On your next trip to Yelagiri, you may get to see people swinging from one end of a 30-metre mobile tower to a pole through a suspended rope.
Welcome to Nilavoor Hills that would host a new fun and learning adventure sport called ‘Flying Fox' for the first time in the country. The project owned and operated by Hansu Infotech (India) Pvt Ltd., Singapore, will begin on Monday.
It is targeted at the public, corporates, children and those in the age group of 15 to 60 years.
Talking to The Hindu , Hansu Infotech Director R. Kalaimani said: “It is a mind-refreshing outdoor game aimed at providing some fun coupled with adventure learning and team-building to improve one's individual skill and confidence. It would take about a day to complete the whole exercise. To participate in the sport, candidates have to express their willingness in advance as it will be conducted on weekends and holidays. However, we require at least 10 persons to start the show.”
According to Mr. Kalaimani, the target group mainly comprises those living in nearby cities such as Chennai and Bangalore.
The fare is Rs.1,000 per person. Hansu Infotech will book tickets and arrange for food and accommodation at an additional cost. To make their journey memorable, participants can stay in tribal huts, go cycling, take part in night trekking, rock climbing, boating, tribal dance, yoga, treasure hunt or watch sunrise and sunset.
“It's not like you land in Yelagiri and do the flying immediately. You have to be in a group of five people. We have a set of rules and the volunteers will have to follow it. The training is divided into three parts — low elements, high elements and pyramid — to enable them to know about the team work, safety of their teammates apart from their own, remove fear and how they react while facing intimidating challenges,” he said.
Participants have to plan and negotiate a series of 15 upwardly spiralling challenges under the supervision of certified instructors to reach the top of mobile tower. It would take roughly half a day to reach the top. After reaching it, they have to ring the bell of victory followed by a descent via the flying fox for five minutes. A mobile ladder will bring them down.
