The Smoking Rocks – Part 2
I slept as soon as I lay down on the bed in my room. I woke up to the sound of the alarm clock. I dressed up as fast as I could and got out of the room and that same time, a man came and told me that he was ready to take me for the coracle ride. I remembered the previous night when the boy told me that he will send a boatman. I locked the room and got out on the road, I saw an auto rickshaw with a coracle boat in it. I got inside the auto rickshaw and travelled in it for some time. On both sides of the road were thick forests. After a short while, the auto rickshaw stopped. Now, I have to walk a short distance. The auto rickshaw returned after dropping me and the boatman walked in front of me carrying the coracle boat on his head.
We walked through the forest and after sometime, we reached the banks of the river. The boatman put the coracle in the river. Suddenly, I felt fear gripping my mind as I realized that this was the boat in which I will be exploring the river and the waterfalls. The coracle boat was made of reeds, plastic sack, and tar. When the boatman saw my face, he understood that I was afraid and he told me not to worry, he has been a boatman for the last 18 years. Anyway, I decided to get into the coracle.
Though I was afraid, when the boat ride started, I could feel my fear melting away. The trip through the jungle stream inside the dense forests filled me with enthusiasm. A short while later, the atmosphere started changing. Fear started gripping me again when I saw the rock hills and the foams spraying and splashing. The boat entered the fast current.
The boatman used the oar to turn round the boat without hitting the rocks. I held tight to the boat. At that moment, I totally forgot about the alluring forests and jungle stream. A little later, I could feel an instantaneous relief in my mind as I understood that there was no way out and I have to face it bravely. The boat was moving in circles, so it took me some time to realize where we had reached. I looked at the boatman. He was laughing. I ignored it as I knew that I need his help to reach the banks. He told me that the fast river current is over. Anyway, I experienced the joy of getting back my life. The coracle moved slowly and what I saw was unforgettable. The river which appeared very dangerous just a moment ago turned out to be a serene and peaceful looking lake.
Floating in the river, listening to the songs of different species of birds from inside the forest, having no connection with the outside world, this I will never forget. Wherever I looked, I could see the greenery of the forests, the beauty of the sunrays coming through the trees in the woods, the murmur of the river, all these are sights that cannot be described in words. One should experience it. Anybody would sing the famous Malayalam song, the words of which mean “can I have a rebirth in this beautiful shore.” The rocks resembling herds of wild elephants offered an amazing view. The carbonatite rocks found here are the oldest in the world.
The boat reached the cascades. One of the major recreational activities for tourists is the medicine bath. On the rocks in the bank of the river, body massaging is done by a local massager and the bath in the river after relaxing for a little while is the most refreshing feeling that one can have in his life. It is said that the water of River Kaveri has medicinal effects. It flows and thunderingly falls into a pothole and that is Hogenakkal Waterfalls. The boat stopped near the land area near the cascades. I could see the fall after a short walk.
There is a platform from where we can get a clear view of the torrent. It is beautiful to see several streams of water foaming and frothing while tumbling down. The drops of water when it hits the rocks and splatters look like ripples of smoke. When sunlight falls on it, it takes the appearance of a rainbow. The beauty of the Hogenakkal Waterfalls is breathtaking. The cataract cannot be seen if we are standing at a distance. Instead, we can see only a smoke rising. That is why the people of this place call it as the ‘smoking rocks.’ I sent away the boatman, went to my room and packed my things. I got on my vehicle and said goodbye to the forests and the people who live in that place, having no or at least acting as if having no connection with the rest of the world.
