Bhagathi Trek

Bhagathi trek

No. of days: 2 days

22nd-23rd Jan 2011

Trek Length & Duration: This is typically a two-day, moderate-to-challenging trek. The first day involves reaching the base camp/Bhagathi village (around 5-6 hours of trekking), and the second day includes the ascent to Demana Gudda peak and the long descent to the road (another 5-6 hours of trekking).

Difficulty: Moderate to Challenging. The terrain varies from forest paths and mountain slopes to flatlands. The ascent to Demana Gudda can be particularly challenging due to steepness and high winds at the peak.

Terrain & Challenges:

Varied Paths: Expect a mix of forest trails, rocky inclines, and grassy sections.
Steep Ascents: Particularly towards Demana Gudda peak.
Windy Peak: The summit of Demana Gudda can be extremely windy, requiring caution.
Navigation: While often done with guides/teams, the forest trails might not always be clearly marked.

View atop demana gudda

View of demana gudda from camp site

My Spontaneous Trek to Demana Gudda

This was an "all of a sudden" trek, born from a call from Shrikanth just a week prior. Eager for an adventure, my immediate "yes" set things in motion for the January 22nd-23rd weekend. After gathering details from Deepak, I headed to Majestic (Shantala Silk House) on the 21st. Anil and I arrived promptly at 9:50 PM, meeting Nikhila first, then Ashwini, Deepak, and Shrikanth. After quick introductions and a bit of a wait, our Tempo Traveller finally departed at 11:00 PM, picking up Lacchhi, Prashanth, and the two Rohits along the way. We reached our trek's starting point at 5:15 AM, catching a few more hours of sleep in the TT before the sunrise roused us for ration distribution.

Our trek officially began at 7:45 AM. Our team, a lively mix including Shrikanth, Lacchhii, Narayan, Sachidanand, Deepak, Ashwini, Leena, Nikhila, Anil, the two Rohits, Prashanth, and myself, set off through a truly picturesque, serene, and mind-soothing forest route. We stopped by a stream to prepare breakfast: a hearty, "forest-made" Maggie and gojju for our afternoon chapattis. Energized by this delicious meal, we started our ascent. The path meandered through forest, mountain, and flat stretches. Despite the bright sun, a comfortable breeze made the journey enjoyable.

We eventually reached the former village of Bhagathi (about 3 houses,12 yrs ago), now just a campsite. After dumping our gear, we made a beeline for a nearby natural swimming pool. Even though I don't know how to swim (definitely on my to-learn list now!), I thoroughly enjoyed the refreshing dip in the cold water. Water is always an inviting treat on a trek! We returned to camp around 4:40 PM, played some Frisbee, and then set up our tents as the experts prepared dinner. After a delicious meal at 8:00 PM, we settled down for the night at 9:30 PM. Sachchi's birthday brought a midnight wake-up call at 12:00 AM for wishes before we all drifted back to sleep. Some even went moon-gazing, but I was out cold! Our only "wild" animal encounter was with a couple of buffaloes, who seemed oddly interested in trying to eat our tent!

The next morning, after our usual routines, we headed out for Demana Gudda (or Demon Gudda) at 8:00 AM. Lacchhi, Leena, and Ashwini stayed back to prepare breakfast for us. The climb, guided by Deepak through the dense forest, was challenging without a clear trail. Reaching the peak's clearing, we were hit by extremely powerful winds. The final ascent to the Shiva Ling-shaped summit, though supposedly easy, became a battle against the "ghastly" winds – we found ourselves literally sitting or lying on the grass to make progress! At the top, it was a case of "hold on to yourself," as caps and cameras were at risk of being swept away. After soaking in the incredible views and resting, we began our descent to base camp around 10:20 AM, reaching it by 11:00 AM.

After packing up and un-pitching our tents, and enjoying some super spicy savigebath for breakfast, we started the 11 km journey to the trek's end point at 12:30 PM. About half of this final leg was uphill. It took us roughly three hours to reach the road, where our TT awaited us at 4:00 PM. We had a late "lunch" at 5:30 PM in Kushalnagar before heading back to Bangalore. We pulled into the city at 9:30 PM, and I was home by 10:15 PM. A hot bath followed, and then a well-deserved sleep. It was, without a doubt, a truly wonderful and memorable trek!

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