The Burning Mountain of Chembra

Kerala in India is known for its varied beauty and is often referred to as "God's Own Country" world over. And most of the concentration of scenic beauty of Kerala is covered by the southernmost part of the State, comprising of the districts of Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Allapuzha, Kochi etc. Very little is known of the northern part of the state which comprises of districts like Calicut, Wayanad, Malappuram, Kannur and Kasragod. And for that very reason its quite a relief that most of it's natural beauty is in its pristine virginity (although the scenario is changing quite radically at the moment).

These places up north of Kerala have quite a lot of history and is considered a treasure trove of cultures, cuisines and architecture. For example, Calicut is where Vasco De Gama landed in the 15th century, it is a also a cultural hotspot for the many Rock Bands that grew during the 70's. Thalassery, a town in the Kannur district is known as the city of three C's - Cricket, Cakes and Circus. Almost all the present generation Indian circus artists have their roots to this place. It is also considered to be the first place in India where cricket was played, almost 150 years back. Then there is the football crazy district of Malappuram, known for its evidently Muslim population and the declaration of being the first e-literate district in India.

The Wayanad district or forests, which it is comprised mostly of has been inhabited for the past three milleniums and there are cave paintings to just prove this fact. It is amazing that this place has not been on the map of Kerala tourism for so many years. The cave paintings at Edakkal being a World Heritage Sight Umpteen number of lush green mountains, waterfalls, and tribal authenticity make this place a hidden paradise. It is just around 60 Km from Calicut and is at an altitude of more than 1500 metres.

Our last trip took us to Chembra peak, the tallest mountain in the district at 2100 metres. According to research on the net, which prompted this trip, it is a beautiful trek up to the top of the mountain, ending in a small lake shaped in the form of a heart. It is often referred to as the 'Heart Lake'. The scenic beauty of the place is in itself an inspiration to head up to the locale.
But things had changed. The entire peak comprising of acres of forest land was burnt down. It was a case of arson. Some youngsters had entered the peak illegally and set alight the dry shrubs and grass. It spread at a massive rate and engulfed everything in its way, including lush green trees, shrubs, plants and grass. We were take aback by the scene that was in front of us, and these are just a few of the images that were taken on that day. The lake at the top was also polluted due to the ashes blown from the fire.