The quaint village of Sethumadai, with its imposing mountains, lush trees, tiny houses and bustling kiosks, can lead one to believe it’s a meticulously put-together film set. But it’s not. It’s as real as the people busily walking about. An old lady efficiently doles out glasses of chai , as her patrons sit there mulling over how it’s been a hot year. In the neighbouring shop, a lungi- clad young man buys a blue plastic comb, and even before he can pay for it, he’s combing back swathes of oil-slick hair and simultaneously munching on onion bajji . The bajji seller from the neighbouring shop generously hands him a few more bright orange molaga bajji s. Another man burps as he makes his way out, clearly delighted with his breakfast. It’s all rather laid-back for a Friday morning. Or perhaps, this is their way of gearing up for the weekend.
Vignettes of rural life
As we walk, a street vendor beckons, proudly displaying his selection of stickers — he’s got everybody right from thalaiva to Vijay and gods and goddesses in vibrant outfits and flashy headgear. He’s also got books, television remotes and cases for them, torch lights, knives, locks and what not. He’s the go-to man if the villagers need anything, he declares with a big grin.
Sethumadai is quite a treat to the eyes for anyone city-bred. The calm and quiet makes it a good choice for those who want to disconnect from the rest of the world and just soak in the tranquillity. Perhaps, this would have been a better location for Rohit Shetty to shoot the village sequences in Chennai Express . According to locals, a lot of Tamil movies such as Chinna Gounder and Ponnumani have been shot here though.
We reach Sethumadai on a sunny Sunday afternoon. It’s a road trip we decided upon after we came across a quote by TS Eliot which read: “The journey, not the destination matters...”. Ah! The joys of a long drive along a stretch largely unknown, stumbling upon little surprises and discovering delightful eateries. This village lies 25 km from the well-known town of Pollachi that’s played host to numerous movie shoots. Pollachi lies approximately 44 km from Coimbatore, and is a pleasant drive of one-and-a-half hours. From Pollachi, it takes barely 40 minutes to get to Sethumadai. This is an ideal destination for people enjoying self-drive short breaks. One can either drive the entire stretch or hire from one of the car companies in Coimbatore.
The drive to Sethumadai feels like we are back in the 80s. We drive past the village of Anaimalai that’s famous for its Arulmigu Masani Amman temple. We go past a narrow bridge, below which a river lazily meanders past. A group of men sit on the large rocks in the middle of the water and laugh at a private joke. By the banks, a few women wash clothes. The roads are flanked by exceptionally-tall coconut trees. They are easily twice the size of the trees I’ve seen in Chennai. Grey hills shrouded in haze loom in the distance. This is the Anaimalai mountain range that stretches up to Kerala.
Apart from the village, Sethumadai has lush farmlands and farmhouses scattered all over. To stay the night, there are the options of home stays or a few resorts. The hosts can also take you on a tour of the place, or put you in touch with companies that do. Bird watchers can wake up early and see a host of bright winged creatures. Locals say it’s best to avoid this place during the hot months of March and April. For the rest of the year, everything is bathed in green.
At the heart of the West
From here, you can drive up to Topslip, the Aliyar dam or the neighbouring village of Vettaikaranpudur. Here’s where you can get your village fix before heading back to the rigours of city life. We try to find our way to Serenity, a home stay nestled in a farm that lies at the foot of the vibrant green hills. I half expect to meet Tarzan and Jane here. But there’s just one couple, busy tucking into their rice and sambar . In the distance is a tree house. We race up the metal steps and find ourselves in a lounge area. A few more steps lead us to the bedroom. It’s all rather charming, like being part of Enid Blyton’s The Faraway Tree . Perhaps, the best place to curl up with a book, sip on some coffee and dreamily gaze into the surroundings, where you stand a chance to spot elephants, deer, wild boars and peacocks.
