Athirapally Falls, a famous tourist destination in India , is situated on the west flowing Chalakudy River. Falling the water from a height 80 feet , It's the biggest waterfall in Kerala,. It's nick named as the 'Niagara of India' , as it offers spectacular view to the visitors. The Chalakudy river run smoothly in the beginning , but becomes turbulent while reaching the athirapally falls. It then falls down with huge sound , producing white foam that offers a fantastic experience being in the green dense forest.

The river provides habitat of 85 different species including fishes. Also , The forest area has a wide variety of species including the great horn-bill , Asian elephants , tigers , leopards etc. Thrissur District tourism promotion council organizes daily jungle safari from Chalakudy to Malakkappara (Athirapally is on this route). It's a unique opportunity to experience the rich flora and fauna of Athirapally - Vazhachal ecotourism , covering Kauthukapark, Thumboormuzhy Dam & Butterfly garden, Athirappilly water falls, Vazhachal falls etc. All these points leads to the fact Athirapally is a favorite picnic spot of the people of India. Moreover , this place is a paradise of film makers. Many Indian movie sequences and songs are cinematographed here. They love this location to be included in their frames.

Front View of Athirapally Falls

During Monsoon

The first two pictures in the blog were taken when I had a trip during a north west monsoon season. As you see , there was a huge amount of water falling down , which looked muddy sometimes. Besides , It's a awesome feeling to enjoy the dazzling waterfall during such a climate. The next two snaps were captured during a sunny evening. Although I focused on capturing the star shaped sun into my frames , I didn't forget to hearten the charm of the place. I waited for my moment to get the sun just above the mountain in my frame to capture the last photograph.

Sunny Evening

Sunset

Where to stay in Athirapally

As I hail from Irinjalakuda , which is about 40 kms from Athirapally , I really don't want to stay there to get the fun out of it. People who travels long distance to reach , can make use of resorts and villas nearby. There are some great places like Rainforest Resort (offers a spectacular view of Athirapally falls) , Ceasar Palace Hotel etc. If you think these are costly or don't want a full time experience , stay in any budgetary hotels at Thrissur or Chalakudy and have a trip in the morning time. Moreover ,places like Chimmini Wildlife Sanctuary or Munakkal Beach can be visited if you have a long travel plan.

How to reach Athirapally Falls

(Source : www.trawell.in)

By Air. Nearest Airport: Kochi - Cochin International Airport (55 Kms) Direct Flights to Kochi.

By Train. Nearest Train Station: Chalakudy Railway Station (30 Kms) Thrissur Railway Station (55 Kms) ...

By Bus. Nearest Bus Station: Athirapally Bus Station (0 Kms) Chalakudy (30 Kms)

festival

The Ecstasy of Onam

Tuesday, September 13, 2016
By Jithu
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Onam

is a harvesting festival, celebrated by Malayalis , also known as Keralaties(People of Kerala). Irrespective of religion, cast and creed, it’s observed by all the people of the Indian state Kerala. As per Epics (Purana), Keralites, during Onam commemorate the visit of the King Mahabali , who ruled Kerala in the ancient times. It’s believed that the king was very generous and there was no discrimination during his reign.

Raw Banana Chips

Pookkalam

Onam falls on ‘Chingam’, the first month of the Malayalam calendar. The actual celebration begins on the day ‘Atham’ and last for another ten days. The biggest festival is on the day ‘Thiruvonam’ , when the people is at the peak of joy and enthusiasm. On this day, the front of the houses will be decorated with flower carpet, known as ‘Pookkalam’, to welcome King Mahabali. A special buffet lunch, known as ‘Onasadya’ will be prepared and served in each homes. People also indulge in various traditional games like Thiruvathirakali , Pulikkali , Vallam kali (boat race) etc.

Onam Special Buffet Lunch

In this blog post, I included some of the photos which I took during the Onam celebrations in last 5 years. The first photo is of the raw banana chips (Kayupperi or Kaya varuthathu in malayalam), is a famous snack served in Onasadya. It’s supposed to have so many dishes (mostly ten or more), for the special lunch. But you can’t see it in the snap shared. Commonly a huge ancestral house would go for a lunch with lots of curries, as there would be a lot of people to help each other in preparation and cooking. Pookkalam is another peculiarity about Onam, which I used to draw up with utmost delight.

At present, Onam celebrations are very minimal for me, whereas I found it well during the childhood days. Especially when I was in college, we used to prepare very huge Pookkalam. As there were a lot of talented people included in this activity, the result was magnificent. The more the head count are there, the more the festival is blissful.

dam

A Trip to Chimmini Dam

Wednesday, September 07, 2016
By Jithu
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Chimmini Dam is a favorite picnic spot of the people of Thrissur district. This place offers a breathtaking view the dam and the reservoir. The dam was completed in 1996 and it was constructed across the river Chimmony , a tribute of Karuvannur river. Located in the Mukundapuram Taluk of Thrissur district, Chimmini is only a two-hour drive from Kochi.

Moreover there is another attraction , a national park called Chimmini Wildlife Sanctuary is situated near to the dam and the reservoir. It's a sanctuary established in 1984 , which is on the western slopes of Nelliyampathi Hills. The highest peak in the sanctuary is Punda peak. The sanctuary consist of the watershed areas of Kurumali river and Muplyam river. To visit the sanctuary , permission should be obtained from wild life warden of Peechi division. It also offers trekking path for the adventure travelers. People can stay at inspection bungalow if they need. It is one of the world’s 25 bio-diversity hot-spots, the haven of innumerable species of endangered plants and animals.

On the way - NH 47

On the way - Agricultural lands

Chimmini Dam - All the shutters are opened

During 2011 September , I visited Chimmini dam. It was a family pleasure trip , just after the Thiruvonam (National festival of Kerala) day. My DSLR was just one month old during this time and I was learning the techniques of it. The atmosphere was cloudy when we reached the location. It started to drizzle when we were seeing the reservoir from the top of the dam. The view was really beautiful while being there. We didn't visit the wildlife sanctuary as it required prior permission and our intention was only for an evening trip.

View of the Chimmini Dam Reservoir

Chimmony River

On the way back

Tile Factory - Snap on Return

How to reach Chimmini Dam

Nearest railway station: Thrissur, about 41 km

Nearest airport: Cochin International Airport, about 58 km from Thrissur town

If you are coming from Thrissur or Palakkad side , continue on NH 47 and turn left from Amballur junction to drive for another 25 km. If you are from Kochi or Chalakudy turn right at the same junction.

kerala

Overbury's Folly , Thalassery

Wednesday, August 24, 2016
By Jithu
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Overbury's Folly

is a seaside park , located around 1 Km from Thalassery town of Kannur District , Kerala. The park has a small watch tower to view the surroundings. It's a great place for refreshment and relaxation. The best time to visit this park is during the evenings. People can enjoy the spectacular view of the Arabian sea and also experience the gentle breeze that refreshes your mind. Moreover the visit will not be fulfilled without viewing the picturesque sunset.

Regarding the history of this park , Its named after its builder, E. N. Overbury, who served as a local judge at Thalassery in the 1870s. Basically started as an evening picnic spot in 1879, the construction of the place was completed by R. Mukunda Malla , Municipal Chairman of Thalassery in 19th century. Since then, the place has grown a lot with the addition of watchtower in 1985 and open air coffee shop in the recent time.

A view from Overbury's Folly

Watch tower at Overbury's Folly

Sun in Hands

I visited this beautiful place, when I had a trip to Thalassery for my friend’s marriage. The marriage was on a Sunday and we reached Thalassery on a Saturday in the early morning. We stayed at Hotel Pearlview Regency near to Co-operative hospital in Thalassery. Our plan was to go for some shopping, eat Thalassery Biriyani , enjoy in hotel pool and visit some known places. After having breakfast, we slept for few hours as the journey was a bit hectic. Then we went to Thalassery town in the noon. As per the plan, we needed to have the famous Thalassery Biriyani from Paris restaurant. I felt that it’s not so delicious as people used to say. The hotel lacked ambience and it’s reflected in the food too. It’s nowhere near Malabar biriyani , which I had before from other restaurants. Later, we did some shopping and went back to the hotel.

Sunset

In the evening, we decided to go to Overbury’s Folly. We took an auto riksha to reach the park. We got in after paying the entrance fee. There were not much people as expected. But we could able to see few families, youths and off course valentines. There’s a watch tower at the end of the park area. We climbed upon. On the top of it, I realized that the overall view of the park, nearby sea, blue sky and the shining sun was quite spectacular! Once we came down, it’s the time for sunset. I tried to capture those moments in my frames. Unfortunately, the sky was a bit cloudy. As a result, I got disappointed that I couldn’t click the final moments of it. Whatever, this place is nice for those who like to go for an evening outing. Don’t forget to reach Overbury’s Folly, if you travel to Thalassery, Kerala.

hill

Kodaikanal

Tuesday, August 16, 2016
By Jithu
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When a south Indian thinks about a 2-3 days outing, the first thing comes into the mind is all about a Ooty Kodaikanal tour. It's the climate which attracts most of the people to these places. Kodaikanal is a city in the hills of Dindigul district , Tamil Nadu. Kodaikanal , also known as Kodai is referred to as the "Princess of Hill stations" and has a long history as a retreat and popular tourist destination. At a height of nearly 7000 feet from the sea level , this town is a magnet for nature lovers , as there are a plenty of cliffs , valleys , lakes , water falls and hills.

The phots in this blog are captured during my second trip to Kodai with my friends in 2013. I had visited this place around 10 years back. This trip was very short and the plan was only for 2 days. We had done a good homework on the question 'what to see in Kodaikanal'. We took a printout of the interesting places and decided about the place to see in the limited time. Our picks were Pambayar falls , Dolphin Nose ,Pine forest , Pillar Rock , Suicide point , and finally the Kodai Lake. The following are some of the snaps captured at these places. As usual , my priority was on nature photography during this trip.

A view from Dolphin Nose

Pambar Falls

Pine Forest

The question 'Where to stay in Kodaikanal' is the another matter of concern which has to be handled intelligently. There are so many hotels in Kodaikanal. The hotels near to the town area are so costly to afford. Most of the people will think about a budget stay. There are some good cottages and homestays also available , which will serve our basic needs. My friends had done a good research on this and found out a cottage 'Kairali Holiday Inn' , which is around 3 km from the town.There were 5 beds in the single room , with bathroom attached and also a small TV. They served us the breakfast too. Overall it was a good and comfortable stay , considering the budget ( I don't remember how much we paid , and it is irrelevant as the tariff could have changed by this time).

Kodai Lake

Pillar Rocks

Street shops - On the way to Suicide point

Craggy Mountains - @ Coakers Walk

Outskirts of Kodai

There are a lot to do in Kodai like cycling , boating , horse riding , trekking etc. People can also wander near by the lakes , hills , and waterfalls. An awesome experience of life time. But we should not forget to buy home made chocolate bars. There are a plenty of shops in Kodai , which sells chocolates , spices , oils etc. The chocolates are very good in quality and of low cost. We can buy it as a gift to our friends & children and proudly say "I had a trip to Kodai" last day.

As a set of similar places , I can suggest Yelagiri and Vagamon from the list where I travelled. However those places are nowhere near to Kodai , as far as popularity , climate and satisfactions is concerned.

Street Foodies

How to reach Kodaikanal

We traveled by train to Kodai Road from Chennai. From there , we took a cab to reach the cottage. The cab was pre-booked online. Please see the following tips to reach Kodai. (Source : WikiTravel)

By plan

The closest airports to Kodaikanal are Trichy 150km, Madurai 120km and Coimbatore 175km.

By train

Nearest railway station is Kodai Road at a distance of 100km. From Kodai road station, one has to travel only by road. Taxis are available for hire up to Kodaikanal but since these might the only mode of transport here, the prices are often not negotiable.

Another Railway station that is quite close is Dindigul Railway station. It is easier to come to kodai using this station as it is a much bigger city. Once you get down at the Dindigul Railway station, you can get an autorickshaw for around ₹50 to come to the Dindigul bus stand. And from there, there are frequent buses to Vathlagundu from where there are many buses to Kodai. Straight buses are available from Dindigul to Kodaikanal as well, but you might have to wait for an hour or so. It takes around 1 hour from Dindigul to Vathlagundu (Batlagundu) and then about 2 hours from Vathlagundu to Kodaikanal by bus.

By bus

Kodaikanal is about 90km from Dindigul city and there are plenty of buses plying from various parts of the state.Buses ply from Chennai, Pondicherry, Trichy, Madurai, Dindigul,Palani and Coimbatore.

From Madurai government buses depart frequently from the Arappalayam Bus stand. Cost is 70rs and takes roughly 4 hours.

hill

Yelagiri Memories

Saturday, August 13, 2016
By Jithu
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Yelagiri or Elagiri is a small hill station located in between the towns of Vaniyambadi and Jolarpettai (Tamil Nadu, India). Yelagiri, at a height of 920 meters above sea level, stands majestically amidst four mountains. This place has a salubrious climate prevailing throughout the year so that winters do not keep visitors away. However ,it can never be compared with top stations like Ooty and Kodaikanal.

Punganoor (Punganur) Lake is one of the popular and amazing place in Yelagiri. It's very close to the main road and easy to locate. There is a lush green park adjacent to the lake. The visitors can either enjoy the beauty of this place either by boating or walking on the footpaths on the banks of the lake. Also there is an entry fee to get into the premises.

Views of Punganoor Lake

During the visit to Punganoor Lake , I tried to capture the scenic beauty of this place from various angles. Also I have taken few of this photos in small aperture to get the sun in star shape. Most of my snaps are of the same kind and I love to take such ones.

Punganoor Lake - Sunset

Swamimalai Hills is the highest point in Yelagiri. This place is a worth for those who loves trekking. The trek to Swamimalai is around 3 km from the valley and it take nearly one / one and half hour to reach the peak point. At the top ,there is a small temple and also a watch tower to enjoy the astonishing view of the region.

Swamimalai -Valley

On the way to Swamimalai

The trek to Swamimalai was an awesome experience for me. The climate was cool in the morning and we started by around 6 AM. It was easy to trek in the beginning as there were enough steps in the pathway (See the second photo below). Gradually it became harder as slope was steeper. Being in a group , we engaged in humorous talks and capturing moments. The peak point gifted us some great moments , as the view was breathtaking. We took many snaps using the timer option in my DSLR. Also I didn't forget to capture the scenic beauty of the hills.

View from the peak of Swamimali

End of the Journey

Where to stay in Yelagiri

Being a prominent tourist location , there are enough number of resorts and hotels in Yelagiri. The yelagiri hotels are cheap and offer budget stay comparing with other tourist places , but we have to find out the quality ones. During our trip, we were not insisted upon getting a well equipped room with all faciilites. Our group was of 4 members and our only intention was to get the budgetary one from the available rooms in Yelagiri. This resulted in pre-booking a 800 Rs per day room with 4 beds in hotel Lakeview. It's not more than enough to get a room of 200 Rs per head. (The tariff could have changed by this time).

How to reach Yelagiri

From Bangalore

Yelagiri is about 150 km from Bangalore , good for a four hour bike ride with breaks along the way. Take the NH7 out of Bangalore towards Hosur, turn towards Chennai (onto NH46) at Krishnagiri and continue until you get just before Vaniyambadi. You can see the Hills from quite a distance (on your right). From a break in the highway that comes approx 2 km after the toll gate, turn right into the underpass road that takes you to Tirupathur. Continue some 5 km and at Ponneri Junction take a right to Yelagiri Hills. The routes are all marked with signboards in English.

From Chennai

Yelagiri is about 258 km from Chennai-Tambaram. Take the Poonamalee High Road out of the city to Ponamalee Town. From Poonamalee, take the Bangalore highway towards Vellore. The distance to Vellore is about 140 km and the route passes through Sriperumbudur, Walajapet. Vellore would be a good place to plan a break, there are a lot of eating places right on the highway. From Vellore continue on to Ambur and then towards Vaniyambadi. On the highway about 45 km from the third toll station, watch out for a signboard for "Elagiri - 22 kms". Take a left at this exit. Its easy to miss this left and if you overshoot this you would reach the Vaniyambadi toll station in about 1km. Continue on this road (SH18) till you reach Ponneri junction which has Thirupathur straight and Yelagiri on the left. Watch out for this one as it is easy to miss.

By train

If you are coming by train from Bangalore, Chennai or Coimbatore you have to get down at Jolarpettai Junction. Cabs and buses are available from there.

Public transport

If you prefer to take public transport, buses come from Thirupattur and Jolarpet. You can take a taxi also from these places. You can negotiate for about 1200 INR (2011) to drop you in Yelagiri Hills from Jolarpettai Junction.

There are 14 hairpin bends on the ghat road from Ponneri to Yelagiri and the road is pretty narrow so you can't actually park a car to enjoy the view except at some of the wider hairpin bends. Bikes won't have this problem though.

Pages

My Journey Through Photography

A cruise in the tranquil Alleppey Backwaters

Moonupeedika Beach

Blissful Moments at Thekkady

Before the Rains - Elliots Beach

Azhikode Munakkal Beach

Macro Beauties

The Scenic Athirapally Falls

Where to stay in Athirapally

How to reach Athirapally Falls

The Ecstasy of Onam

Onam

A Trip to Chimmini Dam

How to reach Chimmini Dam

Overbury's Folly , Thalassery

Overbury's Folly

Kodaikanal

How to reach Kodaikanal

Yelagiri Memories

Where to stay in Yelagiri

How to reach Yelagiri

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