Entered the chatahancode forest range by 10. reached the forest office, Initially didn’t get permission. Sivakumar sir phoned deputy forest officer for the same, after
Which we proceeded towards chandra’ s house, the guy accompanied us through out the trip. He was born and brought up in that forest. His house was thatched with the leaves of bamboo. Liked the house very much. It was so cool to stay inside. Kannan was the handsome dog of chandran who barked incessantly after seeing us . there was a female monkey nearby, who was brought there by somebody outside the forest, and were living near that house for the past 3 yrs. Chandran’s mother told me that the monkey was very frail and fragile when she came there initially after which she put both weight and beauty. I took her photo. But I couldn’t take the photo of kannan since he ran while was about to click. Chandra told that kannan is an amazing dog, he will everyday roam in the forest , will take bath in the streams everyday and he knows every nook and corner of the forest-i liked Kannan
After leaving our vehicle with the driver near that house, we started walking, towards the interior of the forest along with Chandran. Initially I was feeling a little tiredness. As we were walking, sound of flowing water consoled my ear which was becoming more intense as we walked towards the interior of the forest.
That was a typical evergreen forest, full of giant and huge trees, and Liana formations- a symbiotic relationship between various trees for mutual support in strong winds.
As we proceeded further we were able to see elephant droppings, when chandran told elephants came through that way 2 weeks before, we all started discussing various ways to protect us from an elephant attack. I was looking around for places to hide in case of the same.
Soon we approached a steep rock, which we climbed with a little bit difficulty, soon sights of more steep rocks unfolded before us. But we all climbed the whole rocks and the path full of thick roots and firm stones. I was wondering how Siva Kumar sir was climbing those steep rocks with Ponnu in his hands!!! It was a little bit scaring sight for me!! But Sir was as firm as those steep rocks!! Throughout the path , on one side, was flowing stream of water which was sometimes roaring , and at times whispering, and booth the sounds were very much soothing for our ears and minds.
Actually we had entered another world of, far away from the madding and the maddening crowd of the city.
On the way was mottilppazham, a fruit which was beard on the bottom of the stem of a huge tree which is the diet of several animals including elephants, monkeys, bears birds etc etc.
On the way were two Caves, which can be used as a shelter from rain.
Soon, after one and a half hours of steep path, we reached a giant waterfall, the sight of which instantly made me feel like an ant in the ocean. That was both terrible and horrible and of course beautiful! But we can never measure the rabidness of nature there! I was wondering we know only about the mild soothing beauty of Keralam, but the threatening, frightening beauty of keralam, we all are yet to know, may be never known, even to keralites.
Near to that waterfall, we all sat on a huge rock, for our lunch-appam and curry (green piece)-but the appam was sour and the curry was not good, Narayanan sir gave us ‘mixture’ to eat with appam. After lunch we started our return journey, which was not so difficult like climbing the rocks.
In between we had a ‘bath’ in the cool stream which was the most delicious dish of the trip! Narayanan sir prepared a fire to cook banana and chandran went to pluck some leaves for carrying the same. We all had the banana. And towards the end of the forest, at another point of the stream-by this point it has already became a river! One of the coolest rivers in keralam!! I simply sat inside the water there for almost one hour, and several small fishes were kissing by hands and feet!!
Narayanan sir was preparing tea for us on a nearby rock. After almost one hour, the tea was ready which the tastiest tea I ever drank was!
After the ‘Tea –Ceremony’, we continued our return, and soon we reached Chandran’s house where our vehicle was parked, There the driver- Shafeek was sleeping. Kannan was there this time he was not so frightened as before but the moment I was about to click my mobile camera, he would turn his head. Somehow I manged one or two snaps. Chandran mother eechi was there along with his sisters . We said goodbye to all and our Ravera, proceeded towards trivandrum city.
On the way we all were completely transformed by the enchanting beauty, the horrifying silence and the mind boggling waterfalls of Chatancode forests, which gave us all a completely new perception about Keralam.
but as usual, humans are doing their bit of destruction through throwing plastic covers and alcohol glass bottles all over the forests
which were present almost everywhere in the forest and who is giving permission to these people to use alcohol inside the forest?? even though the place is very well guarded by the government 
