Coimbatore man treks Velliangiri Hill for 102 days to raise awareness against alcohol, drug use

New Indian Express

26-05-2025

COIMBATORE: In a bid to raise awareness against the use of alcohol and drugs and promote a healthy lifestyle, a 39-year-old Coimbatore-based man has trekked Velliangiri Hill continuously for a record 102 days as on Sunday.
B Hari Kumar, a fitness coach, has been climbing the hill since February 1.
The Velliangiri stretch consists of seven hills and reaches an altitude of 1,778 metres from the sea level. It is a 5.5 km stretch from the foothills, and there is a temple of Lord Velliangiri Aandavar on the seventh hill.
Even though the temple is under the control of the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowment (HR&CE) department, the trekking route comes under the forest department's purview as it is in the reserve forest area.
Every year, the trekking route is open for the public from February 1 to May 31, and the trek takes roughly six-seven hours for an average person to complete.
However, Hari Kumar completes the trek in two-and-a-half hours.
Hari Kumar told TNIE, "Earlier in the season, I trekked for 26 days continuously on the hill. To make an attempt to complete 108 days continuously, I started trekking on February 1. I made the attempt to show the importance of fitness.
Every day, I start trekking around 9.30 am and reach the top of the seventh hill, at 6,200 feet, in one-and-a-half hours and return down in 50 - 55 minutes. I complete the trek by 12.30 pm."
"As I am a fitness coach, it makes it easier to trek the hill within two-and-a-half hours. My friends admire the speed at which I trek the hill. To create a record, I decided to trek 108 days in the season. So far, I have completed 102 days as on May 25," he said.
He said that the motive is to be fit and healthy, and without drugs and alcohol.