By Shobha Rao Smilemaker
Mar 6: I always believe that forceful jets of water all over your body is one of the best ways to cleanse the so called stuck negative energy in the aura! So I jumped at another chance to visit a waterfall with friends.
This time we went to Koodlu Theertha falls ( Also called Sita falls) situated deep.inside the jungles of the Western Ghats off the main town of Hebri. We deviated into the forest road and the drive amidst the trees was beautiful. At one point we crossed a bridge over the Sita River and then we really had to slow down on the mud road, so it is better to go there on a sturdy vehicle.
At the parking lot, there was only one lone stall selling basic eatables and drinks, so we carried our own packed lunch which we enjoyed later near the waterfall.
The forest guards near the ticket counter check your bags to ensure you do not throw plastics or garbage in this pristine natural environment !
We first crossed a small stream at the foothills at the beginning of our trek. Even though it is noon time, the whole uphill climb is though a shady pathway. The youngsters in our group were very supportive in giving us senior citizens a hand through the difficult parts. I took my own time to trudge slowly and admire the natural scenery around me. I am usually the last person to reach both the end point and the beginning point of any trek.
But the whole effort was absolutely worth it! This spectacular waterfall plunged between two big mountains from a height of about 300 feet. The wind factor, made it seem like swaying hair from a distance. And in ancient days holy saints would meditate around this place. That is why Kudlu Teertha literally means holy water from the hair!
We slowly got into the big pool of around 5 ft depth formed at the bottom of the falls. I perched on a safe rock and enjoyed the spray and jets of water around my body. I could just spend hours lazing around the water, fully tuned to the 5 elements of nature around me - earth, water, sunshine, air and space!
An absolute stranger guided me away from the waterfall back to the non slippery rocks...the world seems full of wonderful people when you are connected to nature!
After our great picnic lunch, we slowly made our way to the parking lot at the base. I somehow managed to change inside a tiny toilet...wish they had at least a changing room facility there.
I prefere places like this with lesser tourist crowds. I left with a smile considering myself cleanaed thouroghly with the holy waters of the Kudlu theertha falls.
Shobha Rao Smilemaker has a vision of living in a world where people use their ability to find and make smiles in any situation. She is a lawyer by qualification, a soft skills trainer by passion, a motivational speaker, a freelance journalist, a bestselling author, an avid traveler and founder of 'Smilemakers Trainings'. She can be contacted at www.shobhasmilemaker.com.