It was a long awaited departure from the regular corporate grind that brought together the team to take on an adventure in Sakleshpur! Despite heavy rainfalls and multiple setbacks including a landslide scare, the team came together to explore an offbeat destination, and set off for an eventful bus ride including multiple dance offs, antakshari and discussions that brought out some hidden talents and set the mood for the journey!
We reached our first stop early next morning, constituting a short hike up the 200 odd stairs to the star shaped Manjarabad Fort. A historic architectural wonder, the fort’s remains glistened beautifully with greenery all around owing to the magical sweep of monsoons that rendered the place mesmerizing! It was a humble departure from the concrete of Bangalore, and a morning well spent exploring the fort walls, the underground weaponry and the miles of lush green scenery that expanded towards the horizon!
Post the excursion, we swiftly reached the Monsoon Resort, and were welcomed by soft showers and greenery all around. The team made the most of the opportunity by taking up turns playing various sports including a team spirited round of pool volley, cricket, badminton and more. These games were followed by an adrenaline boost near the resort as we took up challenging tasks including monkey climb, rope walk and zip lining across a pool!
The evening was brewed with music, tea and rains; accentuated with a warm ice-breaking session around the bonfire that allowed us all to connect on a deeper and more personal level. The round-bonfire-conference allowed us to open up about our hopes, visions and ideas regarding the company, discussing all this directly with the management-turned-friends. This invigorating session was followed by dinner and dancing the night away.
The next morning came with a promise of exploring more unchartered territories; some team members were busy playing truth and dare while the rest went for a short cycle trek up the hill to catch a glimpse of the morning sun. With this glorious start, we headed out to explore the Hadlu Waterfalls, and were left spellbound by what we discovered instead!
The monsoon showers had fed the regular waterfall to such an extent that the roar of the same could be heard from a few kilometers away! As our bus approached the curve that leads down a precarious trail towards the falls, the rumble could be heard over and above the music and chatter, leaving everyone excited in anticipation. The sight of the waterfall in full flow was definitely a highlight of the trip, as all of us walked down the path to see it in its pure state. Rebellious and proud as it poured over rocks and created a river that hurried across stones and sands alike, some of our team members took up the high energy treck across the river, over the slippery stones and sliding sands to reach the mouth of the waterfall. We held tight to each other and clung onto the branches hanging from trees overhead, surrendering to the force of the water as it fell on our heads, deafening us to any other noise around.
The experience, as the team sat by the waters and laughed together, will be a memory forever, etched ever so deeply as we returned for the journey back to our beloved Bangalore, refreshed, rejuvenated and ready for more challenges as team Codilar.
Shambhavi Pandey
Codilar Technologies
