A visit to Tamil Nadu and Kerala
Date: 11th Oct '02
The Plan:
After lots of discussions, it was decided that we visit 3 places – Kodaikkanal, Kannyakumari & Trivandrum. We were to leave on the night of 11th October. We would see Kodaikkanal on the 12th, Kannyakumari on the 13th and Trivandrum on the 14th.
Initial preparation:
Excited about our trip, I rushed home from college (I didn't bunk any class!!). My packing was done. Sharath came home late at about 7:00 pm from office. We had 2 rolls of film ready. I packed my Walkman, a ball, cassettes, a book, camera, binos etc. into a small bag. Sharath went to the bus stand by an auto, and we (mom, dad & me) by another. We had to search for our bus - Rajahamsa that would take us to Kodaikkanal. After a few threats that the bus had been cancelled, we finally found our bus. The bus departed towards its destination at 9:30 pm. The pushback seats weren't that comfortable.
The journey:
I spent most of my time listening to songs, or sleeping, as it was completely dark outside. Not to forget my situation when I dropped a cassette cover down, unable to pick it up in the dark, and had to do some circus (I succeeded finally!!).
There was a break at Krishnagiri and then somewhere near Kodaikkanal. We went down to stretch our legs, and had some tea that tasted like hot water.
I slept only for about 2-3 hours. When I finally got up, it was 5:15 am. The majestic view of the mountains and the breathtaking view of the waterfalls beholded me. This place was even more beautiful than Aishwarya Rai!! The clouds had covered the mountain peak, and the entire place looked like computer wallpaper. The journey was long, precisely 12 hours. We reached Kodaikkanal at 10:00 am. VILLA RETREAT was our hotel, 5 minutes journey by walk from the bus stand.
Our Hotel:
Villa Retreat was a lovely place. You could literally touch the clouds there. A young enthusiastic lady was our receptionist. We comforted ourselves in our respective rooms. After tea, refreshment and lunch, we went on to see this beautiful place known as Kodaikkanal.
A quiet Mr. Xavier who’s been working there for 23 years drove us around the town. The hotel staff itself arranged for the tour.
Kodaikkanal:
Kodaikkanal is a quiet peaceful hill station that is at an altitude of 2,133 m. It is 120 kms. from Madurai. The scenic beauty along the road is probably the best to be seen anywhere in India. Places to visit there are – Coaker’s walk, Green valley view, Golf course, Pillar rocks, Guna cave, Pine forest, Moier point, Upper lake view, Kodai lake, Kurinji Andavar Temple, Palani view, Chettiar park, Silver Cascade falls, Shembaganur museum, Bryant park, Visvas funland theme park, Bear Shola falls, Pambar falls, Silent valley and other less prominent places. As we had devoted only a single day here, we visited only some must-see places of Kodaikkanal.
We began our journey at 2:15 pm. Xavier showed us around in his red Maruti van. These are the few places that we visited there.
(1) Upper Lake View
This was the top view of the star shaped Kodai Lake situated very near to our hotel (about 10 mins. walk) with greenery all around. There were a few houses situated on the bank of the lake, which we could make out through our binos. We took a few snaps, and then made a move to the car.
(2) Pambar Falls
Its 4 minutes from Upper lake view. This is a small waterfall that we saw on the way. There was nothing much to see. So we just took a snap of ourselves and continued our journey.
(3) Green Valley View
About 10 minutes journey from Pambar falls. After looking at this place, I thought that I better name it as White Valley View. We were supposed to have a view of a huge range of the Kodai Mountains. But, all we could see was nothing but white clouds. At certain places, you could not even tell where the sky was and where the mountain was. It seemed as though we were in heaven, and I wouldn't be surprised if I saw Narada or Indra suddenly walking on those clouds. It all looked like some camera trick. This place was a masterpiece of nature. We took a snap of monkeys, and on the way, looked around at the tiny shops, in which they were selling dates, nuts, antiques, decoratives, chocolates, goggles etc. We did a bit of shopping and went on to the car.
(4) Pillar rock
From here, we got the side view of 3 pillars - 3 boulders eroded out of a cliff standing side by side. It is 7.4 kms from the lake. This was the best spot we had seen till now. We took a couple of snaps there, and we were so lucky, that after a few minutes after taking the photos, the entire pillar rock was covered by mist, and those who came late had nothing to see other than the cotton like white clouds.
(5) Devil's Kitchen & Guna caves:
This also showed the side view of the pillar rocks, but there is this cliff below which is the Guna cave. But we were not allowed in there, because a merchant in 1929 accidentally slipped and fell down the cliff that was about a 5000ft drop. After that horrifying incident, a fence was put up and no one was allowed near the dropdown. A tree covered with moss crossed the cliff, acting as a bridge. How I wished I could go over it!! The entire soil was black. This place is often used as a film shooting spot. I could not find out the intention behind the peculiar name - devil's kitchen. After taking a few snaps, we moved on.
(6) Pine Forest
This was an artificial forest filled with pine trees - a popular spot for movie shootings. We did not stop to see the place.
(7) Pillar rock - Top view
It was about 4:30 when we came here. The driver Mr. Xavier, suddenly stopped in a deserted area, and led us into a 'path less travelled'. The route seemed to go on and on. We couldn't help thinking that the driver was leading us to the 'adda' of some kidnappers or maybe 'Veerappan' himself. But, we reached the end, and saw the view before us with our mouths wide open. We were 6000ft above the ground. The top view of the Pillar rock!! A place where clouds were covered in the area between the ground and us. I wanted to just jump on those clouds, as though they were some kind of cushion. Words cannot describe this place. We could also see the Green valley view place from there, very tiny of course. I wanted to be there the rest of my life. There were still a hundred paths, which were rarely used by people. There was one path that leads to the Guna caves, and others, who knows where?? I'd give 5 out of 5 points to the pillar rock as a trekking spot. But, we had to move on.
(8) Moier Point
It was a small stop at the Moier point, which was the border of Tamil Nadu. The road was called Goschen road, which was declared open by Sir George Frederick Stanley, who was the then Governor of Madras (14th Feb, 1932).
(9) Shembaganur museum
On the way to the museum, the atmosphere had become so misty that we had to use the car headlights at 5 pm in the evening. At some places, we could not even tell whether there was a road, or a steep drop ahead of us. But Mr. Xavier masterfully drove, as he knew every turn in that area by experience. The museum was maintained by Sacred Heart College – a theological seminary. Large collections of orchards grow in the nearby hills. We visited this museum at closing time. So the concerned authorities gave us just 5 minutes for glancing at the antiques. There were stuffed animals - like bears and stags, ancient coins, earth ware, seashells, bones etc. We gave a glance, and hurried on as it was getting late. There was also the Shembaganur post office next to the museum.
(10) Silver Cascade Falls
This was a big falls in Kodaikkanal; something very similar to Abbe falls in Coorg. But, the water had got polluted. Moreover, no one was allowed near the falls. We had masala tea, and some pakodas and left the place, as it was getting dark.
(11) Kodai Lake
It was around 5:40 pm. This was the last place we saw. We paid Mr. Xavier, our driver, thanked him for showing us some lovely places, and moved on towards Kodai Lake. Though boating stops at 5:30 pm, due to the crowd, boating was still being allowed. Pedal boat was not available; neither was the self rowing boat. So, we had to go in the rowing boat, being rowed by a very thin but a strong person. He said that he has to row nearly 10 to 15 rounds in a single go. Still, his salary did not seem to be enough. He showed us all around the lake, and after nearly 20 minutes of rowing, brought us safely back to land.
We slowly walked back to our hotel, and on the way brought some delicious homemade chocolates (which is famous in Kodai). Our receptionist wanted us to dine in the hotel itself (she also tried to tempt us by telling that they were going to light the fireplace as well). But we wanted to dine some place else. The night view from our hotel was marvelous. A small town situated near the lake was illuminated with innumerable lights. It was very cold outside.
We had our lunch in a nearby restaurant called 'Asteria'. Food was good. Then, we went back to our rooms and slept early. Because, the next day, we had to go to the tip of India - Kannyakumari.
Date: 12th Oct '02
Kannyakumari:
The journey:
We got up early and after checking out from the hotel, left for Madurai. There are no frequent buses to Kannyakumari. So we first had to go to Madurai, and then catch another bus to Kannyakumari. The bus left for Matathavani (a bus stand in Madurai. Madurai has 4 main bus stands) at 7 am. There is nothing worth mentioning regarding the journey. But, ½ an hour from Kodai, the bus stopped at a place called Falls View. From here, we could see the entire valley of Kodaikkanal, including the falls that flowed from the mountain. It was a splendid sight. I was even dreaming of setting up a BT lab just near the falls.
Then the bus moved on. We reached Matathavani at around 11 am. After having lunch at Hotel Vasantha in the bus stand, we enquired about the bus to Kannyakumari. The bus was at 1 pm. We couldn’t wait that long. Instead, we boarded a bus going to Nagercoil. Kannyakumari is just 1-hour journey from Nagercoil. The bus left Madurai at 12:10 pm. The seats were very uncomfortable. I just could not sleep. On the way, at a place called Aralvaimzohi, we saw thousands of windmills. It was a spectacular sight. We reached Nagercoil at 5:30 pm. Immediately, we boarded a bus going to Kannyakumari, which brought us to our destination at 6:45 pm.
It was a 10-minute walk to the Hotel Tamil Nadu. We had a nice bath, had tea on the balcony watching the seas, and then went down to the restaurant to have dinner. The restaurant was horrible, what with all the confusions in serving food, delays, and the food did not taste that good too. It was raining outside. We had our dinner and strolled down towards the beach as rain had stopped. The area was deserted. Most of the shops were already closed. One particular shop interested us. There were flower vases, necklaces and bracelets, earrings, lockets, showcase items and other decoratives, all made out of seashells. There were corals, flower vases made of coconut shells and key chains as well. We did a lot of shopping there. The owner too was happy to have made good business at closing time. The entire area was very brightly lit. We had a nice walk, eating some peanuts along the way. It was very cold outside. After a while, we went back to our warm hotel (which looked more like a marriage choultry) and had a peaceful night’s sleep.
Kannyakumari
Kannyakumari, at the southernmost tip of India, was under the control of the Chola, Chera, Pandya and Nayak dynasties, which built several temples. Islam, Christianity and Jainism have also enriched the architectural wealth and heritage of the city. At the southernmost tip of India, the confluence of the Arabian Sea, the Indian Ocean and the Bay of Bengal is the location of Kannyakumari, an important pilgrimage site and one of the most popular tourist spots in the country.
Kannyakumari was once referred to as the "Alexandria of the East". It has been a great center for pilgrimage, commerce and trade. St.Thomas, one of the twelve Apostles of Christ, arrived in this area in 52 AD. Kannyakumari was under the control of the Chola, Chera, Pandya and Nayak dynasties that built several temples. Islam, Christianity and Jainism have also enriched the architectural wealth and heritage of the city. The Kumari Amman temple here is dedicated to Parvati as Devi - Kanya, the virgin goddess who eternally protects the country at its southern tip. Swami Vivekananda meditated here and the Vivekananda Rock Memorial, built in 1970 is dedicated to him. From the lighthouse one can see the panoramic view of the landscape of Kannyakumari. Kannyakumari or Cape Comorin is at its pinnacle during Chitra Pournami (full moon day in April) when the sun and moon are face to face at the same horizon. Other full moon days are also special when you can see the sunset and the moonrise almost simultaneously. A fine beach landscape with multi hued sands is another interesting aspect of Kannyakumari. Palm leaf articles of Kannyakumari are very famous.
A few landmarks that we saw here are:
Sunrise view
Tired of waiting for dad and mom, Sharath and I rushed off to the sunrise view (a point near the beach where sunrise is visible very clearly). There was already a big crowd there. We hadn’t even dreamt of watching the sunrise (as it was the rainy season in Tamil Nadu). But we did see the sunrise, and captured the fantastic view with our camera. This is was the first sunrise I ever saw (In Bangalore, I would still be sleeping during this time). Dad and mom saw the sunrise from the hotel balcony itself, but masked by trees and buildings. We rejoined near the sunrise viewpoint itself, and had breakfast at Hotel Sarvana Bavan. Dad and mom stood in the queue (for the ferry which would take us to the Vivekananda Rock memorial). Sharath and me ran off to the hotel to get our camera roll, and we tried to rejoin the queue with dad and mom. But a big guy, with moustache like Veerappan shouted at us (he was in charge of maintaining the queue), and after some arguing, he went off grumbling.
Thiruvalluvar Statue
The magnificent 133-foot high statue denoting the chapters in Thirukkural has been opened for Tourist's visit in the midst of sea on 1.1.2000 in Kannyakumari. The statue was so huge that covering it in a single snap was not possible. There was not much to see from this place. We caught up with another ferry and moved on to the Vivekananda Rock Memorial.
Vivekananda Rock Memorial
A grand memorial to philosopher Swami Vivekananda, it is on one of the twin rocks jutting out from the sea about 200 m offshore. There is a Dhyana Mandapam where Swami Vivekananda's meditation transformed him into one of the most charismatic spiritual leaders of this century. Built in 1970, the unique structure is a blend of various architectural styles of India. Close to the Vivekananda Rock is another rock called Sripada Parai meaning the rock that has been blessed by the touch of the feet of the goddess. Poompuhar Shipping Corporation operates frequent ferry services from the shore to the rock memorial at regular intervals. It was here I learnt what the significance was behind the name – Kannyakumari.
History behind the name: Legend has it that the demon Baanaasura wreaked havoc on the inhabitants of this world, and that Mahavishnu requested the Gods and the humans to request primeval energy Paraasakthi to vanquish the demon. Answering the prayers of the oppressed, Shakti appeared as a young virgin girl at Kannyakumari and commenced penance with the desire of marrying Shiva at Suchindram.
Legend has it that the celestial Sage Narada fixed the midnight hour as the auspicious time for the wedding. When Shiva's procession reached a site by name Vazhukkumpaarai, a rooster crowed, heralding daybreak, and that Shiva assuming that the auspicious hour was past, returned to Suchindram. The disappointed Goddess decided to spend her life in Kannyakumari as a virgin, and that all the food prepared for the wedding was laid waste and that it turned into the colored sand seen on the southern shores of the subcontinent.
The demon Baanaasura upon hearing of Shakti's story proceeded to Kannyakumari to win her hand in marriage by force, and this led to a fierce battle in which he was slain by her.
It’s said that Swami Vivekananda sojourned on this rock for meditation towards end of 1892. He was on the rock for 25th, 26th and 27th December.
There are a couple of shops there, selling books on Vivekananda and other religious thinkers, his statues and other photos. We bought a bronze statue of Vivekananda, and proceeded towards the ferry, but were caught in a fierce rain. We were drenched from head to foot, as there is no place of shelter anywhere there. After ½ an hour of downpour, the rain stopped, and we boarded the ferry that took us back to mainland.
We checked out from the hotel at 11:30. I unfortunately lost my watch there, and we proceeded towards the bus stand. Immediately, a bus to Trivandrum arrived, and we got into it. The bus left Kannyakumari at 11:45 am. Journey was quite boring. But the greenery was good. In fact, Kerala is quite famous for it’s greenery. Then there was rain, which worried us that our last trip might be a washout. We reached Trivandrum at 2:35 pm. For sometime, we got stuck in the rain, which never seemed to stop. But it did. And we moved on to Hotel Chaitram, which was very close to the bus stand. The place was absolutely clean. We were feeling hungry, as we did not have lunch as yet. We had lunch at Amma’s restaurant (3 minute walk from our hotel). It was delicious. By then, rains had lessened, and we decided to see the Kovalam beach – the last place on our list. We booked a taxi, to Kovalam that was 16kms from the hotel.
We left at 4:45 pm, and reached Kovalam at 5:10 pm.
Kovalam beach
The soil near the sea was entirely black. But dad says it was not so, the last time he had come here. Moreover, it is also said that the water current in Kovalam was strong, and was not a safe place to swim. But I was not willing to just stand in the shore. I just wanted to strip my clothes off and jump in the sea. Sharath & me jumped in, whereas dad and mom stood in the shore. It was fun. But, not as good as Malpe beach in Mangalore. The water current was quite strong, and a couple of times, I was swept off by the wave, but Sharath caught me in time.
By the end of the bath, I had swallowed lot of salt water, and my eyes were burning. So, we decided it was enough, and moved on to the taxi. It was 6:30 pm, and was getting dark. We reached the hotel at 7 pm. I accidentally left the camera in the taxi itself. But then I ran after the taxi, and recovered it. Me and my memory!!
Padmanabha Temple
After a nice hot bath, we left for the temple at 8:00pm. It was compulsory that men wear dhoti inside. We took 3 dhotis for rent (it was expensive), and went inside. It was as big as our ISKCON temple. It was dark inside. There was the parade of the 3 gods, and then a ‘mahout’ sitting on an elephant came, beating drums, with excited children running in front of it. The darkness, the huge elephant, the beating of the drums, the screams of the children all looked very eerie. The darshan was over even before we realized it. We were standing near the entrance waiting for the darshan, which got over, and we were sent out. A communication gap I suppose. It began raining again. And, we returned our dhotis, boarded an auto to Amma restaurant, had delicious dinner and went back to the hotel. I was so tired that I slept only with underwear and a shirt on.
Morning, we got up late, had breakfast at Amma’s restaurant (You can realize how much we liked the food here. It was quite a new restaurant. He served us idlis and chutneys of 3 colors – white, green and orange). We also packed a few chapattis for lunch (in the train), and moved on to the railway station (which was just in front of the bus stand, like in Bangalore). The train arrived at 9:05 am. We had a bit of trouble finding our carriage. And after we found it, immediately the train left towards Bangalore (at 9:20 am).
Our journey back home
We had not got sleepers (we were still on the RAC list). So, our seats were down (the single seats facing each other). But the people who slept on the sleeper seats above us climbed the train, and we had to adjust our seats with them too. It was a bit of confusion. I kept track of a few stations that followed – Trivandrum pettah, Varkala, Paravur, Sasthankotta, Karunagappalli, Quilon junction etc. There were backwaters and green fields everywhere. It was a beautiful sight, and Sharath tried to get a few snaps from the train itself. Then I slept for a couple of hours. By the time I woke up, we had reached Tamil Nadu. Luckily, we were granted sleepers (as someone had cancelled their reservations). We had dinner at Coimbatore (Idlis again). The person sitting next to me wanted to sleep at 8 pm itself. But, I made him wait for sometime, and I too slept at around 10:00 pm. But at 4:00 am, I woke up shivering. It was absolutely cold. I tried to sleep again, but Sharath woke me up immediately (at 4:15 am) saying that we have reached Bangalore. I thought he was kidding. But, we were reaching Cantonment. I bid goodbye to the people there, with whom I had made friends with, and reached Bangalore. We had some hot coffee, and then boarded an auto to our house. At 5:00 am, we reached our house, and woke up my uncle – Mohana. I hade a nice sleep in my house, wearing 3 layers of blankets.
So, there our trip ended. Back to this polluted city. But still, Bangalore has something special in it, which makes it my favorite place. Kodaikkanal was heaven, Kannyakumari was great, and Trivandrum was ‘cool’, but still, Bangalore is always the best.
Here are a few things I learnt in this family trip, which I feel, is very important for you to read, when you are organizing a trip like this one.
Planning
Nowadays, for city dwellers, planning a trip is a big issue. The main problem is making time. Children have their homework to do, parents have their jobs and other deadlines to meet, and some of them just hate to have changes in their daily schedules. But, for sometime, leave all your problems back home, and plan a trip, which you will thoroughly enjoy, as well as get a relaxation from all your city tensions. We waste so much of time everyday (watching TV, sleeping etc). So, lack of time doesn’t really become an excuse to cancel a trip.
After deciding the place you want to visit, try to organize your trip in such a way, that your long journeys take place only during nights, such that you don’t waste time on boring journeys during the daytime.
Refer to tourist maps for visiting good places there, and also look at some of the government tourist websites that give you a good understanding of the tourist spots, accommodations and other details.
Finally, know something about the place you are going to. Tours are meant not only for enjoyment, but also for education. It should increase your knowledge about the place you have visited.
Preparation
· Don’t stuff too much of clothes. Try to manage with only few pants, and more number of shirts, as shirts become smelly more soon than the pants.
· Be careful if you are carrying walkmans, cameras, binos and cassettes along with you. Because, if you lose it, you can never get it back.
· Make a list of all the basic items you need before hand. Then, as you pack, you can tick off the things from the list. Last minute packing is the last thing you want to do.
· Carry extra covers with you. Covers maybe necessary for a number of purposes like – vomiting inside the bus or train during journey, for carrying light luggage etc.
· Please don’t carry books pertaining to your studies or your job. I have seen many people trying to read, when they are on a holiday. You have come here to enjoy. Leave your life as an engineer, or a college student in your house itself, and bring along only the life of a tourist along with you.
· If you are wearing shoes, it’s better to bring a pair of slippers along with you (putting and unputting your shoes again and again becomes irritating, especially near temples).
· Bring a small scribbling pad along with you, so that you can record about all the places you visit. As I said, trips should be educative too.
· Carry money, even if you are still a kid. In case you get lost somewhere, this money can help you in transport or food or something. Remember the name of the hotel you are staying in.
· If your trip involves trekking too, carry some energy giving chocolates. Glucose also will do.
· Don't go without minimal First Aid (sprain, cold, paracetamol, and anything for bruises along with sufficient bandage).
· Carry as less plastics as you can. For food, you can use banana leaves. You can bring steel tumblers from the house itself, rather than using plastic cups.
· Other small items which you may need to carry are – torch, a Swiss knife, more of fruits and less of oily stuff for the journey, sun glasses, a ball to play with, important phone number list just in case of emergency etc.
During the trip
· If the journey is too long, you begin to get bus-sick or train-sick, and may lead to vomiting. So, whenever possible, try to walk around a bit (especially when there are stops in the middle for around 5-10 minutes). That way, you can stretch your legs; answer nature’s call and even relax that sick stomach of yours.
· Know as much as you can about the place you have visited from the localites. You can find out the reason behind the name of the place, mythology regarding the place, it’s history, it’s landmarks etc. Try to make an essay like I have made one, from your records, so that, in future, if anyone plans a trip to the same place you had gone to, this information becomes very helpful to them.
· Please, for God’s sake, please, don’t throw chocolate wrappers, plastic covers, and mineral water bottles anywhere other than the bin. If you can’t do anything to make nature clean, don’t do anything to make it dirty. If you can’t find a bin, keep a separate cover for chocolate wrappers, and other plastics, and you can throw them in the dustbin in your hotel.
· This is for all those trekkers. You would want to make a campfire. Do not destroy saplings and small trees for firewood. You will find plenty on the forest floor. Make it a point to completely douse all traces of fire before leaving the place.
· Try to maintain silence when you are in deep jungle as you might come across some wild animals. Never try to irritate any animal. Just walk away after taking snaps.
· Never kill any animal however small it may be, just for the fun of it.
· Don't try to chip in your name etc. on any of the trees/rocks etc. This is one of the worst habits of Indians and we have spoilt many monuments by doing so.
· Try to have a sense of direction as to which side might be the destination, or a road etc. This helps in case you get lost.
· Use detergents as less as possible when you take bath, as it might be harmful for some sensitive aquatics.
· Try not to break any of the regulations there, like touching the exhibits in a museum or dirtying the rivers or lakes by throwing garbage into it. Remember, a lot of pain and money would have been involved to maintain the place.
· Be careful of water in other places. Use more of mineral water (having ISI mark only).
· Every place you visit has some story to tell. Try to know more about it.
· And, once you return from the place, still try to keep your surroundings clean, just like you did it there.
· And most important, LOVE NATURE
The Plan:
After lots of discussions, it was decided that we visit 3 places – Kodaikkanal, Kannyakumari & Trivandrum. We were to leave on the night of 11th October. We would see Kodaikkanal on the 12th, Kannyakumari on the 13th and Trivandrum on the 14th.
Initial preparation:
Excited about our trip, I rushed home from college (I didn't bunk any class!!). My packing was done. Sharath came home late at about 7:00 pm from office. We had 2 rolls of film ready. I packed my Walkman, a ball, cassettes, a book, camera, binos etc. into a small bag. Sharath went to the bus stand by an auto, and we (mom, dad & me) by another. We had to search for our bus - Rajahamsa that would take us to Kodaikkanal. After a few threats that the bus had been cancelled, we finally found our bus. The bus departed towards its destination at 9:30 pm. The pushback seats weren't that comfortable.
The journey:
I spent most of my time listening to songs, or sleeping, as it was completely dark outside. Not to forget my situation when I dropped a cassette cover down, unable to pick it up in the dark, and had to do some circus (I succeeded finally!!).
There was a break at Krishnagiri and then somewhere near Kodaikkanal. We went down to stretch our legs, and had some tea that tasted like hot water.
I slept only for about 2-3 hours. When I finally got up, it was 5:15 am. The majestic view of the mountains and the breathtaking view of the waterfalls beholded me. This place was even more beautiful than Aishwarya Rai!! The clouds had covered the mountain peak, and the entire place looked like computer wallpaper. The journey was long, precisely 12 hours. We reached Kodaikkanal at 10:00 am. VILLA RETREAT was our hotel, 5 minutes journey by walk from the bus stand.
Our Hotel:
Villa Retreat was a lovely place. You could literally touch the clouds there. A young enthusiastic lady was our receptionist. We comforted ourselves in our respective rooms. After tea, refreshment and lunch, we went on to see this beautiful place known as Kodaikkanal.
A quiet Mr. Xavier who’s been working there for 23 years drove us around the town. The hotel staff itself arranged for the tour.
Kodaikkanal:
Kodaikkanal is a quiet peaceful hill station that is at an altitude of 2,133 m. It is 120 kms. from Madurai. The scenic beauty along the road is probably the best to be seen anywhere in India. Places to visit there are – Coaker’s walk, Green valley view, Golf course, Pillar rocks, Guna cave, Pine forest, Moier point, Upper lake view, Kodai lake, Kurinji Andavar Temple, Palani view, Chettiar park, Silver Cascade falls, Shembaganur museum, Bryant park, Visvas funland theme park, Bear Shola falls, Pambar falls, Silent valley and other less prominent places. As we had devoted only a single day here, we visited only some must-see places of Kodaikkanal.
We began our journey at 2:15 pm. Xavier showed us around in his red Maruti van. These are the few places that we visited there.
(1) Upper Lake View
This was the top view of the star shaped Kodai Lake situated very near to our hotel (about 10 mins. walk) with greenery all around. There were a few houses situated on the bank of the lake, which we could make out through our binos. We took a few snaps, and then made a move to the car.
(2) Pambar Falls
Its 4 minutes from Upper lake view. This is a small waterfall that we saw on the way. There was nothing much to see. So we just took a snap of ourselves and continued our journey.
(3) Green Valley View
About 10 minutes journey from Pambar falls. After looking at this place, I thought that I better name it as White Valley View. We were supposed to have a view of a huge range of the Kodai Mountains. But, all we could see was nothing but white clouds. At certain places, you could not even tell where the sky was and where the mountain was. It seemed as though we were in heaven, and I wouldn't be surprised if I saw Narada or Indra suddenly walking on those clouds. It all looked like some camera trick. This place was a masterpiece of nature. We took a snap of monkeys, and on the way, looked around at the tiny shops, in which they were selling dates, nuts, antiques, decoratives, chocolates, goggles etc. We did a bit of shopping and went on to the car.
(4) Pillar rock
From here, we got the side view of 3 pillars - 3 boulders eroded out of a cliff standing side by side. It is 7.4 kms from the lake. This was the best spot we had seen till now. We took a couple of snaps there, and we were so lucky, that after a few minutes after taking the photos, the entire pillar rock was covered by mist, and those who came late had nothing to see other than the cotton like white clouds.
(5) Devil's Kitchen & Guna caves:
This also showed the side view of the pillar rocks, but there is this cliff below which is the Guna cave. But we were not allowed in there, because a merchant in 1929 accidentally slipped and fell down the cliff that was about a 5000ft drop. After that horrifying incident, a fence was put up and no one was allowed near the dropdown. A tree covered with moss crossed the cliff, acting as a bridge. How I wished I could go over it!! The entire soil was black. This place is often used as a film shooting spot. I could not find out the intention behind the peculiar name - devil's kitchen. After taking a few snaps, we moved on.
(6) Pine Forest
This was an artificial forest filled with pine trees - a popular spot for movie shootings. We did not stop to see the place.
(7) Pillar rock - Top view
It was about 4:30 when we came here. The driver Mr. Xavier, suddenly stopped in a deserted area, and led us into a 'path less travelled'. The route seemed to go on and on. We couldn't help thinking that the driver was leading us to the 'adda' of some kidnappers or maybe 'Veerappan' himself. But, we reached the end, and saw the view before us with our mouths wide open. We were 6000ft above the ground. The top view of the Pillar rock!! A place where clouds were covered in the area between the ground and us. I wanted to just jump on those clouds, as though they were some kind of cushion. Words cannot describe this place. We could also see the Green valley view place from there, very tiny of course. I wanted to be there the rest of my life. There were still a hundred paths, which were rarely used by people. There was one path that leads to the Guna caves, and others, who knows where?? I'd give 5 out of 5 points to the pillar rock as a trekking spot. But, we had to move on.
(8) Moier Point
It was a small stop at the Moier point, which was the border of Tamil Nadu. The road was called Goschen road, which was declared open by Sir George Frederick Stanley, who was the then Governor of Madras (14th Feb, 1932).
(9) Shembaganur museum
On the way to the museum, the atmosphere had become so misty that we had to use the car headlights at 5 pm in the evening. At some places, we could not even tell whether there was a road, or a steep drop ahead of us. But Mr. Xavier masterfully drove, as he knew every turn in that area by experience. The museum was maintained by Sacred Heart College – a theological seminary. Large collections of orchards grow in the nearby hills. We visited this museum at closing time. So the concerned authorities gave us just 5 minutes for glancing at the antiques. There were stuffed animals - like bears and stags, ancient coins, earth ware, seashells, bones etc. We gave a glance, and hurried on as it was getting late. There was also the Shembaganur post office next to the museum.
(10) Silver Cascade Falls
This was a big falls in Kodaikkanal; something very similar to Abbe falls in Coorg. But, the water had got polluted. Moreover, no one was allowed near the falls. We had masala tea, and some pakodas and left the place, as it was getting dark.
(11) Kodai Lake
It was around 5:40 pm. This was the last place we saw. We paid Mr. Xavier, our driver, thanked him for showing us some lovely places, and moved on towards Kodai Lake. Though boating stops at 5:30 pm, due to the crowd, boating was still being allowed. Pedal boat was not available; neither was the self rowing boat. So, we had to go in the rowing boat, being rowed by a very thin but a strong person. He said that he has to row nearly 10 to 15 rounds in a single go. Still, his salary did not seem to be enough. He showed us all around the lake, and after nearly 20 minutes of rowing, brought us safely back to land.
We slowly walked back to our hotel, and on the way brought some delicious homemade chocolates (which is famous in Kodai). Our receptionist wanted us to dine in the hotel itself (she also tried to tempt us by telling that they were going to light the fireplace as well). But we wanted to dine some place else. The night view from our hotel was marvelous. A small town situated near the lake was illuminated with innumerable lights. It was very cold outside.
We had our lunch in a nearby restaurant called 'Asteria'. Food was good. Then, we went back to our rooms and slept early. Because, the next day, we had to go to the tip of India - Kannyakumari.
Date: 12th Oct '02
Kannyakumari:
The journey:
We got up early and after checking out from the hotel, left for Madurai. There are no frequent buses to Kannyakumari. So we first had to go to Madurai, and then catch another bus to Kannyakumari. The bus left for Matathavani (a bus stand in Madurai. Madurai has 4 main bus stands) at 7 am. There is nothing worth mentioning regarding the journey. But, ½ an hour from Kodai, the bus stopped at a place called Falls View. From here, we could see the entire valley of Kodaikkanal, including the falls that flowed from the mountain. It was a splendid sight. I was even dreaming of setting up a BT lab just near the falls.
Then the bus moved on. We reached Matathavani at around 11 am. After having lunch at Hotel Vasantha in the bus stand, we enquired about the bus to Kannyakumari. The bus was at 1 pm. We couldn’t wait that long. Instead, we boarded a bus going to Nagercoil. Kannyakumari is just 1-hour journey from Nagercoil. The bus left Madurai at 12:10 pm. The seats were very uncomfortable. I just could not sleep. On the way, at a place called Aralvaimzohi, we saw thousands of windmills. It was a spectacular sight. We reached Nagercoil at 5:30 pm. Immediately, we boarded a bus going to Kannyakumari, which brought us to our destination at 6:45 pm.
It was a 10-minute walk to the Hotel Tamil Nadu. We had a nice bath, had tea on the balcony watching the seas, and then went down to the restaurant to have dinner. The restaurant was horrible, what with all the confusions in serving food, delays, and the food did not taste that good too. It was raining outside. We had our dinner and strolled down towards the beach as rain had stopped. The area was deserted. Most of the shops were already closed. One particular shop interested us. There were flower vases, necklaces and bracelets, earrings, lockets, showcase items and other decoratives, all made out of seashells. There were corals, flower vases made of coconut shells and key chains as well. We did a lot of shopping there. The owner too was happy to have made good business at closing time. The entire area was very brightly lit. We had a nice walk, eating some peanuts along the way. It was very cold outside. After a while, we went back to our warm hotel (which looked more like a marriage choultry) and had a peaceful night’s sleep.
Kannyakumari
Kannyakumari, at the southernmost tip of India, was under the control of the Chola, Chera, Pandya and Nayak dynasties, which built several temples. Islam, Christianity and Jainism have also enriched the architectural wealth and heritage of the city. At the southernmost tip of India, the confluence of the Arabian Sea, the Indian Ocean and the Bay of Bengal is the location of Kannyakumari, an important pilgrimage site and one of the most popular tourist spots in the country.
Kannyakumari was once referred to as the "Alexandria of the East". It has been a great center for pilgrimage, commerce and trade. St.Thomas, one of the twelve Apostles of Christ, arrived in this area in 52 AD. Kannyakumari was under the control of the Chola, Chera, Pandya and Nayak dynasties that built several temples. Islam, Christianity and Jainism have also enriched the architectural wealth and heritage of the city. The Kumari Amman temple here is dedicated to Parvati as Devi - Kanya, the virgin goddess who eternally protects the country at its southern tip. Swami Vivekananda meditated here and the Vivekananda Rock Memorial, built in 1970 is dedicated to him. From the lighthouse one can see the panoramic view of the landscape of Kannyakumari. Kannyakumari or Cape Comorin is at its pinnacle during Chitra Pournami (full moon day in April) when the sun and moon are face to face at the same horizon. Other full moon days are also special when you can see the sunset and the moonrise almost simultaneously. A fine beach landscape with multi hued sands is another interesting aspect of Kannyakumari. Palm leaf articles of Kannyakumari are very famous.
A few landmarks that we saw here are:
Sunrise view
Tired of waiting for dad and mom, Sharath and I rushed off to the sunrise view (a point near the beach where sunrise is visible very clearly). There was already a big crowd there. We hadn’t even dreamt of watching the sunrise (as it was the rainy season in Tamil Nadu). But we did see the sunrise, and captured the fantastic view with our camera. This is was the first sunrise I ever saw (In Bangalore, I would still be sleeping during this time). Dad and mom saw the sunrise from the hotel balcony itself, but masked by trees and buildings. We rejoined near the sunrise viewpoint itself, and had breakfast at Hotel Sarvana Bavan. Dad and mom stood in the queue (for the ferry which would take us to the Vivekananda Rock memorial). Sharath and me ran off to the hotel to get our camera roll, and we tried to rejoin the queue with dad and mom. But a big guy, with moustache like Veerappan shouted at us (he was in charge of maintaining the queue), and after some arguing, he went off grumbling.
Thiruvalluvar Statue
The magnificent 133-foot high statue denoting the chapters in Thirukkural has been opened for Tourist's visit in the midst of sea on 1.1.2000 in Kannyakumari. The statue was so huge that covering it in a single snap was not possible. There was not much to see from this place. We caught up with another ferry and moved on to the Vivekananda Rock Memorial.
Vivekananda Rock Memorial
A grand memorial to philosopher Swami Vivekananda, it is on one of the twin rocks jutting out from the sea about 200 m offshore. There is a Dhyana Mandapam where Swami Vivekananda's meditation transformed him into one of the most charismatic spiritual leaders of this century. Built in 1970, the unique structure is a blend of various architectural styles of India. Close to the Vivekananda Rock is another rock called Sripada Parai meaning the rock that has been blessed by the touch of the feet of the goddess. Poompuhar Shipping Corporation operates frequent ferry services from the shore to the rock memorial at regular intervals. It was here I learnt what the significance was behind the name – Kannyakumari.
History behind the name: Legend has it that the demon Baanaasura wreaked havoc on the inhabitants of this world, and that Mahavishnu requested the Gods and the humans to request primeval energy Paraasakthi to vanquish the demon. Answering the prayers of the oppressed, Shakti appeared as a young virgin girl at Kannyakumari and commenced penance with the desire of marrying Shiva at Suchindram.
Legend has it that the celestial Sage Narada fixed the midnight hour as the auspicious time for the wedding. When Shiva's procession reached a site by name Vazhukkumpaarai, a rooster crowed, heralding daybreak, and that Shiva assuming that the auspicious hour was past, returned to Suchindram. The disappointed Goddess decided to spend her life in Kannyakumari as a virgin, and that all the food prepared for the wedding was laid waste and that it turned into the colored sand seen on the southern shores of the subcontinent.
The demon Baanaasura upon hearing of Shakti's story proceeded to Kannyakumari to win her hand in marriage by force, and this led to a fierce battle in which he was slain by her.
It’s said that Swami Vivekananda sojourned on this rock for meditation towards end of 1892. He was on the rock for 25th, 26th and 27th December.
There are a couple of shops there, selling books on Vivekananda and other religious thinkers, his statues and other photos. We bought a bronze statue of Vivekananda, and proceeded towards the ferry, but were caught in a fierce rain. We were drenched from head to foot, as there is no place of shelter anywhere there. After ½ an hour of downpour, the rain stopped, and we boarded the ferry that took us back to mainland.
We checked out from the hotel at 11:30. I unfortunately lost my watch there, and we proceeded towards the bus stand. Immediately, a bus to Trivandrum arrived, and we got into it. The bus left Kannyakumari at 11:45 am. Journey was quite boring. But the greenery was good. In fact, Kerala is quite famous for it’s greenery. Then there was rain, which worried us that our last trip might be a washout. We reached Trivandrum at 2:35 pm. For sometime, we got stuck in the rain, which never seemed to stop. But it did. And we moved on to Hotel Chaitram, which was very close to the bus stand. The place was absolutely clean. We were feeling hungry, as we did not have lunch as yet. We had lunch at Amma’s restaurant (3 minute walk from our hotel). It was delicious. By then, rains had lessened, and we decided to see the Kovalam beach – the last place on our list. We booked a taxi, to Kovalam that was 16kms from the hotel.
We left at 4:45 pm, and reached Kovalam at 5:10 pm.
Kovalam beach
The soil near the sea was entirely black. But dad says it was not so, the last time he had come here. Moreover, it is also said that the water current in Kovalam was strong, and was not a safe place to swim. But I was not willing to just stand in the shore. I just wanted to strip my clothes off and jump in the sea. Sharath & me jumped in, whereas dad and mom stood in the shore. It was fun. But, not as good as Malpe beach in Mangalore. The water current was quite strong, and a couple of times, I was swept off by the wave, but Sharath caught me in time.
By the end of the bath, I had swallowed lot of salt water, and my eyes were burning. So, we decided it was enough, and moved on to the taxi. It was 6:30 pm, and was getting dark. We reached the hotel at 7 pm. I accidentally left the camera in the taxi itself. But then I ran after the taxi, and recovered it. Me and my memory!!
Padmanabha Temple
After a nice hot bath, we left for the temple at 8:00pm. It was compulsory that men wear dhoti inside. We took 3 dhotis for rent (it was expensive), and went inside. It was as big as our ISKCON temple. It was dark inside. There was the parade of the 3 gods, and then a ‘mahout’ sitting on an elephant came, beating drums, with excited children running in front of it. The darkness, the huge elephant, the beating of the drums, the screams of the children all looked very eerie. The darshan was over even before we realized it. We were standing near the entrance waiting for the darshan, which got over, and we were sent out. A communication gap I suppose. It began raining again. And, we returned our dhotis, boarded an auto to Amma restaurant, had delicious dinner and went back to the hotel. I was so tired that I slept only with underwear and a shirt on.
Morning, we got up late, had breakfast at Amma’s restaurant (You can realize how much we liked the food here. It was quite a new restaurant. He served us idlis and chutneys of 3 colors – white, green and orange). We also packed a few chapattis for lunch (in the train), and moved on to the railway station (which was just in front of the bus stand, like in Bangalore). The train arrived at 9:05 am. We had a bit of trouble finding our carriage. And after we found it, immediately the train left towards Bangalore (at 9:20 am).
Our journey back home
We had not got sleepers (we were still on the RAC list). So, our seats were down (the single seats facing each other). But the people who slept on the sleeper seats above us climbed the train, and we had to adjust our seats with them too. It was a bit of confusion. I kept track of a few stations that followed – Trivandrum pettah, Varkala, Paravur, Sasthankotta, Karunagappalli, Quilon junction etc. There were backwaters and green fields everywhere. It was a beautiful sight, and Sharath tried to get a few snaps from the train itself. Then I slept for a couple of hours. By the time I woke up, we had reached Tamil Nadu. Luckily, we were granted sleepers (as someone had cancelled their reservations). We had dinner at Coimbatore (Idlis again). The person sitting next to me wanted to sleep at 8 pm itself. But, I made him wait for sometime, and I too slept at around 10:00 pm. But at 4:00 am, I woke up shivering. It was absolutely cold. I tried to sleep again, but Sharath woke me up immediately (at 4:15 am) saying that we have reached Bangalore. I thought he was kidding. But, we were reaching Cantonment. I bid goodbye to the people there, with whom I had made friends with, and reached Bangalore. We had some hot coffee, and then boarded an auto to our house. At 5:00 am, we reached our house, and woke up my uncle – Mohana. I hade a nice sleep in my house, wearing 3 layers of blankets.
So, there our trip ended. Back to this polluted city. But still, Bangalore has something special in it, which makes it my favorite place. Kodaikkanal was heaven, Kannyakumari was great, and Trivandrum was ‘cool’, but still, Bangalore is always the best.
Here are a few things I learnt in this family trip, which I feel, is very important for you to read, when you are organizing a trip like this one.
Planning
Nowadays, for city dwellers, planning a trip is a big issue. The main problem is making time. Children have their homework to do, parents have their jobs and other deadlines to meet, and some of them just hate to have changes in their daily schedules. But, for sometime, leave all your problems back home, and plan a trip, which you will thoroughly enjoy, as well as get a relaxation from all your city tensions. We waste so much of time everyday (watching TV, sleeping etc). So, lack of time doesn’t really become an excuse to cancel a trip.
After deciding the place you want to visit, try to organize your trip in such a way, that your long journeys take place only during nights, such that you don’t waste time on boring journeys during the daytime.
Refer to tourist maps for visiting good places there, and also look at some of the government tourist websites that give you a good understanding of the tourist spots, accommodations and other details.
Finally, know something about the place you are going to. Tours are meant not only for enjoyment, but also for education. It should increase your knowledge about the place you have visited.
Preparation
· Don’t stuff too much of clothes. Try to manage with only few pants, and more number of shirts, as shirts become smelly more soon than the pants.
· Be careful if you are carrying walkmans, cameras, binos and cassettes along with you. Because, if you lose it, you can never get it back.
· Make a list of all the basic items you need before hand. Then, as you pack, you can tick off the things from the list. Last minute packing is the last thing you want to do.
· Carry extra covers with you. Covers maybe necessary for a number of purposes like – vomiting inside the bus or train during journey, for carrying light luggage etc.
· Please don’t carry books pertaining to your studies or your job. I have seen many people trying to read, when they are on a holiday. You have come here to enjoy. Leave your life as an engineer, or a college student in your house itself, and bring along only the life of a tourist along with you.
· If you are wearing shoes, it’s better to bring a pair of slippers along with you (putting and unputting your shoes again and again becomes irritating, especially near temples).
· Bring a small scribbling pad along with you, so that you can record about all the places you visit. As I said, trips should be educative too.
· Carry money, even if you are still a kid. In case you get lost somewhere, this money can help you in transport or food or something. Remember the name of the hotel you are staying in.
· If your trip involves trekking too, carry some energy giving chocolates. Glucose also will do.
· Don't go without minimal First Aid (sprain, cold, paracetamol, and anything for bruises along with sufficient bandage).
· Carry as less plastics as you can. For food, you can use banana leaves. You can bring steel tumblers from the house itself, rather than using plastic cups.
· Other small items which you may need to carry are – torch, a Swiss knife, more of fruits and less of oily stuff for the journey, sun glasses, a ball to play with, important phone number list just in case of emergency etc.
During the trip
· If the journey is too long, you begin to get bus-sick or train-sick, and may lead to vomiting. So, whenever possible, try to walk around a bit (especially when there are stops in the middle for around 5-10 minutes). That way, you can stretch your legs; answer nature’s call and even relax that sick stomach of yours.
· Know as much as you can about the place you have visited from the localites. You can find out the reason behind the name of the place, mythology regarding the place, it’s history, it’s landmarks etc. Try to make an essay like I have made one, from your records, so that, in future, if anyone plans a trip to the same place you had gone to, this information becomes very helpful to them.
· Please, for God’s sake, please, don’t throw chocolate wrappers, plastic covers, and mineral water bottles anywhere other than the bin. If you can’t do anything to make nature clean, don’t do anything to make it dirty. If you can’t find a bin, keep a separate cover for chocolate wrappers, and other plastics, and you can throw them in the dustbin in your hotel.
· This is for all those trekkers. You would want to make a campfire. Do not destroy saplings and small trees for firewood. You will find plenty on the forest floor. Make it a point to completely douse all traces of fire before leaving the place.
· Try to maintain silence when you are in deep jungle as you might come across some wild animals. Never try to irritate any animal. Just walk away after taking snaps.
· Never kill any animal however small it may be, just for the fun of it.
· Don't try to chip in your name etc. on any of the trees/rocks etc. This is one of the worst habits of Indians and we have spoilt many monuments by doing so.
· Try to have a sense of direction as to which side might be the destination, or a road etc. This helps in case you get lost.
· Use detergents as less as possible when you take bath, as it might be harmful for some sensitive aquatics.
· Try not to break any of the regulations there, like touching the exhibits in a museum or dirtying the rivers or lakes by throwing garbage into it. Remember, a lot of pain and money would have been involved to maintain the place.
· Be careful of water in other places. Use more of mineral water (having ISI mark only).
· Every place you visit has some story to tell. Try to know more about it.
· And, once you return from the place, still try to keep your surroundings clean, just like you did it there.
· And most important, LOVE NATURE
posted by The 'Ekaangi' | 8:08 AM
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