The Sixth Kollidam Gratitude Festival, October 2025

Not a very long time ago in a galaxy not very far away, I typed "campsites near me", and clicked on the first link that popped up. It was Mangrove Bay Eco Camp, and from then on there's no turning back. River Kollidam is very close to my heart, through my love for Ponniyin Selvan, and Kollidam Gratitude Festival is something I was definitely looking forward to. Unlike other events at the camp where the prime focus would be on kayaking and paddling, this is more geared towards providing an all-encompassing experience. I had just returned from a week-long stargazing experience at Andaman, and work was piling up. So as usual, I worked till the last minute, and on Saturday morning, I boarded the bus to Chidambaram.

The river was in spate, thanks to the rains and the flood from River Kaveri. When I went there, both the water level and the tide were high. It was diametrically opposite to a few weeks back, when both the water levels and the tide were low. The steps of the launch area of the camp were almost submerged, which was a very different feel. Last month, Ragini and I spent hours in the waters, floating, collecting clams, and sharing stories with Veera. The places where we had ankle deep waters were now knee deep.

Added to the increased waters, the rains had another gift to the camp - an infinity pool! The pond between the tent and the river which usually ranges from parch dry to puddles of water was now full, we could wade through it and paddle in it. Surprise to be sure, but a welcome one, indeed!! I took the stand-up paddle board and went a few rounds. Kumaran, who was watching me paddle, taught me a few techniques, and so I went back and tried again. It was easier this time. 

As time passed by, people started coming in one by one. This event was like meeting family at a function - a few old faces, many new. All of us were both excited and a little apprehensive to enter the waters. Right as we were about to enter the waters for the afternoon session, thunderstorms started. The water currents were strong, with eddies here and there. Kumaran went for a recon, and along with Veera and Prabhu he laid out the plans. 

I relate to Hunter in AOS Season 3 - Make a plan. Plan turns to rubbish. Make a new plan. Oh just to be crystal clear, this is the part where the plan turns to rubbish.

Safety is the priority. Always. While it might be cool and exciting to enter the waters through the thunder, all it takes is one fraction of a second for things to go from exciting to dangerous. And it's no laughing matter. 

Veera told us the incidents of people succumbing to lightning strikes on them in graphic detail. That did it for us. We waited out the thunderstorm, and once it passed, we entered the river for a quick dip. Cap decided that the team would take us in double kayaks into the waters, as only a trained professional could handle the waters. Prabhu was in the driver's seat of the kayak, and I cruised along, simply chilling.

Prabhu isn't a talker, he needs to be prompted to get answers from. While Veera would give a 10-mark answer to a 5-mark question, Prabhu would give a 2-mark answer to the same question. As for Kumaran, well, he would provide a personal anecdote for any question you might ask.

I made a conscious decision to leave my phone behind, to admire the beauty of the river and the mangroves with my biological eye rather than a physical one. We did spot a lot of birds, wouldn't sweat the details, but lots of them. Again, my idea of bird-watching is "hey look there's a bird, it's so beautiful"!

The river water being higher, the roots were submerged, giving a denser appearance to the forest. It was just superb.

Once we were back, we had hot tea, sundal, Osmania biscuits, and tea cake. I got to my business - I unraveled the string of my kite and let it soar. The little kid Surya became a huge fan of my kite, and even more so his dad. Kumaran shared his kite tales from his childhood - that he snuck out of his home to fly kites. Kites are our generation's childhood memory and it is a beautiful feeling reliving it, which is why I make it a point to take it with me wherever I go. 

With everything around us changing so quickly, it doesn't hurt to have a few touchstones to the past. Reminds me what's important.

We then played UNO cards, it was my first time playing it, but I had help from a benevolent Sachin who prompted me to play the cards in a way I won, and I did, actually. Thanks, UNO mentor!!

After the campfire and dinner, we went on a short walk, where we met a few nightjars, sitting nonchalantly by the roadside. Kumaran told us stories about the temple, ghosts, graveyards - all the perfect campfire stories. We had a long day ahead, so we were to retire for the night, when we found out - it was Venu's birthday and the camp staff had planned a surprise party with a chocolate cake. It was an unexpected fun end to a fun day.

I woke up early when it was still dark outside - I have enough hostel experience to know that the most important thing each day is to be the first in line to the bathroom. We were to assemble at 6 am, and we did. There was a huge strainer near the launch area formed by weeds, mangrove branches, and foam that had come from the flowing freshwaters. We took turns to slowly whittle away the strainer so that the water flow was restored. Although the clouds hid the sunrise from us, we could see the day slowly dawning. After tea, Kumaran once again did a recon and once he gave the all clear, we all started towards the river - our expedition began!

I did not bring my phone this time as well. I was paddling, chilling, letting the river take me,  paddling from time to time so that the course is straight. The birds flying in formation, the fish practicing long jumps, the reflection of the mangroves in the waters, birds collecting breakfast, the water currents changing - connect with nature once you will never disconnect. 

River Kollidam. A branch of Kaveri, she was once a strategically significant route for the Chola thalassocracy. Kumaran pointed out to the widest region of the river, which was also the widest riverine point in the whole of Tamilnadu. It is also the most active and healthiest river system in Tamilnadu owing to the geography and irrigation usage. The waters were high, and what was once the regular sandbar we used to chill at was now underwater.

One by one, we entered the mangroves, and inevitably got caught in them while trying to get out - the more you struggle to get out the more you get stuck. It was a different kind of fun. We halted at a shallow point, had tea, juice, and peanut candy. Although our camp was straight ahead, we needed to follow the river's course, and thus we were told to keep to the shore. We were flanked on all sides by the team, so that we have safe paddling, and that no one is left to fend for themselves.

That kind of professionalism speaks for itself.

Hot breakfast was waiting for us as we returned. Devouring it, we chilled for a while, and it was time for our favourite community activity - fruit salad! Kumaran had picked this up from his SUP Norway expedition, loved it so much that he brought the practice here. It was fun, each taking turns to chop fruit and nuts and mix it all up with a dash of honey. The quickest way to bond is to work towards a common activity together, and it works!!!

After filling up on fruits, we chilled in the hut, where we all shared our life experiences - travel, jobs, food, kids, etc. At some point we all felt drowsy, and exactly then it was time for lunch. A hearty lunch later, we all bid adieu to the team, and began our homeward journey.

As we connect with nature, we begin to empathize with nature. We become one with her, gravitate towards her. It is because of Nature's benevolence that we are alive, and it wouldn't take much for the tables to turn - Nature would be unaffected, it is us who wouldn't live to tell the tale. Kollidam Gratitude Festival is a reminder of the luxuries that Nature has allowed us to experience. As a token of gratitude to River Kollidam, we paddle across the river, adapting to her currents and tides, ebbs and flows, connecting with her ecosystem, thus connecting with Nature.

I like to think about the first law of thermodynamics, that no energy in the universe is created... And none is destroyed

That means that every bit of energy inside us, every particle, will go on to be a part of something else. Maybe live as a dragonfish, a microbe, maybe burn in a supernova ten billion years from now. And every part of us now was once a part of some other thing- a moon, a storm cloud, a mammoth. Thousands and thousands of other beautiful things that were just as terrified to die as we are. We gave them new life. Good one, I hope.

And that, is what connecting with Nature feels like!