Kodaikanal- Kerala Part 2 (TN)

Actually I had to catch my train to Kolkata today, though unfortunately my train is three hours late and I am stranded at New Delhi Railway Station with my laptop. Stranded in the middle of crowds of people with a hot cup of chai and seated comfortably, I am writing, hoping to upload it as soon as possible.

With this I would like to continue my blog from where I had previously ended it. 

Kodaikanal
So from the beautiful sea, I set off towards the Western Ghats, the hills. I know Kodaikanal is in Tamil Nadu and not really in Kerala, but my trip was majorly based in Kerala hence the name.

 The temperature was cool when I had been there in March, about twenty degrees. The weather was mild, and there were a lot of viewpoints good for photography. But there was not much to see except hills and forests, like in all hills.

And of course, the pictures. Hills are heaven for photographers- we just never stop clicking.

 So this is one of the viewpoints that I had been to. And seriously, it was a scene that we often get to see in hills, I won't deny. But still, this picture was worth it. Don't you think?

 

Do not expect it to be like the Himalayan hills with little streams here and there, and whistling gullies flowing down. You will not certainly find them, since the rivers and streams in the South are seasonal and greatly depend on the rains. Luckily, I found one.

Then I went to this Pine Forest which was a tourist spot. Words cannot define it.

Then I went to see a park, and well, here are some pictures I took from there.

Nursery Of The Park

The Guna caves was the most fascinating. We had to walk a bit on a trail. It made you feel like a knight from the medieval ages, fighting dragons, and looking for gold. One can literally hear all sorts of birds coo, and I momentarily checked around for wild animals and beasts.

Well, then what? Some mediocre trekking for beginners.

Then we visited the Silent Valley, also called the Suicide Point. These names are so common around hills, eh?

Silent Valley

Then I discovered a beautiful walkway while strolling out of my hotel.

P.S. - I think I have to type a Kerala Part 3 as well.

Trivandrum and Kannyakumari- Kerala Part 1

I made this trip back in 2015, and honestly, everything was just worth it. And although one should begin their trip from Kochi, and end it at Trivandrum, with Kovalam and Varkala beaches, I started the whole way round. (I am not sure about the spellings though.)


Kovalam Beach

My resort was on the very beach itself, and faced the seaside. I suggest you to stay at that resort itself- Jeevan Resort. Kovalam beach actually consists of three crescent beaches. It is hence unique, and of course, peaceful and breath-taking. You can get all suntanned, and wet in sea water. There is a great selfie-spot up the rocks that you can climb- a mini-trek! Or you can watch the red and pink of the spectacular sunset. It is romantic, and worth a stay! 

Varkala Beach

This is a beach where the tour guides won't probably take you, and I heard it from some of my colleagues. If you do not visit this beach, well, your trip to Kerala is incomplete. The water is so blue that just by looking at it you will start jumping on your feet, desperate to go in for a swim! On a serious note, it is a good place to get suntanned. It takes about a 45-minute drive from Kovalam to Varkala, and then you have to climb down a flight of old stone stairs as well.

There are also many shops and stalls, and even hotels behind the beach. You can buy souvenirs, eat some great cuisine, and learn more about the culture of Kerala!

Vivekananda Rock

So I drove a long way to Kannyakumari after that, which is the southern-most point of India. It is a sangam  i.e. unity, in Hindi, of the Indian ocean, Bay of Bengal, and the Arabian sea. The sunset from this point is particularly famous. Unfortunately, the day I had been there, a cloud had overshadowed the sun, but still I managed to take a picture.

I had to take a streamer from the shore to the Vivekananda Rock, which is in the middle of the ocean. It is actually the place where Swami Vivekananda had meditated and talked to God before heading to Chicago. Well, that is the belief and the significance of the place.

A warning by the way- do not think of making any beautiful hairdos, because the sea winds are so overpowering yet fresh, that they turn your hair into a mess, and you have to take care of your clothes so that they do not make you lose your decency in public!

Meenakshi Temple

I had also paid visit to the Meenakshi temple. I had to leave Kerala for Tamil Nadu, in Madurai, but even Kannyakumari is in Tamil Nadu. The temple is known for the gold idol of a traditional Hindu Goddess. The temple is huge and beautiful. There are many carvings on the slopes, and the remarkable South-Indian architecture can be well-differentiated from the North-Indian and Mughal styles.

Taking a camera inside is not allowed, and you have to pay a good amount of money to take it in, along with your entry fee. Though, of course if you are a rule breaker, you will find it easy! The gold idol can be seen only from 4 in the evening. So be careful while planning your travel agenda.

I saw many women selling gajras in their straw baskets, so I decided to try them as well! The champa flowers, with their floral aroma. mesmerized my soul completely. It is not very expensive, so one should try such local amenities, and enjoy the little Indian things.

Padmanabhapuram Palace

This palace is on the way from Trivandrum to Kannyakumari. This palace has a very old history. Inside the palace, there were many narrow corridors. There were also many antique utility rooms, like washrooms, kitchens. One can get the essence of being a royal Southern aristocrat here. The entire palace was made of wood and natural produce. I had to walk barefoot, since wearing shoes was not permitted. The ground was so hot, I was walking on my toes. The feet-boiling part was painful, but the rest of the experience was fascinating.

Haridwar, Rishikesh and Tehri

It was Diwali time, and I decided to visit the north to take a break from the Delhi smog and the city rush! This is how my trip went.

Kaliyari Sharif

I visited this place on the way to Haridwar via Roorkee. It is a dargah, a place of religious significance for the Muslims though many are unaware about it. It was not a clean place though.

Haridwar

It is a pious place for the Hindus, and has religious significance. The place is beautiful in its own unique way- I mean, even if the Ganga is black, even if there are people half-naked, making you feel uncomfortable, you will definitely like it. It is different, and memorable, definitely. If you are a foreigner, you might take some time to settle down and realize what is going on, but if you are an Indian, then we know we are used to it. (No offence Indians, I love my nation too.)

Rishikesh

Unfortunately, I reached this place late at night and decided to take a stroll to the Ram jhula and the Laxman jhula. Jhula in Hindi means swings and I thought they were some swings for children when I first heard their names. Instead, they turned out to be bridges across the Ganga, supported by ropes! It was really beautiful and adventurous, and due to lack of light, I could only click the picture above.

Tehri

So, this beautiful place has a big problem- water. The quality of water in most of the Himalayan mountains is very fine, trust me, I have visited a dozen of them, but here the water was horrible. It was yellowish-green. The only fine thing in Tehri was the Tehri lake! It is manmade, built in the construction of Tehri Dam.

Now, Tehri has a very peculiar history. Earlier, Tehri was situated on the banks of river Bhagirathi, where this dam was planned to be built. So THDC, the company which had constructed the dam for hydroelectricity generation, displaced the entire city to the top of the mountain, now called New Tehri. Old Tehri is somewhere 220-250 meters below the lake.

The flowers in the guest house we stayed were very colourful, so I decided to click them too!

I also managed to click a monkey from my verandah on the way somewhere! (Though I am scared of monkeys, you will find a lot of them in the mountains, especially Rishikesh.)

Roadways

I decided to take the long way back to Delhi. I took the very dangerous, narrow, and yet adventurous road to Mussourie, which is a delight for tourists seeking calm and cool. On the way, I spotted a cherry-blossom! I couldn't stop myself from not talking this picture.

I also took some other clicks on the way, and they are worth a glance.

(Himalayas, India)