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

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

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

Madavoorpara - A Treasure hidden in the heart of the city

Kerala is known as the "Gods own Country" for a reason. The entire coastal strip of Kerala is solely dedicated to breathtaking beaches and spiritual places. The Dravidian architecture as practiced in the South is rather a rare sight in Kerala as the architecture in Kerala combines the small portion of Dravidian Architecture along with a share of unique construction and Vastu Shastra. However, the religious gatherings are all widespread and the architecture practiced is surely a must see. 

Rock Temples are not widely practiced around Kerala, hence the Mudavoorpara tourism is a rare place in a Southern part of Kerala. The place itself is a bit close to the busy city, but the poor roads shadow this beautiful place. The place itself is hidden and not many people visit this place often. However, the occasional visitors are those who visit the temple dedicated to Lord Shiva. 

This Cave temple is one of the two cave temples in the Southern Kerala, the other one being the one in Vizhinjam. While we were en route to Madavoorpara, we stopped by a hotel to have our breakfast. I was fortunate enough to have a nice little chat with a person who was kind enough to tell the historic importance of Madavoorpara.

The cave temple at 'Madavoorpara' is believed to have been built around the 8th century A.D. Prior to that, this place was part of which is now affectionately referred to as ‘Tamizhakam’ It is believed that kings of the Ay dynasty ruled over this place. A place with this much importance, I immediately got curious as to why this place is hidden within plain sight. We got there within an hour and the first thing that we saw was the well-constructed rock temple. Surprisingly, on a pleasant Sunday morning, I found the place to be deserted. After that, we trekked up the hill and walked for 10 minutes to get to the Bamboo bridge. 

It is the bamboo bridge that took us to the hilltop where one could see the panoramic view from a hilltop hut which sets up a good ambiance. From the hut, we were able to see the tall buildings of Technopark and, the rest was covered in green. After spending see quality time in the hilltop we got off as the afternoon heat was setting in. 

Madavoorpara is undoubted, the best place that I've been to. It's a treasure hidden in the heart of the city which, surprisingly is hidden to many. If only the tourism is better and the roads do show proper signs, Madavoorpara would have been one of the crowded tourist destinations in Kerala. 






Quick facts about Madavoorpara -

1. How to reach – Frequent Buses from Trivandrum and Kazhakootam, but, it is preferable to visit in a private vehicle. 

2. Nearest town – Trivandrum 

3. Nearest railway station – Trivandrum, 18  km

4. Nearest Airport – Trivandrum,  19 km

5. Places to stay – Ideal for one day trip, if, you want to visit the place on a long run, accommodation can be obtained from Kazhakuttom 

6. Best time to visit –Monsoon

7. Things to do – Visit to the Temple and getting to the hilltop for experiencing a good view. 

8. Is it Child-Friendly- Yes

Contributed by Sooraj Ram

Kasauli - North India's Heaven

It is an outstanding experience to make a trip to Kasauli by Chandigarh Shimla motorway and relax for few days is a mastered weekend getaway with exotic & composed surroundings, along with the great eating choices, not only beside the highway but also inwards the township. At that place, there is multitudinous colouration to catch sight suchlike monkey point, sunset point, sunrise point, Upper mall, lower mall, Dharampur, Barog and many another.

Kasauli is a small-scale town in the province of Himachal Pradesh situated at an altitude of 1,927 m. The town is 77 km from Shimla and 70 km from Chandigarh. As per a Hindu Mythology, it comes up into presence after Lord Hanuman settled his feet here in order to go along to the Sanjeevani hill. The place where the Almighty actually kept his feet is count to be at a hillock which is 300 m high.

Historically, Kasauli is one of those hillock series that was matured by the British Empire during its extreme duration in India. It is one of those places that, despite its loveliness still has yet to encounter itself prominently on the tourist's chart. In fact, it is really superb for all those who desire to spend some time alone with their family or, for that matter, even themselves.

If you have an aspiration to tour the town during the off-season (November to February), it is quite likely that you will not come up to across any person for a long while on your walk. However, you will be attended along with your move by the sweetish and comfy sounds of the birds along with the mild rustling of leaves. For those who are quite the opposite and see for sportiness and risky venture at every step, Kasauli will be dissatisfaction as in that location is barely anything to make. At that place, there are several puny attractions inside and around the town that will preserve you more or less active.

Tourist’s attractions

• Gurudwara Shri Guru Nanakji is a historical Sikh temple is located inwards Gharkhal marketplace on the chief way towards Kasauli, also having a living accommodations station. In addition, the routine devotion, a sustaining program is held every Sunday and Saturday during early morning time. 

• Sunset Point is located around 1.5 km from the motor-coach stand. The Sundown point provides a glorious sight of the close hillside zone, and of plains, Chandigarh, Panchkula, Mohali, Kalka, Pinjore, Parwanoo, Baddi and Nalagarh all are viewable equally a bird of prey eye view from this intersection point. The Evening hour point has a teeny-weeny eating place which serves freshly processed items for both vegetarians and non-vegetarians.

• Manki Point This is the altitudinous point in Kasauli, in that place Lord Hanuman is considered to have set his feet while on his path to give the once over for the Sanjeevani buti (herb). About 4 km from the Kasauli bus stand, at its top, is a place of worship devoted to Lord Hanuman and travellers are not allowed to carry bags or cameras inside. The hiking to the temple can be small indefinite amount rigorousness for those who are not in use to mounting.

• Christ Church at walking distance to the bus stand, it was constructed by the British people that founded the town of Kasauli itself. It is made with a superb superstructure the form of a cross. Before, theCatholic Church was famed as the Anglican Church. In 1970, it was brought back under the protection of the CNI (Church of North India) and is presently carry off by the bishopric of Amritsar.

• Timber Trail Resort on two side by side hills and united untidily with a wire car, Timber Trail is a perfect vacation way station. A visitor can relish the ride to and back to the hilltop and move frontward or stop for a time of day at the resort. The spotlight of Timber Trail Resort is Cable Car. The compartment has a capacity of 10-12 people and flies tourer from Timber Trail Resort to Timber Trail Heights, at the distance of 1.8 km and takes tourists to a height of 5,000 feet from 3,000 feet a rise of 2,000 feet.

Staying options

Kasauli is not truly a tramper terminal due to the shortness of affordable settlement. Visit in the forth-period or on working day will retrieve you finer cost. Hotels like Himlay Hotel, Blossom, Kasauli Regency, and Him Darsah Regency are some of those stay options which provide options for tourists to stay within a limited expense.

Chandigarh to Kasauli

Chandigarh to Kasauli is about 60km, by the driveway to the location there are two ways first via Parwanoo and the other one is from Chandigarh via to Dharampur on Kalka Shimla highway and move to left from Kasauli circle. Roads are in good conditions.You can go by bus but no regular bus service is available from Chandigarh.  From the circle frequent road travel services are available.

If travellers are planning for a tour to the city by bus, have to take the bus for Solan/Shimla from sector 43 ISBT of Chandigarh and get the ticket for Dharampur (a small town before Solan District). Moreover, tourists can get numerous buses heading towards Kasauli. Furthermore, tourists with a high budget can hire a cab too.

Shimla to Kasauli

The distance between Shimla and Kasauli is nearly of 3 hours through national highway 5 from Volvo to Himachal roadways buses are providing their services from time to time. Another way to travel is by Taking the train from Shimla to Kasauli to reach nearly in 2 hours. Sonwara is the nearest railway station. It is about 4 km from Shimla airport.

Climate and Ideal time to visit

The Environmental condition of Kasauli is healthy around the year, summertime brings pleasantness and wintertime gentle with infrequent Snowfall. In winter, the temperature can get down just above freeze-drying point when the heavy textile is needed. During summertime, the environmental condition is mild and light woollens or cotton are recommended. The monsoon is particularly pleasing when coltish clouds fall down upon you and the mist surrounds you.

Contributed by Harneet

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