Camp @ Gudalur

S Balakrishnan *

Gudalur Town

Gudalur! What a cool and exotic location to have an office camp! Situated in The Nilgiris (Blue Mountains) at an approximate height of 3,500 feet (1,100 m) above sea level, Gudalur is indeed a cool place. This hilly District in Tamil Nadu is also named after the mountains as The Nilgiris District and is famous for the hill station Ooty (Ootacamund).

Gudalur literally means a place of meeting; it is here that the boundaries of three States - Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Karnataka - meet (‘kooduthal’ in Tamil) together. Hence the appropriate name Gudalur. Nature was also kind to us.

Though it was the South-West monsoon season, it was not pouring down during our week-long stay; there were intermittent rains/drizzles which only made the weather further pleasant. The normal rainfall here is 3000 mm per annum.

We were camping there to conduct a five-day-long publicity campaign for the Central Government. A new boss had taken over some time back and so I was drawn in as a member of the party to conduct the Bharat Nirman Public Information Campaign (PIC in short).

The earlier bosses were corrupt with their own coterie which not only helped the bosses pocket government money but also helped itself to fill the pockets. I can write an epic on the ‘Leelas’ of the corrupt Jeya Raja, Vetti Selvam, Ganapathy and their minions!

Tea & Pepper

Well, coming back to Gudalur, one fine morning we decided to sacrifice the early morning sleep for a short trip to Mudumalai Tiger Reserve which lies so close to Gudalur. Our first darshan was a herd of wild bison which we initially mistook for baby elephants; they were so massive. Then we sighted a lone elephant, deers, peacocks, monkeys, huge beehives, but no tiger.

A tiger was reportedly roaming near the town in the nights; a colleague even heard its growls. Never mind, but I had the opportunity to boldly pat and hug a cheetah that was kept in the Forest Dept. stall as a taxidermy model.

Our return journey again took us through Mudumalai Reserve (Tamil Nadu) and Bandipore Tiger Reserve (Karnataka) but as luck would have it, no sighting of tiger this time either. Though there are travel/timing restrictions through these Reserves, it is saddening that the National Highway cuts through these two Reserves to connect Karnatka and Kerala through Tamil Nadu (Gudalur).

While the stay was pleasant, the journey to Gudalur was a tedious one; overnight train journey from Chennai to Coimbatore and from there by road to Ooty and further to Gudalur with countless hairpin bends for which the ghat road is notorious. I could not enjoy the mountain greenery/scenery as I sat like a statue closing my eyes for fear of throwing up.

There were landslips/ fallen trees on the way due to rains which made us worry about the smooth conduct of the Campaign. At last, as we landed in Gudalur, my head was aching severely. Wish the office had arranged travel by the unique Nilgiris Mountain Railways (toy train) up to Ooty.

But the return journey downhill was a pleasant one; the smooth road through these Reserves took us straight to Mysore from where we boarded the Shatabdhi Express to reach Chennai the same night.

The Camp gave a rare opportunity to have a closer look at the life of Irula Tribe. The Campaign had two components – exhibition by Central/State Govt. departments at the main venue & mini campaigns at various villages.

The Irula village was situated within the forest area across Mayar River; though there was power supply, they did not have safe drinking water; they complained of poor mobile reception and forest regulations that restricted construction of toilets / expansion of their houses; they were living in cramped houses.

The children enthusiastically participated in competitions. The women presented their folk dance. At the exhibition I bought Kothar tribe’s clay handicrafts – a farmer ploughing with a pair of bullocks, clay beads necklace, model of their pipe musical instrument, etc.

Tribal handicrafts

As Gudalur borders Kerala, people of that State lived in good numbers; the auditorium ‘Nartaki’, which was once a cinema hall, was owned by a Keralite. The lodge where we stayed was also operated by a Keralite. The local Congress man was also a charismatic Keralite who extended full support to the Campaign because the UPA (United Progressive Alliance) Government at the Centre was then led by Congress.

Inquisitive people turned up in good numbers and appreciated the informative & educative nature of the Campaign. It was gratifying that all the efforts and pains we took resulted in a successful Campaign. However, the local Member of Parliament and the District Collector ditched the programme.

In all, the Gudalur Camp was a refreshing one, away from the home-office-home routine. Even 13 years later, memories of camping at that pleasant and unusual hill station lingers sweet like the 5 kg honey I bought at Gudalur.