Kutralam-Peraruvi

The Kerala-Tamil Nadu border is blessed with waterfalls and among them, Kutralam is probably the best one. Even though Thirparappu (not exactly at the border yet close to it) has the highest number of visitors, Kutralam is equally popular and scenic. Considered as South India's own Spa, the rich natural water is what you need in a pleasant tiring summer. At a distance of 7 km from Tenkasi, 160 km from Madurai, 62 km from Tirunelveli & 625 km from Chennai, Courtallam, or Kutralam is well known for Courtallam Falls which is one of the most famous waterfalls in Tamilnadu. 

One of the main reason why I visited Kutralam with my family was the Kutralanathar temple, which is at a walkable distance from the main falls. The reason why I said, "main falls" is that Kutralam has smaller falls surrounding it. We reached the place at about 7 AM and without wasting much time we got into the falls so that we could freshen up before entering the pilgrimage. We were fortunate to find a bus that took us straight to Kutralam stand which is about a few metres away from the temple. Buses can be found easily from the Tenkasi stand which is about 10 km from Kutralam. 

Kutralam waterfalls is located at an elevation of about 550 feet in the Western Ghats. The water here passes over a lot of medicinal herbs and therefore has the capacity to cure a number of ailments. After a quite a lot of research and conversations with locals, I came to know that the one near the bus stand is the biggest fall and is called Peraruvi. The place was packed and it took me half hour to get my turn to enter the place. The place is well maintained and the entire place is cool and perfect for summer. The chances of finding an abundant flow on summers is slim yet, you can still find enough water for you to soak yourself.

Thirukutralanathar temple is one among the auspicious temples in Tamil Nadu and visitors around India gather here to attain blessings. The sage Agastyar, at Shiva's request, proceeded southward to stabilize the balance of the earth and relieve the instability caused by the multitude of entities at Shiva's and Parvati's wedding in the Himalayas, to wait for a glimpse of the divine couple. There he is said to have created the Shivalingam here by shrinking an image of Vishnu, hence the name Kutralam. In the shrine, Shiva showed himself as Bhrama and Vishnu. The presiding deity Lord Shiva is called as Kuttralanathar and the Ambal his consort mother Parvathy is called as Kuzhalvoi Mozhiammai. 

Kutralam is one among the MUST-SEE places in India that will leave you wanting more. Once you are there, make sure to cover all the other falls as well. Even though the fall might seem small but the place is beautiful and the ambience is pretty neat. Also, it is ideal to plan visits between June and September, as monsoon is the best time to get some consistent flow off the falls.



Contributed by Sooraj Ram

Periyar National Park

You won't find any rare species in Kerala compared to rest of India. But if you do come across one, then I'm sure that the specific species is being protected in Periyar Sanctuary. Being a prime location for the tourists and botanists, Periyar is a part of Northern Kerala which is densely populated by Hill stations and water parks. Periyar is not an exception. Spread across 925 sq km, Periyar has its wings on Idukki and Pathanamthitta whereas the core zone lies between Idukki and Kottayam district. 

305 sq km of the core zone was declared as the Periyar National Park in 1982. The park is a repository of rare, endemic and endangered flora and fauna and forms the major watershed of two important rivers of Kerala, the Periyar and the Pamba. located high in the Cardamom Hills and Pandalam Hills of the south Western Ghats along the border with Tamil Nadu. It is 4 km from Kumily, approximately 100 km east of Kottayam, 110 km west of Madurai and 120 km southeast of Kochi. 

It's obvious by now that I didn't travel across the entire 925 sq km area, instead, my trip to Periyar was cut short to a few kilometers. By the time I visited Periyar, I was 15 and I still remember wasting an entire hour watching the beauty of Submerged Trees in the Periyar lake. I hardly saw any Tigers but I did get to see some Wild Elephants in action. The place itself is extremely protected and if you want to arrange hiking for photography, you must get an authorization letter from Kerala Forest Department. 

My trip to Periyar was heaved mainly on the core area, that is, the Periyar Lake portion. The first thing we did was to go around the jungle in a boat for Safari and shortly after that we took a Jeep Safari. You can not cover the entire place in one day. One among many attractions when it comes to safari is the Late night Jeep safari which is 4-hour long journey into the jungle and back. If you plan on staying for two days, I suggest you take this trip. It's worth every penny and you could find some wild animals. Options are wide when it comes to Safari. I took the morning boat safari and I was fortunate enough to get a good side seat. I got to see some Boars and Elephants but it was the whole ambiance that shook me. 

The inclusion of Elephant safari has attracted a lot of people and thus far creating a huge demand for it. If you plan a budget trip, I suggest you take the Boat Safari as it is more enjoyable compared to Jeep safari where you hardly get to see something moving. On the other hand, if you have a big budget, I suggest you take the Bamboo Rafting programme. It is a package which contains an hour-long trek which ends in a 3-hour long journey in Bamboo rafts. You will be accompanied by officers with protective gear. 

Overall, Periyar is a place that will surely give you chills down your spine. I bet you won't see anything like Periyar anywhere. Perfect for Botanists and explorers, apart from Trekking, if you could travel towards the south, you can visit Cardamom Hills which will surely wrap up your trip in a pleasant way. While you are there make sure to visit the Anamudi. An experience worth million words, one can't deny the fact that Periyar is easily on the top when it comes to Sanctuaries or National Parks in India. 


Contributed by Sooraj Ram

Guindy National Park

India does have a fair amount of rare flora and fauna. Even though we rank high in the charts of deforestation and poaching, a proper infrastructure for National Parks and Sanctuaries protect the rarest of rare species from such inhuman activities. As of now, we have around 733 Protected Areas that include 103 National Parks, 537 Wild Life Sanctuaries, 26 Community Reserves, and 67 Conservation Reserves. One among the integral National parks in India is the Guindy National Park.

Guindy being the 8th smallest National park in India, it is a protected area spread across 2.70 sq km(1.04 sq mi). The park is an extension of the grounds surrounding Raj Bhavan, formerly known as the 'Guindy Lodge', the official residence of the Governor of Tamil Nadu, India. It extends deep inside the governor's estate, enclosing beautiful forests, scrublands, lakes, and streams. Having spent my holidays in Tamil Nadu, I got to know about this place and when I scheduled my next trip, I did visit the place and it was definitely worth the wait.

I traveled to the Park in a public transport facility which was not that hard to find. Once I got there, I bought a ticket and a pass for Professional Camera (Note: They charge extra amount for Professional Camera, if you use a Mobile Camera, the rate is lesser). Guindy houses 400 blackbucks, 2,000 spotted deer, 24 jackals, a wide variety of snakes, geckos, tortoises and over 130 species of birds, 14 species of mammals, over 60 species of butterflies and spiders each, a wealth of different invertebrates—grasshoppers, ants, termites, crabs, snails, slugs, scorpions, mites, earthworms, millipedes, and the like. These are free-ranging fauna and live with the minimum of interference from human beings.

 

My most favorite part of the entire trip is the Reptile Park. I did find some preserved snake species inside a small chamber, but you could find some snakes in action if you could make it to the Reptile Park. The Guindy Snake park houses some of the most venomous snakes and if you are lucky enough to find a ground staff, you can ask them to demonstrate the extraction of venom from a snake. It is definitely worth watching it.

It took me almost two hours to walk around the entire area. As far as I'm concerned, the major highlight of Guindy Park is the untamed Snake Park. Especially watching a White Cobra For the first time made my trip a memorable one. If you are a wildlife enthusiast or a photographer, you must visit this place at least once. I guarantee you that you won't regret getting there.



Contributed by Sooraj Ram

Varkala

Breezy winds covering up the heat is what a person needs in this summer season. If you couldn't find a better place to experience it, then think no further than heading to Varkala. A small town 40 km away from the capital city Trivandrum, Varkala offers an unforgettable experience for its visitors and the place itself holds a steady record for the number of tourists. The reason being the atmosphere and overall ambiance. Varkala is the only place in southern Kerala where cliffs are found adjacent to the Arabian Sea.

These Cenozoic sedimentary formation cliffs are a unique geological feature on the otherwise flat Kerala coast and are known among geologists as Varkala Formation and a geological monument as declared by the Geological Survey of India. There are numerous water spouts and spas on the sides of these cliffs. In 2015, Ministry of Mines, Government of India and Geological Survey of India (GSI) have declared Varkala Cliff as a geo-heritage site. This adds an extra point for the topography and overall ambiance of the place. 

My journey to Varkala was rather a 30-minute stay and 2 hours traveling one, instead of a comfy timeframe. However those 30 minutes were well spent and without wasting any second of the scheduled 30 minutes, firstly I made it to the beach and planned on spending 15 minutes and the rest exploring the cliffs. But, I ended up spending an hour on the beach as the time flew by quicker than I thought and I lost track of the schedule. Ignoring the schedule completely, I began walking towards the cliffs. 

 

After making it to the top, I got to see the Sivagiri Mutt, established by the social reformer Sree Narayana Guru. The hilltop mausoleum of Sree Narayana Guru is one of the most famous monuments in Kerala state. Last but not the least, Varkala is known for the infamous 2000-year-old temple dedicated to Lord Shiva which has an ancient bell removed from a shipwreck, donated by the captain of the Dutch vessel which sank near Varkala without causing any casualties. The temple is close to the beach and hence the beach is called "Papanasam", which has holy waters that wipe away the sins. 

Varkala is one among those places which are worth spending your evening. On top of the scenic beach, the temple adds a spiritual essence to the place which welcomes a lot of visitors just because of its traditional and ancient architecture. While you are there, never miss the beautiful sunset and if possible, climb on top of the cliff to experience it. 











Contributed by Sooraj Ram

Thirparappu- Serene Beauty

It's summertime and most of the folks are already planning for holidays. Before you finalize your trip, here is a place that you don't want to miss out on.

What's better than visiting a scenic Waterfalls on a sunny day? Nothing better than soaking yourself in cold water when the sun is right above your head. Thiruparappu is one such place which flaunts a beautiful landscape along with providing enough comfort for the visitors even if the sun is shining bright. 

My trip to Thiruparappu was a surprising one since we never drafted this place on our list when I went out with my family on my summer vacation. The place itself is about 55 km away from Trivandrum yet a proper conveyance made our trip easier and comfortable. Thirparappu waterfall is 300 ft long and consists of a rocky riverbed. The water falls from a height of nearly 50 ft. The waterfall has flows with great force for around seven months in the whole year.

The whole bed above the falls is one rocky mass which extends up to a distance of about quarter of a kilometer upstream where the famous Thirparappu weir has been constructed for supplying water to the paddy fields. This irrigation facility is extremely useful here and it is fascinating to see the process of irrigation from the dam to the fields. The place has a swimming pool which facilitates bathing facility for children as the fall is slippery and is not safe for kids. The spot is ideal for swimming as long as you stay within the safe zone. The flow is regular and as far as I'm concerned, Thiruparappu is the best spot if you want to learn swimming. 

Apart from the Waterfalls, Thiruparappu is also known for the most prestigious temple in South India, dedicated to Lord Shiva. Mahadevar Kovil is the third one of the twelve Sivalaya, famous for "Shivalaya Ottam" during Shivaratri. It is said that Lord Mahadev lived here as Virabhadra which is a fierce incarnation of Lord Siva to kill Daksha Prajapati, after the death Sati Devi. There are many old inscriptions in this temple including the one of the Pandya King dated ninth century. This temple is built around A.D. 9th Century.

Thus a place with this much historical importance demands a visit and you can not deny the fact that Thiruparappu is easily one of the best tourist spots in Tamil Nadu or South India, in general. Furthermore, the temple adds a spiritual atmosphere to the serene waterfalls. It is worth every penny you spent to get here.





Contributed by Sooraj Ram

Cherai Beach - Kochi

It is easier to claim that the Southern part of India houses the best of the best Beaches. You may ask why? Well, you have a lot of big names on the list which goes from the infamous Marina Beach in Chennai, Tamil Nadu to the hidden gem, Perumathura in Trivandrum, Kerala.   What else do we have? When it comes to the best beaches, Cherai always stays in the top 10, as far as I'm concerned. Located at the northern end of Vypeen end, Kochi, Cherai holds the spot for the most visited beach in Kerala. 

Even though the place itself is quite far from the capital city Trivandrum, I stopped by the beach when I visited Kochi last year. Once I got to the place, the first thing that I recognized was that the tides were surprisingly much gentle and I could see kids swimming on the beach without much difficulty. Spread over a range of 10 km, Cherai is undoubtedly the best spot for all those who like swimming and those who wish to experience a gentle breeze on a fine sunny day. 

The main attraction is mainly due to the spectacular atmosphere which holds the active sea and the gentle backwaters on a single frame. Chinese fishing nets on the waterfront and thick coconut groves add charm to this place. Apart from the serene beauty that the beach offers, there is a small children's park on the side and for all those who like adventure sports, they can rent a speedboat or a water scooter to blaze through the gentle tides. Hiring a bike on rent at Cherai is also very reasonable. 

Getting a beautiful view of village life in Cherai is very refreshing and it gives a wonderful experience. Kite Flying is another very interesting activity to do in Cherai as locals are really very fond of it. This activity is so popular that there is an annual kite flying festival celebrated every year with great joy.

Just as the afternoon shine began diminishing, we walked towards to Munamam point where one could cherish the beauty of the beach where the Arabian Sea comes in contact with the gentle backwaters. Moreover, this is the best spot to watch the sunset and sunrise. 

There is a reason why people call Kochi the Queen of Arabian Sea. My trip to Kochi and Cherai beach, in particular, was amazing and I plan on visiting the place more often so that I could plan to watch the Sunrise when I get there next time. 


Contributed by Sooraj Ram

Jadayupara - Historic Sculpture recognized by Guinness

The one place that would singlehandedly increase the number of tourists in Kerala is Jadayupara. Moreover, Jadayupara is a place with a massive historic importance. In the great epic Ramayana, Jatayu is characterized as a noble bird of divine origin. One day he happened to hear the plaintive cry of a lady. It was Sitha lamenting for help while she had been abducted to Lanka by the demon king Ravana. Jatayu rushed to her rescue, stopped Ravana’s chariot named Pushpaka Vimana and engaged in a battle with him. Eventually, Ravana took his powerful sword Chandrahasa, cut off the bird’s left wing and went away with Sitha. It is said that the injured Jatayu and his lost wing landed on top of a rock. In time, the rock got the name Jatayupara. Also, one could find a footprint near the giant sculpture, which is said to be the footprint of Lord Rama who came to the place in search of his wife Sitha. Having these much historic tie-ups, Chadayamangalam, Jadayupara became a perfect spot for the sculptures to carve the giant structure of Jadayu. 

My curiosity compelled me to visit the place on a fine 2017 Sunday evening. Chadayamangalam is a small town near Kollam district which is almost 40 km from the capital city of Trivandrum. Picturing the grand project on my mind, my curiosity quickly became some sort of obsession which made me go out earlier than the scheduled time. 

Once I reached the spot, I came to know that the place is still under construction yet the place is half finished hence I was permitted to go inside and take a look. The place has an adventure club nearby which offers a wide collection of games ranging from archery to trekking. 

Once I reached the place, I witnessed the view of my life. The sculpture is made looks perfect and I can't wait for it to be complete. The place has a small temple dedicated Lord Rama. There is a small water reservoir which is said to have water 24x7 365 days regardless the climatic shifts. Next, there is a small man-made reservoir which reassures that the place has an uninterrupted supply of water. 

Overall, Jadayupara is a magnificent work of art that will surely attract tourists worldwide once the construction is complete. This colossal statue is 200 feet long,150 feet wide and 70 feet making is the largest functional bird sculpture in the world with an entry into the Guinness Book of World Records. If that doesn't make you anxious enough to visit the place, then I'm not sure what will make you visit a place.






Contributed by Sooraj Ram

Barot Valley - Himachal Pradesh

 

A project of the 1920s for Shanan Hydel Project is now a traveler point in Mandi district of an Indian state Himachal Pradesh. The place is currently known as the Barot Valley, is a beautiful green place for tourism.  The small town is an amazing picnic spot and is blessed with a thick forest of deodar. There are two beautiful rivers full of trout fishes, makes this place extremely beautiful. There is a government trout breeding center at Barot along with other private centers from where fishes are released into the Uhl and there is a 30 km section of the river which is excellent for anglings anyone can grab fishes for themselves by fishing rod and start angling.

Besides this, Barot is a prevalent backpacker and daytime sightseer destination. Numerous trekking tracks surpass through Barot, including trails to Bada Bhangal, Manali, and Kullu. Most of the day, tourists are captured by the serene environment and affordable accessible of a lodging house. The valley is likewise developing into an angling destination. The Uhl river supports trout breeding and Barot has a few fish farms. Barot also draws up the entryway to the Nargu Wildlife Sanctuary which lies cross-ways the Uhl. The sanctuary is home to the monal, black bear, and ghoral. Within it are forest rest house s at Thaltuckhod and Silbandhwari. Through woods of cedar and pine, a trek route cuts across the sanctuary to Kullu.

Climate:

Weather of Barot is very pleasant throughout the year especially summer which is cool, winter is very cold and heavy woolen clothes are required, temperature varies from -5 degree to 30 degrees over the year. there are moderate to heavy snowfall in winter, summer is the best time to visit and explore Barot, please avoid Rainy season as there might be landslides and cloudbursts in the region.

The Barot Valley tourist’s activities

Travelers in the valley can spend their leisure time by performing various activities

Trekking at Barot Valley- It allows for a large extent of treks, these treks provide the glimpse of the local cultural heritage of Himachal, inhabitants are living their traditionalist life and cheerful with that. The natural heritage which provides a selection for bird and wildlife sighting

along with amazing scenes of snow covered mountains of Himalayas.

Paragliding in the valley- The paragliding, site which is known globally for paragliding world cup of October 2015. Trekkers can trek for 16 km to access paragliding take off point from the Barot valley side. This is allowing for large selection of trekking in tribal villages, enjoy wildlife, camping, Cultural heritage and Paragliding in 2-3 days trekking. Anyone can trek such graceful treks and relish the real color of nature and end up with Paragliding from 2400 meters from sea level (20-40 minutes flight)

Angling in the Barot Valley- This is one of the best leisure activities which make everyone delighted. Uhl watercourse is awash of rainbow Trout fish and Brown Trout fish. Instrumentations are easily accessible here by spending a small amount. But never miss getting permission from fishery department which is easily accessible on the pay of 30 INR to them. The stream leads up from Thamsar Glacier which is 50 km upstream.

Mountain Biking- It is always difficult in mountains to do biking, but Barot valley provide a big prism for mountain biking as the roads are less engaged and several are seldom utilized by vehicles. A visitor can cycle for odd 100 km in the valley for dissimilar route and some trails are really very exciting.

Walking in the village- Here, villagers are very helpful and rich in their culture. The locals are shy for talking first, but once they start can give you every single information about the village tourist attraction points. Farming and tourism are their main source of earning. Walking to the village can help you to know more about the valley, it people and culture too.

Wildlife Sanctuary- Cross-ways the UHL watercourse in the valley is an area of the Nargu Wildlife Sanctuary. This sanctuary is home of Monals, Black bear, and ghoral. Woods of Oak, Cedar and pine forest all around the valley.

Nearby attractions

Not only Barot Valley but its surrounding areas are also world class tourist attractions. After completing their tour to the valley tourists can also visit some other nearby tourist points such as; Mandi, Devidarh, Parashar Lake, janjehli, Rewalsar Lake, Kamru nag lake and temple. These places have various Budhist, Hindu and sikh temples along with beautiful deep blue lakes, pine woods, various adventures activities and many more. 

Tips to be remember

·       Book the accommodation on a prior basis as the room might not be available due to many visitors or peak season from April to August.

·       During winters there could be the chances of pipes owing to freezing temperature. So, travelers should carry some extra bottles with them.

·       It is mandatory to fully fill the fuel tank as there is not much availability for fuel stations.

·       June is the festival season and tourists can enjoy in this month too.

Distance from Major Places (Approx):

• Delhi To Barot: 455Km
• Chandigarh To Barot: 266 Km
• Manali To Barot: 176 Km
• Shimla To Barot: 230 Km
• Mandi To Barot: 66 KM
• Jogindernagar to Barot: 40 Km
• Palampur To Barot: 114 KM
• Pathankot to Barot: 192 Km

Transportation

By Road- The valley is well connected via road from all major cities. Barot is situated 25 km off NH 20. The diversion to Barot is at a village, Ghatasani, 14 km from Joginder Nagar and 35 km from Mandi. Barot is connected by public transportations from Mandi, Jogindernagar, and Palampur along with regular taxi services, which are also available at reasonable cost. Buses plying to Kozhikode, Bada Gran and Luhardi also pass through Barot.

By Train- The nearest railway station is at Jogindernagar (Narrow Gauge) and Pathankot (Broad Gauge). A haulage trolley of the British times connects Barot to Jogindernagar. This trolley link was set up to facilitate transport of construction material to Barot for a reservoir on Uhl River for Shanan Power House.

By Air- By air from Delhi to Bhunter(Kullu) or Gaggal(Kangra) airport and then by Taxi to Barot, you can easily reach the Barot.

Contributed by Harneet

Thenmala - - A Constellation hidden in the Surface

The thing about hill stations is that they are hard to not to stumble across, especially when you live in a place like Kerala. But there is this place where the Capital city, Trivandrum will surely blow your mind. Thenmala is a place of historic importance. Thenmala; "Then" stands for Honey and "Mala" stands for Mountain in Malayalam, is the first planned eco-tourism destination in India. Thenmala tourism quickly became a place for filming.

Fortunately enough, Thenmala is close to where I live and I was able to sort a plan out to visit the place on my sem break. Less than 80 km from Trivandrum, I was able to locate the place easily and could find a proper conveyance. After an hour and a half drive, I reached the place around 11 in the morning and after finishing all the formalities, I got in and the first thing I looked was the whereabouts and must-see places. The first thing that I had the pleasure to visit is a short trek towards the Sanctuary, placed near Thenmala. There is an affordable entry fee of Rs 100, but still the time you spend there will be cherished all through your life.

Next stop, The Butterfly park. There is a slight walking to do to get to the place, but, the moment you get there, all you could see is a place which holds the most varieties of Butterfly to be placed in a natural habitat for us to see.

After spending some quality time there, I went forward to explore more places. My favorite was the Nakshathravanam, which is a park holding 27 trees representing 27 birth stars. Moreover, the place is a must-see for those who like to study more about flora.

Thenmala is a huge place spread across a wide area, which is quite hard to cover everything in one go. To wrap up my short run, I visited the Parappar Dam, which is second largest irrigation project in Kerala and has the longest reservoir in the state. This trip to Thenmala was truly a memorable one as I got to see a lot of things which exemplifies the beauty of our mother nature. Thenmala is one such place which could easily make it to the top tourist places in Kerala or India, in general. I plan on visiting the place often so that I could see everything in one go.


Contributed by Sooraj Ram

Pinjore Gardens

The residential township is located near tri-city in Haryana State also known as Yadavindra Gardens has one of the 17^th century beautiful Mughal Gardens. Besides this, the city also has HMT (Hindustan Machine Tools) factory.

The flora underlies at the foothills of the lower Shivalik ranges and stands as a viable sample of the Mughal Garden style. Extend over an arena of 100 acres and also serves as the venue for the annual Mango Festival. As per the Hindu Mythology, the Pandava Brothers rested here during their exile. If I talk about climate, the average temperatures for summers and winters are 35 and 18 degree Celsius respectively, with rainfall concentrated over the summer months of July, August and September.

The Pinjore Garden was abandoned just seven years after it was built, for a very unusual reason. According to folklore, the local king, the Raja of Bhawana, dreaded the coming of the Mughal Court to Panchkula and feared that he would lose more land to the Mughals.

History of Pinjore

The design of the garden is similar to the classical Charbagh pattern and introduced a central waterway in the area. The Architect of the garden was designed by Nawab Fidai Khan a cousin of Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb and the Governor of the province at that time. He planned both sides of the waterway to be planted with the patches of green bordered with flowers, along with covering the entire place with a number of trees, like traditional palm, cypress, and magnolia.

Later the zone fell primarily under the rule of king of Sirmaur and finally, in 1775 AD, under Maharaja Amar Singh of Patiala. Then, latter consolidated Pinjore to his lands. He has had a big liking for the attractiveness engulfed in the garden and utilized it to tour the place frequently. Maharaja of Patiala has credited it to improve the garden manifold. In 1966, Haryana was declared as an independent state and Pinjore Garden was handed over to it, till today the garden continues to be one of the prime attractions of Haryana.

Features and other tourist attractions

Pinjore Garden is built in the typical Mughal manner. It has a slanting ground and is jeweled with fountains and impressive pavilions. However, it varies from the other Mughal Gardens in the respect that the seven terraces at Pinjore, instead of ascending, descend into a distance, develop a sorcerer’s sight. The garden is full of different species of graceful, fragrant flowering plants, big trees, mango orchards, litchi orchards and several shrubs. The garden presents cool, shady walks and flagged pathways, which run to the reaches of the creeper-covered walls.

Besides the greenery and nature, one can find separate affinity inside the Garden such as a mini zoo, historic places, Japanese garden, nursery, and a number of picnic spots. The inside gardens are brilliantly lighted at night. There is a Jalmahal within the garden, which is presently utilized as a restaurant. The garden is open from early morning to the late night. The entry ticket for the garden is very low.

Bhima Devi Temple

The outside stone fence of the temple was decorated with the sculptures of the Gods and Goddesses. A vast figure of sculptures portraying Shiva and Parvaati, Agni, Varuna, Surya, Vishnu, Ganesha, Kartikeya was also found on this site. Some other decorative patterns included social performances, floral designs, animal motifs, musicians and erotic scenes etc. A few notable stone inscriptions have also been found at this site linking it with the name of Raja Rama Deva, possibly a local king of repute, who patronized this temple.

 There is an ancient temple adjoining Pinjore gardens. The temple is named Bhima Devi Temple Site Museum. It consists of various erotic statues of ancient deities. The temple contains some statues of Lord Shiva in his Nataraja form. The temple has been made into an open museum accessible to the public. No ticket is required for entering the temple. It was constructed between 8th and 12th century AD. It is also under the protection of Haryana government

Kaushalya Dam

It is an earth-filled barrage dam on Kaushalya River in Pinjore. It is an important wetland that becomes home to many endangered migratory birds.

This is the first plan, which never materialized, for a dam on Ghaggar river was first proposed by the British people in the mid of 19th century to provide drinking water to Ambala Cantonment.

The proposal was revisited only in the 1960s to construct a dam on Ghaggar river at Gumthala near Chandimandir to provide water to Chandigarh and control floods in Punjab, India, this plan was abandoned in 1999 as it would have submerged over 4,000 acres of land resulting in the relocation of a large number of people.

In 2005, the revised plan to build series of smaller dams on the tributaries of Ghaggar river was approved by the Government of Haryana and the construction of the Kaushalya dam commenced in 2008 which was completed in 2012.

 

Sheesh Mahal and Rang Mahal

The Royal residence in the premises of the Mughal Gardens is a bewitching sight to behold. It was where the women would reside during their visit to the garden. The view of the garden from the Sheesh Mahal spans throughout, starting from the gates towards the boundary wall. At the next level is the Rang Mahal— residence of the Maharaja of Patiala. This too has a landscape view of the garden and the orchard surrounding the hill. It only becomes more spectacular under the moonlight.

Fair and Festivals

Special programs are organized in the garden during festivals, like Baisakhi and Mango Festival, which attract visitors from all over the country.

Stay options

Hotels within the multiple price range are available from 2 stars to 5 stars. 

Location

By road-The Pinjore Gardens are 20 km from Chandigarh and 42km. from Shimla. Taxis and buses ply regularly between Pinjore, Kalka, and Chandigarh.

By air- The nearest airport to Pinjore city is Chandigarh international airport and Mohali national airport, which make it easy to reach from all over the world by air conveniently.

Accessibility

Bus Services, Cabs which makes it easily approachable by road.

Contributed by Harneet