Rarely does it happen that you plan a trip on Friday
afternoon and all ends up this perfect. This was one such.
I came to learn about this place some 3 years ago while
reading a travelogue on Team-BHP. And since then, I must have planned (and
later dropped) this trip with if not half a dozen sets of friends, but couldn’t
make it, any time.
Last few weeks have being dull in office. I badly needed a
break. This Friday, while walking to my desk, lethargy hit me so hard that I
have to escape out, be it anywhere, but I have to. Came to my desk, few clicks
and my plan was set. Yet another solo trip J
And so by Sunday morning at 6:30, I found myself standing in a remote railway
station, Tadipatri. The train was running late by an hour, but good for
me. The town was awake and buzzing by then. I was pleasantly surprised to be
welcomed by such clean and well-kept railway station. I might be the only
person to alight and was happily checked by the Station Master for the ticket. It
was a cloudy day and there was mild breeze running across the fields and I
knew, I’m going to have a good day today. Next stop was Tadipatri Bus
Depot, some 4 KM from the station. You can opt for shared autos but I preferred
my morning walk (another advantage of solo trips, one head to order and four limbs
to obey). The town was going around doing its daily chores as I crossed it’s by
lanes. The fragrance of morning freshness aptly mixed with the aroma coming out
of temples made it a perfect walk, those occasional “who’s this stranger” look
by the local made it even more appreciable.
I took morning 8 AM Bus from Tadiparti to Banganapalle.
The bus was too good as per my experiences with state transport buses and started
bang on time. And roads, I must have to make a special mentions about the road.
A big applause goes out for State of Andhra Pradesh for maintaining such an up standards.
Given this place was hit with heavy rains recently, the roads have no mark of
it. And it stands good, not only just for state highways, but even for bypasses
or even a remote village in roads too. I’m sure other states can surely have a
lesson or two from Andhra Pradesh at least on roads.
45 minutes of smooth ride amongst paddy fields and a cement factory,
I was standing on the entry gate of Belum Caves. You would know that your
destination is approaching from a distance itself. A giant Lord Buddha’s statue
is visible good from a good distance before. Belum Caves is the largest
and longest cave system open to the public on the Indian subcontinent, the
second largest natural caves on the Indian Subcontinent. They have long
passages, galleries, spacious caverns with fresh water and siphons. This
natural underground cave system was formed over the course of tens of thousands
of years by the constant flow of underground water. The cave system reaches its
deepest point of 46 m from entrance level.
The site is maintained by APTDC and gates open by 1000 Hrs.
I was about an hour before time which I chose to spend roaming around in nearby
onions farms, interacting with locals. By 10, there were good number of
families out on a road trips, bikers, students on school trips jamming the
place. Down in caves, you are ought to have a deep breathe appreciating nature
and its hidden gems of beauty. There are few passages so narrow that you literally
have to squeeze you out of them. Once on other side, the mere thought of
realizing that hundreds of year from now, some monk, used to do this, almost every
day, in pitch darkness, to find peace enough to meditate and connect to his
god, fills you with some kind of contentedness and completeness.
Human brain have always been hard-wired with god. It had and
continues to make him do unthinkable. Two hours well spent and this thought,
saw me exiting the caves. A special mention to APTDC officials on the site, who
tried to guide me, in all possible way, given our linguistic difference, for
the way forward.
Next stop was Kolimigundla, a nearby village. The
moment I reached the bus stand, a bus moved in for my next destination, Jammalamadugu
(tongue-twister isn’t it, I too found it too). Now imagine me asking locals for
if the bus goes to Jam-mala-mad-ugu :D, they thankfully corrected me. It is
spelled as Ja-mmal-madu-gu. Bus was crowded but breathable and well-kept.
Looking out, country side was all but lush green paddy fields with occasional cement
plants and inside the bus, a few dozen of pupils staring at me. I preferred keep
looking outside. Two hours later I was standing in Jammalamadugu and my
next stop was Gandikota Fort. It stands on the edge Grand Canyon-like
gorge over Pennar River and about 12 KM from Jammalamadugu. Public
transport are there but their frequency are very rare. You can opt for a
private auto or simply walk, like me. J
Windmill by the skyline added by the blue of the reservoir
down under, the cloudy afternoon and cool mildly strong breeze coming from the river
made everything perfect for a walk, humming your favorite songs, least worrying
about the world you come from, problems awaiting you there. You hardly see
anyone passing by, heavenly, if you love solitude. Thanks to all this trek was
much faster and less tiring.
And what it resulted in, was this
It was a bit difficult to climb through rocks to reach till the edge of the rock wall to get a good look at our own grand canyon. The
wind was strong on the top, it was helluva scary to hold on to that edge and
look down, but it was worth it. The view was something to behold. It was
nothing man made, all natural and it existed in the neighbourhood. After the
initial excitement sank in, all I did was to just sit on a rock by the edge and
just be mesmerised by the scene. There were no thoughts, no deadlines and no to-dos.
It was complete blank. It was just me and this moment. After all this was
exactly I came looking for, all the way J
I cannot recall how long I just kept sitting hanging my legs
into that some 500ft deep gorge. All I know was that by the time I turned back,
I was only last few left there and Sun was to set down soon. A gang of college
students happily offered me a lift back till Jammalamadugu. And there on,
again a two hour long bus ride to Tadiparti. The town had already calling
it a day by the time I reached. By 8 PM, I was sitting on the steps of
the foot over bridge of the railway station, enjoying the cool evening breeze.
Not any later, the train pulled into the platform to take me to the world I
came from. It was day well spent, one, which I will cherish for long. May many
more such come J
