April 2005.

Why is this place called Mekedatu? Why is any place called Mekedatu? Because the goat crossed the river of course. So simple. And by goat, we mean neither Lakshman-the-olde nor any other metaphor, but quite literally, a goat. So this place where the Cauvery meets the rocks and where a rickety Tata bus carries the visitors precariously up the slope till the point where, I suspect, even the goats fear to tread, exists.