Thenmala Tales (Part-8)

Back to civilization

The whole group posing for a farewell snap

We had an early lunch, and got ready half-heartedly to leave this paradise. The jeep arrived, but it was not our cheerful driver, Babu. Instead, the chief Forester-in-charge, Mr. Prabhat himself had chosen to come with his assistant. A vivacious man, he was proud of the fact that he was able to bring in a lot of activities related to eco-tourism to this beautiful sancturary. We bid a silent goodbye to that sweet little cottage, and bundled up into the forest vehicle.

A mesmerizing view from the top

As promised, we were taken to a view point up above through nonexistent pathways. I was ecstatic on being allowed to drive that vehicle up all the way through narrow, rugged pathways and steep hairpin bends. It was a hot and sunny day, and once on the top, we could see the whole of Thenmala, the huge reservoir, and the beautiful plains below. On the way back down, we passed an estate that had a small discarded chapel that was built during the time of the British.

The discarded Chapel in the estate

An adjoining grave was that of a British noblewoman, Violet Guilty Lizzley. It was in pretty good condition, and Manish explained that about a decade back, some of her relatives had come down from England and had beautified the grave. But discarded, it was, along with the church, and it certainly felt lonely. Lakshmi, Sharmila’s pretty daughter, true to her compassionate nature, at once plucked a few Bougainvillea flowers to keep on the grave, and prayed for the departed soul.

The grave of the Englishwoman adjoining the chapel

The journey downhill was very rough, especially for those of us sitting in the rear, but we thoroughly enjoyed the drive, and Prabhat and Lakshmi entertained us with their melodious songs. We were taken to the Eco tourism department office, where our vehicle had been parked. With a contented and grateful heart, we bid goodbye to our new found friends, and started off back home… to Palakkad!