Thursday
As a
pleasant surprise, all of us are actually ready to roll out at 7.30
in the morning. We even have finished our breakfast too. We leave the
resort at 7.45 sharp. The kids are particularly most enthusiastic,
but that is understandable because our first halt is going to be the
elephant camp near 'Dubare' town.
If one
wants to exit 'Medikeri' city, he has to invariably cross the
'General Cariappa square.” A life size statue of this legendary
general can be seen in this square. General Cariappa was the first
Indian chief of army staff of independent India and had taken his
charge in 1949. There is yet another square, which one needs to
cross, before approaching this particular square. I find a life size
statue of someone unknown, erected in this square too. I find that
the statue is fully covered up, perhaps waiting for the inauguration
by some political big wig. My guess is that the this statue is of
another general of Indian army, General Thimayya, who was chief of
staff from 1957 and had resigned in 1959 because of the differences
with V.K.Krishna menon, then minister of defence. The resignation was
not accepted first, but he had eventually retired, before India-China
war of 1961. 'Medikeri' people are extremely proud of the fact,
that their small town has given tow distinguished generals to India's
armed forces. I think that this should not be much of the surprise
really to any one because indigenous people from this area, known as
'Kodagu' were always known as a martial community and many youth from
here prefer to join armed forces even today.
We
have crossed once again the hilly part of Coorg-Mysore road with its
continuous ups and downs and are back to leveled road near
'Kushalnagar.' Here we branch off on a small feeder kind of road,
which is so narrow that if we see a vehicle approaching from the
front, one of the vehicles has to look for a shoulder behind, reverse
and then park there. On both sides, I see emerald green coffee farms.
These farms usually plant Silver Oak trees along the fence and let
Black Pepper vines climb on them. I see almost continuously, such
black pepper vines along the road sides. After travelling about 8
Km on this narrow road, the driver stops the vehicle and I can see a
river bed ahead.
Compared
to river bed of Kaveri river at 'Bhagmandaleshwar,' which we saw
yesterday, the bed of the same river is much wider here (near
'Dubare' town). It is easily possible to cross this river by jumping
from one rock to another, projecting out in the middle of the water.
We decide to take an easier way to cross by using a motor launch. On
the opposite bank, is the training camp for elephants, run by the
Government of Karnataka. I can see at least 10 or 15 elephants of
various ages slowly swaying and munching tender grass. This is
supposed to be their bath time and they would be brought to river
bed, one after another.
Two of
the smaller elephants, prefer to lie down in the water and the entire
lot of 40 or 50 kids that are collected here this morning, are
absolutely delirious with joy and laughter. Kids go near these
small elephants, direct water jets at them and scrub their bodies
with brushes. The elephants seem to enjoy the ritual as they also
look happy: at least I feel so after looking at their small squeaky
eyes. The elephants also are spraying water jets at the kids, once in
a while, with their trunks. Every time this happens, all the kids
shriek with great joy. After bath, elephants are fed with giant sized
cooked flour balls, many of the kids are helping to feed the
elephants.
After
the rituals are over, the mahouts take away the elephants for
training and we realize that sun by now is blazing at the zenith.
Everyone turns to a coconut water vendor nearby. After finishing off
the cool coconut water, we cross the river once again and get back to
the car. Our immediate destination is a Tibetan refugee camp nearby.
Few
years after Chinese forcefully took over Tibet, the Dalai Lama,
sought political asylum in India. Following him, Tibetan refugees
in thousands came to India. These refugees were settled at many
places in India by the Government. One of the large settlements of
Tibetan refugees, exists at 'Bayalakuppe' village near 'Kushalnagar'
town. The refugees have set up here a huge monastery known as 'Great
Gompa of Sera Je' or 'Sera Mey.' The monastery has a huge golden
dome on the top and can be seen from a distance. This monastery and a
huge prayer hall of Mahayana Buddhist University, which is near by,
are worth visiting. This prayer hall is a giant assembly hall,
which can accommodate easily about 400 students. Near one of the
walls, huge golden hued statues of Goutama Buddha and two of his
disciples, who had also attained a state of Buddha later, are
installed.
In the
nearby colonies, where the Tibetan refugees stay, they have started
their own businesses of making incense sticks, carpets and artifacts.
These are sold in nearby stalls started again by some refugees. The
perseverance with which these people, uprooted from their ancestral
lands, have re-established their life in this foreign land, is most
commendable. The Tibetan monastery at 'Bayalakuppe' is definitely
worth a visit.
We are
back at the resort by lunch time. We decide to go back to 'Medikeri'
town for a shopping trip. However the town trip turns out a complete
disappointment. There is hardly anything to see or buy in this town.
Our driver tells me that I can buy some spices and condiments from an
wholesaler here. I buy black pepper, coffee powder and some dry
fruits and return to the resort. The kids are playing video games in
the resort. I decide to relax in an easy chair. Even before knowing,
I am fast asleep.
( To
be concluded)
21
February 2013
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