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Skandagiri Sunrise, No Sunrise
11 December 2022
It was a Sunday. This was sometime before August 2023 – a phase when I was still a typical employee. Workaholic? Maybe. But it was more like… stuck in a loop.
Good work, bad returns. Slowly it hit me — I’m young, but if I continue like this, I might just burn out early.
Of course, I liked the work… but the cost? Slowly realizing I was risking the long game of life.
And that’s when the decision happened — I needed a break. A quick reset.
The answer? Skandagiri Sunrise Trek.
I planned the trip with Ajith. He was working somewhere in North Karnataka back then. He brought along three of his friends too. Since none of us had a vehicle, we booked the trek with Bangalore Mountaineering Club (BMC) — they arrange such group treks.
But as usual, my work had other plans. 10th December, Saturday — I had an urgent field visit. We got delayed at the site. I was pissed off. Almost thought I’d miss the trip. Somehow reached home around 8 PM, rushed, packed, and took the metro to Indiranagar, the BMC starting point. Ajith and the gang were already waiting when I reached. Around 11 or 11:30 PM, our journey began. That’s the beauty of these trips — you meet strangers, hear stories, feel a common vibe without even knowing each other.
We reached the Skandagiri base around midnight. Had to wait till 5 AM for the forest department to open the gates. It was raining. Cold. I had jeans on (bad idea), a raincoat, and a small torch. At 5 sharp, the trek began. It was pouring. Foggy. Windy. Without much thought, I left Ajith and the others behind. They must’ve thought — "What’s this guy up to?"
But that’s just how I am sometimes. Vibe hits = solo mode on. I walked alone. First to reach the top. Pitch dark. Cold. Jeans fully soaked. Couldn’t see a thing because of the rain. No sunrise. Just me, some mist, and a chill biting through every layer. Slowly others started reaching. The crowd kept growing. Oh right — Sunday. Obvious hype day. The place got filled. The mood changed. I wasn’t into it anymore. No magical view. But I remember the feeling. And sometimes, that’s more than enough.
(Ha ha, adding a selfie here — just for the memory of the moment.)
It was a Sunday. This was sometime before August 2023 – a phase when I was still a typical employee. Workaholic? Maybe. But it was more like… stuck in a loop.
Good work, bad returns. Slowly it hit me — I’m young, but if I continue like this, I might just burn out early.
Of course, I liked the work… but the cost? Slowly realizing I was risking the long game of life.
And that’s when the decision happened — I needed a break. A quick reset.
The answer? Skandagiri Sunrise Trek.
I planned the trip with Ajith. He was working somewhere in North Karnataka back then. He brought along three of his friends too. Since none of us had a vehicle, we booked the trek with Bangalore Mountaineering Club (BMC) — they arrange such group treks.
But as usual, my work had other plans. 10th December, Saturday — I had an urgent field visit. We got delayed at the site. I was pissed off. Almost thought I’d miss the trip. Somehow reached home around 8 PM, rushed, packed, and took the metro to Indiranagar, the BMC starting point. Ajith and the gang were already waiting when I reached. Around 11 or 11:30 PM, our journey began. That’s the beauty of these trips — you meet strangers, hear stories, feel a common vibe without even knowing each other.
We reached the Skandagiri base around midnight. Had to wait till 5 AM for the forest department to open the gates. It was raining. Cold. I had jeans on (bad idea), a raincoat, and a small torch. At 5 sharp, the trek began. It was pouring. Foggy. Windy. Without much thought, I left Ajith and the others behind. They must’ve thought — "What’s this guy up to?"
But that’s just how I am sometimes. Vibe hits = solo mode on. I walked alone. First to reach the top. Pitch dark. Cold. Jeans fully soaked. Couldn’t see a thing because of the rain. No sunrise. Just me, some mist, and a chill biting through every layer. Slowly others started reaching. The crowd kept growing. Oh right — Sunday. Obvious hype day. The place got filled. The mood changed. I wasn’t into it anymore. No magical view. But I remember the feeling. And sometimes, that’s more than enough.
(Ha ha, adding a selfie here — just for the memory of the moment.)
July 20, 2025
