A dream that was so real.....

ಮಾತು ಬೆಳ್ಳಿ ಮಾನ ಬಂಗಾರ ಅಂತಾರೆ... ಆದ್ರೆ ಆ ಮೌನಾನೆ ನಂಗೆ ಮುಳುವಾಯಿತು.

ವಿಷಯಗಳನ್ನ ಹೇಳಿಬಿಡಬೇಕು, ಅದರಲ್ಲೂ ಇಂಥಹ ವಿಷಯಗಳು, ಹೇಳದೆ ಇರಲೇ ಬಾರದು.

ನಂಗೊತ್ತಿತ್ತು,

ಮಾತಾಡಬೇಕು ಇವತ್ತು ಅಂತ ನಂಗೆ ಚೆನ್ನಾಗಿ ಗೊತ್ತಿತ್ತು.

ಇವತ್ತಲ್ಲದಿದ್ರೆ ಇನ್ಯಾವತ್ತು ಇದನ್ನೆಲ್ಲಾ ಹೇಳಕ್ಕಾಗಲ್ಲ ಅಂತಾನು ಗೊತ್ತಿತ್ತು.

ಬಾಯಿ ಬಿಟ್ಟೆ, ಆದ್ರೆ ಮಾತೇ ಹೊರಡುತ್ತ ಇಲ್ಲ. ಧ್ವನಿ ಹೊರಡದಂತೆ ಯಾರೋ ಗಂಟಲನ್ನು ಒತ್ತಿದ ಹಾಗೆ ಭಾಸವಾಗ್ತಿತ್ತು.

ನನ್ನ ನಾಲಿಗೆ ಹೆಣವಾಗಿ ಬಿದ್ದಿತ್ತು....

ಇನ್ನು ನೆನಪಿದೆ ನಂಗೆ,

ಆ ನಿನ್ನ ಮುಗ್ಧ ಮುಖದಲ್ಲಿ ಮೂಡಿದ್ದ ಮುಗುಳ್ನಗೆ, ಏರಿದ ಹುಬ್ಬುಗಳು, ಅರಳಿದ ಕಂಗಳು, ನಿಮಿರಿದ ಕಿವಿಗಳು...

ನಾ ಏನೋ ಹೇಳ್ತಿನಿ ಅಂತ ನೀ ಕಾದ ನಿಮಿಷಗಳು,

ಆ ನಿಮಿಷಗಳು ನಿನ್ನ ಮುಖದಲ್ಲಿ ಮೂಡಿಸಿದ ಭಾವನೆಗಳು, ಎಲ್ಲ ನೆನಪಿದೆ ನಂಗೆ...

ಇನ್ನು ಹಾಗೆ, ಆ ಮುಖ ಇಲ್ಲೇ ಎದುರಿಗೆ ಇದೆಯೇನೋ ಅನ್ನೋ ಅಷ್ಟು ಹೊಸತಾಗಿದೆ ಆ ನೆನಪುಗಳು, ಆ ನಿಮಿಷಗಳು.....

ಕಡೆಗೂ ಮಾತು ಹೊರಡ್ತು, 'ಇಲ್ಲ' ...

'ನೀ ಏನು ಹೇಳಲ್ವಾ' ಅಂತ ಕೇಳಿದ ಪ್ರಶ್ನೆಗೆ, ಹೊರಟಿದ್ದು ಒಂದೇ ಪದ, 'ಇಲ್ಲ'..

ನೀನಿಲ್ಲದೆ ನಂಗೆ ಬದಕಕ್ಕೆ ಆಗಲ್ವೆ ಅಂತ ಹೇಳಬೇಕಿತ್ತು ನಾನು,

ನನ್ನ ಬಿಟ್ಟು ಎಲ್ಲೂ ಹೋಗಬೇಡಾ ಅನ್ನಬೇಕಿತ್ತು ನಾನು,

ನಿನ್ ಬಿಟ್ರೆ ಯಾರಿದ್ದಾರೆ ನಂಗೆ, ನಿನ್ ಧ್ವನಿ ಕೇಳದೆ ಹೇಗಿರಲಿ ನಾನು, ನಿನ್ನ ನೋಡದೆ...................

ಇವತ್ತಿಗೂ ಉತ್ತರ ಸಿಕ್ಕಿಲ್ಲ, ಮನದಲ್ಲಿ ಮೂಡಿದ ಅಷ್ಟು ಮಾತುಗಳು 'ಇಲ್ಲ' ಅನ್ನೋ ರೂಪ ಹೇಗೆ ತಾಳಿತು ಅಂತ...

ನೀ ಹೋಗೋದನ್ನೇ ನೋಡ್ತಾ ನಿಂತಿದ್ದೆ... ಅಸಹಾಯಕನಾಗಿ.... ಕಲ್ಲಿನಂತೆ... ಹುಚ್ಚನಂತೆ...

ಓಡಿ ಹೋಗಿ, ನಿನ್ನ ಅಪ್ಪಿ ಹಿಡಿದು, ಮನಸಲ್ಲಿದ್ದಿದ್ದೆಲ್ಲ ಹೇಳಣ ಅಂತ ಅನ್ಸ್ಥಿತ್ತು.....

ಜೀವನಾನೆ ಒಟ್ಟಿಗೆ ಕಳ್ಯೋ ಆಸೆ ಇತ್ತು, ನಿನ್ನ ಹಣೆಗೆ ಕುಂಕುಮ ಇಡೋ..............

ಏನೇನೋ ಕನಸು..... ಒಂದೂ ಹೇಳಕ್ಕಾಗ್ಲಿಲ್ಲ.....

ಇನ್ನೊಂದು ಸಲ ನಿನ್ ಮುಖ ನೋಡಬೇಕಿತ್ತು, ಇನ್ನೊಂದು ಸಲ ನಿನ್ ಧ್ವನಿ ಕೇಳಬೇಕಿತ್ತು...

ತಿರುಗೇ ಅಂತ ಮನಸ್ಸು ಕೂಗ್ತಾ ಇತ್ತು, ದೇಹ ಕಲ್ಲಾಗಿತ್ತು........

ಗೊತ್ತಾಯ್ತು ನಂಗೆ, ಕಳೆದುಕೊಂಡೆ ನಿನ್ನ ಅಂತ...

ಯಾರಿಂದ ಪ್ರಪಂಚದ ಪ್ರತಿ ವಸ್ತುನು ಸುಂದರವಾಗಿ ಕಾಣಕ್ಕೆ ಶುರು ಆಯ್ತೋ,

ಯಾರ ನೆನಪೇ ನನ್ನ ಉಸಿರಾಯ್ತೋ...

ಈಗೆಲ್ಲ ಬರಿ ದುಃಖ, ಬರಿ ಏಕಾಂತ..

ಪ್ರಪಂಚ ನಂಗೆ ಪಾಳುಗುಡಿ ಥರ,

ಅದರಲ್ಲಿದ್ದ ಸೌಂದರ್ಯ ನೀನು, ಚೇತನ ನೀನು....

ಗೊತ್ತಾಯ್ತು ನಂಗೆ, ನಿನ್ನ ಕಳಕೊಂಡೆ ಅಂತ...

ಆ ಕ್ಷಣ ಇನ್ನಿಲ್ಲ, ಆ ಧ್ವನಿ ಇಲ್ಲಿಲ್ಲ, ಆ ನಗೆಯ ಸುಳಿವೇ ಇಲ್ಲ..

ಕ್ಷಣಗಳು ದಿನಗಳಾದವು, ದಿನಗಳು ವರ್ಷಗಳಾದವು....

ಕಾಲ ಹೇಗೆ ಕಳೆಯಿತು ಅಂತ ಗೊತ್ತೇ ಆಗಿಲ್ಲ ನಂಗೆ..

ಎಸ್ಟೋ ದಿನ ಕನಸಿಂದ ಏಳ್ತೀನಿ,

ನಿನ್ನ ಮುಗುಳ್ನಗೆ ಕಣ್ಣಲ್ಲಿ ತುಂಬಿರತ್ತೆ

ನಿನ್ನ ಧ್ವನಿ ಕಿವಿಯಲ್ಲಿ ಮೂಡಿರತ್ತೆ

ನೀ ನೆಡೆದು ಹೋದ ದಾರಿ,

ನಡೆದಾಗ ತುಳಿದ ಎಳೆಗಳ ಸಪ್ಪಳ,

ನೀ ನನ್ನಿಂದ ದೂರ ಸರಿದಾಗ, ಬೀಸಿದ ಗಾಳಿ...

ಇನ್ನು ಹಾಗೆ ಕಣ್ಣೆದುರಿಗೆ ಇದೆ....

ಇನ್ನೊಂದು ಸಲ ನಿನ್ ಮುಖ ನೋಡಬೇಕಿತ್ತು, ಇನ್ನೊಂದು ಸಲ ನಿನ್ ಧ್ವನಿ ಕೇಳಬೇಕಿತ್ತು..

ಇನ್ನು ಕಾಯ್ತಾ ಇದ್ದೀನಿ,

ಆ ಕೂಗಿಗೆ, ಆ ಧ್ವನಿಗೆ, ಆ ಮುಗುಳ್ನಗೆಗೆ..

ಭಿರಿದ ಹೃದಯದಿಂದ, ತೆರೆದ ಹೃದಯದಿಂದ..

ಒಮ್ಮೆ ನನ್ನ ಹೆಸರ ಕರಿತೀಯ, ಒಮ್ಮೆ ತಿರುಗಿ ನೋಡ್ತ್ಹಿಯ...

ಹುಚ್ಚು ಪ್ರೀತಿಯ ಹತ್ತಾರು ಮುಖಗಳು ಅಂತಿರ....!!!!

ಅಥವಾ,

ಮಾತು ಬೆಳ್ಳಿ ಮೌನ ಬಂಗಾರ ಅಂತೀರ...........!!!!

My Favorite Tagline Collection

"Love that reasons for all unreasonable actions"

"You ll not be punished for your anger, you ll be punished by your anger"

"A group of donkeys led by a lion can defeat a group of lions led by a donkey"

A famous philosopher was once asked, "Why life is full of thorns?", he answered, "Because we are always looking for Roses. . .! "

"The worst men often give the best advice"

"My idea of a agreeable person is a person who agrees with me" - Bit philosophical :)

"Architecture is frozen music"

"A bachelor is one who enjoys the chase but not the game"

"Falling in love you remain a child, rising in love you mature. By and by love becomes not a relationship, it becomes a state of your being. Not that you are in love - now you are love"

"Beggars are no choosers"

"Diplomacy is to do and say the nastiest thing in the nicest way"

"In the country of blind, the one eyed man is a king"

"If you wish to see the truth, hold no opinion for or against"

"A living dog is better than a dead lion"

"It is easy to be brave from a safe distance"

"Every burned book enlightens the world"

"Fools laugh at others. Wisdom laughs at itself"

"Knowledge is not information, its transformation"

"Commonsense is inspite of, not the result of, education"

"If the poor man cannot always get the meal, rich man cannot always digest it"

"Freedom from the desire for an answer is essential to the understanding of a problem"

"Health is the greatest gift, contentment the greatest wealth, faithfulness the best relationship"

"I do not believe in a fate that falls on men however they act; but I do believe in a fate that falls on them unless they act"

"Even the lion has to defend itself against flies"

"No culture can live, if it attempts to be exclusive"

"It is easier to suppress the first desire, than to satisfy all that follow it"

"A farmer is always going to be rich next year"

"Force is all conquering, but victories are short lived"

"I never think of future, it comes soon enough"

"There is no great genius without a mixture of madness"

"The fox changes its skin but not its habits"

"People hate, as they love, unreasonably"

"A hen is only an egg's way of making another egg"

"Experience is the comb that nature gives us when we are bald"

"The cobra will bite you whether you call it Cobra or Mr. Cobra"

"A sleeping fox counts hens in its dreams"

"When money speaks, the truth is silent"

"There is no happiness; there are only moments of happiness"

"When all else is lost, the future still remains"

Barkana

Barkana is a beautiful waterfalls near Agumbe, Thirthahalli. It is formed by Sita River, and the total height of fall is 850 feet.

If you want to visit Barkana falls, there are three different ways of doing it. The most popular one being the Barkana viewpoint, where you get to see the water falls from a distance of about 1 km and also the Barkana valley. Second one is reaching the top of the water falls, through a rugged terrain and lastly reaching the bottom of the water falls.

General Information: Barkana

Nearest Town : Agumbe

Nearby Towns : Thrithahalli, Sringeri, Koppa, Someshwara, Hebri

Nearest Airport : Mangalore

From Bangalore : Direct KSRTC bus @ 8:00 pm everyday (344 kms)

From Mangalore : Private buses available regularly (115 kms)

Guide Contact : Thimmappa / Krishnappa - 08181-233213 (Kannada)

The best time to visit Barkana falls is from October to January, though for a more exiting experience one can visit the place in the monsoon season (July to August). The viewpoint is approximately 10 kms from Agumbe (Many sites mention as 7 kms, but I strongly believe that it is almost 10 kms), which includes 6 kms of tar road and 4 kms of jeep track. Help of guide is not needed to reach the view point, but don't sue me if you get lost :)

The first part of the journey is from Agumbe police checkpost till Barkana deviation (approx. 2 kms) through SH 65 (Sringeri Road). You cannot miss the large board on the right side of the road, which indicates that you have to take a right turn to reach Barkana falls. The next part of the journey is through a curvy road, which leads to a small village called Mallandur. The tar road is covered by thick forest on both sides, and all of a sudden the forest disappears on your left side, where the road takes a sharp 90 degrees right turn. After travelling 100 meters from this point, you will find a small stone board, with "Barkana" painted on it. This is where the journey on the tar road ends. On the right side, one can find a jeep track heading into the jungle.

The 4 kms of mud road starts with crossing a small stream. Don't try crossing across with your vehicle during monsoon season. The path is covered with thick vegetation and is a joy to walk through. At times you will keep doubting whether you are in the right route, but its difficult to get lost. Leaches are an integral part of your journey in this part of the world :) The more you stop to detach them, the more they get attached to you. So, just move on..

After walking for about an hour or so, you would finally reach the view point to experience one of the most beautiful V-shaped valley and the Barkana waterfalls.

Personally, I would say that the beauty of the valley is much more satisfying than the waterfalls itself and I like the way the valley opens up from the thick forest.

The forest range of Agumbe has the highest population of King Cobras in the world. Don't go near any large pile of forest litter, because the queen might be waiting to kiss you with her sweet venom (King Cobras are the only species of snakes which build nests for laying eggs). It is better to leave before its too dark (5:00 pm), and also the sunset is more beautiful from the Agumbe sunset point.

Lastly, please do not throw plastics, parcel papers, cigar stubs etc etc. You might argue your case saying that throwing paper and banyan leaves would not harm nature because they are biodegradable, but it might well degrade the beauty of the place for the next visitor and also promote for further pollution. So please. . .

Reaching the top of Barkana falls as well as bottom is a tough job without the help of a guide, and its very easy to get lost because there are no defined paths to reach there. Krishnappa and Thimappa are two guides who reside in Mallandur. To reach there, instead of taking right turn from the tar road towards the jungle (as we did for reaching view point), just continue in the tar road for another 1 km or so to reach Krishnappa's house. It is better to inform them a day or two in advance.

The top of the Barkana falls can also be reached as part of Narasimha Parvatha trek, which is a 12 km trek starting from Mallandur. The trek is a wonderful journey through the thick forests of Agumbe, while unfolding the beauty of Kudremukh hill ranges in the later part of the trek. I will be writing about this trek very shortly.

Thanks for bearing with my English :)

-Ajay