Ernakulam – Athirappilly – Vazhachal – Valparai – Ernakulam Round Trip – November 2011

A One Day Round Trip from Ernakulam to Valparai covering Athirapally, Vazhachal, Malakkapara with my family & back via Pollachi road, Kollengode, Vadakkancherry. 

Sprawling Tea Estates at Valparai.

We started of around 6:30 in the morning from Kochi. From Angamaly, there are two ways to reach Athirapally, one is driving through NH47 and taking right turn from Chalakudy town straight to Athirapally. The 2nd option is taking a right from Mukkannur Jn. just after Angamaly town passing through Kerala Plantation Corporation’s oil palm estates. The Ferry across the Chalakudy River at

Misty Munnar Highlands – October 2011

Obscure mountain pass.
Curling tea gardens encased in haze.

All over Munnar, you could see the Tea Mountains stretching as far as the horizon. Winding up through the misty mountains, enjoy the beautiful mountain vista surrounding you. The tea plantations in this area were very impenetrably cultivated.

Idamalayar, Bhoothathankettu, Thattekad & Pooyamkutty – October 2011

Breathtaking view of the Edamalayar Lake

Edamalayar Dam surrounded by forests & the View Point

Idamalayar dam is located about 29 kilometers from Kothamangalam town and the Kochi-Munnar National Highway NH49. Bottathankettu dam is on the way to Edamalayar (Bottathankettu to Edamalayar is 18 kilometers). For Thattekad & Pooyamkutty you have to go straight at junction 4 kms before Bhoothathankettu. Thattekad is 7 kms and Pooyamkutty is 23 kms. from this junction. You can have a good one day picnic from Ernakulam / Kochi connecting these places. The elephant Kraal at Kodanad, is also nearby where captured elephants are trained. Edamalayar & Pooyamkutty, contrasting to other tourist spots of Kerala; do not record a ponderous rush of tourists. In the early morning hours and late evenings, elephant’s herds can be spotted along the way and on the banks of the reservoir formed by the creation of Idamalayar dam.

Local tribe man canoeing a bamboo raft through the reservoir

There is a cave called "Vaisali" which is about 3 kilometers ascending, which is approachable only by four wheel drive vehicles. An old Malayalam movie Vaisali   was shot here, which is why this cave got its name. 

 

Bhoothathankettu

In Bhoothathankettu, local tribal guides approved by the forest department are available for trekking. Forest near the dam site is safe and large wild animals like elephants or leopards are nonexistent. Families can enjoy a real wilderness here without any fear and have swim or bath in the Periyar River. Always take caution particularly children when taking bath in Periyar as the shutters of  Bhoothathankettu dam can be opened  without any warning at any time by the irrigation department that may result  in sudden rise in water level. Only expert swimmers should attempt to go beyond five feet from the river bank because of strong under currents and possible trenches between slippery rocks on the river bed.

 

Thattekad

Panoramic vista of Thattekad Bird Sanctuary

 

Pooyamkutty

Wide view of jungle stream, Pooyamkutty

Bekal Fort in Kasargode – September 2011

Bekal in Kasargod district located about 10 kilometers from Kanhangad town on the Kochi-Mangalore National Highway No. 17, is well-known for its ancient and historic laterite-brick fort. Originally built by the Kadamba dynasty in 5 c. A.D., it passed through the custody of several dynasties, in succeeding centuries, until it fell into the hands of the British. Bekal fort was a prominent military station of Tipu Sultan when he led the great military expedition to capture Malabar. The promontory on which it is situated runs into the sea. Perched on a rocky headland, the fort commands an extraordinary beautiful view. The archaeological importance of the fort and the breathtaking beauty of the adjacent beach mark Bakel as an ideal international tourist destination. Tourism activities have been taking place in the areas inclosing the fort, under the Bekal Resorts Development Corporation (BRDC), which is an enterprise of the Kerala State Government. Several Hindi & South Indian language movies have shot here. The hit song 'Uyire' in the movie 'Bombay' (Tamil) directed by Mani Ratnam is one among them.

Nokia C3-01 Touch and Type Sample Images

Sample images taken with 5 megapixels Nokia C3-01 camera phone.

Ernakulam – Parambikulam – Chinnar – Munnar – Ernakulam Round Trip – March 2011

Photos from Ernakulum, Parambikulam, Chinnar, Munnar roundtrip and back to Ernakulum via Adimali, Neriamangalam, Kothamangalam. I with my family set out from Ernakulam in our car at about 4.15 am. The four-lane work of NH 47 up to Mannuthy (70 kilometers) is nearly finished and it takes less than an hour to cover this distance in the early morning hours as the traffic is also less. At 100 kilometers from Ernakulam, will reach Vadakkancherry from where we took the right deviation to the Pollachi road covering small towns like Nemmara, Kollengode before crossing the Kerala Tamil Nadu border at 142 kilometers. After travelling about 14 kilometers from the border, you reach a junction from where you right turn to go to Parambikulam.

Parambikulam: