|
Lammasingi |
A few years back, a caption caught my eyes while scrolling
through social media. The caption was “Kashmir of South India”. I instantly
clicked the link to read the article. That’s when I was made aware about the
existence of Lammasingi, a beautiful village tucked away on a hilly area in the
Eastern Ghats of Visakhapatnam district. This tiny village earned the
distinction of being the coldest place in South India whenever temperature
drops. It was also reported to receive snowfall in 2012. It sounds
unbelievable, isn’t it? Locally the place is known as Korra Bayalu, which literally means, “if someone stays out in the open they would freeze like a stick”.
I was solo backpacking and thereby public transport was my
best hope. I took a local bus from Vizag (Visakhapatnam) one late afternoon and
deboarded at Narsipatnam town. I had to wait for some time before catching the
next bus to Lammasingi. The ghat section starts a little after crossing
Narsipatnam. The winding road cuts its way up the Eastern Ghats through dense
vegetation. It was evening and hence lost the opportunity to see the scenery
while going up. The bus arrived at Lammasingi by 9:00 p.m. I got down at the
small junction. A few shops and some houses made up the junction. I approached a
hut and requested earnestly whether they would allow me to stay for the night
since it was already too late to go around looking for accommodation. Looking
at the situation, the couple allowed me to stay for the night. Next morning, I
left their place. A nearby shop owner informed me about availability of a
homestay near the junction itself. He led me to the homestay. Finally I got a
proper place to stay.
Away from the hustle and bustle of city life, this picturesque
village is sparsely populated and is home to an isolated tribal community. The
tribal community is engaged in pepper and coffee plantations. I did not visit
any plantations though I noticed coffee plants growing by the side of the road.
The courtyard of most homes were occupied by plucked coffee beans kept on mats
for drying.
|
coffee plant growing in Lammasingi | coffee plant growing in Lammasingi | | | | |
| drying of coffee beans in Lammasingi |
| drying of coffee beans in Lammasingi
|
Andhra Strawberry Farm is a privately managed small strawberry
farm. Besides strawberry, the farm grew other organic vegetables such as
zucchini and a few others. I assisted the women workers in plucking a few
strawberries. The freshly plucked strawberries were cleaned and packed in
plastic boxes. These were later sold in the markets. The friendly owner
informed me the strawberry saplings and packaging materials are brought from
Mahabaleshwar (Maharashtra). The farm prepared its own homemade strawberry jam
as well. These, too, are sold. I bought a pack of strawberry, a small bottle of
strawberry jam, and zucchini. What’s better than to buy local and eat healthy
and organic! |
|
|
Andhra Strawberry Farm in Lammasingi
|
|
strawberry farm in Lammasingi
|
|
strawberry farm in Lammasingi |
|
strawberry farm in Lammasingi |
|
strawberry farm in Lammasingi |
|
strawberry farm in Lammasingi |
|
zucchini growing at a strawberry farm in Lammasingi |
|
strawberry farm in Lammasingi |
|
plucked strawberries for packing |
|
packing going on |
|
my purchase from the strawberry farm |
|
the friendly owner of the strawberry farm
|
Towards late afternoon, I went for a stroll through the
winding ghat trail to experience nature and enjoy the lovely green countryside,
the towering hills, and the lush forest. The quiet and solitude was broken only
by the vehicles coming down and going up the ghat road. My genuine admiration
for the tribal women balancing bundle of dry sticks and bags on their head and
walking home. As evening drew near, temperature fell and I felt the chilly wind
brushing against my cheek. Without losing any more seconds, I walked back to
the junction. I went to the shop whose owner informed me in the morning about a
homestay. I sat in the shop for a long time. The lady was occupied in the open
counter where she was busy chopping cabbages, onions, chillies to make veg
noodles. Hungry customers waited patiently. The lady’s husband, on the other
hand, was butchering the chickens and handing over the cut meat to the
customers. Their two young sons who returned from school some time ago were
playing nearby. I had a good time with the warm and friendly couple. I firmly
believe it’s the friendly encounter with the locals which gives you something
good to take back with you from a place.
|
a stroll in the winding ghat road in Lammasingi
|
|
a bus in the winding ghat road in Lammasingi |
|
a damaged car in the ghat road in Lammasingi |
|
a stroll in the winding ghat road in Lammasingi |
|
a stroll in the winding ghat road in Lammasingi |
|
a stroll in the winding ghat road in Lammasingi |
|
a stroll in the winding ghat road in Lammasingi |
|
a stroll in the winding ghat road in Lammasingi |
|
a stroll in the winding ghat road in Lammasingi |
|
a stroll in the winding ghat road in Lammasingi |
|
a camping spot in Lammasingi |
|
|
the friendly couple who helped me find a homestay
|
|
one for the memories |
Next morning, I woke up early since I wanted to go for the
hike to the sunrise viewpoint. It was 5:00 a.m. I walked out of my room. It was
pitch dark. I immediately went back inside the room. LOL! After 15-20 minutes,
I started hearing sounds of vehicles coming and people screaming while waiting
in my room. It wasn’t difficult for me to understand that all these vehicles
were filled with visitors who have come for the sunrise hike. As darkness
lifted, I could see fog everywhere. I left the room around 7:30 a.m. The route
from the junction to the starting point of the hike was cloaked in a dense fog.
It was a walk of 10-15 mins. I noticed lots of vehicles by the side of the
road. Also, noticed a few dying bonfires by the side of the road. What angered
me the most was the sight of food packets, plastic bottles, chips packets,
biscuit packets, and food plates thrown carelessly by the side of the road!
When will the public realise the importance of civic sense??? The beautiful
hamlet has been thrashed by the visitors. |
morning fog in Lammasingi
|
|
morning fog in Lammasingi |
|
morning fog in Lammasingi |
|
morning fog in Lammasingi |
Upon reaching the starting point of the hike, I noticed people
going up and many coming down through the dirt trail. It is a hike of 1.5 kms
that passed through coffee plantations. It is a steep hike trail. Some parts
are a bit slippery due to the nature of the soil. So, it is absolutely
necessary to wear comfortable shoes while hiking. A few locals were selling
cold drinks and biscuits/chips along the trail. It took me 30-40 mins to reach
the top. There is a tribal village at
the top. A couple of huts make up the tribal village. One needs to pay entry
fee here before proceeding to the viewpoint, which is just a few walks away.
|
hike through coffee plantation
|
|
hike through coffee plantation |
|
hike through coffee plantation |
|
hike through coffee plantation |
|
entry point to the sunrise view point
|
|
entry ticket to the sunrise viewpoint
|
The view of the cloud-kissed landscape was worth the steep
hike. The clouds hugged the mountains in its warm embrace. There is a temporary
shop selling cold drinks, water bottles, biscuits, chips. A solitary wooden
bench is nearby. Remains of bonfires were visible here and there. These bonfires
are a gentle reminder that some individuals arrived at the crack of dawn and
lit the bonfire to keep themselves warm from the freezing temperature. You can
picture those huddling close together, talking and cracking jokes, sharing a
laugh. The remains of the bonfires oozes a happy picture. The uneven ground of
the viewpoint is more of a slight slope. Some parts is cleared of unwanted
grass. A narrow trail from the first viewpoint led to the other side. From the
other side, too, you can see the clouds hugging the mountains. Slowly and
slowly the gathering clouds dispersed and then the distant valleys and
mountains came into view.
|
cloud-kissed landscape |
|
cloud-kissed landscape |
|
cloud-kissed landscape |
|
clear view from the sunrise viewpoint |
|
clear view from the sunrise viewpoint |
|
one for the memories |
|
clear view from the sunrise viewpoint |
|
the shop and the sitting bench at the viewpoint |
|
remains of the bonfire |
|
one for the memories |
By the way, it was sad to see litter at the view point. Why is
it so hard for the public to understand the importance of “NOT TO LITTER”? This
type of irresponsible behaviour from the visitors to any places feels me with
absolute disgust. The shopkeeper collected whatever trash he could collect and
gathered those at a place. I collected whatever trash I could find and gave it
to the shopkeeper. He told me he will burn them later. Of course burning is not
the best choice. Unfortunately he has no other choice. I suggested to keep a
big dustbin near the shop. |
trash at the sunrise viewpoint
|
|
trash at the sunrise viewpoint |
|
trash burnt at the sunrise viewpoint |
|
trash at the sunrise viewpoint |
It was 26 January. A few school kids from a nearby school
arrived with their class teacher. The young kids were in their school uniform.
Their teacher carried a big tricolour. The students had small paper tricolours
pinned on their uniforms. I stayed for an hour or so at the view point and then
climbed down. I was hungry. Grabbed something to eat at a shop near the
starting point. I walked back to my room. I returned to Narsipatnam by the
afternoon bus. After reaching Narsipatnam, boarded another bus for the return
journey to Vizag.
|
one for the memories
|
|
one for the memories with the locals at the sunrise viewpoint
|
|
Lammasingi junction
|
Summing up my trip, I can say the picturesque locales are
untouched and unexplored. Not many people are aware of this guarded place nestled
in the beautiful and lushly forested Eastern Ghats. Visitors make their way to
this tiny hamlet to experience its chilling temperatures, the cold weather, the
dense fog, and natural beauty. Visitors coming from the hot plains want to
experience to be draped in a blanket of fog and white mist during the wee hours
of the day and late evenings. The mist that surrounds the region provides a perfect
setting to get the winter feel.
Yes, the place lacks in basic tourist amenities like good
hotels, good restaurants, and so on. There is so much scope to properly develop
this place as an offbeat eco-tourism destination. The village could offer
myriad interesting opportunities to adventure seekers.
|
one for the memories
|
So, what are you waiting for? Come and explore this enchanting
hamlet. Come to just walk along the misty roads. Come to follow the fog. Come
to experience unspoiled nature. Come and get charmed by it.
Thank you for stopping by!
Travelled
on: 25-26 January 2020
© The content and images are copyright of Hema Hazarika
(thehaflonggirl).