Murud Janjira

Murud is a beautiful fishing village on the western coast of India – about 5 hours drive from Bombay (Mumbai). Since it has a municipality, water supply, schools and hospitals, you could even term it a small town.
It has a beautiful beach ideal for swimming, bathing and water sports. The beach is fringed with swaying coconut trees, a variety of palm trees and casuarinas. Unfortunately, the only water sport presently available is boating, sailing and deep sea fishing.
Murud is historically important because it was the capital of the Janjira State (area – 842 sq. kms.). The Nawabs of Janjira ruled the area around from here. The Janjira Fort is located 2 kms. into the sea – about 6 kms. from Murud.

History of Janjira State

During the past several centuries, traders brought slaves from Abyssinia and other parts of East Africa and sold them in Egypt, Arabia and India. The Abyssinian slaves had black skin and curly hair. They did not have the thick lips the Negroes have. They were called Habshis or Siddis.
They were faithful, brave and hard working. They were very trust worthy. In India, successive rulers appointed them to positions of high trust.
In 1490, King Malik Ahmed Shah of Ahmednagar broke away from the Brahmini kingdom and established his own Nizamshahi kingdom. He appointed his Abyssinian slave the commander of the Janjira Fort.
In 1621, Janjira became an independent state. Siddi Ambar Sankak Habshi became the first ruler of independent Janjira State. The Siddi rule continued for 327 eventful years till the merger of the State with India in May 1948. The last ruler was Siddi Mohamed Khan, who after the merger, settled down in Indore.
His successors have a palatial palace at Murud complete with a museum. But the present Nawab also lives in Indore.

History of Janjira Fort

The Janjira Fort has a colourful history. During the 15th century, the Rajpuri village which is 4 km. from Murud was inhabited by fishermen and the Nizams ruled the entire coastal region.With the Nizam’s permission, the fishermen built a wooden fort (Medhekot) on a huge rock in the sea, 2 km. off the shore of Rajapuri, to protect themselves from pirates and thieves.
Later, Burhan Khan, the minister of Nizamshah, the ruler at Ahmednagar, demolished the wooden fortress; and between 1567 and 1571 built an impregnable stone fort in its place. He named it Janjira Mehroob (Mehroob means crescent moon).
Siddi Ambarsatak, the fore father of the rulers of Janjira (later, they adopted the title of Nawabs), was nominated the commander of Mehroob.Shivaji made six unsuccessful attempts to conquer this fort. Later at various points of time, Sambhaji, the Peshwas, the British and the Portuguese tried to take over the fort, but Janjira remained unconquered till its merger with India in 1948. Janjira is one of the rare forts in Maharashtra which could not be taken over by the Marathas. The reason for this is the impregnable fort and superior naval forces and marine skills of the Siddis.
The Siddis ruled from the Janjira Fort which is located 2 kms. into the sea. Surrounded on all four sides by the Arabian Sea, the fort is undefeatable. It could never be captured by anyone. In the 1950s, the Archaeological Survey of India took over charge of the fort. They relocated all the residents of the fort to the nearby villages. Some restoration work is presently going on.

Nawab’s Palace

As you enter Murud, you will see the stately mansion of the Siddhi Nawabs of Murud Janjira perched on a high hillock overlooking the entire bay. You can visit the museum there. The present Nawab usually lives in Indore.

Janjira Fort

India has a large number of forts. But Janjira Fort is unique.
To visit Janjira, you have to go to Rajpur village (4 km). From there, you have to go to the Janjira Fort by sail boats. Rajpur has a harbour and a beautiful sea beach. For the first time in my life, I saw buffaloes swimming and bathing in the sea.
Once you reach the fort, you will find it most captivating. The strong entrance has successfully withstood numerous attacks.
The five-storied Surulkhana palace is almost in ruins. The top two stories have fallen off. Some renovation work is going on.
There are 2 large fresh water tanks inside the fort and some tombs.
The fort had about five hundred canons. But only a handful remain today. There are in all 19 Buruj (ramparts) in the fort. Every Buruj has huge guns capable of sinking any approaching vessel. Some of the guns bear names. The 3 most important big guns are ‘Kalal Bangadi’, ‘Chavari’ and ‘Landa Kasam’. These were built by an alloy of five different metals.
During its hey days, a large number of people lived inside the fort. But after it was taken over by the Archaeological Survey of India, the residents were moved out. Much of Janjira Fort has been corroded and washed away due to the insistant battering by the Arabian Sea. But what remains is still a most formidable structure.

Dattatreya Temple

The temple of Dattatreya is located on a high place on a hillock. You get a panoramic view of the entire bay from here.

Places to see around

Janjira Caves
For those interested in history, archaeology or religion, the 2000 years old Buddhist Caves near Bhalgaon (20 kms from Murud Janjira) are a must see. Leave a full day for exploring the caves and a wonderful picnic.

Padmadurg Fort
The Padmadurga Fort built by Shivaji Maharaj is situated to the north west of Janjira. It is not as big as Janjira Fort, but Padmadurga Fort is also an interesting sea fort which can be visited and enjoyed.

Beaches
There are two unspoiled beaches on the way to Murud – Nandgaon and Kashid. You can spend time swimming and sunbathing in these beaches.

Getting there

Distances
Murud is 150 km from Mumbai,

Air
The nearest airport is Mumbai 150 km.

Rail
Nearest railway station is Roha 122 km.

Sea
A most convenient way to go there is by ferry from Mazgaon Ferry Wharf to Rewas (23 km from Murud); or by catamaran from Gateway to Mandwa. From Rewas or Mandwa, you have to take a road transport.
(The ferry services are suspended during the monsoons)

Road
Mumbai to Murud 150 km
You can go to Murud by car or taxi. There are plenty of local public buses, too. The drive takes about 5 hours.
You have to travel up to Panvel and then take the road that passes through the Karnala Bird Sanctuary upto Pen. You have to cross Ali Bag (100 kms. From Mumbai). You will also cross the beautiful Nandgaon and Kashid beaches.
After 20 kms. From Alibag, you can also go to Murud via Roha, a small town dotted heavily with large and shady trees. This route is 10 kms. longer, but you will pass through beautiful country side.

Accommodation

There are a number of hotels where you can get food and accommodation at reasonable rates. There are no four or five star hotels. Try to stay in a hotel on the beach side.
There are a large number of restaurants where you can taste the authentic local (Konkanese) food.

Best Time to Visit

Murud has a pleasant coastal climate and can be visited any time of the year. But carry plenty of sun protection and light cotton clothes.
During the monsoons (rainy season), the sea can be rough and could be closed for swimming.

Conclusion

Murud Janjira is a beautiful tourist spot quite close to Mumbai. It is enjoyable. But it has yet to be fully developed to realize its full potential.

Kodaikanal

The Tamil word Kodaikanal which means ‘Gift of the Forest’ aptly describes this quaint, little, hill station. No other name could describe this place better!

Nestling deep amidst thick forests, Kodaikanal is a unique hill station where you would love to spend a few days. You would love to walk through the wooded forests. Perhaps take a bath in one of the splashing waterfalls. Row in the lake. Try horse riding. Or simply admire the endless varieties of flaura and fauna.

Covering an area of 21.45 square kilometers, Kodaikanal is situated on the southern tip of upper Palani hills in the Western Ghats of Tamil Nadu at an altitude of about 2133 metres. Except during the monsoons, from October to December, when the monsoons really pour, the weather is fairly uniform throughout the year.

History

There is archaeological evidence of the existence of human beings in this area during the pre-Christ years.
Prehistoric megalith creations – dolmens which are large stone constructions – dating from well before written history, earthen pots and other artifacts which have been found here prove that the earliest residents of Kodaikanal were the Paliyans and Pulyans tribes.
Relics and artifacts of the Paliyans can be seen in the Shenbaganur Museum. A few descendents of the Paliyans tribe can also be seen near Kukkal Caves.

However, the earliest modern day settlers of Kodaikanal were the 14th century migrants from the foothills of Palani who escaped to Kodaikanal from the invasions of Tippu Sultan.

Lieutenant B. S. Ward, a British surveyor, was the first European to visit Kodaikanal in 1821. He was looking for a clean and healthy place around Madurai, which would provide relief to the missionaries and other foreigners, living and working in south Tamil Nadu, from the summer heat and the occasional epidemics.

There were no roads and visitors had to travel by horse, bullock-cart or palanquin. The forests were infested with thieves, robbers and wild animals. Yet, Kodaikanal had such a wonderful climate and pristine charm that it became popular amongst the immigrant population and the princely families.

In 1834, the Collector of Madurai climbed up from Devadanapatti and built a small bungalow at Kodaikanal. By the second half of the 19th century, churches and other colonial structures started popping up in and around Kodaikanal. Examples of some beautiful structures are the Union Church built in 1895; La Providence Church for Anglicans built in 1860; and a large number of private bungalows.

In 1863, Sir Vere Hendry Levinge (1819-1885), who was then the Collector of Madurai, created the 60 acres Kodai Lake by damming three streams flowing through. He stocked the lake with fish. He also brought the first boat from Tuticorin. After his retirement, he settled down in Kodaikanal.

A boat club was formed in Kodaikanal in 1890. A new boathouse was constructed in 1910. Since May 1929, the club has permitted tourists to join the club as temporary members and avail of boating facilities.

Missionaries established church properties. Many of the ruling princes built summer holiday-homes. Clubs, school and hotels came up. Civic amenities were introduced. Kodaikanal developed slowly, but steadily. Kodaikanal is the only hill station in India developed by the Americans. They also established the famous Kodaikanal International School.

The extension of the railway line from Chennai to Tirunelveli (598 kilometres) made Kodaikanal really popular. A station was built at Ammainayakkanur – 80 kilometres from Kodaikanal. (This was later renamed Kodai Road.) The first steam engine arrived in 1875 and made the journey to Kodaikanal far easier. Though construction of the road was completed in 1914, it was opened to the public only two years later – in 1916. And suddenly, Kodaikanal was thrown open to the general public.

Kodai Lake

The centre of all activities in Kodaikanal is the beautiful star shaped Kodai Lake. A 5 kilometres long road skirts the 60 acres lake.

Rowing boats, pedal boats and other kinds of boats belonging to T.T.D.C., Boat Club and Carlton hotel can be hired on an hourly basis.

Fishing is permitted. But prior permission has to be obtained from the Inspector of Fisheries.

Pony rides for a quarter, half and full round of the lake are available. Ponies can also be hired on hourly basis. Bicycles also are available on rent.

Bryant Park

The beautiful Bryant Park, stretching across 20.5 acres of undulating greenery is situated in the heart of the town. It was planned and given shape in 1908 by Mr. H.D. Bryant, a forest officer of Madurai.

The Park is situated on the eastern side of the lake, well within walking distance. It has a collection of over 300 species of plants. The Park contains a 150 years old Eucalyptus tree and a historic Bodhi tree. A portion of the Park contains 740 varieties of roses.

The glasshouse in the Park displays exotic indoor plants and some very good plant arrangements. There is a large lake with water lilies and other aquatic plants.

The Park also has the rare Kurinji plant which flowers once every 12 years. The Kurinji last bloomed in 2006.

The Park authorities also sell ornamental plants at reasonable prices.

Coaker’s Walk (1 kilometre)

In 1872, Lt. Coaker cut a 1 kilometre long path along the ridge of a steep slope around Mt. Nebo on the southeastern side of Kodaikanal. The narrow, winding path offers some of the best views of the plains. There is a telescope house on Coaker’s Walk from where you can see distant vistas.

On a clear, cloudless day, you can see the Dolphin’s nose in the south, Pambar river valley in the southeast, Periyakulam and even the city of Madurai.

If you are lucky, you could witness the rare phenomenon called `Brachem Spectre’. When the sun is behind you and the cloud and mist in front, you could see your shadow on the clouds with a rainbow halo.

The Pillar Rocks (7 kilometres)

The three pillar-like rock boulders about 122 meters high stand next to each other. Somehow, they remind me of three giggling girls, huddled together.

It is amazing how one minute you clearly see the three pillars. Then within minutes, the mist and the clouds swirl up and cover the pillars. The pillar rocks become invisible!

Usually, early morning is the safest time to ensure visibility.

Pine Forests

The pine tree is not a native of India. It was introduced from Britain. This man-made pine forest, the floor covered with a soft, plush, natural carpet of pine needles, with pinecones lying all around, is an ideal place for picnic.

Silver Cascade Falls (8 kilometres)

The overflow of Kodai Lake has created one of the most popular spots of Kodaikanal – the 54 metres high Silver Cascade falls.

This fall is located on the Ghat road on the way from Madurai to Kodaikanal just 8 kilometres before Kodaikanal. You will see it as you enter and leave Kodaikanal.

This is also a favourite bathing spot for tourists. And this is the place you will find all kinds of photographers.

Green Valley View (5.5 kilometres)

Very near the Golf Club, the Green Valley View gives a panoramic view of the entire Vaigai Dam. The valley is very deep and dangerous. Some individuals have committed suicide here. For this reason, this place is also called “Suicide Point”. A sturdy fencing has been constructed. And you can see plenty of rhesus monkeys.

The narrow path leading to the viewpoint is lined with shops. You can purchase eatables, handicrafts and toys.

Solar Physical Observatory (32 kilometres)

The country’s only Solar Physical Laboratory, the Kodaikanal Observatory of the Indian Institute of Astrophysics, was founded here in 1898 at the highest point in Kodaikanal at an altitude of 2343 metres in the beautiful Palani hills in Southern India. All the activities of the Madras Observatory were shifted to Kodaikanal.

Visitors can observe the stars and planetary movements during visiting hours and on prior appointments.

Kukkal Caves (40 kilometres)

The Kukkal Caves offer a beautiful campsite – ideal for trekking. You can also see traces of earliest known inhabitants of the region – the leaf clothed Paliyans.

Dolmen Circle (18 kilometres)

The Dolmen Circle is a place of great antiquity and great archaeological importance. Pre-historic remains, original burial urns and models of dolmens were unearthed in this region. These can be seen in Shenbaganur Museum.

Shenbaganur Museum (5.6 kilometres)

The Shenbaganur Museum founded in 1895 is maintained by the Sacred Heart College, a Theological Seminary. It contains a very good collection of archaeological remains and flora and fauna of the region.

A Spanish Father Ugarthe contributed his major collections to the Museum. This place also contains one of the biggest orchidariums in the country containing more than 300 species of orchids.

Other interesting spots

Among the other popular spots are Kurinji Andavar Temple – temple of Lord Murugan – the local ruling deity (3 kilometres); Dolphin’s nose – a flat projecting rock overlooking a deep yawning chasm (8 kilometres); Perumal Peak – 2440 metres high peak – a favourite of the trekkers (11 kilometres); Berijam Lake – a beautiful picnic spot (21 kilometres). There are a number of waterfalls.

Palani (62 kilometres)

One place I really love is the temple at Palani. This is one of the six abodes of Lord Subramanya or Kartick (brother of Ganesh). You can visit the temple while returning from Kodaikanal.

The temple is built atop a 140 metres high hill and can be reached either by using the steps or the recently opened electric ropeway.

During the festivals of Panguni Utthiram (March-April) and Adi Krithikai (July-August), Kavadi dancers flock to the temple in hundreds, often in a state of trance.

Conclusion

Kodaikanal, often called the Princess of Hill Stations, is a wonderful get-away from busy city life.

It is the trekker’s dream comes true. You can go off on your own exploration; walk through eucalyptus and blue gum forests; or join organized longer treks through a travel agent. You can do some fishing (but obtain a permit first), boating, horse riding and cycling.
There are large plantations where plums, pears, plantains and other fruits grow in abundance. The wooded slopes contain a wide variety of flowers, trees and plants.

Kodaikanal literally blooms up during the summer festival celebrations in May. There are different kinds of activities. A colourful annual boat pageant is also held.

Kodaikanal is the best of the three hill stations of Tamil Nadu – the other two being Ooty and Yercaud. Some visitors even consider Kodaikanal the best hill station in the country!

Most visitors come here to see the natural beauty of Kodaikanal. Spend a few days here. You will certainly return with a refreshed heart, mind and lungs.

Fact File

Nearest Airport Madurai 120 Kilometres
Nearest Railway Station Kodai Road 80 Kilometres
Distances by road (from Kodaikanal)
Chennai 520 Kilometres
Ooty 264 Kilometres
Trichy 197 Kilometres
Coimbatore 175 Kilometres
Madurai 120 Kilometres
You can view and download a map of Kodaikanal from the following sites:
http://www.mapsofindia.com/maps/tamilnadu/kodaikanal.htm
http://www.kodai.com/map2.htm

Where to stay

There are a plenty of hotels and resorts to suit all tastes and pockets. The Carlton is a five star hotel and therefore a little expensive. I am listing only a few of the better ones.

The Carlton
Lake Road, Kodaikanal – 624 101.Phone: (04542) 240056 – 71

The Kodaikanal Club
7 Roads Junction,Kodaikanal – 624 101.Phone: (04542) 241341

Kodai Resort Hotel
Coaker’s Walk, Kodaikanal – 624 101.Phone: (04542) 240632, 240633

Hotel Kodai International
17/328, Lawsghat Road, Kodaikanal – 624 101. Phone: (04542) 240767

Hotel Tamil Nadu TTDC Ltd.
Fern Hill Road, Kodaikanal – 624 101.Phone: (04542) 241336/7

Hotel Hilltop Towers
Opp Kodai International School, Kodaikanal.

Misnamed the Poor Man’s Ooty

The coffee is not an indigenous plant. Where did it came from?

Coffee was introduced into Yercaud from Arabia in the 1920s by Mr. M. D. Cockburn, then Collector of Salem. Yercaud is a small hill station perched on the Shevaroy Hills in Salem District of Tamil Nadu.

Surrounded on all sides by hot plains, the Shevaroys are a range of hills on the Eastern Ghats which rise steeply to 1624 metres (5,410 feet). The entire range, encompassing 67 tribal villages, covers an area of 384 sq. km. The total population (according to 1991 census) is 36,863.

History

The original inhabitants of the Shevaroy Hills are the tribals living in the 67 tribal villages. They are known as “Malayalis”, which in Tamil means “Hill Tribes”. Very little is known about the history of the “Malayalis” – from where they came, why and when.

One popular legend is that in the late 1700s, led by one Shevarayan, a group of farmers, from the banks of the Cauvery River in the Krishnagiri-Dharmapuri area, fled to these hills to escape the ravages of Tipu Sultan’s invading armies and settled down on the Shevaroys. Thereafter, these hills came to be known as the Shevarayan Malai (“Malai” means Hill in Tamil). Later, Shevarayan Malai was anglicized to “Shevaroy Hills”.

So far the present Yercaud is concerned, it was discovered by Mr. M. D. Cockburn, then Collector of Salem. Cockburn visited Yercaud in 1820 A.D. and put up a small hut which is now known as Grange Estate.

During the revolt of 1857, the building was fortified into a castle like building and is an important landmark today.
The Ghat road to Yercaud was sanctioned and work started in the 1850s. But work was stopped in 1857 due to the Indian Mutiny. Work on the present Ghat road from Salem to Yercaud was started in 1900 and the road was opened for motor vehicles in 1903.

However, the first motor car was brought up much earlier in a packing crate, assembled and driven around the Loop Road. After completion of the Mettur Dam on the Cauvery River in 1929, electricity came to Yercaud in 1930 and supply was extended to other Tribal Villages after 1970.

Coffee

During 1820 to 1829, Mr. M. D. Cockburn, introduced coffee from Arabia and apples and other fruits from South Africa. From here, coffee spread to all over the Nilgiris.

Coffee grows well on slopes at altitudes between 900 metres (3,000 feet) and 1,500 metres (5,000 feet). The mild temperature between 13C (56 F) and 29 C (84F), moderate rainfall between 1,270 mm (50″) and 1,524 mm (60″) distributed evenly between the Southwest and Northeast Monsoons and the high elevation on the Shevaroy hills combine to provide ideal climatic conditions for the production of high grade Coffee.

We visited a small coffee estate adjoining Yercaud. The red coffee berries were beautiful to look at, but had no taste. One has to peel off the thick skin to get to the coffee beans. But the fresh beans are slimy. They have to be washed with water to get rid of the slime. I tasted the raw beans. They had no taste. They have to be dried and roasted to turn them into the coffee seeds we use for making coffee.

Yercaud Lake

The centre of attraction is the lake. Surrounded by gardens and trees, the lake has a lovely fountain, installed by Madras Aluminium Company Limited, throwing up spurts of water. But the unimaginative advertisement on the fountain really hurts the eyes. Why Madras Aluminium Company Limited could not put a more subtle, more befitting advertisement, I really do not understand!

You can do boating in 4-seater row boats, peddle boats, or in the newer swan shaped peddle boats.

Anna Park

This is a lovely garden near the Lake.

Governent Orchidarium (2 kilometres)

If you are fond of plants or nature, you should visit the Orchidarium.
The Loop Road
The 34 kms. long Loop Road was traced by an Englishman Mr. Surgeon in 1824. It starts and ends at the Lake, covering several tribal villages including Yercaud, Nagalur, Semmanatham, Vellakadi, and Manjakuttai. A drive on the Loop Road is most enjoyable.

Shevarayan Temple (7 kilometres)

The Shevarayan Perumal Temple is perched high up near the summit of the highest peak of the Shevaroys at 1,624 metres (5,410 feet). The view from outside the Temple is panoramic and all four sides of the Shevaroys Range are clearly visible

The Shevarayan Perumal Temple is located inside a natural stone cave. The presiding deity of the temple is Ramar (an incarnation of Lord Vishnu) with his consort Cauvery Amman.

On the Southern most edge of the North-South ridge is Cauvery Peak from where on a clear day, you get a magnificent view of the Mettur Dam and the Cauvery River, located some 50 km. away.

A Temple Festival is held in May every year. It is a very colourful event with the “Malayalis” from all the 67 villages of Shevaroys attending it.

Lady’s Seat (1.5 kilometres)

This point overlooks the winding Ghat road and provides a breathtaking view of the plains and the town of Salem. The view is spectacular at night with the twinking lights of Salem. You can have a panoramic view of the plains below through the telescope mounted at the Lady’s seat.

Gent’s Seat (1.5 kilometres)

This is another point just above Lady’s Seat overlooking the winding Ghat road.

Pagoda Point (5 kilometres)

Pagoda Point is another vantage view point.

Kiliyur Falls (7 kilometres)

This 1,000 metre (3,000 feet) high water fall is situated amidst picturesque surroundings, but you have to walk a few kilometres to reach it.

The Retreat (1.5 kilometres)

This institution was started in 1945 by the brothers of Don Bosco and serves as a Novitiate House where students of the religious order stay and study.

Educational Institutions (1 and 1.5 kilometres)

The Montfort School and the Sacred Heart Convent are the two famous educational institutions at Yercaud imparting education mainly to boys and girls respectively.

Montfort Anglo-Indian Higher Secondary School was founded in 1917 by Rev. Bro. Eugene of the Montfort Brothers of St. Gabriel congregation founded by Louis Marie Grignion de Montfort of Brittany, France. Louis Marie Grignikon de Montfort was canonized a Saint in 1947.
Originally started for the sons of Europeans in the military, civil, plantation and other services, the first Indian students were admitted in 1928.
Montfort has grown into a premier boarding school in the country with 850 students studying from Standard III to Standard XII and has the most state-of-the-art facilities in academics, sports and other extra -curricular activities. Girls are admitted to Standards XI and XII.

Sacred Heart Convent, Yercaud (SHY) was founded in 1894 by Sister Valdebert Kelly and Sister Gertrude Banz of the Sisters of Saint Joseph of Cluny founded by Sister Anne Marie Javouhey in France in 1812. Sister Anne Marie Javouhey was beatified in 1950.
In 1894, several residents of Yercaud were given lessons in English, French, Music, Painting, Singing and Embroidery. Soon an English-Medium School was opened and initially both boys and girls were admitted. Now, the school has grown to over 400 Girls from Standard I to Standard X and has become an exclusive girls school renowned for its academic excellence, all round development, extra and co-curricular activities. SHY celebrated its centenary in September 1994.

Accommodation

Accomodation is available from the Star class to affordable budget class.

Fact File

Climate

The climate is uniformly cool and pleasant throughtout the year. The temperatures range from a maximum of 30 degrees Celcius to a minimum of 13 degrees Celcius.

Clothing

Light cottons with a pullover or some other light woollen in winter.

Reaching there

Airport
The nearest airport is Tiruchirapalli 180 km. away.
Other airports are Coimbatore 195 km. and Bangalore 265 km. away.

Railway Station
The nearest railway station is Salem Junction – 38 km. away.
There are a number of trains passing through. Among the most convenient trains to and from Chennai are the overnight Yercaud Express and the daytime Kovai Express. There are also a number of trains from Cochin, Trivandrum, Mangalore and Bangalore.

Road
Salem 36 km. Chennai 355 km. Bangalore 265 km. Hogenakkal 145 km.
There are frequent buses from Salem. Bus services are available from Chennai and several other important points.

Conclusion

For no rhyme or reason, Yercaud is often called the poor man’s Ooty (Ooty or Ootachamand is the most popular hill station of Tamil Nadu). But it is as enchanting and picturesque as the other two hill stations of Tamil Nadu.

It is easily accessable – just a one our drive from Salem. And certainly is the cheapest hill station. But things are changing. More and more tourists are pouring in. Estate prices are rising.
On the Ghat road to Yercaud, you will see numerous Rhesus monkeys sitting on the roadsides waiting for tit bits. There are Coffee estates and plantations growing pepper, citrus fruits – mainly oranges, bananas, pears and jackfruit. There are plenty of Silver Oak and other trees. Once upon a time, there were Sandalwood trees, too.

Trekking, bird watching and sheer lazying around could be some of the most pleasurable ways to spend a vacation. You will come across numerous types of plants and flowers.

For a one day excursion, Hogennakkal (100 km. from Salem) is the place. Here, you can do boating in saucer shaped country boats and row right into waterfalls. But Hogennakal should be visited either on the way to Yercaud, or on the way back.
(1600 words) Binoy Gupta

Land of the Royal Bengal Tiger

Largest Delta in the World

The two great rivers, Ganges 2,510 km. (1,560 miles) and Brahmaputra 2,900 km. (1,800 miles), are born in the snowy peaks of the Himalayas. On the last lap of their long journey, just before they enter the Bay of Bengal and merge with the oceans, they meander through the plains of Bangladesh and West Bengal (India) creating the largest delta in the world.

The Ganges-Brahmaputra delta covers an area of 80,000 sq. km. (30,800 sq. miles) and comprises of 54 inhabited and 48 uninhabited islands, mangrove forests, swamps and mud flats. The delta is approximately 350 km. (220 miles) wide at the Bay of Bengal.

Mangrove forests of India and Bangladesh in Sunderban Region

The Sunderban region encompasses 10,262 sq. km. (3,950 sq. miles) of reserved mangrove forests. 4,262 sq. km. (1640 sq. miles) of the mangrove forests are in India (West Bengal). The remaining 6000 sq. km. (2310 sq. miles) are in Bangladesh.
Sunderban is the only mangrove forest in the world which is home of the tiger.

Indian Sunderban – 9,692 sq. km.

Another 5,430 sq. km. (2,090 sq. miles) of non-forest, inhabited region in India, to the north and north-west of the mangrove forests, is also known as the Sunderban. The combined forest and non-forest area in India totalling 9,692 sq. km. (3,730 sq. miles) is known as the Indian Sunderban region.
This region is criss-crossed by an intricate maze of rivers, tributaries, streams, channels, estuaries and creeks. Life is extremely difficult in this region because 70% of the area is covered by saline brackish water. The environment is made more hostile by the diurnal rise and fall of water caused by the tidal waves.Sunderban region has about sixty per cent of the total mangrove forests of India.
Sunderban Tiger Reserve

In 1973, the Government of India notified 2585 sq. km. (995 sq. miles) of the area as the Sunderban Tiger Reserve under the Wildlife (Protection) Act 1972 and brought it under its Project Tiger Scheme. In 1977, the Reserve was elevated to the status of Wildlife Sanctuary.
The Project Tiger has brought in much needed funds and support from the Government of India and the State Government. But the Sunderban needs still more funding.
The Sunderban Tiger Reserve has more tigers than any other Tiger Reserve in the world. The following are the figures of tigers in the Sunderban:
___________________________________________________
1972    1979    1984   1989   1993   1995   1997   2001-02*    2004
   60      205      264     269     251     242     263        245          274
___________________________________________________

The majority of the four million people who live in the Sunderban area are poor and live below the poverty line. They lack access to proper roads and health care facilities.

Therefore, in spite of the presence of the tigers, many of whom are man eaters and sometimes kill animals and humans, the local villagers venture into the forests to collect honey or to cut wood.

The local villagers worship Bonbibi (the local forest deity) and Dakshin Ray (a demon who is believed to assume the shape of a tiger) to protect them from the tigers. Tigers generally attack from the rear. For this reason, while moving inside the forests, the villagers wear bright coloured face masks behind their heads in the hope that the tiger will be fooled by this trick. In spite of this, sometimes they are attacked by tigers.

Sunderbans National Park

On May 4, 1984, Government of India elevated a core area of 1,330.10 sq. km. (510 sq. miles) to the status of National Park. In 1987, UNESCO recognised the Sunderbans National Park as a World Heritage Site. No commercial activity is permitted in the core area. Visitors are not allowed inside the core area. This is to ensure complete privacy to the tigers.

Some facts about the Sunderban Tigers

· The tiger is the top predator of both aquatic and terrestrial eco-systems in the Sunderban.
· A tiger requires 7.5 kilograms of meat every day.
· About 17.5% of food for the tiger comes from aquatic sources.
· They drink saline water, perhaps the only example of this kind in the world.
· A wild tiger requires 10 sq. km. of area to roam around.
· The female takes care of her cubs for as long as 18 months. The males are usually tolerant of their own cubs. But may kill the offspring of other males.
· During the two peak tidal periods of February and May, territorial markings by tigers in Sundarban get obliterated by the daily tides. During that time, tigers are often found swimming across rivers and creeks, crossing up to 8 km. wide rivers.
· During the paddy ripening time, tigers enter several kms. inside the paddy fields and prey on the cattle there.
· The easiest quarries of man-eating tigers/victims are wood cutters, fishermen and honey collectors.
· Fishermen are the worst sufferers.
· But only 5% of the tigers are man eaters.

Tiger attacks

There is not a single instance of a tiger attacking a human being (even if it has strayed out of the forest) unless it is cornered by people. Normally, it kills cattle as its prey.
All cases of tiger killing humans occur only when a man enters the forest. If we look from the tiger’s point of view, a man inside his forest is simply another legitimate prey, which is easily available and easier to hunt than deer or wild boar.

The Mangrove Biosphere

In order to coordinate and integrate conservation, research and training activities in the Sunderban region, on March 29, 1989, the Government of India notified the entire 9,630 sq. km. region as the Sunderban Biosphere Reserve. More than four million people live within the Biosphere Reserve.
In November 2001, UNESCO accorded recognition to the Sunderban Biosphere Reserve area under its Man and Biosphere (MAB) programme.

Unique Habitat

The water in the numerous rivers, creeks and canals rises and falls in tune with the tides. Salt water from the sea rushes in and out – twice every day – making the region one of the most difficult terrains to live in. Most of the creatures here – both animals and plants – land and aquatic – have developed unique adaptations to survive in this peculiar environment.

For instance, the tiger has become a strong swimmer. It has learnt to catch fish. It even drinks saline water.

Throughout the mangrove forests, at the water’s edge, you will find the unique mud skipper, a fish that walks on land and even climbs trees. Its fins have evolved into two small arm-like flippers which permit it to move about on land. There are numerous blood-red fiddler crabs and other crustaceans.
The mangrove trees have developed strange aerial roots and unique propagation mechanism.
Sunderban has 84 species of mangrove and mangrove-related plants.

Animal Life

According to Hunter’s Account of Sundarban written in 1878, there were numerous tigers, leopards, rhinoceros, wild buffaloes, wild hogs, wild cats, bara-singha, spotted deer, hog deer, barking deer and monkeys in the Sundarban.

Over the last 130 years, leopards, rhinoceros, wild buffaloes and bara-singha have vanished. The animal life has been reduced to the tiger, deer, wild boar, monkeys, jungle cats and fishing cats.

Aquatic Life

There are a number of aquatic mammals – the Ganges dolphin, Indo-pacific hump-backed dolphin, Irrawaddy dolphin and the Finless porpoise.

There are several species of reptiles – Olive Ridley turtle, the river terrapin, estuarine crocodile (the largest crocodile in the world), monitor lizard, water monitor, chameleons; and a varied assortment of snakes – King cobra, common cobra, Banded krait, Russell’s Viper, Python, Chequered Keelback, Dhaman, Green Whip Snake, Indian python and a number of water snakes. There are skipping frogs, common toads and tree fogs.

The numerous species of fishes include the Saw fish, Butter fish, Electric Rays, Silver Carp, Star Fish, Common Carp, several species of sharks, prawns and shrimps.

Bird Life

The area is rich in bird life. There are over 200 species of birdsincluding plenty of water birds – Asian open bill stork, black-necked stork, greater adjutant stork, egrets, herons, swamp francolin, white ibis, white-collared kingfisher, black-capped kingfisher, brown-winged kingfisher, spotted billed pelican, etc.

A number of migratory birds come from far off places. You can see the Asian dowitcher (Limnodromus semipalmatus), a rare migrant bird, during the winter months.
There are also a number of birds of prey – white-bellied sea-eagle, grey-headed fishing eagle, brahmini kite, herring gull, osprey, Pallas’s fish eagle, peregrine falcon, Oriental hobby, northern eagle owl and brown fish owl.

Plant Life

The most important trees are the mangrove trees. The name Sunderban meaning Sundari forest comes from two words Sundari (a species of mangrove tree – Heritiera fomes – one of the larger mangrove trees here) and Ban (forest).
There are several other species of trees. Genwa which has flaming red leaves in April and May. The Kankara with its crab like red flowers. Khalsi with its dazzling display of yellow blooms.

Stay – Sajnekhali Tourist Lodge

The only place to stay inside the forest area is the Sajnekhali Tourist Lodge (also known as Sunder Chital Tourist Lodge) in Sajnekhali maintained by the West Bengal Tourism Development Corporation Ltd. It is rustic and simple. There is no electricity. A generator gives just enough power to run the fans and lights during the late evening and night.
There is a watch tower here, a crocodile pond and a turtle pond. There is also an artificial hatchery for hatching eggs of Olive Ridley turtles. Turtle eggs are collected from the wild and hatched under human supervision.
There is a Mangrove Interpretation Centre here where you can see films on wild life and get you doubts cleared.

If you want luxury, you can stay at Sunderban Tiger Camp just across the river – opposite Sajnekhali.
The Sunderban Tiger Camp has four A/c double bed and three Non-A/c double bed Cottages; 4 bed huts and 4 bed Swiss tents. All the rooms are simple but spacious with 24 hours electricity and running water and good service.
A third place to stay is the Sunderban Jungle Camp at Bali Island also opposite Sajnekhali. There are also a few private hotels and resorts in Pakhiralay area.
You can also stay on board the launch which has cabins, toilets, running water and arrangement for meals. In fact, the Government of West Bengal and the West Bengal Tourist Development Corporation Ltd. both organize excursions into the Sunderban where you spend the nights on board the launch. You can even hire a private launch and plan your individual itinerary.

Places to see

Piyali
Piyali, situated 72 km from Kolkata, is a gateway to the Sunderban. It is a beautiful resting place. Here the small river Piyali mingles with Matla river.

Sajnekhali Bird Sanctuary
The Sajnekhali Bird Sanctuary situated on the confluence of Matla and Gumdi rivers is a part of the Sunderbans National Park. You can see a variety of birds.
This is a bird watcher’s paradise.

Sudhanyakhali
Has a man made Mangrove Park and a watch tower. The Sunderban forests have about 84 species of plants. You can see most of them here. From the watch tower, you can also see deer, water monitors, etc.

Kaikhali
On the way to Sundarbans, you can visit Kaikhali Island. This is an ideal picnic spot.

Bhagabatpur Crocodile Project
The Bhagabatpur Crocodile Project is a hatchery and rearing centre of the world’s largest estuarine crocodiles. You can reach this place through Namkhana.

Netidhopani
You can see the the ruins of a 400 year old temple at Netidhopani and listen to ancient legends from the locals. There is a watch towers here.

Halliday Island & Lothian Island Wildlife Sanctuaries
These two sanctuaries lie to the south of the Sunderban and are not part of the Tiger Reserve.

Halliday Island is considered the last retreat of the shy barking deer.

Kanak
This is the nesting place of Olive Ridley turtles who spend most of their lives in the far away seas and oceans. These turtles travel long distances to shallow coastal waters to breed – often travelling up to 100 km from the sea into the rivers.

How to reach Sunderban

The islands Goasaba, Sandeshkali and Basanti form the northern boundary of the Sundarban. On the south is the sea. To the west are the Matla and Bidya Rivers and to the east is the international boundary with Bangladesh.
For visiting Sunderban, the starting point is Kolkata (Calcutta). From Kolkata, there are two routes. One goes south towards the South West; the other goes south towards the South East. Either way, you have to drive about 100 km. The road is very good.
The South West route takes you to Namkhana (105 km – via Diamond Harbour and Kakdwip). If you like a longer river journey, you can take a boat from any of these places or from Gangadharpur and visit Sagar Island, Lothian Island and surrounding areas.
The South East route is more popular. You drive through 100 kms of picturesque wetlands, agricultural fields, fish hatcheries and rural Bengal to reach Sonakhali. From here, you can take a 3 hour launch ride to Sajnekhali Tourist Lodge.
If you are more adventurous, you can travel on to Basanti by road (which is just across the river from Sonakhali) and drive on to Gadkhali (11kms). At Gadkhali, take the ferry and cross the Bidya river to Gosaba. A cycle rickshaw will take you to Pakhiralaya in about half hour. Sajnekhali is just across the river from Pakhiralaya.
During the launch ride, you will pass a number of villages of West Bengal. Most of the village people are engaged in some sort of fishing. You will see ladies and children dragging fishing nets to catch tiger prawn fry from which they earn about Rs. 50 per day. But this damages the eco system very badly.

Fact File

Airport
The nearest airport is Kolkatta – 112 kms.Railway Station

Railway
The nearest station is Canning – 48 kms. from Kolkatta

Road
Road transportation is available from
Kolkatta to Namkhana – 105 kms.
Sonakhali – 100 kms.
Raidighi – 76 kms.
Canning – 64 kms. and
Najat – 92 kms.

Best time to visit

September to April.

Foreigners need special permits

Foreigners need special permit to enter the Sunderban.
Permit to visit Sunderban Tiger Projects is issued by Field Director, Sundarbans Tiger Reserve, PO Canning, District 24 Parganas, West Bengal.
Permit to visit other areas of the Sundarbans is issued by the Jt. Secretary, West Bengal Forest Department, Writer’s Building, Kolkatta – 700001.
In order to save time, foreigners should request their travel agent to obtain the permit before hand.

Suggestions

A Sunderban trip is a unique and exciting experience. A journey to no where. Far away from civilization in the mysterious land of the mighty tiger.
Chances of sighting a tiger are rare. But the area has a mysterious, indescriptible charm. You will thoroughly enjoy a few days stay here. It is totally different.

Some related web sites

1. Map of the region is available at: http://www.calcuttaweb.com/maps/south24pgs.shtml 2.Map of the Sunderban region is available at: http://www.sundarbanbiosphere.org/html_files/photos_all/map/sundarban_4_1.htm 3. Web site of the West Bengal Government: http://www.wb.nic.in/westbg/sundarban.html 4. Web site of the Sunderban Tiger Camp: http://www.sunderbantigercamp.com/contact.htm 5. Web site of the Sunderban Jungle Camp: http://www.helptourism.com/photo_sundarban.html 6. Addresses of offices of Govt. of India & W.B. Tourism Development Corp. Ltd., in Kolkata: http://www.tourisminindia.com/indiainfo/cityguide/calcutta/contact.htm

Aihole, Badami and Pattadakal
The Chalukyan Temple Architecture

WHO designed the first Hindu temples? Who constructed them? Where were they built? What were they made of? Why did successive rulers make them more and more magnificent? These are some interesting questions relating to temple architectural history.

Indo-Aryan Nagara style of architecture
One comes across three principal types of temple architecture that were prevalent in different parts of India around the same period. Between A.D. 320 and A.D. 650, the Gupta Kings started building temples in North and Central India in what is known as the Indo-Aryan Nagara style of architecture.

The Dravidian style of architecture
In the south, kings built temples in the Dravidian style. One finds the earliest surviving Dravidian temples near Mamallapuram (Mahabalipuram, 60 km south of Chennai). These were built around A.D. 500. This style flourished for centuries and reached its zenith when the massive structures in Madurai and Rameswaram were built, around A.D. 1600.

The Chalukyan style of architecture
The Chalukyan style originated in Aihole around A.D. 450 and was perfected in the neighbouring villages of Badami and Pattadakal (all in Bagalkot district of Karnataka). Chalukyan artists experimented with different styles, blended the Indo-Aryan Nagara and Dravidian styles, and evolved their own distinctive style. One can see magnificent examples of their earliest works in Aihole, Badami and Pattadakal. These certainly are not the earliest temples. Temples were constructed centuries before the 4th and 5th century A.D., but with wood and bricks and have not survived.
The massive temples in South India today give the impression that there were no large temples in North and Central India. There were, in fact, big temples in North and Central India, too. But repeated invasions, pilferage and destruction over the years devastated most of them. Thus, we do not find in North and Central India the equals of the grand temples of South India which was comparatively free of frequent foreign invasions and enabled successive rulers to add to the work of their predecessors.

Aihole, Badami and Pattadakal
THE Chalukya rulers of Vatapi (as Badami was then known) ruled the central Deccan from A.D. 540 to A.D. 757. They were great patrons of art and architecture. They have left behind a wealth of temple architecture in Aihole, Badami and Pattadakal. Since these areas do not lie on the major tourist routes and are not well-connected with the major cities, they have not received the prominence they deserve.
The architectural style that developed in this part is known as the Chalukyan style (to distinguish it from the Dravidian style, more common to Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, and so on). Why did South Indian rulers build temples of such magnitude and why did their successors make continuous additions to the work? Certainly not solely because of their faith in religion.
Perhaps they wanted to overawe their enemies and subjects with an enormous show of wealth and power, represented by these temples. Or perhaps they wanted to impress their subjects with a show of love for the religion. Or perhaps they wanted to atone for the sins they had committed by killing innumerable innocent people in the bloody wars they fought. The temples were built by teams of architects, artists, sculptors and masons, who remain anonymous.

Aihole
Aihole, a small village on the banks of the Malaprabha river, was the cradle of ancient Hindu temple architecture. There are over 70 temple structures scattered around the village. These structures clearly show the experimentation with different styles undertaken by the artisans. It was here that the artisans worked on the rocks to create the earliest rock-cut shrines based on Buddhist monuments.
It was here they experimented with different styles, abandoning some and adopting others. From the earliest rock-cut shrines, the artisans graduated to the full-fledged Chalukyan style of architecture.
Ravana Phadi is one of the oldest rock-cut temples in Aihole. There is a Sivalinga in the inner room (cella or sanctum sanctorum, where the idol of the deity is kept). The walls and sides of the temple are covered with large figures. The sculptures are superb – especially that of dancing Siva.
The Huchchimalligudi temple is one of the earliest in Aihole. A significant feature of it is the addition of a room to the old temple structure, which had only an inner room and a hall. The room was added between the sanctum sanctorum and the hall.
One of the most impressive temples here is the Durga temple, which dates back to the 7th century A.D. This is actually a Hindu adaptation of the Buddhist Chaitya Hall with a rounded end. The temple has perforated windows and a statue of Mahishasuravardhini – Goddess Durga destroying the demon Mahishasura. This was constructed in a new style, but subsequently abandoned.
The Lad Khan temple was also built around the 7th century A.D. It is a unique temple, with a surprising resemblance to the Parliament House. It is believed that this structure was not meant to be a temple but a meeting place.

Badami
Badami is now a small town located at the mouth of a ravine between two steep hills. It was the original capital of the Chalukya empire founded by Pulakesin I in the 6th century A.D. Here are four beautiful rock-cut temples carved out of sandstone hills. Each has a square sanctum, a hall with pillars, and a pillared verandah. The halls have exquisite carvings and sculptures.
Of the four temples, the fourth is actually a Jain temple. It has a statue of Mahavira.

Among the masterpieces in these rock-cut temples is the famous 18-armed statue of Nataraja (Siva in the dancing pose). If one observes it closely, one will see Nataraja in 81 different dancing poses.

Pattadakal
Pattadakal is another small village on the banks of the Malaprabha. This place was considered to be very auspicious and holy. The Chalukya kings were crowned here.
During the middle of the 7th century, temple building activity shifted from Badami to Pattadakal. There are 10 temples here, four in the northern or Indo-Aryan Nagara style and six in the Chalukyan style. Here one finds an intermingling of the two styles. A look at the Pampanath temple shows its disproportionate dimensions. The height is much too low. This style, too, was abandoned.

The Mallikarjuna, and the larger Virupaksha, temples were built around A.D. 740, by Trailokyamahadevi and Lokamahadevi, the two queens of Vikramaditya II, to commemorate their husband’s victory over Nandivarman, the Pallava king of Kancheepuram. Vikramaditya II brought artisans from Kancheepuram. The Virupaksha temple clearly shows the influence of the Kancheepuram style.

Levels of Architecture
Guides will tell tourists that if Aihole is considered a school of architecture, Badami was a degree college, and Pattadakal, a university of architecture.

World Heritage Site
In 1987, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) included Pattadakal in its list of World Heritage sites.

Hogenakkal Falls

The Cauvery River may be the bone of contention between politicians, but oblivious to all these earthly squabbles, the river passes though some of the most picturesque regions in Karnataka and Tamil Nadu in South India.

Hogenakkal Falls is one such place. It is the finest waterfall in Tamil Nadu and one of those places which should not be missed.

Hogenakkal Falls

The Kannada word Hogenakkal, which means ‘smoking rock’, describes the real ambience.
Here, the Cauvery river flows through a wooded valley, splitting and merging around rocks, and splitting again. The river passes little islands with tall trees, and traverses boulder-strewn out crops which are covered with water only during the monsoons when the river is in spate.
Here, the River enters the plains, hurtling down the rocks and boulders. The main attraction of the falls is the vertical drop of the river from a height of 20 metres with a roaring sound. And it appears that smoke is rising upwards from the river below. You can hear the thundering sound for miles around.

Coracle Ride

You will see people floating in the river in queer saucer shaped contraptions. These are coracles, the traditional boats, used by the locals for the past several centuries.The coracle is a saucer shaped boat made of bamboos and covered with buffalo hide. The modern coracles are made of steel frame work covered with synthetic material.
These boats look flimsy and give the impression that they would over turn at the slightest obstacle.
But inspite of their design which has remained unchanged for hundreds of years, and the use of some modern materials for construction, they are surprisingly sturdy.
I had visited Hogenakkal in 1993. My driver asked me not to go into the river. I asked him why?
He explained that once a number of crocodiles surrounded a coracle and demanded a human sacrifice. Only when the inmates threw a baby to them did the crocodiles go away.Sheer nonsense! The fact is there is not a single crocodile in the river. The fishermen regularly use nets for fishing.
Take a ride in the coracle. The owner will take you over the rapids and into the roaring falls. It’s a thrilling experience.
You will cross people catching fish in the river. You will also see the imps diving from the rocks into the river below.

Natural Spa

Hogenakkal is a natural riverside spa. The water contains dissolved salts. It is believed that bathing here can cure several diseases. Over the centuries, Hogenakkal has become a sacred bathing place, famous for its curative powers.

The Oil Massage

A causeway joins some of the islands. You will find the malishkarans, the indigenous masseurs, massaging their customers. They use herbal oils, some mysterious powder (whose formulation they will not reveal) and knowledge of the fourteen massage points in the human body. They seat their customers on slabs of rock and work rather too vigorously.
After the massage, the customers go to the bathing cubicles and stand under cascades of Cauvery water hurtling down.
The oil message followed by a real washing down is exhilerating.

The Crocodile Breeding Centre

There is a crocodile breeding farm in Hogenakkal.
Crocodiles are bred here so that they can be released in the wild. But the fact is that crocodiles breed much too fast. Finding a safe place to release them is a serious problem.

Weekly Fair

A large weekly fair is held in the nearby village of Pennagaram. You can see the local people, the local products and witness the local way of life.

Getting there

Air
The nearest airport is Bangalore – 130 kms.

Rail
The nearest rail head is Bangalore

Road
Hogenakkal is 133 km from Bangalore towards Salem (and 25 km from Dharmapuri).
Tourist taxis and buses regularly ply between Bangalore and Hogenakkal. It is a two and a half hour drive to the falls. The road is good.
The road route is the fastest and most comfortable way to get to the falls.

My suggestions

The surrounding mountains and the rugged scenery have made Hogenakkal Falls one of the most beautiful places in the state. It is a good Picnic spot. Because of its nearness to Bangalore, there are few places to stay.There is a guesthouse belonging to the Tamil Nadu Tourism Development Corporation.

The most popular week end get aways from Mumbai

Lonavala and Khandala are two twin hill stations in Maharashtra eight kilometres from each other. They are just over a hundred kilometres from Mumbai (Bombay). The National Highway No. 4 from Mumbai to Bangalore passes through these two hill stations offering travellers a most enjoyable two hour motoring from Mumbai.

History

Lonavala was discovered in 1811 by Sir Mountstuart Elphinstone, then Resident of Pune and later Governor of Bombay. Elphinstone virtually founded the state education system in India, that too, at a time when British opinion was against educating the “natives”. The Elphinstone College of Mumbai was named after him. He refused the high post of Governor-General of India twice, to finish his authoritative two-volume work History of India.During that time, Lonavala was thickly forested, had a very small population and was known as “Lonali”. No authentic records are available which explain why the place was called Lonali. But Lonali of the past became the present day “Lonavala”.

During the 12th century, the Yadav Kings ruled Lonavala. Moghuls invaded the region and ruled for a long time. Later, Marathas, and after them, the Peshwas ruled the place. The Marathas and Peshwas built inaccessible, strategically located forts to protect their territory. The British started to rule this region from 1818.

Location

The two hill stations are situated on the western slopes of the Sahyadri hills. Lonavala is located at an altitude of 625 metres and is also known as the “Jewel of the Sahyadris”. Khandala is located slightly lower.

Both hill stations are famous for their scenic beauty, green hills, deep valleys, several lakes, historic forts and ancient caves. During the rainy season, the entire area becomes lush green with myriads of glistening waterfalls. Clouds sweep down to kiss the dense mist which seems to envelop everything.

Lonavala and Khandala have a number of sanatoria and are famous health resorts.
Lonavala and Khandala are extremely popular week end getaways amongst Mumbaites particularly because of their nearness to Mumbai. Many wealthy Mumbaites own flats or bungalows there. Many others try to spend their week ends there.

Places to see

There are plenty of places to visit and explore.

Lonavala Lake
This is the most famous lake. Also called Bushi Lake, it is located about a kilometre from Lonavala.
This lake is owned by Central Railway and is on the way to INS Shivaji.
Constructed in 1876, it is a very beautiful picnic spot.
The Indryani River is supposed to originate from this lake. There is also a dam here. Unfortunately, the lake practically dries up in summer.

Ray Wood Park
The Ray Wood Park is located inside the town near the Lonavala market. This is a sprawling botanical garden which has now turned into a large picnic garden with large lawns, tall trees and cool shades.

Tungarli Lake
This lake is at the north of the bus stand near Tungarli village. It supplies water to Lonavala. The hills offer beautiful views of Rajmachi, Lohagad, Visapur forts and Lonavala City.

Valvan Lake
This is very close to Lonavala. Here a Tata Company has constructed a beautiful dam. There is a well maintained garden and a centre for pisciculture.

Rajmachi Fort
This fort was used by the Maratha warrior Shivaji.
It is a place worth visiting but can be reached only on foot as it is surrounded by deep valleys on three sides and by a thick forest on the fourth side.

If you have time, you can visit a few other forts – the Manoranjan Fort, Shrivardhan Fort, Visapur Fort, Lohagad Fort and the Tunga Fort.

Rajmachi Point and Monkey Point
These are two other places worth visiting.

MTDC Holiday resort and Boating
There is a MTDC ( Maharashtra tourism development Corporation ) holiday resort at Karla spread over 30 acres of land. It is located on the Indravani river. Here you can hire paddle boats, motor boats and water scooters.

Ancient Caves

Far more interesting, much less known and rarely visited are the ancient and historical caves in the region.
Some of the oldest and most magnificent Buddhist caves in India lie scattered in this region.

Karla Caves

Malavali is on the main road about 8 km from Lonavala (towards Pune).
The Karla and Bhaja caves are both about 5 km from Malavali, but on opposite sides of the road.
Karla, 12 kms from Lonavala, has the largest chaitya griha (Buddhist chapel) in India. There are several viharas (monasteries or dwelling caves). These were built around 160 BC.

In terms of purity of design, the Karla caves represent the zenith of the Satwahan school of Hinayana style of temple architecture. They are the biggest and best preserved Buddhist cave temples in India.

The entrance to the chaitya griha is in the shape of a “Peepal” leaf. As one enters the magnificent hall, he is spell bound by the beauty of the stone pillars which are carved with life-like figures of elephants and human forms which represent different forms of Gautam Buddha.
The pillars are surprisingly smooth. The high majestic roof is semicircular.

There is adequate provision for storage of drinking water in the tanks around.
There is a small temple of Ekvira Devi at the entrance.

Bhaja Caves
Of the 18 caves in Bhaja, Cave No. 12, the finest of the cave complex, is an open chaitya constructed earlier than the Karla caves. This cave has sculptures of Surya and Indra with a Yaksha below Surya. The pillars here have centaurs.
Cave No. 1 is the dwelling house of the master architect.
Nine caves are viharas and the remaining 7 caves contain inscriptions about the donors.

The Bhaja caves are similar to the Karla Caves but on a much smaller scale. These caves are so constructed that the rays of the setting sun enter these caves.
On the southern side, there is a place where one can see carved figures of Gods and Goddesses.
Below the mountain is Mukkai, the site of the pre historic Mother Goddess. Even today, the villagers offer sacrifices once a year.
On one side of Bhaja is Lohagad Fort. On the other side, the Visapur Fort.

Bedsa Caves
16 kilometres south of Karla close to the Kamshet Railway Station is the village called Bedsa. A 3 kilometres walk up a stiff hill takes one to the Bedsa caves.
These caves have a huge chaitya, and numerous small resting chambers or cells for monks. The vihara has 9 cells and couple of side cells. In one of the larger cells is a non-Buddhist deity Yamai.
The caves have huge pillars, lions and human figures. The arched roof of the chaitya is supported by 2,000-year-old woodwork.
Under a tree in the village below is the Tandula stone of Bedsai. Every year, a palki (palanquin) is taken from this village to Yamai’s shrine and then to Vaghoba (deity of the pass) up the hill.

Getting there

Distances
Lonavala to Mumbai 108 Kms
Lonavala to Pune 66 Kms
Lonavala to Khandala 8 Kms

Air
Nearest international airport Mumbai
Nearest domestic airport Pune

Train
Both Lonavala and Khandala have railway stations and are well connected to Mumbai and Pune.

Road
The National Highway No. 4 from Mumbai to Bangalore passes through the two
hill stations. All kinds of private and public transport are available.

Accommodation

There are a large number of hotels in Lonavala and Khandala –
from affordable budget class to the star luxury class hotels.
The MTDC holiday resort at Karla also offers very good accommodation
at reasonable rates.

Best Time to Visit

These hill stations can be visited throughout the year, but the best time to visit them is during the monsoons.
During the rainy season, the rain clouds hover around and the place gets covered in dense mist. You can see many waterfalls all around.
Try to avoid weekends and holiday season, unless you like crowds.

Tirupati
Abode of Lord Venkateswara

The temple of Lord Venkateswara, Lord of the Seven Hills, in Tirumala, commonly called Tirupati, is the richest and most revered temple in India.

It is located amidst picturesque surroundings – 860 metres above sea level on a hill named Venkatadri – the last of the seven hills – one has to cross to reach the temple from the small town of Tirupati.

Please remember that Tirupati is a small town from where the climb to the temple begins. The Tirupati temple is not in Tirupati, but in Tirumala.

History

The temple is believed to have existed from ancient times. There are references to it in the Rigveda.

According to Hindu mythology, after the great Deluge, Lord Vishnu, rescued the earth in the form of a White Boar, Sweta Varaha, and stayed back on the earth for some time to protect the good and destroy the evil. He stayed on the bank of the Varaha Tirutham at the northern portion of Pushkarini at Tirumala.

The Adj Varahaswami temple on the north western bank of the Pushkarini at Tirumala is believed to mark that place. This temple is older than the temple of Lord Venkateswara.
According to the Puranas, the seven hills of Tirumala represent the seven heads of the serpent Adisesha, on which Lord Vishnu rests.

Tirupati temple was patronised by successive kings – the Pallavas of Kancheepuram (9th century AD); the Cholas of Thanjavur (a century later); and the Pandyas of Madurai.
The Vijayanagar kings (14th – 15th century AD) were great devotees and patrons of Tirupati and made more contributions.

Krishnadevaraya had statues of himself and his wives installed inside the Tirupati temple. There is also a statue of Venkatapati Raya in the main temple. These canbe seen even today.

The Maratta general, Raghoji Bhonsle, visited the temple and set up a permanent endowment for the temple. He also presented valuable jewels to the temple, including the great emerald which is still preserved in a box named after him. The rulers of Mysore and Gadhwal also made donations.

After the end of the Hindu rule, the rulers of Karnataka; and after them, the Britishers continued the patronage. In 1843, administration of the temple passed to Sri Seva Dossji of the Hathiramji Mutt at Tirumala.

In 1933, the Government passed a special Act, handing over administration to the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams Committee. To-day, under another law, a Board of Trustees appointed by the Andhra Pradesh Government maintains the T.T. Devasthanams which include 12 temples and their sub-shrines. The TTD Board is a miniature government.

Places to see

Tirumala Temple
The main temple is huge. It practically constitutes a township.

On weekends and on auspicious days, the queues are very, very long. Yet, the visitors await their turn without a single word of complaint.

It is a temple difficult to describe in words. There is something in the ambience, or in the atmosphere, which inspires a feeling of devotion.

Padmavati Devi Temple

The large temple dedicated to Goddess Padmavati, the consort of Lord Venkateswara, also known as “Alamelumangapuram”, is in Tiruchanur, 5 kms. from Tirupati.It is believed that a visit to Tirumala is incomplete without a visit to the Padmavati Devi temple.

Govindarajaswami Temple

Govindarajaswami Temple is one of the most important temples in Tirupati.
It was consecrated by Saint Ramanujacharya in 1130 AD. It is located in Tirupati.

Kodandaramaswami Temple
This temple dedicated to Sita, Ram and Lakshman is also located in Tirupati.
The Chola kings built it during the 10th century AD.
It is believed that Sita, Ram and Lakshman visited Tirupati after returning from Sri Lanka.

Kapileswaraswami Temple
This is the only temple in Tirupati dedicated to Lord Shiva. It is about 3 kms. to the north of Tirupati.
The sacred waterfall called “Kapila Teertham” (also known as “Alwar Teertham”) is located here.

Kalyana Venkateswaraswami Temple
It is believed that Lord Venkateswara stayed here after his marriage with Padmavati Devi before proceeding to Tirumala. It is about 12 kms. to the west of Tirupati.

The Unique Geological Arch (Shilatoran)
1 km. above the temple is a unique geological formation. It is a delight for geologists and scientists.
It is a place which few tourists even know about.
It should not be missed.

Getting there
Distances

Air
The nearest airport is in Tirupati.
There are direct flights to Tirupati from Hyderabad and Chennai.

Rail
The nearest railway station is Tirupati. But most trains take a diversion at Renigunta or Gudur.
You can get down at these stations and travel on by bus or taxi.

Road
Tirupati to Chennai – 130 kms. Tirupati to Chittoor – 67 kms.

Suggestion

Tirumala is a beautiful place.
The Unique Geological Arch (Shilatoran) 1 km. above the temple is a unique geological formation. It is a delight for geologists and scientists.
Spend some time there. It is a beautiful place.
You will feel as if you are in the Grand Canyon itself.

It is really a surprise to see the huge numbers of pilgrims and other visitors.
There is hurry, no flurry. Everyone is calm and quiet.
The place is refreshingly neat and clean.
The lawns and gardens are very well maintained.
Lots of pilgrims come to offer their hair to the Lord.
Tonsure, as this is called, gives a lot of revenue to the temple because the hair is sold.
Even if you don’t believe in religion, this place should be visited.
There are plenty of places to stay in Tirumala.
Otherwise, you can stay at Tirupati where there are all kinds of hotels.

Belur & Halebid

A must-see for all students of architecture, history and fine arts

I have visited numerous temples in India. But the temples of Belur and Halebid built by the Hoysala kings are unique.


Some one has written that “the Hoysala temples are to South Indian architecture, what the Parthenon is to Greece and the Pyramids to Egypt”. The Hoysala kings were great temple builders. During their rule (1000 AD to 1346 AD), 1,500 temples were built in 958 locations.
History
Today, Belur and Halebid are two insignificant towns 16 km apart in Karnataka (South India). But during the 11th to 14th centuries, these two towns were the glorious capitals of the Hoysala kings, who came to power around 1000 AD after defeating the Chalukya kings.
The Hoysala kings were able rulers and ruled for almost three and a half centuries.
Belur, located on the banks of the River Yagachi, was the original capital of the Hoysala kings. The capital was shifted to Halebid (formerly known as Dwara Samudram (Gateway to the Ocean).
But Muslim armies invaded Halebid in 1311 AD and again in 1327 AD razing the grand capital into shambles.
The capital was shifted back to Belur.
Temples in Belur
Chennakeshava (meaning handsome Vishnu)
The most beautiful temple in Belur is the Chennakeshava temple.

King Vishnuvardhana, the most illustrious Hoysala king, started construction of this temple in 1117 AD to commemorate his victory over the Cholas at Talakad that year.
The construction of the temple took more than a century and was completed after 103 years by Vishnuvardhana’s grandson Veera Ballala II.
The main entrance is guarded by two identical statues of a youth killing a tiger.
I walked around and inside the temple and marveled at the thousands of the most exquisite sculptures and statues of elephants, horses, lions, swans, depictions of mythological events, and scenes from the Indian epics.
The ceilings and walls of the temple are full of intricately carved images and figures of birds, animals, and dancers in various shapes and postures. Scenes of important episodes from the Hindu epics are depicted here.

Beautiful, highly polished, pillars turned on lathe, adorn the Navranga Hall.

Each pillar is different.

These statues have unrivalled, unimaginable, fluidity which makes them vibrant and almost alive.

I also saw statuettes displaying all forms of modern-day fashions and different hairstyles including ponytails, a variety of ornaments, skirts, Bermudas, shoes, and slippers.

The statues of the 42 ‘madanikas’ or celestial dancers were inspired by Queen Shantaladevi, who was the very epitome of voluptuous beauty. She was the Indian counterpart of Queen Cleopatra.
The Hoysala architects were so meticulate for detail and perfection in their art, that the earrings of the dancers actually rotate and beads of perspiration glisten in the hairs of some.
I saw some students making sketches of these carvings and statues.

These places are a must-see for all students of architecture, history, and fine arts.
As I entered the temple, the temple priest had just started the puja.

Surprisingly, daily worship continues in the Belur temple even today making it one of the oldest living temples in the country.
Temples in Halebid
There are two beautiful temples in Halebid – both dedicated to Lord Shiva.
The idols are in the form of Shivalinga (the phallic form of Lord Shiva).
Both temples have large monolithic statues of Nandi (Lord Shiva’s bull) facing the entrance,
The first temple is the Hoysaleshwara Temple.

Its construction was started by the Chief of Staff in 1121 AD.

Although construction continued for 87 years, the temple was never completed.
The other temple – Kedareshwara Temple – was built almost two centuries later – in 1319 AD.
On my journey back, as I drove down to Hassan, I reminisced on what great travellers, historians, and architects had written about these places.
They have highly praised the statues.

Many have described them as masterpieces and gems of Indian architecture.
These statues are made of steatite which is initially soft and easy to

work with, but gradually hardens with prolonged exposure.
Uniqueness of these temples
One unique feature of these temples is that they have been constructed on star-shaped bases unlike the normal square-shaped bases of most Indian temples.

Belur temple stands on a single star base while the Halebid temple has a twin star base.
Another unique feature is that unlike other temples where the artists do not leave

their names, the artists and sculptors of Hoysala have broken away from tradition and

signed their sculptures.

They have engraved their names, titles and even the place of their origin at the foot of their creations.

We know that Jakkanna Achari was the Chief architect of these two temples.
Originally, these temples had the typical high tower above the main temple that fell or were removed.
Accommodation
Belur and Halebid both are small towns having small hotels offering only basic amenities.

It is therefore better to stay in Bangalore, Mysore or even Hassan.

Getting there
Air

The nearest airport is Bangalore. 222 kms from Belur.
Train

The nearest railway station is Hassan. 34 kms from Belur.

Road

Bangalore to Belur 222 kms. 4 hours drive.
Belur to Halebid 16 kms.
Belur to Hassan 34 kms.
Belur to Hospet 330 kms.
Belur to Mangalore 124 kms.
Belur to Mysore 149 kms.

Suggestions

There are also a number of ancient Jain temples around because the earlier

Hoyshala kings were Jains.
Do visit these temples.

When you visit these places, do hire a trained guide.

He will take you on a timeless journey into history.

The oldest bird sanctuary in India

This is one wonderful scene I will never forget.
I am in Vedanthangal Bird Sanctuary near Chenni.
The sun is just about to set.
The trees are dotted with birds.
At a rough estimate, there are about 75,000 birds.
There are numerous nests.
Some nests contain fluffy little chicks – some a few days old, others older.

Other nests contain eggs.
There are several species of birds – most of them migratory.

You can easily identify some of the birds.Pelicans, the heaviest bird (each weighing upto 10 kilograms), have enormous heavy flat bills with an elastic pouch on the bottom.
They fly from one tree to another.
They look clumsy.
Yet, they take off the water effortlessly and can easily fly long distances.
I remember reading a story about a Japanese fisherman and his pelicans.
He would tie a twine around the necks of his pelicans.
They would fish in the rivers.
They would store the catch in their pouch.

When they returned to the fisherman, he would take out the fishes leaving one or two for the pelicans.
The spoonbills have peculiar spoon shaped bills and black legs.

The Open Bill Storks can be identified from the tell-tale gap between the two bills.

Several species of ducks from Canada are swimming.
Every now and then, they dive into the water and come up with a fish or tadpole.

Suddenly, the snake like head of the snake bird or darter pops out of the water.
It swims with its body submerged under the water.
The neck and head move like a snake and as suddenly disappear under the surface.

The herons and egrets patiently wait at the water’s edge for an unfortunate fish.
The sun dips down the horizon.
The western sky turns a beautiful soft red – the dream of any painter.
The tropical dusk wraps up the entire vista.
Thousands of birds are returning to their nests for the night.

If there are eggs or chicks – one of the parents goes out in search of food, while the other looks after the eggs or chicks.
If the birds have chicks, they bring back food in their beaks.

As they delicately land in their nests, the little impatient chicks start clammering for food.
They insert their tiny beaks into the mouths of their parents and try to snatch whatever is possible.
There is a lot of noise. Different kinds of bird sounds.
Birds flap around.
Singles. In small groups. And in larger groups.
It is difficult to believe that there can be so many different kinds of birds in one sanctuary.

In spite of all the noise, there is an unbelievable oneness.
The din is soothingly pleasant.
One simply forgets that he is very close to Chennai.

For a few hours, peace and tranquility take over and one becomes a child.
There are a number of large boards carrying sketches and details of different birds.

Request some one from the forest department to accompany you.
He could give you your first lessons in bird watching or ornithology.
He could bring out the traits of Salim Ali in you.

He will teach you how to identify the birds from the way they fly, the formations in which they fly and the way they land on their nests.

The oldest bird sanctuary in India

The Vedanthangal Bird Sanctuary is the oldest bird sanctuary in India.

It is situated in the Kanchipuram district of Tamil Nadu (90 kilometres from Chennai (Madras)). For over two hundred ago – long before the days of modern day wild life conservationism – the villagers around have zealously protected the winged visitors to this sanctuary.
They knew that the large numbers of birds translate into droppings which turn into a lot of guano – one of the finest natural fertilizers known to mankind.

The birds also devour a lot of insects, pests and rodents which would otherwise harm the crops.
The villagers recognize the symbiotic beneficial relationship with the birds.

The fertility of the land is very high.
The yield of the crops is also very high.
And the crops are free of artificial fertilizer and insecticide.
True conservation means recognizing the mutual benefits to us.

Archival records show that towards the end of the 18th century, local villagers complained to the then Collector Lionel Place about indiscriminate shooting of the birds by British soldiers.
The Collector issued a ‘firman’ (order) – prohibiting any shooting of the birds in the entire village.
The East India Company recognised the villagers’ rights and renewed them in the year 1858.

The lake was first recognised as a sanctuary in 1936.
In 1962, it was accorded the legal status of a reserve forest under the Madras Forest Act.
Ten years later, in 1972, the entire lake was declared a Wildlife Sanctuary under the Wildlife Protection Act.
Today generations later, the villagers still protect the birds with the same zeal which their fore fathers showed.
They avoid any noisy activity near the sanctuary.

During the months the winged visitors use this place for breeding – the 3,000-odd villagers even make marriages and festivals a silent affair.

The forest officers told me that a bird census had been taken recently.

There were more than 75,000 birds.
The sanctuary comprises of a grove of Barringtonia Acacia nilotica trees in a large tank.

In addition, there are dry evergreen scrub and thorn forests.
Boating is not allowed here.
As a result, breeding birds do not have any disturbance.

During the monsoon, rain water accumulates not only in the main lake, but also in the 60 and odd ponds and adjoining paddy fields resulting in proliferation of aquatic prey for the birds – such as fish, tadpoles, frogs, water insects and snails.
115 species of birds have been recorded in this sanctuary.

I have compiled a list of a few migratory birds I could see and identify:
Garganey Teals, Glossy Ibis, Grey Heron, Grey Pelican, Open-billed Stork, Painted Stork,
Snake Bird, Spoonbill and Spot Bill Duck.

In addition, I could spot Cormorants, Darters, Grebes, Large Egret, Little Egrets, Moorhen, Night Herons, Paddy Bird, Painted Stork, Pintails, Pond Heron, Sandpiper, Shovellers, Terns, White Ibis, etc.
As summer sets in, the water in the tanks starts receding.
By this time, the chicks become old and strong enough to fly.

The migratory birds start leaving in batches.
The villagers bid them adieu……only to welcome them back after six months or so.

General Information

Best season to visit

The nesting season commences late October.
The birds are through with breeding and start returning to their feeding grounds around March.
The best time to visit the sanctuary is from November to the middle of March.

Best time to visit

When the birds have eggs or chicks, only one parent will remain in the nest.
The other will fly to the surrounding areas in search of food.
Therefore, the best time to visit the Sanctuary is during the early mornings or late evenings when you can see more birds.

Reaching there

Airport
Nearest airport is Chennai – 58 kms away.

Railway station
Nearest railway station is Chengalpattu – 30 kms away.

Road
90 kms. from Chennai.
There are regular and frequent bus services from Chennai, Tambaram and Chengalpattu.

Accommodation

You can stay overnight at the forest rest house at Vedanthangal close by.

For reservations, contact :Wildlife Warden’s Office DMS Compound, Anna Salai, Teynampet, Chennai – 600 006Tel : (044) 2432 1471
All types of accommodation are available in Chennai.