Upper and Lower Nirar

Day4: Dec 27, 2008. The last day in valparai, but not the least!

I felt very quiet and pleasant at moment spared at Upper Nirar Weir. It was just like gone to a picnic, to do anything under no restriction up to our courage, because the place was surrounded by dense forest. It was noon we reached the Upper Nirar after visiting Nallamudi Poonjolai. The road was rough for sometime though we took a short lane along tea valleys so there wasn’t much movement of vehicles and it breeze so fresh in shadiness of roadside raised trees. It’s a place I almost liked in valparai for its complete serenity, cool breeze and pebble streams that run across. It’s a place that said to be almost wet, as it was very close to the area that records the second highest amount of rainfall in India, but what we had to experience is less water that runs like a stream and sunny weather.

As soon we had our lunch, we went down near the water that passes into a tunnel. The canal was just two footstep of water then, my uncle and bro got down to enjoy the stream water. They took over the place for sometime and gone wild similar to the woodsman, caring a bough in hand in scare of animals and we go on tease them by warning. I too was feared and drew up fast as I felt some strange movement. Wherever we go, the elephants dung is left before us to wonder ‘here too’! What a miss opportunity it was to find no solo elephants until climbing down the hills. What the weir and dam is doing is a wonderful job in diverting water into certain passage as in heed of peoples need. It was a two eye tunnel, which carved more than 15km deep into hills to lead water into Kadamparai dam, but I am uncertain with the fact. And the dam water was open to lower Nirar dam.

From the dam we could see the Grass hills peak, an evergreen rainforest area and where it believed everyday rainfall without fail, and Upper Nirar is first in place receiving water from Chinnakallar River. The other side of the dam has some tribal settlement and could see a ruin bridge that ones used for there transport. It was a surprise shock for us for a moment, to have a sign of tiger standing at a distance to know later it was a plant and believed it had came in smell of maya – as she was barking sometime and no wonder if there was a real tiger, because it’s a place one could see wild animals at anytime. I just wished to be there some more time as the place was placid! The Grass hills was something I eagerly looked forward to visit, but the road lead to that place was not good then so I decide to not get troubled ourselves.

By evening we visited the Lower Nirar, which is on our way back from Nirar Weir. It was late to know an elephant passed our way minutes before our arrival, says an old lady who sales something near the Lower Nirar Dam. It was the Dam build along with Upper Nirar in 60’s, by the government of Kamaraj. It also has a tunnel as big as a way to run a lorry. This is one of the worth projects, truly for peoples need and what the earlier govt. done when mechanism and instruments are not good like today and with the only excess of human power. The tunnels that cut across the hills and rock are certainly awesome! Clearing many doubts of those age and clever strategic to achieve this, is not a simple thing to think. Just how much intelligent and hard work it needs to them, to be accurate with the digging process and link the either sides of the tunnel. The darkness really made me astonish, thinking about the fear and courage of those people involved in this process.

The Nirar Dam was a placid reservoir and one of a highest dam in valparai. The view from the dam was scenic and water flows milklike with mild resonate. It was closing time for public and so as some guys caught into trouble by driving inside the tunnel and blocked by elephants, we dropped our plan to visit the tunnel and head to the back of the tunnel some 15km away from the dam. It was an uncommon site where the tunnel ends. Mostly, people don’t come here as it was uneasy to disclose unless you’re more aware about valparai. It was just like a canal and foot path across; a small flow of water from an uncertain hole and the places was surrounded by little flowers. It’s over all gloomy and of course the sun was setting down behind the mountains was such a pleasure indeed. That was our last day in valparai and no other way to deny the accommodation at our relative’s place; hence the wonderful cottage we stayed was handed over to someone booked and we wish until last moment they arrive to leave it unoccupied. It was a night uneasily forgettable to me to the surprise of hornbill noise. I waked suddenly to hear the noise sweet as ever like a romantic guys whistle and I wasn’t expected even though I saw a sign board of Hornbills near there home.

Sorry it doesn’t end actually, there are some more to share promptly about valparai and traveling... Hope u don't have problem with pictures at large 500px × 375px? if anything, let me know. Because I see unequal pixel when checking pictures at Internet Explorer at minimum size of 400px × 300px indirect from flickr.

how many of u check blogs with Internet Explorer than FireFox?