The Four Faces

The Traveler stood in front of the mountain.

It was humungous. He looked at the summit. It looked very near but far away. The familiar shape of the mountain's front like a huge lingam was very surreal. The sides resembled a great bull to the east and a huge cobra hood to the west. The back face of the mountain was like a 5000 ft Elephant head.

The locals called it Ganesa, the elephant god.

It is the only mountain in the world with such diverse rock formations, the driver of the taxi assured him.

The sky was forecast. Within minutes the summit of the mountain was covered by thick clouds, which showered rain down the slippery slopes.

Bad timing, he thought.

But he had to move on, and climb the mountain. It is now or never he told himself

The dream must have meant something.

He looked around for his driver. He saw him bringing an old man towards him.

"This is Kempanna," the driver said " he will be your guide to the mountain climb. He is a resident here and a farmer. You should be safe in the dangerous trek with him beside you"

The Traveler nodded and looked at his guide.

The old man was a little over sixty and was swaying a little due to the effect of toddy. His smile was infectious in its naivety.

" The mountain of Shiva sir," he cried, " there would be no harm from the innumerable monkeys and cobras that infest the place. But we should watch out for the King of snakes. He doesn’t like to be disturbed." He smiled again.

The Traveler couldn’t smile back.

He looked at the mountain.

The hole of Fear. The king of snakes. This is going to be one hell of a trek, he thought.

He gathered his hump sack and looked at Kempanna.

" Lead on, Kempanna"….




hi all,

There IS a mountain. A stunning one at that. It has four faces in four different directions due to the rock formations on it. A Shiva Linga to the North, A Bull to the East, A huge Cobrahood to the West, and huge Ganesa to the South.

The approximate height of the mountain is 5000ft from sea level.

The caves are at a height of 2500ft. after that it is a steep trek on steps cut on rock.

I first saw it from the bus for a second and then dreamt about it and finally found it about 40 km from Bangalore.

It is the most beautiful thing I have ever seen. With underground caverns, split rock formations, underground rivers and absolutely chilling terrain.
And it is the abode of monkeys, cobras...and the king of cobras...
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The Drunkard and the Underground River

Kempanna was unique.

Clad in a dirty dhothi and checked T-shirt, with week old stubble on his face he presented a peculiar mix of abandon and indulgence.

He skillfully negotiated many slippery obstacles with unassuming ease.

" I have done this a million times since childhood" he explained.

The Traveler nodded.

He was beginning to warm up to the old man's jokes and marvel at the ease with which he climbed the terrain though he was about forty years older than him.

They took a detour from the regular path towards a dense brush to the right.

" Patala Ganga" Kempanna shouted back.

An underground river? At a height of five hundred feet above sea level?

The Traveler smiled. The absence of reason in the situation would obviously be lost on Kempanna, he mused. He decided to pamper his guide and follow on.

They soon reached a huge vertical crevice in the rocks. The Traveler could make out many rudimentary steps leading down to the river.

"Come, come" urged the guide.

The Traveler walked down on the steps and entered a dimly lit cave between the rocks.

What he saw astonished him.

The deep crevice of the rocks was filled with water. A lake, about one meter wide. It went on further between the rocks till the darkness engulfed it.

There were some steps leading into the lake. At the third step they disappeared into the lake and the darkness.

Kempanna looked back and smiled at the Traveller.

"Patala Ganga," he said " small width but very deep."

"How deep?" asked the Traveller waiting for the chilling answer.

"Deeper than the mountain, sir. It comes from the bowels of the earth and rises all these five hundred feet." said Kempanna

The Traveler stared.

He squinted to catch the darkness that engulfed the water body about three feet away. What lies beyond it? From where does the water come?

Shaking his head he turned to go back. Kempanna had already walked away sometime back. As he tried to negotiate climbing the steps, he felt like someone was watching him. From the depths of the cave!

He turned.

The darkness seemed alive. It seemed to watch his every move. Know his every fear.

" Is someone out there?" he called. There was no response. He smiled to himself thinking how childish he could become.

" Hello " he called again.

The placid waters suddenly rippled!

Someone...or something was out there in the darkness!

The Traveler didnt wait to find out. He rushed out of the cave and kept on walking fast till he met a bemused Kempanna waiting for him a few feet away.

Kempanna smiled and then pointed to the summit of the mountain and said " Next we go there. To the abode of the King...."

p.s. There is a patala ganga on this mountain. How deep no one knows.

It is just 1 meter wide. you can just squeeze between the two huge pillars of rock. I was able to go only until the third rock as the river was swelling during the time I went.

Next The Grand Finale...The Hole of Fear (The abode of the king)