Shivasamudra- A memorable Trip

In the IT industry, there is a very common saying that Indians are very good at planning things but equally bad at implementing them. This time around I decided to turn this theory upside down (easier said then done though).I was lucky enough to get much needed “support” (I know my friends would hate me for using this word) from my friends. So we started planning for a two day trip to Mysore and Shivasamudra (something we a considered to be good at).it took us a bit more than 2hours time to chalk out a rough plan.

So it was a good start for us having successfully completed step 1, but by that time we were not aware of the things to come in future (things are actually not as simple as we think!)When we started approaching some of the other friends who were expected to accompany us during that trip, we had a face off with a thin line which separates imagination and reality (typically known as user requirements in industry jargon).almost half of them refused to go to Mysore with some reason or the other. With the other half of the lot sticking to the earlier plan it was all along a tough road ahead(some hint for the Bangalore-Mysore highway too).by this time I started getting some idea as to why is implementation so difficult as compared to planning.

We refused to bow to this challenge so we decided to hold talks with both the groups (the history of India-pak talks gave us a very bleak chance of any positive results) and to get to a consensus (it’s a buzz word in politics).I was lucky enough to have some understanding friends, who understood my miserable position, because of them we had reached consensus after the very initial round.

So finally implementation had its supremacy over planning and the tour was cut short by a day and that too to “Shivasamudra” only. But I guess this how the whole IT industry survives (being a part of the same, it shouldn’t be very different for me right?)

So finally that D day came when we packed our bags and were all set to march towards Shivasamudra.it was 4:00 in the morning and me ,Pankaj and Sandy were all tired because we did not sleep the whole night as we were occupied making food for ourselves. we had prepared an authentic Bihari dish”Bati-chokha” (at least the Biharis reading this should be able to relate with the name)

We started the journey at around 5:00 AM. We had hired a Sumo for us as that would accommodate us all perfectly. We started to drive towards Mysore. The road to Mysore was not in very good condition that’s why we were moving slowly. I must thank the weather gods that we had an awesome weather through out the trip. In the way we first stopped at a road side dhaba to have tea and snacks.

The view of the place and the nearby hills was so good that I had already started looking for that perfect picture through my camera. We went ahead and took the diversion right before Mysore to Shivasamudra. We did not realize that the road ahead is going to be a nightmare actually it should not be called a road in the first place. Well to add to the misery we got confused with the direction to Shivasamudra, thankfully the driver came to our rescue. I took some minutes to forget the condition of the road as soon as we hit lush green paddy fields. I looked like heaven to us far from the hustle bustle of Bangalore and not being bothered about the project manager and the project lead anymore.

It took us almost 4 hours to reach Shivasamudra where as is should take not more than two and a half hours ideally. By the time we reached the place we were all tired but the spirit was still alive in all of us to see the falls. We reached the place and grabbed a quick bite. When I said that it was a good feeling being away from job and boss I was all that right as the very next moment I saw my project manager there. For a moment I thought my PM is going to monitor me again. But this time I found GOD to be on my side and the manager left very soon. I could easily feel the fresh air of 15th Aug 1947 (for intellectuals I must point out that this is the day when India got her freedom from the project managers…OOPS … I meant The British).

Well the stage was all set for all of us to watch the natural spectacle and we all seem to be well prepared for it, Specially Sandy, Mathur, Server, Shailesh, Neha and me. To my dismay I found that people are even crossed the boundary erected by the authorities. But I guess in INDIA people do take some pride in breaking the rules (I guess that gives them a feeling of adventure).

It was tough to reach that actual fall because of the difficult terrain specially the lady folk had a tough time. Pankaj was the first one to reach the site and he was followed by Shailesh then it was my turn (doing justice with the athletic spirit I had with in me).

We forgot all the efforts that we took to reach the summit (in fact exactly the other way around). We all rested for a while and had some food there, this gave us an opportunity to click some snaps and capture the for ever. I had all the experiments with my camera (was actually trying to put to test my photography skills….does that sound exaggerated?).

When we reached to the fall we realized that is was so dangerous for a person to actually enter into the fall because a momentary lapse of concentration could easily have taken the person with the fast current which was falling down a rocks from the height 300 feet (easy opportunity for a person to become a rock star!). Well keeping all fears aside some of us decided to get into the grind.

We had to use whatever trekking skills we had to go into the fall. It was really slippery and for the moment I had my heart in my mouth. I and Mathur were contended to remain on a sort of a platform which was comparatively safer but sandy and Server had something else on their minds. Both of them went ahead and had a nice bath in the fast current (though we found later that the water was not all that good for bathing but guess repenting was the last thing on our minds at that time).

And then it happened (for all of you who think that this is a part of some suspense from a James bond movie….. I am not going to let you down).
Well sandy as usual had a lapse of concentration (generally he experiences concentration lapse …when he is around with gals. I guess he must have seen some around). Sandy lost his control and was almost about to become a mermaid (on a serious note we were dumb struck for a while). Well he some how regained his control and is still with us.

Looking at our experience I feel that government of Karnataka should give Shivasamudra a PG (parental guidance) rating.

When we got over with the falls all of us were damn tired and most of us were of the opinion to pack our bags, but I wanted to make the most of the trip and perhaps add a bit more adventure to it. I had vociferous support from Server and Sandy. Garima and Pallavi decided to extend their moral support to us. So we started with our treasure hunt in the hills, it wasn’t very difficult for us because we had seen Himalayas earlier.

Sandy was looking after the ladies and rightly so was far behind me and Server. We reached a place from where going ahead was not at all possible and guess what at that point we thought we found a treasure! For a moment I thought that there is no need for me to work in my life anymore. But as always the almighty was with us and eventually we found that the cave sort of structure that we found had nothing but stones and off course us in it.

We were not disappointed and moved ahead with a pledge to find our treasure some day in future.
We reached our sumo where we found the rest of the people waiting for us and cursing us like anything. We reached Bangalore in four and a half hours (night makes the drive all the more difficult especially when you do not have the street lights helping your cause).
We stopped mid way to a dhaba cum restaurant to sp a cup of tea. We were greeted graciously in the dhaba (not by the staff but the ever friendly mosquitoes).

We had a day of grilling and hard work but at the same time a day of fulfillment. When we reached our home we discussed the experience all night though we were left with no energy with in us, but I guess it was the spirit of Shivasamudra that still kept us going.

Looking forward to many such trips in future with a set of lovely friends.