Onti marada Gudda

This is a letter written to my sister who lives far away. When we were small behind our house there were three hills and the thrid one was called the "Onti marada gudda",as there was only one tree on the top of that hill. We used spend hours in those hills watching the western ghats,Kuduremukh, charmadi,covering almost 180 degree view,which was a spectacular sight. several years back mangium trees (Commercial timber trees) were planted in those hills which blocked the entire view of the ghats and our freedom to wander in those hills. And after several years, now the trees were slaughtered When I went to my native place for a short vsist I could go to the top of the "Onti marada gudda" and have an experience which was nostalgic, the following letter is a short narration of the visit: Dear akka, Today I wanted to go for a walk as usual but it was raining heavily in the evening and I was wondering what to do. Finally I decided to take a look at the fist gudda behind the house. I went out in mundu and an umbrella in my hand. I was eager to see the view from the first gudda as we were deprived of it for quite a few years. The slaughtered mangium lay all over the place, its branches and bark in pieces and logs in small piles. But I was in no state to mourn over it, as I was happy to see the old barren gudda without the mangium monster. I found walking on the gudda was much the same except that the pieces of twigs made it a little difficult to walk and would hurt now and then when I was not careful. When I reached the top of the hill it was a great relief to see the outline of the mountains and the trees almost unaltered. Excpet that the rubber trees were gone. I could see the lush green fields beyond in little squares. I wondered how things have remained untouched. I clouldn't see much of kuduremukha as it was pouring. I looked at the second gudda and the third gudda , they looked the same excpet for the blood of mangium all over. And not many crows over the 'kadu' on the second gudda, birds seemed a little confused with strange changes in their habitat. I decided to skip the second gudda the mysterious one, as I didn't have much time, it was already 5.15. I realised that the grass beneath my feet was not the same kind of grass, which used to grow there, the bushes were absent and there was no pamaji anywhere, so no slipping but I missed it. The sky was bright, and it was a little darker on the western side, that is towards the onti marada gudda. Now I decided to head towards the moorane gudda, the onti marada gudda. I selected the steepest way up as I could see not much of the mangium debris there. I made the climb quickly as I earlier used to do, blood rushing through my veins. Within three minutes I was on top of the hill and the May- flower tree stood there as a witness to everything. It was an amazing experience. I myself and the tree standing all alone (onti) on top after a long long time. I wondered what the tree had to say, now once again all the three hills and the lonely tree stood there, they looked unstirred, unshaken to all the changes around them except that the tree had grown taller and bigger and not so wider, probably due to the mangium. I couldn't hear the tree whisper, which made me feel it has grown mature. But I didn't conclude anything, as it was difficult to say because of the sound of the rain. I could see the vehicles moving on the road below, towards siddavana a few more buildings near the lecturer's quarters. I followed each and every dip and rise of the mountains on the horizon in all the three sixty degrees and felt that the entire sketch was still in my memory. Then I took a long breath and climbed down, I happened to see nanda madam so I went to her house and spent few minutes there and Vibha told me that somebody said there was a tiger in the those hills, I said that's true and told her she could go and see the tiger. She was afraid of the tiger, I told her that the tiger was harmless and it wouldn't hurt human beings. Then I walked back home on the main road. Love Ujire 14-10-2005