It was a chilly morning on February 5, 2017 and there was an air of excitement around us as we headed to a hill station for a quick weekend getaway. With just one call, the kids were up and, as excited as they were for the adventure, they geared up with their treasure trove of games.
Donning our sweaters and caps, we decked ourselves out and in a Qualis vehicle we started our journey at 7am from Bangalore.
Quickly passing the highways of Bangalore and the hustle and bustle of the crowd, we soon find ourselves engulfed in the serene beauty of nature. Coconut palms, banana trees and green pastures greeted us on the road to Tirupattur. Gliding through 11 hairpin turns, we reached the hilltops of “Yelagiri” and were mesmerized by the beauty and calm. The fresh air filled our nostrils and we reached our destination at 11:30 am. With the excitement running high, the children wanted to go boating. The ‘Punganoor Lake Park’ offers rowing and rowing boat rides and the surrounding scenery is stunning. We opted for row boats and went the length and breadth of the lake. This was just the beginning as more adventures awaited in the “Wild Adventure Zone”. Here the kids got completely lost with numerous games: archery, car riding, wall climbing, zip line, etc. Before they could venture further, it was a much-needed lunch break. After savoring the local specialties paddu, mirchi, vada, and various varieties of fruits: lychee, jackfruit, bell fruit, paneer, guava, etc., we head to a farm. A beautiful place to relax and the perfect place to rest was a huge room with 2 king size double beds.
The kids got their shuttle bats and Frisbee to play while two of us settled for chess on the comfortable bed. Evening came, with a plan for Murugan temple and Venkataramana temple, after which we had to go to the nature park. After fulfilling the prayers to the deities, it was getting dark and we cut through the natural park to the musical fountain. With the colored water flowing to the sound of popular music songs, the children had fun eating sweets and chips. After a long day, it was time to end with a quick dinner half asleep.
The next morning, we awoke energized for a long-awaited trek to the Swamimalai Hills. With a cup of hot tea/coffee and bournvita, we all lace up our shoes with trekking pants and water bottles to climb to the top of these famous hills. Starting at 8:30 am, the road led us into the forest, surrounded by huge trees, with steps, stones and a muddy path. At 10 am, we successfully reached the top to have experienced this feat of climbing the hills and feeling the beauty around us. The happiness and pleasure that you feel can only be experienced. Having spent almost an hour, eating snacks, cookies, watermelon, papaya, raw mangoes, we bowed at the temple and began our walk along the path. Balancing the uneven terrain, we arrived at the base around 12 midnight.
It was time to leave the country house and we did so willingly, because the waterfall was next. Dreaming of water in the hot afternoon brought smiles to the children and at the same time they were tired from the long walk. The Jalagambarai waterfalls were situated about 40 km from Yelagiri and we fell asleep as soon as we headed off in our vehicle. The afternoon siesta worked wonders, as could be seen with children and adults alike excited to jump and plunge into the falls. A neat flight of 80 steps brought us to the waterfall and we were all willingly drenched.
We returned from the falls and after a short tea break, we said goodbye to Yelagiri and headed back to Bangalore.
A healthy family pack with the best of refreshing change. Recommend to anyone for a quick getaway (170 kms from Bangalore).
