Athirapally and Sholayar Dams

Day 3: Dec26, 08

More than the Rainforest, there was much we covered on the first day in Valparai, visiting Athirapally Falls in Kerala. We plan to begin early our travel, as we need to cover much distance across dense forest, but somehow we managed to leave home by 9 and reached Sholayar dam by 10. We could see the backwaters of Sholayar reservoir about 9km on the way before the dam. That was a pleasant view of the reservoir water in sky blue color and clumps of tea gardens around. We moved after taking some pictures and because of some restore working going on, the permission was denied to enter the dam. Then after breakfast in a small restaurant near sholayar, we proceed… What’s special about the Sholayar dam is ‘it’s a second highest dam in Asia constructed by rocks’. This is one important place in valparai to attract tourist.

On the way some 30km away we found a scenic place called Sholayar dam-2. In the middle of thick forest of bushes lies this undisturbed blue pool! This space is completely haven of nature which needs to be protected from humans claim and one of my favorite sites is this, what I wish to survey again. As it was in the mid-rainforest, seems never get dry and receives water from Sholayar-1. The water from this dam passes through three large pipers and not clearly, after used for hydropower, the water is drive into a channel which persuade into small falls and lake on the way later to flow from an height of 80ft as Athirapally falls to merge with Chalakkudy river. A small falls I mean is something more delight than the huge Athirapally, which is crowded and unfit to enjoy the water than just viewing the stunning waterfalls. We stopped at somewhere in between before to Athirapally, to find a large stream and falls where my bro and uncle went to bath, which was occupied by some guys and with there support they stepped into the forced water. They never have a mind to leave the place and unless we forced to bring them out of water.

I haven’t expected the Athirapally Fall to be such crowded tourist place. This is a place renowned as shooting spot and it is also called as Punnagai Mannan Falls, where the movie's suicide scene was shot. Except me and driver, everyone climbed to the top of the falls to take a dip in water before it falls and we parked our vehicle somewhere to view the falls. After they return, we had our lunch in a hotel there and it’s the Kerala cuisine that savor’s different. On our way back we stopped at few places to take snaps including a waterfall beside the road and I know it could be something wonderful when it flows fully. It had darkened even before we left the dense forest. The sky opened and closed with either sides of trees and shrubs with crying of monkeys and birds. About 7 in evening we stopped nearby Valpari to have our coffee/tea, and got to hear some scary stories from the village guys about Cheetahs attack and there surprise at seeing our pet, told, the villagers wishfully had many dogs alike ours to only get distress by losing them to cheetah. They also advised us to keep our pet safe, where cheetah could come for its smell. Valparai with milk shortage often, people here got to taste Cuttan Chaya (a tea made with hot water or black tea).

I think and felt how wonderful the nature was about to be boundless ones and still, where rivers had there freedom to run and flow wherever it needs, to fill our thirst. But our stupid minds blocked with sketches and fight each day for the natural resource. The Sholayar dams remained to be an important part in storing water and connecting interior states of Tamil Nadu and Kerala in support of water shortage or flood. The dam water that flows into KL is driven back again into the TN through the Parambikulam-Aliyar Project, after filling there needs. Something I wonder about Valparai is ‘it has the excess number of dams of 6 within a small region of hills’ that are nearly connect with each other. I think these links could be an ideal in connecting dams and rivers across nation. The purpose of everything was to save the water, the integral part of our lives and future, and the though that rose at that period of time should be praised actually.

Unlawful Lawyers

Madras High Court witnessed a worst violent clash between lawyers and police within campus today. This is something ashamed to see the lawyers who are to protect people with law, jumped into violence to make uncertain the law; If not these fellows whom will follow it certainly… its not a couple of days back that a lawyer and a political party president was attacked and thrown eggs inside the court room by fellow advocates in front of the judge. What these people told by often ‘honorable judges’ is just gone lie by these activities. The stare is even judges injured in this clash. What they destroy is not there own property; and such things won’t make people scare to enter court premises to solve there problems? The flame and clash shook! We have seen some protest in past, but not something like this went to practice.

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.