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.

Grandpa at Home

After 10 days of hospitalized mygrandpa (maternal) returned to our home rather going to his. He was going through age related problems and also a patient of Parkinson found very difficult in walking and standing lately and with sore knee and foot on day other he was forced to move to the hospital when his condition becomes worse. He was staying (along with grandma and uncle’s family) in the 1^st floor of their home and shifting to the hospital was very difficult and only with the help of ambulance we were able to do the transfer when he refused to stand.

Grandma and grandpa going through newspapers during a vacation in Valparai

He had a higher blood sugar (levelled nearly 450) when tested at the hospital which seems to be the main cause of unhealed wound and increased knee pain that put him immobile. Once at hospital with medication and a small surgery on the sore heel makes his condition much better and he also shows good improvement on his mobility by doing physiotherapy. Although he regains certain actions and good at pace, he couldn’t obtain the ability to climb steps which prevented him from going back to his home in 1^st floor.

It’s been a long time dream for me staying with my grandparents; we are so glad about their move since we are staying at a ground floor house, accommodating my grandfather is quite easy. But the only thing that bothers us was his health condition; although we feel happy for sharing/staying with them I wished he was good enough to celebrate the moments we were longing for. My grandparents usually refuse to stay with us – perhaps because not to give we trouble anyways – except the moment while travelling or going on vacations.

Our grandparents have done a lot for us and for the comfort of living their sacrifices were immense. I think it’s our right/duty to take care of them when they can’t do things on their own. I know it is a temporary stay for them until their new home (which is under construction right now next to their current house) in ground floor is ready in 2-3 months. But I cherish the moment being with them and sharing things together. After we lost our great grandmother (paternal) 7 years back, they are the only elderly people in our family (who love us unconditionally) whom we really need to protect. 

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... 

Short coconut palms

Pollachi (near Coimbatore) is very popular for coconuts and also called as coconut country, contributes two third of totally productivity in Tamil Nadu. I have been to Pollachi more than couple of times, while on my ways to Valparai and Topslip; I come across number of coconut groves or road traveled amid them.

The trees stands tall all make wonderful sight across the region but during my drive to Topslip, we were surprise to see short coconut palms with bunch of coconuts hanging very close to ground at the village called Sethumadai. The coconut grove was neatly fenced in thorn wires and stone poles painted in white. But actually the fence doesn’t fascinate me then, like the short coconut palms.

I link the post for Run A Round Ranch's Good Fences

A brief account on my vacation (to Ooty and Valparai)

I skipped last week’s intense summer heat by going on chill vacation to Ooty and nature’s paradise Valparai. I was in need of a break from the routine, as well for a change (since a year I traveled anywhere long) and as an alternate route to keep away the misery haunted lifelong; the hot weather wants me to drive somewhere to keep sometime cool enough. Ooty wasn’t so cold and surprisingly it had a best climate I ever experienced there and the sun was shining so bright over the Blue Mountains, enhances the spirit rather being laze inside the clouded atmosphere.

First time I took a night travel to Ooty from Chennai and it is also the first time for me to take an overnight travel to any other destination. I hesitated when my parents decided to take night ride to avoid traveling in day hot weather and to adjust room rent, but later convinced to take since it is first time for me, I decided to experience it. I doesn't find any difficult during the journey and we traveled at limited speed covering Vellor, Krishnagiri, Mettur and Mettupalayam and the dawn was really enchanting with warm sunlight embracing the cold morning.

Even though it was comfort during the night journey, I felt fainting and sleepiest the whole day getting down in Ooty. Glad we haven’t planned anything that day, and stayed at the cottage and had delicious Biriyani and watching TV and cherished the pleasant cold weather. I was disappointed with few things anticipated over there and one among them was the cottage we stayed in. I looked for cottages in Ooty at Olx.com and few other websites related to Ooty and found a home which would be suitable for 12 of us to stay and esp. a ground floor for my convenience.

Avalanche Lake (click pic for enlarge)

Being a peak season time, getting a suite is also not easy and prices a lot. So we had no other option rather booking the cottage and what I saw on the net weren't we stayed, but it was another one somewhat compact and enough for only 8 members and others were stayed at another place, which they used only for sleeping at night. The cottage was little away from the city center, so it was calm to stay at somehow peace and even it was a little home, looked pretty neat and painted in vibrant yellow and green. Each room had a TV, which is nothing but the free TV sets distributed by govt.

Another disappointment came in different form and for that I can’t blame anybody rather myself, because I put it into a casual mode since I heard or those conveyed me made certain that we need no permission to visit Parson Valley. ‘Just making a note at the forest check post before entering is enough.’  We were close to the Parson Valley Lake or about 1.5 km from the site, the forest officers stopped us denied permitting inside and also warned that coming such long itself need permission. The road to the valley is quite rough and we traveled in two cars, and our SUV has no issue with such roads, but uncle’s Hyundai Accent with bad tyres made a great attempt surviving the road… it feels sad taking such a path with nothing to hold back.

Making it as a more special vacation, I met my dearest friend Andrew who was also on a trip to Ooty while we were. Couple of day before leaving, I casually asked him seeing his photos taken in Ooty at Facebook and he told he’s boarding flight tomorrow to reach there and I also conveyed my visit and we both felt happy and made sure meeting each other. He was staying at his friend’s place that was very close to where we accommodate, and he made a leisure walk to our cottage the next morning, making it more refreshing and cheerful day.  He brought me warmth hug and sweet embrace making quite delight and I really enjoyed the moment even it was brief.

Valparai (click pic for enlarge)

We spent just two days in Ooty and moved to Valparai. Since my uncle and aunt hadn’t been with us during our last two trips to Valparai, we decided to give them a chance to visit. We haven’t really planned to visit Valparai and it was a decision taken only after reaching Ooty and it wasn't the best time of the year to visit Valparai (I always want to be there only at post monsoon when the entire landscape shimmers in green and full-fledged water bodies). Being a month of summer, Valparai was little busy unlike ever, perhaps because both our early visits were during winter.

I have covered almost places in Valparai in my previous visits and this time just revisited few places where people usually go as tourist reaching Valparai. I hear few tourists saying there’s nothing to see in Valparai, but I only thought that they need to develop their mind to grasp the beauty of nature dumped over everywhere there. Valparai isn’t quite a tourist oriented place, but there’s a lot to perceive and it is a place that geographically significant and everyone need to travel with consciousness preserving the   large biodiversity exhibits there.

Valparai is also an engineering marvel with number of water bodies interconnected through tunnels and contour canal, setting an example how rivers could be connected. We traveled to Sholayar Dam, Nirar and Balaji Temple, but I wasn't content with the sights this time except for the visible of wild elephants, Indian Gaurs, Lion-tailed macaque and barking deer. I was excited to encounter these wild animals and riding thought the winding Ghats of Valparai is quite another pleasure I enjoyed through the leisure drive this time.  I had a wonderful time with my family at both the destinations, make quite lovely despite passing various phases of frustrate and surprise. 

Balsam bloomed @ home

First time I saw the balsam in Valparai, on the Western Ghats and it was bloomed in gorgeous red! Impressed in its beautiful and colorful flowers, my grandmother collected some seeds from there and sowed at our flower pots and in her backyard. The plant grows very fast and looked like small trees grown in pots, but they haven’t flowered and we also stopped watering the plant and later cleared the pots to plant other.

The balsam plant, which is native to the Himalayas has colorful blossoms and also sweet scented. Just look like an orchid growing in the wild, the balsam plant grows in hilly regions and does not require much watering. The plant grows in large numbers and sometimes the whole mountainous region where the plant is seen is covered with pink or red. The balsam plant has a unique way of propagation, which develops seed pods that burst and spreads the seeds far away.

The flap of a petal which looks like a helmet and this plant is also called the policeman’s helmet. The plant grows for two to three feet and flowers profusely, have leaves bright green in color growing in central arrangement and have wavy edges. The balsam blooms almost similar to rose flowers, look like roses from far and only the fact that they don’t have thorns.

The balsam grows and blooms during summers and beginning of rains, has shown blossom now at home and not from our pot, but the tenants who share our house in upstairs. They have kept their flower pots in front of our house, which we water daily since they haven’t occupied quite yet. 

Discover the Most Fascinating Waterworld on Earth - The Great Backwaters of Kerala

I received an email from Kerala Tourism Board appreciating my blog post (cruising in PeriyarLake) and also to inform me about their latest campaign on Kerala Great Backwaters.  I was requested by them to update a post promoting their campaign on unique water stretching of Kerala and newly launched website (http://greatbackwaters.com/) in a fascinating route. I was truly impressed by their attitude on promoting their water tourism that includes 44 rivers, vast network of lakes, 1500kms of labyrinthine canals, snake boat races and over 300 species of birds and floating markets… showcasing the magnificence of Kerala backwaters.

Here are few pictures from their Arial marketing on backwaters and for me Kerala is still a green lagoon I am looking forward to explore more since I were only at boarder level. My desire to visit Munnar has been postponing for last two years for various reasons but my eager only grows every time I miss opportunity. The waterways are not always favor to me, because moving into a boat in wheelchair is not easy task and I wish they make disable friendly everywhere so that I can also enjoy staying in one of the boat houses floating in backwaters.

I have visited only couple of places in Kerala bordering with Tamil Nadu; Thekkady and Athirapallai are two natural wonders of lake and waterfalls surrounded by wild flora and fauna. Taking a cruse in Periyar Lake, Thekkady, is exciting one with fascinating sights of wildlife and amusing passing through bare tree trunks, sometime perched by bird of prey.

Athirapalli is a beautiful place of height waterfalls on the Chalakudy River flowing westwards on the Western Ghats mountains…. The 80 feet waterfall is also called the Niagara of India and Punnagai Mannan Falls hence the popular suicide scene of the film was shot here. I always wish to visit it again and for me personally more than the waterfalls the way to it was most favorite route, since it passes through Sholayar Rainforest while coming from Valparai.

Photo Credit : Kerala Tourism Department 

For more detail on visiting the God's own country, pls go here checking their state tourism website!

Pumped storage power plant and my blog

Professor of SASTRA University Thanjavur, Muralisachithanadam, wrote to me about his lecture on Pumped storage power plant posted in YouTube... on the notes taken from my blog. I was really happy when he mailed me more than couple of emails to let me watch the lecture… I was quite out of idea when I wrote about the Pumped storage power plant? But it seems I have been writing about it indirectly through my post on Kadamparai Dam in Valparai.

The professor narrates the subject simply to understand anyone in Tamil and I am so grateful for his note of thanks and picture on me at the end of his lecture (video below). Kadamparai power project is an engineering marvel and manmade wonder! The unique about this hydro power project was the power plant is situated deep inside the hill, travelling 6km into a tunnel that cut through a single mountain rock. I have nothing to say rather feeling wonder, how incredible our engineers are to make successful a project design that borrowed from Germany which failed at the level of execution and operation there.

 I visited the Kadamparai site in 2008, but we couldn’t get permission to go inside the tunnel to visit the power house which is 7 storeys inside the tunnel! I was happy at least getting chance to make visit to the site and learning its amazing process. The power generated here were in two modes: In the generation mode, the machines will be operated to cater the peak hour demand for full load, depending on the storage level of Kadamparai Dam and the Upper Aliyar Dam. In the Pump Mode, the machines will pump the water from Upper Aliyar Dam to Kadamparai Dam during night hours on grid frequency above 49.4 Hz and heavy under drawl of UI from central pool.

I really thank the professor for making an impression among students about the Pumped storage power plant and encouraging them to take notes from my blog. The Kadamparai pumped storage power plant is a marvelous project that not many know about its efficiency (even not many engineers aware of it) which is first of its kind in India. It is also one of the highly protected sites, surrounded by wildlife activities and tribal settlement and getting permission is toughest… even if not visited, leaning about this project is must.

Check the professor’s interview on Pumped storage power plant below in Tamil :

Listen to noise of rock - Irachal Parai Falls, Valparai

Perfectly titled for a waterfall that makes noise of rock, called Irachal Parai (an adaptation of two Tamil words meant noise and rock) is one of natural paradise of Valparai, in Coimbatore District of Tamil Nadu. 7km from Valparai town, Irachal Parai Falls lies very close to the popular Balaji Temple in Valparai on the base of Akkamalai (Grass Hills).

The water to the falls is originates from the springs in the Grass Hills (which is called the green carpet of Tamil Nadu) is source to perennial Nadumalai River, which flows through Valparai and also quench thirst the town people. The waterfall lies inside the Pachamalai Tea Estate and on the edge of dense forest, is allowed to visit on the permission of the tea estate management. The estate’s tea factory is where one could get permission, which is also on the left-hand side of the road that leads to falls.

Thanks to our relative who guided us there and also a resident of Valparai, had hesitated first in contacting the manager but glad he did it for us, if not we couldn’t have got a delightful opportunity getting our eyes treated in green and snow-white waterfall. Throughout the way was almost pretty shimmering in green and once crossed the check dam (that stores the water and sent it through the pipe for drinking purpose of town); the waterfall get into our sight amid lush green tea plantation and oak trees.

The road was narrow and partially tarred, took us windingly to a newly constructed bridge across the creek where we stopped the car and enjoyed the sights of waterfall. The place was quite silent except for the noise of rock, even the quantity of water was less makes a nice fall. It is not advice to visit this place alone because of its frequent visit by wild animals from the nearby Shola forest. An old man we met there said, even a week early to our visit, a herd of elephant had broke down the estate’s bus shelter there.

The climate was cool and water was pristine to make visible underwater creek, I enjoy the view from the bridge while others get down wetting their foot in cold creek. The most excited was our pet (Maya), who shows curious drinking water from creek. Generally, she holds affair for getting wet in water rather hate taking bath at home, was eager to enjoy in water but only we didn't allow her to do so. After sometime we find four boys come down the other side, showing their bare body was evident of their relish showered from fresh waterfalls.

Maya drinking water in creek and mom holding her from getting into water; grandfather watching them from behind.

It seems one really needs daring to take bath in this waterfall with sliding rocks around and during its full fledge its highly dangerous… this waterfall and river is prohibited from taking bath because of its drinking water purpose of the town. The water flow as stream here, make lovely pools near the check dam and mound of tea plantations around create scenic pictures. Down from the check-dam, the Karumalai Church got my attention.  The pretty white church stands between tea plantations, on the hill other side wasn't clearly visible for photos and to get there we really need to make way through steps (will post few picture of the church later).

CSI Church, Valparai

The first time when I landed on Valparai (near Coimbatore) was a day prior to Christmas and the CSI Church in the heart of the town, was illuminated in colorful bulbs and decorated Christmas trees. We just passed the church in thought to return next day, since the sight catch-up with the festival mood and the shops were all doing bright business, selling stars and decorative item hanging around, the main road stretched in festival spirit.

                                                                         

We stayed at a house adjoined to our relative’s there, supported to take us to the church and shopping but we couldn't makeup next day as we returned to the town too late at night after visiting a faraway place into  Kerala. We could have made a visit other day, but we lost somewhere our interest due to visiting other places or various attractions.

The photos here are captured during my second visit to Valparai and we haven’t visited the church this time as well. But I was glad to capture some glimpse of this pretty white church constructed in shape of pyramid and three storeys with balconies and a clock on the top floor. 

Curves and Bends - Valparai

There are various aspects fascinate about Valparai, which is considered as seventh heaven on earth, near Coimbatore, was also marvelous with roads ways, taking us through number of curves and hairpin bends while traveling front and back. And among the 40 hairpin bends, half of them arrive at close distance and as series zigzag is a mild adventure and amusement if someone rides with caution. I have traveled to Valparai twice and both my rides as up and down on this ghat section (mountain road) was amazing.

My first time travel on this road was more excited rather the second one, but unlike early, the later one got me more opportunity to stay on the way with views on awesome curves and bends with lower Aziyar reservoir at rear. It takes at least three hours to reach Valparai from the foothill, if one travel on an average speeds and admiring the scenes alongside the road. From the 9^th hairpin bend or Loam’s view, we get a panoramic view on the widespread Aziyar reservoir and road winding along the mountains, forest and waterfalls.  

The road to Valparai was constructed in the year 1886 and until then people had only used horseback or single foot path to reach Valparai and its adjacent villages. Everyone knows it’s not easy to built roads on mountains and during the construction of this road; many people had lost their lives exposed to mystique diseases and mosquitoes bite. The road was well planned and constructed on the supervision of PWD Engineer Mr. Mathew Loam and by appreciating his astonishing work; the stunning viewpoint (9^th bend) was named after him.

The relative who accompany us throughout our Valparai visit, during our later turn, had much detail to reveal every part of this Western Ghats region.  Since a resident of Valparai and retired primary health center employee, he had traveled to even remote areas of Valparai and helped treating tribes had reflected him in learning many things which he mere shared with us. The 9th bend is a vital part of this mountain road and anything damage to it means, totally cut off the transportation from rest of the country. 

The crucial 9th hairpin bend (above and below)

The 9^th bend is also fascinated for the sight of Niligir Thar – a endanger species, that spread only on Western Ghats. Perhaps, Anamalai is the only region where Thars are found at minimum large in numbers. One could find the Thar’s – state animal of Tamil Nadu, grazing on the mound above the 9^th bend! 

View on the curves we come across

PAP – Best Water Resource Development

Water, the chief ingredient of life is reliance upon rain. We can live even without eating for few days or a week but no life is survived without drinking or sucking water fall as rain. Life becomes trouble in case we took refrain drinking water for whatever reason such as hunger strike; though however noble it might be. Today obesity has drive people to drink plenty of water – which eases digestion and helps removing toxin from body. The advance technology in desalination has made alter routes for getting drinking water from sea, but the natural rainwater still holds lot of benefit on health enhancement.

It’s apparent that no life exists in earth without water and it’s a cycling process where trees help producing rain and rain as its resource. We man disrupt either by placing our self in front row, driving others as much possible aside by building endless homes and business to extreme anti-environment and producing immense population shrinking our  sources. The water was sought not only as a life source or health benefit but also to gain trust of vote in election. The politicians bear water as a vital element to score higher in election, no matter how people suffer or fought for life.

In Tamil Nadu the best water resources developments took place during the Kamaraj’s administrative – the former chief minister of TN; who widely known as Kingmaker in Indian politics, who’s tri-tenure or the nine years administrative (1954-1963) as CM of TN were considered as golden period. During his regime witnessed number of dams built across the state and each one of them were an engineering marvel. The uneducated genius - Kamaraj - plays a pioneer on interconnecting rivers and his head of administration has dug number of tunnels diverting the water to utilize fully.

Among the many major plots he charted on irrigation front, feeding thousands of acres of lands across the state, the 'Prambikulam Aliyar Project' is notable! Carried out on the state boarders of Tamil Nadu and Kerala, PAP is a multipurpose and interstate river valley project diverting and integrating the eight west flowing rivers to the east side to the then drought pone area of the Coimbatore and Erode districts of TN and Palghat of Kerala.  The irrigation network consist of seven major canals, comprising one diversion weir,  seven storage reservoirs, conveyance system and interconnecting tunnels to divert water impound to the plains of Coimbatore and Erode.

Except the three reservoirs slip into the Kerala state, I have drawn to five of the seven reservoirs lie at various elevations ranging from  +3800 feet and +1050 feet across the Anamalai Hills. Lying at difference in elevation has also made it possible for these reservoirs to generate hydro-power. The Aliyar Reservoir built across the Aliyar River at the foothills of Valparai has its source in the Anamalai Hills. Apart its own catchment area of about 76 Sq. Miles, water to this reservoir is diverted through the Aliyar Feeder canal and the Contour canal from the Parambikulam group of reservoirs.

What you see in these photos is the Contour canal rode from Parambikulam, which is one of the major canals running for a total length of about 250 km. apart various branch canals, distributaries and minors through which about 4.25 Lakhs acres of lands get irrigated. About 5 km from Aliyar Dam, we saw the contour canal crossing the road to Valparai, and this canal carries water to Thirumoorthi reservoir about 35 km from here. The water was at its full fledged during our uphill ride and we stopped there for a while, while our relative explaining its progress. It felt something wonderful when looking at the fresh water rushing through the canal and fact that they pass number of tunnels lasting certain kms into hills. 

It seems one of the best sharing projects so far between the states with no major issue based on sharing. To note a point, the PAP project had carried out quite throughout IndiraGandhi Wildlife Sanctuary and National Park which beholds number of endanger and wild animals. It doesn't sound easy for me to dug deep tunnels into the haven of wild animals and infectious insect bites… and in time when everything was suppose to done manually. I couldn't stop praising those heroes involved in this project and the engineers with amazing talent on finding routes. 

Topslip – travel account

The day begin for us at Pollachi – the coconut country. Topslip is about 35km from here and 80 km from Coimbatore, can be called as the capital of Anamalai Tiger Reserve, a part of Indira Gandhi National Park and Wildlife Sanctuary, on the Anamalai range of Western Ghats Mountains. Our relative from Valparai received us in the morning, directed us towards Topslip and he also accompanied us throughout our week-long journey across Topsip and Valparai, more than since he’s familiar with places and routes. Hence reached early at night and stayed at Pollachi Govt. guest house booked by my cousin brother, we moved leisurely at morning after breakfast taking the scenic countryside road of Pollachi, which are filmmaker’s favorite shooting spots.

The road passed almost either side with coconut groves and looking at the green and orange tender coconuts kept for sale on a roadside inspired us not to miss, relish upon the enriched natural tender drink. We also passed beautiful village towns like Anamalai, Vettaikaranpudur and Sethumadai. What interesting was, these town villages are almost pained in white and we also come across a group hassle at Anamalai, where people kept flowing from nowhere like blocking the road, and before something happens we moved quickly. It was like watching a scene from a regional movie and I hear from our relative, such things are casual in these areas.  At the foot of Anamalai hills, the Tiger reserve arch welcomed us and we climbed on after sign in form at the forest check post.

Glasshouse above grassland

Sethumadai is the last village on the road lead to Topslip, the winding road all the way took us through crushed dry leaves shattered everywhere amid I looking for animals. It was the same month of Feb. then, the dry season was encouraging the fall of leaves and reaching the Topslip I was surprise to see dry grasslands instead of evergreen I saw in internet.  Topslip offers different accommodations as per we wish, there are tree house, lodges, dormant and glasshouses as limited enough. We sought for the glass house (Ambuli Illam) sits on top of all with vast views and all side glass panes to sight animals that come grazing on grasslands around. But due to some renovation work, they refused to allow us and suggested to take the Bison Lodge on the main lane with no other option we took it on basis of comfort.

Being controlled by Forest Department, Topslip also arranges for food on three bases on pre-order. Since it took an hour for us to settle down rooms and arrived only by noon we couldn't go for an order, so adjusted with the available of rice, sambar and appalam. Topslip being restricted to sound, we enjoyed a quite silent reserved around unless for leaves crushed to wind, and huge pigs creating terror by chasing one another. The silence flourished outside doesn't want me to go inside the room and even it was a sunny afternoon, the breeze put everything under a cozy weather, I and my cousin were alone wandered around.

Me at top of topslip (glasshouse is behind

Taking the road on power wheel chair, we find the tree houses and bamboo huts on the other side of the lane and checking the grasslands by moving up to glasshouse, I got a panoramic view on the forest  grasslands. It would have been a great pleasure if I got chance to stay on one of the wood or glasshouses atop. I don’t want to miss another chance if future allowed visiting Topslip, I wanted to stay there and watch animals. During our roaming phase we met an old man (not so old) sitting under a bus shelter opposite to our Bison Lodge and I must say he’s wise about wild since he works as a guide in Topslip, taking tourist inside the forest. He shared some of his experience and knowledge about the Anamalai Tiger reserve and he had seen almost animals in the wild, except Lion which is the only animal missing at Anamalai. He told there are about 55 tigers in Anamalai Tiger Reserve.

Coming from a tribal community, he had been born and brought up in Anamalai hills and when the government declared it as wildlife sanctuary; some of their members were employed as guides in forest department and activities based on Topslip tourism development. The forest department also runs a primary school for the tribe children. Pointing at the grassland he told he has seen tigers encounters deer and wild elephants and bison grazing at evergreen time… and sighting deer’s at regular. Questioning him let us know more about this place and also the neighborhood Parambikulam – which is another wildlife sanctuary inside the Kerala border.

[To be continued…] 

December – The fascinating month

The December derives many a things to cherish; esp. the December cold is the favorable time of the year, where the Chennai infamous for its hot weather experience a sensation of cold, the dew dawn is remarkable throughout this month and beyond. During this time, the mind craves to wake up early to experience the free of cost air condition from the worldwide winter season and to be in Chennai or any other place this month cheers the warmth inside blanket, where we never want to get out of it ;)

I wish to travel a lot during this month and the dew dawn is never refreshing like anything esp. for me and if there’s a choice I will choose this month to explore places on surface and even breathing the tremble cold of hill stations. There are few travels I took during this month are most fascinating in my rides and my first time to Valparai in Dec 2008, near Kovai or Coimbatore is rejuvenating even thinking now and almost riding around the pristine mountains and stunning country sides of Pollachi and Erode is evergreen.

One pleasant evening of December, near Kanyakumari 

Last year on the same month, I was around the southern tip of India –Kanyakumari, enjoying the simple stay and travel among the wind energies and roaring rock waves with settings of sun and nip in the air were appreciably. On our way back, climbing the Sirumalai (Small Hill – which isn’t very small like the name refers) on the Natham-Dindigul main road is fascinated by its quite tranquility and rich in small banana plantation, the cold wind will enforce you to hold embrace even there was bright flash of sunlight and the couple of villages or colonies as they mention there inhabited to horseback packed products grows around the hills.

The December has something distinct feature as fragrance, stretching both the wings of hot and cold and the real odor of it could be experienced only in villages, while they produce smokes in evening to warmth as well driving away the mosquitoes that breed mostly in this month or season, after rain. The cow dung smell was something enrich during this time, where most of the houses are swish swashed to cow dung sprayed on the courtyard before drawing a beautiful Rangoli or Kolam (a design created by using flour) to flourish their homes, which is a tradition followed esp. during the Tamil month of Margazhi – which begins at the middle of December.

The music and dance has been great conjoin to December, where many a concerts and dance festivals hold everywhere across Chennai, I have no idea about the vibes it creates, but hope it has something wonderful, only those passionate about could express right. Overall, the December has an enchanting climate unlike any other month or season; I too believe each season/month has its own essence to cherish; the December has a distinct sky with glorious setting of sun, which I well observed during my Kanyakumari visit.

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

Late Fall

(click to enlarge)

Footnote:

Again inspired by the wind and the fall of leaves... The photo was shot near Valparai, Coimbatore and the shower of leaves was caused by a Black Langur which shook from the tree top, and just seeing us it leaped into another tree and disappeared. I created this in a calendar type and filling the space with my poem.

My grandfather

The health condition of my grandpa worries me lately more as he’s losing his physical ability slowly and internal problem due to old age he’s in need to take care by someone now. Less than half a decade ago he was healthy and normal alike anyone in his age and only retired a decade before from his own café after we all forced him to take rest, which he was running for more than 2 decades after leaving his job as a cab driver and lorry driver early.

(with my grandparents, taken in our last year’s visit to Valparai.)

Unlike earlier who was in his wheels always around touring South India as a cab driver, never out of town except seldom attending functions like grandma, their lives revolved around the café and bull shed which are adjacent to home. Only with the income of driving car and later with cattle and café he grows his four children – mom among one as a elder child, putting elder two into English medium and other two in state language, only my aunt (mom’s sister) went to college to do her B.sc and uncles did their diploma in automobile.

With the income of thus, he get my mom married by building her a new home replacing dad’s hut along with the savings among him, put everyone at surprise since my grandma and dad are siblings. Next he gets my aunt married in an enhancing manner with the help of uncle who had began his own garage in the land of great grandmother’s – dad’s mom, who’s also mother to my grandma.

Later it was uncles’ marriages, with our lives at almost comfort and welfare brings a lot of things unimagined to realize and it continues still with the realization of our dreams and wishes by exist. It’s quite nearly almost happens because of him and no one can deny that and I won’t allow anybody rejecting him and if he’s the director of our family then my uncle is the hero who did magic in our lives with the wand of love and affection towards us.

Today we miss him very badly and a place which never replaceable by anyone and I wish everyone gets such uncles in their lives to help in succeed and support in unconditional love and care. Sometimes grandpa recall the moment of me going out with him in childhood, pointing out the buildings we come across to express him my wish to built something like that one day and how I call him by nickname ‘thathu’ – which is a Tamil word for grandpa with least change in pronunciation.

I always like to have him around and take him wherever we go or he likes to go… but considering his troublesome health at judicious we haven’t did a long trip along with him after nearly a year before, now I willing to have him at home. Our homes about 2kms in distance, it wasn’t a problem checking with him and this time the grandma who take care of him is on a trip to Gujarat for 10 days is suppose to give us chance to have him along with us, but grandpa who doesn’t want to give us trouble thinking he might be adding burden to my parents who take care of me indeed, avoid to be.

I’m in need to convey he’s someone significant to me and more than anything, he’s my sweet grandfather who shows me lot of intense care, love and hazard free life. My heart craves for him to be stable good always and wish us everyone at our each step to success.

Waterfall

Amid the green gardens of tea estate, flow’s this beautiful waterfall enchants with an outcome name that refers to the estate it belong to in Valparai near Coimbatore. Along the way it’s very pleasant through the estate situated among the scenic location, the estate comes as a first glance of tea garden with admiring winding ghat section while climbing on way to Valparai.

I get to spent sometime around this estate after late lunch afternoon and I was pretty moved by the cool wind blows off silently to sense and coming under haven of mist spread zone frequently, it rather always cool and clouded. I had been to Valparai twice and have been checking this location for some time and it remains either cool or sunshine which is frequent exchange here cause very pleasant in attitude always.

Somehow I miss those wonderful shots shoot at this place of cloud covered mountains due to mystery error which erased certain pictures from my camera which I feel those moments could never restore except remembering. It wonder to see how people climb down and on the valley then in blinking seconds through the narrow, uneven, zigzag pathway between the tea plantations even its obvious that practice put them on right path.

The Waterfall Estate holds a wonderful bungalow which I want to check sometime hearing it’s enhance chance to experience an wonderful vacation, staying amid the mist spread zone and valley view lawn. The other day while climbing down the hills, we checked the hut cafe run by the waterfall estate to have our last sip of tea before leaving away the fabulous climate across hill stations.

The hut cafe attract us thought its mini falls besides its park like setup with couple of huts and a small arched bridge and more than the taste of tea, it’s the location and glistening green leaves reflect to sunlight get observed. I have covered almost places across Valparai but the drive towards it seems never ending and still has lot to share and discover in this heavenly seven.

uncle sits in one of the cafe's hut