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

Off to Blue Mountain

 

The couple of beautiful views were shot from Doddabetta Peak - the 2nd tallest peak of south india, in Ooty, during my previous visit to Nilgiris aka Blue Mountain, which gonna be my terrain for next one week. 

Wild Fence and Flowers

A post shared by Jeevan Kumar (@jeevan.grp) on Mar 19, 2017 at 8:41am PDT

During an evening walk in my wheelchair at the neighbourhood and across the Blue Cross road in Adyar (adjoining Besant nagar) I capture this piece of fence that I find it to be wild. The entire road has been fenced one side that belongs to former Besant school (now The school KFI) and was covered by canopy of trees. Sadly many trees fallen on this road in recent cyclone Vardha, but still the road continues to hold charm by greenery and shadows. I also found some little flowers bloomed pretty in pink covers some area of the fences… and I do think this is some kind of wild flowers thrive on its own. 

A post shared by Jeevan Kumar (@jeevan.grp) on Mar 8, 2017 at 11:28pm PST

Linking this post for  Good Fences by Gosia and Floral Friday Foto 

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.