A trip to the Temples in Tamil Nadu

 It has been exactly 15 years when I undertook this memorable trip with my Mother. Why it took me so long in putting up as a Blog is something even which I am not sure of. A lot of things happened after this trip. Marriage, Birth of my Daughter, Going to Gulf and so on. Also I msiplaced some of the pages and I haven't been able to tie up those ends of this weeklong trip which will remain etched in my memories due to not only the Temples but also the Railway journeys in the Metre Gauge sections.

So here goes

 16 September 2010

Started from Thrissur by Tirucchi Express at 11:45 pm on 15^th September. Our train was hauled by twin WDM2 Engines from Erode. Train reached Tirucchirapalli Junction by 10:45 am. I had been reading a book titled ‘Chai Chai’ by Biswanath Ghosh on travel to railway stations where we hardly get down but pass through. He mentioned how most of the times he had to depend on Rickshaw drivers to find him accommodations. I realized the reality in it when I also was forced to rely on one Auto Rickshaw driver to take me to the nearest Lodge or Hotel at Tirucchi. One thing in Tamil Nadu, even though Bus travel is cheaper than Kerala or Maharashtra (These being the only states I have used this mode) but Rickshaw charges are exorbitant. He charged heavily for an otherwise walkable distance. But then was I not I under his mercy?

We anyhow took accommodation in Sharada Lodge.

As the delay in the train arrival at Tirucchi by 2 hours played spoilsport with my plans of visiting three temples viz, Srirangam, Thiruvanaaikaaval & Ucchi Pillayar, we decided to visit Samayapuram, which was comparatively far also and might be having a good rush of devotees. (Samayapuram and Madurai Kali Amman were in the evening plans at the start). When we set out for Samayapuram from Central Bus Depot (The other bus stand is called Chathram Bus Depot). We fortunately got a bus going directly to Samayapuram. The bus started at 11:30 am and reached near the temple in an hour’s time. The fare for this trip is Rs 6 per head. Samayapuram is the main deity of most of the people here in Tirucchi, hence the temple is crowded all the time. The temple is open all day for the convenience of the devotees. One needs to be extra careful of roadside hawkers who literally make you buy those garlands and other archana items at a huge cost. By 2:20 pm we were done with our lunch when we discussed about plans somebody suggested that we go straight away to Srirangam where they allow devotees after 3 pm even though Darshan is allowed after 4 pm only. Then after having Darshan, we could visit Thiruvanaikaaval and Ucchi Pillayar also. We reached Srirangam in an hour’s time and had Darshan very comfortably. Here an inn called ‘Chhatram’ is available for Rs 150 per day.

We left for Thiruvanikaaval by 5:40 p.m. and reached there in 15 minutes time. As it was getting too late, we decided to skip ‘Ucchi pillayar’ as it was a hill temple and that turned to be a good decision as if started raining heavily by the time we got into the bus. We reached our lodge had dinner and slept for the day. While going to srirangam I had spotted a steam engine model kept near Tiruchi railway station and had decided to take snaps of it but wasn’t able to do so.

17/09/2010 Day 2

Early morning by 5 am we got into the Bus bound for Thanjavur. The mood was wonderful as the morning was made lively by M S Subbulakshmi’s suprabhatham. As we neared Thanjavur, nature had started playing with colours as the Sky painted a wonderful picture with some wonderful colours. In the meantime, I had enquired with Saptarishi, my co-traveller in the Bus regarding how to reach the Lodge in Thanjavur etc. He later showed us where to get down for Railway Station, nearby which the Lodge was located. We had breakfast at the Lodge and started for Brahadeeswarar Temple. This temple is at a walkable distance from the Railway Station. We had started for the temple at 8 am and reached in 40 minutes time. The temple walls are like the walls of a fortress. The main deity Lord Shiva is 13 feet in height. The statue of Nandi which faces him was earlier constructed of 7 feet height but later a new statue of 12 feet height was constructed. The shadow of the temple never falls on the ground. This is due to the fact that the ‘Vimanam’ is very large as compared to the ‘Gopuram’ unlike other Temples. Other deity presiding here are ‘Varaahi’ Devi. We were fortunate enough to see the various abhishekams being performed. The ‘Venni’ tree is also worshipped here. Thanjavur Palace is approximately 2.5 kms from here. Besides the Tower which one can climb till the one below the six storeys in all there is an Art gallery, Coin collection at display. One can see whole of Thanjavur from the fifth storey. Raja Serfoji’s sculpture is kept inside the Art Gallery. There is a small Ganesha Temple inside the Palace.

The timings for the Tanjore Palace:

Morning:9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Evening: 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.

Counter is stopped at 12:45 p.m. and 5:45 p.m.

As Brahadeeshwarar Temple and Thanjavur Palace were the only places we had planned to visit in Thanjavur we decided to cover Ucchi Pillaiyar Kovil back in Tirucchi. Accordingly, we got into Tirucchi Express at 3:10 p.m. and reached Tirucchirapalli in fifty minutes. As soon as we got outside, I decided to get photos taken of the replica of the steam engine kept just outside the Railway Station.

We enquired with the Transport staff who were having tea as to directions to the Bus stand which would take us to Ucchi Pillaiyar. They told us that Buses going to Srirangam would pass through Theppakulam [which was the stop for the temple]. One needs to cross the main road and turn right and follow the straight road till ‘Sharadha Silks ‘after reaching the Temple just ahead among shops one can find entrance to the temple of Lord Ganesha called ‘Manicka Vinayagar’ we had ‘Darshan’ there and made our way towards the ‘Thayumanaswamy shrine. The path to the left leads to ‘Thayumanaswamy ‘shrine while the one on the right is ‘Ucchi Pillaiyar’ Temple. The rocks are estimated to be nearly 3800 million years old as per experts. Although a book written by Ambujam Anantharaman titled ‘Temples of South India’ mentions a mural of Parvathi which has a unique characteristic that if one observes it from any angle, it seems the eyes of Parvathi are looking at us, I found the mural to be of Shiva which had this characteristic. If there is one more mural of Parvathi with the same characteristic I cannot say for sure. We had Darshan and reached the top by around 6 pm. It had taken us both nearly an hour.  One can see the whole of Tirucchirapalli from here. We got down very quickly. While passing along the streets we came across a stall selling ‘Bhel Puri’, ‘Dahi Puri’ etc. I was missing Mumbai life especially the food items. I could not resist myself from devouring a plate of Bhelpuri. Although it cost a little too much at Eighteen Rupees a plate (In Mumbai I had never eaten anywhere for more than twelve) but it tasted good. On enquiring with the person who served the snacks I came to know that he was originally from Madhya Pradesh. Hats off to these people coming from such far-off places, overcoming the language problem and still doing good business is what one should learn from them. We had ample time at our disposal as the passenger train, which turned out to be a MEMU was scheduled to arrive at Tirucchi by 8:25 pm and it was only 7 pm. We decide to purchase some books in Tamil. We saw a Book Store by the name ‘Palaniappan’Book Store and went inside it. This Book Store seemed pretty old to me as most of the staff were very much old aged persons. In fact, when I asked one of the them, he had to think for some time before coming to the figure of 50 years. The staff were very courteous and lastly thanked us before we left. However, I would say that it must have been the other way around. We should be grateful to such persons for keeping traditions alive. We purchased ‘Kaara Boondi’ which is a snack item very famous here. We reached Tirucchi Railway Station, drank Hot milk and made ourselves comfortable in adjacent seats of a coach in the ‘MEMU’ train. At some station Mother befriended a Lady Traveller and started talking about other important shrines in and around Tirucchi and Thanjavur. The lady mentioned about ‘Erumbueeshwaran’ Kovil which could also be sighted from the train and was at a walkable distance from one of the stations on the route. By around 10 pm the Train reached Thanjavur Railway Station. There was no further activity for that day we laid down to sleep.

18/09/2010 Day 3

The next day we vacated the Lodge by around 6:15 am and made our way to the Railway Station so as to board the Rockfort Express at 6:40 am. As one makes way to the Platform one can hardly miss the remains of the Metre Gauge sleepers.   Even the platform looks so much Metre Gaugish that one cannot help imagining how it would have been in those days. There is a small ‘Ganesha’ temple under tree too making us feel nostalgic. I was lost in thoughts when an announcement was made stating the arrival of Rock Fort Express on the platform. The engine bearing the trademark Green and Cream coating that I now had got used to brought along our train. There was no big rush and we occupied seats comfortably for the forty-minute trip. We passed across Papanasam Station (One of the Total 108 Shiva Temples is situated in Papanasam) in thirty minutes time. After reaching Kumbakonam Railway Station we hired an autorickshaw up to the Hotel and paid the advance there. This Hotel offered a Television like view of two temples face to face. (These temples were Saarangapani and Ramaswamy Temples). We refreshed ourselves had breakfast and ventured out. As Kumbakonam is known as the ‘City of Temples’ and it is said that even if you stumble and fall there would be a temple there. We did not know which temple to look out for. We first went inside an open temple the doors of which however were closed. The temple was a unique temple comprising of the ‘Avtaars’ of the Lord but was desolated. We then made our way towards another temple which we guessed from the tower must be a significant one and it turned out to be ‘Ramaswamy’ Temple. Here the Lord is in ‘Marriage Ceremony’ also called as ‘Kalyana Rama’ The Priest showed us the faces of other deities there by the somewhat bright light of the ‘Deepam’ as to be Lakshmana, Sita and Anjaneya. We prayed to them and made our way towards ‘Kumbheshwar’ Temple. Once or twice, we kept following the wrong Towers and finally reached ‘Kumbheshwar’ shrine. We had to cover ‘Sarangapani’ and ‘Chakrapani’ before noon. This was necessary so as to keep time in the evening for ‘Swami Malai’, ‘Oopliappan’ etc which required some travel time and were in opposite directions. At ‘Sarangapani’ the Lord Vishnu is in a unique posture. It was nearing 1 pm and we were very fortunate to have Darshan at the last minute at Chakrapani. We returned back to our Lodge. In the afternoon we overslept and left our lodgings at 5 pm only instead of 4 pm that we had planned for. Anyhow we reached Ramaswamy Kovil Street by 5:15 pm and boarded a ‘Mini Bus’ going to ‘Swami Malai’. A boy informed us that there was a Bus (No 12 If I remember correctly) at 4 pm that would have taken us directly near the temple. All the other Buses go near the Bridge from where one has to walk to the temple. The boy was very forthcoming and also gave directions to go to ‘Oopliappan’ temple. I was tempted to ask his name and other details but didn’t do it. The bus finally arrived at 5:30 pm and travelling along a wonderful narrow path took us to ‘Swami Malai’ in some twenty minutes. There were minor halts when the cattle would stray into the road otherwise the bus journey was without much delay. Mother became nostalgic as she had been here when she was a child (Her eldest sister lived here along with her Husband at an Inn which was near a small ‘Ganesha’ temple). We had darshan of Lord Muruga in one of his abodes here in Tamil Nadu. The moon that had started peeping out and the temple domes made me grab my camera for a quick snap much to my mother’s dismay. My advice to amateur photographers like me is to travel alone. We then ventured to look out for the entrance that would take us near the ‘Ganesha’ temple. My mother’s memory was good and we did find the ‘Inn’ or at least the place where it must have stood. It seems that either the inn was razed to give way to some other construction. The temple however was intact. We prayed before the God and made our way towards a ‘Hotel’. The Hotel was less crowded and most of the occupants were old aged. The snacks were delicious and tasted well. It was a most perfect end to a wonderful day. After dinner we went out looking for Transportation to our Lodgings. There are very few buses passing through Swami Malai and going to Kumbakonam so after waiting for some time we decided to hail an auto rickshaw to the Mini Bus Stand. No Sooner had we got down from the auto rickshaw we found a bus heading to Kumbakonam. We got into the bus and reached the Lodge safely.

19/09/2010 Day 4

The next day morning we set out early as we had to cover a rather distant location, Tranquebar (locally known as Tharangampaadi) of nearly 150 kms travel to and fro. Also, we had been unable to include Oopliappan and Thiru Naageshwarar Kovil in the day before trip. We reached Kumbakonam Bus Stand and then took a bus to the Post Office stop (The Landmark for the Mamangam Tank). This tank assumes an immense form during the annual festival called ‘Mamangam’. There is a temple dedicated to Lord Shiva called ‘Kashi Vishwanath’ temple which we decided to visit and it turned out to be a pleasant experience. There is a ‘Lingam’ kept to the left side of the temple along the path for the ‘Pradakshina’ which grows every year. While we were observing the Lingam two persons who were Father and Daughter also came and had darshan of the unique ‘Lingam’. The daughter in question was more or less forty years of age, was unmarried and was settled in Singapore. We exchanged greetings and bade good bye. The temple compound has been wonderfully maintained by planting a number of trees. There was also a wooden chariot in a dilapidated condition stationed along the walls of the temple. We returned back to the Bus stand at around 7:30 a.m. In half an hour’s time we reached the ‘Oopilappan’ temple. According to the Legend The Lord wanted to marry the daughter of his devotee, who remarked that his daughter was not very well versed at cooking so how could the Lord consume the food prepared by her in case she forgot to put salt in the food or if the amount was less. To that the Lord said that he would not consume the Food prepared by his Daughter as it is without salt and hence the name ‘Oopilappan’. Even the prasadam offerings like ‘Puliyogarai’, ‘Murukku’ etc are prepared without salt and yet the taste good. Accommodation facilities are available here as on September 19, 2010:

                  Double room per person : Rs 200

                 Dormitory: Rs 25

Contact Number: ( 0435 ) 2463385

Website: www.oppliappan.com

The ‘Thirunaageshwarar’ temple is nearby. ‘Pal Abhishekam’ is famous offering or practice here. We purchased two small pith work structures of ‘Lord Ganesha’. Pith work are very common here. We did not wait for the ‘Pal Abhishekam’ however as we had to visit Tranquebar also. We also skipped ‘Prathyamkara Devi’ temple due to shortage of time. We returned back to Kumbakonam Bus stand. The bus started from the stand at 10:30 a.m. and reached Mayiladuthurai nearly in an hour’s time. The Bus was bound for Thiruvanamalai. We had to get down at Mayiladuthurai from where we had to catch town bus which would take us to Tranquebar. The town bus stand is a 10 minute walk from the Main Bus stand. We got into the bus bound for Porayar, which would pass by Tranquebar.   The journey started ten minutes past 12 and ended at 1 p.m.  We actually passed by the Fort and travelled quite a distance furthermore. We had Lunch there and caught another Bus which dropped us at Tranquebar. The fort is roughly 1 k.m. from the Bus stop. It was around 2 p.m. when we started walking along the road leading to the Danish Fort. The road is lined by Houses constructed maybe a century ago by the looks of them, but still very well maintained. Just as we neared the Fort a Bus load of tourists drove by and came to a halt near the entrance to the fort. This development was very unpleasant to my ideas. I was of the opinion that there would not be a single soul around the Fort and the adjoining beach, but I was surprised to see a good sized crowd at the beach too besides the newly arrived tourists. Although it is good for tourism I prefer solitude whenever I go so I was in a foul mood.

A Board in front of the Fort states ‘The original name of Tarangampadi a port city on the Coromandel Coast was ‘Sadangapadi’ constructed by Naval Col. Ove Geddy in 1620 A.D. with the permission of Thanjavur King Rajendra Nayakkar.

Entry Fee per person: Rs 50

Camera: Rs 30

Fort is closed for an hour between 1 p.m. to 2 p.m.

The Fort has two levels. First floor comprises of Godown, Prison as well as Rest area for Soldiers. Upper Floor is for the Residence of Governor and Priest. I skipped the visit inside and headed towards the beach and the ‘Nasilamani’ Temple. The beach is the only ozone rich beach and is un polluted. The temple although being slowly consumed by the Sea is a wonderful work of art. Although the Fort was full of the crowd that had arrived by the Bus, the temple however was desolated except for one or two occupants. I took some snaps of the temple from all possible angles I could explore. If one observes the layout of the Fort it is wonderfully maintained. A number of violet coloured Vinca Flowers dotted the surroundings of the Fort. We left the beach and started walking towards Bus Stop when we spotted a Board mentioning ‘Tranquebar Maritime Museum’. There are photos depicting victims of Tsunami in one room and the other room has photos taken aftermath. Although it is a good effort I felt that it might be getting low number of visitors. I purchased a Post Card depicting the Danish Fort and the Book about Tranquebar. One can find more information on the place and related History on the website named www.trankebar.net. If it weren’t for the long distance we had to travel back to.

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Going to the town would come at 1:15 pm. It was around 1:45 p.m. when we caught a Bus bound for Madurai. We reached Madurai by 4 p.m. Here there are nearly 4 Bus stands, Periyar Nilayam, Anna Nilayam. Madurai was the only place where we had trouble finding accommodations. It was nearly 6 pm when we got accommodation.

The next day morning we started for Alagar Kovil and the temple atop the hill called ‘Pazhamudirsolai’. We reached ‘Periyar Nilayam’ and from there caught a bus going to Alagar Kovil (Mostly Buses numbered 44 go to Alagar Kovil). Our bus started from Periyar Nilayam at 6:30 a.m. and reached near the entrance gate of ‘Alagar Kovil’ in Forty five minutes time. The walls of the temple compound resemble walls of fortress. Just before we enter the Alagar Kovil there is a temple dedicated to a Devi which opens only on Aadhi Poornima Day. The Alagar Kovil was not open so we decided to visit ‘Pazhamudirsolai’ first and then have darshan of Alagar Kovil. Bus fare to the top is Rs 10 per head. There are lots of monkeys here. The buses or rather mini buses take you near the ‘Pazhamudirsolai’ temple. Further journey to the ‘Thirth kund’ and Devi temples has to be done by foot. We had darshan of Lord Muruga and then started our trek upwards. No monkey trouble us en route when we neared the ‘Thirth Kund’ the people in queue behaved very indecently. Some had brought along large vessels to collect the water while some bathed in the water as if they had never taken bath. Sometimes I wonder that the monkeys are comparatively better in this kind of behaviour. Anyway we then descended the steps and started towards the Murugan temple again. We had darshan again and purchased ‘Prasadam’ in the form of ‘Adai’ which is the speciality here and returned to the Bus stand. We reached the base by 10:15 a.m. It took us another hour for us to have darshan and explore the temple complex. In a little bit

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And drove very cautiously all along. We reached Bodimetu, which should be the highest peak here. Here we stopped for Tea and Lunch. I took two snaps, one each from the Digital and traditional cameras that I had brought along. My traditional camera’s roll ended with the snap from the top while the Digital Camera also was full in capacity. Hence I had to satisfy myself with visions of my eyes. Nevertheless it was a most satisfying end to our week long tour. We started from Bodimetu, which is also on the Border of the two states at around 2 p.m. or so. We passed across roads covered with mist even in the afternoon. We also crossed two waterfalls for sure. One of them was near a milestone which indicated Munnar was still 51 kms ahead was so serene that I have decided to visit it for sure next time. It had a small temple nearby. We reached Munnar at around 3:30 p.m. We then crossed the Bridge to find that NH-49 did bypass Munnar after all. What I couldn’t make out was that how Bodinayakkanur stay away from NH-49. We then got into a Bus bound for Ernakulam which passed through Perumbavoor and Aluva. Although initially we had thought of getting down at Aluva we decided that Perumbavoor was a better and safer option. We reached Perumbavoor Market stop and took an auto to the Bus Stand from where we got a bus bound for Thrissur. We reached home by around 10 p.m. It was a most satisfying and enjoyable week long trip that I had ever undertaken till now.

Visit to Pulpally Seetha Devi Temple

 

November 5, 2023

It had been almost a year when I had undertaken a spiritual trip with Sudhesh. Last time around we had visited three Temples in Tirur, Malappuram District. Hence this time, we made it even further into Kerala and ventured into Wayanad district, Pulpally town which is near Sulthan Bathery.

We had been talking about the place for two months prior to the actual trip and it was an article online which made us think about visiting it.

So, on a Sunday early morning at 12:30 am I took a ‘Go Taxi’ to the Coimbatore Railway Station to board the Train which would take me to Kozhikode Railway Station where I would be joined by Sudhesh who was coming from Kannur on a train at 2 am. He reached before me as his journey was all but of 1 and half hour. Actually, due to the changes in Timings of few Trains, Sudhesh had to board his train a lot early than when he had booked the Tickets. In October Train Time Table changes every year.  However, in my case the timings were the same so I was a bit lucky.

The Taxi dropped me at 12:50 and I made my way to the Platform to board the Puducherry to Mangalore Train (Train number 16857) which was supposed to arrive at 1:57 am. Even at this time there was much of a crowd there so I sat on a chair and waited. The train was around 10-15 minutes late eventually and I climbed to my upper berth and after confirming the TT of my presence might have dozed off as I didn’t realize the Train reaching Palakkad Station and around 4:30 am I awoke to find the Train at Shoranur Junction. It was now late by half an hour. I had asked Sudhesh to call me by 5 am just in case I fell asleep. Train was supposed to reach by 5:37 am but it reached around 6 am.

We got outside the Railway Station and made enquiries on how to get to Pulpally. All suggested to going to Kozhikode KSRTC Bus Stand and board Bus to Sulthan Bathery and from there another bus to Pulpally.

So, we booked a prepaid Auto to KSRTC Bus Stand (Actually the Bus Stand is at a walkable distance only) and reached Bus Stand around 6:40 am. A Lottery ticket vendor suggested to board a Bus going to Mysore or Bangalore which will take us quicker to Sulthan Bathery and from there we could get Bus to Pulpally. So accordingly, we started looking for a Bus going to Bangalore and we found one to and asked the Conductor for seats (Nowadays KSRTC online booking is being used in good numbers so one can not be sure of whether we will get seats or not for long trips). Anyhow he gave us two seats till Sulthan Bathery and informed us that Bus will start at 7 am sharp. We decided to have Coffee in the meantime. I also relieved myself and then boarded the Bus again which started around 7 :10  am.

It was very chilly morning and I was totally unprepared. The Bus passed through Thamarassery, Vythiri, Kalpetta, etc before finally reaching Sulthan Bathery at around 9:45 am. From here we had to stand just outside the Bus Stand to catch the next Bus going to Pulpally. On reaching Pulpally around 10:30 am. We enquired with a person at a store selling Pooja items about the two temples. The one ‘Moolasthanam’ would close early by 11:30 am so we asked him how we could arrange to visit both. He then hailed an auto rickshaw driver and told us to go with him and he would take us to both places.

The ‘Moolasthanam’ has the spot where Seeta Devi is supposed to have gone inside the Earth and also the place where Ram did penance. The priest informed us that the Temple was almost 200 years old. The main temple was holding two marriages it seems but still I would say it wasn’t crowded. We quickly took darshan and got out.

We had good Darshan at both places and the Auto driver charged us totally Rs 50 which surprised us both. I don’t know if that person told him to do so or it was normal but we felt it was pretty less considering he waited us at one of the temples for us to have a visit and return.

After the darshan we then boarded a lone bus at the Pulpally Bus Stand for Sulthan Bathery. The Bus reached around 1 pm and we went to a hotel to have meals. It was a duplicate ‘Udupi’ Hotel but nevertheless satisfied our appetite. So, then we boarded a Bus for Kozhikode which took us to the KSRTC Bus Stand. Here we parted ways after having ‘Ghee Roast’. I decided to walk to Railway Station as I had ample time. My return train was scheduled to arrive at 7:30 pm. So, I reached the Railway Station a lot earlier and got my phone charged (Battery was almost drained off) at the Waiting Room. Around 7:40 pm my Train arrived and I reached Coimbatore around 11:40 pm. Late by almost half an hour sleep was affected but the trip had been thoroughly enjoyable.

Bus upto Sulthan Bathery from Kozhikode : Around 131 per head for Buses going to Mysore, Bangalore. A TT Bus fare will be around 118 per head

Bus upto Pulpally from Sulthan Bathery : Rs 35 per head

For Temple Priest name and Contact Number : Sudeendaran 9446253712

Three temples in Tirur

 Date : 4th November, 2022

I have been purchasing a monthly travel magazine by the name ‘Yathra’ whenever I get to travel to Kerala since long. I also have been taunted often saying that I just buy and keep the same in the shelves without undertaking a trip to any one of the places in it. To an extent it is true also.

So this time around I had made up my mind to visit some place that found a mention the magazine. I had already applied for a one day leave two weeks before in my office. I then tried glancing through one August edition of the magazine for a place where I could travel for a day trip. Wayanad was dropped as it would need two days minimum. Then I saw an article about a temple near Tirur, which also happened to be the only temple dedicated to ‘Garuda’. When I checked the distance and time needed for travelling to Tirur it was very much possible one.

So I informed a friend staying in Kannur and he also agreed to join me from there. I made enquiries regarding the temple ( such as how to reach from Tirur station to the temple, What all offerings will be available and the timings ) from a person whose contact number was shared in the article.

My onward train was starting from Coimbatore at 6 am and it was the starting station. As it was too early for Buses to ply I booked through ‘Red Taxi’ a cab at 4:45 am. I prefer to be a bit early for any journey. So I was at the platform where my train was stationed at around 5:10 am. When I neared my coach I could see that the lights weren’t switched on. When the lights were put on I boarded the train. The train ( 22610 ) started around 6:03 am ( a delay of 3 minutes ) The compartment was mostly empty. The train passed through some lovely sceneries ( green mountains, mist, etc ) and was almost on time check till Shoranur ( the last halting station before Tirur ) and reached Tirur with a delay of 15 minutes. My friend from Kannur who was supposed to reach lot earlier hadn’t reached yet and so I decided to make enquiries as to from which side we could travel to the temple.

I asked a person manning the automatic ticket vending machine. He told me that Buses were on the other side. I wasn’t able to see foot over bridge and hence crossed the tracks to go to the next platform. After some time my friend arrived and I informed him that we need to rush a bit as the temple will be closing by 10:30 am.

We went outside and hired an auto to take us to the temple. He charged us 170 Rs. We had good darshan and enquired with the priest regarding the next temple. He told us that we could visit not only Hanuman temple but also Triprengode Siva temple as well. So we purchased the offerings ‘Manja Payasam’ and ‘Garuda Panchakshi enna’ and after finishing the rounds inside the temple started towards the second temple. After coming out we took an auto to the Hanuman temple. He charged us 40 Rs.

The temple is actually dedicated to Lord Rama but is more popular by ‘Hanuman Temple’. ‘Avil’ is the popular offering here. We hurried along to the next temple. The main sanctum is very high and the deity looks grand. The priest after enquiring about our whereabouts told us the legend of the temple. When we went outside and were leaving when a temple worker called us and gave ‘Ganapathi Homam’ prasadam.

After the visit we then asked directions for the main road and reached the bus stop. We got a bus almost immediately which took us to Tirur Railway Station.

Similar to the morning scenes I feel evening scenes were even more as the setting sun had spread some wonderful colours

It was almost 8 when I reached Coimbatore but the day was memorable.

 

Isha Adiyogi Centre

 

Isha Adiyogi Centre

The last time we visited Isha Yoga Centre it was closed due to COVID-19 restrictions. My daughter was upset also because she would not have been allowed inside as she had not completed 10 years then.

So as to makeup for her dejection and my own curiosity we decided to visit again.

So around 1 pm we started by Taxi for the Centre and passing through Perur we covered the 34 kms in almost an hour by reaching around 2 pm. Parking for own vehicles cost 30 Rs.

After getting down from the Taxi we started walking towards the Shiva bust sculpture. There was a good enough crowd and we made one Pradakshina of the bust. The floor was hot and after the Pradakshina we made our way towards the place where Linga Bhairavi, Dhyanalingaa etc were situated. These can be reached by taking the path behind the bust sculpture. One needs to deposit mobiles and Valuables, Bags at the counter and proceed inside as Photography is not allowed here.

After walking along the path along areca nut plantations one reaches the Sarpa Sthal behind which is the ‘Suryakund’ where males can take a dip in the water and touch the Lingams immersed in the water. This is a man-made creation. Towels and ‘Mundu’ is provided. After that we move towards the ‘Linga Bhairavi’ temple. The temple was closed as the curtains were drawn and we could only see the place from small openings at the temple door.

From here we went to the ‘Dhyanalinga’, which is one of the best place for meditation. Inside a dome one feels immediately at eternal peace. This is followed by ‘Chandrakund’ and finally we returned back to the Adiyogi sculpture.

Evening at 7 pm there are some songs played out and around 7:20 we have Light show on the Sculpture.

It was a wonderful experience with scenery all around

 

 

Valparai -- Vazhachaal

A desire to undertake a journey through the Vazhachal Valparai route had developed since long in my mind. But for one reason or the other it never materialized. Although initially there was a doubt also that Two wheelers weren't being allowed to pass but Midhun, who was also going to be my companion informed me that of recent they had started allowing Two wheelers.

Thus a sudden plan to undertake the trip the next day itself came about when Midhun called me to check if I was free the next day. As he would be coming from Paliakara, Thrissur I was supposed to meet him at Nemmara at 6:00 am. I was to make a night halt at my parent's place in Thrissur as it would be pretty late when we would end the journey. Midhun advised me on dress ( Not to have to too colourful clothes, Jeans, Pants, bringing water/sunglasses etc ). What I forgot to ask was regarding footwear and regretted wearing a sandal. As I usual I got very less sleep in anticipation of the day ahead. I left the house at 5:30 am. Walked till Kaipencherri and got into a KSRTC Bus bound for Thrissur and got down at Nemmara. Midhun was to meet me here and we would pass through Kollengode and reach Pollachi to start the route.

I had tea from a mobile Tea stall. Midhun reached at around 6:40 am. We had crossed Kerala border in 45 minutes or so. During the time we crossed Kollengode to reach Anaimalai, Pollachi. I wasn't aware that Midhun also had become a vegetarian by choice. I was a little taken aback when he skipped hotels which had non vegetarian food or were near a mutton shop. I was left wondering if I was a Non-vegetarian !!!

Anyway at around 8:15 am we reached the Main Road which indicated Valparai was 44 kms. Here we had breakfast comprising of 4 idlis and an Oothapam. There was a 'Pudina' chutney along with the normal 'Coconut' chutney and Sambar. Four Ladies were managing the stall. What was more comforting that there were idols of 'Shirdi Sai Baba' and 'Ganesha' in front of the eatery. After a nice breakfast we started for the real journey. There were a total of 40 hair pin bends for reaching Valparai. Valparai has become a hub of Tea Estates. We sighted some monkeys and Midhun took out his SLR camera and took some good snaps. There was a person riding a bike with the 'Charm' symbols who almost rode along with us till the end.

Although we purchased a bottle of mineral water we didn't open it at all as we refilled the water bottle I had taken from home with the water flowing between the rocks en route. The water was cool and tasted good too. Midhun also stopped at some picturesque locations. He also told me to tell him when I wanted to stop. Though it was summer both of us didn't feel the heat at all. We must have reached Valparai at around 10:15 am. Here we had tea at a stall

While descending we saw a sign board indicating 'Karaimalai Balaji' Temple and as even Midhun hadn't seen it decided to pay it a visit. We reached the spot at around 11:30 am. As the temple was going to close by 12 pm we hurried atop the small hillock. Of the many 'Balaji' temples I had visited this was the only one which was located atop a hill amidst tea plantations.

This temple had been constructed 35 years ago by the Estate Owner. Below there is a board that indicates various other places of significance like 'Veeramalai' Tunnel, Mudis, Vella Pilayar kovil, Sholayar Dam etc. Actually these are not in the main route and one has to return back to main route from Valparai to Malakkapara. As this was a new route for Midhun also he also was enjoying the ride.
We reached Malakkapara by 2:15 pm and had lunch in solitude at a hotel that Midhun frequented. The lunch was sumptuous comprising Rice, Sambar, Pappad, Rasam, Cabbage curry and Salad. After lunch and rest we started at 3 pm. All through the route we looked for any indications of any movements indicating the one we wanted to sight the 'Elephant' but we didn't see one at all. All hopes had gone by the time we neared Vazhachal around 5 40 pm. When we saw some vehicles stationed near the edge of the road and some onlookers. We asked if there was an Elephant and yes on the opposite side near the banks of the river were a Mother and two small ones enjoying the bath !!!

We reached home by 6:40 pm and I bade Good Bye to Midhun and after dinner slept like a log 

A TRIP TO KAIWARA VILLAGE

After being dejected with the so called popular spots in and around Bengaluru I chanced upon this nice place through a casual talk with the Landlord of my friend with whom I stayed in Bengaluru. It was around 9 am that we started for Kaiwara which has many historical and mythological stories. It is said that Pandavas stayed here while in exile and the Cave where Bhima deposed the body of the Bakasura is nearby.

Besides the folk lore in the 18^th Century a legendary saint Narayanappa called popularly as ‘Kaiwara Narayan Thata’ lived here and attained Samadhi near Kaiwara. There is a Mutt here. The ‘Jeeva Samadhi’  of the saint who lived for 110 years is just behind the main deity. We reached around 11 am after having a healthy breakfast at Hosakote. ( Hosakote was supposed to be our earlier destination but we extended it to Kaiwara and didn’t regret it a bit !! ). We passed through little and huge farms with Mango trees, Snake Gourds, and many other Fruits and Vegetables cultivated. It was a typical village setting which I had  longed for. We first visited the Mutt and were fortunate enough to bear the ‘Palkhi’ carrying the Saint’s Statue. Although I felt the ‘Palkhi’ a little heavy (This was the first time I had lifted one!!) I soon thought maybe by bearing it at least some of my sins will be lessened. There was one pradakshina done and we sat at the Mutt for some time.

It is a nice place and has a wonderful atmosphere. There was ‘Annadhanam’ and we ate the tasty food. After the food we went to Kailasagiri where there are ‘Vinayaka’, ‘Shiva’ and ‘Ambaji Durga’ deities. On top of the hill there is a good view of the surroundings and a water reservoir can be seen. From there we went to Vaikuntam or ‘Taathaiyya Gavi’ which is the cave where he meditated. It is also on a hill top. Next we went to Bhima lingeshwara temple and lastly Swami Narayana Temple. The Temple was closed and would only open at 5 or so. However as we had to cover a huge distance to get back, we returned back before the temple opened.

Roughly 80 Kms from Bengaluru.

Carry sun glasses, Cap or any other protection as the heat is too much. Take drinking water also.

FAILAKA ISLAND

Failaka Islands - Deserted Island Trip

One Day Trip

After nearly six years since the thought came to visit this place after coming to Kuwait from home this was made reality on 3rd November 2017( Exactly six years and one day !!!). We booked tickets beforehand from Ikarus counter, located just behind Marina Crescent and it costs kwd 15 per person for the return journey as of 1st November. They had changed the rates starting November 1st. This one is return trip without food and sightseeing by the Bus from Failaka Heritage Village.

Me and my roommate, Adarsh started at 8:45 am by Taxi to reach Marina Crescent from where the boat starts. We reached there at 9:30 am for a departure at 10:30 am. The Boat name was BINT AL KHAIR and had started services from January 2001. It weighed 59 Tons as per the same being mentioned on the top deck reserved for VIP travellers. It departed at correct time and soon we were riding the high waves. The seats are quite comfortable and so was the ride. The bluish colour turns somewhat like brown as we move ahead. It takes nearly 40 minutes for the trip and at 11:10 we sighted Failaka Islands.

We decided to walk around the places and so skipped the coaster that takes us to Heritage Village. Although there are some people still staying here most of the houses were deserted. We decided to head where the beach was and started walking in that direction.We saw a sign of Beach Entrance and found it closed.

We then walked ahead and came near Failaka Lake entrance and the small zoo. Here we rested for a while and took photos of each other. When we enquired about the Beach a Egyptian caretaker took both of us to the Beach Entrance. The Beach is very well maintained and is clean and we were the only souls there.

Tea and coffee is more costlier here and can be had at the Oasis Cafe near Ikarus Hotel.

Most of our time was spent there. Return also the boat took off at correct time. They are very much punctual.

The ruins of Greek civilization cannot be seen unless you have a letter from the Kuwait Museum it seems as mentioned in many a reviews on this Island. If you prefer solitude and don't mind just roaming around this is a good place else there isn't anything here.

Ikarus can be contacted on these numbers : 22244767/60066444

A VISIT TO MESSILA BEACH

I started out rather late in the evening, 5 p.m. to be precise.As I was not aware if there was a direct bus from Abbasiya to Messila I went to Farwaniya and from there took another bus to Messila. This bus bound for Fahaheel took me to Messila in roughly half an hour's time. Altogether I was there in an hour. I came across the entrance to this beach located near Burger King and paid the Entrance fee.

The beach pathway looked deserted possibly due to the cold weather and I found only a family consisting of a Mother, Father and a child out there. I walked along a little closer to the shore and snapped few photos before deciding to return without disturbing the family's privacy.

There is a water park close by but it was closed till April. While returning back I came to know that a direct bus ran between Fahaheel and Abbasiya passing through Messila.

Entrance Fee: 500 Fils

Bus No. 106 from Jleeb to Fahaheel

A VISIT TO THE KUWAIT ZOO

I agree this looks more or less like an essay given in schools but a visit to the Zoo was one of the first things I did after coming to Kuwait !!

I had been under the impression that Civil Id was a must for entering the Zoo premises and had been waiting for my Civil Id to be made. When I finally got it done and shifted to Abbasiya I planned to implement the visit.

My last visit to a Zoo, back in India was a bad experience and I was hoping for some thing better and I wasn't disappointed.

The zoo is located in Omariya. I boarded a KPTC bus from Jleeb and got down at the Cinema Hall Bus stop. I crossed the road using the over-bridge and made my way to the Zoo entrance, which can be easily spotted from the Watch Tower.

As soon as one enters the Zoo to the left side an indicative board mentions the locations of the animals using a sketch. I followed the path to the right and was soon in front of the enclosures of the Cheetah and the Wolf. The European wolf made its appearance and was jeered by a bunch of youths.

The Cheetah and the Hyena enclosure had it seems no occupants. There was another enclosure for the Cheetah where I saw the creature taking a sound nap. There was an enclosure for the Bengal White Tiger but maybe it too was in deep slumber. The lion and the two lionesses played in between their naps. Next to the Lion enclosure was the Hippo enclosure. Opposite to the Hippo enclosure was the Bear cave where the animal roamed about for some photogenic moments. Further ahead was the African Elephant. It looked cute.

Further ahead were the Camels and the Giraffes. There were some three Zebras too. In the Aviary section Ostriches & the Emus were the main attraction. I found some Peacocks among the Deers. The Reptile House was closed possibly for repairs. I saw two Crocs busy hibernating. The timing was bad but it was a wonderful experience.

Timings: 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Closed on Sundays

Location: Omariya

KALASHAMALA

Date: 20th June 2010

No place has generated as much interest in me as Kalashamala. This is mainly due to the fact that the trip materialized after many cancellations for various reasons. Our source of information for this place happened to be an article in the supplement of a local daily newspaper viz. ‘Mathrubhumi’ which was published some months back. The day we finally undertook this journey turned out to be a sunny day in the midst of monsoon.

As there was a possibility of rain we decided that travelling by bus would be a better option rather than riding on a two wheeler. Accordingly friend Mr. Davis and I took a bus for Kunnamkulam from the Shakthan Bus Stand at about 10.30 a.m. While in the bus, we discussed the tour spots lying scattered and where exactly were they located. The time taken in covering all these places was important as we had only part of a day left at our disposal. We reached Kunnamkulam by 11 am. We made enquiries at the bus stand as to directions to reach Kalashamala. Though there was a bus going directly to Kallazhi Kunnu (another name for Kalashamalaa) scheduled for 12:45 p.m. we took an immediately available bus going to Chowannur on the Kunnamkulam-Vadakkanchery route and engaged an auto rickshaw to cover the further three kms. to Kalashamala. Narimada Kunnu where we reached at around 11:45 am is a small hill, offering a good view of the vast green expanse lying yonder. Just below the view point is the ‘narimada’ meaning tiger’s den. There was a bunch of boys also on picnic there who wondered whether we were from the press to publish an article on the site (what a wonderful thought!).

Atop the Narimada there is a tree precariously moored at the side of the hillock which looked so photogenic amidst the surroundings that I couldn’t resist taking a snap of it. There was nothing much to see around at that particular spot and the hot sun was making it difficult for us even to sit down and enjoy the scenery. The sunset view from this spot is said to be very much enjoyable and we decided to keep it for the next time for want of time. While wandering around we heard the calls of peacocks but could not locate them. The grass growing all along the hill was very much inviting. I could have rolled over it. But something restricted me from doing so. After lunch which we took at the hill top we came down the hill to take a narrow pathway leading to the ‘Chola Vanam’ lying close by. Very soon we found ourselves in the midst of a small forest. The small stream flowing along the thick bunch of bushes was so inviting that I removed my footwear to feel it caress them which was truly an invigorating experience. Just across the stream there is an old temple undergoing some renovation work. There is a ‘kutcha’ road leading to the junction where we had turned for Narimada. The short walk up the graveled and untarred path presented greenery both sides and while walking along this path we again heard the calls of the elusive peacock. Enquiries made at Chowannur junction revealed that there are a few more sites around worth visiting and having decided to cover them next time on a two-wheeler, we waited for the return bus to Kunnamkulam.


Getting There:
Bus Fare up to Kunnamkulam Rs. - 14 per head
Bus Fare up to Chowannur Rs. - 4 per head.
From Chowannur Auto charge Rs. - 20 one way.

Just a Reminder:
Kalashamala comprises several caves and burial grounds spread over a vast area. Ideally, riding on a bike is more convenient for covering all the locations. Rainy season is best as the greenery around is a treat to the eyes.

MANGALYAPAARA

MANGALYAPAARA


As it has been a regular feature of going on short trips after coming to Kerala, an article in a local daily was the source for my next hunt along with my friend for a new destination named Mangalyapaara in Thrissur Dist. The article appeared somewhere in October, 2009 when the rains were still very much active. When myself and friend Davis did finally give Mangalyapaara a visit on a pleasant Sunday morning in end January 2010, we found it very much to our liking.

We started from my friend’s house in Pudukkad at around 9:45 am. We went to Thrissur via Kuttanellur, Mission Hospital, Chembukavu and further traveled on to Viyyur about 3 kms. away from Thrissur.

As we did not know the exact location of the place, we checked out with an acquaintance of my friend at Kolazhy and got a rough idea from them about our destination. Although they had not been there ever, they knew of two routes going there. They informed us that a dam has been constructed at Poomala near the site we were heading to which was worth visiting. There were even home stay villas over there, they told us.

The first route was the one going to Athani on the Thrissur-Shornur road and a right turn from there to go to Poomala from where Mangalyapaara can be reached. The second one will lead to Poomala from Thiroor which is nearer than Athani. The dam had not been included in our original itinerary but nevertheless we decided to cover it as well.

It was 10:50 when we found ourselves on the right track with little bits of information collected from the locals who surprisingly did not know much about the place we aimed to visit. After nearly travelling 1.5 kms from Kolazhy, we found the right turn at Thiroor and taking the zigzag route, we reached Poomala which lay about 5 kms.away. We travelled some more distance and having drawn blank got the help of a local who seemed to recognize the location from the photo we had shown him. As per his direction, we finally reached Mangalyapaara at 11.30 a.m.

Though we had been forewarned that the place is barren and there is nothing worthwhile to see, we didn’t regret the visit. The site was once used for quarrying with the abundance of hard rock available there. The large pits thus formed now presented themselves as large and deep ponds giving the site a wonderful panoramic view from atop the hillock half encircling the area. The green vegetation on the other half side was a real treat to the eyes and the camera.

The other side of the road which cut across the hill, presented the pinnacle of the hill and we enjoyed the view from there which was enchanting. There is quarrying activity going on here also. As there was no shade in the entire area we returned to our earlier view point and had lunch over there. By around 12:30 pm we decided to return to the main road and resume our journey to Poomala Dam. While making our way to the spot, where we had parked our bike, we enquired with a local if this particular area was frequented by tourists to which he said that monsoon attracted more visitors than summer. There was another spot close by where lots of films had been shot. But visiting there was not worthwhile in this hot season and we decided to visit Poomala Dam keeping the shooting location pending for the rainy season.

Enroute to Poomala Dam, we passed by a rubber plantation where two machines were seen installed amidst which reminded me of the ones we see at Sugarcane juice stalls. The machines are used for making rubber sheets. Rubber milk collected from the tree in cup like structures is poured into trays and mixed with Formic acid and the resultant spongy like substance obtained is passed through this crushing machine which removes the liquid part and the sheets thus formed from the other side are collected and are left to dry by hanging them on a clothesline. This is a new interesting information for me. After half an hour journey from Mangalyapaara we reached Poomala Dam. This is a small dam and a recently constructed one too. We didn’t linger too much over there and around 1 pm we started our return journey and reached Thrissur by 2 pm. I returned home having seen a new place and learnt something new.

ILANJIPARA WATERFALLS

Date:18th October 2009

My last visit to these less frequented but wonderful waterfalls was with Davis Sir nearly a month back. We had spotted Olakayam waterfalls easily but we ended up losing track of the proper path to the Ilanjipara waterfalls and came near a stream which seemed difficult to cross over. As there was no way ahead we had to cross over if we had to go further. We however decided against it as it was too risky. Furthermore we had no idea if we do cross the stream how far the waterfall was. We decided to visit this place again and that was how I found myself at Davis Sir’s house on a lazy Sunday morning.

We had fixed the time for leaving for the falls as 10 am. We reached near the Notice board at around 10:50 am. The Notice board is the only indication of the path to the waterfalls. As we were climbing the steps leading to this path we saw that a group of around 5-6 boys had come in a car most likely to visit the waterfalls. It was a relief for us as the last time we both were alone in the forest without an idea of where we were going. This group might have been here before or might know the way to the falls was what myself and Davis Sir could think about. We however moved ahead and reached the Olakayam waterfall. Here we found a person taking bath. He showed us the path to the Ilanjipara waterfall. It is a path which one has to take before the bridge comes and a cave nearby marks out the path for first timers.

Although we had moved ahead of the group of boys they soon overtook us as Davis Sir and myself were moving along observing Nature’s various creations. They were in a hurry as according to one of them who had been here before they should reach the top before the wild elephants descend down. This was something new to us as the article which we had read before undertaking the trip did not mention anything about the elephants. We soon were left alone as the group rushed ahead. While walking along the forest we sighted elephant wastes and uprooted trees which rather confirmed the boy’s story. We reached the waterfall by 12 pm. We found the group of boys already there. Suddenly one of the boys cautioned us that there was a snake in the water. Although the snake was small in size its reluctance to go away when one of the boys threw a stone and the scales on its back might have been an indication that the same might be a young one of the poisonous species. It disappeared under one of the rocks that was the last we saw of it. That was the last of dangerous thing we saw thankfully. The boys had their lunch comprising bread and jam. Ilanjipara waterfall is one of the most beautiful vertical waterfalls that I have come across in recent times. I was thrilled at the thought of getting under it. The boys however did not feel that way and opted to take bath in one of the stream down hill and they soon left the place. Myself and Davis Sir had the bath of our lives. Although we were not alone in the forest but we had our one loneliness too. This was just as good as it could be. I don’t know if it was for real but I saw a full rainbow while standing under the falls.

We went to the top of the waterfall after taking bath. The stream was the source of the waterfall. We then started our return journey and came across a stream where Davis Sir pointed out that we had reached the spot near the rocks across the stream last time. I had grave doubts on this as this point was hardly half the distance to the waterfall and we had walked a lot last time we had been here. This doubt of mine got cleared when I saw the images in Davis Sir’s computer. We had been walking along a non existent path. But this time we were happy that we had accomplished our mission. This was a trip that I don’t regret having left unfinished the first time.

A TRIP TO JATAYUPARA CHADAYAMANGALAM

Date: 13th September 2009

Among the many mythological structures that are found in Kollam District, Jatayupara near Chadayamangalam stands out of the rest. Jatayupara, as the legend goes is the place where Jatayu fell to the ground after an unsuccessful fight with Ravana.
I had nearly covered all of Kollam and nearby places. Jatayupara and the nearby Kottukal rock cut cave temple were the only two places which had been left unexplored by me in my travels. So on a Sunday (which happened to be the last Sunday before I was transferred to a different district) I found myself planning a trip to these two places. Although later I was able to go to only Jatayupara I had nearly covered all of Kollam.

It was around 12 pm when I caught a bus bound for Kulathupuzha so as to get down at Ayur and catch a bus to Chadayamangalam from there. I reached Ayur by 1:20 pm. I reached Chadayamangalam by 1:28 pm. The Jatayupara rock can be seen from the Bus Station itself. If one moves towards the main road and takes the first right turn and then the next left turn one reaches the base village. I reached the top by 1:50 pm. I saw that similar to Maruthimala there was a Coconut tree at such a height above sea level. It definitely had to be the tallest coconut tree!

I found a group of 4-5 people also exploring the mountain. I enquired with them as to where the Kottukal Rock Cut cave temple was and how could one reach it. A person said that it was nearly 10-13 kilometres away from the base village. Although there are regular buses’ going to Kottukal the temple is open till 10 in the morning and after 5 pm in the evening only. So I was at the wrong time over there and decided to skip the cave temple. I reached the bus station by 2:40 pm and my hostel by around 4:30 pm.

Getting there:

Bus up to Ayur 18.50 Rs per head
Bus up to Chadayamangalam 4.50 Rs per head

MARUTHIMALA

Date: 6th September 2009

It was on a rather rainy Sunday morning that I rose up at around 6 am all geared up for a trip to Chadayamangalam and Kottukal Rock cut cave temple. When I revealed my plans to my hostel mate Anuraj, he suggested a similar spot near his home called Maruthimala where we all could go together. I thought about it and concluded that it was the better option as I would face some difficulty in going solo to these places in this climate. However due to miscommunication all of us did not reach the place together.

So myself and Shijil sir, were left to travel by ourselves while Anuraj, Arun, Shashi, Shivprasad reached the place well before us. There are few buses plying between Kollam and Odanavattom, the base village for the climb up to the top of Maruthimala. The group comprising of four people I mentioned earlier had caught the through bus going to Odanavattom. Myself and Shijil Sir had a difficult time in first locating the bus and then when we finally got hold of it we could not get inside as it did not wait for us and sped away. In the mean time we thought of enquiring about the boat ride from Kollam to Allapuzha or some other place nearby in case we were unable to reach Odanavattom.

We went to the Tourist information centre near the KSRTC Bus stand. We could then catch a bus from the Bus stand to reach Pooyapally, which would be the place from where we could catch another bus to Odanavattom. We enquired about the boat rides with the person at the information centre who informed us that the boat service had already left at 10:30 am. This boat would reach Allapuzha by 6:30 pm only. This ride costs 400 bucks!!

Other service available at that time was the one at around 1:30 pm which would take us near Thekkumbhagam, Chavara. The fare was 10 Rs per head. We decided to skip the boat ride and went to the bus stand, where we found a bus going to Kulathupuzha waiting for us. We made ourselves comfortable on two adjacent seats. There is good scenery on this route. We had left Kollam at around 1:10 pm and reached Poyapally by around 2:15 pm. We caught the bus to Kottarakara at around 2:20 pm and reached Odanavattom at 2:30 pm.

Anuraj had come there with his auto-rickshaw to receive us. We reached the point from where we had to abandon the auto rickshaw and trek by foot at 2:45 pm. We could not see the huge rocks at the top due to the dense rubber plantations in between us and the top. We reached on top at around 3 pm. There are many rocks here and surprisingly even coconut trees can be seen here at such a height. There are two set of impressions or water which are supposed to be Lord Krishna’s foot impression when he stamped his feet on the rocks so as to provide water to Arjun and the Pandavas when they were living in exile. We explored the whole of this hill and returned back after taking some snaps.

Getting There:

Direct Buses are there to Odanavattom from Kollam but frequency is less. Else one can catch a bus to Kulathupuzha, get down at Poyapally and catch another bus to Odanavattom.

Bus fare up to Poyapally Rs 12 per head
Bus fare up to Odanavattom is Rs. 4.50 per head
Direct Bus will save you Rs.3.50

Best Time: Anytime except during heavy rains. The rocks can be pretty slippery.

A VISIT TO AZHICODE LIGHT HOUSE AND TIRUVANCHIKULAM TEMPLE

Date: 2nd September 2009


If there is something in Kerala from a traveler’s point of view a plenty it is the historic and important light houses. When I was working in Eriyad branch in Thrissur district I had made an unsuccessful trip to the light house located nearby. My transfer to Kollam district, which boasts of two light houses did not help matters as I was denied entry due to the reason that they do not allow a single person on top of the light house. So my desire to get on top of the light house remained unfulfilled for long. I was hence looking to fulfill it somehow. With this in mind I decided to try my luck once again and planned a trip along with mother and nephew to Azhicode Light house and Tiruvanchikulam temple. So on the decided day the taxi came by around 3:20 pm. Myself, mother and my nephew got into it and reached Kodungallur by 4 pm.

Here the driver took a rather long route and we found our self driving on the opposite side of the normal route. We reached the light house by 4:20 pm. When we reached the base we found the light house keeper calling from the top of the light house to remove the foot wear and come on top to pay the entry fees. It was a comparatively long climb than the ones in the buildings in Mumbai that mother was a little bit used to. How she managed to climb it I don’t know. Maybe I never will. The view from the top is breathtaking. The sea was spread as a vast canvass. The coconut trees were everywhere to be seen on the land. One could also see a mountain on the eastern side. We all stood there for sometime. I was thrilled to have finally accomplished my wish.

After getting down we headed to the house of a friend of mine near my previous branch in Eriyad. After meeting the friend we visited the Tiruvanchikulam temple . This ancient temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva. We had darshan and were outside the temple by 6:05 pm. We reached home by around 7 pm. Thus I did finally fulfill my wish of climbing atop a light house.

Getting there:

Bus fare from Urakom to Kodungallur is 13 Rupees
Bus fare from Kodungallur to Eriyad is 4.50 Rupees
Tiruvanchikulam is located in the main city itself.

Things to Remember:
There is a board indicating the Light house location just after the ‘Galaxy’ junction. Timings are 3 pm to 5 pm. Open on Sundays and all Public Holidays.

KUNDARU DAM AKA KANNUPULIMEETU DAM, MANALAR FALLS, KUMBARATTY FALLS, ACHENKOVIL, COUTRALLAM FALLS, ARYANKAVU AND THENMALA

Dates: 15th and 16th August, 2009

Day One:

If I had been in Mumbai on 15th August I would have definitely been part of the annually held ‘Independence Day Trash Dash’ at Sanjay Gandhi National Park, Borivili, but that was not the case to be and I found myself searching for some other way to celebrate Independence.

I had planned to explore the Punalur-Shencottah Metre Gauge Section already and a night stay at Shencottah or thereabouts was inevitable. The famous Coutrallam falls are just 5 kilometres from Shencottah. There were some more waterfalls located near Shencottah which I came to know only when I searched online. These falls were Kundaru Falls, Manalar Falls and Kambaratty Falls.

I had thought of staying in the Railway dormitory at Tenkasi Railway Station. However the plan never materialized due to some unforeseen circumstances. I left the company hostel by 6:15 am, so as to reach the Kollam K.S.R.T.C Bus Station by 6:35 am. I found a Punalur bound Fast Passenger bus waiting for me. I got into the bus and made myself comfortable. The bus reached Kottarakara, a major halt just before Punalur by around 7:30 am. There are some nice scenic plantations along the route after Kottarakara and before Punalur at a place called Kunnicode. I reached Punalur Railway Station stop by 8 am. By 8:10 am I reached the Railway Station and purchased ticket for Shencottah. Had a hearty breakfast comprising of Vadai and Coconut chutney and boarded the second last compartment of the Punalur Shencottah Passenger. The coach was empty till the moment the train was about to start when a bunch of likely college going boys got into the compartment. My journey did begin however at 8:49 am only (some 5 minutes delay from the scheduled time of 8:45 am). The train moved along slowly with the restricted speed limit of 25km/hr (till Bhagavathipuram).

The train reached Edamann, the first station on this route by around 9:08 am and started in a minute’s time. In fact only Aryankavu station has a longer halt than other stations due to the crossing of the up and down trains. At around 9:22 am we came across the first tunnel in a total of five tunnels in this route. The next station Ottakal came soon at around 9:28 am. After this station we passed through another tunnel at 9:37 am. In three minutes time after passing through the tunnel the train reached Tenmalai Railway Station where the bunch of boys jumped out. The train was nearly empty now with the getting down of these youngsters. The tunnel after the Tenmalai station just happens to be important as this is followed by the 13 arched bridge which is a photographer’s delight. In three minutes time the train reached Kaluruthy Railway Station. Next stop was Edapalayam. It is difficult to make out if this is a station what with all the Teak plantations coming right up to the platform.

Next station was Aryankavu. The train I was traveling in reached at 10:15 am at the Aryankavu Railway Station. The train in the opposite direction came at 10:26 am only. However it was 10:31 am when my train did leave Aryankavu station. The last tunnel came around 10:36 am. There is a board mentioning that Kerala-Tamil Nadu border is exactly 572 metres from the Tunnel entrance. The train reached Bhagavathipuram by 10:51 am. This station is the first station in Tamil Nadu in this route. In a minutes time the train left Bhagavathipuram, bound for its last destination, Shencottah. In this entire stretch one can find many vendors selling mostly home cooked and prepared snacks like ‘choondal’, ‘murukku’, ‘roasted groundnuts’ etc. Besides many people transport firewood from the forest areas to their homes using the train as the medium. This train which runs four times in a day is very much convenient to them. The train reached Shencottah by around 11 am.

On the other platform the Chennai-Shencottah Puthigai Express was stationed on the broad gauge tracks. And as I made my way towards the platform housing the station master’s cabin, the Madurai-Shencottah Passenger came on to the very platform. I purchased a ticket for Tenkasi as it was the only station having a dormitory. I had planned to stay at the Railway dormitory itself. But fate had some other plans and quite fortunately too. My train was supposed to leave for Tenkasi by 12 pm. As I had exhausted my camera film roll, I decided to buy a new one in the time gap between now and the train’s departure. But this proved to be a serious miscalculation as the film roll was not easily available and by the time I returned after purchasing one roll the train had already left. I then left myself to fate and decided to seek a lodge in Shencottah. I found one near the Bus stand, which I thought was convenient enough if I had to go out to places like Coutrallam and Kundaru Falls which were very nearby and likely to be covered in a quick time.

I booked a room in ‘Annapurna’ Lodge. I arranged all necessary items for the time being and came out at the counter to enquire with the in-charge person about the possibility of my covering these places. Mr. Shekhar listened to me very attentively and suggested that I could not possibly cover the three less frequented falls and Coutrallam all in a day (and that to with less than half a day remaining). So I had to skip one of the falls. I opted for the three falls as I thought Coutrallam being more famous will be too crowded. Now to these three places viz, Kundara falls (7 kms from Shencottah), Manalar falls (31 kms from Shencottah) and Kumbaratty falls (32 kms from Shencottah), traveling by bus was out of question as there were little or no services running.

So Ideally I had to go by auto rickshaw or other private vehicle. He said I could also consult with the owner of ‘Dwaraka’ Hotel when I go for lunch there. I was hungry and I decided to accept his advice as that looked sound. So I went to the hotel and had a hearty lunch, which was served in plantain leaf. I asked the person serving as to where the owner was. When he asked why I was enquiring about the owner I told him about my plans. He briefed me about himself and even introduced me to a rickshaw driver, Ganesh who could take me to all these places at the amount quoted by him. Although the amount was nowhere near the budget travel I mostly go with I could not possibly return back without seeing anything. So I agreed to the idea of first visiting Kannapullimeedu Dam or Kundara Dam, Manalar falls, Kumbaratty falls and a new place Achenkovil (Achenkovil was not in my plans from scratch) at a mammoth 500 bucks !!!

I had had my lunch by then and Ganesh was just starting his lunch. He told me to go back to the lodge and pack necessary items for the trip and wait at the lodge entrance. I quickly went to my lodge room and put in a towel, scribble pad, camera, water bottle and trousers inside a plastic cover and was ready by the time Ganesh came with his auto. We started at around 2:10 pm for Kundaru Dam. The road leading to this Dam offers a pleasant view of the fields and mountains in this area, which looks very much like the fields in Northern India. I took snaps while making Ganesh wait for some time. We reached the Dam site by 2:25 p.m covering a distance of 7 kilometres. The rush at the falls was too much for a loneliness loving person like me and I skipped the falls and walked along the dam. It was crowded too but I managed to get snaps in such a way that it seemed that I had been there with not a soul near. I strode the whole length of the Dam and returned back. We then returned back to Shencottah Junction, our starting point by 2:40 pm.

I got down and enquired with the person at the hotel and met the hotel owner. I introduced myself to the hotel owner, told him about my plans to see around Shencottah. After having met the Hotel owner we were on our way to Manalar. We made a halt near the level crossing for tea. The tea tasted out of the world and for two rupees and fifty paise only it tasted heavenly. More over the setup of old chimney and every other utensil made the tea more special in my memoirs. Tea break done we moved towards our first destination Manalar waterfalls by around 3 pm. We reached Manalar waterfalls by around 4 pm after traversing 31 kilometres. Here the main attraction is a huge rock which forms a perfect setup for the water falls. I took a bath here very quickly and joined our rickshaw wallah for the further course of Kumbaratty water falls which is very nearby too. Kumbaratty water falls are to be covered by walking at a leisurely pace. The river drops at a very unique angle and if one stands underneath it is just like standing under a shower. I stood under this natural shower and swam in knee deep water. It had been long since I swam and just swam for the sake of it. After spending time in the waters I returned back to the main road. We moved on further to the road leading to Achenkovil and reached Achenkovil temple, 6 kilometres, from the falls at around 5:15 pm. This is a pretty old temple and less frequented as such. The setting is very nice and I intend to make another trip over here soon. After taking darshan we left for Shencottah which we reached by 7 pm.

I told the lodge in charge about the trip and he enquired if I was not going to see Coutrallam. I was not so keen on seeing Coutrallam but the lodge in charge said that it was hardly some 5 kms and there were frequent bus services between Coutrallam and Shencottah. The lodge in charge’s persistence was very well indeed as I realized much later in twenty five minutes time I had relieved myself of some luggage and with just the scribble pad and my money bag I went to the bus stand for going to old Coutrallam falls. I caught a bus bound for Tenkasi at 7:25 am and reached Coutrallam bus stop by 7:40 pm. I followed the lodge in charge’s instructions and followed the arch way. Here there were many stores lined up selling a variety of items. ‘Chilli Bhaji’ is very famous here. There are also many banana chips selling stores which are hot items as well. While making my way towards the falls I saw a temple just before the water falls and decided to pay it a visit after seeing the waterfalls. Although it was night time there was a huge crowd gathered there for a bath under the Coutrallam falls. Some were using a soap for a cleaner bath (I don’t like this concept though. Why does one need soap?). The falls looked very beautiful even in the night. I stood there watching for some time. Here there is a provision for locker for keeping clothes etc. I came back to the temple entrance and leaving my footwear outside entered the sanctum. What greeted me inside will remain etched in my memories forever. The temple is nearly 2000 year old and the carvings and sculptures are so out of this world. I had darshan of the main deity here, Lord Shiva and then Parvathi.

There was a red carpet spread out and people were standing away from the carpet I later came to know from Maheeshwaran, a trustee of Sivakasi temple that the carpet was serving as a welcoming medium for the lord and his better half so that they could see each other and together retire for the day. Maheeshwaran also mentioned that the next day was a very important day as it was an annual function. I enquired with Maheeshwaran if he had the contact numbers of the staff at Coutrallam temple so that I could enquire about the programme date in the next year. He told me to wait till the time the pooja got over and briefed me about the antiqueness of the temple. This was Sage Agasthya’s visualization of a Siva Parvathi marriage as he was unable to attend their marriage in Kailas. Maheeshwaran later introduced me to the temple trustee, Paramashivan. Paramashivan gave me his contact number and told me that I could get all the information I wanted. I thanked Maheeshwaran for this gesture and left the temple. I reached the lodge and rested for the day.

Day Two: 16th August 2009

I woke up around 4:30 am the next day anticipating the possibility of a rush at the ticket counter at the Shencottah Railway Station of people bound for Punalur. Packed all the items back into my travel bag and was all set by 5:30 am and after settling the dues at the lodge counter I casually asked if there would be rush for the Punalur Passenger. The lodge in charge remarked that the first train leaving Shencottah is always crowded and I should rush for the Railway station so as to get a seat comfortably. I guess if I had told him that I was not looking for a seat to rest myself but rather a place for keeping my bag on it would have sounded illogical to him. So I refrained from telling him that I was going to travel by the foot board. Just before reaching the station I once again had tea at the place near the level crossing.

I reached the Railway station by around 6 am. Purchased a ticket to Aryankavu and got into the second last compartment of the train. The train began its journey at 6:19 am some 4 minutes behind schedule. It reached Bhagavathipuram by 6:30 am and after a halt for 5 minutes it left the last of the stations in Tamil Nadu. The train reached Aryankavu at around 6:50 am where I got down. At around 7 am I entered the Aryankavu temple. While going inside the temple I saw a man selling gooseberry mixed with chilli powder. I enquired if it was an offering to God or something like that to which he said that it was not an offering but a snack for devotees visiting the temple. He told me to have darshan and come back to purchase it for five rupees a pack. I had darshan of this pretty old temple and came back to the person selling this delightful snack and purchased two packs (In fact he had started making a combination of mango and chilli powder and another one of jackfruit and chilli powder). The snack was an absolute delight. I have never tasted gooseberry or Mango and chilli powder combination like the one I tasted that day. I made my way towards the Palaruvi water fall which was nearby. I was very much disappointed on seeing the huge crowd over there and returned back to the Railway Station. En route I saw three pea-hens and two peacocks on top the roof of an empty school. I reached the station and went to see Mr. Mutiah, station master of Aryankavu Station. I asked if he could give me the complaint or suggestion book so that I could state my suggestion of keeping the metre gauge section untouched.

He thought I meant otherwise and told me to write to the Kerala State Railway Minister to finish the gauge conversion soon. He had been working in this section for nearly 25 years and said that the train travel was very cumbersome as passengers had to change trains many a times as there was no rail connection between Punalur and Kollam(It existed earlier but now has been replaced by broad gauge). Similarly metre gauge from Punalur runs till Shencottah, from where passengers have to by other trains through the Broad Gauge route to their respective destinations. So according to him it would be better if the section from Kollam to Shencottah became a broad gauge one. I gave up arguing my point and took leave of him. I sat on a bench at the platform. There was still a lot of time till the train was to arrive. In fact even the ticket counter would open only half an hour before the train arrived. I finished my delightful snack of mango and chilli powder and some biscuits. I ventured around a bit and took some snaps of the station premises. The train from Punalur arrived first at around 10: 15 am. I went and purchased tickets from the ticket counter. I had to wait for ten minutes more for my train to come. I had missed taking a snap of the key system of the railways (The exchange of key like structures which ensures that the line ahead is all clear). I stationed myself at a pretty good position to catch the right moment. The snap taken, I rushed to get into the compartment. My next halt was Tenmalai, last of my destinations. Just after the train left the Kaluruthy station I waited at the door with my fingers anxiously near the camera button to take the snap of the curve over the bridge which I mentioned earlier as photographer’s delight. I was on my knees at the foot board and took a near perfect snap of the curve. The train reached Tenmalai by 10:56 am. I got down enquired which way the dam site was and started walking in that direction. I reached the dam site entrance by 11:20 am. I was on top of the dam at around 11:35 am. The scenery on the left of the dam is breathtaking. Photography however, is not permitted here. The complete setting will remain etched in my memories for years to come. I returned along a different route while descending the Dam site and was back at the Tenmalai Railway station at around 12:10 am. The train came around 12:54 am. After an unexpected delay between Ottakal and Edamann the train finally reached Punalur at 1:53 pm. I reached my hostel at around 4:30 pm. As my hostel mates were all at their homes I slept peacefully that night remembering all those memorable moments.

Getting there:

Bus from Kollam to Punalur: Rs 25 per head
Train to Shencottah Rs 8 per head
Bus up to Coutrallam Rs 4 per head
Return up to Shencottah Rs 4 per head
Train up to Aryankavu Rs 3 per head
Train up to Tenmalai Rs 3 per head
Train up to Punalur Rs 5 per head
Entry fee at Tenmalai Rs 10 per head
Bus up to Kollam Rs 25 per head