Kerala – Kumili - Periyar National Park !

On 14th morning we ventured for Periyar National Park. I was looking eagerly forward to it as exploring the deep wood always fascinated me.  However, I decided not to take boat sight-seeing trips in the Mullaperiyar reservoir in Idukki because we were too tired and getting ticket was a big issue. Therefore, we decided to come back to hotel and rest. The tour operator surprised us with a treat on the same day. Evening many of our group gone to watch Kathakali dance drama but we decided to go to bed.

 Periyar river

Periyar river is a river that flows in the states of Tamil Nadu and Kerala, India. It is one of the few perennial rivers in the region and provides drinking water for several major towns.

The Mullaperiyar Dam

The Mullaperiyar Dam is a masonry gravity dam on the Periyar River in the Indian state of Kerala

Periyar National Park

Periyar National Park lies in the middle of a mountainous area of the Cardamom Hills. The Periyar and Pamba Rivers originate in the forests of the reserve. The sanctuary surrounds Periyar Lake, a reservoir which was formed when the Mullaperiyar Dam was erected in 1895. The reservoir and the Periyar River meander around the contours of the wooded hills, providing a permanent source of water for the local wildlife.

Flora and Fauna

The park is made up of tropical evergreen and moist deciduous forests, grasslands, stands of eucalyptus, and lake and river ecosystems. There are many hundreds of flowering plant taxa, including about 171 species of grass and 140 species of orchids. The forests contain teak, rosewoods, sandalwoods and many more types of trees. The medicinal gloriosa lily grows in the park. There are 35 species of mammals recorded in the park, including many threatened species. It is an important tiger and elephant reserve. A total of 24 Bengal tigers were counted across the park in 2008. Some other mammals are the elephants, the gaur, sambar etc. About 265 species of birds can be seen in the park, including migrants. Apart from these other occupants are reptiles, fishes, butterfly and the Travancore loach.

!!!Travel is more than the seeing of sights; it is a change that goes on, deep and permanent, in the ideas of living. – Miriam Beard!!!

Kerala - Kumily!

On 13th itself, after we returned from Rajamalai National Park we were given little time to grab our lunch and pack our luggage and once again bus was ready to ply for another 4 hours. This time we were going downward to Kumily.

 Kumily

 

Kumily is a town in Cardamom Hills near Thekkady and Periyar Tiger Reserve, in the Idukki District of Kerala. The state of Tamil Nadu borders the town. It is a major tourist destination and a spices trading center. The nearest airport is Madurai and railway Station is Theni. The famous pilgrim center Sabarimala is 150 km from Kumily.

Thekkady (Idukki district) is the location of the Periyar National Park, which is an important tourist attraction in the Kerala state of India.

Thekkady is located about 257 km from Trivandrum and near to Kerala-Tamilnadu border. The sanctuary over here is famous for its dense evergreen, semi-evergreen, moist deciduous forests and savanna grass lands. It is home to herds of elephants, sambar, tigers, gaur, lion-tailed Macaques and Nilgiri Langurs.

 !!!There are no foreign lands. It is the traveler only who is foreign. – Robert Louis !!!

Kerala - Rajamalai National Park!!!

Next morning, 13th of October and it was the 5^th day of our tour itinerary. We left the hotel as early as 6 am for Rajamalai National Park also known as Eravikulam National Park, Our bus dropped us at the gate as it was not permitted to enter the area and then after buying required tickets we bundled into a mini bus provided by the park. We have to leave all our belongings as eatable and any sort of plastic was prohibited. After around 15 minutes, we alighted from the bus and we had to walk around a kilometer up to the hill. It was a pleasant surprise as after long time I was trekking even there was a well constructed road but still feeling was the same.  While walking I could see the tea estate below, the view was awesome.

 Rajamalai National Park [Eravikulam National Park]

This park is abundantly rich with shola forests and grasses, and is yet fairly new as it was after construction in 1978. The park is sited in the Idukki district. It is located on the borders of Kerala and Tamilnadu.

The history says that during the British rule, this region was owned by Rajamalai and Eravikulam, and then it was given to Kannan Deven Hills for tea plantation. Later it was declared as sanctuary and was founded in 1975 and upgraded as national park in 1978.

Some of the animals spotted here are Elephant, Nilgiri langur, Nilgiri marten, small-clawed otter and a rare tiger or leopard and the Nilgiri wood pigeon.

The main body of the park consists of a high rolling hill plateau with a base elevation of about 2,000 m. The terrain consists of high altitude grasslands interspersed with sholas.

Fauna

Twenty six species of mammals have been recorded in the park including the largest surviving population of Nilgiri Tahr, estimated at about 750 in number. The other ungulates are Gaur, Indian Muntjac and Sambar Deer. Golden Jackal, Jungle Cat, Wild dog, Dhole, leopard and tiger are the main predators. Some little known animals such as Nilgiri langur, Stripe-necked Mongoose, Indian Porcupine, Nilgiri Marten, small clawed otter, Ruddy Mongoose, and Dusky palm squirrel are also found. Elephants make seasonal visits.

 

Flora

Three major types of plant communities are found in the Park - grasslands, shrublands and forests. The terrain above 2000m is covered primarily by grasslands. However, there are numerous small patches of forests in hollows and gullies in these areas. The deeper valleys are extensively forested. Shrublands predominate along the bases of the cliffs and interspersed in rocky slab areas. The antibacterial Eupatorium glandulosum is found here.

!!We wander for distraction, but we travel for fulfillment. - Hilaire Belloc!!!

Kerala – Munnar!!!

On 4th day itself we reached Munnar by 12.30. It was cloudy and very cool. Were traveled sans our winter clothes and was freezing at one point. The hotel name was Minerva and it was not up to the mark but for one day stay was not a big problem. After lunch we boarded the bus again and on way to some local sightseeing.

Echo Point

 

Echo Point is a regular sight that is about 15 km from Munnar This scenic place gets its name from the natural echo phenomenon here. Echo Point is on the way to Top Station from Munnar. The most exciting and memorable thing was that we sighted a group of wild elephants and tried my best to capture it from moving bus.

Wild Elephant Herd

Mattupetty Dam

While way back to Munnar hotel we stopped at Mattupetty Dam, near Munnar in Idukki District, is a storage Concrete Gravity dam built in the mountains to conserve water for hydroelectricity. It has been a vital source of power, yielding along with other such dams, huge revenue to the states. The large amount of perennially available water allows wild animals and birds to flourish. However salinity caused by irrigation and water-logging are of concern to environmentalists. Munnar is located near the confluence of the mountain streams of Muthirappuzha River, Chanduvarai River and Kundale River. The reservoir is also known to be one of the visiting grounds of elephants in the region.

By 7 evening we were back to the warm comfort to our respective hotel room. At the hotel we got the news of Cyclone Philin, it was quite disturbing and also worried about our own tour. After an early dinner and a very hard day we retired for the day at around 10 pm.

!!!Travel brings power and love back into your life.- Rumi!!!

Kerala – Way to Munnar!

On 4th day morning after breakfast we boarded a luxury bus which was hired by the tour operator and was with us until we reached at KanyaKumari. Our destination on the fourth day was Munnar a tiny beautiful hill station in Kerala. Journey was bit tiring because we were moving up and feeling queasiness yet it was worth because the beauty of the place that kept me awake and tried to capture each frame with my camera.

Kochi to Munnar

Munnar

Munnar town is situated on the Kannan Devan Hills village in Devikulam taluk and is the largest panchayat in the Idukki district in Kerala The region in and around Munnar varies in height from 1,450 meters to 2,695 meters above mean sea level.  The temperature ranges between 5 °C and 25 °C in winter and 15 °C and 25 °C in summer.

Flora and fauna

Most of the native flora and fauna of Munnar have disappeared due to severe habitat fragmentation resultant from the creation of the plantations. However, some species continue to survive and thrive in several protected areas nearby, including the new Kurinjimala Sanctuary to the east, the Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary, Manjampatti Valley and the Amaravati reserve forest of Indira Gandhi Wildlife Sanctuary to the north east, the Eravikulam National Park.

Way to Munnar

		Spice Garden on the Way

!!!Life is either a daring adventure or nothing. – Helen Keller!!!

Kerala - Kochi - II!

Third day sightseeing was a treat for the eyes and in this last part I am attaching another set of pictures for the visual treat. This time it is the famous Chinese Fishnets, the St. Francis Church and the original Vasco da Gama tomb situated beneath of the church.

St. Francis CSI Church

Vasco da Gama, who discovered the sea route from Europe to India, landed at Kappad near Kozhikode (Calicut) in 1498. Vasco da Gama was followed by Pedro Álvares Cabral and Afonso de Albuquerque. They built a fort at Kochi with permission from the Raja of Cochin. Within the fort, they built a church with a wooden structure, which was dedicated to St. Bartholomew. The neighbourhood is now known as Fort Kochi. St. Francis CSI Church, in Fort Kochi, originally built in 1503, is the oldest European church in India and has great historical significance as a mute witness to the European colonial struggle in the subcontinent.

Vasco da Gama

The Portuguese explorer, Vasco da Gama, died in Kochi in 1524 when he was on his third visit to India. His body was originally buried in this church, but after fourteen years his remains were removed to Lisbon.

The Chinese fishing nets

The Chinese fishing nets (Cheena vala) are fishing nets that are fixed land installations for an unusual form of fishing — shore operated lift nets. They are mostly found in the Indian state of Kerala. Huge mechanical contrivances hold out horizontal nets of 20 m or more across. Each structure is at least 10 m high and comprises a cantilever with an outstretched net suspended over the sea and large stones suspended from ropes as counterweights at the other end. Each installation is operated by a team of up to six fishermen.

The system is sufficiently balanced that the weight of a man walking along the main beam is sufficient to cause the net to descend into the sea. The net is left for a short time, possibly just a few minutes, before it is raised by pulling on ropes. The catch is usually modest: a few fish and crustaceans — these may be sold to passersby within minutes.

Kochi Town from the Lake

!!!Wise traveler never despises his own country. - William Hazlitt!!!

Kerala - Kochi!!!

While spending a considerable time in Kochi lake, we had a close view of Kochi Island also known as Willingdon Island and the Kochi Port. Some of these pictures say the story.

Day 3 [At Kochi]

The port lies on two islands in the Lake of Kochi: Willingdon Island and Vallarpadam, towards the Fort Kochi river mouth opening onto the Arabian Sea.

Kochi Lake is the portion of the Vembanad Lake located in and around the Kochi mainland. Among the several groups of small islands that the Kochi Lake forms home are, Vypin, Mulavukad, Vallarpadam, Willingdon Island etc. Kochi Lake is home for the Kochi Port which is build around the Willingdon Island, as well as the Vallarpadam island.

Willingdon Island is an island, which forms part of the city of Kochi, in the state of Kerala, India. Much of the present Willingdon Island was claimed from the Lake of Kochi, filling in dredged soil around a previously existing, but tiny, natural island. Willingdon Island is significant as the home for the Port of Kochi, as well as the Kochi Naval Base (the Southern Naval Command) of the Indian Navy and Central Institute of Fisheries Technology, a constituent unit of Indian Council of Agricultural Research.

Willingdon Island contains the modern port, serving Cochin city, Kerala. The island is an artificial man-made island created from the sand dug out while deepening Kochi port. It has been named after Lord Willingdon, the former Madras governor, who was instrumental in implementing this island project. The main engineer spearheading this project, however, was Robert Bristow. A port hostel was built to accommodate passengers who wished to halt for a short while and it was named the Malabar Hotel.

When the British withdrew from India after independence, in 1947, they left behind an indispensable and significant transport hub. During its short colonial tenure, the Willingdon Island in Cochin handled almost one million tons of freight. By the year 1960, the traffic had almost doubled. It is a major artificial port in India and a landmark in the Kochi city of Kerala. Willingdon Island also serves as a link between the city and some other seaports of the world.

!!!Travel is worth any cost or sacrifice. -  Elizabeth Gilbert!!!

Kerala - Ernakulam & Kochi!

 

On third day, 11th November morning at 10, we reached Ernakulam. While porter carried our luggage, we walked to the hotel as it is hardly a couple of minutes from the station. Shalimar Residency was the name of the hotel where we stayed while in Ernakulam.

After freshen up, we served the breakfast and as well as lunch by 1p.m. We decided to take small nap which was much needed after 46 hours journey but we have to venture out at 3 for Kochi city. After driving through the marine drive by a bus our sightseeing in Kochi mostly was done by boat on Kochi Lake. The boat was

Ernakulam

Ernakulam widely referred to as Kochi constitutes the eastern, mainland portion of the twin cities of Ernakulam - Kochi in central Kerala. The city is the most urban part of Kochi and has lent its name to the Ernakulam district. Ernakulam is called the commercial capital of the state of Kerala. The Kerala High Court, the Office of the Corporation of Cochin and the Cochin Stock Exchange are situated here. Initially, Ernakulam was the headquarters of the Ernakulam District but was later shifted to Kakkanad. Ernakulam was once the capital of the Kingdom of Cochin.

Marine Drive

The marine drive is the place which situated Kochi Lake and the adjoining Arabian Sea to its west. In the 1980s, started the Kochi Marine Drive project (following from the Mumbai Marine Drive) and thus the whole of the present Marine Drive (part of the Kochi Lake, west of the Shanmugham Road to the present Marine Walkway) was claimed from the Kochi Lake.

Kochi

Kochi is located on the southwest coast of India. The city straddles the backwaters, encompassing the northern end of a peninsula, several islands and a portion of the mainland. To the west lies the Arabian Sea, and to the east is the urbanized region in the rest of the mainland area. Much of Kochi lies at sea level, with a coastline of 48 km.  Ernakulam district, in which Kochi is situated, ranks first in the total number of domestic tourists visiting Kerala, and thus contributes to the economy of the city. The tourist enclave at Fort Kochi and presence of several historical monuments, museums etc. as well as natural attractions like the Vembanad lake and the backwaters attract large number of tourists to the city. Presence of several leading hospitality brands have been a major source of employment for locals.

!!!The World is a book, and those who do not travel read only a page. - Saint Augustine!!!