ILANJIPARA WATERFALLS

Date:18th October 2009

My last visit to these less frequented but wonderful waterfalls was with Davis Sir nearly a month back. We had spotted Olakayam waterfalls easily but we ended up losing track of the proper path to the Ilanjipara waterfalls and came near a stream which seemed difficult to cross over. As there was no way ahead we had to cross over if we had to go further. We however decided against it as it was too risky. Furthermore we had no idea if we do cross the stream how far the waterfall was. We decided to visit this place again and that was how I found myself at Davis Sir’s house on a lazy Sunday morning.

We had fixed the time for leaving for the falls as 10 am. We reached near the Notice board at around 10:50 am. The Notice board is the only indication of the path to the waterfalls. As we were climbing the steps leading to this path we saw that a group of around 5-6 boys had come in a car most likely to visit the waterfalls. It was a relief for us as the last time we both were alone in the forest without an idea of where we were going. This group might have been here before or might know the way to the falls was what myself and Davis Sir could think about. We however moved ahead and reached the Olakayam waterfall. Here we found a person taking bath. He showed us the path to the Ilanjipara waterfall. It is a path which one has to take before the bridge comes and a cave nearby marks out the path for first timers.

Although we had moved ahead of the group of boys they soon overtook us as Davis Sir and myself were moving along observing Nature’s various creations. They were in a hurry as according to one of them who had been here before they should reach the top before the wild elephants descend down. This was something new to us as the article which we had read before undertaking the trip did not mention anything about the elephants. We soon were left alone as the group rushed ahead. While walking along the forest we sighted elephant wastes and uprooted trees which rather confirmed the boy’s story. We reached the waterfall by 12 pm. We found the group of boys already there. Suddenly one of the boys cautioned us that there was a snake in the water. Although the snake was small in size its reluctance to go away when one of the boys threw a stone and the scales on its back might have been an indication that the same might be a young one of the poisonous species. It disappeared under one of the rocks that was the last we saw of it. That was the last of dangerous thing we saw thankfully. The boys had their lunch comprising bread and jam. Ilanjipara waterfall is one of the most beautiful vertical waterfalls that I have come across in recent times. I was thrilled at the thought of getting under it. The boys however did not feel that way and opted to take bath in one of the stream down hill and they soon left the place. Myself and Davis Sir had the bath of our lives. Although we were not alone in the forest but we had our one loneliness too. This was just as good as it could be. I don’t know if it was for real but I saw a full rainbow while standing under the falls.

We went to the top of the waterfall after taking bath. The stream was the source of the waterfall. We then started our return journey and came across a stream where Davis Sir pointed out that we had reached the spot near the rocks across the stream last time. I had grave doubts on this as this point was hardly half the distance to the waterfall and we had walked a lot last time we had been here. This doubt of mine got cleared when I saw the images in Davis Sir’s computer. We had been walking along a non existent path. But this time we were happy that we had accomplished our mission. This was a trip that I don’t regret having left unfinished the first time.