Caravan to Shivasamudra..

Usually people associated with Visveswaraya Technological University get very less holidays. It was all of a sudden that we got two days continuous holidays. We obviously needed a break. Sidhartha, Ritu and me stressed our tiny brains to every extent to know every different place around Bangalore that was not visited. We had declined Nandi hills at the first thought itself. We didn't even dare to think of Wonder la because we needed a territory of peace, away from human occupancy and noise. Suddenly the idea of Shivasamudra popped in and we agreed at the first thought. We called up Syamanta and Manish and they agreed even without thinking. Manish also added that one of his friends, Pragyan would also accompany us. We were six Assamese guys on the caravan to Shivasamudra with a Hyundai Accent and a Bajaj Avenger. 

We gathered together at my Apartment in Chamrajpet. We decided to party all night and then when it shall be only a couple of hours till dawn, he would head towards Shivasamudra. We had our party and none of even bothered for a sleep. 

At 03:30 AM we started our journey. Manish & Syamanta were on the Avenger and rest of us on the Accent. We headed towards Sarakki Signal and then turned our car towards Shivasamudra. The road took us from the busy metro of Bangalore to the outskirts and slowly the straight road turned into curves and we went inside the rural of Karnataka. As it was an odd time, so we didn't have and company on the road which tempted Ritu to steer the sedan fast.

On the road we stopped for some time. It was a perfect deserted road with darkness saturating every gap of life. It was away from any other touch except the six of us. It was time for Sidhartha to try his photography skills. We stopped for around 10 minutes and then again started on the journey. The empty road tempted Manish for some stunts and seriously, that drove us angry for a while. Still, he managed to stay safe. With the first rays of the sun light we reach Shivasamudra.

We got disappointed by the guards words that he had strict orders not to open the locks before 09:00 AM. At the first look he seemed very serious with his words. Later somehow with better negotiations we managed the guard to open the locks with a bribe of only 20 bucks. It was the cheapest bribe we ever offered someone. He allowed us in through a opening in the fence but we had to leave our vehicles outside. We went inside.

As far as our eyes could see, we saw only a long road. I still remember Ritu's face that turned pale seeing such a long road. Still we walked, consoling each other that destiny ain't far now. Finally we saw the lake. It was saturated with natural beauty. We climbed down the stairs with no idea of the pain that we would have to encounter while climbing it up again. The cold lake water was all in front of us when we were seeing each other's face and asking a silent question, "Who would get down first?"

At the moment I had my legendary statement, "Since I am the only guy here who has no idea about swimming, I will get down first. You guys know swimming and so you would stay on the shore to rescue me if I start to drown." Everyone could make out that it was not me who was speaking; rather it was the monk speaking. Everyone started to laugh and by the time they could see I was in water and I remember Syamanta saying, "watch out carefully".

Soon Ritu, Sidhartha, Pragyan and Manish were in the lake too. Syamanta preferred to stay out and finish his early morning call of job behind the bushes. As I went away from the shore I realized it was only five to six feet deep and I was sure I wont drown. I went far till the rocks and climbed one of them and sat there below the cold lake water. Syamanta was still outside. We were in the water for an hour or so. We came out just because the sunlight was burning our eyes. We changed and then when we saw the stairs again, we asked our self, "Is it the same stairs that we climbed down??" Somehow we managed to reach the top and then we also had to walk till the gate where our cars were parked. We were at the gate before 09:00 AM as the watchman said us that if we would have been late, his job would be in trouble. We soon left the place.

Manish wasn't able to ride anymore as his toe got cut in glass. Pragyan rode the bike. Syamanta was in the pillion. We were hungry and so decided to stop at a nearby hotel. We had rice bath and idli-vada along with the truck drivers. We changed places. I went in the pillion with Pragyan and Syamanta got in the car. We reached home at around 11:00 AM. We all were too tired and exhausted. We slept till evening. It was a fabulous road trip. I am looking forward for another such trip to a deserted natural beauty.

The trip reminds of of the FooFighters song Overdrive with lyrics -


Coming down I'm coming round

this time I think I'm waking up
Give me loud to drown it out
before the world starts breaking 

You change and then you change again
Turning like a wheel inside your head

Yours and mine and left and right
there's still two sides to everyone
You and I get on with life
and pray we'll find a better one
You change and then you change again
Turning like a wheel inside your head

Overdrive we're going life or death
Overdrive we're going life or death
Overdrive we're going life or death
Two strangers on the mend