Thekkady

A Pleasant Heaven On Earth

The very sound of the word Thekkady conjures up images of elephants, unending chains of hills and spice-scented plantations. In the Periyar forest of Thekkady is one of the finest wildlife reserves in India and spread across the entire district are picturesque plantations and hill towns that hold great opportunities for treks and mountain walks.


Thekkady in Kerala State, India 's largest wildlife sanctuary is a dream destination for any tourist visiting India. The 120 years old 'Surki' dam built across Peryiar, Poorna in Vedic parlance, is a major tourist attraction. This sanctuary is spread over an area of 777 Sq. Kms, surrounded by an artificial lake over an area of 25 Sq.Kms.


The Country's sole Tiger reserve, Thekkady, with its bountiful treasures of tropical flora and fauna is the ultimate reservoir of many an endangered species and a rich tribal culture. Thekkady is a pleasant heaven on earth for those who love nature in its wild manifestations.

Thekkady is famous for the Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary. The Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary is one of the best places for viewing wild animals. The best time to visit animals is during the months of March, April and May. Thekkady offers facilities for Trekking, elephant riding and boating. Boating through the Placid Lake provides a rare opportunity to watch wild animals at close quarters.

I am sure; a trip to Thekkady will be an amazing experience.

Munnar: The Green Carpet on Earth

Munnar is really a paradise in earth. Wherever you look, you can see only the greenish carpet of the tea estates. Munnar's memorizing greenery, mountain scenery, calmness and cool refreshing air attracts honeymooners and tourists throughout the year. Foreign travellers like watching the natural beauty of Kerala while the journey from Thekkady to Munnar.

Munnar is the no.1 tea estate in Kerala. Munnar is situated at the confluence of three mountain streams - Mudrapuzha, Nallathanni and Kundala. 1600 m above sea level, this hill station was once the summer resort of the erstwhile British Government in South India. Sprawling tea plantations, picture-book towns, winding lanes and holiday facilities make this a popular resort town. Among the exotic flora found in the forests and grasslands here is the Neelakurinji. This flower that bathes the hills in blue every twelve years, will bloom next in 2018 AD. Munnar also has the highest peak in South India, Anamudi, which towers over 2695 m.

The area around Munnar is surrounded by vast jungles and remains wet and cold during most of the year. Munnar is a commercial centre with one of the world's best tea estates. There are about 30 tea plantations in and around Munnar. Among these, majority of the plantations are owned by Tata Group's Kannan Devan Tea Estate. A visit to Munnar can witness the nurturing of tea in plantation to the process of manufacturing and packing. The tea estates, hills, lakes and forests inside Munnar area exposes it's beauty. The tea plants covered Munnar hills makes the feeling of seeing a wide green carpet.

Other places to visit:

1. Tata Tea Museum: Located 2 Km from Munnar Centre on the Nallathany Road.

2. CSI Church: A church built with stone in 1910. It has fine stained glass and brass plaques. Above all, a calm place to pray and meditate.

3. Devikulam: Tourists are attracted to this lake town

4. Mattupetty is 14 Km away from Munnar. Mattupetty dam has an agriculture garden on its banks. Speed boat ride through the dam is also available.

5. Rajamalai (Eravikulam National Park) is situated 13 Km away from Munnar on Udumalpet road (SH17). Trekking here can perhaps give you a glimpse of Nilgiri Thar, the rarely seen mountain goat.

6. Marayoor is about 40 Km away, where Sandalwood forest, Muniyaras (ancient caves) and water falls (Thoovanam) are located

7. Chinnar Wild Sanctuary is 60 Km away from Munnar on Udumalpet road (SH17). Elephants, deers, samba etc can be seen from the watch tower. The tall tower is about 200 meters distance from the check-post.

8. Blossom International Park at Munnar has an adventure track, 1000-feet long fountain, roller skates, underground mediation centre and a beautiful garden.

9. Anamudi, the highest peak of South India is close to Munnar and is a great place for adventurous trekking

Bekkal Fort

An identity of the ancient ages

Bekkal Fort (Bekkal Kotta), the largest and the best-preserved fort in Kerala, in Kasarkode, is 16 km south on the National Highway. The beautiful Bakkel beach with the historic and archaeologically significant fort in the background is now being developed, into an international tourist destination. Bekal, situated on the seashore of Pallikara village, is an important place of tourist interest in the district. It lies 12 kms. south of Kasargod town.

Earlier it was part of the kingdom of Ikkiri Naiks, provincial rulers of the Vijayanagara Empire.It became part of the Vijayanagar Empire. In the late 18th century Tipu Sultan captured it. An old mosque near the fort is believed to have been built by the Mysore forces. After the British overthrew him, the fort came under the East India Company.

It was usual in older days for every royal palace to be protected by a fort. The Bekal for might have, therefore, existed even from early days of the Chirakkal Rajas.

The important features of this fort are the tank with its flight of steps, the tunnel opening towards the south, the magazine for keeping ammunition and the broad and wide steps leading to the Observation Tower which is a rarity.

The holes at top of the fort are meant for aiming at the farthest points; the holes below are meant for hitting when the enemy is nearer and the holes underneath facilitate attacking when the enemy is very near to the fort. This is a remarkable evidence of medieval technology in defense strategy.

Tourism promotion activities are happening in the areas surrounding the fort, under the Bekal Resorts Development Corporation (BRDC), which is an initiative by the Government of Kerala.

Bekkal Fort is a good tourist place in Kerala.

Kodagu (Coorg)

Kodagu (Coorg) : A Paradise in Earth

Kodagu (Coorg), this place is really a paradise in earth. Like their motto Kodagu is the land of “Coffee, Pepper, Honey, Cardamom and Orange”. This is a wonderful tourist place in Karnataka. Kodagu has it’s own identity in Karnataka tourism as well as Indian Tourism. Kodagu is full of dense forests, plantations, orange groves and paddy fields. The rich heritage of the people of Kodagu, the land the culture and the abundant natural beauty beckons every visitor to conserve this tiny district. Kodagu is a land of many communities. Although Kodavas are the main ethnic group, Gowdas, Brahmins, Christians and Jains are other communities who live in Kodagu.

Kodagu is one of the smallest districts in Karnataka comprising of 3 taluks - Madikeri, Somwarpet and Virajpet. Kodagu is very rich in tourist spots. This is one of the remarkable places in the Karnataka tourism as well as India tourism.

The famous tourist places in Kodagu are:

Abbi Falls
Abbi Falls is 6 Kms from Madikeri, where the Madikeri or Muttaramutta stream naturally falls from a precipice at a height of 70 feet in between huge boulders to a rocky valley.


Harangi
This is a reservoir with picturesque spot is one of the main attractive tourist center at a distance of 9 kms from Kushalnagar. Best season to visit is between August and December.

Dubare Forest
Another picnic spot near Kushalnagar on the banks of river Cauvery. Elephant Training camp belonging to forest department is situated here.



Cauvery Nisargadhama
Forest department is maintaining this wonderful picnic spot, on the banks of river Cauvery, near Kushalnagar. The hanging bridge, pedal boat center, tree top shelters, elephant safari, deer park are the main attractions of Cauvery Nisargadhama. Forest Department provides bamboo cottages and brick cottages for tourists.

Tibetan Refugee Center: Golden Temple
Bylukuppa, a nearby village of Kushalnagar (belongs to Mysore district) houses refugees from Tibet. Although refugees, Tibetans have kept their culture and heritage intact. Tourists can witness their way of life, architecture; even taste Tibetan dishes and Tibetan handicrafts are also available.

Other Tourist Places
Omkareshwara Temple, Fort And The Palace, Raja's Seat, Gandhi Mantapa, Igguthappadevara Betta, Bhagamandala, Talacauveri, Cauvery Nisargadhama, Triveni Sangam, Tadiandamol, Pushpagiri Hill, Thadiandamol, Brahmagiri Hill, Nagarahole & Western Ghats

Athirappally and Vazhachal: The Great Waterfalls

Waterfalls from the Heaven:

Athirappally and Vazhachal Waterfalls in Kerala

Yes, truly it is an amazing gifts from God to the God's Own County, Kerala. These two waterfalls are the most popular tourist place in Kerala.
Athirappally is a first grade Grama Panchayath with 489.00 km² area in Mukundapuram Taluk, Thrissur district in Kerala, south India. It is located 70 km from Kochi (Cochin) city, 55 km from Cochin International Airport, 60 km from Thrissur city and 30 km from Chalakkudy town. This waterfall is a popular picnic spot as well as favorite shooting spot for the filmmakers.

Athirappally Falls is about 80 feet high and located in the forest area. The Athirappally Falls join the Chalakkudy River after plummeting a drop of 80 feet. The beauty of the Athirappally and Vazhachal waterfalls cannot be described by words. Both this waterfalls are a part of the Chalakkudy river and 5 km apart on the road to hill station which has excellent tea estate and is one of India's highest elephant density habitats and is a crucial corridor between Parambikulam and Malayattur. The scenic attraction of Vazhachal, the other picnic spot is just a drive from Athirappally.

The Vazhachal waterfall is a scenic and popular waterfall on the edge of the Sholayar forest range in Kerala. The Vazhachal is part of the Chalakkudy River. Its cool, misty waters cascading down with the backdrop of thick green forest and rocky terrain are a scintillating experience for visitors.

Koti Linga Temple

One, two, three.... One lakh.... One Crore Lingas!!!

Koti Lingeshwara Temple is one of the famous pilgrim centers in Kolar District in Karnataka, India. This is situating at Kammasandra, a village 6 kms from Kolar. This is a temple of One Crore Lingas (symbol of Siva) arranged in different places and in different sizes in the temple premises. Koti means one Crore. More than 80 Lakhs of Lingas have already been installed here since 1974. Almost all the Lingas are sponsored by the followers. The main Linga has 108ft height.

We can see the big statute of Nandhi (a bull which is the vehicle of Siva) in front of the temple. It is a great attraction. It will take around 3 hours to see all Lingas in the temple.
I am sure you can refresh your mind and you can be with the god when you in this temple.

Now this temple is growing as good tourist place in Karnataka, India.

Devarayana Durga

Devarayana Durga: A symbol of Dravidian architecture

Devarayana Durga is one of the remarkable places in Karnataka Tourism, in India. It is 65 km from Bangalore, India, by road on Tumkur road. It is a hill station. It is very beautiful and a peaceful location. You can feel the smell of the nature enjoy the breeze. When you at the top of the hill, you will feel that you can touch the clouds or even the sky. We will get a good view of the place from the top of the hill.

The temples in Devarayana Durga are a simple example of the Dravidian architecture. We will wonder how it is created at the hilltop before 3-4 centuries.

Devarayana Durga is a hill station near Tumkur district in the state of Karnataka in India. It is good place for trekking and rock climbing. Its height is of about 1,188 mts. This Hill station situated along the hill chains running across the eastern part of Tumkur district and this range marks the boundary between the Krishna and Cauvery river basins.

The rocky hills are surrounded by forest and the hilltops are dotted with several temples including the Yoganarasimha and the Bhoganarasimha temples and an altitude of 3940 feet. It is also famous for Namada Chilume, a natural spring considered sacred and is also considered the origin of the Jayamangali River. Another famous temple in the area is the Mahalakshmi Temple at Goravanahalli.

Devarayana Durga name was given in 1696 by the king of Mysore Sree Chikkadevaraja Wodeyar. It was called by the name Anebiddajari before it named as Devarayana Durga.

The maximum and minimum temperature range varies from 18 to 32°C. It looks very beautiful in June - December.

However, Devarayana Durga is one of the most beautiful place in Karnataka Tourism as well as Indian Tourism.