Gaja and the cottage at Kodiyakarai

The cyclone Gaja has smashed the coastal districts up to 6, and took very unusual routes into the land without losing its strength has stroke couple of mountainous districts causing heavy downpour and windstorms resulting in number of tree fall and landslides. Kodaikanal – my most visited place for vacation, where my uncle owns wood houses and cottage – being the core part of the cyclone, before it enters the Kerala state and Arabian Sea shook the mountains to unlink most of the roads and many remote villages are inaccessible still and out of electric. Even at the vicinity of my uncle’s woodhouse and plantation, many banana trees had fell and there’s no water or electric.

At the other hand I was wonder what could happened to the beautiful cottage we stayed in Kodiyakarai (PointCalimere) during our visit to the wildlife and bird sanctuary there, which was the eye of cyclone Gaja! It’s nearly a century old tiled roof cottage; adjoin the sanctuary and coastal line, built by Thambusamy Pillai, a sea merchant. There’s two suites named as Pelican and Flamingo, which is popular migratory birds of the sanctuary. I really loved this place, despite the frequent power cuts and mosquito bites; I could see deer and peacocks turn pleasant the moments anytime by their presence. Kodiyakarai and Vedaranyam in Nagai district is worst affected and almost cut off from the rest of the places, as it located on the eastern edge of the state.

The places that are affected by Gaja continues to fight against the debris the cyclone left back, after pulled down many houses and destruction of livelihoods. And to make situation worse, these places continue to receive heavy rains due to another depression at the sea and a warning of 300 mm of rain still. However it was raining from the morning here, more rains is expected in coming days. Hope it rains well, never a kind of flooding, to uplift the ground water and filling of lakes to support our city’s water scarcity. The pictures here are on the cottage we stayed at Kodiyakarai.

Vedaranyam – Renowned for salt and struggle

During my visit to Point Calimere (Kodiyakarai) we landed at Vedaranyam for temple visit and to time pass while waiting for the Point Calimere Wildlife Sanctuary to be open by afternoon to enter. Vedaranyam is a coastal town, about 50 km southeast of Nagapattiman in Tamil Nadu along the Coromandel Coast of Bay of Bengal. The town Vedaranyam derive its name from the temple here called Vedaranyeswarar Temple, with Vedaranyeswarar as presiding deity, is dedicated to Lord Shiva. The 7^th century Saiva canonical work, Tevaram (written by Tamil saint poets known as the Nayanars) mentions this place as Tirumaraikadu, meaning the place where Vedas, the oldest scripture of Hinduism, originated.

Vedaranyeswarar Temple Tower (click photos for enlargement)

Vedaranyam is also a historical town and according to the inscriptions found in Vedaranyeswarar Temple, Vedaranyam has been a part of the Chola Empire under various reigns (from 871-1120 CE) until before it falls during 13^th century CE while under a power struggle between Pandyas and Hoysalas. The Cholas had been profuse throughout their reign granting to the temple, which continued even during the rules of the Nayaks of Thanjavur. The Vedaranyeswarar Temple is a part of the series of temples built by Aditya Chola (871-907 CE) along the banks of river Cauvery to commemorate his victory in the Tirupurambiyam batter. The temple has a five-tiered gateway tower and a central shrine, holding the image of Shiva in the form of lingam.

Salt Pans of Vedaranyam

Being under French and British regime, like many other places in pre-independence era and a part of Nagapattinam region, Vedaranyam is renowned for salt and struggle! Producing around 500,000 tonnes of salt every year, Vedaranyam stands next to Tuticorin in quantum of salt produced in Tamil Nadu. Thanks to the advantage of Great Vedaranyam Swamp with total area of about 349 sq.-km stretching parallel to the Palk Strait and Point Calimere wildlife sanctuary to extreme east; Vedaranyam has five fresh water channels from river Cauvery draining into the swamp, that obtain continuous source of fresh, saline or brackish water during the southwest monsoon and dries up in summer, contributes to salt extraction.

Salt Pans along the way to Point Calimere from Vedaranyam

The swamp is also filled by two periodical high tides that occur during the full moon days of summer. The saltpans spread over 11,000 acres between Vedaranyam and Kodiyakarai has small, medium and large salt manufactures that employ around 20,000 people. Aside salt manufacturing, fishing and salt water prawn cultivation is also primary activities of Vedaranyam. During the British period, salt from Vedaranyam has been transported to Nagapattinam port though a 52 km long canal since road transportation has been limited between these two towns then. Vedaranyam is a place that earned name for supporting Dandi March, one of the prime protest lead my Mahatma Gandhi against sales tax levied on salt extraction.  

Vedaranyam Beach

While Gandhi launched the Dandi March along India’s west coast to protest against the tax imposed by British Raj for salt extraction, his close associate and later India’s first Governor-General C. Rajagopalachari carried out a salt march in parallel, to the event on the east coast starting from Tiruchi to Vedaranyam. His group led by 100 volunteers was arrested by the British for collecting salt directly from the sea on the coast of Vedaranyam on 30 April 1930. There is a Salt Sathyagraga Memorial Stupe on the way to the Vedaranyam beach, built in memory of the salt march that sent Rajaji and others to six months imprisonment. Equivalent to Raameshwaram, taking bath in Vedaranyam beach is also believed to drive away sins! 

Pleasant stay at Point Calimere

The dusk turned more darker when we reached the Point Calimere, cause is not alone the arrival of night but the power cut that shutdown all aspects of this last shore (Kodiyakarai) and the only visible through candle lit light. Point Calimere is a worst experienced place for us to go through the power cut which hold to every half an hour including the regular power cuts of 3 hours in morning and afternoon… the nights are more unwind for us inside the guest house and the only source of light was the inverter that light a single bulb in each suite.

First we landed at the Velliman illam, which is on the main road, to only move gladly to Thambusami Illam knowing there were no suites available at ground floor which turned gladder than regret to enjoy the isolated guest house away from the activities of man. Except the power cut, Tambusami Illam is a pleasant stay guest house where we enjoyed the cool sea breeze throughout the day blowing outside under the veranda and portico surrounded by trees.

The forest guest house looks glorious in the red tiled roof and painted in pale white with bordered red, splendor by the sight of peacock which is always there! When we reached this place following the government vehicle in guide of my dad’s ex-colleague from Nagapattinam Collectorate, who helped for us in booking this guest house and appointed a person to take us around… it was pitch darkness and had no idea what happening around except a blink of light from the elevated lighthouse at next compound.

Only the next day morning we get to feel the real enhance of this guest house holds around. The sight of frequent peacocks across the compound is a treat for eyes and sense to behold the beauty almost clear and near and with bloom of red hibiscuses and fall of rip leaves blend it more wonderful.   Also called as Flamingo guest house, it has two rooms naming Flamingo and Pelican and a common dining hall, we took refrain at Pelican and my uncle’s family at flamingo.

Thambusamy illam is a century old building built by a sea merchant called Mr. O.A. Thambusami Pillai who later donated the building to the government which took renovation in year 2000 to accommodate official visitors to Kodaikarai. The sign board and rock inscription on the wall claims the heritage and the rooms are spacious and facilitated without replacing the original doors and windows and also has open air meeting hall and umbrella sit-outs which are maintained unusable. Lol

The guard who is appointed to take care of the guest house and visitors is so friendly and soon become familiar to share his knowledge about this place and general thoughts on things. He claims that Point Calimere is nothing but refers to the Point of southeast and Calimere is the name of who discovers this place and the seashore of Kodiyakarai is the northern part of Palk Strait that stretches across the Gulf of Mannar between the India and Sri Lanka, which is 43km from here via sea and during the war in Jaffna the sound of explosions were heard clearly claims the guard.

Point Calimere – a note on lighthouse and sea sand

Among the many beautiful things that come across our travel to the Point Calimere last week, the British lighthouse in Kodiyakarai scrub forest is one awesome sight at the edge of southeast Tamil Nadu. I waited for long time to visit this swamp island surrounded by salt pans, bird and wildlife sanctuary is home to many species of birds, animals and shrubs is a best place to experience the wildlife inhabitant.

British Light House

Built in 1890 by the British in the Point Calimere is a 16 m round cylindrical tower with lantern and gallery; the lighthouse is painted white and lantern dome in red, said to white flash every 10 seconds. As a replacement to the 1000 years old Chola lighthouse which remains as ruin with only the bottom left today latter shatter to tsunami and recent thane cycle has forced to footstep into the sea.

Chola Lighthouse ruin

The Chola lighthouse is erected 1000 years ago during the regime of Raja Raja Cholan and what remains now is the broken bricks and mortar on the ever so soft sand shore. The British lighthouse is old among the other lighthouses which flash could be seen up to 15 nautical miles.

Isolated at a pristine beach, Point Calimer

The entire trip to the Point Calimere was enjoyable and the route after Cuddalore was new for me to unexpected curves and bend of plenty but still enjoyed the winding road and come across cities and villages. The time we took to explore the places were unfavorable and its heavy sunshine during the day time and at same time very pleasant in evening and at dawn. The Point Calimere beach is isolated and the virgin beach sand is so soft and exotic to foot stand on… may be I feel it as I unmemorable when I last foot at sea sand. Wow

Memories of Tsunami

Ten years has passed since tsunami struck the coastlines of Indian Ocean, following the powerful earthquake with an epicenter off the west coast of Sumatra in Indonesia; the memories of tsunami are obvious like picking up shells from the seashore. Though I haven’t affected by the deadly waves directly, I was deeply disturbed and mentally suffered followed by the development of the devastation and scattered reports on mourns to death. There were even rumors (on the advancement of sea) to leave us into panic and living not far from the seashore, it’s impossible to avoid the uncertainty prevailed.

Memorial Icon of Tsunami in Kanyakumari

Being Sunday, we were asleep than usual and on hearing words something referred to tremor I couldn't continue lying on bed and come out to know what as my uncle asked me that I felt anything. There was an earthquake! But the tremor being so mild only those who were awake and living at certain elevation have felt the tremble and by the time I look at the street everyone where back to their places who came out in panic.  During the disaster we were staying in the first floor of our native house in Adyar, Chennai, hearing the news of tremor triggered panic even before the tsunami strike the coast or sorrow choke the throat.

My first encounter with a tremor/earthquake was in October 2001. Until then I have just heard of earthquake and know how it used to be only after seeing the Gujarat incident that happened on the same year. My expression and experience to tremor was funnier, perhaps not knowing how to react to such feeling/fear I scared so much and throw away the board on which I was painting something while sitting on the sofa. Since I was in caliper I could get out like others who rushed down as soon they felt the tremble, my mom and uncle hurried up unbuckle my shoes to lift me down. In few minutes all of us where on the street shoulder with neighbours.

My deals with tsunami were happen almost in front of the television, only my uncle was dare to go check with the Elliot Beach following the stroke with tsunami. I was staring at the television with awe, while the second longest beach in the world (Marina) enveloped in war of waves. The cars that have always seen running on roads where floated like boats in sea, with boats representing the parking lot. It was heartbreaking to see bodies being dragged to shore and people running towards the road to save their lives to avoid hitting the wall of sea.  The news channels where updated from time to time with the breakup of nature’s terror videos from across the southern countries.

Living close to coastline, I am sure each one of them would have a story to convey on their own related to tsunami whether they affected or not. During this course of tsunami, rumours were also spread to frighten us with the advance of sea levels into the landscape. I couldn’t sleep well for more than a week in panic, spending number of nights in uncertain thinking about the disaster and the visually seen in televisions/internet occupied the mind involuntarily. To relieve ourselves from the nightmare of tsunami and earthquake, we all spent the night of same in the single hall along with my uncle’s family to make not panic.

In the last 10 years I have covered 2/3 of the coastline of Tamil Nadu from Pulicat to Kanyakumari, we heard many stories related to tsunami during our journeys. While I visited Kanyakumari it was impossible to keep away the thought of tsunami and the videos and images were recollected when I sit watch the waves crashing the rocks. I felt unrest at each big wave arrive in force and the tourist boats making leap across them. Even it was fun checking some youngsters enjoy the strong waves and water splashes, something uncertain keep occupied. I also come across Manakudy, one of the worst affected villages in Kanyakumari where a bridge was washed away into the sea enclosed with number of death in the district.

The mindset was very similar even when I visited Velankanni, Cuddalore, Karaikal and Kodiyakarai along many other places aside east coast road (ECR), there are many villages in Tamil Nadu where one can find the traces of tsunami still exists reminding the one of the deadly disaster of our history. Many memories trigger while writing this post and experience with places that well relevant to the tsunami, but I couldn’t bring all of them here. I truly wish these incidents never repeat. 

Skywatch Friday: Sunrise and Contrail

Gaja, a severe storm or cyclone that was threatening the coastline of Tamil Nadu for nearly a week, had landfall near Nagapattinam, creating havoc at the early hours of Friday (today). Above 250 km away from Chennai, the coastal districts is at severe damage of properties and lose of countless trees, but the precaution efforts taken by the state and district authorities really need to be appreciated and I believe it is because of their efforts the worst has been prevent. Actually, Chennai was predicted to be the destination of Gaja, but nature decided to be kind toward us giving away the trouble to other part of the state. As I have been to the places of Gaja, I could imagine what kind of destruction the areas face and Vedaranyam being the eye of Gaja is isolated from outside world and it is surrounded by natural saltpans and forests that should be faced heavier. I was really worried about the Kodiyakarai; the Point Calimere wildlife and bird sanctuary, which is home to number of blackbucks, wild horses and migratory birds, including flamingos. Hope the nature wasn’t disturbed heavily.

Coming to the post, I would like to share couple of skywatch shots from the other day morning, when I waked up earlier than usual. Though it wasn’t an actual sunrise but for me the sun just came above the trees and building to bestow its tender waves on me that sense a lot to me. You could presume form the images that it was shot from balcony using iPhone and few minutes later a jet crossed the sky and its quick enough to pass and I could only get the contrail as proof. It was a pleasant morning for me and waked up earlier left me more time for reading and other activities. I wish I follow this pattern, though I’m someone don’t wake up before 8 am this should be a trouble. lol

Linking this post with Skywatch Friday