Shivagange: The most dangerous trek

I knew it's going to make a great picture, the moment I saw it. I was riding my bike with my friend behind me through this beautiful stretch of land.⁣ We were slightly off track and kind of lost as our navigation was not working well. Setting my eyes at the horizon, I saw the sun coming up and the first rays of the sun lighting up the landscape I was travelling through.

⁣A couple of minutes into this, my eyes fell on this dead tree by the side of the road. A beautiful stretch of grass and the tree in its solitude, alone and dead but still beautiful. I knew it was going to make a great picture, the moment I saw it. May be better than the picture I was aiming to take at the top of Sivagagnge. I stopped the bike by the side of the road, grabbed my phone and ran into the grassland.

I could see through the corner of my eyes that my friend is enjoying the whole thing, me running around, lying on the wet grass with my phone, but that is who I am. Like a kid who got into a toy store where anything he can pick is free. I moved every side not being able to decide the right angle. Then I sat low, close to the grasses, got my rear completely wet from the grass, and took this picture.⁣

⁣My dream of seeing the sun rays falling on the landscape, hills, rocks, trees and creating beautiful shadows all around, from the top of Shivagange and clicking beautiful pictures shattered due to the immense fog, almost like clouds. I couldn't see a thing when I reached the top. And just as I saw this tree, it did end up being the best picture, atleast my favourite from the trip.⁣

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Shivagange is a dangerous trek with an adrenaline pumping climb with a calming, soothing peak. I would say it is the most dangerous of treks I have done around Bangalore.⁣⁣ On the way up, around mid way, our group was greeted by a cute doggie which we went on to call 'Bro'. Bro was fast, loving, cute and caring. We didn't realise first, but Bro was leading us through the right path. Walking ahead of us to where we are headed. Only after sometime we realised that Bro is kind of guiding us.

Reaching the top, he sat beside us, as we enjoyed the calm. We fed him biscuits, which he ate and showed more love. Not so late, monkeys started coming to grab our bags and whatever food they can find. Bro came to the rescue and it chased them away relentlessly. However we didn't realise how helpful bro was until later when we started climbing down. On our way down, we where attacked by a group of monkeys on very tough terrain. Before it could lead to an accident, bro came to rescue. Even the monkeys surrounded bro for a moment, he chased them away.

He guided us back, even after the point we met him first. At one point, he stopped, even though we tried calling him, he stopped, turned around, and walked away, leaving an emptiness. We couldn't thank him, and to be honest he didn't expect us to.

About the trek, it's a really hard trek to the top of Shivagange. But at the end, you literally stand with the clouds and say hello to the world waking up to a new life.

A new day.⁣ "With the clouds I stood, waiting them to take me home.⁣"