No one likes a sob story. But what can you do when your own life becomes one, and you can’t seem to find a way out? You hope things will change, and when they don’t, you unwillingly wait for someone to show you the path. Strangely, for me, it wasn’t a person but a place, hidden in the mountains of Karnataka, which gave my sob story a happy, new start.
Rich in culture and lush greenery, Coorg put me in touch with my inner self , when the city life kept me too busy to look within. Now, when I look back, I can’t help but think about the irony of life smiling at me. Like many others, I came to the big city to give my professional journey a new direction. Underneath this ambition, there was an aspiration: learn to be happy from the inside, even without a reason outside. To my dismay, I could choose only one—professional ambition or spiritual aspiration. Or so I thought. I worked tirelessly, chased pay check like a deer hunter, hopped from job to job, gradually, climbing the ladder to success. But the more I progressed, the hollower I felt.
At 30, time appeared to move fast. Days turned into months, and months into years, and the only constants of life were working 60 hours a week, braving the daily traffic jams, and the feeling of exhaustion at night. Was this how life was supposed to be? I used to wonder. I wanted to travel, get lost in another world, meet new people, listen to their stories, and at twilight, have a conversation with nature. This was me, or at least, whom I wanted to be. But, in the journey of discovering my ambition, I forgot all about myself.
One day, I received an invite from a friend who was getting married in Coorg. It wasn’t the first time I was hearing about the place. I believe whoever lives in and around Bangalore is familiar with Coorg and its lush mountains. However, despite having lived in close proximity to this nature’s abode, the thought of exploring Coorg never occurred to me. What was more, here was my long overdue getaway just when I needed it the most.
While driving to Coorg, the first thing I fell in love with was the change of view. In no time, tall trees replaced the tall buildings, mountains stood in place of shopping malls, and smog turned into the freshest of air. As we neared our destination, all I could think was how a place so beautiful existed in its raw, unspoilt form so close to a big city?

Coorg is known as the Scotland of India
Upon reaching Murnad, a small village in Madikeri, the first thing I did was gorge on a hearty breakfast. The cafe where we ate, had a small menu, but I couldn’t care less because my eyes were feasting upon nature’s bounty. The huge glass-wall looked down into a deep valley, with a narrow stream of river flowing through a trench. It was one of those experiences you can’t describe in words but can only feel them, as they get etched in your memory forever.