A brief note on my travel to Kodai

I would like to say it was a great escape from the scorching heat of Chennai (but the weather is pleasant now due to summer rain) for less than a week... but it was quite terrific until reaching the foothills of Kodaikanal and way back to home. Yes, I had a fabulous vacation come travel last week to the princess of hills, Kodakanal. The destination isn’t new for me and I love being there and times no matter, but this time it was really different, wonderful and exciting only because of the things done, routes traveled and the place of stay. Every time I visit Kodai I try to explore something new and make sure leisurely the drive. As planned we headed to Kodaikanal first through the Palani Ghat section which I really wanted to do for very long time. I have been more than 6 times to Kodai and first time I got to explore this route and I really need to say it is very natural and scenic than the prime route (via Batlagundu) to Kodaikanal.

Things were fine until reaching Kodai, but we couldn’t stay over there due to some unsuitable lodging. We have a friend there who used to book cottages for us every time and this time he slightly went ahead with sloped terrain which supposed  to be very difficult  and the couple of cottages we checked hold great views but where tilted either up or down.  So with no other option and time to search (as it was about 8pm) we decided to move to Thandikudi to stay at my uncle’s newly built woodhouse come cottage. We actually planned to stay at woodhouse but I wanted to explore an interior area, which could be easily accessible from Kodai so I liked staying there for couple of days before move to Thandikudi. It was 10pm when we reached the woodhouse and past Kodai it started to shower heavily and all the bags tied to the car top were drenched.

Winding wet ghat road

The next day turned out to be the most exciting part of my vacation, an off-road ride in Jeep to a waterfall near Thandikudi. It was indeed an unexpected ride and I didn’t believe I could seat inside a Jeep but it all happened only because of my brother. It is a complete off-road ride I ever had and we crossed a small river and had fun all together. The other day I took a long drive on the mountains leading all the way to Kilavarai, the last public accessible destination in Kodaikanal hills, where the famous Escape Road (a trail road that connect Kodai-Munnar) begins. It was entirely a very scenic pass, with rolling grasslands and terrace framing taking place on either side, the cold breeze continue to caress from the tall pine and eucalyptus trees. It took my entire day taking plenty of photos including birds and wild flowers.

Had a exciting jeep ride - inside me

Uncle’s woodhouse (in Thandikudi) is a very pleasant abode for nature lovers and it has a wonderful balcony to bird watch at the backyard. Though the woodhouse is built close to the road, it sense amazing to listen to birds chirping from all sides and felt serene almost to name as Serene Woods. My recommend to Thandikudi would be mainly for bird watching and the pristine natural environment exits among the coffee, pepper and orange plantations aside canopy of tall trees of different species. Staying there, I also visited Parappalaru Dam. About 45 km from there, the travel to the dam was through vast coffee plantations, beautiful villages and forest region with a pristine lake among the dense. By this travel I covered almost nooks of the Kodaikanal Hills but still feel there’s more to experience and explore at leisure. Hope to share more my experience in future/further post. 

My uncle's woodhouse

RGB Monday

I see more than a shade of red, green and blue there!   

(Click pic for enlarge)

The picture was shot at Kodaikanal pointing at a shop that sells cloths along the Lake Road, and looks like the salesman was looking for customer. It was late evening when I shot the photo, while waiting opposite to the shop to have some tea in the cold weather and the shop was illuminated  and the cloths where enhancing to shoot in different colors. Being a hill-station the shop sells dresses that suit for cold season and you could see t-shirts, sweaters, jackets and jerkins there and he also sells colorful scarfs to wear around the neck. 

Dabchick @ Kukkal Lake

The Little grebe, also known as Dabchick, is a member of the grebe family of water birds that I found in the Kukkal Lake, a pristine water body near Kodaikanal. About 30km from Kodaikanal, the Kukkal Lake sits amid a great ecosystem which includes swamp, grassland and sholas and during my visit to the lake first time in 2012, I was amused to check this little bird species creating lovely ripples across the lake. I initially thought it to be an insect due to it’s smaller in size but only at the maximum zoom length on my point and shoot cam I come to reveal the bird and at that moment also I considered it as a little duck.

At 23 to 29 cm (9.1 to 11.4 in) in length, Dabchick is the smallest European member of its family and commonly found in open bodies of water across most of its range. The little grebe is a small water bird with a pointed bill and the adult is unmistakable in summers, predominantly dark above with its rich, rufous colour neck, cheeks and flanks, and bright yellow gape. The rufous is replaced by a dirty brownish grey in non-breeding and juvenile birds. The little grebe is an excellent swimmer and diver and pursues its fish and aquatic invertebrate prey underwater. It uses the vegetation skilfully as a hiding place, and during my visit too, I checked the bird taking numerous dips on the tranquil lake.

(sources of info wiki)
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An old boathouse

The boathouse located at one of the corners of the Kodaikanal Lake (which resembles the shape of a start) is a pretty one and capture my attention every time I come around the lake during my visits to Kodaikanal. I think it is an old boathouse and perhaps abandoned now, as I ever seen it operated like the other boathouses that gather crowd.  But what I like more about this boathouse was its hut like structure that in a way look alike the traditional houses of China.

The Kodaikanal Lake has been fenced throughout (to keep away the public polluting the lake) and these are photos shot from the car, so I couldn’t avoid fence hindering the boathouse. Hope I could get a detail photo on the boathouse in my next turn. 

Linking this post for Run a Round Ranch's Good Fences

Fence protection for pine forest

I think one of the sources that keep Kodaikanal always cool is the pine trees. The chillness will embrace if we enter the pine forest or plantations that spread around Kodaikanal and the photos here were shot on the way to Mannavanur - on the outskirt of Kodaikanal.

Pine forest in Kodaikanal is a famous tourist, as well shooting spot for filmmakers, but except that one particular spot, pine trees are scattered throughout the way if you keep travelling beyond the Lake town, either taking the Pillar Rock Rd or Observatory Rd.

In my initial travels to Kodaikanal, pine forests don’t have fences or guards to preserve or prevent these spots being spoiled by tourist throwing away trashes. But glad the forest department has come up with chain link fences, in latter years, at many parts of the pine forest area where there are chances for misusing the environment which will lead to harm the wild animals.

Linking this post for Run a Round Ranch's Good Fences

Sunday Photos: Pretty Pansies

Pansies are my favourite fancy flowers, as I find them cute and prettier. My first encounter with pansies was at Kodaikanal, during my 2006 visit to the princess of hills. I saw these flowered bloomed at Bryant Park there and I still remember that they were colored in purple and white.

First time seeing them we don’t know the name of the flowers, even seeing the flowers more than couple of time in Ooty Botanical Garden and cottages we stayed in Kodaikanal, I was null about the flower until doing some research on net. People who referred to these flowers then conveyed it to me as monkey flowers, because of the aspect of the flower that resembles the face of monkey.

The couple of macro shots, here, are capture during two different times of visits to Kodaikanal and the Viola Tricolor (a kind of pansy, in the photo above) was captured from a roadside fence around the Kodaikanal Lake. The flowers usually found in partially shade seems to bloom from April to September and it can be in colors of purple, blue, yellow, white... 

A brief on my early vacation come travel to Thandikudi and Cloud Mountain!

Usually we go for vacation in midsummer to keep ourselves away from hot weather and chill sometime in pretty cool mountains/hill stations while visiting places in and around the destination. Although I have visited almost hill stations/mountains within the state of Tamil Nadu, I still believe there is a lot to be explored and experienced. Each time I plan to visit mountains or any other place, I look forward to go beyond tourism and take roads that less traveled and places explored at least.  This time too, though, went to the places that I have been already, I tried to explore things that missed last time and observing more the nature and environment and experience things leisurely.

After a gap of two years, I visited the mountains of Kodaikanal and stayed at Thandikudi followed by Cloud Mountain’s – which are a part of Western Ghats, from March 20-25. I was looking forward for a break/change from regular life since it’s been nearly a year I had vacation (in Ooty-Valparai) or traveled long, I decided to be earlier mainly to prevent the season’s crowd and easy accommodation at less fare/tariff. Being a month ahead to midsummer, it’s already terrific hot here and as we began the journey the sun was almost up in the sky shimmering bright, which is one of unusual with this travel as we always begin our journey early morning so that could easily get out of the city before it get congested and lesser heat.

One of the cottage we stayed at Thandikudi

Our drive from home till the foothill of Thandikudi/Kodaikanal was under scorching sun, which we felt heavily on the national highways in lack of trees and the A/C in the car also went frozen to block the blowers. The heat was able to make feel even driving upon the mountains and being unseasoned to rain there wasn't a piece of cloud to hold umbrella. The coldness on the mountains was also not so high and bearable with plain blankets at night and only in the morning the chillness is felt. We had booked rooms in the Panchayat Union’s Narumana Kudil (fragrant hut/cottage), which we early stayed and it is one of the very few accommodates available at Thandikudi apart couple of high fee resorts.

And it is a wonderful place to stay and watch birds alongside. But this time it wasn't fair enough to allow me to wander its premises, encompassed by coffee plantations and canopy of trees, because of lack of maintenance and unclean of fallen leaves gives a strange look across to move around. Moreover I didn't get the room I was looking for, which would ease my access through wheelchair so that I could come in and out of the room without much difficult. While booking in, itself we stressed for that particular room but those communicated hadn't conveyed it clearly to the management who had rented the room to some other. So I had to be transferred to a chair before getting in and out of the room to overcome a huge step and then back to wheelchair/car to move around.

The beauty of Kodaikanal Lake, illuminates in eventide sunlight

I expected to spent much time outside the room looking for birds i.e. it is a bird paradise in itself with many distinct bird species, even though I listen to their chirrups in various tones, I find only few birds with capable to shoot while others were tiny ones which treats me with sweet tweets.  We stayed there for three nights and two days, which was spent mostly on drive and discovering new places/routes that I wanted to do for some time – will write more about it in detail later. I hope my future visits/stay at Thandikudi would be fine due to my uncle’s (mom’s sister husband) construction of guesthouse there, beside the coffee and orange plantations he bought two years back.

During my stay, I visited Kodaikanal only for a brief moment and took a leisure ride around the lake while capturing some photos and having a cup of coffee, we head back to room by late evening after purchasing some homemade chocolates. We haven’t planned to visit Kodaikanal that day as we are intended to stay there later; it was our car that forced us to check the princess of hills as it refused to start suddenly we are either to go to Vathalagundu (at the foothill) or Kodaikanal to rectify, we chose Kodai so that we don’t need to get down the hills. While the day went like that and the other spent on exploring some Ghats sections, the real excitement of the entire vacation was the chance to visit Cloud Mountain aka Megamalai!

The place where we stayed in backdrop of Highwavys dam at Cloud Mountain

I have been to this part of Western Ghats Mountains in 2009, but I haven’t done a post or write a piece on the pristine mountains that guard the Cumbum Valley from the east. It is one of the few places where nature exists at its best/pristine stage and human intervention is at least. I avoided writing about this place and posting pictures then to do a bit on preserving and preventing exposure as I never want it to be seen as another spoiled hill station. I think it is a place not for tourist activities but to admire and experience nature. At about 1500 meter, the cloud mountain is dedicated to tea plantations and it comes under the High Wavy Township which is one among the three major tea estates who leased the land for 99 years.

Getting there is not an easy task and one really needs a high ground clearance vehicle to venture the road that almost an off-road journey. One can drive up to High Wavy (there is also bus service) somehow, but trying to go beyond is painful. We haven’t planned to visit Cloud Mountain but it came as an offer from my cousin brother, whom we sought for booking rooms in Kodaikanal, and upon our willingness he booked rooms for us in the High Ways IB (inspection bungalow). I was telling to my dad, very lately, that we should go to Cloud Mountain once again, a place I visited as a day travel in 2009, I couldn't say no when someone offered such an opportunity. I was quite delighted to spend two days stood between dense forest, tea gardens and dams/lake in front and rear.

More for later... 

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! 

Random travel modes

Ashok has nominated me to participate in a Travel Photography contest by Rhino Car Hire… The theme is to depict modes of travel captured during ours… so here are my pictures based on travel from my random trips.

This picture was shot at Pulicat Lake, also called as Pazaverkadu - the second largest salt backwater lake come lagoon in India.  Before a bridge was constructed in year 2009 across the lake to connect the island village near the estuary (where lake meet with Bay of Bengal), Boats were the only sources of transport alternate to buffalo carts that wade thought water during low tides. Fishing is the livelihood of Pulicat, where they fish both on lake and sea.

Captured in Periyakulam, Theni district of Tamil Nadu, the Horse Carts are still used as transportation there apart few other towns. The horse cart, also called as Tangas in India and its neighboring countries and it is a popular mode of transportation because they are fun to ride in, and are usually cheaper to hire than a taxi or rickshaw.

While driving to Karaikal Beach, we cross the Karaikal railway station which looked deserted and a Train was stationed stretching up to the ramp of platform. We slowdown the car across the track after passing the gate; I took this shot without hurry knowing hopefully no train arrives. Karaikal is a part of Union territory of India coming under the Pondicherry administration.

Shot this picture (using mobile) at the outskirt of Chennai, where a boy riding his Cycle on the village streets… following one is from the same road, where an old man pedaling cycle, perhaps make sitting his grandson at rear carrier. Cycles are a common and basic transportation mode which has health benefits as well as eco-friendly vehicles. For kids, riding bicycles are much favorite and no one could have escaped from having fun with cycle during their childhood days and getting warrior scars.

I have never fly across the sky in a flight and I have no pictures on airways… so here is a Flight model I shot at HAL museum in Bangalore. The HAL HPT-32 Deepak ("lamp" in Sanskrit) is an Indian prop-driven primary trainer manufactured by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited. The aircraft can accommodate one passenger and the student and the instructor can sit side-by-side.

At last here is my travel mode Mahindra Scorpio. We bought this car in 2011 and even before it we had a similar one, only because for my comfort we continue to choose this model. For me it’s an Indian Hummer… because it took me almost everywhere I love to travel. My cousin shot this while caught in a traffic jam at Kodaikanal.

PowerShot Sunday - Fresh Carrots

Here are a couple of photos I shot at Kukkal, a terrace farming village on Kodaikanal hills. We find few farmers washing their unearthed carrots dumped near the Kukkal Lake and after finish washing using the lake water that exit though a small shutter. The carrots are loaded into jute sacks and left on the road side for loading in a truck. These photos are shot last year, when I visit Kukkal first time and even we visited this place in June there was similar showering. 

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Update and Rain

Rain falls among valley

The first rain is always special and the scent of soil stimulates a sense of joy. A rain amid summer (heat) is too special, whether it last for a minute or an hour the enthusiasm has nothing equal. I experienced the first rain of summer last week, and it was wonderful to see rain fall from all directions in this newly shifted house. The earth was at rapid sucking the water as quick possible to distribute to every species on earth. No doubt water is a source of energy to withstand on earth but sadly we aren't blessed with enough rain and the millimeters hardly touch the average.

Half a month past I posted here and I was indeed out of touch with blogging and the scorching summer heat put down every things inspiring to write and cousins visiting and vacation time and traveling kept me quite away from online activity. My first rain of this summer was actually when I was close to Western Ghats before climbing to our destination on Kodaikanal Hills. The rain was visible far away falling amid the valleys and while passing the ghats we find it wandering fabulously on plains like wide tornado. It was wonderful experiencing rain or monsoon on mountain sides and bearing cool breeze blow down the hills.

Kodaikanal Lake

It was a family vacation come exploring places and traveling on roads untraveled and staying in an environment so pleasant and surrounded by uniquely chirping birds and coffee estates and blanket of foliage and tall trees.  I don’t had a mind leaving the place but other plans waited ahead took me to Kodaikanal and unlike ever it was very cold and evenings are windy and raining because of the arrival of monsoon, we are forced to cancel our plan of extending. But once on plains, things are quite strange and sun baked us on fire. The obvious reason to be cold and hot is nothing, the weather always wonder with it’s distinguish feature.

Post vacation I experienced swelling feet and lately aching knee become soar and seem to intense only and also slightly unbalance at stood. We still find some inconvenient which I believe will become normal very soon with the new house and we also experience extreme summer heat here and the wind blows hot air even after the core summer season ends. Glad it rains sometime in evening as a relief for day’s fry pan!

PowerShot Sunday - Bubbles

Bubbles are fun elements blown through breathe, using a chemical liquid or soap and dipping a straw at one end and blow it through the other. I hope everyone would have enjoyed blowing bubbles in their childhood and even later at age, like I still used to rope up chances whenever to blow bubbles. We also used to look after other, who blows a big bubble and number of bubbles in a blow.

I blown bubbles lately during our vacation in Kodaikanal (a popular hill station) last year, buying bubbles containers from one of the vendors wandered around the Kodai Lake. Apart having fun blowing bubbles, I also did some photo shoot pointing on the bubbles blown by my cousin and the one posed here bear some edit focusing on the bubble.

Bubbles transport us to childhood, whether we blow or look at other were nostalgic. During my childhood days I have blown bubbles number of times and whenever visiting T. Nagar (shopping hub of Chennai) I used to get bubbles sold in front of the Kumaran Store or walk into Ranganathan Street.  I have also used hair shampoos to blow bubbles, but the number would be at least unlike bottle of bubbles brought from street vendors. 

PowerShot Sunday – Easter Eggs

No, these eggs are not prepared for Easter but I find it appropriate to post today. Since Easter is celebrated everywhere and eggs are a part of this festival, I tried connecting it here. These eggs are actually boiled while we picnicked near Kodaikanal, on the bank of Kukkal Lake, during last year vacation. It was truly fun the way we made certain things under shower (rain), eggs were one of side dish along with chicken sixty five we cooked on Lake Bank. Thinking now is quite fun and cool!  

PowerShot Sunday is a series I begin with this post now and I have number of photos to share under this title, perhaps come out solely and photos I could not arrive with specific post, will be posed here. PowerShot is the name of the camera model I use from Canon. I have two PowerShot cameras in 8 and 12 megapixels and lately I mostly use 12mp (sx220 hs) rather 8mp (sd850 is) which has some lens problem, but macro is fine. 

Like always the photos here will be posed through Flickr (copy paste the code) and I used this mainly for easy uploading and getting pictures without lose its richness. I opened Flickr account along with blogger but I wasn’t active there unlike last few years which enhanced more now. Blogging is something could not match with anything! 

First travel of the year – Javadu Hills

My first travel of the year happened on the weekend and we did a trip to Javadu Hills; which is a part of the shattered Easter Ghats Mountains, rose between the Vellore and Thiruvannamalai Districts of Tamil Nadu, India. Being a low-lying hill station among the others visited, it wasn’t too cold but being winter there was moderate cold at night, comfortably. And it was the reason for me to choose this time for experiencing some cold, and as I expected the morning was immense refreshing with atmosphere foggy or mist. But it doesn’t wonder me, because it was almost same the way sensed on plains once we touched the highways, out of city and home.

This is not from a hill station, but the hills beyond the Chengalpattu town among the fog.

It wasn’t like every day morning: for me regularly the morning means only after 8 or 8.30 am, the usual time I wake up whether it’s cold or hot no matter what. But I try my best everyday to wake up early and if not the passion for traveling, I wouldn’t be checking sunrise at all or unless bladder filled up to wake me early, that too not much less than the usual time. We experienced a fog of Kodaikanal or any other hill stations on the morning of Saturday and the fog visibly makes invisible the distance buildings, trees and towers and even the Kolava Lake of Chengalpattu lose its trace in gray white. Unlike the usual sight of stunning sunrise over the lake during our early morning rides and the fog lasted until 9.30 or 10am. The roads after Chengalpattu were state highways, which are my favorite lanes taking via scenic countryside’s that hardly visible through NH.   

Jamunamarathur is the capital village of the entire mountain range of Javadu, which has two ways to reach – one via Polur and Alangayam; and Jamunamarathur was the only place to accommodate on the hills, that too the government provided BDO (block development office) guest house. There are many towns close to the foot hills easily accessible via road and railways which also holds many hotels and lodges to accommodate. Gladly we took the Polur route which has a long ghat road section with half a dozen hairpin bends passing through forest division. Before taking the ghat or uphill road, someone needs to sign at the forest check post writing a reason to visit.

A lake near Uthiramerur

It took more than an hour to reach Jamunamathur from Polur and thanks to the GPS in my galaxy player; it was very easy for us finding routes on Google maps. We already booked rooms at the BDO guest house, seeking their phone number at the Thiruvannamalai district govt. website, the guest house had been handed over to a private person in charge who maintained it well. We requested for a ground floor room and also before reaching there we contacted the person in charge on the way, but initially he told someone had haired the ground floor and later discussing with the other describing my state, they decided to shift the room so kindly and humble. Thanks so much to those unknown kind hearted and the wise man who arranged the rooms for us.

(To be continued…)

Kukkal – Lake and Village

It’s always exciting exploring a place, where the road less traveled and not many foots imprint the soil and cameras stole the scenery; an environment rich in flora and fauna as well pleasure where not many virtual developments take place. Remote from the tourist sight and protected by nature, Kukkal is not so far from the crowded Kodaikanal, the hill station that losing its spirit and pristine beauty unprotected from becoming a quite concrete jungle.

During my vacation at Kodaikanal, last summer, I explored this little paradise called Kukkal or Kookal on the Western Ghats Mountain range of Palani and about 32km from Kodaikanal; the place is so blissful with tranquilly lake and sleepy village atmosphere, comprising shoals and grasslands adjoining the terrace farming. Nestled near the northern ridge of Palani Hills, Kukkal is notable for the high biodiversity of the area and fascinated by frequent mist and rainfall, which account for large variations over short distance.  

Riding on the Poombarai road after certain distance, the mist began to block our way, delighted as well become obstacle going through its dense and even I have travelled on this road once, I’m only familiar with its route map in Google. :D We were traveling on two cars and since I only know where to turn, my uncle left our car to first go – even he was to Kodaikanal many a times, never know this place until I located.

The road to Kukkal is a narrow one, turning on the second left from the road to Poombarai village; the tar road seems relayed by rusted leaves and tall trees standing besides as festoon and green pastures enticing the sightseeing. The road winding down near the Kukkal Lake was very beautiful; alongside the view of the mist floating over the lake was awesome… The lake is the main stream source of the cultivation, even though it doesn’t look clean, but with overall sight of mist and mountains background it was astonishing!  Well I don’t need to say much of the lake, since my photo captured it all to you viewer’s amusement.

There was a Little Grebe swam across the lake leisurely, creating mild ripples tracks which I thought first to be caused by some insects, but only later zoom in on I realize it was a small water bird ‘Dabchick’. I spent only a brief moment on the power wheels (chair) moving on the Lake Bank or road, the mist turned abundantly gray began to rain nonstop leaving only few minutes gap before we leave the place. My cousins, who tented on the green patches opposite to lake, couldn’t withstand the density of rain and leakage in the pretty blue tent forced them to take their seats inside the car, whom enjoying the pitter patter of rain and warmth inside the tent.

Knowing there won’t be anything available to have for lunch, since it’s a remote village and except Kodaikanal there isn’t a decent eat out or affordability around the hills,  so we took ‘cooked rice and sambar’ in hand from our home stay and planned to buy chicken and make fry on spot visited. Though we enjoyed the hot spicy chicken pieces, the rain restricted us from experiencing a quite zeal and destroyed my plan of exploring the beauties around the place on my own wheels power and giving pose in front of those unlike my cousins! Lol

The lake located in a valley, has cultivation lands from its lowest to higher elevation; and except the monsoon, the terrace farming happens with the catchments of shoals around the lake, which is also a basin for Kudiraiyar River that flows through Kukkal. We rode few meters on road above the lake to check the Kukkal village; even while it was raining we tried to get a glimpse of the village that taking a nap under the mist blanket. Since being an afternoon, there was no one around to receive us but the stair cultivation and its texture were amazing, and I feel glad seeing them very close unlike the distance views of Poombarai and Mannavanur.

There’s a lot to share about this place and plenty of beautiful pictures hold to cherish this charming and fascinating location, filled with picturesque scenes; I don’t want to mess up this post writing them all in a single attempt and crowded with pictures. I captured few photos at 16.9 ratios, to get wide views on slopes and mountains and I recommend this place only for those seeks tranquilly and unwilling to spoil the pristine beauty in name of tourist. (My blog header is also belongs to Kukkal)

Thank you J

Sothuparai Dam - Periyakulam

Sothuparai Dam is 9km from Periyakulam on the foot of Kodaikanal hills or the Western Ghats of Palani Range; helps enrich the entire area of Periyakulam and beyond by run  as a perennial river Varaganathi. The catchment of the dam is a combine of rain and small streams of Kodaikanal hills and the release of water from Berijam Lake, Kodaikanal.

Grand vista of the dam and misty Kodaikanal hills at rear

The Dam at its full storage capacity of 2.831.m.cum might be a wonder and thriller to watch it overflow via the high spillway, but I could only image the scene since the monsoon got postponed that year of 2009, left the reservoir at its base.  The road to the dam is enchant by the groves of mango on both sides leaving mangoes hang out of fence, at a height of hand’s touching and could pluck even from the moving car.

Front view of the dam taken from floor bridge

We first reached the top of the dam by the road on the hill beside and got a refreshing view of vast green on the mango groves and a patch of concrete at a distance which is obviously the Periyakulam town. The road extends beyond the check post – near the gateway above the dam, and along the reservoir the road leads to a small hamlet on the hills called Agamalai, which is restricted for private vehicles to enter.

Rear view on the dam from a distance elevation

But the guard at the check post somewhat allowed us to drive on road along the reservoir, knowing our interest on forest and though we couldn’t find any animals as it was dry everywhere we got a great sight of the  dam rear and views beyond. The guard told us the road exists only for a few km on Ghats and after that it’s only on horseback one could reach the hamlets on the hills.

Close to bottom of the dam

The name Sothuparai is a combine to two Tamil words meaning ‘food and rock, and it is said to derive from the habit of people here who once used to take food on the rock boulders along the flow of river Varaganathi. The water released from the dam through an irrigation canal runs like a stream among the rocks and boulders during our visit since there isn’t enough water in dam… the water runs like a stream is distillated for drinking purpose of Periyakulam on its way.

Water flows from the dam via irrigation canal

Sothuparai is the second highest dam in Tamil Nadu, following the Sholayar  Dam of Valparai which comes first, and for more details on the dam check the photo below I captured on the board of information kept there. The dam has a small tunnel and irrigation canal and only during the heavy inflow the shutter seems to open large… and interestingly the care takers of the dam has left a  fishing hook above the canal to catch fish.

The dam is isolated from tourist or the general public; it has a small simple garden with beautiful lampposts and a floor bridge to cross the dam, to get a complete front view of the dam. The time we checked the dam, a log had took refrain on top of the spillway, which is supposed to be washed away during the flood and it decided to stay there. It may need another overflowing season to come down.

A small garden in front of the dam

Periyakulam – the mango city

Two years back I visited this picturesque municipal town in the Theni district of Tamil Nadu, India and at an elevation of 282 meter; the place offers a wonderful weather overall the year. Located at the foothills of Kodaikanal, the Western Ghats offer a splendid wall to the city and at night its a delightful sight to check the lights on Kodaikanal hills.

An unknown peak of Western Ghats captured from the room.

Periyakulam is also known as ‘Mango City’ and it’s a major supply of mangoes throughout the state and its greater support was the perennial river ‘Varaganathi’, which runs in east-west direction dividing the town into equal half namely Vadakarai and Thenkarai – north and south bank. The river start at the foot of the Kodaikanal hills and joints with the Vaigai River is known for its sweet water which flow from the Berijam Lake in Kodaikanal.

The Mango groves near Periyakulam

The name Periyakulam is referred to two Tamil words equivalent to Big Tank of this town. The former Chief Minister and present Finance Minster of Tamil Nadu, Mr. O. Paneerselvam hails from this town... which has 100 years of municipal history and its one of the oldest town in Tamil Nadu.

One of a Horse cart on the Periyakulam main road

It’s been sometime I want to write a post on Periyakulam and I spent two days visiting around its places and I share here few picture captured then and it is a town where still horse carts exists for transportation. There are few interesting and popular places around this town... and let see more on it further down in posts.

Princess of hills

Portrait by Jeevan (click image for enlarge)

I just find her very pretty

wrapped around in scarf
and like a beautiful flower
she blooms a smile
as mysterious as mist;

Taking a step at back
and holding hands across,
she gave an impressive pose
with a little charm on face
which I still feel adorable;

The picturesque lake of kodai
in mist backdrop, enhanced…
leaving aside a small shrine
and least visible on water lilies
embrace a sense of spiritual.

The elegant outfit
and the worn around scarf
resembles a style of Kashmiri
unlike the crown of Himalayas
she’s the princess of hills.

Footnote: The one looks so favorable to shoot was none but my sweet (cousin) sister Dhana! She is always charming, and esp. during our vacation in Kodaikanal - which is called Princess of Hills, she was enchanting and I captured this one while she was standing casually on the lake pavement.  I thank her for giving me such a lovely pose seeing me shooting at her and I must say it is one of a beautiful and best portrait I have done.