Ananirathy

                                          

                                         Ananirathi

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                           Ananirathy is located about 37 Kms from Neyyar dam 

,a forest area of both Kerala &Tamil Nadu .Reaching ananirathi forest office  is not so difficult,even Bikes can be used for the purpose but the road condition is not so good.

                           

                               Forest area of kerala and Tamil nadu is demarcated with Jandas (stone structure  )and the forest building is protected from elephants  with strong electric fencing and trunches. This place is very famous for wild animals especially wild elephants .we were fortunate enough to see a group of elephants below the rock we sat inside the dense forest,which was a risky sight.

                              

                                      First of our  route was to Kallippara which was about 8 KMs  ( to and fro walk) through steep rocks .Most of the time we saw elephent dung throughout our journey .According to our guide there is another rock nearby which carries hundreds of  species of ( kalli ) cactus plants bearing  flowers. the way to that rock was most difficut at that time and we planned it for another time.

                                      After noon session we started to klamala which is inside theTamil nadu bird santury. Journey to Klamala is about 10 kms (to and  fro)through dense forest with wild animals and Leach .My legs were completely attacked by leach and was bleeding throughout .Way to Klamala has been fully blocked by throney bushes and we were forced to make our own path .

                                       An interesting thing I found inside the forest was a huge boulder covered by trees and creepers which made the rock appears like  a huge tree. At the base of the rock there is a worshiping place  of tribes and their festivals are celebrated once in every year.

                                             When we reached the top of Klamala our group splitted into two.One group went to the top of another rock we waited at the top of Klamala.Suddenly one elephant appeared at the base of the rock at some distance followed by another four .every one was silent for some time waiting for our fellow members to come back and quit the forest as the time running fast by evening.   

                                               
         - photos posted-

 

In front of forest buildings 

Elephant fencing (electric) and Jandas (structure built in stone which demarcate the forest  boundaries) can be seen.

 

View in front of forest quarters Ananirathy

 

 

One  variety  of Cactus flower in the top of kallippara

 

View from the top of kallippara

 

Prakash & ramachandran at the top of kallippara

 

Worshiping place of tribes inside the deep forest  

 

 Mist covering the top of klamala

looks like Table Mountains

  View from Klamala

Watch tower _ tamil nadu forest areaat the entrance of Klamala

 

A small dam built inside the forest ---providing drinking water for elephants

WELCOME TO KODAIKANAL

WELCOME TO KODAIKANAL
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Journey to Kodaikanal was planned suddenly by me Mr Kannan (Jayachandran) since we had to cancel our trip to Thirupathi /Kalahasthi owing to the non availability of reservation in train,which we made two months before.
We, urgently planned our trip to kodai in two Maruthi cars with six members of two families including two kids.I enquired some friends about the best route by road from Trivandrum,most of them recommended Thenmala- Shenkottai- thenkasi route. But in the last moment we changed our way through NH7 Kanyakumari- Madurai High Way .
Started from Trivandrum at 5 am in the morning through Vadasserry (Nagercoil)-Thovali -Muppanthal (you can view some pictures of the scenic beauty of wind mills there which i had previously posted in this blog )-Kavalkinaru then through Thirunelveli- Madurai high Way (NH7)with excellent road conditions .Deviated from this road at Kodai junction near Dindugal. Before entering the highway I was a little confused whether I can drive this above 400 Kms in a single stretch .No strains of driving crept me when we reached the kodai hills ,almost 4.30 pm in the evening .Driving was a pleasant experience through these roads of international standards ,with less vehicles to disturb. At present ,in Kerala i don't think that there is any road maintains such a good condition for such along drive.last 45 kms nearing Kodaikanal is high range journey here the roads are bit narrow and you should be very careful in drive when heavy vehicles come across you
We stayed there in Rosy Internationals for two nights and started the return journey in the same route .Visited madurai meenakshi temple and at home at 8 in the evening



( Watch photos below )

Silver Cascade


waterfall formed from the outflow of Kodaikanal Lake. The water quality is reportedly poor .

In 1906, , Mr. Bryant started the Kodaikanal pine plantations in the south-west of Kodaikanal.

Suicide Point

Guna caves ---------A Distant View

Guna caves-- made popular by the Tamil movie GUNA, previously called Devil’s Kitchen, are deep bat-infested chambers between the three gigantic boulders that are the Pillar Rocks. The deep narrow ravines of the caves are now closed to public due to the tragic deaths of twelve youths there. These dangerous caves are highly protected now, and tourists can see sections of the cave system from afar.

Pillar Rock

Three Boulders(large rock) stand shoulder to shoulder vertically measuring to a height of about 122 meters (400 feet), providing a beautiful view.


The chamber between the two pillars is called Devil's kitchen.

Hydrangea Bushes in Kodai Gardens

Hydrangea are beautiful, perennial bushes with huge flower heads. These deciduous bushes profusely produce huge, round flower heads in mid-summer. Hydrangea are native to North and South America, Himalayas, and central and eastern Asia.

Colors include white, pink, blue lilac, purple, varying shades of these colors, and a variety of two tones.

Flower heads have two kinds of florets Sterile, or ray florets, are male and form the large, colorful sepals on the outside of the flower head. The fertile florets bear the male and female parts and are usually found in the center of the cluster.

During the spring through fall, these bushes have attractive foliage. Most varieties of Hydrangea grow from 3 to over 10 ft. tall. Some varieties grow up to 25 feet. Most varieties prefer full sun to partial shade.