Written by Subhash S
I believe climbers have a hunger to climb more than they physically can and mentally dream. Like most climbers, when I started climbing in October 2016, I voraciously searched for different climbing areas and communities online. This dive into the internet rabbit hole brought me to a blog post by Sohan, Rock Climbing Capital of India: Bangalore
The blog spoke about the Bangalore region offering 250+ rope climbing routes and thousands of boulder problems (short routes climbed without ropes). There was also a mention of 200+ climbers who climb regularly, both indoor and outdoor. For a new climber, this felt like a holy grail. I joined the Bangalore Climbing group on Facebook and stayed updated about the climbing scene there.
It wasn’t until September 2017 that I got a chance to visit Bangalore, a work trip extended to include climbing. On this trip, I met Karthik Vijaykumar, who took me climbing at Upper Achalu, a crag in Ramanagara. He was bolting a new route – Sab Kuch Milega and wanted me to try the moves on the crux pitch and mark the bolts. The second pitch of this route was as challenging to the mind as it was to the body. This section started as an overhang with great handholds and then the angle subsided but the holds almost became nonexistent. With hangs on the rope, I somehow managed to pull off the moves on this route by contorting my body in new ways.
I could just exclaim to Karthik, “Man! I have never, never done moves like this.”
At the end of this climbing session, Karthik suggested that I attend ROMP – Ramanagara ROMP and explained to me, “You will love it, given how competitive you are. Climbers aim to climb as much as they can during those 2 days.”
That was the first time I heard about ROMP, and though I missed it in 2017, its allure stayed with me. Over the following months, I began visiting Bangalore more frequently, forging connections with local climbers and building my skills.
Fast forward to December 2018. I signed up to attend the ROMP scheduled for 14-15 Dec. At this juncture of my life, I had quit working full-time and taken up the role of a climbing instructor at a school. Every other moment of my life was dedicated not just to climbing, but excelling at it. I partnered with my friend from Mumbai, Shalaka, who soon planned to move to Bangalore.
During the two days of the ROMP, we sampled various crags of Ramanagara. The climbs ranged from short, stiff lines at Gethna, the precision demanding routes of Gowda farm, the footwork test pieces at Motherwall and the gorgeous tepid multipitches of Lower Achalu. However, our energy levels kept oscillating between the desire to climb a lot and to enjoy being outdoors.
At the end of the ROMP, to our dismay, our team was 4th in the scoring table. Regret settled in as we reflected on not pushing ourselves harder. But the warmth of new friendships forged in the ROMP and promises of climbing trips to Hampi, Badami, and of course, Bangalore, shadowed the regret of not climbing enough.
Post ROMP 2018 with Shalaka at Achalu, Ramanagara. PC. Imrong
Shalaka and I decided that we would Win the next ROMP. Alas! Our plan to Win the ROMP is still unfulfilled. I wasn’t able to attend the ROMP 2019, and Shalaka moved back to the USA in early 2020. The next ROMP I get to join in and climb would be the one conducted in December 2024.
During the six-year gap between my participation in the ROMPs, my drive to climb grew stronger, nourished by a community I now consider as close friends. My climbing repertoire diversified. I expanded to bouldering and trad climbing and I gained expertise in ice/mixed climbing and dry tooling. During this period, I moved to Bangalore in 2022 and soon I was integrated into this community as one of the regular climbers in the scene. This city which felt like a climber’s utopia was now my home.
So yes! My excitement for ROMP 2024 was really high. I was counting down the days to December 2024. But the world had another narrative unfolding for me, I got into a two-wheeler accident, an unfortunate one. A piece of construction debris was flicked onto my scooter’s path by a passing vehicle. It hit and jammed my scooter’s front wheel. At once, the scooter came to a sudden halt, throwing me off. Despite no fractures or major ligament tears, my right knee swelled significantly, almost doubled in size. I could barely walk for a month. There were some minor injuries in my right hip, ankle and shoulder. That was July 2024. My once-active life had come to a standstill. I used to climb or go outdoors at least three times a week, but now I was stuck at home. The months blurred together quickly, July to August to September.
During this period, I rekindled my interest in painting and focused more on my writing. I also quit all climbing-related whatsapp groups to ease my emotional burden and avoid fixating on the absence of climbing in my life. The only connection I had with climbing was the gear I owned.
By October, my injuries had healed and the pain had subsided. But the overuse of the unaffected limbs, combined with disuse of the injured ones, the imbalances became stark. I decided that I wanted to resume climbing. With Gadappa and Gopika, I planned a climbing trip to Badami.
Badami, with its towering sandstone cliffs, had always been a source of inspiration for me. I couldn’t think of a better setting. The initial days at Badami were daunting. I was climbing after months, and the fear of falling, long overcome and forgotten, returned with a monstrous intensity. However, thanks to the fun camaraderie I shared with both of my climbing partners and the fear slowly eased away. Towards the end of the trip, I was flying and flowing on the rock once more. Rejuvenated from the trip, I returned to Bangalore with my desire to climb a lot and try hard. But the year had more challenges in store. November brought a bout of Typhoid, followed by my ailing father’s demise and then another bout of sickness of viral fever. So when I turned up at the ROMP 2024 on 13th Dec 2024, I was fatigued. Really. To make matters worse, I was also dehydrated and sleep-deprived.
Day 1 of ROMP 2024
After having our Pre-ROMP party, Aravind and I reached Gethna crag. We met my ROMP team, Amith BV and Priya. Achyut was unwell, so he couldn’t make it. After chatting with other teams who believed my team would 'win' the competition, I warmed up and got on the route Sissy-Fuss. This route is graded 5.10c/d. In the past, I wouldn’t even consider this route as a warmup.
The long gap from climbing had made my skin soft. The sharp quartz crystals embedded in the rock bit into my fingers. Pain and fear flooded my mind and body. My legs wobbled at every step and my hands shivered at every hold: crimp, jug or sloper. Realizing that I can’t climb like I used to, I asked Amith to “take” and hung below the bulge. After a break, I resumed climbing and somehow pulled and hauled myself to the top of the route.
I was really let down by my performance on this route. I debated whether I should climb more or not. But I decided that if I didn’t climb, my climbing performance would remain poor. Roping up again I climbed the routes Waco (5.10b) and Soft Landing (5.9). I felt a bit more comfortable on these routes. But my finger skin was shredded and my tendons a little inflamed. I decided to call it a day.
I found a comfortable seat at the base of the mango tree and started reading a book while cheering on others climbing around me. From the sidelines, I found myself observing others, especially Akash, Gautam, Karan, and Nirav. Their approach to climbing was almost surgical—strategic planning, taping torn skin, and optimizing which routes to climb and which to avoid. Every decision was precise, and watching them reminded me of the methodical joy I once found in climbing.
Akash, Gautam, Karan, and Nirav - Team 1
Elsewhere, Nehal and Aravind were busy teaching Manisha how to lead her first route. The excitement in her eyes was infectious. Nehal even took Chaitanya on a multipitch, patiently guiding him step by step. Meanwhile, Priya stood hesitantly before her climb, but with all of us rallying behind her, she finally led a route. I was glad that my lack of energy or desire to climb didn’t affect others around me.
Once it was dark, we packed up and headed to the resort where all ROMP participants were staying. People gathered in the hall, busy logging the routes they had climbed or discussing plans for the next day. I was just elated to meet all my friends after a very long time. Zaman had come from Kashmir for ROMP, Asim finally made it to Bangalore to climb and there were other Bangalore climbers who I used to meet regularly.
The ROMP team had planned some games for the climbers. These games made this ROMP one of the most fun climbing events I have attended to date. The fun game was coiling the rope. It was a timed duel, one on one.
The buzzer went off, and the climbers stacked ropes on their shoulders before tying them into backpack coil configuration. It was hilarious and impressive to see how some climbers were coiling at record times while doing it neatly. Everyone in the audience chose their favourite participant and cheered or booed loudly.
The next one was a plank challenge, whoever held the plank the longest wins! Climbers have good core strength, so this went on for a while.
Rope coiling from Day 1. Screengrab from video by Gopika
This ROMP stood apart from the previous editions with the presence of sponsors. Red Panda Outdoor was one of them. They were giving away DMM gear as prizes during the ROMP. I am a big fan of DMM gear because of their quality of manufacturing and ergonomic design. I own many pieces of gear made by DMM like my harness DMM Renegade 2 which apart from being comfortable for long sessions, it has seven gear loops perfect for someone like me who pursues trad and mixed climbing. Then my DMM pivot belay device, Alpha Trad quickdraws, sport quickdraws and micro cams - Dragonflies.
Day 2 of ROMP 2024
As usual, the day began with some confusion about where to go. After much contemplation and deliberation, we headed to Galli Kallu. By this time, two teams - Team 14 and 15 had blended into one, as many of us were really close-knit friends and regular climbing partners.
Team 14: Amith, Priya and me.
Team 15: Nehal, Manisha, Chaitanya and Aravind.
The Galli Kallu crag was stunning, with numerous crack lines, boulders, highballs and long, steep faces. There was a large space, canopied by trees, that was suitable for camping. Its beauty struck me in a way that reminded me why I climbed and sought these outdoor spaces. I found myself appreciating the uniqueness of the place—the texture of the rock, the caves, pockets of silence, the occasional bird calls breaking through the air.
Here at Galli Kallu, my eyes quickly found a potential route—a line that looked harder than anything I had climbed before but the moves felt within reach. I stood there, imagining the moves—the crimps, side pulls, undercuts, intense but delicate foot placements, and balance. A cheerful chirping of a bird broke my concentration.
Curious, I used the Merlin app to identify the sound. It was the Indian White Eye. A small flock flitted about on a nearby tree, their vibrant yellow-green bodies dancing in the sunlight. I watched them, flying branch to branch, ruffling their feathers at each other, falling, recovering and repeating. Their playful energy was a stark contrast to the intensity of the route before me. Soon I turned back to the climb, admiring its challenge, the dance waiting to unfold under cheerful hymns of the Indian White Eye.
Now there was another small, determined creature in the midst of this vast climbing landscape. This excitement of finding a challenging route lit a spark in me, one I hadn’t felt in a while. Inspired, I asked Nehal to point me to any hard line in the area. My goal was clear: Send it.
The climb wasn’t a joy at all. Each hold felt smaller with every step, and each move became more precarious than the last. Every moment, I imagined myself falling and getting injured again. Helpless, my body screamed in protest—fear, pain, and hesitance clawing at me.
I kept saying to myself, “Don’t fall, don't fall” as I somehow cleared the vertical sections and found myself standing on a low-angle slab with the anchor in sight. I clipped the anchors and celebrated that I onsighted this route. By the end, I wasn’t just climbing through fear—I was relishing and owning it. My fingers were now so unaccustomed to climbing, they were throbbed in pain. So I decided that was enough for the day.
Nehal belaying me on Mexaluru at Galli Kallu. PC. Chaitanya Vellal
The rest of the day was spent in the company of friends, bantering with Nehal, Amith, Aravind, Priya, Zaman, Gopika, Manisha and Chaitanya. We cheered on other climbers, laughed at their mishaps, and taunted each other in good fun. By 3:30 pm, we finished climbing, packed up and started hiking out. We had just exited the crag and entered the fields. I saw Gopika lose her footing and fall.
Everyone rushed to help her. Some offered their bags as a cushion for her to rest. People were offering her water. Some offered pain sprays and words of encouragement. Amith suggested that we call Karthik, who was still in the vicinity. I phoned Karthik and explained to him the situation. Karthik Maddineni works as a mountain guide and is a trained wilderness medicine professional.
While we waited for Karthik, we talked to Gopika who started feeling better as the initial shock of the injury wore off. We asked her to remove her shoe as a precautionary measure. And in a minute or two, we found ourselves bantering as usual and taking selfies and videos!
When Karthik reached the spot, he evaluated Gopika’s condition and bandaged her injured ankle. It seemed from his assessment that she had twisted her ankle, and it wasn’t so bad. People immediately came forward to carry Gopika’s rope and bag. Gopika piggybacked on Karthik who carried her till the parking spot. We were grateful to have someone so knowledgeable with us.
Gopika and her gang are chilling while Karthik is taping up her injured ankle. PC. Chaitanya Vellal
Tired from the day’s outing, I headed to the room to rest. While I packed my bag, I loudly wondered to Aravind.
What is more fun?
Being scared, struggling and climbing despite it and reaching the top?
Or having no fear at all and climbing in a meditative flow state where the next move comes to you like a breath of air?
We debated it for a few minutes and reached nowhere close to a conclusion. But I knew that the way forward was to climb more and start taking lead falls once again.
Amith getting a DMM Alpha Sport Quickdraw as a prize.
That evening, I hugged my friends and bid them goodbye. As I walked away, I saw the silhouettes of climbers swapping stories. I realized something—the climber in me, the one with ravenous hunger for grades and the next big send, had never left. It had simply been waiting, quietly, for this moment of connection to call it back to life.
After all these years, I understand what people mean when they say: “For most climbers, ROMP is a way to get back into climbing. All their climbing happens after the ROMP.” I am looking forward to my upcoming long ice climbing trip in the Himalayas.
Yes, ROMP isn’t just a climbing event. It is a microcosm of climbing and life itself—a celebration of community, resilience, and joy.
The most fun team in the ROMP 2024 - Amith, Priya R and me. PC. Manisha
