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The Hindu : If it is possible, at seven in the morning it is both rudely sunny and ruthlessly cold. We are driving to Thadagam Forest in the Coimbatore Range, all the while trying to bring back some action into our unfeeling fingers. Getting off at Sembukkarai check post, the walk into the forest begins: a watch tower and the Mangarai waterfall await us. We are accompanied by forester M. Senthil Kumar, guard Kumar and a few watchers.

As we get further into the forest, the path is only as wide as my sneakers. The way is dotted on either side with various wild shrubs all sopping in gleaming dew drops. The touch-me-nots look happy, fresh and poised, almost daring you to touch them.

The path gets narrower, sunshine becomes scarce, and you ache for sunbeams to dance all over you. The walk gets challenging as we take on dicey rocks to get to the watch tower. All along, we hear the rhythmic burble of a stream nearby. We take the stairs to the watchtower that is under construction, and ha! what a sight to behold.

It’s just blinding shades of green around, with plenty of rocks and a waterfall thrown in. The sheer joy of such a sight is quite marred only by a heap of dead bugs. Around 2,000 tiny wild bugs share an open grave, punished with smoke for interfering with the construction.

The mass grave is soon forgotten as we march carefully towards the waterfall. Though we cannot reach the slim waterfall, the clear water flowing down is irresistible. So, I do the foolish thing: dip my hand into biting cold water. A three-second dip and my hand takes a good five minutes to return to body temperature. A five-second dip is a sure way to dismember your digits.

As a solace to this misadventure, the forester says there are crabs around. Crabs!

To those…More