We were going up the Siruvani hills in the Nilgiri mountain range. Set against the blue horizon, the rugged hills looked quite beautiful. The plants, trees and bamboo groves gave the Hills a unique greenery.
We had embarked on the adventure early in the morning. It had been several hours since we had been trudging across the breathtaking landscape. We paused for lunch and had a short meal before resuming our odyssey. There were only a few hours to go for sunset and we were determined to complete our trek and cross the shola, or forest, lest we be marooned in the forest at night. What with the presence of wild animals and the scarcity of food and water, the forest was a dangerous place at night.
We looked at the winding path that went up the hills. We decided to follow it.
The numerous trees on the rocky hills truly astounded us. How had those plants grown on those rocks and boulders?
Day after day, the sun expanded the rocks with its unforgiving heat. The rocks would then cool and contract at night. Cracks had appeared in places, resulting in the rainwater seeping through them. The trees’ roots had forced their way down into the cracks. The thick roots of the bigger trees went quite deep, splitting the rocks further.
We walked through this lush greenery. The scenic beauty made the path feel lively. It was an enjoyable journey, no doubt about it. However, Thambi, our guide, told us that it was about to get difficult.
Gradually, the winding path became steep. And after about an hour’s walk, the ascent was even steeper. The low-hanging branches of the trees brushed against our heads. However, the horizontal branches held their hands out to help us go up the hills.
The path was so narrow at places that we had to push our way through thick shrubs. The leaves wouldn’t stop slapping against our faces. Thambi was walking ahead of us, leading the way. I kept myself right on his tail, puffing and panting.
The hills were now overgrown with trees, bushes, and creepers. After traversing some rather rugged areas, Thambi took a sudden right turn. He stopped, raising both his hands.
‘Oh, be careful!’ he cried and stopped on one side of the narrow path.
We stopped and glanced at him. Thambi pointed ahead. The path ahead curved sharply. To his right was the green hill. We shuddered when we looked to his left. Down below was a large, open field covered with weed that stretched as far wide as our eyes could see!
‘Woah… This is terrifying!’ I let out a cry of fright.
We shuddered when we looked at the narrow path ahead of us. It wasn’t more than four feet wide! I glanced fearfully at the bottom of the hills. Ant-like figures dotted the fields. One slip could land us some two thousand feet below!
‘We’d better go back!’ said a pale-faced Nihar.
I gazed at the vast field below. It was green all over, with a patch of heavy logs at the far end.
‘Don’t look down, Babu!’ Thambi turned around.
What he did next frightened us even more. Thambi stood close to the edge of the narrow path, his back to the valley.
‘Come on, Babu!’ he called us, holding out his hands.
My knees shook and my throat went dry as I tiptoed the path, my heart in my mouth. Thambi stood there until all of us, one by one, crossed the dangerous trail.
‘People rarely come up to this ridge,’ said Thambi.
The rocky hills had cracked and crumbled in many places. We trudged along with Thambi, stumbling when he stumbled, tripping when he did. He led us around a stout old tree with some loose stones by its side. I tripped on one such stone. Thambi was quick to catch me.
‘It is a python’s cave,’ he cried, pointing to the open pit.
‘A python’s cave?’ I shot a quick glance at the massive hole and retreated a few steps. ‘A python?’
‘Yes,’ replied Thambi. ‘A python lives in this hole.’
We stared at the pit in awe. Panic gripped us further when Thambi declared that we had to cross this godforsaken pit to proceed further! Just the thought of walking across a python’s den made us shudder.
‘What if it comes out on the hills?’ asked Kamal, his eyes round and wide with fright.
Thambi grinned. ‘The python is shy of men,’ he said. ‘It doesn’t come out in daylight. Besides, the villagers come to the hills for cutting grass and collecting firewood.’
I stared nervously at the pit. ‘But what if it comes out by chance? There’s just one hour to go for sunset, anyway,’ I said. The very thought of a huge python strangling me sent a chill down my spine.
Tushar stared at him in disbelief, ‘A python can swallow a man or an animal whole!’
‘But why should it take refuge in a hole?’ asked Kamal. ‘We know pythons climb trees and coil around branches in search of prey.’
‘Where does it get its food?’ I asked.
‘It feeds on rats, frogs, squirrels, lizards, and birds,’ replied Thambi.
‘Rats, frogs, squirrels, and lizards,’ Nihar laughed. ‘The poor python!’
‘How big is this python, by the way?’ asked Nihar.
‘Well, it’s a full-grown one,’ said Thambi. ‘Shouldn’t be less than ten feet long.’
‘That’s a big one!’ exclaimed Kamal.
‘Wait! How do you know it’s that huge?’ I asked.
‘A villager once chanced upon it,’ said Thambi, smiling. ‘He went to the hill shortly after dawn to collect firewood. Suddenly, he noticed something violently agitating in the undergrowth ahead. His eyes bulged when he spotted the python. Its head had entered the undergrowth and the tail was just clear of a tuft of grass. He got a clear view of the python as it slid away and crawled into the hole at the foot of the tree. The poor man ran as fast as his legs could carry him.’
‘We’re going to be late, Babu!’ said Thambi. ‘Let’s walk,’ he stepped forward.
I stared nervously into the pit. Even if the python fed on rats, frogs and squirrels, it was a python nonetheless!
‘Come on, Babu!’ called Thambi from across the pit.
I hesitated for a couple of seconds. Sensing my fear, Thambi held out his hand to me. The sun was slipping behind the horizon. The sun’s dying embers cast a gentle light, transforming the landscape into a tranquil, almost otherworldly scenery. It was soon going to get dark, though.
A cold shiver traversed my body as I walked with quick, light steps across the hole. While doing so, I shot an alarmed look inside the python’s supposed cave, to see if I could get a glimpse of the dreaded creature.
However, I could see nothing in there. The pit looked extremely dark. Inside that darkness lay the coiled-up body of the dreadful creature called a python!
I heaved a sigh of relief when we crossed the pit safely. We began trudging the steep hills. Our trek continued well into the night. We turned on our torches and confirmed that we had all the essentials with us – first-aid kits, food, and water.
By this point, our journey had become an unforgettable adventure. Who knew what lay ahead of us?
‘Let’s walk, Babu,’ said Thambi.
As fond of writing a good story as he is of reading one, Pravin is one of the most promising writers at Ameya. He can be contacted at pravinkumar2788@gmail.com.