Countryside Fences, Ooty

These photos are capture while driving from Ooty to Avalanche, during last year vacation.

The crops cultivated above seems to be Carrot and Cabbage

One of the villages along terrace farmlands - the road to avalanche is almost passes through it and at every corner there's something to behold yet beautiful view.

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

Plums (ripe and unripe)

During my recent visit to Ooty I haven’t seen anyone selling plums or popularly called as Ooty apple, which is one of my favorite fruit of sweet and sometime sour. Later I heard this year the season failed to produce much plum, which has been demand on market. Last year when I vacationing in Kodaikanal at this time, I got to see plums tree in the cottage we stayed and the fruits were quite unripe to pluck and eat.  The only thing I could do was to make a picture out of it.

The unripe plums have tight, shiny skin and are green or very light in color, but as they ripen the skin becomes less taught, slightly thicker and the fruit becomes pliable when pressed. A Good plum feels heavy for its size and free of bruises and large dark spots.

Plums are an important temperate fruits which is used both as fresh and in preserved form. Among the two types of plum (European and Japanese) introduce in India during 1870 in Himachal Pradesh, only Japanese plum has been recommended for commercial cultivation. Apart the Himalayan ranges - the primary producers of plums, the Nilgiris of south India also grows plums on a limited basis. Though India is not a market for temperate fruit, the country grows approximately 12 varieties from the Prunus Salicina species.

The Plum season is ranged from late April through June.

Sign2

 

A beautiful sign points the way to an identical bungalow in Ooty, the queen of hill stations. I found this sign outside the cottage we stayed in Ooty during a visit some years ago. 

The sign (fixed to the rear bumper of the car) is the emblem of the State Government of Tamil Nadu, and the temple in the center (of the emblem) was the Srivilliputhur Andal Temple. The temple tower is one of the tallest among the temples of Tamil Nadu. The stamp on the cars means they belong to the state officials, and this one belongs to the collector of the CBE. I shot this during a visit to Valparai.

RGB Monday

Colorful hill residence 

I enjoyed zooming on the houses on Elk Hill in Ooty when I stayed opposite to the hill during my travel. As you have seen the wide views on the hill and houses in a previous post here, this is a part of the scene and close looks at some houses more in shades of red, green, blue.

Kallar Steel Bridge

During my visit to Ooty in 2014, I come across the steel bridge at Kallar on the foothills of Nilgiri. The Kallar Steel Bridge on the Mettupalayam-Ooty main road was built in 1925 by Jessop and Company, following a wooden bridge that was earlier washed away in 1891 floods. In 1894 a masonry bridge was constructed but in 1925, the steel bridge with a capacity of 10-tonnes was built alongside to accommodate more vehicles. 

The ruined masonry bridge was demolished lately and to give more way to vehicles an addition bridge is come up right beside the steel bridge, but I am not sure will it be attentive like the steel bridge. I loved taking photos on the steel bridge from the moving car and in the morning light the bridge was delight to watch and the Kallar River passes beneath. Having plan for visiting Nilgiri in about a month, i hope to explore  more on Kallar area while staying at Mettupalayam. 

Linking this post for  Good Fences by Gosia 

Fence and Flowers and a Link in Common

When I browse my folders for photos to share at good fences, conduct by the Run a RoundRanch, I find two photos which have two things in common – a chain link fence and same yellow flowers. The photos were shot at two different places but there’s one unity between them. Could you guess?

Yes, both were shot at hill stations! The first one represents Ooty and the latter was shot at Kodaikanal, both were very popular hill stations here, in the state of Tamil Nadu.

The first one somehow went out of focus, because I was actually focusing on flowers but the fence in background scored well! This fence was shot at a place where we stayed during one of our visits to Ooty and located very close to the Botanical Garden it made my visit to garden much easier in my power wheelchair.

The fence co-exists with lustrous green and yellow flowers was captured at the cottage I stayed in Kodaikanal and the fence was laid as protecting the house from neighbor.

Kodiveri Dam and Waterfalls

I always prefer for leisure travel but we can’t anticipate it to be same when covering a long distance within a timeline. Either Ooty or Kodaikanal, it takes almost a day to reach with the destinations more than 500 kms we can’t spare much time on places en route, so I always look for a chance to stay close to the destination or less than half-a-way away experiencing the places I want.

My last month’s travel to Nilgiris happened to be one and we didn’t drove to Ooty directly but rather decided to stay at Sathyamangalam which got me chance to check couple of places that’s close to the destination. We had our lunch somewhere between Salem and Bhavani while going from Chennai and the weather was too hot and before we head to Kodiveri, halted on way for about an hour to have a cup of tea at my dad’s friend house in Kavindapadi.

Kodiveri is about 16 km from Gobichettipalayam on the way to Sathyamangalam, which is about 14 km away from Kodiveri... a popular tourist part of this region, in Erode district. An arch on SH 15 (state highway) welcomes us to Kodiveri dam and in about 2km we reached the parking lot and the weather was continued to be hot. Though it was about 5.pm the sun doesn’t show mercy but it wasn’t matter when got close to water…

I was unsure about the water flow at the dam come falls, as our entire state is facing drought, I was so glad to see enough water at the dam leading great flow in the waterfalls. A minimum amount is collected as fee to enter the dam area but I couldn’t get really close to the water because of the unfinished pathway that make its way through small park area. I was content with the views on the waterfalls from either above or the pathway.

Kodiveri is a kind of check dam built across the Bhavani River and the downstream of the dam forms the waterfalls. The name “Kodiveri” is originated from the Tamil word meaning Tiger, which represents the large number of tigers lived in the forest area around the Dam. Not to forget the Sathyamangalam Tiger Reserve isn’t far away. The falls being not heavy, people are allowed to bath and swim in the pool of water as well as the falls, and reaching is also not difficult.

Picture shot from few meters above the dam... and you could see the upcoming bridge to connect both banks of river

Entering of Kodiveri dam can be done from both sides of the Bhavani River, but the main entrance lies on the south through which we entered and to reach the other side there’s a separate route from Sathyamangalam. Right now an over bridge is under construction to connect the north and south side of the dam… but people also walk above the check dam on their own risk.  Similar to Hogenakkal, coracle ride is also available at the dam for fun and transport.

Coming to the important aspect of them dam was it was built 865 years ago! Constructed by the Kongalvan in the year 1125 AD, the dam was consisted of carving a 20-ft wall of rock. The stones were then interlocked with iron bars and lead in place of mortar.  There’s also two channels arise from the dam (Arakkan Kottai and Thadapalli channels) respectively, turning the land of Gobichettipalayam fertile due to the flow of channels.

The southern  side Arakkan Kottai Channel

Bhavani River seems to have different ups and downs and to meet the need of the farmers surrounding and to manage the water crises the dam was decided to build. Since then, the irrigation level increased in the surrounding area and the dam provides water for over 25000 hectares of land.

We spent about an hour at the dam site watching the waterfalls and the setting sun truly created an impact across the falls and I was delight to shoot utilizing the shimmering light effect. Glad they have laid some pathway at least to take photos from certain point of views… being Monday, the crowd was less at the dam site and mostly men were showing and swimming at falls and dam.

Kodivere is at a distance of 75-80km from Coimbatore and and it is well connected by road from any nearby towns and cities

In poor man’s ooty

On the hills of Servarayan lies the popularly known poor man’s ooty, Yercaud. The name which derives from the Tamil words ‘yeri and kaadu’, which mean ‘lake and forest’. It’s almost pleasant and cool throughout the year and it could be reached from any where through buses and its nearest city is Salem. Placed at an elevation above 1500 meter from msl, the yercaud is famous for its coffee plantations, which was introduced in state in late 18th century by British.

As we climb on the hill, the weather started to wrap with cool wind and dry leaves crushing over the lonely road. The route takes us via coffee and pepper estates, and it wasn’t a bus route so it was vast empty and narrow with little hairpin bends and curves. The kuppanoor is the footstep of this ghat road that comes in between Salem and harur.

As we reached yercaud, it started to drizzle slowly and even while enjoying the climate, the disappointment came from the resort that we booked for saying they don’t allow pets… and even after much explanation they refused to allow. It’s indeed our mistake of not informing the resort formerly that we bring a pet (maya) with us and thought they will adjust if we say, but no way had we to seek for another place to stay.

We then moved into the town searching for rooms while raining outside, we met an auto drive who guide us to a cottage belong to someone. It was a two story building and they gave three of us a room in ground floor and for others in second floor, it was somehow comfort with mosquito menacing in night. The next day we shift to second floor, with the aid of cousins caring me away it was better than before from the troublesome mosquitoes, which fly from the nearby sewage canal that we fail to notice in night.

The cottage was little beneath the dead end road and was surrounded by trees, plants and shrubs; and one of the plants were attractive with huge leaves similar to lotus ones. Morning I wake to see wet everywhere and flowers bloomed in red and blue and small species like frogs, toads, moth, millipedes existing everywhere. The Maya who was excite to see those species was keen to catch them away.

There was a restaurant called Karuppaiya Mess at the junction near the lake was very familiar in taste and too good to have. Throughout our stay we get foods from here, but there’s limited choice of food. The view from our balcony wasn’t great but the little house opposite to ours was simply nice, with a small portico and two tiny elephants guarding each end of the gateway in stone. I’m not a person always or never wish for greater in life, even a small and simple home is enough, and in this way I wish I live there sufficiently.

To add, the swing inside the terrace was attracting everyone to swing ones!

1 2 3

The picture from my archives was shot long back when I was vacationing in Ooty for second time. While nearing Kamaraj Sagar Dam on the outskirts of Ooty, on the Rd to Mysore, the car comes to halt for few seconds following traffic gave the opportunity to click on the monkeys, where each perched to a pole that connects the chain link fence. Actually it was one of the random clicks focused on the monkeys and the three falls into the frame nicely which I checked only at home.

It remind me the philosophy conveyed though the three monkey images/sculpture, where one used to close its eyes, and the other the ears and mouth respectively which reflects the thought not to see, hear and talk unfair. I link this post to Run a Round Ranch's Good Fences

Shy Moon (and The final shot with camera)

வெட்கத்தில் நிலா!

நீல திரை பின்னால்

மறைக்கிறாள் தன் முழு அழகை

Moon in shy!

behind the blue screen

hides her full charm

P.s. The moon was captured during my visit to nilgiris (ooty) on the third day of my travel and this was the last picture I shot with my digital camera (P&S) before it slip down and lens hit the floor. Actually it was my dad who dropped the camera accidentally when tried to capture the sky on my insistence. He was standing on the balcony of our room and focusing on the sky when the camera slipped off, but glad he didn’t put hands outside the baloney  nor the camera could have smashed falling off from 25-30 feet height. Only the next day I have planned to visit a place I wanted to do for some long time and I was quite upset because of that, but I was also worried my camera and I was in doubt could I get back the camera with its original setting.

I have lost my early camera with the same problem, but it wasn’t because of fallen down alike but my uncle’s kid pressed the lens when it popped out. I didn’t lose my photos as it was safe in memory card and the camera opens to say only “lens error, reset the camera”. I didn’t want to give up so just tried with the in charge of the homestay and they called someone and he said to come next morning and repair the camera. But he didn’t turn up until 10.am and when enquire he told that he don’t know to fix Canon cameras and as a last chance I decided to look for a camera service in Ooty. We searched for an hour and dad climbed two shops and one was Sony, but they aren’t read to open a Canon camera. I don’t want to waste time and went ahead taking photos with mobile the remaining days. Glad my brother came up with his 13mp Xiaomi mobile and other than attending calls, it was in my hand most of the time.

The good news was the camera is back with me in its original settings. Back home I gave the camera at the Canon service centre and I was holding it back in less than two days’ time and they charged minimum (INR. 550) only. I was really tensed what the result going to be but they only put a smile. 

Early Sunlight

(click for enlarge)

Through the mountain pass
the sunlight falls,
speaking its own language
of light and warmth.

Between the canopies of trees
the sunlight unveils,
a pretty old iron bridge
that gives way to creek beneath.  

Amid the mountains n valleys
the emerging daylight,
gives afresh daub of yellowish green
to cold wrapped Blue Mountains.

Traveling quite through night
the morning sunlight,
restrained almost getting exhaust
regenerated the mind n body get console. 

Footnote:

The pictures shot while climbing the Blue Mountains (Nilgiris) at early morning hours... during my vacation to Ooty. 

Fresh Waterfall

Driving from Athikadavu to Ooty, passing through Manjoor, we find some pristine waterfalls and freshwater streams/spring during the course and a part of my road less travel. This’s a route that passes through wild forest and private vehicles are allowed only after thoroughly checking or enquired which has been tightened since the intrusion of antisocial.  

Actually this is a river sourced from mountain sholas and it flows like a waterfall at a point where we stopped on the bridge across the river to watch the waterfalls in step format. I think this should be a check dam but in long run the washed off rocks and sand raised the river floor and from the bridge it looked awe with a pool and huge bounder beneath.

Since we drove slowly enjoying the pristine natural environment and forest along, we stopped at many places to watch and capture the nature and manmade that wonder us. I really don’t want to reveal much about this route and let people know themselves if they are interested because we really need to protect these areas and prevent anything disturbing. 

Close up on the falls

My awards

There are four different awards give to me by my dear buddies in blogging. Often we share awards in praising our sweet friends, just making ourselves surprise and smiles. I am so pleased to give these awards to my entire friends and silent readers here.

A beautiful award from Priya.



Proximity award from our dear Starry.


What is this Proximity award about?

"This award is given to a blog that invests and believes in PROXIMITY - nearness in space, time and relationships! These blogs are exceedingly charming. These kind bloggers aim to find and be friends. They are not interested in prizes or self-aggrandizement. Our hope is that when the ribbons of these prizes are cut, even more friendships are propagated. Please give more attention to these writers! Deliver this award to eight bloggers who must choose eight more and include this cleverly-written text into the body of their award."

Freedom and Independent Award from cool Rakesh. To mention about, he comes from the heavenly place Ooty :)

Barath present me this Lovely Blogger award.(i truly regret for missing your award dear, thanks for remaining :)

Jacaranda at full bloom in Nilgiris

During my travel to Nilgiris, popularly known as Ooty, in April we were treated by the blue flowing trees at many places which was like giving an addition coat of blue to the Blue Mountains. The tree is widespread across the mountains, but we saw them in large numbers around the Coonoor and Wellington Cantonment.

Jacaranda tree bloomed at Wellington Cantonment

Jacaranda tree or Blue Jacaranda is an ornamental tree grows up to 18 meters and is popular for its clusters of fragrant purple trumpet shaped blossom that blooms from March to May. The blue jacaranda has been planted in almost every part of the world where there is no risk of frost; its bark is thin and grey-brown in color, twigs are slender and slightly zigzag in light reddish brown color.

This one was shot at Kundha on way to Manjoor town

The flowers are up to 5 cm long and are grouped in 30 cm panicles, appear in spring and early summer and last for up to two months. Each flower blooms with a five-lobed blue to purple-blue corolla and few species have white flowers. The fruit is an oblong to oval flattened capsule containing numerous slender seeds.

A   collage on Jacaranda around Coonoor and Wellington

There’s a city in South Africa called Pretoria and is popularly known as The Jacaranda City due to the enormous number of jacaranda trees planted as street trees and in flowering time the city appears blue/purple in color when seen from the nearby hills because of all the Jacaranda trees. 

Ps. Off  to mountains for a week... will post and check blogs once back from vacation.

Linking this post for Floral  Friday Foto 

Flameless Sun

Picture by Jeevan: Ooty Botanical Garden

Its fun taking pictures on sunflower

a flameless sun, sparkle in golden yellow
breaking down a sow of seed, the sun rise
from a vivid bud, grows a graceful flower.

From the garden of Blue Mountains
I captured this yellow beauty
holding a smile always as cheerful
building its hope upon vibrant colors.

As bright as sun with dark disk core
has the only guts to face the sun forever
following its journey from east to west
displays a glorious sight alongside sunlight.

Being a source on everyday recipe
sunflowers produces fuel for multipurpose;
there isn’t sunburns exposed to this sun
only to become favorite of almost everyone. 

Cloud

(Click image for enlarge to read)

Inspired while watching via evening sky. The sky photo was captured while visiting Avalanche dam, near Ooty .

PowerShot Sunday - Fossil Tree

The fossil tree trunk displayed at the Ooty Botanical Garden, is from 20 million year old rocks. The trees carried by rivers and deposited in inland lakes were transformed with replacement of the woody matter by silica give rise to fossil tree trunks.  The fossil tree was presented by the Geological Survey of India, from the National Fossil Park in Tiruvakkarai, Villupuram district of Tamil Nadu.

Tigers Parked

When there are many things to attract in hill stations, there was something growing around are these Tigers. We take this picture last year in Ooty and these tigers were sitting at one hairpin bend near a tea factory. It’s obvious why tiger was kept at one of a turns, just to make people surprise and certainly it does, but later what surprise me was, these tigers are kept here for business. No, the tigers are not for sale, and who will buy those fade in sunshine and rain but some do business with them. To make clear it’s not a real tiger hehe...

One of us liked to take picture with tigers and when get down of vehicle to reach tigers, suddenly someone came run from nearby leaving his small carrot shop on a table top, asked 10rs if like to taking a picture with tiger. Then who stands there, and who are we? It seems he only had left the tigers on the small grass mound to pull money, along with the carrots he harvests around. There’re days we could remember, people who visit photo studious used to take pictures with apparent animals, film stars and leaders by standing beside and dropping their arms on there shoulders. This is something different, and I wonder were they getting this idea, but it’s a trick to get money and it seems it spread to other destinations. From this what I come to tell is... nothing! Just I remind this after seeing a picture from kodikanal lately, that someone had kept a beautiful tiger with little cubs alike and it easily attracts children to spend 10rs or more for taking pictures! He receives money only if someone sits beside tigers and sure someone will not miss this chance which would not happen in real.

Church of Our Lady of Good Health, Aruvankadu

During my travel to Nilgirs, I come across this simple yet beautiful church at a small town called Aruvankadu, located between Ooty and Coonoor. The pyramid like architecture of the church was the first to attract me to take photos and thanks to the bit traffic that helped getting some decent photos from the slowly moved car.  

I had no idea about the church when clicked but a Google link tells that Aruvankadu is a part of Holy Spirit Parish since 1967. As the residents of this area found it very difficult to go there due to the distance, a new location with a house was found close by known as Boys’ Company where liturgical celebrations were conducted. On April 14, 1977, it was erected into a new parish and dedicated to Our Lady of Good Health. The construction of the new church was completed in 1994 and the consecration and blessing took place on 29th May, 1994.

Aruvankadu is an importance place in defence which houses the cordite factory, one of the 40 Indian Ordnance Factories. The cordite factory established in 1903 by the then British govt. on a huge campus, still caters to the defence services by manufacturing cordite (gunpowder, as it is generally known) which used in manufacturing arms and ammunition and also as a propellant in various armed tanks. Aruvnkaduu is also connected by the Nilgiri Mountain Railways. 

Fence and Flowers - Torch Lily

Kniphofia is the scientific name of the Torch Lily (which also known as Tritom and Red Hot Poker due to the shape and color of its inflorescence) I found near Ooty, across a chain link fence. The flowering plants are native to Africa and have narrow, grass-like leaves that reminiscent of a lily, and the flower head can reach up to 1.52 m in height. There are many varieties of touch lily and they bloom at different times during the growing season and comprise flowers color in red, orange and yellow, often bi-colored.