Apart from the English language, the British left some unique legacies behind in India. One of them is the concept of  “Hill Stations” to get away from the heat and humidity of the plains. From Simla, Almoda, Ooty and Kodai there are many hill towns that speckle the Indian map. In southern India one hidden gem is Yercaud, a small hill town near Salem in Tamil Nadu. The coffee rich hill town gets its name from “Yeri” meaning lake and “Kaadu” means forest.  Overshadowed by the larger towns of Ooty and Kodai, Yercaud is little known secret.

One can see hair-raising views on route; you have to drive through at least 20 hairpin bends to get to the town. An hour of travel up these bends, in a local bus with Tamil songs playing at the highest decibel is an adventure in itself.  The town of Yercaud revolves around a few things, the couple of convent schools in the area, the lake in the centre and, like every good town, it has it share of a famous temple and legends. Chiselled into the hills is a cave temple of Lord Servarayan with his consort, Kaveri. Locals believe that the deity is the protector of the 60 odd villages in and around Yercaud. The caves extend beyond the temple and many say they extend to the Kaveri nearly 500 km away. Very few have explored the full length of the caves.

There are some typical touristy things to do, just walk towards the lake and local touts will design a trip to Ladies Seat, Gents vantage point, pagoda point and of course the cave temple of Lord Servarayan. But once you have taken the mandatory tour of the lake and the vista points it's time to do something different. To see beyond the norm, to discover the stories of Yercaud, call upon the Kunders.
Tired of city life in Bangalore, Suhas and Patsy Kunder did something that many of us think about. 15 years ago, they quit the rat race and made the transition to the quiet hills of Yercaud. Guided by a clear vision to give their young kids quality time and a life measured besides the material trappings of the big cities. Patsy, with her culinary skills, runs a catering business called “Kitchen on Call” and Suhas, with his zeal for the outdoors, organizes trekking tours showcasing the natural beauty of Yercaud. Depending on your comfort level and interest, Suhas designs treks from mild to tough. There is something for everybody.

A weekend camping and trekking trip with the Kunders will be out of the norm. You can start your journey at their lovely restored home called Windermere. The earth colors on the walls; clay tiles and freshly painted white windows are a welcoming relief from the small cookie cutter flats we have gotten used to. As you enter the house you can see signs of Patsy’s culinary endeavors, homemade chocolate in neat bags, fresh orchard fruit jams bottled to last, juices from their fruit trees and pickles line the small shelf. On order, you can also get cakes, cookies and yummy guava candy. And not to forget sandwiches, rolls and other scrumptious picnic treats for your treks into the Shrevroy hills.

A down to earth campground in the Kunders farm just on the outskirts of Yercaud is just designed for those who are novices to the outdoors. Worry not; you will be initiated gently to the wonder of sleeping under the stars and awakening to soothing operatic sounds of the birds among the mango orchard. After a trek in the area you can come back to a delectable Mangalorean meal; prepared by Patsy, it goes without saying. You can relax around the bonfire, reminisce with old friends or catch up with ones you just made while the fire burns. If you are lucky, the younger of the Kunders can be persuaded to strum his guitar while you gaze into the darkness, keeping count of the fireflies in the distance. Dying embers bring the day to an end only to rise to another sunrise full of promises. You can forget your city tiredness among the sounds and smells of the gentle slopes of the Servarayan hills.