroute.

            After one & half hour of the climb we reached the second hill and it was time to unpack breakfast beside a perennial mountain spring (and once again the experienced trio  were right in asking us to carry just one bottle of water), we perched on one of the bamboo platforms set up by the local tribes which served as our dinner table (despite the litter left behind by other pilgrims the spectacular view of the palakkad pass did not diminish).  This refueling pumped us to cruise smoothly and from the third hill onwards the loosely arranged steps started vanishing and squirrel path began, the jungle suddenly started to become thinner and grass lands appeared.  Now it was time for the hills to play hide and seek when we had the feeling that we were inching towards the peak it started to grow and move away from us.  Strong chilly winds greeted us from the fourth hill and the path was becoming narrower and on the left side, deep gorge and valley         (about 1500 feet) following throughout & on the right side was evergreen forest and one never know what would be lurking there.  Meanwhile between fourth and fifth hills there were couple of bamboo kiosks set up by the local tribes selling some herbs, fruits, sukku coffee (dry ginger coffee, actually it is herbal drink, I advise travellers to patronize the local produce and sensitise the co-travellers about pollution which will go a long way of the survival of indigenous people and preservation of this bio-sphere).  From the fifth hill to the sixth hill as one goes up, on the left side one can see the breathtaking reservoir of Siruvani (nestled on the Kerala side) – The Nectar of  Coimbatore – supposed to be the world’s second tastiest water (here the water is pumped thru gravitation means towards the Kovai side).  Even as one starts to cherish the sight, the clouds engulf the view and the mist covers all our faces much to the delight of me and this phenomenon continues till the summit of the seventh hill.

Moving on, five hours later we reached the sixth hill and time to refresh at  AANDI SUNAI (fresh mountain spring and pond), took a dip in the freezing pond and emerged totally recharged (extra pair of undies came handy here).  Finally, we were at the foothill of the seventh and the most sacred of the Vellingiri Aandavar hills.  During the seventh hill ascent on the right side of the hill, I saw a Siddhar (tapasvi) in deep penance posture amidst high grass (picture posted below), the scene was straight out of the amar chitra katha classics. One more thing, we were asked to remove the footwear (most of them don’t wear at all) on this seventh hill and were surprised that the path was so soft despite the terrain was rocky and had a cushioning effect on the feet.  This hill is also called THIRUNEER hills (vibhudhi-the holy vermillon).  The holy hill seemed to have been shaved off on the left portion (as if offering to the god) and shrine looked tantalizingly so close but took nearly an hour to reach the summit and when we saw the sanctum cave totally covered in mist, it had a mystifying effect  and lo! what a feeling at the lotus feet of  South India’s Kailash Shiva (also I felt like a speck of  dust/atom on the summit).   The Shiva Linga was nicely perched in the cave and the occasional sounds of  bells and conch was reverberating the abode of the Vellingiri God facing the valley with the fragrance of the incense sticks and the holy vibhudhi transported us to the real KAILASH (one can understand the effect on the faithfuls!). It took nearly 6-1/2 hours to reach the holy abode to attain bliss.  After resting there for 30mts. our descent started.  That’s another story.

            After one hour of trail downhill, on the fifth hill overlooking Siruvani we decided to unpack our lunch (but hunger seemed to cease) and completed the formalities. Now, the drizzle started and our team leaders were slightly worried and were hoping that this should not turn heavy.  Luckily, we could take shelter in one of those make shift bamboo kiosks set up during the season now lay abandoned.  After 20 mts or so, the rain fizzled out and we had to scurry down as the dusk was fast approaching.  Moving on, literally started racing down despite I was advised not to rush and to my relief,  I was first guy of our team to reach the base. 

At one stage, I was contemplating of giving up and at the end I surprised myself of completing this trek smoothly and successfully.  Full credit to the above experienced Rajmohan and Senthil without whom, I wouldn’t have embarked on this wonderful journey of my life time, so far.  So, the bandwagon moves on……..

Tips:

Go walking atleast for a week and get good sleep the day before the actual day of departure, go in a group, travel light (don’t drive car after your return from the hill, chances are one can doze off at the wheel-my team leaders rightly advised so) take glucose, biscuits, peanut barfis, chappatis or bread with jam (this will pump up glucose levels), just a bottle of water, fill up enroute the real mountain spring, its nectar. Take extra underwear, towel, some offering to the cave shrine (if one wishes so) and finally bring back the litter that will make the place a real holy one.

Like Sabarimala, women are not encouraged here.        

Best season: Feb-early June, Nov-Dec (carry pullovers)

How to reach: 45kms from Coimbatore Bus Stand (Ukkadam)

This yatra is not arranged by any tour organizer (take help of the locals), the cave temple is not run by any devasthanam or trust.  The cave is a natural formation and no temple structure is in place.                                                                                   

Thanks and wish me many more such endeavours so that I can keep sharing and posting.