Blog.. No SOP.. Blog No SOP.. ok finally BLOG. This is how I have been fighting with myself for the past few weeks. And on one such day my friend Ram called “Machi Skandagiri tomorrow enna solra?” a whole weekend would be ruined, have to write SOP, complete office work, read Fountain Head, update myself with current affairs, read my engineering subjects, attend GD PI classes, invent why I have to do MBA, find out what are my strengths and weaknesses after living on earth for 22 years, write Blog, in spite of all that my heart wanted to go… half of the heart nope in fact as you can count 1\10th of my heart wanted to go and I said yes!!
Then started GOOGLING about what Skandagiri was. There were plenty of blogs about the place with pictures put up. The scenery looked awesome and I was convinced my decision. We packed loads of health drinks, water, biscuits and of course GLUCOSE. We started at 2 in the night in 2 bikes. It was a freezing ride all the way (close to 70kms from old airport road) on the highway NH7. The place was easy to find, and we saw the place packed with cars and bikes already. We bargained a guide for Rs.250 (thanks to RAM and his kannada skills).
Way up was adventurous. It wasn’t as tiring as tirumala was, but it definitely deserves its respect. At some places it was very steep; at many it was too narrow and almost throughout it was very dark (even on a full moon). You have to really very careful, just a foot wrongly placed and you kiss goodbye to your life. We took occasional breaks, but it wasn’t really all that tiresome especially with PJs from RAM and ARJUNE.
Arjune “Machi can’t we go up soon?”
Ram “Sure da, just place your foot one more inch leftside”
Arjune “Dei then I would fall down”
Ram “Exactly, that is your passport and visa to go straight up”
When we reached the top, it was freezing cold especially when the winds blow against you (even with gloves and a fur coat). It was crowded like a college canteen, people were having campfire everywhere and dancing around it. Then we all waited patiently for the sun to rise.
“Why is taking so long da? It is very bright already but I don’t see it at all” asked a pissed off Arjune.
“Probably it has taken a day off” said Karthik.. machi you too???
“Oh yeah it’s Sunday today da. I told you guys, we could have come yesterday” said MokkaRAJA RAM
For a minute I started believing Ram, but then came up the million dollar sight. There came the sun like you would see in those discovery channels. I first saw a pinch of gold then very slowly a golden ball started rising up slowly. The movement was so gentle and soft like a just born baby. Soon I was able to see a full round reddish orange ball. I would climb ten more skandagiris for that sight. It was definitely worth it.
After quenching our thirst for the eyes we soon started filling up our stomachs. After the photography session we started our way down. It was more fun than the way up. Especially with RAM’s butt slide and Arjune’s Monkey stunt (he just missed a 1000 feet free fall). Though it wasn’t a tiring one it was no less challenging than the way up.
It was very late already close to 9 and we reached city by 10:15. When we had to wait in a traffic signal I felt the scorching heat of the sun when I heard RAM saying “Hell with this SUN who asked it to come up so early…”