Into The Life

If living is what you call a Life, you must read this. Because this place is all LIFE.

Day 1

I was intimated about the trip 5 days prior. My pockets were empty, but were full of determination and desperation to go. I had started thinking of ways and decided to sell things on OLX. I had uploaded ancient coins, a vintage reel camera, a cycle pump and a path detecting robot vehicle I had made during our final semester project.

I was running out of time and sold none of the above. I was afraid but deep inside I strongly wanted to go. Fortunately, on the very last day I got calls from OLX buyers and sold everything on a single day. Then I got my bike serviced and packed all the stuff.

Then I was informed to get a MTB to enjoy off-roading. Again I started searching for alternatives. Phoned one of my friend, took his MTB and getting it serviced would have costed me a brand new bike. So I got the damaged pedal welded without actually replacing it, fixed disk brakes on my own with help of YouTube, dusted it off and strapped my bike packing bag.............and started off at 0300 AM on 06-02-2021.

As per the plan we started off before Dawn, with some bikes in the trunk, some on the top and the rest lavishly in the back seats.

And there came our first checkpoint, Ravulapalem, East Godavari- Sendriya Sugarcane juice. A fresh and lively place which was truly rejuvenating. We had breakfast, filled sugarcane juice up to our necks and started off....

Amidst the mountains, forests, palm fields and rivers we had travelled with cool breezes born at Godavari hitting us through the slightly opened windows. Enjoying the place, watching the temples, nature and Godavari beauty we were pre-occupied in talks and were least bothered of the time.

Soon came our Lunch spot, Narsipatnam, Visakhapatnam district - VJNNS(Visakhapatnam Jilla Nava Nirmana Samithi).

The meal was huge, proving the famous saying, 'It is hard to digest Godavari peoples Curtosy.'

With those heavily loaded bellies, we managed a walk till our bus and negotiated a power nap.

Soon it was Evening and we were about to enter the most beautiful phase of our plan - Venam village. We reached the ghat, from where Pradeep anna guided us in. It was a long road running into the dense forest and bending many times than a snake could. And a place Airtel would regret, for no sooner did we reach the place our mobile networks were weak and our josh was high.

We were shifted to Monster truck-like-Autos which were driven by ghost riders. The route was horrible. It was a Highway to Heaven through Hell. After costing our extra heart beats and sweat we reached LIFE.

We hadn't the slightest idea that the families, kids, teachers, a school and an entire village was waiting for us.

Venam Tribal Community- The unremembered treasury of our State, who lives on Eastern Ghats tops. We never knew each other, but they believe we were all bonded with some invisible thread of LIFE. We all come from the same land and get mixed into the same, and maybe that is their idea behind considering us of a family. Their serene heart, kind acts and Pure eyes says it all.

After dancing to their non-electronic music and natural tribal rhythm, we were welcomed into the legendary school building constructed by them for their kids.

Later on, we were introduced to their talents, colorful culture, tasty local dishes and painful past.

Sunset view point:- Kids guided us to the place, they were super accustomed and were running and jumping over the mountain faces and rocks bare foot, but for us even luxurious branded shoes did not provide enough grip.

It was a hill top and was full of trigger traps for birds. While we were quitting diapers they were setting traps with no proper science textbooks.

Soon it was dark just at 1800 hours, and we all climbed down. After finishing ablutions we all settled down for a fun-packed Evening.

They entertained us in as many possible ways as they could. Firstly, all the elderly woman showed us the taste of Dhimsa dance and then all the kids added additional beauty with all forms of dances and songs.

Their dance, local music and liveliness brought back youth in us, and so we danced in our own weird style till fall down out of exhaustion.

We were out of exhaustion but sweat was no where seen, for the temperature was pretty cold and potent enough to chill us to the bone. Then we had Biryani made by Gopi brothers, it seemed that they have added some local magical spices to bring that stellar taste.

Now, it was the time to watch something we cannot in cities, off course not with all the diffused artificial lights- Vanishing city nights. And it was stars, even galaxies were visible if you had right knowledge to differentiate.

When the temperatures started falling below 10C, we all slept on the icy floor. It was just a 4 hour sleep and we wake up at 0300. Went into the woods to defecate, though it was first time for many thanks to YouTube for tips and tricks on every single topic.

Came back fresh, had coffee, arranged a bonfire and fell into discussions...........till everyone woke up.

Sunrise view point:- We quickly went to the sunrise view point and it was too cold to bear. We lit a bonfire and waited till the dawn kill all the leftover darkness. Captured the candid moments, sunrise beauty.

Later on, we had a 3 odd kilometer trek on slippery mountain faces to reach coffee farms and the only water source of theirs. They need to walk for nearly 3 km and trek another 3 km to get water.

After finishing up breakfast, packing all our belongings and getting dressed in jerseys, it was time to bid an adieu to the place, people, and the unforgettable life of theirs.

We distributed them chocolates, sweets, and other eatables, blankets, toys, drawing books, clothes and most importantly our love and wishes for their future endeavors.

They made the farewell extra memorable with songs, dances and showing gratitude in words.

With just a day with them, we too started thinking that, 'we were all connected with an invisible thread of Life.' Farewells never go easy and this one was too much attaching. But still Lammasinghi ghat was waiting for us and our bikes.

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We reached our bus. I with few others(Vamsi anna, Ali anna, Harsha anna and Sreedhar sir) decided to ride till Lammasinghi from Venam. While others opted bus till descending Venam and few other villages, for there was a 4 kilometer long gravel road with horrible descent.

Despite of warnings we started on our bikes. I knew my bike was not conducive enough for such steep descent but nothing could stop me right then.

It was a horrible ghost descent and my brakes were least bothered of my life. In such top speeds and steep descents my legs were my brakes. I was consciously and intentionally hitting my legs to the rocks and dragging my foot on the ground for cutting down on my speed. If I would not have done that, I might have ended up somewhere impossible for anyone to identify.

There came our 19 kilometers long Lammasinghi ghat with a maximum elevation of 900 meters. I was afraid inside, for my bike was an MTB and not all in good health, but still I wanted to finish.

It was a painful yet blissful experience to pedal one of the highest peaks of Eastern Ghats on an about to give-up MTB.

Finishing up what all left in my energy store, I reached the top.

From there we rode to Tajangi, a 5 kilometer from Lammasinghi- Lunch spot. It was a beautiful place with Terrace farms, Lakes, Zip liner, Trampoline........