For a country where travel usually referred to the wall-frame friendly Agra visit with family or even the age old secret trip to Goa with friends, we have come a long way. Nurturing this newfound aspiration to discover as much the place as oneself, today’s 20-something battalion has embraced backpacking. One such visit of mine was to Kodaikanal — a brief tour that had me desperate to soak up all I could. Packing more anxiety than clothes into a basic bag, I was very ready for my solo summer date.
Surging under the sleepy sun from Chennai airport to Kodi, (that’s what the locals call it) I had no idea that the quarter day drive would melt from oversized concrete roads into uphill rides, from masala dosa with filter coffee to praising the rain gods with farmers in lush fields. Upon reaching my place of stay that equalled one of those old school wooden palaces from paintings, I moonwalked my way into the kitchen stocked with teas, fruits and home-made everything. It was both fascinating and inspiring, how organic a life people there lead. Smoothly, the next few days involved me falling in love with life at large. That’s what Kodaikanal does to you!
It was a bustling Sunday market early in the morning, where I did some very touristy things like taking one too many selfies, buying all-natural lotions, potions and firmly stitching myself on to a seat at Pot Luck café. Combating the rich coldness of Kodi’s canny winter with a steaming cup of cinnamon scented hot chocolate, I almost thought I was immortal. One distinct treasure of a memory was when in the nights, the electricity would fluctuate, dragging a thick rug into the veranda and lying in silence, counting stars that shyly spread across the night sky like children on a playground. I did have terrific company.
All my senses in harmony, no traffic jams, no deadlines to submit reports by, no constant honking of cars, no parties I had to struggle and squeeze into heels for, no need of air conditioners or fans, no interest in boosting my ego, no desire for television or music. It was a time that defied the need for validation. A time when I didn’t equate Wi-Fi to oxygen. And honestly, if that isn’t heaven, I have no clue what is!
There must be something more precious than time, that one cannot bring back. Innocence, I fathom. Exactly what Kodaikanal held. And it pains me to figure who to credit that to — the humble residents or the breathtaking views that seem to seep into and stay under your skin. Leaving from there felt close to a heartbreak. I may be dramatic, yes, but this certainly deserves it. Riding on a jeep with a local politician’s party jingle as the background score and an unintended smile on my face, I departed from Kodaikanal, equal parts calm and curious.
— Sobhita Dhulipala is Miss India Earth, 2013, and a backpacker
