Kovalam

It is no doubt that our world is slowly deteriorating every second as a result of an unprecedented amount of pollution and inhuman deforestation. But, amidst all these developments, we always feel as if the world is beautiful and, it is no way near being deteriorating. Personally, living in the heart of the capital city I always feel special once I get to Kovalam. Kovalam is a beach town by the Arabian Sea In Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India, located around 18 km south of the city center. Kovalam is probably the most visited beach in Kerala and there is no doubt why it is famous. There are a plenty of reasons as to why one must visit Kovalam. Let us just say, the place has three beaches all layered and you get to enjoy the view from the lighthouse as well. 

Being no stranger to the place itself, Kovalam is probably one among those beaches to which I've visited multiple times. Kovalam has three beaches separated by rocky outcroppings in its 17 km coastline, the three together form the famous crescent of the Kovalam beach. Among the said three beaches, I always find Lighthouse beach the best one. The reason being the walk from Samudra beach through the Hawa and then to Lighthouse beach perfectly builds the excitement and the moment you see that 35-meter high Lighthouse, you'll be "Thunderstruck". The biggest of them all, Lighthouse beach is perfect to spend your evening. 

The second largest beach is the Hawah beach. Once you're there it might be a confusing sight. You will forget your whereabouts and would start thinking as if you have been transported to another country. Tourists enjoying their holidays and fishermen trying to get their daily work done, Hawah beach is a busy beach with a lot of activities going on. With a high rock promontory and a calm bay of blue waters, this beach paradise creates a unique aquarelle on moonlit nights.

There is nothing much to praise about the Samudra beach. It just the beach which starts off your expedition to the Lighthouse. Overall, Kovalam is a perfect place to go to if you are willing to spend some quality time observing nature's beauty. Moreover, People often stay here to get a glimpse of sunrise and sunset. So, make sure to do the same if you want to see the sun making its entrance or to watch it mark its exit.

Contributed by Sooraj Ram

Vazhachal Falls

Athirapally and Vazhachal are two of the most prominent tourist spots in Kerala. Located on the west-flowing Chalakudy River near the Vazhachal Forest Division and at the edge of the Sholayar ranges, it is just 5 km from the entrance of Athirapally Falls. Vazhachal is more like a horizontal stream of falls, unlike Athirapally which has a huge vertical drop. The reason why I visited this place is to experience the magnificent wildlife and atmosphere.

Having spent the afternoon on Athirapally Falls, I decided to spend some time on the nearby Vazhachal Falls. Now that I have got till Athirapally, it would best stupid if I returned making the most of the visit. It was a perfect time to get there as it was nearing lunchtime and we already packed the lunch as we were a bit skeptical whether or not we will find a good hotel near the place. Before getting there, I did read a lot about Vazhachal and saw a lot of pics. After seeing the shady trees, I thought it would be a perfect place for picnic. Now that have food, we head towards the Vazhachal Falls.


Conveyance is easily available and the road which starts from the Athirapally entrance to Vazhachal is very scenic and perfect for photography. We walked all the way to Vazhachal and it took about 20 minutes. Once we got there, all I could see was beautiful trees which is spread across the large area and in the middle of which the turbulent flow of Vazhachal can be seen. There are tree shades and sitting arrangement built around is a good place to relax with friends and family. Vazhachal Falls have dense forests of Sholayar ranges surrounding. During its course on rocky terrain, River Chalakudy gives out in three branches, which resume its flow surrounding the small islands formed by the riparian forests. These three branches gather momentum on its downward course and plummet to the rocky bed of River Chalakudy to reunite.

The falls itself is more of a horizontal, wide turbulent stream, as a person can't walk around it or take a bathe. Walking into the Fall area is strictly prohibited as the rocks are slippery and it only take one wrong step for a person to die. Over the course, a lot of people have died and hence the security is being tightened. Once we finished our lunch, we came to know that there is a small trek arranged by a group of visitors to climb into the denser sholayar region. As we were running out of time, we decided to pass the offer and walk back to Athirapally.

Overall, Vazhachal was a nice follow up to the experience we had in Athirapally. Not only it is best for picnicking, it is also best for Photography and Bird watching. So, if you are a photographer make sure to visit this place.













Contributed by Sooraj Ram

Athirapally Falls-Niagara of Kerala

As far as I'm concerned, Kerala Tourism is probably the most overlooked tourism in India. You have a variety of places to choose from. If you love beaches, you have Cherai, Kovalam, Varkala; or if you like hill stations you have Munnar, Ponmudi, Agasthyakoodam and more. But, when it comes to waterfalls there is no "or". The best waterfalls in Kerala is undoubtedly the Athirappilly falls situated in Chalakudy which is close to Thrissur.

The falls are situated in Chalakudy river, which originates from the upper reaches of the Western Ghats at the entrance to the Sholayar ranges. Standing at a height of over 80 ft, Athirapally is the biggest falls in Kerala. The 145 kilometers (90 mi) long Chalakudy River, originates in the Anamudi mountains of the Western Ghats and flows through the Vazhachal Forest toward the Arabian Sea. The river initially runs smoothly but becomes more turbulent as it nears Athirapally. At Athirappilly Falls, the water surges around big rocks and cascades down in three separate plumes. Below the falls, the river remains turbulent for about 1 kilometer (0.62 mi) until it reaches Kannamkuzhi. Then it calms and flows smoothly until reaching the dam at Thumburmuzhi.

I spent some time in Kochi and I came to know about this place from a friend of mine. Without much hesitation, I googled the place. Just one picture was enough for me to get there. That one being the road to Athirapally falls which connects the Vazhachal falls. Upon further research, I came to know the importance of this place. Athirapally region has a diverse flora and fauna. Athirappilly-Vazhachal area is the only location where all four South Indian species of hornbills — the great hornbill (the state bird of Kerala), Malabar pied hornbill, Malabar grey hornbill, and the Indian grey hornbill are found living together.

Reaching there was not a problem. I got off at the Chalakudy railway station from where I used a taxi to reach the spot. Once I got there, I had to buy the passes and I was told that there is a 5-7 km walk into the forest to reach the falls. With a place with such elevation and range, I was skeptical whether or not I will be able to see the falls properly since I was worried about its infrastructure. Surprisingly, they have a good enough infrastructure and one could easily get around the place easily. There is an amusement park nearby but the real deal is the adventurous trek. One could trek down from the top of the falls to the bottom. This is the best thing to do while you are there. This does consume a lot of time so don't forget to plan things early and reach the place early. This place is literally heaven.

My visit to Athirapally included the Kodanad Centre but, among them, Athirapally was the best one. Overall, my trip to Athirapally was truly a bliss and I hope in revisiting the place as soon as my monsoon break commences. It is best to visit the place in monsoon as the flow will be unreal and it will be a perfect time for me to spend more time in Charpa falls compared to when I visited Athirapally. If you plan on visiting the place in a long run I suggest you visit every place near to it, Charpa Falls, Vazhachal falls, Sholayar Dam. It will be worth spending more time there.










Contributed by Sooraj Ram

Chitraruvi

Kutralam is not at all a hidden place now in India for tourism purpose. It ropes in visitors from all over the world so as to enjoy the rich quality of water. Many seasonal and few perennial rivers such as the Chittar River, the Manimuthar River, the Pachaiyar River and the Thamirabarani River originate in this region.

The numerous waterfalls and cascades along with the ubiquitous health resorts in the area have earned it the title the Spa of South India. The falls carry a good amount of water only when there is a rain on the hills. The presence of such waterbeds makes it easier for the place to have numerous falls ranging from the biggest one-Peraruvi and the smaller one-Chitraruvi.

I got visit Chitraruvi when I visited Thirukutralanathar temple. I was unaware of the fact that there are a lot of falls surrounding the temple as I initially thought Peraruvi was the only one. The locals were kind enough to guide me to the falls and surprisingly it was very much close to the main falls, Peraruvi. Due to the huge volume of visitors in Peraruvi, most of the people prefer taking a bath in Chitraruvi as it is less crowded and perfect for spending some quality time. Chitraruvi has a natural barrier that separates the bathing place for men and women. Moreover, since the flow is a bit lower compared to Peraruvi, kids can also take a bath but with a strict guidance.

The main source of the Chitraruvi and the other falls in Courtallam, is the northeast monsoon rainwater. Chitraruvi or the Small Falls lead to other waterfalls such as Shenbagadevi Falls and Thenaruvi. Shenbaga Devi cascade is located above Chitraruvi and an adventurous trek uphill, through the Chitraruvi forest, leads to the falls. You don't have to trek to reach Chitraruvi. It's quite easy to reach there and you won't find huge crowds hence you get to spend more time and get some privacy as well. Situated just above the Main Falls, is Chittaruvi or the Small Falls. There are steps which provide easy access to the Falls. Also, there are facilities for men and women to bathe separately here. A ticket is required to enter the area.

I highly recommend Chitraruvi as I spent most of my time there compared to Peraruvi. The rest of the falls are more scenic and steady, but none of it can beat Chitraruvi in terms of overall experience.







Contributed by Sooraj Ram