My Travel Pursuits: Stealing Some Solitude in Lammasingi: Kashmir of South India

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

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

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 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

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

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

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 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

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Thursday 26 November 2020

Stealing Some Solitude in Lammasingi: Kashmir of South India

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