Travel through Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary

A continuation of travel to Munnar…

Following Anamalai Tiger Reserve, we entered the Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary as well as the state of Kerala crossing the border check posts of Tamil Nadu and Kerala. Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary is facilitated with ecotourism where tourist can stay and enjoy wildlife from their rest houses and take safaris and hiking through forest. The Chinnar got its name from the river Chinnar, meaning small river, which travels long the northern edge of the sanctuary defining the state boundary of Tamil Nadu/Kerala by East-West.

(the monkey leaped on our car bonnet and we're force to roll up the windows)

It continues to be cloudy and slightly drizzle to keep environment wet as we travel for about 13km through the sanctuary and few kms from check post the Pambar River joins for company along the left side of the road and as we continue to elevate through hills the river travelled against us as gorge. We stopped at few places to watch the river flowing amid the wild forest and hills and at some places making beautiful waterfalls. Near the check post of the Sanctuary we are attracted to the handing bridges made for monkeys to cross the road, and we find couple of monkeys using the bridges, which remind me Valparai, where I saw the bridges made for same to the endangered Lion tailed macaques.  

With Eravikulam National Park to the south and Indira Gandhi Wildlife Sanctuary (Anamalai Tiger Reserve) to north and Kodaikanal Wildlife Sanctuary to east, Chinnar forms an integral part of 1187 sq. km of protected forests. The road from Udumalpet-Munnar passes though the sanctuary, divides it into nearly equal portions and the Chinnar and Pambar rivers being a perennial of the sanctuary leads to Amaravati Dam after merging at the interstate boundary. The Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary is home to 34 species of mammals including Tigers, Panthers, Elephants and Nilgiri Tahr and Indian star tortoise and mugger crocodiles live largely in the sanctuary.

A forest camp site is down the valley and close to the Pambar river

The Ecoregion of the sanctuary comprises mostly grassland and wet grasslands vegetation with 965 species of flowering plants and some South Western Ghats montane rain forest and moist deciduous forest and high sholas. The Maraoor sandalwood forest or reserve is located close to the sanctuary and Thoovanam waterfalls is a must watch for anyone on this route. More on later…

Pambar river creating little falls like flow

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Anamalai Tiger Reserve, Amaravathi division

Back on my travel experience to Munnar, and like I told in my earlier post on same it was drizzling or slowly showering as we moved out of the Udumalapet guest house. As we loved the taste of the dinner from Hotel Ariya Bhavan there, we hadn’t anything to choose for breakfast and as I want to be around the Tiger Reserve as early possible we took parcel from the hotel and ate before we enter the forest area. The Anamalai Tiger Reserve here comes under Amaravathi division, which is a part of the Anamalai Hills, a range of mountains in the southern part of Western Ghats.

I have been to the other parts of Anamalai Tiger Reserve, including the tourist attracts Topslip and Valparai and I have even went to Amaravathi Dam and Crocodile park adjoining the Tiger Reserve. A ranger whom we met here took us on a brief ride into the forest when checking Amaravathi Nagar in 2008, but since I know the road from here goes to Munnar, I wanted to take this road when I travel to same. Actually it become a dream for me to take this road, as it passes through two wildlife sanctuaries, it would be a great opportunity to see wild animals at their abode.

Herd of deer staring at us through bushes (all pics can be enlarged)

I want to be there early in morning so that more animals could be sighted, but we couldn’t make up before 9 am, the time we reached the forest check post. While dad went to sign the register, the guard who came checking the car protested for taking our pet dog into the tiger reserve and he insist for veterinary certificate to give permit. We are told that allowing outside animals have a risk of spreading disease to other wild animals, if the one have any and the veterinary certificate is must to ensure the dog is healthy. But his higher officer just instructed to not let down the dog anywhere until moved out of the tiger reserve.

The traffic free forest road though Anamalai Tiger Reserve, and the border check post near Chinnar wildlife sanctuary

We could understand why they are strict with outside animals but we haven’t faced anything like this earlier even though we have stayed in Topslip (one of the core area), Valparai and Cloud Mountain with high fauna. We aren’t complaining anyway but rather happy that forest department is conscious in preserving the wild animals and this would help us be cautious in future travels with dog. The entire stretch of tiger reserve was wet and drizzling with haze, though the weather was pleasant it don’t give hand in spotting wild animals, perhaps they too don’t like dampness or hideaway in absence  of sunlight.

They told only in evening animals come into sight mostly or should be early in morning, but this unusual weather of showering and fog kept away the little opportunities. We encountered only couple of vehicles in opposite and few overtaking us, as we drove slowly, the road was far empty. The Anamalai Tiger Reserve is a blend of wet evergreen forest, marshes and grass lands covering a total area of 1479 sq. km includes a core area of 958. Sq. km and Amaravathi cover 172.5 sq. km.

Within few kms into the forest we saw a herd of Chital, aka spotted deer, staying and staring from the thicket. My cousin has keen eyes for deer, and alike many a time; he spotted the deer which could be easily missed. It looked like a family of deer, from fawns to well gown with big antlers. They stared at us for few seconds before turn their attention somewhere and marched forward. Where there’s lot of deer means a favourable circumstance for tigers, while deer’s are there favourite prey and according to the census the tiger reserve is home to 32-36 tigers. 

Few kms from there the backwaters of Amaravathi reservoir come to sight. Perhaps due to less water, it looked like swamp and guess animals would come visiting this place to drink water or feed on vegetation.

Vultures on prey

Our next stop was an encounter of vultures prey on some flesh at distance. First thought it was peahens but they haven’t look alike and this is the first time seeing vultures in wild. As we near the border check post (between Tamil Nadu and Kerala) found some peahens around grazing buffaloes, which we though was wild ones but realized soon it should belong to the people around check post. The Chinnar River that crosses here marks the border between the two states, from where the Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary begins – which could be my later post. 

Munnar, Travel in Brief

The entire travel (from Nov 26 to Dec 2) has been really cool and comfort and except couple of sunshine moments, the travel was indeed cloudy, misty and rainy. Thanks to the low pressure and cyclone Ockhi, though it created a great destruction in Kanyakumari/Kerala and blocking certain views during my travel, the sun got total holiday from the sky. The weather was very pleasant when we started our journey from home early in morning and was drizzling though hazy just out of the city. We took OMR to reach the highway and being Sunday roads are bare enough and we felt quick transit entirely and reached our destination (Udumalpet) earlier by 4 pm and settled in the room in about an hour.

Man driving cows in drizzling rain near Udumalpet

Following dinner, we also took our breakfast from Hotel Ariya Bhavan (which was really tasteful) on Munnar-Udumalpet Rd before move into the mountains of Munnar, via Anamalai Tiger Reserve and Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary. Munnar is about 85km from Udumalpet, though it was slightly drizzling all the way to the town, we passed through heavy mist that blocked the sights of certain places including the chance of closely watching the Anamudi, the highest peak after Himalayas in India. But it wasn’t disappointed me anyway since the mist and rain has put us in sheer delight of watching number of waterfalls from the fresh mountain streams. We reached Munnar by noon, and after buying lunch we moved to the cottage (Tea Drops plantation) we have already booked.

Driving through the mist and rain in Munnar

It was really a wonderful place (nestled 7 km away from Munnar) to stay rest and relax among the coffee and cardamom plantations, and its owner Lijo is a friendly person and helps in any other ways. Except the three steps to get into the cottage, it wasn’t difficult to stay around, though it was an old house renovated into a cottage the owner has made things simply neat and hygiene. But the only thing bothered us was the way leading to the cottage. It was about 200 meters down from the main road with a narrow steep road, which at glance felt impossible to climb down or up, but we made it using our SUV which is quite difficult for any other cars.  They provide Jeep support for those come by car to be parked at their Pvt. Parking, but we took risk as I wouldn’t be comfy at their Jeep.

Night effect in Tea Drops plantation cottage

Staying there we visited various places and sightseeing from the two day and three nights. We missed many views as most viewpoints are covered in mist by the time we check, which is perhaps because of the storm but glad there wasn’t heavy rain alike we travelled to Ramakkalmedu, before climbing down the hills. The highway was like a gushing river and the muddy waters were running down the road/hillside and once rain over, mist over take. We couldn’t see anything at the Ramakkalmedu, popular for high blowing wind and viewpoint and shooting spot. The grass mound here has a huge statue of Kuravan Kurathy, a tribal couple, to mark the Sangam landscape and period.

A pleasant view on mountains and tea slopes of Munnar,  and there's a falls beneath, which u could  see in further post

Actually we planned to stay at Cumbum or Theni before taking the long back journey to home, but took a day rest at my uncle’s woodhouse in the mountains of Kodaikanal. We climbed down via Cumbum valley and took the scenic highway, which is my favourite route that travels along the Western Ghats and reached Kodai Ghats section by evening. I thoroughly enjoyed the travel between Cumbum and Kodai and the mountains covered in clouds and lush green fields, along drizzling weather was awesome feel. I also took a short detour to stop at my favourite spot (which u saw in my previous post) to take some shots, but I was disappointed a bit to see two big banners blocking the view.

Breathtaking view on the beauty of Theni, and mountains covered in clouds

We reached the woodhouse by late evening, but it was a real challenge than the entire trip because the road to woodhouse (in Thandikudi) from the Kodaikanal main road was quite lost in mist. The visibility was very very low and we couldn’t see anything beyond two or three feet and the road was a single lane, though there wasn’t a vehicle opposite finding the road and bends were challenging. I open the Google map and using the GPS I kept telling my cousin the curves ahead and  it was really tremble passing the deep valleys. Our entire stay at the woodhouse was under mist, cold and heavy rain. Even Munnar wasn’t cold enough, but this is first time I experience heavy mist and cold in Thandikudi, where it is rainy season. And we returned home on Saturday  (Dec 2) evening.

Cute lil Squirrel

A squirrel shrilling from the backyard in the morning, reminds me it’s Saturday. I’m still wondering what’s the connection between Saturday and squirrels, since childhood I hear to squirrels shrill mostly in the Saturday mornings. Usually it takes me back in memories about certain moments connected with squirrels and Saturday, but this time it remind me the little squirrel I found in the backyard of my uncle’s woodhouse, in the Kodai hills, aka Thandikudi. The woodhouse has a wonderful balcony at the rear open to the woods and vegetation, where I bird watch when I was there, I also find squirrels on the tree. Last time I found a little squirrel which seems to be residing on the jackfruit tree because rather jerking it doesn’t move anywhere or know how to climb down. While busy with other activates, I forget to check the squirrel other day whether it still perched over, but he was a cute little one where I found him even sleep on the branches and quick respond to any sound as a sign of alert. I found two more squirrels there and will share those photos in another post. 

 

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Fresh Waterfall

Driving from Athikadavu to Ooty, passing through Manjoor, we find some pristine waterfalls and freshwater streams/spring during the course and a part of my road less travel. This’s a route that passes through wild forest and private vehicles are allowed only after thoroughly checking or enquired which has been tightened since the intrusion of antisocial.  

Actually this is a river sourced from mountain sholas and it flows like a waterfall at a point where we stopped on the bridge across the river to watch the waterfalls in step format. I think this should be a check dam but in long run the washed off rocks and sand raised the river floor and from the bridge it looked awe with a pool and huge bounder beneath.

Since we drove slowly enjoying the pristine natural environment and forest along, we stopped at many places to watch and capture the nature and manmade that wonder us. I really don’t want to reveal much about this route and let people know themselves if they are interested because we really need to protect these areas and prevent anything disturbing. 

Close up on the falls

Athikadavu, popular for linking with Avinashi

Following our night stay at Sathyamangalam, we headed to Athikadavu on the way to Pilloor dam and then to Ooty. Athikadavu is a familiar name in Tamil Nadu which stands for the long pending Athikadvu-Avinashi project, which is a dream of the dry regions of Coimbatore. Before going future let see how to reach the place. Athikaduavu is 29km from Karamadai, which lies between Coimbatore and Mettupalayam, but as we coming from Sathyamangalam we directly reached Karamadai without going to either places.

A old broken bridge is seen across the bhavani river at Athikadavu

Athikadavu is a place where the Bhavani River re-enters Tamil Nadu after flowing into the neighbourhood state Kerala. The Bhavani River is sourced at Upper Bhavani in the western catchment of Nilgiris in Tamil Nadu. The water flows through Athikadavu is stored at two reservoirs (Pilloor and Bhavani Sagar Dams) on its way before merge with Cauvery at Bhavani Kuduthurai. The Athikadavu-Avinashi project is dated back to Kamaraj regime, while he was chief minister of Tamil Nadu during 1954-1963; it was initiated at 108 crore. But the project ever took place.

Athikadavu Bridge across the Bhavani River

The Athikadavu-Avinashi project is always in talk of politicians propaganda and the activists continue to  fight in supporting the project which is estimated to be more than 1100+ crore, now. It was during the Kamaraj regime where most of the dams in Tamil Nadu were built. And many of them were engineering marvel. The intention of this project is to bring the surplus water from the Pilloor Dam, to the high and dry area of Coimbatore, Tirupur and Erode districts through artificial channels and existing streams to fill up the ponds and lakes to recharge the groundwater table.

The right side view from the bridge on the river and thick foliage leading to pilloor dam

Like I said above, the Bhavani River which originates in the Nilgiris of Western Ghats receives extensive rainfalls during the monsoon seasons and Pilloor Dam was the first to open its shutters due to heavy downpours, which floods the regions around the river seriously. Athikadavu being a backwater region of the dam and geologically located upward comparing its surroundings, achieving the water could be done just by means of concrete traps. This project is believed to bring a revolutionary change in the fields of agriculture, human livelihood and industries of the western part of Tamil Nadu.

A small Bhvani Amman (goddess) temple at Athikadavu

Actually my intention was the check the Pilloor Dam but only after reaching the first forest check post, at the foothill where informed that public is restricted (temporarily) to enter the dam and forest adjoining the river. The road via Athikadavu leads to Ooty, but it was an unusual route that I want to explore for some time and I ever thought it could happen very soon. As I was unsure about the road condition, we had initially planned to go to Mettupalayam and take the Ooty main road after visiting the Pilloor dam but the guards at the check post promised the road was good after certain distance.

A narrow mulli forest road, the elephants could hideaway anywhere

There are three forest check posts on this route and the Mulli check post come bordering with Kerala state, from where one road leads to Pilloor Dam and another to Kerala. We stopped at the Athikadavu Bridge before passing the second check post to capture some photos on the river and forest aside. The road is quite a single lane till Manjoor and passes through thick forest, where elephants frequent. But the road wasn’t good for about 20 kms and seems to be not relayed for decades.  

Friday Review: Vanamagan, the Son of Nature

After the success of Tamil horror comedy flick Devi, director AL Vijay is back on his path of unusual he left with Madrasapattinam and Deiva Thirumagal. Though Vanamagan isn’t impressive as the former ones did, I really want to appreciate him for taking different subjects and experience things. For a tribal role Jayam Ravi isn’t new, as he already done one in Peranmai but what makes difference was he comes from remote and expresses emote instead of dialogues.

Vanamagan (Tamil movie) is about how modernisation and industries destroys the forest and disrupt the tribes who adopt nature as their belonging… but wished the movie adjoin this subject strongly rather moving around cities for first half of the film.

Plot:

Kaviya is a very rich girl and orphan, growing under guardian of her uncle, is carefree and enjoys life on her wish. During a holiday in Andaman Island with friends, she broke into a protected area and accidently hit a tribe by the car. Seeing him bleed, they took him to hospital and later brought to Chennai for further treatment without let know anybody. Back to conscious, the tribe Vaasi got into violence and she was force to take him home, where she learns about the tribe’s behaviour and try to control him. At a moment things went wrong, Vaasi was caught by police and shifted to Andaman where they tried to kill him, but Kavya interrupt and they both escape into forest. And what remain answer everything.

Features:

You can’t keep away the thought of Tarzan or George of the jungle even looking at the poster or trailer, where Jayam Ravi hanging from a root. For Ravi, his body, look and height are apt to the role of Vaasi (Kattu Vaasi), an indigenous tribe unexposed to outside world. But his role as tribe there isn’t much action for him to do or we to feel adventure or we lack interest to watch it as we have seen similar movies earlier… the humour isn’t that much fun or interesting.

Sayyehaa as Kavya is beautiful and captured my attention through her dancing skill than her acting! Perhaps the songs were choreographed by Prabu Deva who’s also called as Indian Michael Jackson. She tried to be beautiful with her expressions and being shown as senseless on things   and turning positive all of sudden doesn’t suit her well or she did about. Thambi Ramaya did little bit comedy and his eagle map line is good.

The film captures the beauty of caressing here and there and the feeling of touch, the real one, which has almost lost in the gadget world, is perceived well. Stroke arrows on animals on television, watching through car sunroof and the tiger fighting like Captain (Vijayakanth) and the tribe on-board to Chennai all makes senseless and boring. Feels the director has approached the movie from a common perspective rather studying well about tribes of Andaman, to give more emotional detail to the subject.

Music is by Harish Jayaraj and Vanamagan was his 50^th composition… the songs were good to listen and the cinematography is wonderful and captured the beauty of forest and waterfalls so well. But the BGM is a bit old charm and is tuned for African forest instead of Asia, which I feel has a distant tone. While I appreciate the effort put by the team to give a different experience and explore a world at its brim, could have scored an interesting screenplay rather applying Hollywood shades.

I feel Pulimurugan is better than Vanamagan! 

Garden Lizards Clash

Other day I got to see two Oriental Garden Lizards fought at the courtyard and the two clashed ferociously and before come back with mobile to shoot the fight, they climbed upon the Neem tree, in front of our home, while continue to fight. They fought for about a minute or two and run to disappear behind the neighbour’s compound wall.

The Neem tree is also belongs to the neighbour’s but outgrown into our courtyard. In the collage above you could see the lizards in different action postures and the one in right above sees them chasing in rotation manner. The Oriental Garden Lizard or Changeable Lizard is an agamid lizard found widely distributed in Asia. It is generally a light brownish olive color, but the lizard can change it to bright red, to black, and to a mixture of both.

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Hideout

After checking Lovedale railway station, near Ooty, on the 3^rd day of our travel to Nilgiris we encountered a Bison while looking for a place to have lunch. Driving further on the isolated Lovedale road adjoining the backyard of the Lawrence School we come to halt on the roadside to have lunch, but we unnoticed there was a Bison (Indian Gaur) standing at a height of about 15 foot vertically from where we stood.

We almost decided to get down but heard the rustle sound in the bushes above and it was a bison grazing and hiding among the bushes. Though it isn’t a huge one and standing on the edge of the vertically down, it’s impossible for it to climb down or leap off but parents were not willing to stop there so we move on to another spot. Before doing so, tried to capture the Indian gaur hiding in the bushes and what you see here were visible then.

The Indian Bison or Indian Gaur is a strong and massively built species, the largest extant bovine, native to South Asia. Gaurs are black in color while females are brown, but both the hide of male and female Gaurs is white below the knee of each leg. I have seen Indian gaurs in the mountains of Kodaikanal and Valparai, but it continues to excite seeing in wild.  

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Pulimurugan

Watched this excellent action adventure movie in Malayalam that includes Tigers! The title itself inspired me to watch the movie that was released in mid-2016 and being an ardent of forest, nature and mountains I couldn’t miss the movie that shot at the lap of forest. Mohanlal is portrayed as Puli Murugan (Tiger Murugan) and he acted as a trained hunter killing the man eating tigers that invade his village. But the movie isn’t all about Tigers; he also fought against dangerous humans who forced him to move out of forest.

Murugan lives in a small village, inside the forest called Puliyoor and he lost his mother in childhood after his brother was born and later his father in a tiger attack took him for vengeance, where he traps the tiger with the help of his uncle and kill it. The Murugan grows into Puli Murugan, now a lorry driver, married and has a daughter, but he hunt rogue tigers whenever they invade the village.

Meanwhile he was forced to escape the forest/village for killing a tiger, and getting a job for his brother he smuggles Ganja (marijuana) in his lorry which directed him toward another face of trouble. How the hunter weed out all this using his Vel (a kind of spear, his main weapons) remains the subject.

Mohanlal is an apt fit to the subject and the character, and his physique and face structure led him valiant looking against the predators. But the movie doesn’t exhibit great violence yet knives pierce tigers, its watchable quite as family.  The most impressive thing about the move was its action and stunt sequences.  I think I don’t need to say more about it, because it was such skilful to won the first ever National Award for Stunt Choreography.

Peter Hein has executed the stunt choreography and Mohanlal himself preferred to do all the stunt scenes rather using stunt doubles, which is normally used in films where the heroes stand aside and dupes do the stunts. Mohanlal’s involvement really amazed me and having a considerable size structure he performed so well. The little boy, who done Mohanlal’s childhood role, too capture the attention esp. facing the Tiger without fear.

The tigers involved in the movie were real ones and the scenes fighting with tiger were all shot at Thailand using the tigers from a Buddhist temple there, since filming with wild animals is prohibited in India.  Though the tigers were trained ones, the shooting seemed to conduct according to their moods! So was the team hard worked for the success of the movie. An additional fact about the movie was it was the currently highest-grossing Malayalam film ever done and the film is expected to release in Tamil soon, along with a 3D version.

Pulimurugan has some lovely songs to soothe listening and excellent BGM! Kamalini Mukerjee’s performance as Mohanlal’s wife was fair and Lal bring out the best character and Telugu actor Jagapati Babu, Bala and Vinu Mohan (Puli murugan’s bro) were all done their job neat. And not to forget the cinematography, the capture of natural resource of God owns country was fabulous and the lorry chasing and action scenes were stunning.

Puli murugan – fair and interesting to watch

A brief on my travel to Nilgiris

Kodiveri dam-falls, created by carving 20 foot wall of rock in 1125 AD

One week has passed since I came back from my travel to Nilgiris aka Ooty and its surroundings and it was about 2am when we reached home on Sunday (April 9). Begin on 3^rd April morning; we reached Kodiveri waterfalls by evening traveling about 450 km from Chennai via Salem ‘n’ Bhavani. It was very hot day and as we move close to Salem it turned terrific hot. Even the AC car couldn’t keep heat away completely and only thinking that we delayed the drive back home by wandering on hills until 2pm and leisurely dropped via Mettur ‘n’ Krishnagiri. I know the state has been going through historic drought but I still had hope there should be some water flow at Kodiveri falls come dam. And yes, there’s water more than what I expected and that surprise continued to flow throughout my travel.

The interior of our room

Though there were few disappointments when we tried to venture certain areas that I want to explore but the journey doesn’t went that way rather unexpected routes and doors opened for me. We had a comfort stay at the Nilgiris and just outside the Ooty town, called as Funcity, the area has handful of homestays and resorts but still quite calm always. Half a km inside from the Ooty-Coonoor main road, the couple of rooms we booked for 4 days (for 6 people) had beautiful views from the balcony overlooking the Elk Hill and fields of carrot and greenhouses. The interior of the rooms are very neat and spacious enough for 3 per room and well lit by led lamps. The travel wasn’t hurriedly and we moved around leisurely checking couple of places in Ooty and Coonoor apart a long drive to Upper Bhavani.

The view  from our balcony overlooking  Elk Hill

It was a long-time dream for me to check Upper Bhavani Dam. I have been to the backwater area of the Upper Bhavani (in 2011) traveling through the Avalanche forest and it was a great experience and sheer pleasure to venture the wilderness. Then, we had permission to drive up to Upper Bhavani dam but we turned back halfway as my parents hesitated to go deep into the wild forest. But that time visiting the dam doesn’t need permission to go via Kundha, which we tried this time and went up to forest check post and turned back as we denied entering the dam area due to the restriction  since some antisocial intruded the forest. When we tried to check the Pilloor Dam, while driving up to Ooty on the unusual road, we faced the same and the 3 check post we crossed had the photos on antisocial to mark the seriousness as well as warning.

A post shared by Jeevan Kumar (@jeevan.grp) on Apr 10, 2017 at 10:14am PDT

Tea plantations  and  pristine mountains  behind

By this travel I have covered the western side of the Nilgiris to the most but I still want to go there again sometime because the wealth of nature is abundant there and words could not describe the pristine I admire there. So far I haven’t written about the western catchment of Nilgiris and I believe people who are truly interested will seek information on available, alike me. And it is a great natural source of Tamil Nadu which needs to be preserved seriously and the forest officials are doing their best. Our stay at Sathiyamangalam, before heading to Ooty, was very convenient and guest house was spacious and disable friendly where I could come around the beautiful house in my wheelchair. Located on the bank of Bhavani River and canopy of trees create cool ambiance with birds frequent around.

@ Sathiyamangalam guest house

Look forward for more on my travel... decided to make many posts out of it

Exploring Kodai-Kumbakkarai Route, the very first road to Kodaikanal

The Kodai-Kumbakkarai road was completely off at some places (click all photos for enlarge)

I love traveling and traveling on road-less travelled is my favourite. Wherever I go I look for places beyond the regular and I find it more exciting than what has been explored by many. Though many perhaps like taking such travels but don’t give much thought as it keeps them away from the comfort. But I am someone always like adventure and try to venture places that not many chose to travel or ready to lookout for. During my stay at Thandikudi, near Kodaikanal, I explored a route that was less travelled or abandoned since alternate and more comfort roads was developed. Though it was the first road to Kodaikanal many unknown about it.

More than a century old road looks good  at few places toward Adukkam

The road that slides before Perumal Malai on the main road to the Kodaikanal, leads to the mango city Periyakulam via Adukkam village and Kumbakkarai waterfalls at the foothills. From the time I know about this road, a short route to Kodaikanal when going by Periyakulam or Theni, I want to explore it and travel as much possible.  I learned the road up to Adukkam village (half on the mountain) was travelable though the road wasn’t good and worst beyond that, we tied our best and it was possible only because of our Scorpio (SUV). For the most part of the road was unpaved or washed away as it wasn’t relayed after it was originally laid by the British. And the road is narrow which means facing a vehicle would make either take reverse or adjust space for the opposite to pass.

The view of narrow winding road from the Adukkam village towards Kumbakkarai falls, which we didn't take.

The road wasn’t narrow but also potholed for large that any car would get bottom hurt unless it was an SUV or height ground clearance vehicle. The people from one of the vehicles (Hyundai Santro) that was coming up from Periyakulam warned us not to go further or beyond Adukkam as the road was in bad shape but still we managed up to Adukkam and turned back thinking it was our limit. Though few jeep drivers encouraged that we can go all the way to Kumbakkarai, as the villagers have cleared the road lately, we didn’t mind to go beyond and since it was late afternoon we don’t want to take risk and turned away with the view of winding lane down the hills.

The pristine mountains and valleys... you could see a lone house (in white color) at a distance 

Awesome view of mountains and  ridges across the valley

This road beholds views that are pristine and most part of the valley and mountains seem untouched by many. Being an initial and pretty old road to Kodaikanal, which seems to be laid in late 1800s or early 1900s, continue to hold the charm as most part of the route was undamaged by the tourism cottages or buildings. But I got to see few beautiful farm houses and bungalows and a stretch of coffee and orange plantations en route to the Adukkam, from there till the foothill is quite wild forest. Adukkam isn’t a big village and it comes to view few kms before on road resembling a small nest on the laps of mountains.

Here's a view on the Adukkam village nestled in the valley and below is a close up on  the same

The village is surrounded by hill banana plantation

I heard bullock carts were the first vehicles to take this road and we could see the roadside stone barriers and milestones still exists along with good patch of tar road at some places truly exhibits the quality of roads laid then. The day was sunny when we venture this route in early summer, though the weather doesn’t bother much as we continue to stay on mountains I couldn’t take more photos due to sun glares and reflection of windows many went dark images. Interestingly we met an old woman, when we stopped to take photos on the red coffee beans, scold us not to take photos on her coffee plants. She told her plants weren’t flourishing well already and you taking photos may get evil eye! lol 

The red coffee beans, what the old woman said no to capture!

Reforestation

A forest  is recreated near Trichy on the Chennai - Trichy National Highway. The 35 acres of the forest landscape (near MR Pallayam) is supposed to transform into Elephant Rescue centre, the project, first of its kind was initiated by the former government to provide medical care to sick elephants belonging to temples and the individuals. But it was not fully implemented by the following regime.

The objective of creating the centre in the state is to provide complete medical treatment to sick elephants. The funds allotted in the first instalment from the government have been utilized… and the project is waiting for further funds from govt. One traveling between Perambalur and Trichy could come to see the plantation of trees and a damaged structure of an elephant’s statue marking the project.

Today is International Day of Forests, a day that was designated to raise awareness of the importance of all types of forests, and trees outside forests, for the benefit of current and future generations. Countries are encouraged to undertake efforts to organize local, national, and international activities involving forests and trees, such as tree planting campaigns, on International Day of Forests.