The journey to Kudajadri is an experience of its own, jeeps ( with custom built shock absorbers and axles) take you somewhere close to the top of the one of the hills in the Ghats.From this point you are own your own, climb and traverse across the hills to another, to arrive at the highest accessible point.
There you find Sankarapeedam,a small shrine with Sankaracharya as deity. Oh yes, you guys did get it right, this is the very same place from where Sankaracharya did his meditation and was blessed with the appearance of goddess Saraswathi for his devotion, thereupon she agreed to come down to Kerala at his request, but sadly the mission wasn't successful and she thus happens to be worshipped at Mookambika, however she finally gave her consent to be at Kerala at the early hours of the day, finally obliging Sankaracharya's pleading.Chottanikara being the place in Kerala, where she is worshipped today as Goddess Saraswathy, costumed in white. Thats how I have been hearing all these years from my grand mom.
Coming back, the best part is going to the other side of the hill to reach Chitramoola,the exact location believed to be where the goddess appeared for Sankaracharya. A place which only a few dare to go, that side is even steeper,slippery and treacherous.
The surprise is however the sight of a lady and a very old sage who happen to live there. This lady is from Balussery (a place near Calicut, Kerala) who happens to be there for more than 15 years now, and she happens to cross the rain forests once in month to get her monthly supplies of food.No,I didn't take her path on my return, the very sight jungle dissuaded me from taking that deadly step.
Well,there is even a tale that I came across about this lady, once on her return trip from Calicut to Kudajadri, she happened to reach the platform and saw that her train had already started to move, she cried very loud and then train happened to stop. Believe it or Not thats all I can say .. !!
Kudajadriyil... kudikollum,.... Maheshwari, Gunadayini ...
