Ponmudi - The Golden Peak

Placed in the Southern part of Kerala, it's easy for me to find some interesting and unknown
places since most of the southern strip are mostly coastal region and the rest being hill stations.
As a huge admirer of both hiking and swimming, I always love revisiting such places whenever
I feel dull or bored. Ponmudi is one such hill station which I had pleasure visiting thrice this year
alone. 55 km away from the capital city of Trivandrum, Ponmudi is blessed with a beautiful topography which will taunt you to come back again. Thanks to a perfect terrain and roads, it is never that hard for one to travel there.

My trip to Ponmudi was a memorable one and I still remember my
first road trip with a bunch of my friends. Having been visited there for a past couple of times, a
Bike Ride to Ponmudi with my friends was the best. Starting the journey from Trivandrum in the
morning, we were able to reach the destination after 2-3 hours of driving and refreshment.
The Hairpin curves were scary at first, but once we started climbing up, we started getting views
that continued to cherish us until we reached the peak. After clearing the legal formalities, we reached the spot and began walking towards the viewpoint. One has to climb the three-storeyed
concrete structure to get a nice view. Taking your children with you is not advisable as the place
itself is quite dangerous.

We got off and the next thing we did was to spend some quality time trading stories and jokes amonst ourselves. In such a perfect place for get-togethers, we spent almost an hour talking and couldn't believe that we strayed ourselves from gadgets for that much time. Just as the evening darkness began subsiding, we decided to get off the place as it is a bit dangerous to climb down the hill after 5 PM as the evening fog begins to congest the roads. 

Ponmudi is a place which serves as a perfect spot for those who love long rides and trekking. If you love hill stations, Ponmudi is a place worth visiting at least a dozen times as one doesn't get enough of it. So, grab a bunch of your friends or relatives and head to Ponmudi to spend your holiday right, instead of being occupied by the four walls of your house. 

Quick Facts about Ponmudi

1. How to reach – Frequent Buses from Trivandrum, well-maintained roads make it easier for two wheelers and four wheelers to reach the spot without much difficulty

2. Nearest town – Palode

3. Nearest railway station – Trivandrum, 59 kms 

4. Nearest Airport – Trivandrum, 65 km 

5. Places to stay – KTDC Hotel

6. Best time to visit –Monsoon 

7. Things to do – Get the view of your life from the Ponmudi viewpoint and spend your evening there to experience breezy and refreshing air. Perfect for picnicking and get-togethers. 

8. Is it Child-Friendly - No

Contributed by Sooraj Ram

Vellayani - Where Beauty meets Serenity

My search for serenity came to a halt when I began exploring the thick forest regions and crowded beaches. However, it was not until last week, I got to enjoy such serenity in a beautiful, hidden place called Vellayani. Known for the Vellayani Temple which has been around for 700 years and is dedicated to Goddess Devi, I was told that, there is a beautiful spot in the back of the temple which has a freshwater source from which the locals grow and sell Lotus.As I have been to Vellayani Temple before, I was never expecting a freshwater source near the temple but changed my mindset when the locals told me. Even though I have seen people talking about the Lake, I never knew the directions and the exact location. 

Vellayani Kayal, or Vellayani Lake is the largest freshwater source in the capital city of Trivandrum.  In a polluted place like Trivandrum, it is surprising to see a freshwater source. After reaching the temple we stopped by to take a sip of the staple "Sambharam"(Buttermilk) which quenched our thirst and we were able to get the directions for the Lake as well. With my expectations skyrocketing, we finally got there and what we saw was utterly beautiful. The ambiance was perfect and we couldn't ask for more.

With a considerable depth and a good flow of water, we decided to stay back and enjoy the day watching the lake from a distance. We decided not to bother the locals who were in the process of plucking the lotus flowers. After sitting and trading stories, it was time for us to have real fun. Now that the people have finished their job we decided to soak ourselves in the water. I was skeptical whether or not to get into the water since I was unsure about the depth and flow. Later on, we decided to not to get our dress dirty and instead enjoyed the view. 

However, the water was not as "Fresh" as I expected since the water is slowly getting polluted. Illegal sand mining, pollution, and land reclamation are taking its toll on the lake. I do hope the quality of water would get restored soon. Also, there is an Agricultural College near Vellayani, which is one among the top agricultural institutions in Kerala. Another attraction is the festival held in the Vellayani Temple. The temple celebrates the longest-50 day- the non-pilgrimage festival of South India. This festival is held once in three years and is known as the ‘Kaliyoottu Mahotsavam’ – which means ‘the festival of feeding the Devi’.



Vellayani is easily one of the best places that I have been to and it is the best for reunions and get-togethers. Perfect picnic spot in the city, I really hope that Vellayani Lake stays as fresh as it was before. After all, it is the only accessible freshwater source left in our city.




Quick facts 

1. How to reach – Frequent buses to the Vellayani are available from Trivandrum Central Stand and East Fort.

2. Nearest town – Trivandrum Municipality, 10 kilometers

3. Nearest railway station – Trivandrum, 10 kilometers  

4. Nearest Airport – Trivandrum, 14 kilometers

5. Places to stay – Ideal for one day trip, but if you plan to visit for the long run, the rooms can be easily found in Trivandrum and Kovalam.

6. Best time to visit – There is no specific time for visiting, you can visit anytime.

7. Things to do – Taking a walk around the Lake and find a perfect place to set up a camp, ideal for Picnic. While you are at the Vellayani, make sure to take a visit to the temple so that you could see the architecture. Moreover, you could watch the sunset if you could stay until

the evening

8. Is it Child-friendly - Yes

Contributed by : Sooraj