Agasthyarkoodam - beauty in the woods
‘ Couple of years back a senior scientist who came for research in this mountain had a minor fall, creating a small wound in his face. It took 48 hours to bring him to the base and get into hospital. But it’s all over when reached hospital. He died because of blood loss. Few years back, an elephant attacked and killed a trekker who was trying to click a photograph of the animal, with the camera flash light ON. There was another incident too not long before, when a Bison attacked another person, whose life could also not be saved...’ . These were the stories the forest beat officer told us during his elaboration of the rules and guidelines to be followed while trekking. Most of us felt some sense of fear somewhere in the mind, which was overflowing with the emotions of thrill and adventure, till a few seconds before the forest officer’s briefing; especially, for first timers like me. But, this is what this trek is meant to be; the a...