Imagine meeting someone for the first time. It could be a stranger during a journey, a colleague at your workplace, a friend of a friend, or someone who eventually becomes very special to you.
That first greeting, that first conversation, or even that first glance can sometimes become a memory that stays with you. At that point, you have absolutely no idea what lies ahead. You do not know how that person is going to influence your life, what experiences you are going to share, or how many memories you are going to create together.
Sometimes, that simple first hello is just the beginning of a much bigger story. That is exactly what this blog is about.
There is always a little secrecy in almost every aspect of my life. Nothing deliberate, it just goes with the flow. Perhaps my introversion has something to do with it. To top it all, there are only a handful of people I interact with who know some of those secrets. And even they do not know all of them.
For a long time, I had never spoken openly about one of the most important chapters of my life. I think it is finally time to reveal a little of it.
Where Our Story Began
We were part of similar reporting hierarchies, which meant that we had plenty of opportunities to see each other, meet and interact on a daily basis. Initially, most of our conversations were exactly what you would expect from two colleagues. Project related discussions. Work related conversations. And, so on. But as time went by, somewhere along the way, both of us realised that there was something more than just a professional relationship.
I have always been the kind of person who doesn’t open up easily. At least, that seems to be the impression I have given people who know me from a distance, but don’t really know me personally. It takes me a long time to build trust before I start talking about anything beyond a basic hello. But between us, somehow, all of this happened almost instantaneously.
As we spent more time together, those conversations slowly became something more. Eventually, I proposed to her. For someone as introverted as I am, even today I find it amusing when I think about it. If someone had told me earlier that I would one day send a wedding proposal to someone, I probably would not have believed them.
Life has its own way of bringing things together at the right time. It was one of the most beautiful moments of the past decade.
What followed was almost five years of a relationship that very few people around us knew about.
We were colleagues, friends and eventually partners, but we were also remarkably good at keeping our relationship private. Almost nobody at our workplace knew that we had a special bond. Looking back, I think that was very much in line with who we were. Neither of us was particularly interested in making our personal lives public, and we were quite happy keeping this part of our lives to ourselves. I sometimes wonder how we managed to do it. But somehow, we did.
Then came the day when everyone found out
Eventually, the time arrived when we decided to get married. And that was when many people from my workplace finally discovered what had been happening all these years.
The reactions were priceless. Almost every person I spoke to from my workplace was surprised. Some could not believe that we had been in a relationship for so long without them knowing.
Five years after that first meeting, we got married in 2021. Our wedding took place at the Tirumala Hills, at the divine abode of Lord Sri Venkateshwara, followed by our reception at a beautiful venue along the Bay of Bengal in Chennai. It was also the time of COVID restrictions, which made the occasion very different from what we might have imagined when we started planning our wedding. I still have immense respect for everyone who braved those circumstances and made it to our wedding and reception. Those are the people I will always remember.
Ten years since that first hello
Fast forward to 2026. Ten years had passed since we first met. Five years had passed since we got married.
Ten years is a long time, and yet, when I think about it, the first meeting doesn’t feel that long ago. That was something I wanted to celebrate in a way that felt natural to us. And what better way to celebrate a milestone than by travelling together?
Travel has always been an important part of my life. For several years, especially during my backpacking days, my focus was almost entirely on the experience of travelling and photography. I was more than happy trek for days and spend very little time thinking about where I would stay at the end of the day. The stay was secondary. A place to sleep and a convenient location were usually enough.
Things changed gradually after our wedding. My wife and I started exploring a different side of travel together. Perhaps it is because both of us have busy professional lives. These days, while I still enjoy trekking and getting into the mountains, we began exploring comfortable stays, beautiful hotel properties, experiencing the slower side of travelling and, most importantly, having enough time to simply sit down and enjoy being there together.
Earlier in 2026, we had already celebrated our wedding anniversary with a trip to Bhutan. This time, I wanted to do something for another milestone, one that was slightly different but equally special “Ten years since that first meeting!”
Planning the surprise
Over the years, we have explored different parts of India and experienced all kinds of stays, from simple accommodations to luxurious resorts. So, when I started thinking about how I wanted to celebrate ten years since that first meeting, I knew this trip had to be different.
A considerable amount of planning went into this trip. Of course, most of our trips involve planning. Anyone who knows me knows that I rarely travel without having at least some idea of what I want to experience. But this time, the planning went a notch above the rest. There was one additional challenge.
My wife had absolutely no idea what was coming. I worked on the details without revealing too much. I wanted to keep the surprise intact for as long as possible. As the trip got closer, I did reveal a small part of the plan. But I deliberately left enough suspense around what was actually waiting for her.
The destination was Wayanad. And we chose to stay at Taj Wayanad.
Wayanad in the post monsoon season
Wayanad is one of those destinations where the landscape changes constantly as you move through the district. The region lies in the Western Ghats and ranges from roughly 700 metres to 2,100 metres above sea level. The combination of mountains, forests, plantations, villages, waterfalls and the generally slower pace of life makes it very different from many of the more crowded hill destinations. I was particularly interested in the Banasura region this time.
The Banasura Hills, Banasura Sagar Dam and the surrounding forests offered exactly the kind of landscape I had in mind for this trip. I also wanted to do the Banasura Hill Trek with my wife. It would give us an opportunity to spend some time in the mountains, while the rest of the trip could be slower and more relaxed. The timing worked out beautifully too. We travelled during the post monsoon period, when Wayanad was still wearing its deep green colours. The mountains were surrounded by mist at times, the skies kept changing, and there was water everywhere. This was not going to be a trip where we tried to cover every possible attraction in Wayanad. I wanted us to slow down.
A Special Stay at Taj Wayanad
One of the highlights of this trip was our stay at Taj Wayanad. Set amidst the Western Ghats and overlooking the Banasura Sagar reservoir, Taj Wayanad provided exactly the setting I had imagined for this occasion.
This stay almost didn’t happen on the original date. We unfortunately missed our train from Chennai and had to completely rethink our travel plans. I reached out to the Taj team, explained the situation and was pleasantly surprised by how understanding they were. They helped us reschedule the reservation without making the situation unnecessarily complicated.
When we eventually arrived, the welcome from the team immediately made us feel comfortable. We were greeted warmly and were patiently briefed everything we needed to know about the property and our stay. When we entered the room and saw what had been arranged, I knew the effort had been worth it.
The views from our balcony were another story altogether. Our room opened towards Banasura Sagar Dam and the Banasura Hills beyond it. From the balcony, we could see the vast expanse of the reservoir, with the mountains rising behind it. Depending on the weather, the landscape kept changing. At times the hills were clearly visible, and at other times they disappeared behind clouds and mist. At different times of the day, the landscape looked completely different.
The food was another highlight of our stay. Being vegetarians, we were particularly happy with the variety available, especially the breakfast. There were plenty of choices and almost everything we tasted was genuinely delicious.
A different kind of adventure was waiting
Our stay at Taj was only one part of the trip.
Shortly after checking out, we moved towards another property in the Banasura region. This time, the objective was completely different.
The Banasura Hill Trek was one of the experiences I had specifically planned for this trip. I have done several treks over the years, including multiple Himalayan treks. My wife has also been part of several trekking experiences. But I wanted this trek to be a little different for her. I wanted her to take it up as a challenge.
The Banasura Hills rise to around 6,800 feet above sea level and are among the higher mountain ranges in the Western Ghats. The trek starts with a fairly steep ascent, and that initial section makes it clear that this isn’t going to be a casual walk. We took our time. There was absolutely no reason to hurry. The initial climb was strenuous, and there were sections where the trail became quite demanding. There were also stretches where we had to be careful about leeches and thorny or thick vegetation. Our guide kept giving us instructions about where to step and how to approach different sections of the trail, and following that advice made the experience much easier. Once we got through the initial climb, the trail gradually opens up and we begin walking through beautiful stretches of grassland and forest.
This was probably my favourite part of the trek. The mountains started opening up around us, and every few minutes there was another view that made us stop. The landscape was so green that it almost looked unreal, particularly after the rains. The final ascent to the top was again quite demanding. By that point, we had already spent several hours climbing, so the legs definitely knew they had been working. But reaching the top made it worthwhile.
Banasura Sagar Dam
The Banasura Hills and Banasura Sagar Dam are so closely connected that it is difficult to experience one without appreciating the other.
The dam was built in 1979 across the Karamanathodu, a tributary of the Kabini River. It is recognised as India’s largest earthen dam and the second largest of its kind in Asia. The reservoir sits against the backdrop of the Banasura Hills and during the monsoon, parts of the surrounding landscape become submerged, creating small islands across the reservoir.
For the photographer in me, this was an incredibly rewarding landscape. The combination of water, mountains, mist and changing light creates something different almost every time I look at it. We had already seen the dam from our room at Taj Wayanad. Seeing it from different points around the region gave us an entirely different perspective.
The same mountains that had looked distant from the hotel now felt much closer after our trek.
Four Days in Wayanad
After the trek, the rest of the trip felt even slower. We spent time at another property I had specifically chosen because of its location. The forest entry point for the Banasura Hill Trek is very close to the property, making it a convenient base for anyone planning the trek.
The rooftop restaurant there offered another beautiful view of the Banasura landscape. On one side was the Banasura Sagar Dam and on the other were the mountains. It was the kind of place where you could sit for a while without feeling the need to do anything else.
As busy professionals, these moments don’t come easily in our everyday lives. There is always work, meetings, deadlines and a long list of things waiting to be done. Travel gives us the opportunity to temporarily step away from all of that.
How to Plan the Banasura Hill Trek
If you are planning to do the Banasura Hill Trek, I would not treat it as a casual beginner’s walk. The initial ascent can be quite steep and strenuous, and the final section also requires a reasonable amount of effort.
Pace yourself rather than trying to keep up with someone else’s speed. Take sufficient breaks, and stay hydrated. Good trekking shoes are important, especially during or after the monsoon when the trail can be slippery.
Getting there
If you are travelling by train, Kozhikode is the nearest major railway station for this part of Wayanad. If you are travelling by air, Calicut International Airport is the nearest airport.
From either point, you will need to continue by road towards Wayanad.
Kalpetta is one of the major towns in the district and serves as an important base for exploring this part of Wayanad.
From Kalpetta, the journey continues towards Padinjarathara and then towards the Banasura region.
For someone specifically planning the Banasura trek, I would strongly recommend staying around the Banasura, Padinjarathara or nearby areas rather than staying much farther away and spending additional time travelling each day.
That was one of the reasons I chose our accommodation in this region.
I wanted the trek to be easily accessible and did not want to spend hours on the road before and after it.
Forest entry and booking
The Banasura Hill Trek requires permission from the Forest Department. As of this writing, the trekking entry window is 7:30 AM to 11 AM and there’s a daily entry limit of 75 people, which includes both offline & online booking.
So, if you are planning this trek, do not treat it like an ordinary tourist attraction where you can simply arrive at any time and expect to walk in.
Plan ahead. Arrive early.
Food and water
I would recommend having a proper breakfast before starting the trek. Once you enter the trail, you should not expect regular food or refreshment stops. Carry sufficient drinking water and some light energy giving food. More importantly, pace yourself. There is no prize for reaching the top first. The trail has enough variation to keep you occupied, so there is no reason to rush through it.
Another glimpse into my photography & storytelling
I love adventure and enjoy capturing experiences as they unfold, especially those moments filled with movement and energy. Here’s a short video from a speedboat ride at the Banasura Sagar Dam.
Ten Years, and Still the Beginning
When I look back at the last ten years, there is a lot to be grateful for.
Ten years since that first hello.
And somehow, it still feels like the beginning.
Travel Circle
Some of my journeys are now open to a small group of like-minded travellers through Xplore With Vijay Travel Circle initiative.
These are my personal trips. Not commercial tours, with a strong preference for small groups, flexible itineraries and a genuine love for nature and exploration.
Interested in joining a future journey?
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