How daring?

It was about 12 degree Celsius in evening when we find something unusual come swimming towards us on the Kodaikanal Lake, during our last visit in late summer. The climate was quite make feel shivering when we spent some time on the lake bank sipping hot coffee and I was comfort sitting inside the car and watching the lake. There were few others along with us looking at the strange thing with no idea and I could only think of a turtle or river otter, going though the dark element.

Suddenly the element rises up to conclude our discussion and wonder what it was. A man stood from the cold water and another one followed him in distance! They both were coming from the other bank of the lake, swimming underwater and perhaps it could be a reason to keep away from the cops eyes... because it is prohibited to take bath or swim in the Kodaikanal Lake. Apart keeping it clean, the water is exposed to substances (esp. mercury emission) that are ill to health and due to siltation there’s risk of getting drown in water.

The lake is almost fenced already and during my recent visit, I find it fenced quite but the guys had entered the lake though a gap in fence and they seemed coming from our neighbor state Kerala. Everyone was quite awe looking at their daring act and how they survive through the freezing cold water… it wasn't sure they aware about the lake, but got heavy dose of strike from police, later on the bank.

We could have seen people entering ice water for challenges in extremely cold countries, but something like this facing in real was amazing! 

A drive up to Mamallapuram, Kokkilamedu Kuppam, Airplane & ECR

I had a drive up to Mamallapuram on Sunday evening after long time or past summer. I haven’t planned for a drive but decided to go out to beach in the evening and my cousin on his own plan of dropping his grandmother at her house in Mamallapuram enriched my idea of going out. I joined my cousin family, following their interest to accompany me during the ride and living adjacent to ECR (east coast road) that begins at Thiruvanmyuir Bus Depot; and touching the road after 3 month (due to femur fracture)  put me into lot of surprise the changes brought alongside the road. Number of showrooms had emerged either sides of the road, like mushrooms emerging after a brief rain; many villas have also take place on the ECR towards Mamallapuram.

(click images to enlarge)

Since fracture I couldn't take seat into our SUV due to its height, so we took our uncle’s car and made a pleasant drive into ECR… and I wasn't comfort with my camera to take pictures using this car but my cousin sis took few pictures for me. After dropping my cousin’s granny at her home, we took a brief drive around the Mamallapuram which we sometime used to do while visiting the town. We drew beyond the town and went up to the rear gate of Kalpakkam Atomic Power Station and checked a beach beside a fishing village. Kokkilamedu Kuppam (village) is one of tsunami affected area where NGOs had built number of identical house to the villagers residing very close to shore. A big wave is enough to touch or test their houses and there were number of boats resting on the shore after week-long fishing.

The coconut palms at the distance of waves kissing were pleasing to check and the cool breeze rushing from the sea makes cold embraces. The houses in the village were all built neatly with narrow lanes in-between   and each house is left with concrete benches, outside, to sit and relax in evening and there were also few benches facing the sea which I am sure will make it feel pleasure sitting and watching the beach. The village was also laid with concrete roads and interestingly there are three graveyards for this village which I guess must be distinguished regarding their caste and community. Nice the road leads up to seashore to make it possible getting close to it but the environment wasn't clean to spent there more time.

We also come across a big airplane near Five Rathas, which I still have no idea how it should have brought there and why... but each one has different ideas about it and some says there’s a hotel coming up inside the plane or at the premises the plane is parked. I think it must have brought there to support the marine heritage museum that going to exists there soon and a submarine is also on the way to lay there which right now stable at Karaikal port. I still can’t believe how they brought the plane there, because the roads weren't wide enough leading to this place and even if they depart the wings and tail, how comes the big body. But I am excited seeing a plane near!

Surprising there wasn't much crowd at Mamallapuram (a UNESCO World Heritage Site of sculptures) being a Sunday and the roads were also unusually less crowd of vehicles and perhaps, absence of many buses on that day could be a reason for the shortage of crowd. We find number of Great Egrets on the Muttukadu backwater, but we couldn't stop and take pictures unlike before since vehicles passing constantly. The day ends with bright sunset for us and the sun was too fast that day rising down to pinkish red without giving a chance to capture in-between trees and buildings. The ECR has become much accident pone there days and we see more than couple of accident that day and I think the barriers kept along the road to control speed were also in a manner of creating accidents. I think the police need to consider alternate source to this to reduce the accidents and the way buses crossing those barriers where threatening!

Discover the Most Fascinating Waterworld on Earth - The Great Backwaters of Kerala

I received an email from Kerala Tourism Board appreciating my blog post (cruising in PeriyarLake) and also to inform me about their latest campaign on Kerala Great Backwaters.  I was requested by them to update a post promoting their campaign on unique water stretching of Kerala and newly launched website (http://greatbackwaters.com/) in a fascinating route. I was truly impressed by their attitude on promoting their water tourism that includes 44 rivers, vast network of lakes, 1500kms of labyrinthine canals, snake boat races and over 300 species of birds and floating markets… showcasing the magnificence of Kerala backwaters.

Here are few pictures from their Arial marketing on backwaters and for me Kerala is still a green lagoon I am looking forward to explore more since I were only at boarder level. My desire to visit Munnar has been postponing for last two years for various reasons but my eager only grows every time I miss opportunity. The waterways are not always favor to me, because moving into a boat in wheelchair is not easy task and I wish they make disable friendly everywhere so that I can also enjoy staying in one of the boat houses floating in backwaters.

I have visited only couple of places in Kerala bordering with Tamil Nadu; Thekkady and Athirapallai are two natural wonders of lake and waterfalls surrounded by wild flora and fauna. Taking a cruse in Periyar Lake, Thekkady, is exciting one with fascinating sights of wildlife and amusing passing through bare tree trunks, sometime perched by bird of prey.

Athirapalli is a beautiful place of height waterfalls on the Chalakudy River flowing westwards on the Western Ghats mountains…. The 80 feet waterfall is also called the Niagara of India and Punnagai Mannan Falls hence the popular suicide scene of the film was shot here. I always wish to visit it again and for me personally more than the waterfalls the way to it was most favorite route, since it passes through Sholayar Rainforest while coming from Valparai.

Photo Credit : Kerala Tourism Department 

For more detail on visiting the God's own country, pls go here checking their state tourism website!

Dishonoring

I think TASMACs are shutdown on Gandhi Jayanthi? But what if drinking in front of his statue? It’s happening in one of a lodge in Periyakulam where I once stayed for a night. There is a Gandhi statue and Ganesha idol in the courtyard of this lodge facing back a wine shop bar. What is there in closing the wine shops only on Gandhi’s birthday and making cheers the liquor remaining days in front of his statues?

It was quite hesitating for us staying there as a family for whole night and we moved out immediately in the morning asking our friend there to seek another place for accommodation. I later hear from someone that it was the only best lodge in Periyakulam… I only think the best itself seems worst; there is nothing to say about others.  It’s quite dishonoring people drink around keeping the statue of the father of the nation in center. Wish they remove the bar or statue from there.

I was browsing through my flickr stream and find this photo I uploaded sometime and thought to share it, as today marks the assassination of Gandhi called Martyrs day

Health and House search

I went through the final review on Friday for the femur fracture and the x-ray shows quite healed but left with the message of weak bones, for which I have to continue on medicine for few more weeks. Doctor has also advised to be very cautious with the leg being weak bones, I can’t think of getting up or standing very soon… my knee wasn’t steady yet to support standing on my feet. Pain has reduced much now, except for the little more stiffness on knee to bend normal to keep my foot on the wheelchair footrest and I am almost sitting on the wheelchair for the whole day to only lie at night, life has been nearly back to normal. I stepped out of the home after quite three months in rest and tried climbing into the car and went a round around the neighborhood.  

First I went to the beach nearby, since moved very close to beach in Palavakkam I couldn’t make visit to it frequently unlike being little away from the beach, it was quite surprise to see it pretty clean in my life. Can’t even see a bit of litter anywhere and the newly laid road leading to the beach was inviting with road studs neatly placed on both sides. Next we drive to Elliot’s beach in Besant Nagar and find the Schmidt Memorial taking a new leash of life in pretty white… glad at last the authorities are taking action before it become apart. While returning we checked few house for rent at Besant Nagar and Adyar, as we suppose to shift house this month we are in serious search of house.

We checked an independence house in Kalakshetra colony and it was very pretty and modern facade  with enough space around the home, but it seems they are suppose to rent it only for a year and that too to IT salaried. Another house near Besant Nagar bus stand was spacious inside and also quiet in environment but the owner is said to not allow pets and we are expecting to talk with him to convince. My parents checked many apartment flats, but most of them deny allowing pet and the houses that doesn't have issue with pet aren't convenient. The house searching has become quite irritating these days and the brokers we approach were also taking us to the houses the other one showed and in real not many knows the detail about the houses they show! In between we are also looking forward to extend our stay with the current house to search for a better one without much hurry, because we are already paying for being hurry at deciding the house with just outlook, this time we’re careful not to repeat the mistake.