Pictures of the enchanting landscape and greenery of the Ponmudy valley in Southern India - Sep 2008

Unblemished sight of Valley from Ponmudi mountains. Ponmudi which means Peak of Gold is a hill station in the Thiruvananthapuram district of Kerala. Agasthyarkoodam which is one of the highest peaks in the Western Ghats is situated here. Peppara Wildlife Sanctuary is also near by. It is about 60 kilometers from Thiruvananthapuram city. The highly esteemed Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology of ISRO (Indian Space Research Organization) is establishing here.

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Intact view of hills and grasslands of Ponmudi top station, Kerala - Sep 2008

This area, with it's quietly rolling, grassy hills is quite green in June - October after the monsoon rains. As I got closer to top station of Ponmudi, I set off by foot to explore some of the grass covered summits up into the mountainsides which are very steep and slippery. I used the precipitous oblique line of this slope to whole the approaching rain clouds. It began raining soon after I got back down to Vithura base town.

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Uninterrupted views of mountain rages in Ponmudi highlands, Thiruvananthapuram - Sep 2008

The presence of a great number of indigenous species of flora in the mountain range of Ponmudi, particularly in the rocky formations of its summits and slopes of the steep narrow valley, makes this area, a place of great ecological importance. Blanketed with verdant vegetation between the forest trees makes up this mountains range a stupendous landscape.

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Stock Photographs of the road to Ponmudi mountains in Trivandrum district, Kerala - Sep 2008

These are just some shots of the highway with verdant surroundings as I approached the top station in Ponmudi.

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Peaceful shots of low areas of land located near the base town of Vithura, Thiruvananthapuram - Sep 2008

Half way up the Ponmudi mountains, it was noticeably cooler up here.

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Evergreen Hillside views of Ponmudi Valley, Kerala - Sep 2008

These pictures were taken from the scenic Vithura - Ponmudi state Highway, that runs through plantations and forests.

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Extreme wide views of Neyyar Dam, Thiruvananthapuram and it's peripheries - Sep 2008

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Neyyar dam reservoir and the wildlife sanctuary within it - Sep 2008

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Narrow irrigation canals and garden at the base of Neyyar Dam - Sep 2008

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Neyyar Dam - View from base

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Neyyar dam near Trivandrum, Kerala, at it's full capacity - Sep 2008

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Wide View of Napier Museum, Kerala - Sep 2008

Built in the 19th century and named after Sir John Napier, the former Madras Governor General of the erstwhile British East India Company. This architectural masterpiece was designed by Robert Chisholm, the consulting Architect of the Madras Government and the construction was completed in 1880. This marvelous building is an assemblage of Indian, Chinese, Mughal and British influences. The campus also houses the Art and Natural History Museum, the Sri Chitra Art Gallery and the Zoological Gardens in addition to the Botanical Gardens.

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Napier Museum, Thiruvananthapuram - Sep 2008

Napier Museum complex exhibit a glimpse of Kerala's rich cultural heritage. The Museum features a rare collection of paintings by Raja Ravi Varma and Roerich among others, and enchanting works from the Mughal, Rajput and Tanjore schools of art. Also displays an variety of bronzes, historical and contemporary ornaments, temples carts, ivory carvings and life size figures of Kathakali dancers in full costumes.
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