Signs2: Message

 Save trees to save ourselves! 

On the road to Kodaikanal, the forest department painted a mural promoting environmental awareness. 

A sign of peace 

One morning in Uncle's woodhouse

Several unidentified birds chirp, 

Woke me up earlier than usual. 

The natural alarm of the woods pleased the ears.

I was still drowsy and perplexed by my state of existence. 

Is it that I awoke or that I am still dreaming?

The dark shadow of night removed 

As the early light enters the room,

As beams that support a structure 

It glows as it reflects off the pine woodhouse. 

I couldn't sleep any longer when nature called. 

Because we are not bestowed on a daily basis

With beautiful tones of birds tweeting. 

Excitement pulls me out of bed.

The night cold had left me with a parched throat 

To talk in a hushed tone 

I opened the backdoor.

The song of birds fills the backyard with joy.

It gives the eyes work to spot 

Birds playing hide and seek in the wild undergrowth. 

It was a busy morning with birds. 

Before they take off on their daily foraging, 

I would try my best to capture them 

Before I have my part of breakfast. 

P.s. It's been three years since I visited my uncle's woodhouse in the Kodaikanal half-mountains, surrounded by coffee, pepper, and orange plantations. According to Facebook memories, I left for Kodaikanal today in 2019 and couldn't stop thinking about my past visits. The poem was inspired by waking up one morning to birds singing.

Kumizhi - The ideal place for picnicking and camping near Chennai!

Last Sunday, I was able to go out for the first time in nearly 5 months. I chose to go to a place that hadn't been much explored by many. But when I got there and saw rows of cars parked in front of the lake, I realized I had guessed wrong. 

Among the row of cars, ours (a black Scorpio) is in the middle, and it was me sitting in the passenger seat.

I learned about Kumizhi from a vlog and knew I had to come as soon as possible, but it took me more than a year to visit. Kumizhi is a village about 50 km south of Chennai, on the Nellikuppam road between Kandigai and Othivakkam. Kumizhi features a beautiful lake and small hill forests at a distance of 700 meters in the western direction from the Kumizhi bus stop.

Being Sunday, I expected to see a lot of bikers in Kumizhi, as I had seen a lot of photos and videos of them on Instagram, but instead, I saw families and kids. The reason I noticed it was because the Kovalam Surf School had set up a camp there, and the students and their families had accompanied them and kept themselves occupied on the peaceful lake. 

Another surprise awaited me: the lake bank had been fenced off from vehicles entering, and a small gap was left for the public to enter. Though it kept me away from the water, as I thought of getting close by car (I haven't taken my wheelchair to get down there), it was a good decision to protect the lake and its environment from damage by vehicles since the bikers take their bikes deep into the woods beside the lake. 

We drove for a km and a half on the road alongside the lake and forest to enjoy the scenery, and the wind was cold since it was evening and the late winter season. It caressed. 

I have marked a couple of peacocks spotted in the forest. Because of the contrasting sunlight, we didn't get a clear picture. 

The forest seems to have many birds, and we observed some peacocks, one of which flew across the road, and I also noticed a mongoose on the road.  Although seeing a mongoose isn't surprising given the number of them in our neighborhood, I wish I could have spent more time there viewing additional birds and creatures. Avoid Sundays if you want to appreciate the peace of nature. 

In addition to swimming, the surf school (that was camped there) appeared to offer kayaking to students, and I also spotted a student balancing on a surfboard on the tranquil lake. During the rainy season, I saw images of the lake where the water level had risen to the road, but when I saw the water level had dropped, it seemed to be an advantage for practicing water sports.

My mom went close to the lake to capture these photos on my behalf. We left the place with a desire to come back, and I wish to come back in my wheelchair to explore the nature out there. I recommend this place as the best picnic spot for family and friends' gatherings and for those who want to spend time in peace and meditation. 

I'm guessing the lake is already a campsite, with small hikes and tent stays arranged in advance. The road is well tarred for less than a kilometer from the lake up to the Siva temple in the middle of the forest, and it continues to be a perfect off-road for riders alike. 

I went for a short ride on this road just for fun, and I believe that the road that is less traveled or offroad provides the best experience of nature, and I enjoyed it. And it wasn't difficult for us because we were in a high-ground SUV, but cars will suffer. 

Crested Serpent Eagle

The first bird I shot from my first time stay at my uncle's woodhouse in Thandikudi, near Kodaikanal, was the Crested serpent eagle. The bird of prey came very close, perching a tree in the backyard of the woodhouse, and I shot the bird from the balcony that overlooks the coffee plantation and wild vegetation. 

I already stayed at Thandikudi twice then and have seen the serpent eagle in one of my trips, but that was the first time I encountered at the close, and the bird was looking for prey - perhaps a little bird that was flying around. The bird flew later with a great swish-swash of its widespread wings. 

My uncle constructed the woodhouse and cottage in late 2015 in the coffee estate he bought lately then, and we have been visiting the property (Smokey Haven) since 2016 until pandemic blocked any course of travel. Glad I hold many photos from the trips to the property to unfold any time to travel back in memories and thus a moment shared with an eagle.

The Crested serpent eagle is a medium-sized bird of prey found in forested habitats across tropical Asia. Like its broad wings (with which it flies over the forest canopy), the bird's range is widespread across Asia, with variations within itself; some treat several of its subspecies as separate species. The bird with long feathers on the back of the head (apart from having a look of a large head) give them a maned and crested appearance, and hence feeding on snakes often, gave them their name and are placed along with the snake eagles in the subfamily Circaetinae. (source wiki)

Indian Golden Jackal and Its Relevant!

Foxes and Jackals have become an endangered species in our  Indian subcontinent, and I remember seeing a Jackal (in wilder) only once in the Kodiakkarai scrub forest, aka Point Calimere.  I have been to many wild forests, but nowhere I could see a Fox or Jackal. It seems the foxes have almost lost their habitation, and who could be responsible for that other than us, the human beings? 

Man hunted foxes/jackals for their skin and flesh - believing to have medical values is used in traditional medicine is one of the reasons for the foxes to disappear from the forest. And those who hunt foxes are called Narikuravar (fox tribe) in southern India, and they sell things made of fox body parts, esp. they make necklaces with fox tooth hanging.

But they stopped hunting fox/jackals after the Indian Wildlife Conservation Act (1972 as amended to 2005) forbids the hunting of all wildlife; they were prohibited entry into the forests; thus took alternatives such as selling beaded ornaments to survive. But beyond that, habitat loss is the main reason for the fox/jackal to become endangered.  The conversion of grassland habitat to agriculture, industry, and increasingly bio-fuel plantations have drastically affected its population.

There is an attitude of comparing fox/jackal trickery and ingenuity with people among us, who are very sharp, specific, and self-centered. There's a famous story of The Fox and Crow told in various versions (and ours was "granny's vada"); to praise the trickiness of fox, but the moral of the story was to never deceive anyone cunningly for our benefit and don't believe everyone's word.

There is also a superstition in India that waking up on a fox face or hearing a jackal howl means good things will happen. And there are much folklore, mythology, and literature relevant to the jackal's cunningness and religious beliefs.  So whatever it is, preserving a dying species is everyone's duty, and those living around the forest need to be more responsible, emphasizing the same.

The golden jackal I shared here was shot at Amirthi Zoological Park, near Vellore. The Park has a nice set of dens, that too a colorful one - paintings of trees resembling the walls of the kindergarten - covered by a partial dome-like cage. When we visited, a lone jackal was roaming outside the dens - there are two separate dens, what I guess was there must be at least a pair of jackals -  right now, only one is available.

The Golden Jackal, believed to be a social animal that lives either as pairs or packs like wolves, is native to Southeast Europe to Southeast Asia. Comparatively, a small size wolf, "the jackal possesses shorter legs and a shorter tail, a more elongated torso, a less-prominent forehead, and a narrower and more pointed muzzle. The golden jackal's coat can vary in color from a pale creamy yellow in summer to a dark tawny beige in winter."

"The genetic studies indicate the golden jackal expanded from India around 20,000 years ago, towards the end of the last ice age. Golden jackals' habitat in valleys and beside rivers and their tributaries, canals, lakes, and seashores feed on foods ranging from fruit and insects to small ungulates."  (courtesy wiki)

Human-Animal Conflict and The Man-Eater

Tiger - the national animal of India - spread all over the country from the foothills of the Himalayas to the southern tip of India Kanyakumari. India has many National Park and Tiger Reserve. It was Project Tiger - a tiger conservation program that began in 1973 to prevent the animal from becoming extinct and preserving its natural habitat - the tiger population in India has increased to nearly 4000.

Tiger wall painting from Amirthi zoological park, near Vellore

There are five tiger reserves in our state (Tamil Nadu), and the Mudumalai in the Nilgiri District is the oldest National Park and Tiger Reserve. Nilgiri is the largest biosphere covering about 80% of the forest, and Ooty, a popular south Indian hill-station, is the administrative town of the district. And Nilgiri being a great forest terrain with widespread tea plantations and small towns and villages,  the human-animal conflict has been a common thing, and sometimes it costs human lives. 

Most of the time,  elephants cause damage to materials and lives of people, and seldom tigers or leopards, or bear cause death. Human-animal conflict is mainly because of humans occupying forest space and interfering with the path of animals. Human encroachment and building of houses and cultivation on the migratory path lost track of animals to invade human habitation and confront lives. 

Now coming to the man-eater that has taken away the lives of four people in the last few months in the Nilgiris has become a threat to lives adjoining the Tiger Reserve. The higher officials have issued an order to shoot the man-eating Tiger against the initial decision of capture it alive using the tranquilizer to sedate. The decision to kill the Tiger was taken based on 4th victim, who was killed and ate by the Tiger,  while in the other incidents, the victims were just stroke to die. 

Tiger is said to be a shy animal and mostly seems to avoid the human presence and stay away in the dense forest area, infiltrate the human habitation only when it was unable to survive in the forest, due to wound or aging. The case of the man-eating Tiger, which caused the death of 4 people, has taken place in the buffer zone - an area adjoining the forest, where people drive cattle for grazing. 

We can't justify here where the villagers would go - who lives inside or adjoining the forest - to feed their livestock.  I think it's the human mistakes that we can't blame animals, and they don't know the boundaries, and deforestation has shrunk their habitation.  So the only way to protect their existence was by giving before animals and staying away from the forest. 

They say, once the man-eater would always like to taste human flesh, and driving it away could never be a solution than hunt down or cage the Tiger at some protected place. I watched a Bollywood movie lately called Sherni - acted by Vidya Balan as a woman forest officer - trying to catch (believed to be) a  man-eating Tigress and create peace in a remote village adjoining forest. But the movie ends with Tigress falling prey to human pride and official injustice, leaving back its cubs. 

The targeted man-eater seems to keep moving since the victims don't come from the same place, and the last man reported to die was from Masinagudi, about 30-35kms from the previous victim. Masinagudi is a small town located in the middle of Mudumalai Tiger Reserve is one place that greatly infiltrates the forest land by building plenty of resorts in the buffer zone. Due to strict action lately, many resorts built on elephant corridors were closed.

The latest update was the man-eater escape the official surveillance! And a search operation is launched with the help of Kumki elephants - trained elephants to trap and rescue wild elephants. As a piece of good news, the Tiger will be caught alive, said the officials. 

 (sorry for the long post) I just went with the flow of thought and info. Thank you 

A Wild Experience and Bloom

 

Captured this cute little blossom from the wilderness mixed with fear and excitement! It seems like a kind of wild daisy flower was bloomed a lot alongside the headwaters of the Bhavani River in Nilgiris, and these flowers were tiny and less than an inch in size bloomed in white as well.

The headwater of the Bhavani River is one of the wildest places I have visited (in 2011) and, it still excites me to think back. There was no one at the place when we visited as 7, not because it was a weekday or off-seasoned, but it's a restricted place and needs permission from the forest department. It's not an easy task unless a few years ago, before the forest department make revenue by turning it into an ecotourism spot.

Once entered, we are cut off from the outside world, though it was 10 years before - even now too; if trapped, we would be left to a standstill until the forest officers come to rescue. Photography was prohibited inside the forest, but we had no option, and it's impossible to resist taking photos as what we see was pristine in its beauty to the senses. Despite the warning, the officer in charge tested our truthfulness by enquiring we have a camera; later encouraged us that going inside the forest without a camera is worthless and said it's ok to carry a camera and make sure to keep it out of their officials' sight.

I never shared any photos shot from my visit to this place, not that it was prohibited but to protect nature in my personal interest. Today many photos are upload from this place, and perhaps to say after it was open to the tourist in the name of ecotourism.  This part of the western catchment area contributes a tremendous amount of water - for hydroelectric, irrigation, and drinking, which needs to be preserved from any action against its ecosystem.

There are a few more lists of places I visited that I have no idea of sharing in the future too. But I wish I could write my experience here and there.

Predator

Some kind of wild or unknown insect, which perhaps looks like a sort of mosquito. From a long back visit to Yercaud 

Linking this post with SATURDAY CRITTERS

Healing Earth and Me

Pandemic is what all about and all roads lead to same for more than last three months and we still have any idea where and when it all going to end though we know for sure it will and should be end at an end. Everyone should have gone through different experiences during this period of pandemic and lockdown and this goes like a real life drama without any rehearsals and it has affected us in no way one could imagined. But one great comforting thing the pandemic made was refining nature and environment.  Today being Sunday and final day of total lockdown the carbon monoxide level in the air in Chennai has went  down to the level of 8 what usually used to be 60+, which marks moderate air quality, makes apparent how significant the changes are. But this doesn’t going to sustain for sure when the relaxed lockdown come into force from tomorrow, however getting life back to normal is quite important while keeping the environment clean.

The lockdown really made feel secured a lot during these pandemic days as we’re uncertain who carries the virus, staying home we feel safe.   I didn’t find the lockdown a greatly difficult as my life is almost made into home  but as a travel enthuse its quite different and I live all these days with my travel memories and watching travel/food vlogs on YouTube. Nature and environment is clean making me so happy and I’m enjoying more bird sounds these days than vrooming bikes and cars. I think if not pandemic the earth wouldn’t get a chance to cleans the manmade dirt though it isn’t a happier way to support or got this done from peoples suffering and deaths. Nature is rich and it has the power to recycle and we’re same as any other living on the earth. Animals traces their roots and corridors while we shut our roads and leave no foot prints inside their landscapes, it still make  worry to hear even the predators (us) are lockdown in home, more than a dozen elephants died (including the one shot by farmers) for unreasoning in Tamil Nadu in last few weeks.

I could say the last few weeks were the worst days for me during this lockdown period and I think you people know and if not, I went through a long-time fever ever in my life and I quite terrified as you know we go through pandemic I’m uncertain and anxious what these symptoms lead to. Glad it was only a urinary tract infection and the injections worked really well and I’m out of it. But before it got over I had a severe sprain at my ankle and I am still going through the pain and swelling and if it continues few more days, I had to take an x-ray to see what really happened. My physiotherapist said nothing to worry but I go through doubts. I hope you guys continue on the safe path and stay safe at home. Wish the pandemic is over or reduced sooner to become not a life thereat. 

Clean Environment and Covid 19

Unity is what Covid 19 taught us or forced us to do so today, but the difference here’s we all have to distance ourselves to stay together in the process of defending from the infectious virus. What this unity proves is that if we decided to stand together we can bring change over anything. Though positivity in Covid is worrisome and life threatening but there’s lot of positivity the togetherness we created by staying at home in influence of lockdown. Air, an essential element of nature, and the life source of every living species, have drastically changed over this period of lockdown since the transportation and industries come to a halt, it gives a great sigh of relief and desires to sustain in this flow.  In Chennai the air quality index has come low as ever and Adyar, where I live is below 8 (of April 29, 16:00) which regularly count 60+ before.

Same as air, the water bodies and rivers too refined without the flow of industrial waste and abuse of human. Prime Minister Modi in his election campaign promised to clean the Ganges River, which become dirtier in the long run of effluent against its state of sanctity, but before he initiate or think about it corona did it on his behalf.  People in belief of overcoming their sins, take bath in Ganges and leave their belongings into the river to become a mess and threat to lives depend on the flow of river. While Covid 19 troubles people and kills many simultaneously, it also silently cleanse the environment by holding us at home, even though it’s uncertain that the recovering of the hole in ozone layer is due to the lessening of pollution levels across the globe in last few months of lockdown, it was a great news and cheerful moment for environmental activists who work on this front.

Like how in sedimentation, the solid matters settles at the bottom of the liquid in lack of motion, the lesser amount of activities on earth helped the environment to resettle things that affects nature and health. I don’t think there could be a better moment like this to look back into the future we come across destructing anything that could be possible to improve our lives and livelihoods, taking nature, the only tool in hand. Now, all taking break at home, and fighting back the Covid 19, nature took this chance to restore the environment to its pristine or close to former conditions. Animals and birds too started to trace back their roots we uprooted to develop our lives or began visiting their ancestor’s homes we destroyed to build our own.

Lately, I was amazed to see a bird picture in Instagram, captured by someone in the neighbourhood and it was the same bird species I found in Kodaikanal. The interesting thing was it was a migratory bird from Himalayas and it flew down to southern states during winter and now I found Chennai has been a stopping ground on its course up and down! Though we know we’re paying a massive price to restore the earth and of course, it isn’t the way we anticipated or wished for things to change on earth, but preserving this state of cleanliness is must when we return to new normal lifestyle. I know it is not possible to quite sustain in this state of clean environment when life kick-starts again and industries open their shutters but creating a balance between environment and livelihood could make better our lifestyle. 

Hope all stay safe

Silence Speaks Louder

Captured from one of my trips to mountains, staying at uncle's woodhouse in  kodaikanal

The world speaks in silence

Desert as ever before

Soundlessness is strange

Yet it is not so quiet,  

Tiny noises make sense

And annoys as well

Diverts the attention of anything

That I try to concentrate,  

Screeches and screams are loud

Perhaps we used to noises

That sustained to a level of decibel

Now, incredible low, due to lockdown

Silence reinstitutes the natural syllabus

In wind prose and bird poems,  

While the most dangerousness stays at home

The endangered are out

To give voice to their lost chord

Or shriek in restoring its space

As if they got their (last) chance

To speak, when world is mute.

Visit to Amirthi Zoological Park, near Vellor

Two weeks before, I visited the Amirthi Zoological Park in the vicinity of Amirthi forest on the foot of Jawadhu Hills, near Vellore.  Though the zoological park comes under Tiruvannamalai district, the Vellore city is closer by 25 kms.  I was planning to visit the park for last few years, and when I made a visit to Balamathi Hills, adjacent to Vellore city in Feb 2018, I couldn’t make up to the park due to lack of time and I too did not want the visit to be a hurried one.

I learned the zoological park is accessible by wheelchairs and visiting a park in the forest environment could never miss out of my pocket, because I’m someone always enjoy visiting forest and stay close to nature. We started the trip from home (Chennai) at 8am and get there by 12.30 pm, meanwhile stopping the car for breakfast and buying lunch (biryani) at Arcot, and the route from there was scenic and beautiful as it took us through mountains and countryside scenes.

'The Arcot – Kannamangalam is the best and shortest route to reach Amirthi for people coming from Chennai; and Arcot is the right place to buy food stuffs because there's nothing available at Amirthi, even though there’s a canteen run by the forest department, outside the zoological park, we could not expect anything surely. They don’t allow carrying foods inside the park, so we had our lunch at the parking lot and there are slabs to sit around the trees to have lunch but there’s lot of monkeys and stray dogs to cause fear.

Indian pond turtles

Amirthi is a small zoological park, developed on 25 hectares of forest land, which covers 25 km of forest, made as a wildlife sanctuary and tourist spot the other half. The park opened in 1967 has minimum number of animals and birds and during my visit I found many empty cages to make me disappoint.  The zoological park seemed to be renovated lately or the works haven't finished yet, as many cages left with a note of under repair; the park is well paved to reach every corner of the park without difficult and it helps to take closer looks at animals and birds in cage. 

Python relaxing at its room

I saw Indian pond turtles inside a glass tank and Golden fox in a den like setting, roaming alone sadly.  There’s a section for snakes with a series of glass rooms but only a python and Russell’s viper is available to see, while other rooms are empty. I saw a sign board at the park, warning people on snakes since the park is located in the vicinity of forest snakes are supposed to wander freely on the campus.  Mongooses are enclosed in a room next to snakes and porcupines in another small cage, peacocks, pelicans and herons are put in subsequence cages.

Golden Fox (see on the right) in its cage

 Pelicans and herons

There are many colourful images of animals, birds and reptiles painted on the walls inside and outside of the park captured our attention. The park, established in a forest land makes feel its presence though the number of trees that exist from the forest environment had made a natural canopy throughout the park to make feel always cool and shady. Amirthi zoological park could be a best picnic place for family and friends to spend a day on natural environment and shadows, apart watching animals.

Amirthi is a very small zoo where you could not expect more; even the children’s park in Chennai has more animals to attract visitors. Apart the park, there’s a seasonal waterfalls about a km from here which had to be reached by trekking. The best time to visit the park is from September to February to make use of more greenery and to enjoy the waterfalls and river run beside the park, but even on midsummer you won’t be feel the weather once entered the forest environment.

I really enjoyed the place despite being a Sunday; there weren’t much people around the park and only at the time of leaving found a bus full of school kids having lunch at the parking lot. Staffs at the park were kind to inquire about my convenient there, and was I able to go everywhere? The only thing that bothers me was to see fewer animals than expected. Though I don’t like seeing birds or animals in enclosed cages while they have wing to fly and legs to run… I’m at least happy to see them because even if we go to forest seeing them is doubt. 

I took many photos and I can't post all at a time here... so my future posts will carry those.

Check Post – 3

Here’s part 3 on the series on Check Post where I would like to share moments related to check posts that I have come across during my travel. Today’s post is on Berijam.

A welcome arch by nature through forest, shot during a visit in 2009

It was in 2006, we ventured into the Berijam forest near Kodaikanal and it was my cousins’ inspired me not to miss this place when I visited Kodaikanal for 2^nd time and it was many time already for them. I hear them saying that leopards/tigers visit Berijam Lake to quench thirst and bison are common sighting the way want me to visit and experience adventure. Berijam is a pristine lake area located inside the dense forest and visiting it needs prior permission from district forest office (DFO) at Kodaikanal. A warden who arranged accommodation for us at Kodai, at that time, did help obtain permission to visit Berijam where only 20 vehicles is allowed per day to preserve the natural environment and wild.

We reached Kodai a day early to my aunt’s family join us on the trip in their car and we in cab SUV, but we got permit only for our cab car and we already 9 members on-board, received my aunt and two little cousins for a drive of about 30 km from Kodai. We doubt really will they allow our overloaded vehicle at the check post, but glad they didn’t check our vehicle and only dad get down to sign at the check post and we drove through one of the best preserved wild environment  of flora and fauna. The entire area is a biodiversity and unpolluted earth and it’s a complete pleasure and refresher to venture and its advised not  to get down anywhere other than the specified spots.

Berijam lake in 2006

Same view in 2017 -  no changes in shape and view on Lake

There’s another check post at the Lake area, where vehicles are stopped and parked aside the road and to check the place only by walk, but they allowed our car to drop me close to lake to get down to the wheelchair. I used manual wheelchair then and we spent some time on the lake bank, and taking photos it slowly started to drizzle and furthered showered rushed people to their cars, since there isn’t a place for shelter there. My wheelchair was pushed speedily by my brother to prevent getting soaked and in the force a front caster of the wheelchair came out and I was pushed further in tilt position till the car.  Berijam is a freshwater swamp lake and people are allowed only at defined space and to and fro through the car, our eyes were spotting for any wild animals.

Me at Berijam Lake in manual wheelchair aside dad and cousin in 2006

I have visited Berijam couple of times after that and there isn’t much changes on the place for good and each visit was a different experience for me and lately the forest department itself  running an ecotourism trip to Berijam and the number of private vehicles allowed has also been increased is certainly a disturbance to the ecosystem there. Berijam Lake is 9 km in circumference and located at 2165 MSL and it is also considered as one of biggest freshwater lakes in Asia. During my second visit I encountered Sambar deer, Langur and Giant Malabar Squirrel but beyond that the presence of nature and calmness wants me to go their how many times possible.

Check Post - 2

Check post is a series I have started (click here for post 1) where I would like to share moments related to check posts that I have come across during my travel. There’s a check post everywhere and these check post are important in sustaining a control over unruly esp. when it comes nature environment, wild and national defence and interest. Let it be anything, crossing a check post need consideration because skipping any working check post will land in trouble. Though we hadn’t messed up anywhere but got warned by the check post guards sometime and threat a penalty.

Just like in the previous post, where we stopped by a forest dept. check post before entering Hogenakkal and this post too is similar to the evening but here it was afternoon when we try to cross Papanasam check post to visit Karaiyar Dam in Pothigai Hills. It was in 1999, during my first time trip to Kodaikanal and Tirunelveli; we visited Courtallam on the 4^th day of our travel and then went to Agathiyar Falls inPapanasam and Karaiyar Dam (which weren’t in our plan) and we had no idea about this terrain as well. It was our friend who hailed from Tirunelveli, took us around the places and guided us on the entire trip (which I think I need to write a separate post on it later) and after taking showering from the popular Coutrallam waterfalls there we pursuit to Karaiyar Dam, which is 10km uphill from Papanasam.

The forest check post at Papanasam blocked our Ambassador car, and I guess they request for a permission letter and if I remember we paid some amount per head of us for them to allow inside the Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve, where the Karaiyar Dam is built across Thamirabarani River. The road was narrow and potholed at many places where our Ambassador car passed effortlessly and entirely the road was silent and far empty with couple of stops with EB quarters and some settlement. The road travels along the Thamirabarani River and we could see huge pipes taking water down to the PowerStation at the foothill. I felt a sense of quietness all over; except for the voices inside the car and it was there I spot the Nilgirilangur for first time. The water level at the dam was far down then and a row of boats were parked along the bank to take visitor (on their willingness) to the other side of the dam  to check Roja Falls – named after the popular film Roja where  it was shot.

The view that I got from the dam is etched still on my mind. I rarely had a photo on it where I really need to dig out from the old photos collection. I was so interested taking the boat ride there, despite the ankle sprain I got on Kodaikanal; we were in lack of time as we need to head east to visit Tiruchendor before the end of the day. The picture of Nilgiri langur (above) was shot from the wilderness of Nilgiris during my visit in 2017.  

Checkpost - 1

Check post is a series I have started (at a blink of thought while reading Hot Tea) where I would like to share moments related to check posts that I have come across during my travel. I could remember some check posts that went smooth with the guards permitting, giving tips on the route and encouraging kind of guards and some are stubborn to stern to warn us to turn back and it’s not the check posts actually but the location and places we like to venture makes it possible or not. There are check posts on every border of states, districts, and restricted areas like forests and dams and the foothills to prevent illegal activities and preserve nature and environments. Check posts really plays significant roles in controlling smuggling, verifying vehicle documents for right registration and makes sure a secure travel.

I remember my first encounter with a check post was in 1997, a barrier belong to Tamil Nadu forest department held us for some time when we try to visit Hogenakkal Falls in Dharmapuri district. We just drove from Mysore, after our visits to Ooty and Mysore; it was almost night or around 8 when our car (Maruti 800) was stopped by the forest department denying permission to allow us into Hogenakkal which is located inside the forest. Unlike today, it wasn’t a greatly popular tourist place with plenty of lodging and restaurants then, so the movement of vehicles are less and no vehicle is allowed after 6 pm to visit the falls at the bank of Cauvery. It was pitched dark around us except a bulb light from the check post, and a silent noise of forest surrounds us while my dad and uncle was convincing the guards to permit us as we had no other option or idea to return. The guards came down after sometime and we were in chaos sitting inside the car and a mild fear of forest as we couldn’t see even what is near us. We drove past the Ghats section with a small terror after getting permission and we stopped at the Tamilnadu tourism hotel, for a night stay and visited the falls next day morning.

Actually there were 8 members in the hatchback and I was 12 then and my brother was 3 years younger to me and my cousin was 2 years. Sometimes I sit in the front seat adjusting with my maternal uncle and other two take the laps of our parents throughout our journey and the trip was entirely memorable and I could recollect the moments still.

Gaja and the cottage at Kodiyakarai

The cyclone Gaja has smashed the coastal districts up to 6, and took very unusual routes into the land without losing its strength has stroke couple of mountainous districts causing heavy downpour and windstorms resulting in number of tree fall and landslides. Kodaikanal – my most visited place for vacation, where my uncle owns wood houses and cottage – being the core part of the cyclone, before it enters the Kerala state and Arabian Sea shook the mountains to unlink most of the roads and many remote villages are inaccessible still and out of electric. Even at the vicinity of my uncle’s woodhouse and plantation, many banana trees had fell and there’s no water or electric.

At the other hand I was wonder what could happened to the beautiful cottage we stayed in Kodiyakarai (PointCalimere) during our visit to the wildlife and bird sanctuary there, which was the eye of cyclone Gaja! It’s nearly a century old tiled roof cottage; adjoin the sanctuary and coastal line, built by Thambusamy Pillai, a sea merchant. There’s two suites named as Pelican and Flamingo, which is popular migratory birds of the sanctuary. I really loved this place, despite the frequent power cuts and mosquito bites; I could see deer and peacocks turn pleasant the moments anytime by their presence. Kodiyakarai and Vedaranyam in Nagai district is worst affected and almost cut off from the rest of the places, as it located on the eastern edge of the state.

The places that are affected by Gaja continues to fight against the debris the cyclone left back, after pulled down many houses and destruction of livelihoods. And to make situation worse, these places continue to receive heavy rains due to another depression at the sea and a warning of 300 mm of rain still. However it was raining from the morning here, more rains is expected in coming days. Hope it rains well, never a kind of flooding, to uplift the ground water and filling of lakes to support our city’s water scarcity. The pictures here are on the cottage we stayed at Kodiyakarai.

Beetle Play

My cousin picked up this green beetle from the woods (during our vacation at the woodhouse near Kodai) and I was scared when he put it on my wheelchair board. But he told me it was lifeless so did I breathe, because I am always scared of insects and that not mean I hate insects but I like watching and shooting from a distance. He knows I like to shoot interesting subjects and as I had camera on hand I immediately took a snap on the beetle to only see a little vibrate in its legs but before we realize it was alive, it took off to fly! We were surprised and he told it was on the ground, with all mud sticking on it made certain it was dead   and was like that until I took snap.  I could still recollect the vibrate it creates before taking off.

I leave with another wild insect I captured from the same vacation and I have idea about the species and it was lying on the dining table out at the woodhouse balcony.

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Karimutty Waterfalls, Marayur

Following Thoovanam, we checked the Karimutty waterfalls on our travel to Munnar. The beautiful, fresh and natural waterfall is located on the end of Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary and 3km earlier to Marayur, the only town between Munnar and Udumalpet – from where we started our journey. The waterfall makes an impressive fall right next to the road and one could get a full view from the bridge across the waterfalls.

Few kms ahead to the waterfalls, we saw the water flowing down the mountains through thick vegetation and grasslands and the water is believed to have medicinal values as it passes through lot of herbs. Since it was slightly wet and drizzling weather, the waterfall makes feel cool and refreshing. There is a stair leading down to the waterfalls, provide a secure platform for people who desire to take bath and beside the falls there’s a room which I believe to be built for changing cloths.

Adjacent to the waterfalls, there’s a huge sculpture of an Indian Star Tortoise. I actually thought it was built to enhance the waterfalls but we find it was an Eco shop with an opening in the side, sells products made by the local tribal communities. The eco-shop also sell tea, coffee, biscuits and snacks along with some organic and herb products with the help of forest department. The Indian Star Tortoise structure here marks the existence of the endangered species more on the rivers along the Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary.

My dad stood at the side of the falls, and our car parked aside the road (pic right above) and water running down across the bridge on other side of the waterfall 

This place is also facilitated by homestays and accommodation in forest guest house, from where one could take forest trek to Thoovanam waterfalls and Ancient dolmens and rock paintings date back to the Stone Age. Marayur is the only place in Kerala that has natural sandalwood forest from where one could learn more on the fragrant trees and is also popular for jiggery. Karimutty waterfall is located at a height of 500 meter, is a tributary to Pambar River flowing through the Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary.

Thoovanam Waterfalls

During my travel to Munnar, through Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary, we got to see this awesome waterfall from the road we are traveling between Udumalpet and Marayoor and it was flowing gracefully down the valley covered in dense forest. Thoovanam, meaning drizzling sky, is one of the beautiful waterfalls I have seen and though it flows far from where we stood watching its majesty, we could hear the rushing water cascading from a height of 82 feet.

Thoovanam could not stop us from thinking about Athirapally, the largest waterfall in Kerala on the Chalakudy River, which we checked while staying from Valparai in 2008. Though Thoovanam isn’t big as Athirapally, the way it looks resembles. Actually we missed a stop earlier on road, where we would have got a whole view of the waterfalls, but I was truly content from the location we stopped to watch and take photos as it gave a bit near view.

Thoovanam waterfalls from on the Pambar River that run down along the valley between the hills and dense forest, and the highway between Udumalapet and Munnar travels along the river which supposed to be originated at Anaimudi, the tallest peak of  South India. The Chinnar wildlife sanctuary offers trekking to the waterfall and the forest guided trek takes about 2-3 hours to cover 4km of stretch through wild forest and hills.

The valley view where the Pambar river winding through thick forest after magnificently fall as Thoovanam

Apt. to the name of waterfalls (Thoovanam) the weather was drizzling sky as we passed the mountain Ghats. Though our entire trip to Munnar in November was drizzling, rainy and foggy for the most gave far refreshing sight of many waterfalls and cool weather along our travel, Thoovanam as it flows through a pristine cover of forest green is spectacular to be watched again and again.

From my Trip to Mountains

Six days passed since I climbed down the mountains and I traveled through two different parts of Western Ghats, although I have visited them already few times, I just went to see if I could reveal some more and enjoy the cool weather and nature I am always fond of. Staying from uncle’s woodhouse in Kodai Hills (Thandikudi) we relished and relaxed a while for few days before climbing down and up to another part of Western Ghats in Theni district.

My uncle's woodhouse called Smokey Haven

After a long time, I visited Bryant Park in Kodaikanal with an expectation to see Kurinji, which started to bloom after 12 years. In 2006 we saw Kurinji flowers bloomed at the popular Kurinji Andavar Temple there and at the edge of some valleys; I really wish to see its bloom again as it is the year of blooming. Although I know the peak season of Kurinji blooming begin from May to September, the time the southwest monsoon lash, I tried my chance to see the flower but couldn’t make way to one. Wish I could revisit the Kodai again later this year to see my second chance for Kurinji.

The Bryant Park doesn’t have any flowers this time and I know I’m too early to look out for flowers as the Park was only getting ready with freshly cut and planting of flowering plants to be bloomed during the summer vacation or flower show in May. The park was free of the crowd and gave amply space to move unhurried and capture landscape photos of gardens and some flowering plants. Apart from the park, I checked a couple of old churches in Kodaikanal with remarkable architectures and hidden beauty, after going through some street searching. 

Except for a day going to Kodaikanal, we spent most of the time at the woodhouse and short drives around. As usual, I enjoyed the birds chirping, and taking photos around the woodhouse. The days are sunny and cool at night helped me to stay outside the most and the travel to the hills in Theni was only somehow disappointed. I have been to this mountain in Theni twice and once have stayed at the govt. guest house at the mountain top at a height of 1500 MSL. I really don’t want to reveal anything about the place which had a new road lately what made me disappointed.

The mountain is partially leased by a private tea plantation, and other parts come under wildlife sanctuary with biodiversity. Only recently government decided and laid the road to this place which has been almost off-road for many years, where even buses played up and down through huge bumps. What bothered me was the road’s width. It was already a single road and the environment dept. permitted to lay the road for only 5 meters width, but they have widened the road to 12 meters which meant cutting down a lot of trees and many were rare species.

I couldn’t take it easy not only because it is my favorite place, but nature out there

is also incredible and untouched by many. The streams, rivers, and dams all hold freshwater, which is becoming a rare source of nature everywhere and the people here use only natural spring water that flourishes throughout the mountains. I feel so blissful every time being there, listening to birds with distinct notes and watching the sunset from this mountain is spectacular indeed. Theni is been my favorite place since visited in 2006 and I always enjoy being there whenever I get the chance. I think to make many posts out of the trip in future posts. Keep sharing