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

Wow Women!

What I think about women is right or wrong but I have thoughts to share with u about women who’s our profound desire and without women no man can survive in this world and they are our source of life which dwells around them. First as a mother we couldn’t compare any other relationship parallel to her and what made women so special was because being womanhood and thus becoming motherhood is consider to be so scared and venerable and according to a child she’s a livelihood.

There is no way a man could live without women and he need to come across her at every instance as a mother, sister, wife, daughter and overall as a friend man lives depend on women and of course women to men. Just being a son I could only talk about mother, who’s behind and in front of my life to keep me sustain and I couldn’t think a world with my mother and even in my dream I couldn’t survive without her, because she’s my life and no one could part me from her in this inevitable world.

(A women worker in valparai estate near Coimbatore.)

As a brother I don’t have a sister, except cousin sisters I don’t have someone to communicate personally or consider to be my sister. Whose fault is this I don’t know! Lol. With often or sometime communicating with them I understand the sweetest essence exist through their abundant and exuberating concern and love and desire is consider to be never adjutant to any other relationship in this world. Being in there care and concern is rejuvenate and I always love to be along with them and they behalf consider me as a friend and fellow brother to share things that excite and enthusiasm them.

About wife, it’s not in the list of my concern or wish and never desire for a woman except dream, imagination and crushes which consider being common among men and women and inspires lot of attitude to write poem or create characters unrealistic despite concern. I too dream a lot about women and never take it too serious or concern to get disturbed or depressed later to struggle with mind, but I have obvious reasons to be like that which is in our genes and gender to be so.

I have a sweet and cute daughter in my dream with who I play and grow up according to my knowledge and trend with my special concern for her to be on my interest and how I like to see my daughter grow up unaffected by her character and giving quite freedom to realize her dreams. I never think women is lesser to man and I realize that women is more sufficient than man and incredibly mysterious and bear unbearable trouble and pain we fail to realize or tried to understand!

I had and have some friends in schools and blog whom were so close to me than men and I really treat them as my dear sisters and friend and rarely consider to be fun loving and liberal related to reliable of knowledge and sense. I see women as an equal phase of society and growing at rapid speed of development in knowledge and profession and in many fields according to their immense ability and create a Wow (world of women) where they could stand on their own and fight for their rights and amendment, not alone for themselves and also for their wow community.

Wow… what a species women! Congrats women for being there as our well wishers and hope the world will realize your individual freedom and treat u as a fellow human being and considering your facts and knowledge you were at the furthermost advanced in education and professional wise and continue to grow furthermost defeating man in every column they ruled the organization. Whatever knowledge or ability wise we praise you, you are the most wanted women where our hope for future is defined and design by you and no one could forget this easily so as uneasy to say in few words here. Love you dear women!

Sparrows

Leaving back memories, the house bird sparrows flew far away and become a rare species in cities. There are days as child trying to catch the sparrows that often visit our balconies and sometimes they built there hay nest in space within pillars and sewage pipes. It’s so nice seeing those small sparrows, sitting in a line on the cable wires that pass across the streets and pierce to feed grain left over the balcony.

Today I see sparrows that are two times larges than those similar ones in light brown and grayish color with tiny beaks. There sweet twitters are something lost reflecting in ears that I can’t recall back in memories. Turn over of large trees and green space into skyscrapers and concrete floors, and lose of time in human to feed grains, the birds drew away from city.

Sparrows are some species survive along human habitation and what all affect us reflects in them and thus the change in lifestyle and passion disturbed there dwelling. Even in late 90s sparrows were spread across in city independently and it was very short in time and period they went invisible almost. They always pick there place for nesting is inside or at the entrance of homes, storehouses and elsewhere people residing. In villages, people tie a bunch of paddy at there home entrance to treat the little birds the grains and to help nesting.

I find some sparrows in valparai surviving along the people dwelling and a sparrow had nested above the shutter of a musical store in a bustle road, where they wander freely and friendly with people at stretching hands end. I wished then I had few of them around my place. Then one morning, I saw a lonely sparrow sitting on a flower pot in the front yard of Solaiyar house and later when I check the capture, the background came in as a surprise with the curved lane of the Sholayar dam. These birds are small, and shares very small space in our neighbor and thinking about them is nostalgia.

Something about travelling and Great Hornbill

If you know I’m a travel enthusiastic, travelling is my passion which I like to have often. Lately I have strong emotions to go out in seek of some remedy to my insane and it works well when I was in travelling and resting in hills. I was forced to leave home and see people as a consolation to my insane, and I am somehow comfortable now, with various moments gripping my mind and sweeping or hiding away those injurious thoughts.

Though whatever I planned hasn’t happened quite, I tried to enjoy a lot of things that came in as surprise and felt that more than expecting, enjoying the thing that comes in hand does not disappoint. It was a wonderful journey into Anaimalai hills of pollachi and sighting some rare and wild animals, forest atmosphere and pleasing weather in hill tops, while bright sunshine and farm houses and flowing canals in-between coconut groves and tea estates of valparai are few more resumes again.

Except pollachi IB – the one we stayed last time also, the various places we stayed may be more or less in comfort, but has something to wonder at its structure and surrounding. The nights are embraced in moderate cold and pleasant inside, and the sustain silence makes easier in listing to birds chirping and hornbills singing. Just opposite to our bison lodge in topslip, the great hornbills have build there nests in the large number of trees and makes clear and loud vocal at night.

One afternoon, while wandering without heading to lodge, we’re glad to meet an old man, who was a guide in topslip, taking visitors into the forest by foot and in van. He was taking rest under a bus stop opposite to our lodge and we get to chat with him for sometime about the forest and animals, and thus he says that this is the time hornbill’s nest and breed chicks. So the visitors are not allowed to go inside the large clumps of trees.

As we’re interested about the great hornbills, and liked to know something about it and he says they make unique sweet noises while flying above and makes it louder in breeding season to call the male, and later they sing in unison. The female bird builds the nests in hollows of large trees and imprisons itself with a plaster made up by feces, leaving a slit and lives until the chicks partially grow. During this time the male brings food and feed female through the slit and the chicks follow the same method and seal it again, ones the female comes out.

It was a surprising sight on the Sholayar dam - Valparai, where I saw a great hornbill for the first time, chased by crows to sit and go on by a nearby tree. First looking at its mass I thought it was a huge crane, but only seeing its long colorful curved beak I find it was a hornbill. While staring at the beauty, I went wow… at moment looking at its magnificent and being late in capture, the gorgeous was chased away by crows, but somehow I manned to click few shots that came out here.

While traveling somewhere around anaimalai, I thought are we illegal to this land and when I think back it sense me right. We just go in seek of nature and in love, but not almost realize we’re entering someone’s home and just lost our space in urban development. Many years age we have been sharing the similar amount of space and greenery, but we destroyed everything for our comfort and development and go in seek of nature which is pure and pristine left over at forest and mountains terrain. Sometimes we have to acknowledge the mistake about not controlling our desire and should always keep in mind that our existence should not disturb any nature resources, as we’re like thieves at that present and should follow the universal rule of maintaining silent and let no marks exists. We can’t keep much distance from the nature resources and it has something for every one of us to live and we also have to keep in mind that we let live the resource as it is for our future to exist. Its nature, we always crave for what we don’t have.

Fragrance of love, life & flower

Life is a lovely flower
where love is a fragrance

Life is a blooming flower
where heart opens for love

Life is a peaceful flower
where insects test patience

Life is a thorns bed
where we bear like a flower

Life is a petal
where our family is a flower

Love is an essence of life
which we share with others

Love has an inherent like a flower
which attracts each other

Love has the nectar
which makes life sweeter

Love is a bond creeper
where we breathe like a flower

Love makes life beautiful
like a flower to a plant

p.s.I'm back from vacation on sunday and the flower in the picture above is Champaca – popularly known as Shenbagam in tamil. The flower that belongs to a large evergreen tree Michelia Champaca - native to South Asia and Southeast Asia, is best known for its strongly fragrant yellow or white flowers. and the flower was captured in valparai

Merry Christmas

Christmas is the most celebrated festival in the world, and I always like to take part of this festival. Other than faith, I like the fun shared through this festival all along the decorations and mood that I also celebrate the world festival.

Last year I was in valparai on the occasion of Christmas, and the churches in the municipality are decorated with lights, trees and rhymes of Christmas. It was a beautiful evening with sun setting down behind the hills and a pleasant atmosphere to sense; we were playing around the lawn even after night dawn.

Against our cottage there was a small church decorated quite simply and beautifully, and in nights the lights continued to blink. The setting of the birth of Christ still exists in my view and the whole evening was just fun. I took varies pictures of the decoration, but somehow it was erased from my cam. It certainly happened to be a winter festival and like never before.

Scared heart church, Valparai

Now, I’m driving myself into the mood of festival and trying much I can do to celebrate the festival. I wish you all a Merry Christmas and hope u all have fun. Take care :)

Indian giant squirrel

When I was visiting valparai, I was seeking everywhere the rare species like lion tailed Macaque, Indian giant squirrel, Hornbill... but I could only listens to a hornbill’s sound one mid-night and it was a great perceive I received!

For me who was disappointed because of not seeing any wild animals lately, seeing an Indian giant squirrel, also called as Malabar giant squirrel was a relief and great surprise came from the late visit to kodaikanal. We’re surprise to see this giant squirrel sitting on a pear tree and tasting the fruit without fear, even we all staring and clicking pictures.

It was big with long tail and grasping the branch with the front limbs along holding the pear. In combination of black and brown, it moves here and there like mongoose and remained on the tree until we left the place. The picture was taken at berijam, in kodaikanal.

Pollachi to Chennai

Day: Dec29, 2008

It was inseparable morning, like as usual ever time I go on trips, leaving this coconut country Pollachi. Not because this is a place I have ever seen this much coconut groves and that I couldn’t make up to Top slip and Parambikulam, because I felt I need some more time to experience the change as the time was little brief. Since six months I visited pollachi, I could recollect something on my way back to Chennai by just withdrawing on the same route we took ahead. And it was morning time that I got to disclose the views around that get concealed in darkness while arriving at night.

There’re many coconut groves along the way until far from Pollachi and it was great thing to see many windmills, to stand and rotate gentle towards wind. After awhile came the Tirupur Corporation, with dust spreading across to some maintenance of road work and raised building as fence on both sides, we stopped somewhere to purchase clothes in this renowned banian city. It seems Tirupur is busy always and clothes are nothing cheaper like we thought and only those experts in textile industry could approach the right shop to purchase quality clothes in the confusing state of uncountable shops. Though we brought something, but couldn’t agree completely on its stability.

We had our lunch in Bhavani, and I found a long banner inviting even strangers to someone’s marriage, with a big picture of bride-groom, and faces of those seem to be relatives to the couple are pasted around the banner. And we stopped somewhere near Mettur, to find a village beside roadside with pretty paddy and sugarcane fields, and to move further to see a Ayyanar statue with some others and a horse nearby, which I was looking forward to see for long time in real. Throughout the way from Bhavani to Mettur it was green paddy fields and Cauvery running along.

For the third time, I’m coming across Mettur dam and this time I saw a whirlpool on the reservoir. It was swirling with an uncertain sign of neither dragging nor motion on the surface of the water in a different shade. Doesn’t know whether the whirlpool sustain minutes before we arrive or it’s existing for long time, where a man was drawing his coracle against the whirlpool to escape nor I better not know is he fishing at safe distance. The other side, water was opened to flow from dam, where people sweeping clothes and vehicle, with a man and other sending there coracle.

After met with NH7 and as we move further climbing the little ghat, we found many monkey beside the road, which is a common sight here, and as we dropped some food stuffs, they came around collecting by staring for pictures, and more than adults there’re many cute little ones. Along the way there’re clusters of coconuts dropped for sale and we brought a dozen to home, and the sun was hiding its face behind the hills by evening around Krishnagiri, it was such brightness in crimson to blind someone for moment to staring. And it was time running uncontrollable to the movement of vehicle and it was night 10pm we reach home. I conclude my travelogue here which I begin to write six months ago about my travel to valparai and its surrounding.