A Hurtle before the Rapture- Boat Ride @ Periyar Lake

A hurtle before the rapture. In simple words a mad rush before the heavenly bliss. Yes, it was all hullabaloo right at 5 30 am in front of the entry gate on Periyar Lake in Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary / Tiger Reserve at Thekkady.

Being a Sunday of the long Dussera weekend, swarm of more than 1000 optimistic people flocked at the gate for a glimpse of the picturesque lake. A misinformation by the travel agent, that tickets are available at the venue with little toil in the morning, lowered our hope to make it to witness the aquatic experience of a jungle. Though tickets are available online but get over before months.

We chose the 1st ride of that day as we had to move to Allepey after that. One has to reach 1st to the ticket counter which is 4 km inside the area once the gate opens at 6 am. Private vehicle were allowed inside but since our car was positioned 20th in the queue, the race we would have lost even before it begins if we were to depend on the car. So it was a golden opportunity for local autowalas to make some quick buck (Rs 400 per person) who were standing at the gate right from 2 am. So auto ride was the only option we had.

The briefing started by the autowala and what he told sounded more stupid than shocking. The auto will take us 5km inside but will stop 500 meters away from the ticket counter from there one has to run and save the investment of Rs 400 per person or even Rs 5000 for the hotel as there is nothing much in thekkedy apart from this lake ride though nature enthusiasts can discover many other options of trekking, stay in resort inside lake or so.

Going back to the race, which one never expects in any vacation which is meant to relax and unwind. But I accepted the challenge as it will test the real strength of me which I built on running on the treadmill.

The gate opened exactly at 6 am and the race began between 20 auto rickshaws carrying 5 persons each. It was no less than experiencing a formula one race right from inside the Lamborghini of an auto rickshaw. Cruising at 60kmph on narrow one lane road with the auto’s bumper was about to be kissed by rare auto’s headlight. Two of them hit each other too but no one was hurt except the lovers (bumper and the headlight). Hope they got their org****m.

Sitting nervous worried about my own race that to begin, I could not even think to shoot this mad race which went for about 10 minutes.

The auto was still moving when the driver shouted jump or u will not get the ‘prize’ called tickets. I saw 20 people already started running towards their goals and it was time to throw myself into it. I had never participated in any race before except for the sack runs or spoon & lemon race; it was my time to prove my treadmill meter results can be achieved on the open.

Soon from 25th when i started I was 5th but then I felt that my morning’s 1st task was not fully completed. The competition of life is following me here on the narrow lane surrounded by dense forest, where you have to outdo others to get the tickets just as in the work life. But here I succeeded and just in time I reached the ticket counter and fared second in getting the tickets when only 300 people got lucky out of 1000.

And then what I saw, can be experienced - though not completely - from the photos.

Through this experience I want people to be prepared in advance or buy the tickets online before, so that the beauty of the lake, the jungle, the animals and birds, can be experienced with less troubles and adventure of its own kind.

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