Vedanthangal bird sanctuary

Day: Feb 12, 09

Awaking early 4 in the morning is something tough when it comes to winter season especially. But when it was for traveling means something cool and charm if it was on the ECR (along seashore) to me. The purpose to get up such early or midnight (for me, who wakeup often by 8 or 9am) is nothing to wonder, because it was an event of my sister’s newly build home in Mamallapuram, we’re to attend. The sky remained dark and moist in surface caused me to raise windows, and roads less with people and vehicles, made easier the travel. It was about 6am we reached sis home and the customs where over enough, with least relative to receive. After spending triple of hours there, having our coffee and breakfast, we told and began our travel as per our plan to visit Vedanthangal bird sanctuary about 80km from Chennai.

We wasted sometime in mamallpuram searching for a binocular, after buying something like used by children for nothing, we came across Thirukalkundam and Chengalpet, after buying something for our lunch and reached Vedanthangal around none, which is 12km interior right before Mathuranthagam on the GST road. I wised to be there in morning to see more birds, where later they will fly away in search of grains and return only by evening. Even though we had to see more birds this time ever before and got to know, those are half the birds and by evening one could see only birds except trees! Gladly the tourism dept had build a ramp to climb easily on the lake bank and the pathway are also good to move around. The time we reached, there were preschool children visiting the park and having lunch on the pathway, so we waited sometime for them to finish and we’re no were to disturb them right! The kids were so sweet and nice, and adorn to have them around.

There were so many birds migrated from around the world, and most of all was the painted storks. They caught our eyes easily and except those, there were Darters moving on the lake, keeping its head and neck above the water for sometime and get inside the water. The Little Cormorants move far way in water, followed by its chicks. The common Egrets were not seen more, but on the other side of the lake – the farmer fields, I could find some of them around a solo buffalo! There was a telescope tower for a free of cost and my cousin bro and mom climbed on it to get some glimpse on pictures. Moving further on the pathway takes to a view point, where one could see a vastness of the lake with birds at distance.

After the lunch it was an entertainment moment from monkeys. There were 2 adult monkeys and its 3 cute kids. Soon they saw us having lunch; they came around near slowly and began to stare us. We dropped some food later on the pavement sitter and they began to load as much inside there mouth to look like each have two balls beside there mouth! After taking some pictures and videos of there playful activities, we left the sanctuary around 2pm. On the way dad wished to visit our relative house near Mathuranthagam and there was much time left for evening dark, so we went and spend sometime. It was a village house with separate place for cattle and backyard views of green fields. This is a place I could not forget easily, where I experienced my first and last ice cubes rain somewhere 14 years back! That too was on the same process I think, after visiting Vedanthangal! By 6.30pm we were near home. It was a smooth ride until Tambaram, from where the traffic snail began. First time coming across the newly build flyover at Kathipara Junction – a gate to Chennai, we missed the directing as noted by newspapers already and covered an extra distance to reach home.

The painted storks stretched wings

The troublesome egrets around a buffalo

A darter rise it neck’s

A part of the crowded birds

The pathway takes us along the lake bank

Children at there excursion, and having halfway lunch

For remaining pictures check my Flickr

United wings

The boundless migration
to there sort expansion
as brief residents,
adding the preoccupied lure
on people’s arrival, to chill
on the bank of lake

Something innumerable
in black white red in masses,
to live and let live in manner,
in hope to deliver chicks
and feed enough, unharmed
with united wings

The painted storks
in pretty stain rear;
alike pieces of cloths unfold,
stretched it wings to dry nor
shelter chicks from heat;
and yet the core attraction bears

The Large Egrets
the common cranes forever
pure in color, with
steady fast disappearing in time
still test patience the buffaloes
idle on the ground

The Snake Bird or Darter
swam inner water; often raise
alone the long neck and beak
in style of asking question
how does this mean to stay
deep water fishing for long time.

The Black headed White Ibis
with plowshare beaks
grunts when often feeding chicks;
Spot Bills and Little Cormorants
moves by splashing riddles;
and the Grey Pelican
swims like a swan, fair,
flowing from the great Himalayas.

Sholayar Rainforest

It’s a refreshing morning to wakeup early to sense the moister ambiance and to visible the fog masked mountains. The great energy sprinkles in me like those dews on lawn and flowers, even though little stressed physically in lack of bearing cold. As said before cold was not much though at night, but till sunshine warms, I am unable to hold anything properly. This is something I am experiencing every time more on initial days of my visit to hill stations. It was something consent when the numb skin face the sun light in recharging energy. Our first day plan was to check Athirapally Falls in Kerala, which is about 100km from Valparai. Indeed it’s just a destination I loved to travel in-between dense rainforest! It was such an experience ever in my life travel across a massive rainforest into deep, where mystery dumped forever. The woods covered completely leaving little space to vehicles, where we can’t find anything conceals beside those thick and nearly bush. The SUV strikes those bush and tough hardly ride on that road less. The ghat was narrow and carries many ditches to store liters of water! Though there wasn’t rain in early past and current, so the path visible clearly nor would it have been the worst drive through this uncertain trail – a relative who come along said!

On the way we come across Sholayar Dam 1 – 30km away from Valparai, and two check posts of Tamil Nadu and Kerala. One need to sign and mark the reason to cross the boarder, because it was highly dense forest and haven to endanger animals, woods and shoals. It was just another dream come true for me, next to Valparai. As we’re unaware about the forest, animals and poisonous insects, we weren’t allowed to wander by my parents. Throughout the way we visible elephants dung on middle of the road and broken branches where provide a sign of elephants just crossed. We peeked far long the way; thought we can’t find any animals including a elephant is a great disappointment. We stopped in between to listen to the strange sounds and twitters the forest provides! The lion tailed monkeys leap across those high woods, by creeping branches to strike and dismantle to turn our attention. From a distance we find something moving on the road, when getting near we were at surprise to find a crab stretching its mass! On the middle of the rainforest, we stopped to sight the Sholayar Dam 2, around thick bush and shoals. This is some place I wish to visit again in future to experience some more to memories. This is a route that is highway, links Kerala and Tamil Nadu. On this stretch not many vehicles are visible, and even the Tamil Nadu state govt. leaves bus only twice – one in morning and evening. To travel on this rainforest is up to our courage and strength – of drivers!

The remaining pictures will be updated soon, here and in Flickr.

Red to me!

Red, sense me the struggle
and how inseparable we are;
it remind my teachers remark
and the pains of wounded;
and those sleepless nights
that reflect in eyes;
and mosquitoes bite
like those drunkards
suck kin blood;
light and heat produce energy
barley without scar;
the pretty girl’s tee
and evening crimson – sun;
the heart pumps blood
the peace and freedom come
after drops of blood
which is red!

This idea was copied from annie’s red poem, where the inspiration raised from Jan Mader’s Kick your senses into gear... This is not arranged, just by thoughts flow. If you’re interested go ahead to share your sense on Red.

The current song from Red, one of my favorite!

Simply Pleasure, Valparai!

Day 2: Dec25, 2008

Been long update on my travel to Valparai, it’s so excite to remember the wonderful journey again by sharing with you all.

We moved from Pollachi guest house by 9 and reaching around 10am by Aliyar dam, fare on the widely unloaded road. We sight the hills faraway; surly can’t find the sign of a dam till reaching the curve bridge. It just located on the foothills of Valparai, so none can miss its existence. Few of our members climbed the many steps, and I am being using wheels, reached the terrace by taking the road end of the dam. I could really see what I seen through pictures via net. It’s a vast bank, goes like a C shape boundary of pathway. As soon reaching top, I could find a house remind me of some Tamil movies taken here. It’s called Chinna Thambi house, where the move was taken, and a famous political scene in Amaithi Padai was shot. The dam gives a panoramic view of the beautiful Western Ghats and largely extended reservoir, and the other side with green coconut groves until visible.

We moved some distance above dam, which could be stretched more than a couple of km to walk. As we proceed, the cool breeze blows on our face, holding the nature and its pleasure. Below the dam there was a small garden with a fountain - not sprinkling currently, an aquarium and a mini theme park. Seems like a boat ride is available in the dam, were we could fine some boats lonely floating in the reservoir To add some information, Aliyar dam is one of the longest in Asia, build in 1962, to store the waters collected throughout the hills of Anamalai range. It’s an important water source to Pollachi and its surrounding places, which extends till Erodu district. The water flows to this reservoir is from Upper Aliyar and Parambikulam dam in Kerala. Its wonder to know the water system and its connectivity through dams! There are more to go through dams further into this travel, and almost every link would conclude with Aliyar!

view of vast coconut groves

On the way before climbing ghat, we stopped at monkey falls. As the name refers, there are a lot of monkeys around this site, where our family members went to take shower in the falls. Meanwhile, me and driver bro parked the vehicle and waited, in time to get some nice entertainment from monkeys. As we watch, one monkey enters into a vehicle to steal something, was driven by we and there was a lovely scene of three monkeys sitting on a branch feeding each other. After the falls and a check post later, we encounter the first hairpin bend which continues like zigzag till 13-14 bends. At every bend we sighted different views of aliyar dam and far more, to stop at the 9th bend - lomes view, for more views. And where above the hill there, we sighted some Nilgiri thars, those rarely had seen.

On the way, we stopped at AttaKatti to collect our lunch parcels in a small hotel, as we know it may take eventide to reach Valparai! At the end of the waterfall estate, we parked our SUV beside a private estate to have our lunch and I went little further around the place in wheels to view cluster of clouds striking the above tea gardens and hiding the homes. There was a board sign’s ‘mist spread zone’; and I wished to experience the cold within mist, but last only the cold breeze. Throughout the way it was scenic, to have clear visions of evergreen tea gardens, and far away hills surrounds with fog! On the last and closing 40th hairpin bend, we saw a sign board that Balaji Temple 7km. So dad decides to visit the temple first, and the sky open to light sunshine moved us ahead. Along the way its quite tea estates; and the temple lies in one of the highest place in valparai, called Karamalal. The road to the Balaji Temple is such rough with many potholes and being very narrow upward, the SUV hardly climbed the hills. Reaching atop we smelled oily from clutch, where later to realize that almost every vehicle odor the same, riding upward.

With no idea how well the place gives way to my wheels, so I and sister remain to leave others to visit the temple. My bro, who took the camera to capture some pictures of the temple was warned by the guard, and advised the pictures would not remain. Whether it’s true or not, I lost number of pictures in my cam including those taken at Balaji Temple, when checking the pictures later! Some told they have some magnetic instrument to sweep pictures taken at temple, which I can’t believe how it’s possible without my cam! At the other hand I doubt may someone erased the pictures unaware, even though I could have lost the whole pictures of the day, but I lost only whatever taken after aliyar :( none would do that, as they know how important those pictures are.

The drive continues through the tea gardens, to reach valparai by 5.30pm. With the address, we found our relative house, who have booked cottage for us next to there home. To tell, it’s a wonderful stable! We are pleased by the way the home and yarn appears, with more space for parking and gardening. I am so attracted by the views of tea estates and flowers in the garden. The relatives we met there are unknown before, where no memories we meet each others in any occasions, but they most welcomed us, in such a way it pleased receiving there respect and love! Man, it’s an ever evening that we played and been so happy like that, teasing each others. Our uncle cheered the evening and throughout our travel. Till our dinned we spent time in the yawn, playing bat and ball in the pleasing weather. It’s no more like Ooty or Kodaikanal that we head down before the night dawn. This gives a simply fantastic sense!

Thanks so much for spending your valuable times here reading this long post :)