The 5500 steps story – Sri Pada a.k.a ADAM’s PEAK Sri Lanka

It was pitch black. I came out of my hotel room to the balcony, just to give myself some courage that I can do it! I was amazed to see all the shops were open at 0200 AM and people chit chatting with each other. It seemed like the street never slept.

“Oh, at least I will not die alone, if I DO die here today.”

Just then I received a text from my mom --

What in the world are you up to now? I hope no other crazy escapade of yours. What was your last post on FB all about, anyways? Hope you are taking care of yourself!

Well, let’s just say, my mother never failed to surprise me and neither did I {wink wink}

I replied her stating I have to get ready for my crazy escapade & will speak to her later.

I started off with the so called famous trek in Ravana’s country and trust me; it didn’t seem like a piece of cake from the start only. It was my luck that I was accompanied by few other trekkers on my way that not only helped me, but made sure that I complete this beautiful trek on time. I will spare myself the embarrassment and shall share only the relevant details but once you read through, you will understand the reason of my escape ;-)

The rain was beating down on the footsteps, the fog thickening with every step. The faint flashlight in my hand was revealing only a few steps at a time, making me extra cautious and slightly tensed.

It was the start of December, right in the heart of Sri Lanka’s summer season, but the chilling wind at 1500 ft was sending goose bumps up and down my bare legs. I felt more and more miserable with every passing moment.

Another whoosh of cold air and my eyes filled up with tears. I let one roll down my cheek, knowing that there was no way to tell it apart from the rain drops landing on my cold cheeks every second.

“How are you doing there? “ – Mr. J turned around to check up on me.
“I’m miserable. I’m wet, I’m cold, my feet are numb, I’m tired and I want nothing more than to be back in my warm bed in the hotel” – I said, holding myself back from crying.

We’d been climbing Adam’s Peak for about 2 hours and had another 2 hours to go. The peak was 7 kms away from the Dalhousie village, where we commenced our ascend shortly after 2:30 am, giving ourselves just enough time to reach the top by sunrise.

There were 5,500 steep steps on the way to Sri Pada Mountain (a.k.a. Adam’s Peak), the 5th tallest, but the most sacred mountain in Sri Lanka.

 Every year, approximately 20,000 pilgrims, ranging widely in age, fitness level, and religious believes, climb Adam’s Peak in search for moral and spiritual significance.  Adam’s Peak bears significant spiritual and religious meaning, not only to the Thevada Buddhists, that account for 70% of the Sri Lanka’s population, but also Hindus, Muslims, and Christians.

It is this summit that is said by the Hindus to be the footstep of Shiva when he gifted Lanka as a home to Ravana and by the Buddhists of Buddha. Muslims and Christians in Sri Lanka, however, believe that it was Adam, the first Ancestor, who set foot on Adam’s Peak, as he was exiled from the Garden of Eden.

A Sri Lankan family was making their way down the stairs. I later learned that many pilgrims choose to ascend during the day and spend the night camping out at the top, waiting for the ceremony at sunrise.  That night was especially unpleasant, leaving many to believe that the beautiful sunrise, typically rewarded to climbers that reach the top of the peak, was not in the books.

A frail older woman was carefully placing her bare foot on each step, holding onto two slightly younger looking women with both arms. Their heads wrapped in scarves, their bodies clad in traditional saris, their feet – dirty and bare, stepping slowly into puddles freshly formed on the steps. I moved to one side of the steps to let the women pass me. I could tell; descend was tough on the older woman’s knees. A glimmer of light brushed over her, exposing the ache and anguish reflecting on her face. She must’ve been at it for hours.

I immediately felt a bit foolish for sounding like a complete baby just a few minutes earlier. To me this was just another hike, another challenging activity to push myself, to test my physical limits or just like my mother says – one of my crazy escapades. But to this 70-year-old Sri Lankan woman, the climb was a deeply spiritual journey that, despite the pain and suffering, brought her inconceivable joy and enlightenment.  In a way, I was a bit jealous of the deeper meaning that night brought to her.

Though my spiritual feeling of seeing the foot step of Lord Shiva on the top kept me motivated however, I wouldn’t deny losing the motivation multiple times amidst those 5500 steep steps. On many occasions, I found myself requesting Lord Shiva to give me the power to fly so that I fly myself to the top. But I guess, victory comes only after Karmas.

“Do you want to stop for a cup of tea?” – Mr. J asked me pointing at a resting stop, lined with a few tea shops.

“Yes. Please” The man does know the one thing that will always make me feel just a little bit better.

Inside the makeshift tent, were 2 small stalls, serving hot tea and coffee. You could also pick up a few snacks or a hat and a pair of gloves. Climbers were resting their feet on a few benches along the wall. The tea tasted incredible; as did all the tea I had in Sri Lanka. It immediately warmed up my insides and was exactly what I needed to get me through the remainder of 1500 steps to the top.

As we were almost about to reach the top, I happened to turn since Mr. J was flaunting all over the way about the majestic magical view. Suddenly, I realized I have acrophobia. Yes, I know, what do you have in mind to tell me – why would I opt for such a thing with that kind of fear inside me? The answer is – I am crazy af!

As we reached the top, the crowd was already gathered along the perimeter of the buildings covering the summit. Everyone was looking out into the black abyss.

The dawn broke and as if on cue, the rain stopped, and the clouds started to part, giving everything around us a deep blue hue. The yellow lights atop of the buildings were sparkling amidst the bluish hues creating a fairy tale like ambiance. I froze, slightly mesmerized by the sight… all my phobias & fears vanished away magically.

“You are supposed to ring a bell, when you get to the top” – said a fellow traveler, pointing to the bell at the end of the platform, where a crowd was gathering.

We made our way across and just as I reached over to ring the bell, the sound of drums and traditional Sri Lankan trumpets filled the air. It was rhythmic and captivating.

The sound reminded me of the tune of a snake charmer, but combined with the spirituality that surrounded us, it left a much deeper impression. It was in that moment that the pain and suffering of the last 4 hours seemed worth it.

The sunrise was jaw-dropping, it was more beautiful than we expected.

Within a few minutes, the sky was lit up and it was daylight. The clouds were hanging high above the peaks, giving us a clear view hundreds of miles away.

The walk down was just as painful as the trek up to the top. By the time I reached the top, my legs felt like jelly and my calves were crying with pain and yet there were another 5500 steps to go until we would reach the bottom. 

I thought like all other human being that the return trek will be easy since I will only have to descend. But on the flip side, this time it was more difficult! I had to literally rest at more stops than the ones while ascending the steps.

God bless the monastery people out there who offer food and drinks at the top since I was damn hungry by the time I reached up there. They don’t charge you anything for the food and beverages since it is a charity that they are doing on behalf of the monastery.

The descent took nearly as long as walking up to the top. I was hungry & tired with no motivation left inside me to walk any further. Since it was daybreak now and I was able to see the path in front of me very clearly, it made the baby inside me cry even harder looking at those many steps to descend.

Looking back on the 7 hour return journey to Adam’s Peak, I’ll honestly say, it’s not for everyone. If you love to hike and challenge yourself physically and mentally, or if you are a spiritual person, a hike to Adam’s Peak will probably be the highlight of your trip to Sri Lanka. But if you are not, think twice before setting off on this trek and if you do, be prepared to pay for it. No matter how fit you are, how often you hike, or run, or hit the gym, your body will be in pain for a couple of days after the hike. Some will recover within a day or so, but others will suffer for as long as 9-10 days, like I did.

I was supposed to check out of my hotel and leave for Galle after this trek. But since each muscle and every bone in my body was roaring pain; I had to extend my trip in Dalhousie for 1 day. I only ate and slept for that 1 extended day and stayed in my hotel room with no connection to the outside world. It would be fair to say that I turned myself into a Panda for that one day and enjoyed every bit of it to the core.

If there is one piece of advice I can give you about going up to Adam’s Peak it’s this: Schedule a trip to Adam’s Peak AFTER all the other hikes. Your body will thank you..!!!