By Shobha Rao Smilemaker

Jan 18: There is always a thrill to go to places that are off the beaten track and this time we decided to go on a short drive around the Somwarpet taluka of Coorg.

The lush greenery, the winding roads, the up and down terrain, the coffee and pepper plantations on either side made me feel really blessed to have so many rich natural wild sights to admire in South India. Even the quaint village of Shanivarsanthe felt as if time had stood still there since ages.

And thankfully these places are quite free of the noisy tourist crowds that I usually see elsewhere. Our dear local friend Prasanna insisted that we visit the the biggest lake in Coorg called Honammana Kere.

Our first impression was just a silent awe for the stunning natural beauty of this place. The reflection of the blue skies, the white clouds and the rich green foliage on the crystal clear waters was mesmerising. This lake was nestled in between the hills called Morí beta and Govi beta. On a more adventurous note, if we had more time, we could have undertaken short treks to the temples on top of the hills to admire the stunning views from the hilltops too!

There is a Honnamma devi temple besides the lake that has an interesting history. A local ancient king had prayed during the times of water shortage and refused to sacrifice his daughter-in-law, when asked to do so. However his pregnant daughter in law Honnamma walked into the waters and drowned, sacrificing her life for the well being of the people and ensuring abundance of water for all.

She is revered by the locals as a Goddess in a unique shrine dedicated to her on the banks of the lake. I noticed an ancient stone with carved inscriptions in front of the temple probably recording this interesting piece of history.

A lot of devotees come here for the powerful blessings of the Devi for marriage or child prospects. I was told that on Gauri festival day, at least 101 ladies immerse sets of many Pooja items like fruits, vegetables, turmeric kumkum, bangles etc. in the waters.

Yes, the spiritual energy of the place was something that could not be expressed in words. The calm serene feeling of the mesmerising natural ambience made the lake feel like a hidden gem. I could probably spend hours sitting on the temple steps, dipping my feet in the water and doing absolutely nothing.

We had a sumptuous lunch with our gracious host Jairaj Shetty at a place called Whisper Valley. The 360 degree natural view made it feel as if we were in heaven! The open air jeep ride through the coffee plantation to a hidden stream was an adventure by itself! And we just had to frolic in the gushing waters feeling rejuvenated like kids again!

It was a day well spent with good friends and lots of smiles in the unknown nooks and corners of Somwarpet.

Shobha Rao Smilemaker has a vision of living in a world where people use their ability to find and make smiles in any situation. She is a lawyer by qualification, a soft skills trainer by passion, a motivational speaker, a freelance journalist, a bestselling author, an avid traveler and founder of 'Smilemakers Trainings'. She can be contacted at www.shobhasmilemaker.com.