Kodaikanal

I have gone to Kodaikanal 2 times. I was blessed in a way, that I worked in a company that encouraged extensive travel on work – I went to Kodai for a conference. And again I went to Kodai for a trek in the jungles along with my friend.

During my first visit to Kodai, we stayed in the Carlton Hotel, which is by the Kodai lake. The property is beautiful has several rooms and is a luxury hotel, with luxurious facilities. The lawns oversee the lake, and it is a great view. The presentations and the corporate bonding sessions took up all the time, and there was no time for sight seeing. Except that I could peek out of my bus at the Silver Cascade waterfall.

The second trip was much later, in December 2003, between Dec 24th and 31st. It was meant to be a winter trek. Kodaikanal was cold….at about 8 degree C, and during the trek, we passed through virgin forests, waterfalls – which none would have seen, several lakes, meadows and small and beautiful villages. The trek was very memorable. After the trek, we had 1 days time to go around Kodai, and experience the hill station. Kodai in winter is awesome.

For folks who live in Chennai, Kodai is summer retreat. The Chennai – Madurai Pandian Express leaves Chennai Egmore Station at 8.00 pm and reaches Kodai Road Junction at about 7.30 am the next morning. One can take a bus or a cab to reach Kodai, which is 120 kms away, usually a 2 and half hrs drive. But, since we made plans in the last minute, we could not get a train ticket, we had to go to Kodai by bus. Kodai is well connected from all places in the South.

Kodai is situated at an altitude of about 2,133-m and covers an area of 21.45-sq-km. The hill town is renowned for its educational institutions of international repute. The pride of Kodaikanal is the 'Kurinji-flower', which blossoms once in 12 years.

We reached Kodai at 11 am. It was a trek organized by the Youth Hostels Association of India, and we were to report at the base camp in KodaiKanal at about 2 pm. Since, we had a lot of time, we checked into a hotel, the Rs. 300 per day kinds, had a hot water bath, ate sumptuous break fast, went around the place, long walks, looked at curios in a shop, and then, reported at the camp. Kodai is famous for the home made chocolates – don’t forget to indulge.

The base camp was in the most scenic place of Kodai, near Coakers walk, the camps rooms were at the sides or edges of the mountains, from here, one could get a great view of the valley on all sides. The tall trees, were covered with mist and the sight is beautiful. Trust me, the description is nothing in comparison to the beautiful sight, coz I do not know the right words.

In the evening, we introduced ourselves to all the other members of the trek group. We knew that we were here for fun, and were getting prepared.

One needs to understand what happens in a Youth hostel trek. You get tents to stay in, you are woken up at 5 am every morning with a hot cup of tea, after which you will wonder where to pee, there are open bathrooms ie, I mean there are no bathrooms, you could do it anywhere, under a tree or behind the bush. You can dig a pit in the earth, if you want to feel comfortably. You got to carry your bucket of water, and those who don’t mind the paper, can use it. There are areas designated for Gents and Ladies, and it is appreciated if you stick to your demarkated territory. A bath is a complete impossibility. Simple breakfast is served in the morning, followed by lunch, which you are to pack in a box, fill water and put your rucksack on the back, and get going. In the next camp where you get to, dinner is served, sleeping bags, rugs are provided, which are comfortable. After dinner, you can socialize with the rest of the gang, and have fun. But, there are rules. Lights out at 7.30 pm.

So, as Kodai is a regular hillstation with large parts of it, under the Forest Department, we could trek into dense forest. There was a place, in the jungle, called wet jungle, it is completely dark here, as the forest is extremely thick, there is a waterfall in the vicinity, and hence the froth / fizz of the waterfall, keeps the entire place wet. It was awesome.

After this, we started walking into forests that were beautiful…silver oak forests, like never seen before, we passed through water falls, no one has even been to, except the tribals of the village…several lakes..there were several meadows…good enough for the guys to play a game of cricket. But, the Kodai trek was different, as most of the route was through the jungle, we could stay in the Forest Officers bungalow. Some of these bungalows were more than 100 yrs old, were constructed during the days of the British Raj obviously, and were in the most picture perfect locations of the valley. Awesome places. To get to these place, you need to trek through the jungle, almost 12 - 17 kms every day, and in the end of the day, when you get to the camp, you will be delighted that your effort was not a waste.

The usual trek follows from Berijem lake to the Kerala border Vandaraw and will be back via 'Poondi' , Poomparai, Kavunji, and Kukkal. We can see the big Mannavanur sheep farm while trekking via this route.

After the trek, every bit of the body was aching, coz we trekked, on an average, about 15 kms every day. One day, we got soo tired, of walking, we knew there was a road nearby, we walked to the road, stopped a lorry and got into it. Kodai is a highly populated hill station in South India, and hence, no matter where you are, even if you are the deepest and thickest of jungles, you will always hear a lorry or a taxi going by, which means, you are close to a road. So, none of us, were scared that we would get lost in the jungle.

Yeah, so after the trek, we said good bye to all the new friends, left the camp, checked in to a hotel again, for a hot water bath, we had not had a bath for 4 days. We ate sumptuous meal – at the Carlton, and started going around the city. There are a lot of places to see in and around Kodaikanal – the lake, Coakers walk, Pillar Rocks, Guna Caves, Berijam lake etc.

We spend the day in Kodaikanal and left to Madurai the next morning. There are lots of palces in Kodai, they are

Berijam lake - Berijam Lake is located at a distance of 21-km from Kodaikanal in Tamil Nadu is one among the beautiful lakes of South India. The lake is star shaped and is known for its pure water. It is now under the Forest Department and is closed for the public. You nee special permission to go there.

Coakers Walk - It is a narrow pedestrian path, constructed by Lt. Coaker in 1872, a one kilometer mountain road which runs along the edge of steep slopes on the southern side of Kodai road which is 1/2km away from Kodai. The walk winding around Mt. Nebo starts near van Allen hospital and joins the main road above St. Peter's Church, provides a wide-angle spectacular view of the plains. On a cloudless, clear day one can have interesting sights, such as.... Dolphin's nose in south, valley of the Pambar river in South East, birds eye view of Periyakulam and even city of Madurai.

Thalaiyar Falls - This is also called as Rat tail falls.The widest falls, ranging from 13th kilometer on the ghat road to kodai. It is one of the highest falls in India, with their 975ft sheer drop. Bear Shola Falls - An ideal picnic spot, 1.6 km from bus stand and within 2 Kms off the lake, where once bears came to drink water. Hence the name of the falls became Bear Shola falls. The approach is near Clifton Hotel, a rugged hill path. The falls are at the best in rainy season.

Pambar Falls - "Grand cascade" is another name for this magnificent falls. It can be reached by a steep, precipitous path behind Pambar house. Racing down Pambar Ravine is Zig-zagging leving stream that cascades over a series of rock formations. It is 4kms away from Kodaikanal.Silver cascade - This water fall is located on the main ghat road, 8 kms away as one approaches Kodai from Kodai Road. Overflow of Kodai lake takes 180 ft leap over a steep cliff, to crash into a pool beside the ghat Road.

Kukkal Caves – To reach this place, which is at a distance of 40 kms, travel by bus upto Poombarai and then take a walk. It is preferable to take a local guide. The caves here are actually overhanging slabs of rocks. This rock shelter is at an altitude of 1500 m. The cave reveals traces of earliest settled tribals, Paliyans who used to wear leaf clothing. Overviewing the caves are Manjampath valley where bisons can be seen.

Pillar Rocks - Three granite boulders each vertically measuring a height of 400 feet stand shoulder to shoulder. It is located 8 Kms from the lake tower over the panoramic view. In the shadows of the pillars are shady woods that invite picnickers. The chamber between the two pillars is called Devil's kitchen.

Dolphins nose – It is at a distance of 8 kms from the bus stand, one has to follow the route specified here. It is a point where a flat rock projects over an awful chesm of 6600 feet deep. This is Dolphins nose. On the way, beautiful views of plains and steepy rocky eascarpeints called rolling hills can be seen.

Vembadi Peak – It is the second highest peak with a height of 2466m. A right turn in Berijam road and a steep climb leads you to the top. From the stone summit, one can have a magnificent view over Berijam lake, Vandaravu range, Mannovanur sheep farm , Poombarai valley and over all Kerala. The hike will begin from Kodaikanal TV Tower.

Palani hills – They are at eastern offshoot of the Western ghats covering an area of 2400 Sq. Kms, and the town of Kodaikanal is centrally located. There are 2 main divisions of Palani - the Upper Palani (1800 - 2500 m)and the Lower Palani (800 - 1500 M). The Palani is the main watershed for the Vaigai (South) and Amaravathi (Cauvery - North) Basins. The Palani is a source of unique genetic diversity as well as of water for the thirsty plains below.

Bryant Parks - The practical utility of this park is, in every May a horticultural show is conducted by the department of Horticulture. On that occasion enormous vegetables and flowers from neighbouring villages compete for the prizes, which draws big crowd.

Kodai lake - One of the main attractions for the tourists of Kodaikanal is the Kodai lake which is at a distance of 3kms from the bus stand. In 1863, Vera Levinge, a former District Collector of Madurai settled in Kodaikanal after his retirement. He was the man of resource and creative ideas for this lake. By spending his own money he converted the marshy land with several streams of lake by constructing a strong bund and brought boats from Tuticorin. It is reported that the foreign resident's even used to swim in the lake.

The lake is at an elevation of 2285m above sea level and it looks magnificent with star shaped glittering water, in the midst of evergreen lush slopes. Today lakhs of tourists walk around, sail on, ride on horses & cycles and admire the lake. Ponyrides by children and adults walking around the lake are part of Kodai Holiday.

Getting There :

By Road : Chennai ( 520 kms ), Madurai ( 120 kms ) There are buses from Madurai, Trichy, Coimbathore, Sales etc..and is never really problem.

By Air : Madurai is the closest airport at 120 kms

By Train : Nearest rail head is Madurai is 120 kms.

Best time : April to May and Sept to October as it is a hill stations. Winters can get bitterly cold.

Trip duration : 2 to 3 days.

Accomodations :

The Carlton, Lake Road, Kodaikanal 624 101, Tel: +(91) (4542) 240056/240071, \Fax: +(91) (4542) 241170 , Email: carlton@krahejahospitality.com

Hotel Paradise Inn, Paradise Compound, Laws Ghat Road, Kodaikanal 624 101Tel: +(91) (4542) 241075/241175 , Fax: +(91) (4542) 241024
Hotel Kodai International , Post Box 33, 17/328 Laws Ghat Road, Kodaikanal 624 101Tel: +(91) (4542) 245190~93 , Fax: +(91) (4542) 240753 , Email: hki@vsnl.net

Sterling Resorts, 75/76, attuvampatti, Kodaikanal 624 101, Tel: +(91) (4542) 244447/244448
Kodai Resort , Noyce Road, Kodaikanal 624 101, Tel: +(91) (4542) 242107/8

Halebid

Everyone talks about Belur alone. But Halebid temple is in a class of its own. If you asked me, I would say that I find Halebid temple more beautiful than the one at Belur.

Shravanabelagola, Belur and Halebid can be covered as a single day trip from Bangalore, Mysore or Hassan. Or Hassan, which is just 27 kms away, can be a good central point to visit these 3 places.

Halebid ( pronounced Halebeedu ) was called Dwarasamudra, and it used to be the capital of the Hoysala kings during the 12th Century. The Hoysalas shifted the capital to Belur due to 2 reasons. Halebid was attached very often by the invaders from the north. In 1311 Malik Kafur invaded Halebid and carried away all the treasures. In 1326, Muhamad Bin Tughlak invaded and took away what was left. After the death of King Ballalla – 3, the city was reduced to poverty.

In the 17th Century, King Vishnuvardhan abandoned Halebid. He defeated the Chola Kings at Talacad, and built his new capital Belur to commemorate his victory.

Halebid’s temple is one of the finest examples of the Hoysala style of architecture. It is made of soap stone, is a homogeneous structure that stands on a star shaped platform, and has beautiful carvings on the inside as well as the outside of the temple. This temple has 4 doors, and is unique coz it has 2 Garbha Grahas or Sanctum Sanctorum. In both these sanctums are large Shiva lingas. Puja is not conducted here.

I wonder why the king made 2 sanctums in one temple, in one large hall. I am told one is temple of Vishnuvardhan Hoysaleshwawra Linga and the other is of Shantaleshwara Linga. To me, both looked the same.

So, for each of these Shiva Lingas, there is a Nandi which is right in the front, facing the diety. The Nandi’s also have their temple, called Nandi Mandaps, smaller but equally beautiful.

Behind the Nandi Mandap is the Surya temple, the Surya idol is over 2 metres tall, and is beautiful.

The exteriors of these temples are beautiful, decorated with panels of warriors, dancers, horses, elephants, mythical creatures. There are beautiful apsaras, and there are several sculptures of hindu deities, and scenes from Mahabharat, Ramayan and Bhagavat Gita. The sculptures here are larger than the ones you will find at Belur, and are carved on both sides of the stone.

There are other temples in Halebid, They are Kedareshwara temple, Trikuta Temple, Hoysaleswara Temple, Sri Ranganath temple and the Jain Mandir.

I visited only the main temple. It took about 90 minutes to go around , and to look at each and every sculpture. You will recognize most of them as Shiva Parvathy, Bhrahma, Krishna, Arjuna, Ganesha etc. The sculptures are very beautiful. The temple is well maintained, but, as in the case of most monuments in India, there are many sculptures were the hands, parts of jewelry, head and other parts are missing. There are several notices placed here by the Archeological society at vantage points, indicating that it is prohibited to touch the sculptures. But, at many places, you will find scribblings by people, who have tried to engrave their names on the sculptures and on the pillars.

Never the less, whatever we are able to see today is because of the good work of the Archeological society. The lawn and gardens are well maintained. There are several dustbins, so the place is fairly clean.

There are several guides here, whom one can engage for an explanation for each of the sculpture…but, I think, it is better to avoid them.

Right outside the temple, there are several shops selling artifacts made in soap stone.

Halebid temple can get hot in the summer, as the stones get heated up. Wearing socks will be a good option as wearing footwear is not permitted inside the complex.

Getting There :

Road : Halebid is about 220 kms from Bangalore and is well connected by road from Bangalore, Hassan, Mysore and other important places.

For all those who visit Bangalore or Mysore on a vacation, I think visiting Belur, Halebid and Shravanabelagola is a must. Belur is 14 kms South West of Halebid.

Trip Duration : 1 day

Best time : Any time of the year

Accomodation : Hassan has good accommodation facilities. Belur, Halebid and Shravanabelagola can be covered as a single day excursion, either from Bangalore, Mysore or from Hassan.