‘Just keep going… no feeling is final’, a line from Rainer Maria Rilke, comes to mind when you hear the story of a Kerala trekker who got lost in the thick forests of Tadiandamol hills in Karnataka’s Kodagu district recently.
She was alone for four days, without any way to contact the outside world, but she was not afraid. Kerala’s 36-year-old techie, GS Sharanya, lost her way while on a trek on April 2 with a group. She was found only after spending four days in the dense forest. During this time, Sharanya struggled to return to her homestay or be found, but she did not lose her smile or strength.
Thanks to the efforts of multiple agencies involved in a massive, round-the-clock search operation, she was eventually found. The operation involved nine teams, including forest officials, Anti-Naxal Squad members, and local tribal communities, and was launched soon after she was reported missing.
How did she survive in the forest for four days?
When the group was descending the hills, Sharanya was left behind. She tried to look for other members, but soon realised she had been alone for some time.
{{/usCountry}}When the group was descending the hills, Sharanya was left behind. She tried to look for other members, but soon realised she had been alone for some time.
{{/usCountry}}She had just 500 ml of water left and a dying phone. What did she do next? She walked and walked, trying to contact a friend and the homestay where she was staying. She did manage to get in touch with a friend and the homestay before her phone battery ran out.
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“I took a left turn to look for people, but lost my way as the forest was dense. Till around 6:45 pm, I kept walking downhill, thinking I would eventually meet someone, but I didn’t. So I stayed on the hill. I called my friend Yadhu and asked him to inform others. While I was trying to text the helpline number, my phone switched off. The next morning, my leg was sore, so I didn’t walk,” she said.
The next day, however, she got up again and started walking, hoping someone might spot her and help her get back home.
Despite being alone in a forest believed to be frequented by elephants, and amid intermittent heavy rain, she said fear never overtook her.
“I did not feel scared. I don’t know why,” she said.
On the second day, she climbed higher up the hill, thinking the area would offer better visibility and that a drone might spot her.
On the third day, she wanted to walk more, but incessant rain stopped her.
“I was drenched, and it was very cold at night, so I couldn’t sleep. Today (Sunday), I waited till around noon as I was still wet from the rain,” she said.
She eventually decided to take shelter near a rock beside a stream. From there, she was easier to spot and also had access to water. It was at this spot that a group of locals and rescuers finally found her.