Friday, November 16, 2007

Yercaud hill station

10 Nov 07
Yercaud is a quiet hill station with picturesque surroundings and nice climate. Compared to other hill stations, it is small, best suited for weekend picnics. Being less expensive, it is also called as the poor man’s Ooty.

There are many places to see around Yercaud : view points , temples, parks , a big natural lake, and also a waterfalls. If sufficient time is there, one can explore all the places by walk and enjoy the nature at the best.
Last week , when I came across one article , http://www.hindu.com/mp/2006/02/11/stories/2006021102780300.htm
I decided to visit that place immediately .
From Chennai on 9th Nov night, I boarded a train Yercaud express. After getting down at Salem junction early morning, took a bus to Yercaud. It was one hour journey from Salem to Yercaud by crossing many hairpin bends on the ghat road. While entering Yercaud, I saw a big lake . Near the lake, there is a sign board ‘way to Kiliyur falls’ showing 3 Kms distance After getting down there, checked into a hotel ‘Aishwaryam Inn’.
After refreshing & taking breakfast, decided to trek to the waterfalls. By walking some distance, saw few children requesting the tourists to buy some fruits from them. Reached another signboard pointing that Kiliyur falls is 0.5 km away. Those who come by bikes and other vehicles need to abandon them there only. I saw many people stopped there and returned back.

Further way to the falls is very tedious. The path is very narrow and steep. One side deep valley and other side is boulders & trees. At some points , I had to slide down. Finally I reached the waterfalls. The water is falling down from a height of 300ft over a cascade of rocks. They say excess water from the lake and streams from higher mountain points falls in Kiliyur valley. As there were rains few days back, plenty of water everywhere. I forgot all tiredness after taking bath there. After spending an hour & taking photos, I returned from the waterfalls.

By the time I returned to the lake, many people were there. Some were boating, some in the adjacent parks. As the peddling boats were already occupied at that time, I hired a rowing boat. Being in demand, the charges are a bit high, for 15 minutes it is Rs. 75 /- . The 15 minutes time was sufficient to make around the lake. By 6.30 PM , it was dark all over and for me there was no option except to return to the hotel room.

Next day, the reception person arranged an auto rickshaw for local site seeing for Rs. 300 /-. We visited different locations: Pagoda point, Rajeswari Temple, Shevrayan temple, view points ( Lady seat, Gent’s seat, Children’s seat) etc. By afternoon, the site seeing was over & I took a bus to return to Salem, from there took a train to Chennai.
Photos:
1. On the way to Kiliyur falls. End of the road for vehicles. The stream from the lake that leads to the waterfalls is in the background.
2. Children selling fruits


3. Steep way down to waterfalls


4. at last..., reached the falls.


5. Water falling from a height of 300ft.

6. The big lake


7. Boating in the lake


8. View at pagoda Point


9. Near temple at Pagoda point


10. Shri Rajarajeswari Temple. Herbal medicines also available here.


11. The path that laeds to Bear caves.


12. Sevaryan temple at heighest point of Yercaud. Also called as cave temple.

13. View from Sevarayan Temple


14. Telescope house at Lady's seat


15. View from lady's seat.


16. Gent's seat view point


17. View from Gent's seat



18. Children's seat view point


19. The hotel where I stayed








Tuesday, November 6, 2007

Dumukurallu Waterfalls( Kaigal falls)

Dumukurallu falls are located near Kaigal village in Chittore district a place that is near the boarder of three states Andhra,Karntaka& Tamilnadu , approximately 200KM from Chennai . The name Dumukurallu came as the sound of the waterfalls resembles with boulders falling from top when there is lot of water during rainy season.

After returning from Picnic of Kolli hills ,I was still in picnic mood and wanted to visit one more place.

Saturday, 20.10.2007 afternoon : From Chennai depot, I boarded a bus to Palamaner. There I stayed in a lodge room & spent entire evening by roaming around and then went to a movie. The movie is a dubbed english horror movie 'Bloodrayne', in Telugu titled as 'Bharavakota'. Thrilled to watch a vampire movie in almost empty hall.., hardly there were 15 people in the entire hall.

Nextday morning, I boarded a bus that goes towards Kuppam. After getting down at Kaigal village, saw a mile stone showing that the falls are one and half kilometres from there.

I walked throught the mud road , saw some sign boards about that protected forest area, Krisnamurthy foundation, rare plants etc , reached a checkpost .All the vechicles are to be halted there only and the visitors need to go further by foot.

The climate was pleasant & after walking another 15 minutes , found few people near the falls. I gave my camera to one of them requesting to take my photographs. Most of them are from Kolar in Karnataka, a place 40KM from there.

Due to lack of rains at that time , there wasn't much force in the water , but one way it was safer. After spending two hours there, I took lunch ,thenI returned to Palamaner to board a bus to Chennai.
Photos: