IDUKKI: When most of us get bored with our mundane lives, we often quit the chaos for a quick escape to the mountains. But, few have the pluck and purpose to leave the daily grind behind for good to ‘move up’ in life? The thought itself calls for much daring-d0 and a pugnacious spirit that few can muster. Lawyer-turned-adventure junkie Asish Varghese, from Santhanpara, in Idukki, is one such brave soul.
When Asish decided to pursue his dream of a life of adventure in the Western Ghats, which surrounds his village, he left behind a promising career and life of detached comforts.
“After seven years as a practising lawyer, I joined the LIC’s direct marketing department as a wealth manager in 2015. Being passionate about travelling and adventure, the job quickly left me in a state of extreme ennui. I put in my papers the very next year,” says the 38-year-old. He was free at last. Asish proceeded on a 55-day-long journey around the country to get a feel of new places, cultures and people. On his return, he started a homestay venture in Santhanpara, to guide visitors keen to explore the wild, untamed beauty of the Western Ghats, one of the 36 biodiversity hotspots in the world.
Home is where heart is
“Instead of travelling to clamber peaks, I preferred to explore the beauty of my very own biodiversity treasure house, the Western Ghats. By doing so, I wanted to get a better understanding of the Sahyadri range and ways to protect it,” notes Asish, who also works as chief promoter of the Western Ghats Tourism Promotion Cooperative Society.
But, lack of professional training held him back. The turning point was when Hyderabad Tiger Conservation Society (HyTICoS) and Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) invited civilians to volunteer for the annual tiger census at Kawal tiger reserve in Telengana. Asish jumped at the opportunity.
“The basic training that I received and the 15 days in the wilderness brought out the wildlife enthusiast in me. It helped enhance my skills. I also pursued a basic mountaineering course at the Himalayan Mountaineering Institute in 2022,” he adds.
Teaming up for a cause
In 2020, Asish launched Team Vakkeel Bro to cater to the adventure needs of tourists arriving in Munnar. Members help visitors explore the Western Ghats and its forest, peaks and hills.
“The 13-strong Team Vakkeel Bro has five active members. We guide tourists on eco-friendly adventure tourism activities including rope climbing, trekking, rappelling, and hiking with the permission of the forest department. Till date, around 2,000 visitors from 35 countries have availed our service,” he says proudly.
Asish’s familiarity with the terrain also enabled him to work as a location assistant in movies. He also directed a Mahindra Tahr advertisement, which was shot in the forests of Sahyadri and Munnar.
Fighting calamities
On realising that his knowledge and expertise in adventure activities and mountaineering could be put to better use, Asish became instrumental in setting up an emergency response team (ERT) in Santhanpara in 2020. “Such teams should be formed in every panchayat in the wake of repeated natural calamities in the Western Ghats,” he adds.
Apart from rescue work during the Pettimudi landslide, the team rescued many victims of the massive November 5 land slip in his home village. “Apart from soothing the soul, adventure is an antidote to many problems we encounter in life. A person who loves travelling or lives a life of adventure can never become addicted to drugs. Adventure itself is the greatest addiction,” he says.
“Kerala needs youngsters who can handle rescue works during disasters, and they should be trained in our mountains, hills and forests. Our own Sahyadri, which is older than the Himalayas, can teach you many lessons in adventure,” Asish stresses.