I was posted to Pathanamthitta, a rather sleepy town in Kerala, more than a year ago. Since then, I've been through several ups and downs in my personal life, but my professional life is an altogether different story. I found a strong all-pervading feeling of camaraderie at my new office. It was a bond forged in adversity and it held strong against all odds.
Very soon, I made many friends, not just in my branch, but also in nearby branches. In the branch, we felt more like family. Along the way, some of our friends took leave of us, but new friends came along and the "Can-Pathanamthitta" family only grew stronger.
For a long time we had been planning a one-day trip. A day of travel, food n fun. Away from nagging customers, from pressing targets. Leaving behind the stress n pressure of work. A day just to enjoy.
Each time we closed in on a plan, something came up and it was put on the back burner.
As our routine life dragged on, there was a major shake up in our family. With staff shortage reaching a new high and the commencement of regular annual inspection, all of us were overworked. We were all ready for a break.
That's when my dear colleague Rajesh took the initiative and we zeroed in on Ramakkalmedu, a journey of around four hours from Pathanamthitta.
I was ready by 6am. I was so excited! I couldn't wait to get started. Slowly, one by one, everybody trickled in. We made hot tea at our very own kitchen, packed our breakfast and boarded the bus.
Everybody was super excited!! Singing songs, poking fun at each other, we went along.
Sonu was such a sport :) We had no idea he was such an entertainer. Bijesh, Rajesh and Hari rallied along. They were creating such a racket, but it was so much fun!!
At Kuttikanam, we stopped to have breakfast and then explored the pine forest. It was beautiful :)
From the bus, we could see rolling hills and valleys in all their glory. Small waterfalls dotted the hillsides covered with lush greenery. Cool breeze flew in from the Western Ghats, soothing our spirits. We felt so rejuvenated.
We stopped to admire the waterfall
and climb the hills looking for Neelakurinji flowers. Neelakurinji is a flowering shrub found in Western Ghats, it's unique as it blossoms only once in 12 years.
On the way, we came across a wind energy farm. Wind mills were installed in all nearby hills. The winds here were so strong, that we felt like we would be blown away.
At Parunthumpara, or eagle-rock, we halted to admire the large rock that is said to resemble a large eagle. The place boasts of breathtaking views. It overhangs a beautiful valley and from the hilltop you can see the river snaking its way among the hills.
After a brief stopover for lunch, we reached Ramakkalmedu by 2pm. Its a hill station in Idukki district of Kerala. Roughly translated as Rama's stone, local legend has it that Lord Ram came here while searching for his abducted wife Sita.
It is also the site of the monument dedicated to Kuravan and Kurathi, who helped authorities to find the right spot to
build the Idukki dam.
The constant winds is something unique to this place. Strong winds blow here throughout the year.
The hills offer a wonderful opportunity for trekking for amateur enthusiasts. The rocks are steep at some places and we had to literally crawl on all fours to get to the top.
I am not the kind of person who jumps at the first opportunity to go trekking or rock climbing. But my dear colleague Bijesh, who seems to have more faith in me than I did in myself, took me along. We climbed the hill together. I carried the water bottle and he gave me a hand climbing rocks and navigating underpasses.
Sonu and Rajesh went ahead of us, while Hari and Anjana followed us. We met up at the summit for a 'photo-finish'.
It's a truly exhilarating experience to finally reach the top . The view is breathtaking.
It was hard, but it was fun :) I haven't had so much fun in years.
Finally, it was time to return. On our way back, we were invited to Shajahan sir's house at Erumely and given a sumptous treat. We reached Pathanamthitta by 8.30pm.
We were back to our ordinary lives, but it wasn't quite the same. Something had changed within us.
It's not about the destination, but about the journey. It's not about how many places we visited, but about how much we enjoyed wherever we went.
It was a truly memorable day I will always cherish in my heart.
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