File:At the top (51993730062).jpg

View from the top of Narsimha Parvata.

It was really nice to just sit here n watch the people, cloud, birds, time pass us by.

Taking a guide was mandatory here, but somehow our guide got late and we ended up joining another group n their guide n started the hike. Narsimha Parvata is notorious for being a difficult hike. When we hiked through the initial 7km - from Malandur, Agumbe till Barkana falls , it was very average hike - not difficult at all. I was asking my friend why is this hike known as difficult , when the guide overhead me n told me that it's easy now as a lot of people go through this trail now- the route is well marked due to that, grass is stamped out n the shrubs n plants are bent n cleared along the trail. Narsimha Parvata WAS difficult in the past, not due to the steepness or length of hike, but simply due to the extremely confusing forest. Most people didn't even reach Barkana falls , or reached so late after walking in circles that they couldn't continue on to the peak n had to return. Anyway on our hike, there were lot of people, but we could always stay at a distance n walk n avoid the noisy talk. Our guide finally arrived but got bored or distracted by our slow speed of climbing :D n was hardly with us. We had enough time to ascend at own pace, away from others n no annoying guide to keep hurrying us along- it was wonderful! At the peak here, man, the number of people around us was surprising. Especially from Kigga side, who came for some festival. Lot of villagers n hikers walking here n there, lot of conversations n noise, but as the afternoon turned to evening, slowly the crowds disappeared. the other hiking groups too left. Funnily, even our guide left us - he said it's an easy descent, you guys can figure it out :D n abandoned us :D. Then it was just us n silence. We sat here, just us three, for a very long time. The sun was still hot, but the clouds and shadows kept changing over the mountains n jungles before us. Some few buzzing insects n the whistling wind. It was quite a blessing to be left alone , and in my experience, one of the few hikes where I got to enjoy some time in peace at the peak (usually once you reach the top, the guide, or my own group is hurrying me along to start descending as we would be late, or some forest guideline to return by 5pm, or worse, a crappy schedule which meant we had another peak to cover! ugh. I absolutely detest being made to hurry along or climb fast :\) Finally we left, and started towards the Kigga side, as the sun was getting low in the sky n we didn't want to descend in the dark.