Cute lil Squirrel

A squirrel shrilling from the backyard in the morning, reminds me it’s Saturday. I’m still wondering what’s the connection between Saturday and squirrels, since childhood I hear to squirrels shrill mostly in the Saturday mornings. Usually it takes me back in memories about certain moments connected with squirrels and Saturday, but this time it remind me the little squirrel I found in the backyard of my uncle’s woodhouse, in the Kodai hills, aka Thandikudi. The woodhouse has a wonderful balcony at the rear open to the woods and vegetation, where I bird watch when I was there, I also find squirrels on the tree. Last time I found a little squirrel which seems to be residing on the jackfruit tree because rather jerking it doesn’t move anywhere or know how to climb down. While busy with other activates, I forget to check the squirrel other day whether it still perched over, but he was a cute little one where I found him even sleep on the branches and quick respond to any sound as a sign of alert. I found two more squirrels there and will share those photos in another post. 

 

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Munnar, Travel in Brief

The entire travel (from Nov 26 to Dec 2) has been really cool and comfort and except couple of sunshine moments, the travel was indeed cloudy, misty and rainy. Thanks to the low pressure and cyclone Ockhi, though it created a great destruction in Kanyakumari/Kerala and blocking certain views during my travel, the sun got total holiday from the sky. The weather was very pleasant when we started our journey from home early in morning and was drizzling though hazy just out of the city. We took OMR to reach the highway and being Sunday roads are bare enough and we felt quick transit entirely and reached our destination (Udumalpet) earlier by 4 pm and settled in the room in about an hour.

Man driving cows in drizzling rain near Udumalpet

Following dinner, we also took our breakfast from Hotel Ariya Bhavan (which was really tasteful) on Munnar-Udumalpet Rd before move into the mountains of Munnar, via Anamalai Tiger Reserve and Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary. Munnar is about 85km from Udumalpet, though it was slightly drizzling all the way to the town, we passed through heavy mist that blocked the sights of certain places including the chance of closely watching the Anamudi, the highest peak after Himalayas in India. But it wasn’t disappointed me anyway since the mist and rain has put us in sheer delight of watching number of waterfalls from the fresh mountain streams. We reached Munnar by noon, and after buying lunch we moved to the cottage (Tea Drops plantation) we have already booked.

Driving through the mist and rain in Munnar

It was really a wonderful place (nestled 7 km away from Munnar) to stay rest and relax among the coffee and cardamom plantations, and its owner Lijo is a friendly person and helps in any other ways. Except the three steps to get into the cottage, it wasn’t difficult to stay around, though it was an old house renovated into a cottage the owner has made things simply neat and hygiene. But the only thing bothered us was the way leading to the cottage. It was about 200 meters down from the main road with a narrow steep road, which at glance felt impossible to climb down or up, but we made it using our SUV which is quite difficult for any other cars.  They provide Jeep support for those come by car to be parked at their Pvt. Parking, but we took risk as I wouldn’t be comfy at their Jeep.

Night effect in Tea Drops plantation cottage

Staying there we visited various places and sightseeing from the two day and three nights. We missed many views as most viewpoints are covered in mist by the time we check, which is perhaps because of the storm but glad there wasn’t heavy rain alike we travelled to Ramakkalmedu, before climbing down the hills. The highway was like a gushing river and the muddy waters were running down the road/hillside and once rain over, mist over take. We couldn’t see anything at the Ramakkalmedu, popular for high blowing wind and viewpoint and shooting spot. The grass mound here has a huge statue of Kuravan Kurathy, a tribal couple, to mark the Sangam landscape and period.

A pleasant view on mountains and tea slopes of Munnar,  and there's a falls beneath, which u could  see in further post

Actually we planned to stay at Cumbum or Theni before taking the long back journey to home, but took a day rest at my uncle’s woodhouse in the mountains of Kodaikanal. We climbed down via Cumbum valley and took the scenic highway, which is my favourite route that travels along the Western Ghats and reached Kodai Ghats section by evening. I thoroughly enjoyed the travel between Cumbum and Kodai and the mountains covered in clouds and lush green fields, along drizzling weather was awesome feel. I also took a short detour to stop at my favourite spot (which u saw in my previous post) to take some shots, but I was disappointed a bit to see two big banners blocking the view.

Breathtaking view on the beauty of Theni, and mountains covered in clouds

We reached the woodhouse by late evening, but it was a real challenge than the entire trip because the road to woodhouse (in Thandikudi) from the Kodaikanal main road was quite lost in mist. The visibility was very very low and we couldn’t see anything beyond two or three feet and the road was a single lane, though there wasn’t a vehicle opposite finding the road and bends were challenging. I open the Google map and using the GPS I kept telling my cousin the curves ahead and  it was really tremble passing the deep valleys. Our entire stay at the woodhouse was under mist, cold and heavy rain. Even Munnar wasn’t cold enough, but this is first time I experience heavy mist and cold in Thandikudi, where it is rainy season. And we returned home on Saturday  (Dec 2) evening.

Knocked down Butterflies

While riding on the national highways in July, on way to Thandikudi (Kodai) for vacation, we sadly hit number of butterflies which came knocking on the windshield and side windows around the belt of Tindivanam and Villupuram. It wasn’t an unusual thing while riding but this time we hit butterflies in plenty and the butterflies were emerging in and out of the median where flowering plants were at bloom. At many places across the highways flowering plants and shrubs are grown on the median to prevent flashing light from the passing vehicles in opposite at night and also to enhance the appearance of road.

I have taken the NH 45 many times and ever hit the number of butterflies alike and we felt pity for these tiny lives. The butterflies that mostly knocked down were yellow and light green ones apart some red brown and orange butterflies. My cousin was driving the car and the knocked down butterflies leave back their trace on the windshield, turning it colourful and we counted about 5 different colours. The plants that adore the medians were mostly oleander and some kind of yellow flowers that produce nectar. So the butterflies were busy feeding on the sweet essence and being a highway it’s not possible to drive slowly, so could only feel sorry for these beauty species.

Footnote:

The rock painting of butterflies (pic above) was captured while waiting at the ECR toll gate to collect tickets. ECR toll gate is beautiful as same and I always try to capture some thing and the rock paintings are one. 

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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!

Lovely Sky Watch I

During my recent travel to Thandikudi for vacation, I was fascinated by pretty skies once passed Villupuram on the national highways 45. As usual sitting from the front seat I kept clicking several photos on the move and on the sky but as we keep moving further the sky continued to enhance. Beyond Tiruchi the fluffy cumulus clouds turned the sky more wonderful, and in between there were few spells from the passing dark clouds. The sky continued to change its pattern as we kept moving, it was interesting to watch and I was dealing with the camera all the way taking photos. I took many photos, so I decided to share it by few posts and here are some photos shot around Perambalur. 

The above  two were shot around Ulundurpet

 

Linking this post with Skywatch Friday

A brief on my vacation

I’m back from the vacation two days before and it was indeed a wonderful trip/time except for couple of my cousins and aunt/uncle who couldn’t make up to the vacation. We spent 8 nights at my uncle’s woodhouse/cottage in the Kodai hills or half-kodai, what Thandikudi is called and it is one of the longest vacations I had in my life apart staying at our close relative’s house during school days. Unlike last year we planned this trip earlier due to one of my cousin’s college reopening but at last they postponed the opening, so we went along our family 3 days before my uncle/aunt (who owns the cottages) arrives.

A new woodhouse being build up by the uncle at the Serene Woods

As usual this time too (staying from my uncle’s woodhouse/cottages, the Serene Woods) I got to explore and experience some new place and routes to keep it interesting. By this travel I have covered all motor accessible roads to Kodaikanal, though it was a link road for about 35-40km, I felt  awesome taking  this road that take me through some pristine falls sight and  environment that many unaware about. I’m someone always look forward for something new and different even if the destinations were same to make my travel interesting. I explored couple of mountain villages taking a road less travelled, with scenic mountains and fascinating houses to view.

Winding though woods and forest

During my stay I visited the Berijam Lake, in the wildest part of Kodaikanal, after a gap of 8 years. I have been to the placid lake area couple of time in the past and I truly love the enriched natural environment of flora and fauna. We went through really a tough experience obtaining permission to visit the lake as it was in a protected area, though there wasn’t trouble in getting permission but we were a bit careless to become exhausted. Other day I was on my favourite road (Dindigul to Kumily) to visit a scenic village on the foot hills of Bodi aka Bodinayakanur and it was a popular shooting spot where the Tamil movies Kumki and Myna has been shot.

One of the scenic roads i traveled

I always prefer for a relaxed travel and plan according to it because I couldn’t over strain myself and I can’t check various places at a time. Thanks my uncle for building a woodhouse/cottage on the lap of mountains bestows me with abundance chances of exploring various places around the Kodaikanal, Dindigul and Theni regions. The woodhouse and cottages named as Serene Woods, is a fabulous place to stay and relax and enjoy nature at bay. Amid the woods I truly enjoyed having breakfast listening to the sound of birds unlike watching TV at home. It was blissful spending time with cousins at my favourite environment of woods and visiting places around. 

More on the vacation and travel later… 

Mulaipari - A technology to choose right seeds!

Carrying over the head, Mulaipari (pots growing with nine different kinds of grains) is a traditional south Indian festival popular in Tamil Nadu and takes place mostly in Tamil Month called Adi (July-August). Adi is a month celebrated all-over the Amman (goddess) Temples and carrying Mulaipari is a kind of offering to the goddess, and traditionally prevailing legacy requesting good rain and fertility of land, in order to secure a rich harvest. Most of the Amman temples still follow this tradition which is intense in villages, where farmers preserve a part of their harvested grains yearly in order to use in next season and to check the standard of the seeds the Mulaipari is conducted. 

At the villages or towns, they built a strip shed close to the Amman Temples and on the day beginning of the festival Mulaipari (nine kinds of grains) are cast at the shed and the women in the villages gather over there and throw 21 varieties of seed grains and grow them over the next nine days. During the nine days, women sing and dance around the Mulaipari praying the goddess for a good harvest and on the day ten Mulaipari is carried over by the women on the baskets as a procession towards the temple is offered to the goddess. In this process whose Mulaipari has grown well will share the seeds with others or that who’s Mulaipari doesn’t show up. This traditionally conducting festival is celebrated to bring prosperity along the way to farming and it’s supporting natural sources. 

Moreover, seeing the growth of the crops in Mulaipari, the year’s yields is calculated and so was taking Mulaipari is considered as a rite. Cultivating Mulaipari isn’t just a rite or worshiping but a technique to pick out the seeds of vigour to agriculture and cultivate quality seeds for next cultivation comfortable from their villages itself and it is a festival in name of Mulaipari celebrates technology!

The Mulaipari captured in the images above was shot at Pannaikadu; a mountain village slightly diverted from the road to Kodaikanal on the Ghats section. Pannaikadu is just about 13km from my uncle’s woodhouse and cottages in Thandikudi and we come across this Mulaipari procession during a course to Kodaikanal while staying at the woodhouse last month. Women cladded in colourful sarees carried the Mulaipari baskets on their heads and some with milk pots walking to their destined temple. Pannaikadu has many temples and people out there seems to have great devotion and faith on god and on Fridays no meat shop is opened there perhaps because Friday is consider auspicious to go on fast and most of them here worships lord Murugar.

RGB Monday (doors and frames)

Red door frame of a Christian shrine in Mamallapuram.

Green door and window of a house in village near Thandikudi, on the lower Palani hills (Kodai hills)

Bluely painted door and windows of an incomplete home in Valparai... though unfinished I find the sight very pretty to photo shoot. The house was neatly arranged with flowerbed on both sides of the blue frame.

Green Hearts

Heartins grown in green

spreading the love like a vine

climbing on the tree.

Happy Friendship Day

Ps. Found these cute little heart shaped leaves at my uncle’s woodhouse/cottage in Thandikudi, where we spent our vacation two weeks back. 

Fence and Flowers – Pinto Premium White to Rose

During my visit to Kodaikanal, staying from uncle’s woodhouse in Thandikudi, in July, I come across some fence and pretty flowers around the star shaped Kodaikanal Lake. Spending time on the Kodai lake/road in evenings have been my favourite pastime whenever I was in Kodai, and sipping hot tea/coffee from the roadside shop while embracing the cold mountain weather produce a soothe feeling. There’s something always to watch out being around the lake, either people pedalling boats or riding horses or cycling around the lake and reflection of trees, colourful shops and fences and gates of houses around the lake road. And here’s a fence around a corner of the lake road, with pretty flowers bloomed from inside. My Google search revealed the bunch of pink flowers bloomed inside the fence was Pinto Premium White to Rose Geranium.

Pinto Premium White to Rose offers a unique coloration of giant 5-inch flower heads, with petals start out white turn deepen to rose-pink as flowers mature gives an pretty bicolour effect. The plants sport deep green leaves with darker zones that contrast beautifully with the light colored flowers.

Pinto Premium is a great choice for carefree, colourful summer garden beds or patio containers, bloom from the end of April until October. It prefers full to partial sun and regular deadheading for best appearance and flower production. 

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

A Weather, Reminder of Mountains

The weather has been pleasant and cools these days (in Chennai) and it wasn’t raining either but still, the clouds, continue to seize the sky, kept low the temperature that lures me to dream of mountains. Though not exactly, I feel a mild cold in the air to embrace me and my mind cling to the memories of the same feel. It’s been more than a year I visited mountains or stayed overnight other than the home esp. this cool weather is impossible to restrain the thoughts of Smokey Haven or what I call a bird paradise – Thandikudi – nestled in the lower Palani hills of Kodaikanal. It was a place that wasn’t too cold as Kodai or hot as plains but comfortable weather to stay all day out exploring the locality of coffee and pepper plantations and listening to birds in woods.

 

Glad my uncle built his wood houses there, so it was always a hassle-free and home-like stay for us and it would be fun if two more families of my uncles join the stay. I too used to the comfort of the woodhouse or to say my uncle had built the house easily accessible by the wheelchair so that I could visit it anytime without difficulty. He knows how I enjoy staying into nature or travel to hills and the woodhouse was first executed for personal use before the idea of renting happen. The weather is one pleasing thing about this place and no matter what the season was, it never drops out of comfort and the weather in Chennai right away is something that makes the mind think about. Perhaps due to Aadi (the season with high wind blow, falls between July-August) is believed to bring a successful year of rain and these cloudy moments brings hope as the southwest monsoon had smashed this year.
 

I leave you with some nature and cool images for the glimpses of the locality from different times of the visit. I love being there any time of the season and it has something to please or offer with the arrival of differences in nature like the migration of birds, flowering environment and wind.  

Linking this post for  Good Fences by Gosia

Herd of Sheep

Those who follow me know that I love taking road-less travelled and every time I plan a trip I try to explore some unusual places and routes and this way I took an unusual road to Kodaikanal last year, which took me through refreshing sights. By taking this road I have covered all the motored roads to Kodaikanal, even though it’s a link road it takes through some beautiful mountain villages, including Thandikudi, where my uncle built the woodhouse. The 40 km detour takes us through newly scenes and experience of traveling. It was showering and drizzling alternately as we travel through the countryside, we come across herds of sheep blocking the road for a distance we could see.

Although it took few minutes for the shepherds to clear the sheep, seeing such big herd is a wonderful scene and allowed me to take photos on the same. Since it was about 4 pm, looks like the sheep are driven back to their shelter following grazing through the day. There were more than 3 big herds of sheep following one behind another and for us it was a long journey from Chennai and as we move close to the mountains the weather turned gloomy and rainy which was the reason I couldn’t get more clear photos and the following ones are shot from inside the car.

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Albatross Elaichi Luxury Suite, Yelagiri

Trip to Yelagiri, Day 1 Arrival, follows:

Although the check-in time was noon, we arrived at the Albatross Elaichi Luxury Suite in  Yelagiri at about 4 p.m. We ordered tea as soon as we arrived, and it was a welcome break from the journey and a way to digest the late meal we had eaten before climbing the hill. 

I love their trendy villa sign.

The Albatross is a beautiful and comfortable place to stay in Yelagiri. They offer luxury villa suites at a reasonable price! There are many accommodation options available at Yelagiri, and our preference was an individual cottage away from the center of tourist attractions as we wanted a calm stay. 

There were fewer cottages in Yelagiri that met our expectations (accessible in a wheelchair and elevated no more than a step or two) at a reasonable price. While there are resorts and hotels with easy access, our budget and expectations differ, so we choose the one that makes us feel the most at ease. 

From the front gate, a GoPro shot of the villa in super-wide mode. 

We saw the Albatross villa suites first on Airbnb and subsequently obtained their phone number from their website. The owner was kind enough to respond to our inquiries and send us images of the property, which we promptly reserved. The property has a modest lawn in front and backyard but is beautifully maintained; each suite has a flower bed outside, and I loved the hibiscus and roses that bloomed to add charm to the villa. 

The beautiful front yard and driveway, as well as me. 

I liked everything about this place that looks simple, clean, and welcoming. 

Each suite has a living room and a bedroom with an attached bathroom; both the rooms have a queen-size bed, plus a television, couch, and dining table in the hall. They also offer free wifi, which we didn't bother to check as we use our mobile data, and a/c in the bedroom. 

Bright winter sunset at Yelagiri

Being a late winter season, the weather in Yelagiri became cold after sunset, just as the day had begun for us in Chennai with fog. I can feel the cold, which is half the temperature of Kodaikanal or similar to Thandikudi, where we visit (and stay at my uncle's woodhouse) regularly until 2019. 

We had no plans for that day because I wasn't sure about other places (accessible by wheelchair) besides the lake and nature park that I had seen on my previous visit. I wasn't interested in seeing those places again, and I had no plans for the trip other than to see what unfolded along the way. 

Another specialty of staying at the villa is the delicious food cooked and served by their chef, Manikandan. They gave us complimentary breakfast for the two days we stayed there, and for the first-day dinner, we ordered dosa and uthappam. As a side dish, he gave chutney sambar and chicken gravy. Though it was very spicy, it treated the taste buds. 

Night, we slept in the living room bed while my brother, sister-in-law, and nephew slept in the bedroom. Although the night was quiet, we got to listen to various bird sounds at dawn and dusk because the property is just across from Yelagiri Bird Park. I couldn't get to the bird park even if I stayed directly across the street since the surface was not suitable for wheelchair access. 

Albatross is an excellent place to stay, especially for families. They don't allow bachelors, and you can't drink or smoke, so I recommend it. The rooms are simply decorated with wall stickers and painted frames to cheer us up during our stay. The gated villa offers car parking on the premises, and it feels secure with CCTV. The staff who are staying next door are on-call round the clock.