Solo trek to somvarpet-kumaraparvat-kukkesubramanya

Desire to get lost in the wilderness, to push the body and mind to the limits and surging adrenaline was the things which pushed me for this trek.

Thus my journey began on 25^th night bus to somvarpet. As I slept the bus stopped 6kms after somvarpet so I walked back to bus stop at 5am in 10 degree chill wind,

waited in the bus stop for 2.30hrs just to miss the bus to bidali bcos of some stupid locals, finaly I took auto to bidali,

from here my actual trek started at 9am after hiking for an hr I reached the forest check post, where the guard refused to send me further as they had strict orders from dfo not to allow single person inside the forest, this had come in to force from 2006 due to some stupid phd student who ventured into the forest in rainy season and was lost hopelessly and forest dept rushed in rescue team which took 9days to find this guy, luckily he was alive,

my percieve for permission went on till 2.30, finaly the guard agreed to allow me into the forest. I paid him 100 bucks and ventured into the forest,

the forest was theming with green and height defying trees it wasnt the same when I was here in 2000, the stream which was rock dry in 2000 was now filled with running water, I crossed the stream and hiked further, took some snaps of beautiful butterflies,

no humans were sighted for rest of my trek nor any signs of civilisation,

I could only hear sound of the blowing wind cutting thru the trees, birds vocal and my heart beat, trek at kp is very challenging as its just the steep climbing on forest path of dry leaves, gravels and small boulders, when you are trekking alone you cant affort a slightest injury are an joint sprain, so every step should be placed carefully, for next 3hrs my trek continued in the dense evergreen forest with cramps and pain setting in, my path opened up into the sola forest which I was in eager to come to. Just before me unwrapping from the dense forest there was commotion on the trees, this commotion was from 2 gaint malabar squireel was very quick I was not able to document a shot.

My trek in shola began, next 3.30hrs was most gruling experience I ever had.

There was absolutely no shade for next 3kms of climb down, and path was uneven with gravels and loose soil, the nearest shade was 3kms away and it took 2hrs to reach the shaded area due to the terrain.

Dettermined I continued to trek only to know that this place is frequented by elephants, which was confirmed by the presence of the dung. Took few snaps of sheshaparvata and the shola range in the golden hour, and not to forget the mantapa where I had planned to spend my night but due to the signs of elephant presence I changed my plan and shifted my staying place to forest check post,

it was getting dark and I had lot of distance to cover,

as I was nearing the first dense patch of the forest I heard the human voice, I stood and watched around me, but no signs of human, thought I was halucinating and trekked further after around 100mtr I once again heard the human voice towards the left side of the patch, making up the couraged I walked into the dense patch and here I found the forest chk post, asusual guard whr shocked to see a lone person trekking, bit of enquiry and I freshend up to leave to bhattas place which is 500mtrs away frm the check post.